...omnipresent. In Elwell’s book, the definition of dualism is “two mutually hostile forces or beings in the world, the one being the source of all good, the other source of all evil” (Elwell, 2001). Good is evil is polar opposite ends of the spectrum. It is incredibly clear to acknowledge the good in God and the evil in Satan. Basically, “the universe becomes the battleground for these two opposing forces” (Elwell, 2001). It is described as a war and something of a battleground that takes place…it is the fight between good and evil, and God is said to always be on our side. Satan constantly tries in all his might to gain that power position that God intended to have and belonged to God. Revelation 20:10 demonstrates that in the end, judgment will happen for Satan, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” The book of Revelations talks of what is to come and this is the future that has been written: Satan will lose. God and Satan are not equals. The biblical teaching of the origin of Satan clashes with the idea of dualism. Ezekiel 28 talks about Satan being created as an archangel; which was the most high. Ezekiel 28:15 demonstrate Satan as created in perfection and says, “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” This again completely disagrees with the concept of dualism, saying that both...
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...University of Cambridge argues in his Book Philosophy in Christian Antiquity, that Christianity was influenced by panoply of Greek philosophy, including Plato (Shandon L. Guthrie par. 2). Plato was an Athenian citizen of high status, a classical philosopher that lived from 429–347 Before Christ Existed. He died at age 81; he believed strongly in logic and reason. Moreover, his works contained discussions in aesthetics, political philosophy, theology, cosmology, epistemology, and the philosophy of language (Plato par 1). Although Plat existed way “Before Christ Existed” and even before the New Testament was developed, his philosophy seems to have some sort of relation to The New Testament and as Professor Shandon Guthrie mentioned the New Testament for a fact was influenced by Greek philosophers, especially Plato. Their commonalities involve their belief of the immortality of our human souls and dualism, the theory that human beings are made up of two independent constituents, the body and the mind or soul. These facts will present how Plato and the New Testament had relations of their views. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28, NIV). Firstly, stated this bible verse it emphasizes to not fear the “One” who destroys both soul and body, but also let us focus on the part that states ‘body and soul’. Plat believed in the dualism, and as previously stated it a theory...
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...have been directly or indirectly derived from Zoroastrianism. Founded by the Iranian prophet and reformer Zoroaster in the 6th century BC, Zoroastrianism contains both monotheistic and dualistic features. Its concepts of one God, judgment, heaven and hell likely influenced the major Western religions. History of Zoroastrianism The origins of the Zoroastrian religion are shrouded in mystery. The prophet Zarathustra, later referred to by the Greeks as Zoroaster, founded Zoroastrianism roughly between the 16th and 10th centuries BCE. Zoroaster's birth date is also uncertain and modern scholarship currently suggests he lived in northern or eastern Iran or nearby such as in Afghanistan or southern Russia. In Zoroaster’s thirties he had a revelation in which he saw an angel who told him that there is only one true god and that God’s name was Aura Mazda (Clark, 1998). It is certain that by the year 549 B.C.E., Zoroastrianism had become a major world religion. It was Cyrus the Great, first ruler of the Persian Empire, who ordained Zoroastrianism as the official religion of his state. It was this same Cyrus that liberated the Jews from the occupation they had suffered under the Babylonians, and, when the Jews returned to Judaea, they took back with them the elements of Zoroastrianism that can today be found in all three of the monotheistic religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (Dinshaw, 2003). Zoroastrianism remained a major world religion for over 1,000 years afterwards when...
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...Angelology and Satanology One night while reading a book, a close friend of mine named Anna called me with specific questions pertaining to a television documentary that she was watching called “God vs. Satan.” She was concerned with the commonly wrong way that dualism and the idea that God and Satan are two eternal and equal forces struggling for all eternity. Her argument was that if this way of thinking were not true, then it must be that God created evil since it is well known that Satan is evil and God created Satan. I immediately explained to her that God did not create evil and that He cannot coexist with evil at any level and here is why: I began by explaining that what she is referring to is called religious dualism. Religious dualism is known as the belief that there are two opposite powers of good and evil that is operating in the universe. [1] The documentary specifically talked about the biblical revelation that the two sides of religious dualism are God versus Satan. Religious dualism is unbiblical since nowhere in Scripture can we find teachings that the universe consists of opposites, nor does it teach that Satan and God are equal and opposing forces. God, as we find in Scripture, is infinitely more powerful than Satan and will deliver punishment to Satan by eventually casting him into hell. This in itself proves the common misconception of dualism false and could not be done if they were equal and opposing forces. I then posed the question that if God...
