...The Baptism Debate The baptism debate remains central among Christians all over the world. It is one of the aspects that is considered to be a tenet in the Christina faith yet remains controversial in terms of significance. There are those who are of the view that baptism is only meant for infants. This is seen as a way of ushering them into the kingdom of God and the Christina faith. For others however, the baptism for infants is symbolic and there is need for a person to undergo a second baptism as an adult. The second baptism is said to signify the aspect of being born again and washing off the sinful nature. This debate has been raging for many yeas causing confusion in the Christian circles. This discussion seeks to examine both sides of the debate and ascertain the Biblical position on the issue. The Concept of Baptism Perhaps before looking at the concept of infant baptism versus adult baptism, it may be crucial to look at the entire concept as a whole. Baptism as concept is an act of cleansing that is done for purposes of washing off one’s sinful nature. It was therefore done symbolically to signify that one’s past has been washed off. One was therefore considered a new creature after going through baptism . The New Testament has covered quite extensively the issue of baptism. It begins with the Jesus Christ the Son of God. He approached John the Baptist and requested that he (John) should baptize Him. When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened and God the father...
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...THE THEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF RUDOLF BULTMANN one briefly explain the theological of a man whose diversified writings first book How the present decade? Is it extend fromahissignificance review ina 1908 to possible for short essay to disclose fundamental unity in topics which range from source criticism, the history of religion, literary criticism, classical philology, technical exegesis, Gnostic studies, existential philosophy, and hermeneutics to the Gifford Lectures, the theological essay, popular and literate dialogue about the Church, demythologizing, and the relation of the New Testament to daily life?3 If the theological significance is judged in terms of intellectual climate, moral force, and scholarly style or by the more tangible but subtle influence on several generations of scholars, then the theological significance seems almost as elusive as it is palpable. Fortunately, diversity of form and subject is more apparent than real. The theological atmosphere and problematic shaped by Bultmann may be traced to concepts and procedures available to any critical reader. While it is quite correct to note, as did Hans Jonas on the Feiertag celebrated in honor of Bultmann in Marburg, November 16,1976, that it is impossible to separate the man from his writings, for he lived as he wrote,4 we are not here primarily concerned with Bultmann's personal psychological integrity, striking as it is. It may, however, be accurate to say that this escalating unity of life and work...
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...many culture" [1]. As exciting as the ideal sounds the importance of mission is foundational in a changing context of faith, as more and more people step away from traditional religious worship and multiculturalism and ecumenical ideals stress transition in the faith [2]. Thus, through this paper, I will discuss the relevance of missions within the Old Testament and the New Testament, how the nature of God relates to missions, some key themes of the theology of missions and how mission theology relates to missionary, church leaders and lay people not in fulltime ministry. Old Testament and New Testament “The mission of God lies behind the whole of the Old Testament as well as the New Testament and the particular task which we call missions today” [3]. In the Old Testament, God is a sending or missionary God. In Mark 16:15-16 (NIV), God said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved…”. Just as Saul did, in 1 Samuel 15:20, “I went on the mission of the Lord assigned me”. The Old Testament accounts of the mission of the son of God, which appear in the New Testament as a description _____________________________ [1] Butselaar, 358 [2] ibid, 358 [3] Tennent of how Jesus lived his life, as a prophet of God ministering to those He met on his missionary travels. We also see this further in Acts 1:8,...
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...subject matter and that sometimes the title may be clear upon reading the book. Miller claims that Deuteronomy gives readers some indication of the book’s character (Miller, 2012:1-5). The author provides a rich and comprehensive interpretation of the text through the book, describes the revelation of the Book in the New Testament, analyses the blueprint for a moral and just society as prescribed by The Laws of Moses, defines the proper role of leaders and priests from the Biblical perspective, and expounds upon exactly how individuals must interact in a divinely-inspired society. The book of Deuteronomy self-consciously addresses different generations of readers, creating unusual problems in understanding and interpretation. Miller did a wonderful job of steering preachers and teachers through these difficulties, carefully discussing the nature and character of the law, the nature of the moral life under God, and even the place of Deuteronomy in the New Testament. In this theological explanation of Deuteronomy, Miller seems to be insightful to the character of the book as a part of scripture that clearly addresses different generations. He discusses the nature and character of the law as revealed in Deuteronomy, as well as the...
