My friend Julien shared this link on facebook.
Here is my response:
Best line "Fortunately, just as we can experience the effects of gravity without a theory of gravity, we can experience the atonement without a theory of atonement". This statement actually encapsulates one of my main objections to some people who make one's theological position a litmus test of salvation (e.g. Calvinism or Arminianism). Imagine if we had to have an accurate theory of gravity before we experienced its benefits. We would all have flown off in space and died before Newton's head was ever struck by the apple. In fact, the apple would have also flown off into space making the discovery of gravity impossible. Just as we need the experience of the reality of gravity before we can make up a theory of Gravity. We need the experience of the reality of atonement before we can have a theory of atonement. This means our ability to experience this reality is not dependent on our "getting it right". Reality works whether our theories are accurate or not. In fact, one reality may entertain a variety of theories without confirming any of them. Which means we must settle for ambiguity for the time being. Sometimes when we increase in our knowledge of the world or the scripture, we may disprove a theory. In other words, some models of the atonement are appropriate for our level of knowledge, and some are not. But though we may prove some models to be inaccurate, we have not thus proven people who hold them unsaved. To believe so is to be a gnostic and not a Christian.
