Folks, I'm sure that others in this august company* have already read this, perhaps discussed it, perhaps embraced or dismissed it, but I have only recently come across John Locke's 1689 treatise, "A Letter Concerning Toleration". It's lovely to know that what is now considered "liberal" theology has, in fact, been around informing (or, if you must, deforming) minds for more than 300 years.
Here's a link: http://www.constitution.org/jl/tolerati.htm Here's a sample: I esteem that toleration to be the chief characteristic mark of the true Church. For whatsoever some people boast of the antiquity of places and names, or of the pomp of their outward worship; ... these things ... are much rather marks of men striving for power and empire over one another than of the Church of Christ. Let anyone have never so true a claim to all these things, yet if he be destitute of charity, meekness, and good-will in general towards all mankind, even to those that are not Christians, he is certainly yet short of being a true Christian himself. Locke presumes that to be a true Christian is the highest aim, obviously, but goes on to argue for a flavor of Christianity that is the antithesis of the stuff against which our friend William so often rails. Dave * "August, already? It was only June a couple of weeks ago!" _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
