Seems like the commenter is hung up on this “Because afterlife, evangelism dominates” view.
Saving children’s lives from malaria might have much greater eternal value than preaching a sermon. That’s because preaching and evangelism plausibly aren’t the only thing that influence the afterlife. It’s commonly held that good deeds will be rewarded in the afterlife, even if only as memories (Matt 5:12). Any positive good experienced over an infinite timeframe is, of course, infinite.
Recently, philosophers like Brian Cutter and Philip Swenson have written about this in their Connection-building theodicy. Bentham’s Bulldog wrote about that here.
So consequentialist-leaning Christians might not prioritize evangelism at all costs.
Most people (Christians included) don’t lean heavily towards consequentialism, anyways, and take at face value the (hundreds) of biblical commands to care for the poor, sick and marginalized.
Seems like the commenter is hung up on this “Because afterlife, evangelism dominates” view.
Saving children’s lives from malaria might have much greater eternal value than preaching a sermon. That’s because preaching and evangelism plausibly aren’t the only thing that influence the afterlife. It’s commonly held that good deeds will be rewarded in the afterlife, even if only as memories (Matt 5:12). Any positive good experienced over an infinite timeframe is, of course, infinite.
Recently, philosophers like Brian Cutter and Philip Swenson have written about this in their Connection-building theodicy. Bentham’s Bulldog wrote about that here.
So consequentialist-leaning Christians might not prioritize evangelism at all costs.
Most people (Christians included) don’t lean heavily towards consequentialism, anyways, and take at face value the (hundreds) of biblical commands to care for the poor, sick and marginalized.