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...older religious beliefs have influenced those that followed. Over time, whether from divine revelation or self-proclamation, humans came to new understandings or found disagreement with established religions or belief systems. One lesser known religion that has had major influence on modern Judaism and Christianity is Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism is credited by many researchers and scholars as the first religion to present the concepts of monotheism (one supreme god), dualism (the concepts of good and evil), the apocalypse when good triumphs over evil (Satan), and the conscious choice of good over evil in order to be admitted to heaven as opposed to being banished to hell. As with most religions, Zoroastrianism has a founder, Zarathustra (from the Greek), also known as Zoroaster. Mary Boyce in her work, Zorastrians, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, says Zoroaster lived in the area of ancient Persia (which includes today's Iran), some time between 1700 and 1500 BCE, but other sources date is life as late as the 6th century BCE. According to Richard Foltz in his work, Spirituallity in the Land of the Noble, the oldest evidence of him can be found in portions of the Avesta (scriptures) known as the “Gathas”, poems or verses which are believed to be the preserved words of Zoroaster himself. There is general agreement that priests compiled the Zoroastrian religious books...
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...Introduction to a Christian worldview A course in thinking Christianly about the whole of life Chris Gousmett (c) Chris Gousmett, 1996 This edition is produced solely for use as a course manual and is not to be sold, copied or otherwise reproduced in any form. i Contents Introduction 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7 8. 9. 10. The nature and function of worldviews Religion true and false . . . . . . . . .. . . . 1 16 30 The problem of dualism and synthesis in Christianity Major themes in a worldview: Human nature, truth, meaning, purpose . 46 Scripture as the source of a Christian worldview The contours of a Biblical worldview . . . . . . .. . . . . . 59 70 87 104 119 136 157 Structure and direction. Sin and evil. Common grace The task and calling of humankind: to care for the creation . The nature of Christian community. A Christian view of society. The Kingdom of God: God's righteous rule over the whole creation . Bibliography . . . . . . . . ii Introduction The creation of the Father, fallen in sin, is redeemed by the death of the Son of God and is being transformed by the Holy Spirit into the kingdom of God. Herman Bavinck This series of studies is designed to provide a basic introduction to a distinctively Christian worldview that seeks to see the whole gospel applied to the whole of life. This Christian worldview makes a difference, because it is significant for our life in the world. It shapes and directs our lives in important ways, because...
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....Who is MarcioMarcion of Sinope is believed to have been born around 85-100 CE, in the region of Pontus on the Black Sea ; where his father was a bishop. He knew Christianity from an early age. History has it that he was a wealthy Christian in Rome whose trade was ship building; where he acquired his wealth . Walker, Williston noted that he came to Rome about 139 CE, Haunted by the problem of evil and suffering in the world, where he espoused dualism that distinguished the OT God and the NT God . The main sources for Marcion's life are Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Hippolytus . It is of importance to not that although his own works are not existing we know the position of Marcion and the Marcionites church through their writings. Legend has it that before moving to Rome, he disgraced himself by having affair with a woman, and was excommunicated by his father , but it is not clear if the excommunication was for the affair or for false teaching. He joined the Church in Rome and his aim was to call the Church back to what he deemed the original gospel of Jesus Christ. Possible Influence and Background By The second century there was a steady growth of Gentile Christianity, and also lots of oppornets at this time. A new generation of leaders succeeds the apostles. Nevertheless, expectation still runs high that the Lord may return at any time. The end must be close. The Gospel has been taken through a great portion of the known world of the Roman empire and even to regions beyond...
