Dialogue with Sam Tideman: Biblical Unitarianism and the Relation Between the Natural and Divine
G. P. Xavier G. P. Xavier
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 Published On May 7, 2024

In this dialogue, Sam explains Biblical Unitarianism—the belief that Jesus Christ was not God, yet was nonetheless the perfect and exalted mediator between God and man. We also explore its relationship to Trinitiarian Christianity, parallels in other religions, and the relationship between the divine and the non-divine or natural.

I found this to be a fantastic and fascinating conversation. Although I wouldn't call myself Unitarian (or Trinitarian), it's helped me to better understand the figure of Christ, and impressed upon me the deep continuity between these different theological approaches. Far from being a bleak view of a world hopelessly separated from God, Sam's Unitarian vision shows a world suffused with grace, participating in the divine, and making its way, through Jesus, to final perfection.

Check out Sam's channel here:
   / @transfigured3673  

Sam's dialogue with Dr. Khalil Andani:
   • Dr. Khalil Andani on Ismaili Muslim a...  

0:00 Introduction
1:34 What is Biblical Unitarianism?
12:10 Why be Unitarian? Biblical, historical, philosophical and practical arguments
17:55 Relation between Jesus' and God's will ("willfully renouncing his will")
20:14 Christ as mediator between God and humans
30:31 Old creation and new creation
37:18 Christ as conduit/revelation of God
41:54 Need for divine mediator: examples in Islam, Judaism, Neoplatonism, Hinduism
45:58 Mystical experiences of unity/identity with God; miracles
49:37 Jesus' attempts to express his experience of unity with God
55:49 Unitarianism better able to acknowledge non-Christian spiritual achievement?
59:46 What is the 'divine' versus non-divine/'natural'?
1:03:43 'Angelic mediation'/protection from God's perfection
1:06:22 Gap between divine and non-divine; individuality and participation
1:09:45 Reflections on the doctrine of the Trinity
1:14:57 Personal versus transcendent views of God
1:22:41 Trinitarian and Unitarian theologies as different expressions of same basic facts
1:28:20 Current trends in Unitarian–Trinitarian relations
1:32:20 Concluding comments

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