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...BOOK SUMMARY: ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN THOUGHT AND THE OLD TESTAMENT BY JOHN H. WALTON Old Testament Introduction OBST 510 May 4, 2014 Part 1 – Comparative Studies Chapter 1: History and Methods History: Walton begins the chapter with the “rediscovery of Egypt which began in the eighteenth century AD and of Mesopotamia in the mid nineteenth century AD.” There were discoveries of tens of thousands of texts that were excavated, translated and studied. Many of these tablets and texts did coincide with the Bible. Walton outlines comparative study which is the study that attempts to understand things when compared to their broader cultural context. The goal in this case is to understand the Old Testament compared to the ANE. There have been many debates on comparative study and the way in which is executed. Comparative studies deal with the cultures, myths, religions, worldviews and literature of all the people living in the ANE. A comparative study acknowledges that cultures are separate, but that these separate cultures are aware of and understand the religions and rituals of the other surrounding cultures and at times even engages in those rituals. Many of the Scholars were so biased that they tended to argue for the importance of the Old Testament, or vice-versa defended the mythology concept of scripture so vehemently that the cultural comparison was lost. Not until Friedrich Delitzsch, who was the son of the famous biblical commentator Franz Delitzsch, did a more focused...
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...that it is founded on a lack of theological knowledge, that there is biblical evidence supporting that God desires equality, and that discrimination is not condoned in biblical stories and teachings. It is easy to initially construct the notion of misogyny in the Old Testament when acquiring only a shallow view of scripture. However, when applying a hermeneutical approach, one can see that equality among genders is a common theme. The Bible itself is, without a doubt, patriarchal in nature, but presents evidence of equality. Of note is the theme of religious equality; “that is, equality of the woman as a person before God.” This essay will explore various events in the Bible, beginning in Genesis, to support the claim that the Old Testament, though patriarchal, is not misogynistic and demeaning to women. Equality in Genesis Genesis states, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen 1:27, NKJV). This verse provides evidence for equality between women and men and that they are both made in the image of God. Taking a look at Genesis 1:26-28 as a whole shows that the words “image” or “likeness” were used four times and implies significance. Men and women are both Godlike according to this passage, supporting that God created them equally. An examination of the second chapter of Genesis echoes the same idea. However, some may oppose this by arguing that woman being made second to man suggests inferiority...
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...areas of our lives are influenced by the way we see God? 3. How did Jesus show that he is worthy of our faith? 4. Do Christians need to ignore intellect and reason in order to have faith in Jesus? 5. What does Jesus teach about truth? Online Excerpts: “Understanding the Faith” 1. What is more important than the sincerity of your belief? 2. What are the six types of faith that describe the believer's relationship to God? “Prolegomena to Theology”—Pg. 18–24 1. What are the four tools for accurately arranging a systematic theology? 2. What four questions must we ask about faith? 3. What 5 factors can limit our theology? “The Names of Christ” – Pg. 160–173 1. What chapter of the New Testament does the author suggest contains the most names of Jesus? 2. Which of God’s names do some scholars think that Jesus is claiming with his “I am” statements? 3. What is the term “only begotten” used to describe about Jesus? 4. Why does the author think that the Gospel of John calls Jesus the “word”? 5. What would Jews think who heard Christ calling Himself the “Son of...