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...perceptions” and “too inconstant” (n.d.). Several philosophers disagree, arguing that “when the soul and the body are united, then nature orders the soul to rule and govern, and the body to obey and serve” (Chaffee, 2011, p. 91). There are many theories of philosophy pertaining to personal identity and social identity. In most cases, the compulsion to rationalize identity by understanding and knowing who we are and where we belong is a derivative of human nature need. We are compelled to find answers to self-identity questions by our nature. Human nature is traditionally viewed as humans are “composed of two kinds of things: a material body and an immaterial mind, or ‘soul’” (Velasquez, 2012, p. 84). This traditional view is known as dualism. Dualism establishes that “the mind and body are two...
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...Chapter 8,9,& 10 1. Are Taoism and Confucianism truly religions argue both sides. Taoism and Confucianism are two very different religious traditions of ancient China. Both Taoism and Confucianism cannot clearly be explained as a religion with certain doctrines and rituals as other well –known religions. As religious and social forces, they have coexisted for centuries in China and have spread to other Asian regions. The name Taoism is taken from the title of the book called “Tao Te Ching, which translates to “the way of nature. Taoism is based on the ancient Chinese understanding of the universe. Historically, the origin of Taoist philosophy is unclear, but it is said that the founder of Taoism is Lao-tzu, who lived in the sixth century B.C.E. Taoism can be described in terms of its history and its effects on Chinese people, nut it cannot be clearly delineated as a religion with a certain body of doctrine and rituals of Chinese antiquity. Philosophically, for Taoism, the ideal life is one that is lived in harmony with the way of this shifting nature. By the early centuries of the Common Era, Taoism had been converted into a religion complete with gods, priests, temples and sacrifices. In the modern days, Taoism is mainly associated with charms, exorcisms and magical attempts to prolong life, in which there is a self-generating force called chi (rather than there being a Creator Deity). This force manifests two interplaying aspects: yin and yang. Yin is the dark...
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...Commandment the Jewish faith does not allow any image or icon of God. Consequently the only way that is left to "see" God is through verbal imagery. The issue of conflict between God's Commandment and the use of images within the Torah, which is regarded as God's word, can be explained satisfactorily by Jewish teaching in my opinion. Also it is acceptable within reason to use imagery regarding God, so long as proper decorum, respect, reverence and strict guidelines and understanding are followed by believers. It must be understood however that although the Jewish understanding of God may permit the use of imagery, God must never be represented by any direct image. The roots of this belief, predominant in Jewish beliefs, stems from the book of Exodus, "You shall not make yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the waters under the earth”. You shall not bow down to them or serve them" (Exodus 20: 3-5). This is an absolute vital Commandment in God's eyes. His law is not to be taken lightly for fear of the consequences; later in Exodus we are sufficiently warned of God's reaction to those who dare to disobey his Command. God raged to Moses. "They have cast themselves a metal calf, worshipped it and offered sacrifice to it, shouting, Israel here is your God who brought you here from Egypt! ...leave me now, so that my anger can blaze at them and I can put an end to them!" (Exodus 32: 7-10). Jewish tradition therefore allows...
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...1 According to C.S. Lewis, what are the three alternatives for Christ’s claim to be God? p45 (madman, lunatic, the Devil of Hell) Hide 2 What empirical evidence sets Christianity apart from other belief systems? -The Bible's demonstrated ability to predict the future. -Chrisitianity is the only religion that gives fulfulled prophecy as one of its bases for crediblity -The Bible has a transforming power to change the lives of individuals 3 Name two sources that establish an early date of scripture. -Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls p49 4 What is the unified theme of the Bible? Redemption of God? 5 What are the four qualities of inspiration? -Inspired guidance by the Holy Spirit -Inspried personality of the authors -Inspired words -Inspired text p60 6 T/F: Inspiration incorporates the personality of the writer into the final product? TRUE p60 7 According to conceptual inspiration, what was inspired? Ø God inspired theideas of Scripture, yet failed to direct the authors to record specific times Ø It is not thethoughts of the Bible that were inspired but the men who wrote the Bible whowere inspired. p62 8 What does Partial Inspiration state? -God inspired parts of Scripture -failed to identify which parts of Scripture were inspired p62 ...
