texts: Being an endtime prophecy, how does Genesis 49:10 affect Christians since one side of it in ''Judah'' already has?

texts:
In Genesis 49:1, sons of Jacob gathered at his request that he may tell them what would 'befall them' in ''the last days,''which I understand being peculiar as an endtimes' reference.

So when Jacob comes to Judah, in addition to other utterances, he pronounces a messianic blessing in the following verse;

  Genesis 49:10
  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

According to reformed theology, how does this particular verse bear upon believers in these endtimes? If at all.

Because in Genesis 49:10, it clearly distinguishes 'Judah' as a 'lawgiver,'' which role also Psalm 60:7 & Psalm 108 affirm, while 'Ephraim' is the strength of God's head.

  Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of my head; Judah is my lawgiver;(Psalm 60:7)

To my understanding this isn't a casual comparison between Judah and Ephraim, since we as christians see the result of 'Judah' being a lawgiver among all the nations.

Putting it differently, according to christianity, Jews have missed Messiah's birth, since a part of that prophecy has come true in ''Judah'', and that is, from Judah came one who is Messiah, a belief which is the life and the foundation of christianity. Yet that prophecy doesn't end with ''Judah,'' but with ''Shiloh,'' which latter in many places is associated with the northern kingdom in words like ''strength of my head'' in Psalm 60 and 108, but which northern kingdom ( Ephraim) is ''NOT a people,'' long before the coming of ''Judah,'' ref;Isaiah 7:8.
Could it be the same with christians, that while we point at Jews for their oversight, we have as well misunderstood this character of 'shiloh' in Genesis 49:10, who is portrayed in the above Psalms as being in the same honour as 'Judah' atleast as far as Judah's sceptre is concerned?


texts: Does everything happen for a reason, and what is the biblical support for the different views?

texts:
Sometimes, people say that everything happens for a reason (as in "God has a purpose with everything that happens, good or bad"). It seems to me that the Bible is not clear on the subject. On one hand, it seems to contradict, for example, our free will, and on the other hand, there are passages, such as the following verses:

  Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were
  written in your book before one of them came to be. (Ps 136:16)

I'm not looking for the "right" Christian view on this, because I know people come to different conclusions. But I would like an answer that provides important biblical passages to support or fail to support the two views and a commentary for each.

Related: All my days are ordained before I was born?


texts: How can we defend our faith against the "Argument from Evil" or "Problem of Evil"?

texts:
Of all of the arguments against the Bible from a stance of pure logic which I have ever heard, the only one which seems to be able to stand up to honest, logical scrutiny in even the smallest way is the Problem of Evil.

Clearly, from a Biblical standpoint, we can say that our free will, given to us by God, causes the sufferings that man brings on other men. The common rebuttal to this: that God's omniscience would cause Him to know the things we will do and thus render free will an illusion, can be shown to be invalid through some simply logical reasoning. Namely, that it is sound logic to say that "correlation does not prove (nor imply) causation", and that God's knowledge of our actions (even if it is beforehand) correlating with our choice to undertake said actions, by no means proves the causation of our actions on the part of God. We are still left with bearing the responsibility for said actions and their consequences, as God's foreknowledge of our choice does not compel us to choose that option. Furthermore, the idea that God exists "outside of time" lends support to this argument (although it is unnecessary in this argument).

Unfortunately, this argument cannot be used to explain the suffering found in nature (animals hurting animals), nor can it explain natural disasters. Is there a theologian or apologetic scholar who has written to explain a way to rationalize this? Is there anyone here who has studied this in depth and can offer a rationalization?


texts: When was the acronym ACTS first used to refer to components of prayer?

texts: When was the mnemonic acronym ACTS, standing for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication, first used to refer to the components of prayer?


texts: How do Calvinists interpret 1 John 2:2 in light of Limited Atonement?

texts:
1 John 2:2 (ESV)

  He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

Understanding the "ours" as referring to the universal church of believers, it would seem that John is saying that Christ "propitiated" for everyone's sins.

Calvinism, through the doctrine of limited, or definite, or particular, atonement, says that Christ died only for the elect.

How would a five-point Calvinist understand this passage?


texts: If Anger is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, how could Jesus have been angry yet still be sinless? (Catholicism)

texts:
Anger is one of the Seven Deadly Sins recognized by the Roman Catholic Church (the origins of which are described at this question). However, Jesus was shown to be angry.

  He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. — Mark 3:5 (NIV)

While the passages don't specifically say it, it certainly seems like Jesus was also angry during the cleansing of the Temple.

Despite this, Jesus was without sin.

  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. —2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

If Anger is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, how could Jesus have been angry yet still be sinless?


texts: What was the Christian response to death-loving practices of Ancient Roman society?

texts: In Ancient Rome, gladiators would fight to the death for the amusement of the crowd.  What did Christians do to stop this?


texts: The Sub Tuum Praesidium is the oldest known hymn to the Virgin Mary, dating back to somewhere between 250-280. Has any Saint or Church Father ever been ascribed as being the author of this prayer?


texts: What does Lumen Gentium 25 mean about submission?

texts:
Lumen Gentium 25 states in part:

In matters of faith and morals, the bishops speak in the name of Christ and the faithful are to accept their teaching and adhere to it with a religious assent (religioso animi obsequio). This religious submission of mind and will (religiosum voluntatis et intellectus obsequium) must be shown in a special way to the authentic magisterium (authentico magisterio) of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra; that is, it must be shown in such a way that his supreme magisterium is acknowledged with reverence, the judgments made by him are sincerely adhered to, according to his manifest mind and will. His mind and will in the matter may be known either from the character of the documents, from his frequent repetition of the same doctrine, or from his manner of speaking.

What does this "submission" amount to? Does that mean assuming the Pope is correct and not questioning that? How does it differ from the obligation towards infallible statements generally?


texts: Why were early Mormon leaders so critical of traditional Christianity?

texts:
Why have the LDS Prophets made the following statements regarding the beliefs and teachings on traditional Christians?

  "What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world."

Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 270

  "...all the priests who adhere to the sectarian religions of the day with all their followers, without one exception, receive their portion with the devil and his angels."

Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., The Elders Journal, v. 1, no. 4, p. 60

  “Nothing less than a complete apostasy from the Christian religion would warrant the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., History of the Church, v. 1, p. xl

  "Brother Taylor has just said that the religions of the day were hatched in hell. The eggs were laid in hell, hatched on its borders, and then kicked on to the earth."

Prophet Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, v. 6, p. 176

  "When the light came to me I saw that all the so-called Christian world was groveling in darkness."

Prophet Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, v. 5, p. 73

  "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world."

Prophet Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, v. 8, p. 199

  "The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God"

Prophet Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, v. 8, p. 171

  "Christianity...is a perfect pack of nonsense...the devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century."

Prophet John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, v. 6, p. 167

  "Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom."

Prophet John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, v. 10, p. 127

  "What! Are Christians ignorant? Yes, as ignorant of the things of God as the brute beast."

Prophet John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, v. 13, p. 225

  "What does the Christian world know about God? Nothing... Why so far as the things of God are concerned, they are the veriest fools; they know neither God nor the things of God."

Prophet John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, v. 13, p. 225

  "Believers in the doctrines of modern Christendom will reap damnation to their souls."

Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, see pp. 45-46

Each of these statements expresses that Christians of their day were utterly deceived, ignorant, and unsaved. Why did they have such negative views of traditional Christian teachings?


texts: Mark and Romans: are these the same Rufus?

texts:
In Mark 15:21 (KJV), the account reads:

  And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.

In Romans 16:13 (KJV), the account reads:

  Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

While I understand that even in the Apostleship there were two named Judas, I was curious if there were any Apocryphal or extra-biblical accounts which could confirm or disprove that both verses speak of the same Rufus.  Bonus points if the family's conversion story is included.


texts: Was God living in darkness before the creation of light?

texts:
After reading this question, another question came to my mind. If God created the light only after the creation of the universe, then does it mean there was no light in Heaven?

If we read the context in Genesis 1:1-5 carefully, the light created in Genesis 1:3 seems to be the light that we have here on earth, which consists of seven colors. God has already existed long before the universe was created. If there was no other form of light in Heaven before the creation of this universe, that would mean there was no light in Heaven and God was dwelling in darkness. But 1 John 1:5 says, "God is light". This could mean that the light in Heaven and the light we have on earth are not the same.

  This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is
  light; in him there is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5, NIV)

If God is light, then what was the need to create light again? Does it mean the light that God naturally has is different from the light that God created in Genesis 1:3?

Was God living in darkness before He created the light?


texts: Do any Christian denominations prevent their congregations from having Christmas pageants?

texts: Given the fact that a Christmas pageant isn't complete featuring the Wise Man dropping in on the Holy Family in the manger is unbiblical do any denominations specifically prevent their congregations from having those plays?  Are there any other reasons to anathematize purveyors of Christmas pageants?


texts: Do any non-Swedenborgian Christian denominations have a smaller biblical canon than Protestantism?

texts:
As covered in the Wikipedia article on Biblical canon, among the major branches of Christianity Protestantism has the smallest biblical canon, due almost entirely to a smaller Old Testament canon.

The various New Church or "Swedenborgian" denominations, however, have a considerably smaller canon for both the Old and New Testaments, as covered in this question: What writings are held as "biblical canon" by Swedenborgians?

Are there any other Christian churches or denominations whose biblical canon is smaller than the Protestant canon? If so, what books do they include in their canon, and what reasons do they give for their particular canon?


texts: How could Satan be cursed to crawl on the ground, yet walk before God in Job?

texts:
In Genesis 3:1 we find a serpent. Supposedly Satan inhabited the serpent, or the word should be translated Shining One (NIV). At any rate, God curses the snake in 3:14: "On your belly you shall go, and  you shall eat dust all the days of your life."

If going on his belly is Satan's fate, then how is he coming and going before God in Job 1 and 2, and on the earth, "walking back and forth on it" instead of crawling around?

The only reconciliation I can think of is that the serpents were different back then, not relegated to their bellies as they are now -- so the curse is directed to the animal and not Satan.

I welcome answers from any Christian viewpoint that accepts the Genesis 1 days of 24 hours and a literal rendering of Genesis 1-11 events, and believes in the Apostle's Creed.


texts: How long was David on the run from Saul?

texts: When Saul suspected that David was going to take his throne, he tried to capture David to prevent this from happening. How long was Saul chasing David?


texts: Jesus' quotation of Septuagint - Greek or Aramaic?

texts:
Having read this and this, I am convinced now that Jesus spoke Aramaic. However, I also know that many times He was quoting Septuagint, which is a translation of the Old Testament into Koine Greek. I am a little bit confused now. Does it mean that when He was talking to His disciples or to the Jews and was quoting Septuagint, He was switching from Aramaic to Greek?

If yes, then it sounds a bit contradictory to me. Why would He need to switch to Greek while He was talking to the Hebrew people, not to the Greeks, about their own Holy Scripture (Jews' aversion toward the Greek is quite evident from the book of Acts)?

If no, then how can we say that He was quoting Septuagint (as I know Septuagint was written only in Greek)?


texts: If God is beyond our comprehension how can we comprehend what he wants?

texts:
According to many christian practitioners one of their most famous answers to a lot of questions in that "God is above our understanding" or another similar answer.

If this is true then how can we comprehend what god wants from us? The bible is written by many people who aren't God, so how can we base anything off of mere mortals who cannot comprehend such a supreme being?

PS Please no cryptic responses


texts: Is there any extra-biblical evidence that the Ark of the Covenant was at Shiloh?

texts: Is there any extra-Biblical evidence that the Ark of the Covenant resided at Shiloh during the time of 1 Samuel 4?


texts: How do United Pentecostals and other Oneness groups interpret Hebrews 2:9?

texts:
But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels,
  namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of
  death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
  (Hebrews 2:9 ESV)

If there is no distinction between the Father and the Son, as Oneness adherents believe, how could God who "upholds the universe by the word of his power" (Hebrews 1:3 ESV) die without the universe falling apart?


texts: Fallen Angels worshiped in ancient civilizations?

texts:
Ok, so I am doing research for a fictional book and in my research I have come across the names of 2 fallen angels (book of Enoch) that take advantage of mankind and allow man to worship them like god. Abezethibou (Egypt) and Nisroch (Babylon).

