Sin and Brokenness
Sacred Saga Team
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I have long been an Augustinian when it comes to the nature of sin and evil. This follows quite naturally from my preference for the Reformed understanding of the radical nature of redemption (I know I am sounding like a theologian here—I plead guilty—but my defense is that I am a theologian). To unpack this a little, the fourth-fifth century church father Augustine of Hippo (in North Africa) was the first in the history of the Church to wrestle in depth with the radical nature of sin and evil. He gives us the account of his personal spiritual pilgrimage in his Confessions which is his own spiritual autobiography. Up to this time the church had, of course, recognized the reality of sin but had never reflected deeply on the radical and pervasive nature of its effect on each of us as human beings. And that even deeds that looked good on the surface could be motivated by less than pure motives (witness the account of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5).
I am tempted to wax eloquent at this point, but I will resist the temptation and instead point you to Philip Yancey’s short article in the current issue of Christianity Today entitled “The Benefits of Brokenness- why I sometimes wish I was an alcoholic.”
Yancey has over the years become a very fine lay-theologian, I would compare him in some respects to C.S. Lewis in his ability to insightfully communicate truth in a way that engages both the mind and heart, and who is not afraid to tackle the sometimes controversial implications of established orthodox truths that we claim to believe.
Again the link is: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/may/32.80.html?start=1
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