"If salvation is through Christ and Christ alone, then there is little need for the state to regulate private and public behavior beyond providing a conducive environment for individuals to cultivate virtue and become more faithful to Christ. The punishment of sins is no longer a priority, since Jesus died for them. In stark contrast, where theologians like Martin Luther famously fashioned a dialectic between faith and good works, these two things are inextricably tied together in Islam. Faith is often expressed through the observance of the law. The failure to follow Islamic law is a reflection of the believer’s lack of faith and unwillingness to submit to God. Salvation is impossible without law. This has implications for the nature of the Islamic state." [A generic "Islamic state," not IS]
"[In Christianity]...there is little need for the state to regulate private and public behavior..."
My God man, our private and public behavior is regulated to death in America. There's a law on the books for every damn thing you can imagine and some you cannot.
"The punishment of sins is no longer a priority, since Jesus died for them."
Dude, this is Prison Nation. We damn well DO punish sin! And NON-sin. Come on.
"In stark contrast, where theologians like Martin Luther famously fashioned a dialectic between faith and good works, these two things are inextricably tied together in Islam."
That is precisely back-asswards. The Catholic Church had a dialectic, you could only get into heaven if you were Catholic. Conversely, if you were Catholic you could (and they did) commit any outrage you wanted to on earth-you were forgiven, because Christ died for your sins. Thus death-bed conversions.
Martin Luther CREATED the (Protestant) Christian link between salvation and good deeds on earth. He was the source of the Protestant work ethic. We work like dogs on earth to prove our devotion to Christ. Luther made every man a priest; every individual human being was responsible for his heaven-worthiness. No more mafiosi getting the Catholic Church's free pass into heaven.
"[In Christianity]...there is little need for the state to regulate private and public behavior..."
My God man, our private and public behavior is regulated to death in America. There's a law on the books for every damn thing you can imagine and some you cannot.
"The punishment of sins is no longer a priority, since Jesus died for them."
Dude, this is Prison Nation. We damn well DO punish sin! And NON-sin. Come on.
"In stark contrast, where theologians like Martin Luther famously fashioned a dialectic between faith and good works, these two things are inextricably tied together in Islam."
That is precisely back-asswards. The Catholic Church had a dialectic, you could only get into heaven if you were Catholic. Conversely, if you were Catholic you could (and they did) commit any outrage you wanted to on earth-you were forgiven, because Christ died for your sins. Thus death-bed conversions.
Martin Luther CREATED the (Protestant) Christian link between salvation and good deeds on earth. He was the source of the Protestant work ethic. We work like dogs on earth to prove our devotion to Christ. Luther made every man a priest; every individual human being was responsible for his heaven-worthiness. No more mafiosi getting the Catholic Church's free pass into heaven.