I realize that the book of Enoch isn't considered Canon to most Christian groups, but I'm wondering about similar recorded accounts recognized by any Christian groups, Scripture, or Deuterocanonical books?

My question is this: Are there other fallen angels that humans worshiped recorded or recognized as described above?


texts: Have Christian Scholars been forced to use BCE and CE instead of AD and BC?

texts:
In the United States, there is both religious freedom and academic freedom.  In the world of academic freedom there seems to be an orthodoxy of non-sectariansim that invades thought and speech.  Movies like God's Not Dead and... God's Not Dead 2 have documented this over and over again as issue.

But has anything so minute as forcing Christian scholars to use the abbreviation BCE and CE instead of AD and BC on their published works occured?  If so, what reasoning do irreligious people have for making such a request and what apologetic has (if any) said Christian scholars used for refuting them?


texts: Do churches in the West ask the faithful to leave their sandals out , while attending service?

texts:
At Exodus 3:2-5  (NRSVCE) we read:

  There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.  Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.”  When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”  Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.

I have seen many churches in India in which the faithful are not allowed to wear sandals while they attend service. I wish to know if such a tradition exists in churches of any denomination in  the West.


texts:
Why did the devil go after Eve and not Adam?
Was it because Eve was weaker than Adam?
Why didn't the devil tempt Adam first?


texts: Did the Israelites/Hebrews have their own slaves or servants?

texts:
I have been reading in Exodus the Israelites had their own servants or slaves. Exodus also talks about some people almost becoming (?) an Israelite (or Hebrew, not sure if same thing) by performing a circumcision. Exodus 12:44-45, 48-49.

Who were these servants? Or strangers as well as the kJv also mentions? Were they peoples of another region? How did they attain servants if they were slaves themselves at this point..after the Phaorah died in Exodus 1 that didn't know Joseph? Exodus 1:8. Didn't know slaves could have slaves?

I thought the new Phaorah would've stopped any slavery for the slaves if there was anything before that.

Sorry if question is unusual.


texts: How many bilateral covenants occur in the Bible?

texts: As the title asks, how many bilateral covenants occur in scripture between God and His creation (this does not include bilateral covenants between humans and humans, e.g., a marriage covenant between a man and a woman, or the covenant between Avraham and Avimelekh).


texts: Why Christian Translator Translate Rhea as Neighbor?

texts:
Why do Bible translator translate rhea into neighbor in "Love thy neighbor"?

The Jews told me that rhea really means comrades.

So why is it translated as neighbor?

In Indonesia, it's translated as "fellow humans", which is also not neighbor.

Why are there so many different translation for one so called most important commandment.


texts:
What is the difference between Baptism of Jesus and Baptism of others? For others it was for repentance of sins.

Matthew 3:5-6 NIV

  5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

Matthew 3:13-15 NIV

  13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented."


texts: How similar are the KJV and the Reina Valera bibles?

texts:
I know that the two books are similar to each other in that they’re both very influential printed bibles, and that they’re used by the same or similar denominations of Christianity. And that both contain what are now archaic forms of English and Spanish (unless you choose more modern editions that use more modern language).

However, how similar are the contents of the two bibles? In terms of if I look at an individual sentence, will the contents be much the same. (I’m an English speaker learning Spanish)


texts: 1 Thessalonians 1:4, how is the chronological order according to Calvinism?

texts:
1 Thessalonians 1:4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has
  chosen you

Before the creation:

A.
Because God love some people
that is why He choose these people

or....

B.
Because God choose some people
that is why He love these people

If there is an answer, I would like to have the verse also as the reason of the answer.


texts: What is the difference between the Amish and Mennonites?

texts: I've heard of different groups, typically technology-rejecting ones, being referred to as "Amish" or "Mennonite". Is there a difference between those two terms? What do these groups believe?


texts:
What is the Catholic interpretation of John 19:26-27?

John 19:26-27 (RSVCE)

  26 When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27
  Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that
  hour the disciple took her to his own home.1

  Footnotes:
  1. took her to his own home: Joseph must now have been dead.

From say Church Fathers, saints, papal pronouncements, what is the deeper meaning of these words - especially where Jesus says St. John Behold, your mother! - and their application in the Christian life?


texts: How much of the text of the Gospel of John can be substantiated by early copies and quotes from early Church Fathers?

texts:
It's interesting that a person will claim passages were added at a later date without considering the textual evidence.
A fragment of the Gospel of John dates in the first half of the second century.  We have complete copies of John in the fourth century codices.  My concern is answering arguments for parts of John being later additions before the fourth century.  An example of evidence, Irenaeus of Lyons, in the late second century, quotes parts of the prolegomena that some question it being part of the original Gospel.

But what John really does say is this: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." Irenaeus - Against Heresies book 1
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/irenaeus-book1.html

John, however, does himself put this matter beyond all controversy on our part, when he says, "He was in this world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own [things], and His own [people] received Him not." ... For when he had spoken of the Word of God as having been in the Father, he added, "All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made." ... For that according to John relates His original, effectual, and glorious generation from the Father, thus declaring, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Irenaeus - Against Heresies book 3
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/irenaeus-book3.html

I'm not concerned with John 7:53–8:11, which is not in the earliest manuscripts.  The rest of the Gospel is consistent in language and subject matter.  It does appear that John added chapter 21 as a postscript.  Has someone already compiled this information for the Gospel of John?


texts: Why do the Seventh Day Adventists consider the Sabbath to begin on Friday at sunset?

texts:
I understand that for the Jews, the beginning of the Sabbath is at 5 PM on Friday.
So why then does Sabbath start at sundown on Friday for the Seventh Day Adventists?


texts: How does a person become a godparent in the Roman Catholic Church?

texts: Assume a young adult is close to Confirmation in the Roman Catholic church, but, while still a child, never finishes the process because the family moves away from the parish.  What would be the process for this person to become a godparent at this point in the Roman Catholic church? Would it matter if the person in question is the sibling of one of the birth parents?


texts: Is there a Christology that states that Jesus inherited divinity?

texts: Is there a Christological doctrine that teaches that Jesus wasn't originally divine but inherited or became divine, being exalted into divinity by the Father as the result of an act or event?


texts: Does the indwelling of the Holy Spirit encompass a person's body, soul and spirit?

texts:
The Bible affirms in more than one place that the Holy Spirit indwells the believer.

