...Frank Van Der Veken Midterm Exam On this popular television show, the host announces comments that are very arguable. He states that bishops, priests, and nuns have no business talking about justice and that the, along with activists and theologians are turning the church into something like the Communist Party. The host does not agree with any relationship between faith and justice. He contends that faith is about trusting in God and God’s mercy and does not require promoting justice. Also, he insists that justice is a socialist idea, not a Christian one. Overall, making a bold observation that faith has nothing to do with justice. Although, this host has strong opinions, he needs consider more factors before making such bold points. Everyone has their own opinion and not all Christians understand faith in the same manner. According to one of Avery Dulles’s writings, The Assurance of Things Hoped For, faith has multiple understandings throughout both Testaments of the Bible. Faith can be defined as an acceptance of God’s promises and demands. “In the Old Testament faith is depicted as the appropriate response to God’s faithfulness to his covenant promises” (Dulles 17). Overall, faith is tested by obedience and fidelity. In the New Testament, it refers to faith as Pistic which is a Greek word that means faith and further, a truth in God. Moreover, faith means personal trust in Jesus as the bearer of the kingdom (Dulles 17). According to Dulles, faith can...
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...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PAPER PROPOSAL: The Image of God in Man: How Mankind is Unique. THEO 525 LUO (Spring 2012) Systematic Theology I Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Nathaniel Jones (ID# L21077684) May 12, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS Thesis…….. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Introduction……………………….. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The Beginning…………………………………………………. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Views ………….……………………… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Original Image……………………… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 God’s Image In Woman…………………………………….. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Conclusion…… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Bibliography……. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 THESIS STATEMENT Instead of dividing the human race into characteristics, one must recognize that the...
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...THEOLOGY OF MISSIONS PAPER Jonathan Hudgins GLST 500 September 8, 2013 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 OLD TESTAMENT MISSIONS.....................................................................................................2 NEWTESTAMENT MISSIONS.....................................................................................................4 NATURE OF GOD AND MISSSIONS..........................................................................................5 MISSIONS AND THEOLOGY......................................................................................................6 MOTIFS OF MISSION THEOLOGY............................................................................................8 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................... 9 BIBLIOGRAPHY 11 INTRODUCTION There is evidence from the beginning of the Biblical text starting in Genesis, to the conclusion of the text with Revelation that God desires for man to fulfill His call for missions. The story of missions begins with around four thousand years ago when God calls Abraham. The Scriptures offer a clear explanation of the original calling of Abraham. God commands Abraham, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1 ESV) Genesis 12:1-3 signifies an assurance whose completion extends throughout the Scriptures, it is the original representation...
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...Mr. Amin Ladha 21-833 Scollard Court, Mississauga ON Canada L5V2B4 amin.ladha88@gmail.com 416 823 8487 Faculty of Theology Saint Paul University Office of Admissions and Student Services 233 Main Street Ottawa, ON K1S 1C4 Canada 28th October, 2011, RE: Letter of Intent – St. Paul University Joint Honours Program in Theology and Philosophy Dear St. Paul University Faculty of Theology, I would like to express my interest in applying for the Joint Honours Program in Theology and Philosophy. For as long as I can remember, I have always had an intimate passion with theology and philosophy. As a young teenager still in high school I recall summer days where I would dedicate time to write about theology and philosophy, simply to organize my thoughts. From 2008- 2010 I was a counsellor for the al-Azhar program for Isma’ili youth in the Mississauga area. Historically, al-Azhar draws parallels to the university in Cairo, where during the Fatimid Empire there was a revitalization of philosophy and theology in perfect harmony with science and faith. The program offered a weekly class for Isma’ili youth in grades 11 and 12 in which they were able to engage with their Faith in a modern context. In pre-class development, or lesson planning, our main challenge was to hone in on the key concepts, and articulate them or assist in reinforcing them in a modern context. It goes to say that it was challenging, however at times there were moments of creative genius....