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...paradigm inherent in the philosophy of Idealism were the result of the economic depression in the late 40’s. Since there was little separation from Idealism and the standard higher critical views of Old Testament that had prevailed for the past fifty years, there was cause for some rethinking about the Old Testament and the associated religion. This rethinking was led by William F. Albright, G. Ernest Wright, and others of the Harvard Divinity School. Sixty years later, it is widely accepted that Israelite religion is just one more West Semitic religion and that its characteristic features can be fully explained on through evolutionary change. Oswalt writes that no new discoveries led to this dramatic change in thinking. Because of the work of Karl Barth in 1950, the scholarly world was ready the idea of revelation in ways not found in the last couple of generations. Revelation assumes that this world is not self-explanatory and that some communication from beyond the world is necessary to explain it. Oswalt states that this idea is distasteful to humans in that humans are not in control of their own destiny. Although the biblical and Near Eastern data had not changed at all, the possible ways of explaining that data did change. Here, another feature of the Old Testament enters the discussion: the obvious similarities that exist between the literature and culture of Israel and the literatures and cultures of Israel’s neighbors....
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...Norwegian titles. The correct translation would have been Revenants. When Ibsen finished Ghosts in October 1881 he created a “scandal greater than that created by any other book in the history of Norwegian literature” (Beyer). Thirteen years later Ghosts was produced as a play in the United States. Henrik Ibsen is well known for his scandalous plays but what many people do not see are his deep, woven, hidden messages. Ibsen used many different rhetorical devices to his advantage while he wrote Ghosts but it is clearly evident he uses symbols to convey all his messages. The round table in the living room becomes a field of slaughter littered with evidence of all the battles in the play. It holds the books that symbolize Mrs. Alving’s new ideas, the orphanage papers that represent the enormous lie of Captain Alving, and the champagne that Oswald requests (the one symbol of joy in his life). The table is also the resting place of the lamp, the artificial light Mrs. Alving gives Oswald when he complains about the...
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...........................................6 Biblical Usage ...........................................................................................................7 Profane Usage ...........................................................................................................8 Etymology and Meaning ............................................................................................8 ΕΚΚΛΕΣΙΑ AS THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH ...................................................10 NEW TESTAMENT EVIDENCE FOR MULTI-SITE CHURCH ..................................11 The House Church and Paul's Writings ............................................................................12 The House Church and Luke's Writings ...........................................................................14 Επι Το Αυτο .......................................................................................................................18 THE NATURE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH ...................................................................19 The Metaphors Describing the Nature...
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...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGY SEMINARY Ezekiel’s Prophecy of the new Temple Submitted To Dr. Joel Ajayi, In Partial Fulfillment Of The Requirements For The Completion Of The Course Evan 535 do7 comtempory evangelism By Thessalon M. Harrison September 13, 2015 The Bible has many passages that require interpretation for a deeper understanding of its meaning and purpose. For example, Ezekiel’s vision in chapters 40-48 is a difficult interpretative passage because of the eschatological and hermeneutical discrepancies in Ezekiel’s prophetic vision of a new temple. Ezekiel’s descriptive details of the new temple leads many scholars to sift through an exegetical interpretative methodology in order to, decipher whether Ezekiel’s futuristic temple is a literal construction or a figurative speech exaggerating the emphasis of Ezekiel’s message to Israel. Consequently, many scholars lean toward the notion Ezekiel’s new temple is a figurative meaning. Quite, different from Solomon temple that held observance of the Mosaic law. Therefore, the meaning and purpose of Ezekiel’s vision of a futuristic temple will show that both the literal and figurative exegetical interpretation of Ezekiel 40-48 are critical to God’s worldview for Israel to be restore back to God. Examining the book of Ezekiel three are three key visions incorporate into God’s worldview for Israel. The proto-apocalyptic vision shows the progression of how Israel experienced God’s revealed glory, then...
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...Sochi, Gay Rights and the Catholic Church The Sochi Olympics like many Games that preceded it, is symbolic of human endurance and excellence, where thousands of athletes travel across the globe, to compete under the banner of their respective nations. While the Olympics are undoubtedly a showcase of individual pursuits of glory, the cultural significance of this event cannot and should never be underestimated. The Olympics could be described as a cataloged history of nations coming together under the five ‘interlocking’ rings, to collaborate and celebrate on a world stage. It is a chance to reflect on the differences and uniqueness of all those who attend, and to put aside the political, cultural and religious discontent that can often impose itself on the global community. Unfortunately for many of us, these games did not symbolize the progress we have made in this respect, but came to symbolize the morally reprehensible position of the Kremlin’s position on Homosexuality, and its authoritarian reaction to individual and groups who questioned the legitimacy of their laws. It also highlighted through the inaction of the global community, a sinister pervasiveness of homophobia throughout the world. During one of the many debates that often ensue during my history class; the topic of homosexual rights was put to the class. What transpired from this debate was a series of thought provoking questions that inspired me to write this particular article. Upon conducting my own research...