  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,  1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV

A prominent understanding of mankind is that we have a body, soul and spirit.  So, my question is to understand in what sense does the Holy Spirit indwell the believer.  Is it in all three aspects?  The body, soul and spirit?  Or is it just perhaps the soul and spirit or just the spirit?

The body still seems to be under the curse at this point, since it will die, yet the verse immediately after the one above uses the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as an exhortation for the believer to glorify God with his or her body.

I understand that this question should be targeted to a specific tradition.  I am most interested in an evangelical perspective.  I don't even know, though, if this has ever been addressed in the Catholic or Orthodox traditions.  If so, perhaps a separate question targeted at those traditions would be appropriate.


texts: Paul's knowledge of Jannes and Jambres the magicians of Egypt

texts:
Per Paul in:

2 Timothy 3:8 ESV

  Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the
  truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.

Which is cross referenced to:

Exodus 7:11 ESV

  Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the
  magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts.

and also

Acts 13:8 ESV

  But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed
  them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

Titus 1:16

  They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are
  detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

How did Paul know the names of the Magicians since they appear to not be mentioned anywhere else in the bible by name?  And how was this cross reference made (how do we really know that he's talking about the same story)?

The only link that I can find is from the Damascus Document which I was led to from reading Moses in Biblical and Extra-Biblical Traditions by Axel Graupner, Michael Wolter.

I'm going to ask this over at Hermeneutics too.  However I feel that this is an interesting doctoral question too.


texts: Why would angels climb a stairway if they have wings?

texts:
I was just reading about Jacob's Dream at Bethel and I had a question:
Why would angels be ascending and descending a stairway (or a ladder, in other versions of the Christian Bible) from Earth to Heaven if they possess of wings?

Jacob's Dream at Bethel
10Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 13He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
Genesis 28:10-13 | New International Version (NIV)

There seems to be no denying that in the Christian Bible, angels have wings.


texts: Does R.C. Sproul elaborate on his position regarding images of Christ?

texts:
In discussions of theologians who take the continental Reformed view of the 2nd commandment (as opposed to the Westminster / Puritan view), people often point out this brief quote by R.C. Sproul:

  Yet Scripture allows for images that depict the humanity of Jesus as well as pictures of redemptive events and themes in our churches.

I have not found where he elaborates on this view. Does anybody know in what work he goes into detail on what depictions of Christ in art he would or would not allow and specifically what Scripture he would cite as allowing it?

Secondarily, citations of other Reformed theologians1 taking this position and defending it would be of interest as well.

1 Note I'm specifically looking for arguments and Scriptural defense by notable and generally respected Reformed theologians, not just any logical arguments. I can come up with plenty of reasoning myself.


texts: Why does the Holy Spirit not take the form of a human being just like Jesus did?

texts:
The Holy Spirit in the Bible takes the form of:
Dove, Oil, Light, Wind and Tongues of Fire. But never a human being. Why?


texts: Was it the act of seducing Eve to eat the apple that was his downfall, was he already fallen before that, or was it after?


texts: Can Bishops give dispensations from certain marriage vows?

texts:
If, for instance, someone tells me that his bishop said he could get a vasectomy because having children with his wife in the future is likely to be injurious to her health. Should he be able to produce some sort of documentation that says he can do that thing? Would that be a dispensation?

Is that even something a bishop can do or is that just an instance of heterodox advice from an unorthodox bishop?


texts: Does Dietrich Bonhoeffer fit the requirements to be declared an official martyr?

texts:
I'm wondering what the Roman Catholic church stance is on this man and whether they will ever declare him a martyr? I'm guessing he is too protestant to ever have any recognition in the Catholic church.

What has the stance of the Catholic church been in regards to other Nazi dissidents?


texts: Why did Cardinal Ratzinger stop supporting a literal interpretation of creation in Genesis?

texts: I read that Cardinal Ratzinger stated the story in Genesis 1 and 2 should not be interpreted as a literal account of the beginning of things. In spite of recent events like this, they have always been in favour of a literal explanation of creation based on Genesis. This is what I read. Why does Ratzinger hold this view on such an important matter?


texts: What do Chinese Catholics call their priests?

texts: This Catholic article explains and defends the usage of the word, "Father," in reference to priests. Now, in the Chinese language, people have a tendency to use the same familial words for society at large. A child may call an unrelated man, "uncle," or an unrelated younger girl, "little sister". Will this be in conflict with the Catholic concept of "Father" of the church? Or do the Chinese Catholics use a distinct honorific term just for the priest?


texts:
Why did God need to plant the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden in the first place?

I mean Mormons say that God was in fact having a hidden desire for Adam and Eve to disobey His words and partake of that tree so that they could later be tested in the midst of sinful world whether they would seek God or merely enjoy the worldly pleasures.

When I confronted one Mormon on this point by saying that it seems a bit contradictory for God to have forbidden Adam and Eve to do something that He in fact wanted them to do, he confronted me with this question: otherwise, why do you think God planted that tree in the garden of Eden while He didn't want Adam and Eve to partake of that tree?


texts: Did Jesus undergo another temptation in the the garden?

texts:
The only temptation I know of in the bible concerning Jesus was when in the wilderness with the devil. A friend used Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ as his basis to claim Jesus was tempted by the devil (with the appearance of a snake) while praying.