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...Kaleb Parrent Mr. Seth Johnson Theology 104 3 April 2015 Reflection Paper 2 Assignment I. Introduction In today’s predominately secular culture, the doctrine of creation and the doctrine of the immaterial “heart” of man are topics too commonly misrepresented and are profoundly misunderstood amongst many Christians today. The doctrine of creation and the doctrine of the immaterial nature of man are fundamental cornerstones within the Christian worldview that promulgate a rational coherent, consistent doctrine that when properly taught can equip Christians today with important theological knowledge that facilitates their pursuit of effective ministry. Divided into two separate topics, I will subsequently expound upon the Christian doctrine of creation and the doctrine on the immaterial nature of man, outlining the theological definition, biblical foundation, and practical application for each. II. Doctrine of Creation a. Theological Definition The doctrine of creation propagates that an eternal, infinite and immaterial Triune God created ex nihilo, or out of nothing, the universe and everything within it. God created the “heavens, the earth, the fish, the various kinds of species of animals, and man as the crown of His creation” (Townes, Origin). This doctrine asserts that there was no preexistent material existed before creation, emphasizing God’s existence alone before creation, and affirming His infinitude, eternality, self-existence, self-sufficiency, omnipotence...
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...CRITIQUING THEODICES: THE PROBLEM OF EVIL ____________________ A Paper Submitted to Prof. Scott Henderson Luther Rice University ____________________ In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Course TH 536 – Seminar in Apologetics ____________________ By Mark Reid JC 1866 August 24, 2012 OUTLINE I. INTRODUCTION II. EVALUATING THE TYPES OF EVIL III. ATHEISTIC AND SKEPTICAL ARGUMENT IV. FREE-WILL THEODICY V. POSSIBLE WORLDS VI. THE ALTERNATIVE APPROACH VII. CONCLUSION VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY INTRODUCTION Evil is a universal problem with many categories. Philosophers like David Hume and Alvin Plantinga have attempted to explain the presence of evil despite there being a God. One can choose from many theodicies on moral and natural evil. Lately work has shifted to the notion of gratuitous evil. If gratuitous evils exist, is God morally responsible? Gratuitous evil and natural evil appears to bring the most plausible charge that something malevolent has occurred. This paper will critique various arguments concerning evil. Biblical Theology will show that the arguments are missing a key to understanding evil. EVALUATING THE TYPES OF EVIL The complexity involved in addressing evil persuades us to define what is meant by natural and moral evil. It is noted, by Steven Layman, that the distinction between natural and moral evil is not always sharp. It is Erickson who provides very distinctive...
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...information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. . Nanzan University is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Japanese Journal of Religious Studies. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 137.132.123.69 on Wed, 2 Apr 2014 10:26:21 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Studies30/3-4:315-338 Journalof Religious Japanese x 2003 Nanzan Institutefor Religionand Culture YAMAGUCHISatoko[JriMf- Christianityand Women in Japan After a brief introduction to the situation of Christian or church-going women in Japan, articleintroducesa feministtheologicalgroup,the Centhis ter for Feminist Theology and Ministryin Japan,as one of the diverse new feminist movements among Christianwomen and men. This Center was founded in 2000 for feminists doing theology in the particularcontext of Japanwhere only one percent of the population are Christians,where the churchhas been especiallycarefulto preservethe authenticChristian faithin the midst of a non-Christianculture, and where Christianwomen feel that they havebeen offeredonly...
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...GOD-IS-DEAD THEOLOGY A RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED TO DOCTOR RICHARD ELLIGSON PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF CHURCH MINISTRY BY EL-FATIH J. AJALA (25927535) THEO 510 LUO LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA JULY 21, 2013 Introduction Paul Enns in his book The Moody Handbook of Theology states of theologians who profess this theology, “deny all forms of traditional ontology and allow for no sovereign and unconditioned Being but only a ‘God’ who at some point in the dialectic wills His own self-annihilation” and that, “man must learn to live without God.”[1] The lack of universal truth in our lives in this 21st century can be directly attributed to the lack of morals and moral values begun in the 19th century; and which took root in the 20th century; and might be the death of man in the 22nd century. In stating that God is dead, it has to be shown that: * Is God dead? * Science and technology can solve the world’s problems * God died as a transcendent God when Christ died * The Bible is narrative (i.e. myth) This review of the God-Is-Dead theology focuses on these four questions. Is God Dead? In an article written in the Chicago Tribune in 1963 it is stated that two men (Thomas Altizer and William Hamilton) experienced the death of God. Upon this statement, a “theology” was born...
