Ask DC Al Fine

[DC Al Fine]

The JCL thread seemed interesting so I thought I'd start my own. Ask me what I think about various issues facing the church and I'll do my best to answer you.

[DC Al Fine]

Considering you've said before you were a rather high church Presbyterian, what is your opinion of Federal Vision theology? Also what of Theonomy?

I don't know much about it, but I don't like what I've heard (paedocommunion, psalms only etc). I'm high church in practice, not in my theology.

As for theonomy; HELL NO. I hold to the traditional reformed view that there are three kinds of OT law; moral, ceremonial, and civic. The third passed away at the end of the Israeli state, and the second at the resurrection, leaving the moral law as the only one that modern people must obey.

[DC Al Fine]

What opinion do you have about the fate of Native Americans and Pacific Islanders who died before hearing Christ?  Obviously they are guilty, except perhaps for the youngest babies where the case is somewhat ambiguous, of violating the law of God due to original sin, but is there a second chance after death for these people?

I'd say no. They just aren't part of the elect.

[DC Al Fine]

What is your view regarding "The Gifts of the Spirit" (1Corinthians 12, Romans 12) are you continualist or cessationist?

I'm not strictly cessationist, but that's pretty much my position. If God wants to gift someone with speaking in tongues or prophecy or whatever, that's certainly a possibility, but I don't think it's something that occurs on a regular basis today.

Entirely setting aside soteriology for the moment, what do you think of different theories of the atonement (substitutionary, Christus Victor, et cetera)?

Nathan, I'm going to try and collect my thoughts and get back to you in the next day or two.