I kind of thought, personally that it made sense to why he needed the disciples to help him in prayer. He had to go back for the third time to pray with sorrow and heaviness untill an angel came to strengthen him.

  "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as
  it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." (Luke
  22:43-44).

Is it a mere spiritual reason to this claim that he was strengthened by an angel from heaven as if in a struggle or there are actual biblical references that support a spiritual encounter with the devil? If there was an encounter, how and why?


texts:
Daniel the prophet wrote:

  “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
  some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt”

(Dan. 12:2).

Where in the universe is the dust of the earth?


texts: Are there any Saints that have miraculously overcome death (should have died, but did not)?

texts:
Are there any saints that should have died but didn't, not like they dodged a moving train, but rather something like were stabbed in the heart but didn't bleed, or something.

And when they did die, how did it happen?


texts: Does the Pope's encyclical Laudato si' have a Latin version?

texts: Looking at the Vatican's website it seems Laudato si' is the first encyclical that has no official Latin version, while the previous one, Lumen Fidei, had. Is this true?


texts: Why did God make garments of skin for Adam and Eve when they had already made clothing for themselves?

texts:
Immediately after Adam and Eve sinned, we are told that they made clothing for themselves.

  Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.  Genesis 3:7 ESV

However, after God comes into the garden, He also makes clothing for them.

  And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.  Genesis 3:21 ESV

Why does God do this when Adam and Eve were already clothed?  What was wrong with the clothing they already had, and what was right about the clothing that God made for them?


texts:
There are a number of early writings about Christianity apart from Scriptures (the NT 27 books per this question).  Some of those authors are considered by some to be what are called Early Church Fathers (ECF).  Is there a particular definition that makes them such, besides the fact that they wrote within one or two generations of the apostles?

Early Church Fathers (Wikipedia)

Was it their doctrines?  Was it their faith and morals?  Was it that they were taught directly by an apostle?

For example, Papias evidently believed in a literal millennial reign of Christ following the six days of work.  Many groups today do not agree with this, yet Papias is considered an ECF by some.

Papias of Hierapolis

Clement of Rome was influential, but his extant work is not fully agreed upon.

The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians

Origen wrote and some of it is agreed upon, yet some do not agree that he is an ECF some.  It is the same as with Tertullian or Cyril of Jerusalem or Clement of Alexandria.  Not every thing they wrote is agreed upon.  And then there are others like Valentinus who some reject and some accept and there are other writings like Infancy Gospel of James that are both rejected and accepted by some.

So, what is it that defines an ECF?  How does an Orthodox define ECF?  How does a Catholic define ECF?  How does a Protestant define ECF?  The fact of some agreement with a doctrine of today?  The fact of influence?  Or what?


texts:
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for example, everyone who desires to enter the waters of baptism must first be interviewed to see if they qualify for baptism.

The Catholics also have requirements for baptism, which are defined in the Code of Canon Law

Are there any Protestant denominations that have specific requirements for baptism?


texts:
Pope Paul VI, in his Humanae Vitae (1968)said that, "It is always intrinsically wrong to use contraception to prevent new human beings from coming into existence." (source)

The words of the Pope are explicit. He said that contraception (= preventing new human beings from coming into existence)was always intrinsically wrong. In other words, every form of contraception must have always been intrinsically wrong per the Pope's very own words.

How do Catholics explain the stance of Pope Paul VI on contraception?

NOTE

This is not about the natural or artificial kinds of contraception. This question focuses on the encyclical of the Pope entitled "Human Life" (1968).


texts: What is the Anglican and Episcopalian basis for viewing the Trinity as a family that should contain a feminine element?

texts:
A recent question on Christianity Stack (about monotheism and the Trinity) suggested that since Christians present the Trinity as a “family” it must contain a feminine element.  This came as news to me, so I started to look into it.
Gender of God (Wikipedia)
I would like to find out what various Christian denominations have to say on this subject.  My first question is directed at the Anglican/Episcopal Church which is in the process of revising its 1979 prayer book to remove any reference to God by masculine pronouns.
Of greater significance to me is what the Bible has to say about this and so I would welcome any biblical support for removing the masculine element from the person of God and introducing a feminine element within the Godhead.
I have now edited this question to make it clear that I am looking for the views of the Anglican and Episcopalian communities.
This question is open to input from any member of the community who can provide additional information.


texts: Does Jesus' public reading of the Scriptures imply that he had any authority within the religious community?

texts:
In Luke 4:17, Jesus reads from the Scriptures during a religious meeting. The passage reads,

  Luke 4:16-21 (NIV) He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

  “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
      because he has anointed me
      to proclaim good news to the poor.
      He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
      and recovery of sight for the blind,
      to set the oppressed free,
      to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."

  Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

From a historical perspective, was it ordinary at that time for all men to read from the scrolls in public religious meetings, or does Jesus' reading imply that he had a special status within the religious community?


texts: I was reading Dorthy Day's autobiography and she mentioned something that Catholics of her time, at least, would take for granted "doing a novena and making a mission".  I've prayed a novena, but I've got no idea what making a mission is - at least not without leaving your home city.


texts: What is an overview of arguments given by churches that allow women to plait their hair to support that practice? (1 Peter 3:1-6)

texts:
Consider this passage from 1 Peter 3,

1 Peter 3:1-6 KJV Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

Assuming that the Bible is the authoritative word of God, what is an overview of arguments that are given by pastors or congregations who allow female attendees to wear their hair in plaits?


texts: How could Eve know not to eat from the fruit when there are no lines of verse showing she was ever told? It said "God told the man..." Eve wasn't made until later. I've checked several versions. Is this hinted in the Hebrew? Was it God or Adam that told her?


texts:
How can I go about proposing a change in a prayer? Or how can I have the change approved by the Catholic Church or their theologians?

I'd like to change the prayer of Hail Mary from:

  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
  our death.

to

  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the time of
  temptation.

The current prayer doesn't cover the time between when we pray(now) and the hour of our death. I think the prayer will be much more effective if we say at the time of temptation instead of at the hour of our death.