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...Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary A Paper Submitted to Dr. Marcus Tanner, LMFTA in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course, Theology and Spirituality in Counseling PACO 507 - D05 Name of Student: John Santiago Student ID: L24473755 Class: PACO 507-D05 LUO Instructor’s Name: Dr. Marcus Tanner, LMFTA Date Submitted: 03/20/2014 Summary Dr. Crabb’s book “Effective Biblical Counseling: a Model for Helping Caring Christians Become Capable Counselors,” (Crabb, 1997), breaks problematic areas up into two categories. The first categories are those resulting from natural or physical causes. The second is composed mostly of problem that are essentially moral. It has been said by some and demeaned by others that Dr. Crabb has a somewhat unique approach to counseling. His Biblical counseling explained in his afore mentioned book and his first book, Basic Principles of Biblical Counseling, extols upon the basic parts and theories of his system, along with many changes in theology and he places an emphasis on his belief that, “. . . the most basic problem of every human being is his separation from God, a gulf made necessary by the fact that God is holy and we are not" (p. 17). Primary Goal: (What is the desired outcome?). Crabb first describes for us what he terms as; “Separate but equal” approach (Crabb, 1977). This approach representitive of those who would believe through Christ, “scripture deals with the spiritual and...
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...r Divine-Human Synergism in Ministry Dennis Bratcher A paper presented to the Breckenridge Conference on Clergy Preparation I. Introduction II. Synergism: A Biblical and Theological Base III. The Church's Mission and Ministry: A Recovery of Balance IV. Divine-Human Synergism in Ministry Footnotes Bibliography I. Introduction The Issue In Context The Church In this series of conferences begun last year, we are in process of reflecting on the direction and focus of the ministry and ministerial training in the Church of the Nazarene as our community of faith moves into the twenty-first century. We have attempted to approach our task from two complimentary perspectives, caricatured last year as the "field" of hands-on work and the "realm" of reflective inquiry (although I think there are serious problems inherent in such an artificial dichotomy of responsibilities). -1- From our initial attempts, it has become obvious that we face a multiplicity of issues in such an endeavor. The range and diversity of these issues arise partly from the variety of theological, historical, and practical concerns operating with each of us as individuals and partly from the assumptions and perspectives imported from particular arenas of ministry. One common element that keeps reappearing in various forms is the issue of the nature and mission of the Church. This issue is not unique to our enterprise in these conferences, as the new eleventh Article of Faith on...
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...APOLOGETICS APPLICATION PAPER: Examining the Atheist Belief and Defending the Christian Faith Rhonda Rigsby APOL 500 7/7/13 Target Audience The selected target audience for this paper is atheists. Atheists are defined as “a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of God or gods”, according to the Random House College dictionary. The first order of business within the atheist argument is that atheism is not a belief at all. Many Christians cringe when they hear the word atheism or that someone is an atheist, while some become angry, others consider it an opportunity to convert a lost soul. Statistics have shown an increase in atheism, which was predicted in the bible, and many tend to think that atheists all come from a scientific background and that as many as ninety-five percent of scientists are atheists. A study by Curry concludes differently reporting that seven percent of scientists are Christians and twenty-one percent are agnostic, while seventy-two percent report they do not believe they have a personal god.However, during this study it appears some skewness existed in the sense people were asked if they believed that God was affective and communicates with mankind. With this a part of the equation, most based their response on the fact they did not think God, if they believe He does exist, actually tried to communicate with mankind. At the end of the study, they concluded that thirty four participants actually were atheists...
