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Christianity Today, June, 2007 |

Taste and See

Brave New Salvation

A vision of a sinless future.

Agnieszka Tennant | posted 6/20/2007 08:44AM

On April 21, 2447, the death of a 143-year-old woman hailed a new era. Lungs of people everywhere swelled with relief. Impeccability had dawned.

The deceased, Rosa Pecadorita, a coca grower in a remote ...

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Anonymous

Posted: July 03, 2007 9:55 AM


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Dave	Posted: June 29, 2007 1:03 AM

It sounds like a modernist revival is uphead that Relgion should not jump on. I don't think we can stand another one of those. The first was enough of a problem. I think it is a critique on the belief that our problem is merely genetic rather than with our relationship with God. Then, somehow fixing the genetic will be enough to absolve man of sin. Yet, it is also a critique of how that society will seek perfection by the imperfect means of eugenics and control. The church must not pursue such an end by imperfect means. It is to lose one's soul. Eugenics will be able to be realized with much less violence in the future. This article appears to be a warning since this is being discuss for homosexuality. The problem not mentioned is that a decent amount of the biology of homosexuality appears to be chemical, prenatal, rather than genetic. Eugenics has no bearing on the cure and would fall flat in the analogy. It leaves even more questions.

Shirley

Posted: June 27, 2007 9:57 AM


I enjoyed the Science Fiction aspect of the story. It makes me wonder how far humans would go if unchecked in this pursuit of perfection. Pefection is so elusive to us. Wonder what God thinks of our behavior? Forcing so called good behavior is a scarry thought. I would enjoy this made into a novel. Wonder if it could make the top ten list?!

Deatra Mason

Posted: June 27, 2007 9:50 AM


This is an eye-opening fictional illustration of the extremes man will take to eliminate God from the equation, if left to their own evil devices! Believer's prayerfully beware of the ploys of the enemy! God help us. Thanks for the article.

Tina	Posted: June 27, 2007 8:58 AM


I found this article intriguing and would love to read more. It would be a good book that I would be very interested in reading.

Maria

Posted: June 27, 2007 4:01 AM


Quite thought provoking. I agree with Kevin that the salvation purported in the book is humanistic and man's attempt to re-do what God's done. A very nice invention. Similar to the tower of Babel. Inconclusive project, which the great flood must have humbled. Did Tennant write this it into a book? I'd like to read the ending.

Susan

Posted: June 26, 2007 1:57 AM

Yes, this does sound a little sci-fi. However with all the DNA testing and finding the mutant genes that could possibly eliminate serioius illnesses, this does not seem that far fetched. The biggest problem is that God is taken out of the equation, and the sin left is that humans think they know better than God. Well, some of us already think that way...and the PC (POLITICALLY CORRECT) group make this appear to be on the horizon. Luckily, I believe, most of us will take this with a grain of salt, and enjoy the story, but maybe I could use a little dose of not "ending a sentence with a preposition". I didn't double check this comment, as I actually hope for the fun of it, that I did end one that way.

Judson Fuller

Posted: June 22, 2007 10:58 AM

Its seem unfortunate that most CT readers and the author himself seem unsure what he is saying. 1st post-modernism has undermined faith in science and progress, making the premise irrelevant. 2nd unlike Swift's work, this is not satire. Science does not think its rooting out "sin", nor do Christians turn to science to do so. So, what's being satirized? 3rd this article is not about pride, nor man's effort to control his environment. Rooting out sin is the converse of pride. Regarding process see above. 4th perhaps without knowing it the author does hit upon an interesting point regarding human nature, but only with respect to our fallen state. But it is about this point in particular that the author shows the most confusion. His focus is on external, bad behavior ("sin") and the genetic consequence of sin, rather than understanding sin as the manifestation of evil, which is itself the absence of good, rather than a thing itself. Why CT would publish something like this, I don't know.

Mark Philip Venema

Posted: June 22, 2007 10:04 AM


"Life is too serious to be taken too seriously" Francis Ford Capon. Thanks for the wonderful piece of art. It warms my heart to know that there are others who have joy in grappling with the vagaries of life. Beyond moralizing, finger pointing and ending sentences with prepositions, as Winston Churchill said, "This is the kind of nonsense I will not up-with-put."

Ken Stoeffler

Posted: June 22, 2007 9:49 AM


I am surprised only one person who responded knew this was satire. I suggest that people read Swift's 'A Modest Proposal' before atempting Tennant's article.

