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| Joined: | Wed Nov 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | Michigan USA |
| Posts: | 159 |
| First Name: | Jane | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Presbyterian, Gnostic, non-denominational, Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Jan 20th, 2008 10:46 am |
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I've heard the term "covenental Christian" used disparagingly, and wondered what is meant by it. Recently I read a novel in which an Episcopalian referred in a disparaging manner to a person as being a "covenental Baptist." Certainly covenants between God and man from Adam to Christ are elemental to our faith. I've read Scott Hahn's excellent book Swear to God that describes the sacredness of God's covenants with man, and how our Blessed Sacrament renews the New Covenent in Christ's blood. It seems as if there must be another line of thinking behind the use of "covenental Christian" that finds fault with someone. Can anyone in this forum shed some light on this question?
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David W. Emery
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
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| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Jan 20th, 2008 07:41 pm |
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Jane, the term “covenantal Christian” comes ultimately from a Calvinist school of theology called “covenant theology.” You can read about this concept here and see a comparison of it with “dispensational theology” (made famous by Evangelicals like Tim LaHaye) here. (I believe the Evangelical author is mistaken in his reference to Anglican/Episcopal and Lutheran use of covenantal theology. These have their own theological tradition apart from the Calvinist milieu.)
Scott Hahn, a former Presbyterian (whose origins are in the Calvinist Reformed tradition), still uses some elements of this theology in his explorations of Catholic theology. He speaks specifically of this direction in his early thought in the book Rome Sweet Home. Another article (Presbyterian) shows the patristic connection to covenantal theory and why Scott Hahn is able to continue using these elements now that he is a Catholic.
An Episcopalian, it must be understood, would prefer Anglican thought to Calvinist thought, and therefore in the novel could be depicted as despising a Reformed Baptist, whose background is a combination of the Anabaptist and Calvinist traditions.
David
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| Joined: | Wed Nov 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | Michigan USA |
| Posts: | 159 |
| First Name: | Jane | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Presbyterian, Gnostic, non-denominational, Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Jan 20th, 2008 09:12 pm |
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Very interesting. Thanks for the links.
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