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...Perfect Love Paper Amber Baillio Ohio Christian University Perfect Love Paper Billy Graham is a nationwide known evangelist. Sensing his need for further understanding he had studied what the bible teaches about the person and the work of the Holy Spirit. He believes solemnly that the Holy Spirit is our only trusted source and any reliable analysis of the person and the work of the Holy Spirit must be biblically based. He explains that man has two spiritual needs; the first one being forgiveness and the second goodness. Whether consciously or unconsciously his inner being longs for both. He also indicates that God has heard our cry for forgiveness and answered it at Calvary. God sending his one and only son into the world to die for our sins that we may be forgiven. This is a gift from God of salvation. To the great gift of forgiveness God also adds the great gift of the holy spirit, Indicating the holy spirit meets our needs to escape from the miserable weakness that grips us, giving us the power to be truly good(Graham, 2002). Powell describes the doctrine of entire sanctification to be the idea of love. Love is our union with another being. Our love for God is our union with God and participating is his Trinitarian life. To fully love God we have to be fully immersed in God’s life that our identity is changed. To love God we have to have God as an integral part of our life that a return to the world of sin would mean the disruption...
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...existence of an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, immutable, monotheistic God has come up against enormous resistance from the beginning of time. Early believers such as Moses, Elijah, Paul, and Peter all had to demonstrate that their God is the one true God at times. These believers even encountered persecution and ridicule for holding on to these beliefs at times. Nevertheless the challenges to these early believers tended to be demonstrating that their God was greater than their accuser’s god or gods. At times, it was through the words of men that the God of the Bible was shown to be greater, and other times it was through the action of God in the world and the inaction of the other gods that demonstrated His power and existence This paper will explain three arguments used to demonstrate the existence of God through scientific principles. His existence will be shown using the cosmological, teleological, and anthropological arguments. In academic areas especially science, the question of...
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...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY The Life of Michael Servetus A Research Paper A Paper Submitted to Dr. Jerry Sutton In Partial Fulfillments Of The Requirements For The Course CHHI-525 History of The Christian Church II BY Andrea Gearing Cumming, Georgia August 17, 2012 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION--------------------------------------------------------------------------------3 MICHAEL SERVETUS EARLY LIFE-------------------------------------------------------3 BRIEF SUMMARY OF MICHAEL SERVETUS WORKS-------------------------------6 THE TRINITY AND MODERN SCHOLARSHIP-----------------------------------------9 MICHAEL SERVETUS THEOLOGY------------------------------------------------------10 CONCLUSION---------------------------------------------------------------------------------14 BIBLIOGRAPHY------------------------------------------------------------------------------17 INTRODUCTION The first time I was introduced to Michael Servetus, I was a student at Liberty University. I had never heard of this important figure in History. At any rate, I had begun to find ways to learn more about him. It was on a Wednesday night, one week before the night of my church Bible study that I had to submit a discussion board question of Michael Servetus in church history. I arrived at Bible study with Michael Servetus in my spirit. When I arrived at church my pastors opening statement was: "In 1553, Michael Servetus was burned at the stake for what I am going to...
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...Michelle Ragland SID# 23615939 THEO 104- Reflection Paper I. Introduction: As I sat down to write this reflection paper, I had to give very much thought on what topics I wanted to discuss. I have decided after much pondering and meditation that I would like to discuss the topic of Canon and Illumination. This class has helped to give me a greater understanding of my convictions and make me a better Christian. II. Part One: Canon The word Canon is Greek for a rule, and its meaning can be translated as “measuring stick.” (Praxis, Gutierrez and Etzel, 2012, pg 53) The Canon of scripture areis the accepted books of the Bible, thatBible, which is to be a tool for Christians to allow the Holy Spirit to measure them by spiritually. This “Measuring stick” is the instrument that shows our Faithfulness or lack of, our Obedience or lack of, our Conduct , our Sight, and our hearing by the word of God. The canon is the infallible word of God, His instruction to us and communication withcommunication with us that we understand what and how he expects us to live. The Measuring stick of the Old Testament was hard for anyone to keep, because no one is without sin, we understand that God made provision for us and that now we are not measured by the law (Canon) but by our Faith, God’s Grace and our Purpose in Him. God is our measuring stick for our spiritual as well as natural lives, because it is...
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