JP	Posted: June 22, 2007 8:00 AM

Anyone who read this article and takes it literally is the same arrogant, judgemental brood of viper who reads the Scriptures and takes everything in them literally as well. Relax. The article is thought provoking and proves some excellent points. We need more creativity like this in writings that explore the spiritual realm. God's truth is not confined to books that only fall in the fundamentalist, conservative category. Thank you CT for a great article. Keep em coming.

Kevin

Posted: June 21, 2007 9:05 PM

I also like the way that this futuristic news item shows the concealing of materialists assumptions through seeming endorsement of the idea of an immaterial soul: what Francis Schaeffer described as the use of "God words," leading to the mostmodern conception of clergy as symbol manipulators who make us feel good through use of symbols that lack referents in real life. Even today we have the odd cleric who admits to being an atheist. This piece is an example of why we shouldn't read things passively or merely through our biases, but that we should ask ourselves what assumptions are implied if not stated. Also, if our reactions are knee-jerk ones, we are apt to miss the point or even become prey for demagogues, whether the right-wing or left-wing variety.

Kevin

Posted: June 21, 2007 8:49 PM

I think some have misunderstood the point that Agnieszka was making. This is understandable since a lot of the things we read and see and hear tend to make their points not with this sort of subtlety but by clubbing us over the head. The sort of salvation depicted here is a false, humanistic salvation, which Agnieszka was not actually advocating. It actually shows that an implication of philosophic materialism --the idea that we are nothing more than matter, or our biology-- is that the cause of sin is entirely biological, which seems to be at odds with Jesus' reference to weeping and gnashing of teeth (a display of hostility) in the afterlife. The futility of trying to change our human nature through medicine and social policy is developed in the excellent movie Equilibrium, and Agnieszka points us to the previous failed attempts of eugenics and fascism.

Ryan	Posted: June 21, 2007 3:07 PM


I don't get it....

Walker

Posted: June 21, 2007 12:08 PM

I am with Robert on this one. By Agnieszka Tennant's (and as Robert asked, who is this anyway?) own admission, the point of this article was to point out that science is our demise, all the while living off the benefits of science (internet and all). Quite contrary to Tennat's claim, Robert's response was far from humorless. I found it quite humorous. Sarcastic perhaps, but humorless, not by a long short. And for those of you who thought this article was about pride or humans thinking that they are in control of their own lives, take the time to reread the article, regardless how painful and then Tennan't comments, and you will see that Robert is right, Tennant's intention was to point out that it is our belief in science that will be our ruin, not pride, or even the belief that we can control life or our surroundings. I don't understand how anyone could have thought any different, but well . . .

Robert

Posted: June 21, 2007 11:53 AM

I doubt Agnieszka actually commented to my comments about his/her? absurd essay (?), but he/she and Boatman have missed the boat thinking that this piece was either satire or thought provoking. Satire is funny and biting. This was neither. Satire inspires one to think about things in a new way. This did not. Too many Christians are Luddites afraid of their own shadow. As I said yesterday, the slippery slope argument underlying the article under discussion is naive and insincere, insipid and basically along the same lines as being against the banning of rapid firing machine guns because you don't want to have your squirt gun out lawed. Or worse those who support partial birth abortion, because it is a slippery slope toward outlawing all abortions. My response to Agnieszka is hand over the aspirin and penicillin and stop confusing external bodily decay with sin. The later may be the cause of the former, or the former may be a manifestation of the later, but the are not one and the same.

Bill Dennis

Posted: June 21, 2007 9:17 AM


Excellent article to get one to thinking! But I'm old fashioned. I believe it just the way the Bible tellls it. But the article made me realize there is a movement afoot that wants us headed in the direction of this article. God have mercy upon us if we succeed. Thanks for provoking me!

Bent, Not Broken

Posted: June 21, 2007 7:12 AM

I enjoyed this piece, too. One sticky soteriological issue Ms. Tennant's "Global Referendum of 2304" apparently failed to address is why behaviors that are instilled in our genes would be considered sinful. I guess the idea is that our genetic makeup is where the Fall occurred biologically. But of course that's our (sinful?) judgment of where God's creation went wrong. Another troubling question: Can the usual means of sanctification (prayer, service, community, etc.) really be effective at changing sins that are embedded in our genes? I'm reminded of Paul's lament in Romans 7:15. Are we programmed biologically to be unable to follow Jesus' injunctions to love and forgive? Certainly that would help explain why our struggles with sin are so intractable, and why we are in continual need of God's grace and forgiveness!

