This is going to be a thesis on Chasm Theology.
This concept takes many different forms:
God is creator, everything else is something he made…. generally, from a separate essence from himself.
This is the concept which is followed by most persons in the world.
Details and bibliography to be filled in and added later……
Basic Chasm Theology:
God and the Universe are not ONE.
God created the Universe out of nothing….. and certainly not of his own essence.
At some point, humans sinned, and this created a separation between God, the potter, and creation, the pot. Some say that all of creation fell out of communion with God at this point.
God is Holy, and can not be in contact with sin. Therefore, humans were thrown out of their communion with God by their sin.
This original sin, is visited upon every child of Adam.
This “Chasm”, which opened when humans sinned, cannot be fixed, without a saviour.
Jesus Christ came to be that saviour.
Jesus Christ is God’s Only Son.
Jesus was born of a virgin, and was BORN SINLESS.
Jesus lived a sinless life on earth.
Jesus died, a sinless person, for humankind’s sin, and paid the debt for all of mans sin.
Humans now can accept Jesus as their saviour, and have a relationship with God, through their intercessor: Jesus.
There is only one way to be in communion with God: to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour.
All other humans (other than Christians) , based on this Chasm Theology logic, are “lost in sin”, and will go to hell for eternity.
Taking Jesus as ones saviour, humans can be in communion with God, but are not “a part of God”, but rather “apart from Gods essence”. Humans are created creatures.
Taking Jesus as ones saviour, gives that person eternal life….. it only remains to be said, that all those who DO NOT take Jesus as their saviour, get eternal damnation.
I am quite certain that this sums up Chasm Theology.
Catholic Perspective: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12677d.htm
Overview from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redemption_(theology)
Interesting Jewish perspective: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5999-fall-of-man
Reality is Dharma 