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...Teaching THE BIBLE: REVELATION AND AUTHORITY Richard M. Davidson 402-00 Institute for Christian Teaching 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 USA Symposium on the Bible and Adventist Scholarship Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic March 19-26, 2000 Page 1 of 33THE BIBLE: REVELATION AND AUTHORITY 3/2/2014http://fae.adventist.org/essays/26Bcc_017 -055.htm Introduction I have not always held the view of Scriptural revelation and authority that I now maintain. Having journeyed through a different perspective on the revelation/authority of Scripture and then returning to the position that I now hold, I am convinced that this issue is basic to all other issues in the church. The destiny of our church depends on how its members regard the revelation and authority of the Bible. In the following pages I have summarized the biblical self-testimony on its revelation and authority. The major focus of the paper is biblical authority, but a short statement concerning revelation-inspiration-illumination introduces the subject, and other biblical testimony on the nature of revelation is subsumed under the discussion of biblical authority. The paper also includes a brief historical treatment of the Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment understandings of biblical revelation/authority and an analysis and critique of their basic presuppositions in light of Scripture. Following the conclusion, a selected bibliography of sources cited and other useful books and articles ...
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...What next for Psychology? The word Psychology, derived from two Greek words, ‘Psyche’ (Ψυχή, breath or the soul) and ‘logos’ (study) (Clark, 2014), is the field of scientific study devoted to the functions of the human brain and human behaviour (Clark, 2014). From the philosophical debates of ancient Greek scholars (Psychology Network, 2014), to the sophisticated scientific study performed by specialists in the field today (Queens University, 2014), humankind has sought to discover and unravel the secrets of the human brain. This long journey through the millennia has seen a dramatic evolution in the nature of psychology (Origins, 2014), however, it was not until the nineteenth century that a truly scientific discipline was born (Thomas, 2014). Wilhelm Wundt (1832 – 1920) (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2014), set up the first psychology laboratory, situated within the department of philosophy, at the University of Leipzig in 1876 (Thomas, 2014). The facility was devoted to physiological experimentation through scientific methodology, and it was also where the theory of introspection, which posited that reflection and interpretation of lived experiences could help to develop a model of consciousness, was developed. (Thomas, 2014). Since this time, psychology as a ‘scientific’ specialty has grown into a discipline with many branches, with each of these branches being devoted to a particular aspect or paradigm (Ritchie & Grenier, 2002) This essay will present a concise account...
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...statement and raised their hands to ask about whether certain issues were right or wrong–– such as stealing, murder, drug use, abortion, and similar issues. He attempted to shoot all their examples down, with a sense of arrogance on his face. I slowly slipped my hand up and asked him the following statement: “What about incest, where relatives molest and rape their children?” I will never forget the look on his face, his smirk swiftly dropped to the floor. As he stumbled through his incoherent response, I thought about the importance of absolute truth. Christians need to realize the importance of what our Canon represents: a book of absolute truth given to us by our God. We are living in a generation where rejecting the Scripture is the new trendy fad. This generation calls the Bible, “just a storybook”. Little do they know that this book is God’s inerrant word, given to man through the Spirit’s inspiration. The Bible needs to be 3 understood as the true Canon. The word “Canon” comes from the Greek word “κανών (kanon)”. This word defines the Bible as a “measuring rod” or in other words...
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...Institute for Christian Teaching THE BIBLE: REVELATION AND AUTHORITY Richard M. Davidson 402-00 Institute for Christian Teaching 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 USA Symposium on the Bible and Adventist Scholarship Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic March 19-26, 2000 Introduction I have not always held the view of Scriptural revelation and authority that I now maintain. Having journeyed through a different perspective on the revelation/authority of Scripture and then returning to the position that I now hold, I am convinced that this issue is basic to all other issues in the church. The destiny of our church depends on how its members regard the revelation and authority of the Bible. In the following pages I have summarized the biblical self-testimony on its revelation and authority. The major focus of the paper is biblical authority, but a short statement concerning revelation-inspiration-illumination introduces the subject, and other biblical testimony on the nature of revelation is subsumed under the discussion of biblical authority. The paper also includes a brief historical treatment of the Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment understandings of biblical revelation/authority and an analysis and critique of their basic presuppositions in light of Scripture. Following the conclusion, a selected bibliography of sources cited and other useful books and articles on the subject is provided. Appendices include: (1) a chart schematizing the two major...
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