Mary	Posted: June 20, 2007 9:48 PM

I agree with Brenda..... this article does read like a sci-fi thriller, and I even went so far as to look for links to " the rest of the story " and admit to being disappointed that there weren't any! Of course, we as Christians know that salvation can't be genetically engineered, it is a God given gift for anyone who chooses to receive it, and the only way is through Jesus Christ. But, I still think the premise of this article could be a great beginning for good Christian fiction.....and would encourage Agnieszka to develop this storyline. It's gripping! Although I also have to agree with Robert that as a stand-alone article/essay it leaves the reader wondering exactly what they are reading.

Jay	Posted: June 20, 2007 9:34 PM

WOW, this is called Christianity Today? So in the year 2447 man will have figured out a way to perfection all by himself without God. Amazing. I despise what Theologians and Religion have done with Jesus Christ as much as I despise the blatant blasphemy of Agnieszka Tennant. Thank the Lord for His Word the Holy Bible which tells us there will be a sinless existance and it will be of God's doing and not man's. Man is such a pathetic creature imagining to achieve sinlessness perfection by himself. I agree that "nowhere in holy texts does God say he wants humans to suffer or sin" because the Bible says in 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." To repent we must agree with God that we are born sinners and that Jesus died and paid for our sins with His blood, without Jesus we have no hope of sinlessness. We must accept His free gift

Shimon ben Yochannan

Posted: June 20, 2007 6:41 PM

Ha! This is so funny and so true in revealing the spirit of this age. I loved the phrase which seems to sum up the thrust of the story "and ending sentences with a preposition." Oh yeah, I am a Bible-believing evagelical who has kept my sense of the ridiculous -- in this case regarding an 'idiotic' (Robert did at least get that right) piece of ridiculousness that functions as a medium to teach us about man's almost-greatest sin -- to construct and control life in order to build God out of the world He created, out of the world that this (so-thought) clever man lives in. They did it at Babel, and have been doing it ever since. Well done Agnieszka Tennant, a beautiful satire on our ever-decreasing and self-manufactured humanity -- nice to have a great 'think-piece' of a different genre to start the day with. There is much in here for those that who have ears to hear. Peter Johnson, Australia. http://poetpete.blogspot.com/

Charles R. Boatman

Posted: June 20, 2007 5:24 PM

Once again, I'm reminded that many Christians have no sense of humor--or at least, no appreciation for satire! The author was poking fun at the pride of modern humans who think we can engineer (or legislate) sin out of the human heart. I agree with the psalmist: "Why are the nations in an uproar, and the peoples devising a vain thing? . . . He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them." (Ps 2.1,4 NASB)

CBob	Posted: June 20, 2007 4:23 PM


Alas! - but what about pride?

Anonymous

Posted: June 20, 2007 4:16 PM

Thought provoking. As for me, I'm glad it isn't my inherent sinlessness which saved me, but rather my relationship with Jesus. Learning the joy of his salvation is great. We're taught God loves us despite what we have done; and it is by his grace and by his patient guidance that we're prepared for the future he has planned. It is by this process of learning, with God, which makes getting ready for heaven so exciting and valuable. And it is by the joy of his chastisement and involvement that we learn of his Fatherhood. All these things I'd miss if I'd been born "sinless". "Jesus, the son, learned obedience through what he suffered:Hebrews" 5:8. Suffering then transforms us and if I always was without sin I'd never have had the joy of God the Father engaging me with stripes. So we must suffer with joy towards serenity. This suffering, for us in Christ, comes from our sin that needs God's hand in our life:Thus Jesus dealt with our sin; he showed us the way of learning by our suffering.

Brenda

Posted: June 20, 2007 4:10 PM

This reads like a SciFi movie- very chilling! But genetic engineering could not be a means to salvation- science cannot cleanse the heart of man- that's why God sent his Son. The quest for genetic salvation would be idolatry. Of course scientific advancements have helped with many physical and mental disorders- praise God! I'll be glad to be rid of my sinful inclinations. What child of God would say, "I'm proud of my sin"? God keeps helping me and I'm looking forward to the promise of a new heaven, a new earth and a new body. I've discussed with my family the concept that without evil, eternity would be boring, but this could only be thought by someone who really doesn't know God OR evil very well. God is mysterious, amazing and good. He rejoices over us with singing -Zep3:17, and gathers us into his loving arms -Isa40:11. In God's Kingdom... you will be satisfied ... will laugh... rejoice and leap for joy for your reward is great -Luke 6:20-23. Sin is a trap -HELL will not be fun.

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