I think "at the time of temptation" cover the hour of our death too. I don't think God is an ogre who waits for the hour of death to test us. I don't see much of a significance in the hour of death. If you live your whole life faithfully you should have enough grace for the hour of death. I just don't think that God will judge us based on our decision we make at the moment of death. It is not supported anywhere in the Catholic Chuch teaching either so I don't even understand the reasoning behind putting "at the hour of our death" to Hail Mary in the first place.

I know it was added by someone in the past but it's not clear who added it and why.


texts: Difference between spirit and soul and consciousness

texts: From my reading of the Bible, spirit gives Man a consciousness of God and soul gives Man a consciousness of the self and the body gives Man consciousness of the world. Spirit is also the immaterial part of us, the image of God. When today's seculars use the word consciousness and even some Christian apologists like William L. Craig, what exactly do they mean when they use the word 'consciousness" for example "the hard problem of consciousness" what's the difference between spirit and soul and consciousness from a anthropological tripartite/trichotomy view of the nature of Man?


texts: Has the Catholic Church outlined specific Biblical passages which should not be taken literally?

texts:
I feel humiliated when I ask people to explain Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark, and the temptations of Christ in the desert and people say something like "I'm bored by questions about Adam and Eve and Noah's Ark. Of course those stories didn't 'really' happen. Why do you ponder such things? They shouldn't be taken literally." But then, with equal fervor, they say, "Of course Christ was tempted by the devil in the desert! Don't you believe the Gospels?"

So has the Catholic Church outlined specific Biblical passages which should not be taken literally?

And if not, then why not?


texts: Do dead souls have the ability of travelling in time?

texts:
Can human souls, having been separated from their bodies, travel in time and see their childhood or other periods of their life in their bodies?
What do Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church and the mainstream Protestants that pray to Jesus Christ in their prayers, teach regarding this matter?
The Wikipedia article on afterlife there is the mention that in the afterlife there is no time, nor space, but that is only in the section on Emanuel Swedenborg, who didn't belong to the Catholics or Protestants.


texts: Whose hand wrote 'the document that listed my transgressions' ? (Colossians 2:14)

texts:
This is a question in regard to Trinitarian, Protestant, reformed, baptist doctrine.
In Colossians 2:14 Paul states :

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [KJV]

This I understand. God's writing (by the finger of God) on tables of stone, which was contrary to me (as born in Adam) was nailed to the cross and thus was taken 'out of the way'. The original states 'out of the midst of us' which I better understand for it alludes to the tree of life being present in the midst of the garden. With the removal of the commandments (which, like Paul, I found to be a 'ministration of death') Christ, himself, is in the midst.
But some versions translate χειρογραφον τοις δογμασιν [TR undisputed] - instead of 'handwriting of ordinances' as ' the certificate of debt consisting of decrees', or 'the record of the charges against us '.
By this addition (instead of 'the decree', they are adding 'the debt against that decreed') they are disputing that the decrees themselves are nailed to the cross, only the debts of transgressions against those decrees (they say) being so nailed.
This translation supports the idea that Christians, once converted, are to keep the law. Whereas many scriptures state that, for example 'we are dead to the law by the body of Christ'. In order to retain the law, this translation cannot allow the law to be nailed to the cross.
They must translate the text in such a way that something else (other than that which God wrote by hand) is nailed to the cross.
What mystifies me is the matter of 'handwriting'. These translations are saying that there existed, somewhere, a handwritten copy of all the sins and transgressions I ever committed. And that this handwritten copy of my sinful deeds was nailed to the cross - before I existed and before I had committed the deeds which were written (by hand).
The 'handwriting of ordinances' (written by the finger of God) I can understand being nailed to the cross, as it is a spiritual expression of the body of Jesus and what he represents in his death. It clearly expresses what was actually written down (on earth) and what was actually written by hand (the finger of God). And then sees that item, spiritually, involved in Christ's death.
But the idea of a handwritten copy of my own deeds is not clear.
Whose hand wrote it ?
Where was it kept, before being nailed ?


texts: Is Jesus still suffering in heaven for our sins?

texts:
That is what sometime I hear some preacher mentioning.

Heaven is a place where there is no suffering but all happiness and that is what we are aiming for, by trying to live a good life on earth. Jesus came to this world to save sinners. He suffered for our sins and was crucified to save all those who believe in Him. He was raised from the death so that we all can have an everlasting life in heaven with Him.

It is sometime preached that for all the sins that are being committed by us and for all the sins that are being committed in this world, Jesus continues to suffer. Is Jesus still suffering for sins that are being committed everyday in this world? I find it a bit difficult to believe this because Jesus after His glorification, His suffering came to an end and there is no need for Him to again suffer and die for us again.  Is it not that God has to be happy in heaven and not grieve for His creation because heaven is a place where there is no pain and hurt but only happiness?

Is this teaching correct or is it that we are being just reminded to live a good life by recalling that, because of our sins, Jesus has already suffered and died a miserable death not commensurate with His stature as God?


texts: Should a Church call out False Prophets who claim to speak with God's word?

texts:
This question isn't about a specific situation but was brought on when I read about a few "prophecies" in the US claiming that Trump would win the 2020 election - a prophecy we now know to be false. They claim that God is telling them these things - there are many people that follow these speakers and are led astray by them.
Is there any responsibility on others within a Church (of any denomination) to denounce these people using the Lord's name to further their own goals?
i.e. if a Catholic Priest were to make such claims and so publicly should the Pope step in to separate this view from that of the Catholic faith to minimise the damage done to that congregation?


texts: Israel without spears and the value of a shekel

texts:
It is stated in 1 Samuel 13:19-22 that Saul's army didn't have any swords or spears, due to the Philistines "not allowing" Israeli blacksmiths.