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...Introduction: The Bible Among The Myths by John N. Oswalt The author Oswalt spent much time studying the subject of the ANE (Ancient Near East). This book will investigate the Idealism, history, culture and how they related to the relevance of the critical worldview of the Old Testament and the Hebrew belief as compared to the surrounding ANE. Oswalt’s views, thinking and direction have changed completely over his 50 years studying the ANE and the Bible. This book will show the similarities and differences in thought between the Hebrew Old Testament and the ANE. Oswalt will define what a myth is and argue why the Old Testament is not and cannot be considered a myth. The Bible, when compared to ANE literature, has a completely different understanding of creation and how the spiritual and natural realms interact and exist. There is not a continuous existence that just repeats itself over and over, but rather a series of single events that lead to a greater purpose. It is Oswalt’s position that the Bible is an accurate historical account of a people who received their relevance of belief from a single living transcendent God. The historical basis is important as God reveals himself through humans, in non-recurring human-historical events, to impose God’s will and direction to affect the will of humans. Chapter 1: The Bible In Its World In this chapter Oswalt addresses different beliefs on the existence of the world. Specifically how the Israelites and Greeks viewed the...
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...1. What is the central theme of the Old Testament? To do what’s right and follow the ways of the “all mighty” god. 1. The Old Testament divides into two parts. What are they? The New Testament and the Old Testament. 2. Who are the three patriarchs? Why are they called this? Isaac, Jacob and Abraham. They are used as significant markers by God in revelations and promises. 3. What is a covenant? A binding contract, a legal agreement. 4. Explain the creation story from the Hebrew point-of view. Contrast to the Greek creation story. The Hebrew’s believe that one man (God) created the whole earth. The Greeks believe several gods controlled different parts and things that happen (wind, rain, thunder) to the earth. With both story’s it seems the people just wanted to have something to blame as the cause for an affect. Maybe these are true stories or could simply be a way of explaining the unexplainable in their time periods. 5. How do the Hebrews’ account for evil being in the world? Eating from a tree with knowledge of good and evil and then birthing and populating more people with this knowledge. 6. What is the six fold blessing promised to Abram if he left his country and his people and his father’s house and go to a land “I will show him”? Make a great nation, be enriched, make his name great, bless those that bless him & curse those that curse him, Abram would be a blessing and all the families of the earth will be blessed by Abram. 7. Explain the story...
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...Hilgeman Of Liberty University Lynchburg, VA In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for John BIBL 323 By: Keith D. Lewis March 8, 2013 The seven “I AM” sayings are a signature of John’s gospel. They are quick to the tongue of many Christians when defending a variety of doctrines. Indeed, the “I AM” sayings alone can almost summarize Jesus’ teachings about his own deity and nature. Of particular interest is the saying found in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. Nobody gets to the father except through me.” This paper will be concerned with this saying, and explore the events surrounding it, its relation to God’s revelation of himself in the Bible, and its significance to Christ’s deity. The back drop of this saying is the upper room discourse. Jesus has called all the disciples together so that he may share a last meal with them and give them his last parting directions before he dies. He has washed the disciple’s feet, implicitly announced the man who will betray him, and has foretold Peter’s denial. He has also given his “New Commandment” in 13:34: “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” This I AM saying is in the middle of Jesus’ discourse. It was provoked by a question from Thomas. Jesus had just explained the he was going to “prepare a place” for them (14:3), and further revealed to the disciples, “and you know the way to where I am going” (4). Ever the doubter...
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