The Grand Inquisitor (2) on Miracles as a counterfeit for faith

Tony gives us a second talk on the Grand Inquisitor and his assault on God and the re-vitalised Christ. In this talk Tony explains why the Inquisitor sees the human desire for miracles as false religion – and something that denies God what he wants. God wants his presence on earth not spectacular invasions of normalcy – which miracles are.  So they cannot be the staple diet of a faithful life. Instead we must recognise the sacred space of the natural world we live in… and this theme will take us right back to Ezekiel!

In this session they Tony and Andrew look at some of the alternative theories of atonement over the history of the church – and how they have led to the dominance of the ‘penal substitutionary atonement’ theory of today. As always, our spirit is one of inquiry and discovery not dogma – so Andrew and Tony will continue to examine different perspectives around this theory that is so central to our faith.

Tony Golsby-Smith introduces the upcoming Gospel Conversations conference to be held in Sydney on the 25/26th August. He expresses the excitement that we all hold in anticipation of his visit. He also explains that Gospel Conversations is not just inviting a big name but rather a speaker who can help us to put the Lord Jesus Christ on a much higher pedestal than traditional Protestantism has done in the past.

For this episode Andrew is in conversation with Leisa Aitken as they discuss Andrew's paper on the "Sacrifice of Isaac". The paper was a short exegesis on Genesis 22 and can be found at this  link

Tony continues looking at Ezekiel 12 - 14, this time through the lens of Dostoievsky’s ‘Grand Inquisitor’. 

Tony takes us into Dostoievsky’s famous imaginary confrontation where the Inquisitor berates Jesus for ‘overestimating’ humanity and wanting too much from them - love rather than servility. He draws a deep comparison between this and the idolatrous mindset.

Tony looks to the passage Ezekiel 12 - 14 to address the subject of ‘Idolatry in the OT and how modern Christians get it wrong’. 

“Getting rid of idols in our hearts” is a common refrain in lots of preaching.  But is it true to scripture - both in the NT and the OT? Tony dives into the worldview behind idolatry and the real challenge it presented to the Mosaic vision of the one true God.

Ezekiel chapter 6 - Ezekiel and the ‘angry God’ of the OT.  In this BWJ episode Tony confronts the question of the so-called ‘angry God’ or ‘just God’ of the Old Testament and whether this picture contradicts the loving and ‘broken’ God revealed in Jesus.

Introduction; 

Breakfast with Jesus kicks off again after a short break with a series of meditations on Ezekiel.  Tony begins with a big picture introduction in which he compares Jeremiah and Ezekiel, their overlapping lives, and the way Ezekiel pioneers apocalyptic thinking and the hope of resurrection.

In this episode, Andrew and Tony explore a radical alternative view of the Fall – as ‘lost dominion’.  To do this they go back to the creation account and expand the concept of our being made in the image of God, and the implications of God calling humanity to have ‘dominion’.