  [19] Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land
  of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves
  swords or spears.” [20] But every one of the Israelites went down to
  the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his
  sickle, [21] and the charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the
  plowshares and for the mattocks, and a third of a shekel for
  sharpening the axes and for setting the goads. [22] So on the day of
  the battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any
  of the people with Saul and Jonathan, but Saul and Jonathan his son
  had them. (ESV)

How did the Philistines achieve this? I assume this has to do with cost - what is the modern day equivalent of 2/3 or 1/3 of a shekel?

Is there some other reason that Israel didn't arm themselves - or did they use mainly non-metal weapons?


texts: Which "Church of God" believes in "God the Mother"?

texts:
I met a man in Philadelphia who was keen to tell me about his group, the "Church of God". They seem to have some unusual beliefs. From our brief conversation, these included:

In addition to God the Father, there is God the Mother. He identified her with the Bride and the heavenly Jerusalem from Revelation, and also cited Galatians 4:26. She apparently is responsible for birthing all life. It was not clear to me whether she was envisaged as a separate god, or as another aspect or person of a single God.
The church has been in apostasy for most of its existence, certainly since Constantine. This explicitly includes the Reformation, wherein various non-Biblical doctrines were invented. He mentioned Martin Luther specifically as being wrong.
The marks of this apostasy include:

Use of the cross symbol.
Keeping the Sabbath on the wrong day (should be Saturday).
Communion - which he regarded as a pagan-inspired ceremony, not a sacrament or even a memorial, saying that the Last Supper was a one-off event. "Do this in remembrance of me," in his view, was a command to continue celebrating Passover.
Not recognizing God the Mother.

The Bible should be interpreted literally, and studied at all times. He showed me his Bible, which had the name of his church printed in the front.
(Not sure if I understood this one properly.) The second coming of Jesus has already occurred, without most people noticing, but we are still waiting for his final appearance, per Revelation.

I thought he might be a Seventh-day Adventist, but points 5 and especially 1 don't seem to fit what I know about them. Of course, there are enormously many churches called "Church of God", but I'm curious about who these particular people are, where they come from denominationally, and what led them to have these (in my opinion, very peculiar) beliefs. If it helps, the man was Korean.

I hope that this question is not "too localized"; I certainly got the impression that there is a group involved, and not just this one man. Also, it seemed that the Mother thing was a central and important belief, as he kept coming back to it.


texts:
What is the biblical basis for in the catholic theology of a priest being in "persona christi"?

The idea that only a Priest can conduct the NT Passover meal that Christ told us to "do in remembrance of Him" was for all believers surely?

Why is it that in Catholicism the Priest is essentially "in persona Christi" and is therefore the only way for a "valid" communion meal?

Where in the Bible is the justification for a Priest being in persona Christi? (an emphasis especially on the Eucharistic sacrament please, but also interested in the theology as a whole).

Thank you.


texts: According to Reformed Theology, how does omniscience relate to election?

texts:
If before the creation, God had planned everything from A to Z of the life on the earth since it's created until the end of day and every life of each individual from A to Z since he/she was born until he/she dies and who is going to hell/heaven - then what does it mean "omniscience" ?

I mean, a movie maker - based on his scenario story, while he himself also as the actor in that movie, when he is about to start the making of the movie - before he show the story to other actors, isn't he can be called "omniscience" ?

I have tried something like this :
The movie maker there is more like a puppet master, how the other actors respond is staged by him.

For example : (before making of the movie)
In the scenario the movie maker WhatsApp actor-A : hi, where are you now  ?  Then he himself stage the respond from actor-A in WA : I'm in the kitchen now.

God is different. Before the creation, God did not stage actor-A's reply but He knows that actor-A will reply "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." after He ask "where are you ?".

if like that above - the problem to me is :
when trying to understand it in chronological order - it's still made me think that God doesn't know everything because (before the creation, in His plan) He has to know first that He himself is going to ask "where are you ?" to actor-A, after that then He know how will actor-A respond.

So, what does it mean "omniscience" actually ?

If I try to connect it with the Election doctrine (Predestination), where between A B C D E God elect B and D which automatically God knows that in the day of judgment A C and E will go to hell, B and D will go to heaven.... then this is more similar to my illustration of the movie maker.... which I think there's no need to have a term "God is omniscience" here, because as the movie maker staged that actor-A will bla3x, actor-B will blu3x at the end of the movie - it's the same thing where God staged B and D will go to heaven, A C and E will go to hell.

So, what does it mean "omniscience" and what is the important thing that "God is omniscience" according to the Calvinist ?

I've checked this site, and found a link which describe Omniscience :

  Furthermore God's omniscience is therefore not constrained to temporal
  thinking; he knows everything in the present. He has no conflict with
  what will happen in the future, and the future does not limit him,
  because for him there is no future - all of existence is now.

  God's choices happen in the eternal-present and in no way limit him
  because they are made according to his perfect and infinite nature.

But still I can not understand what does it mean of those sentences.

What does it mean :
1. God omniscience is not constrained to temporal thinking
2. God knows everything in the present
3. God's choices happen in the eternal-present

How do people illustrate those 3 points above ?


texts: What is the difference between Consubstantiation and Impanation?

texts:
I think I'm familiar with Consubstantiation. It is the belief that

  the fundamental "substance" of the body and blood of Christ are present alongside the substance of the bread and wine, which remain present.

Impanation is a new one for me. I learned it earlier today when reading about John Huss, where it was ascribed to John Wycliffe (oddly, Wikipedia on Wycliffe has no mention of Impanation. Apparently, according to Wikipedia, Impanation is the belief of the

  the real presence of the body of Jesus Christ in the consecrated bread of the Eucharist that does not imply a change in the substance of either the bread or the body ... This view is similar but not identical to the theory of consubstantiation.

It seems that both descriptions say the same thing. The substance of Christ is present in the bread, but the substance of neither is changed. The only hint I have that they are different is the Impanation definition used "real presence" which is a distinctly Catholic term, and then further insists they are different without explanation.

How are they different? And since I'm unfamiliar with Impanation, what Christian groups are said to believe it?


texts: What is this symbol (cross with P loop atop)?

texts: I have seen in a church a cross with a loop off the top that makes the vertical look like a P. Does this symbol have a name? What is its meaning? From what does it derive? Can you supply any more interesting information about it? The loop was to my right, and was more flag-like than a P, so drooping a bit.


texts: "Kingdom Of God is at Hand" - Which Kingdom was Jesus and John the Baptist talking about?

texts:
The Bible clearly says that Jesus preached that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand.

  Matthew 4:17: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

What kingdom was Jesus preaching about?
Has this kingdom been established?


texts: Are sins sinful because they are inherently acts of badness or because they are acts of disobedience against god?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  What is the essence of sin?

Reading the question about why eating an apple is a sin and some of its answers and comments made me think.

If eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden was a sin just because Adam and Eve were told not to do it, that becoming the prototypical and defining act of sin, then how are we to resolve this with the general perception that certain things are sins because they are bad or evil or immoral acts.

Do all sins come down to disobedience? Are there two types of sins? Why make the original sin based on seemingly arbitrary test of obedience rather than an act of "doing something bad"? Are sins of disobeying god worse, equal, or not as bad as sins of the bad/evil/immoral type?


texts: Are there any Christian churches or groups which teach that all religions are inherently good?

texts: Are there any Christian churches or groups which teach that all religions are inherently good and that one need not convert to Christianity and that it is enough for an adherent to remain in their non-Christian religion provided that they live faithfully by it?


texts: According to Calvinists, does God command the non-elect to do what is for them impossible?

texts:
Question: Does God, according to Calvinism, command people He has specifically given neither the ability nor choice to do so to repent and believe in Christ or be damned?1, 2 And if so, why?

Scriptures such as as 1 Corinthians 10:13 come to mind:

  (NASB) No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

The converse of which means God would be unjust to tempt (or let suffer temptation rather: Jas 1:13) and not give means of escape.

Thanks in advance.

1 By 'choice' I don't mean a 'creaturely will' as James White puts it, but a will that can choose salvation or damnation with the help of God post Fall (in the sense of refusing salvation in the case of damnation; and in the sense of accepting Christ and all that means in the case of salvation). I specify this as a 'creaturely will' which God invented to specifically not choose salvation does not meet the definition of 'was given the choice to be saved,' since such a choice was never even theoretically possible. Choice is here assumed to mean there is more than one really possible outcome (else choice is defined as 'you are free to do exactly what I tell you and nothing else.'

2 By 'ability' I mean the real and not merely theoretical capacity and power to do or perform some thing.


texts: Will men be circumcised after the Resurrection?

texts:
Not sure exactly why I thought of this while taking a shower this morning, but I was wondering if the Catholic Church has ever weighed in on whether the bodies of men will be resurrected circumcised or not.

I've read that a glorified body would be free from any imperfection, impairment.  That if one had a received a scar in this life, it would be gone in the next.  If you lost an arm in this life, that it would be present in the next.  So if you lose some foreskin in this life, will it be present in the next?

I've also read St. Augustine used as his rationale for many of his ideas about the Resurrection the notion our bodies would conform to Christ (He had some caveats as to whether we would all be men or all have beards).

So, for the sake of deeper theological understanding, has the Catholic Church weighed in on this subject?


texts: What is Jehovah's Witnesses view of Revelation 20:10 since they do not believe in hell?

texts:
I know that Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in hellfire but in that case, how do they interpret scriptures such as Revelation 20:10, which says

  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. (KJV)

According to Jehovah's Witnesses, what is this verse a description of?


texts: Who changed the Sabbath to Sunday according to the Seventh Day Adventists?

texts:
The Great Controversy describes Constantine as making Sunday a public festival.

  In the early part of the fourth century the emperor Constantine issued a decree making Sunday a public festival throughout the Roman Empire.

In her early writings we twice see that it was the Pope that changed the day.

  But the Pope had changed it from the seventh to the first day of the week; for he was to change times and laws.
  The pope has changed the day of rest from the seventh to the first day.

Since Constantine was never pope these 3 passages can not be speaking of the same person.

Who do the Seventh Day Adventists say changed the Sabbath day?


texts: Is praying Rosary by listening considered by the Catholic Church to be as effective as reciting?

texts:
Does the Catholic Church urge people to pray by reciting, and prefer this method over praying by listening to or watching others pray? Is praying rosary by listening to a recorded audio track viewed as being as effective as praying by reciting the prayer oneself?

Note: by effective I mean effective for spiritual growth or, as we know the prayer affects spiritual battles, as influential in the spiritual realm.


texts: How were the Vatican I and Vatican II councils related?

texts: What was the difference between The First Vatican Council and the Second? Was the Second Council a continuation of the first? What does a 'Pastoral' Council mean?


texts: From where did Mary get the attribution of "Full of Grace"?

texts:
The Catholic prayer referred to as a "Hail Mary" ascribes the phrase "full of grace" to Mary.  The Scriptures describe both Jesus and Stephen as being "full of grace".  In Greek, this is "πλήρης χάριτος".

  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his
  glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and
  truth.  John 1:14 ESV

  And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and
  signs among the people.  Acts 6:8 ESV

However, there doesn't seem to be any place where the Bible describes Mary in this way.  The only place that is close is in Luke 1:28 where the angel greets Mary and indicates that she has been given grace, often translated as "highly favored" (κεχαριτωμένη in Greek).

So, certainly Jesus was "full of grace" and Stephen was identified as being "full of grace".  Yet, why does Mary also receive this ascription?


texts: How do we describe God? Does He have a shape or form? Is He human-like, a light, or something else? Does He have a shape? What does Christianity say about it?


texts:
What countries today have severe restrictions against Christianity as state policy?
Is it possible to give a short overview with description of those policies?

This source is quite good, however, it doesn't give precise wording of the state policy in a country, and in many countries on that list the persecution is more a result of clashes between clans rather then of the state policy.

The top five countries listed there are: North Korea, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan.


texts: It Still Confuses Me: Who can receive Communion where (Catholic/Orthodox)?

texts:
I'm fairly well versed on the political history of the Great Schism of the 11th century; however, I can't seem to get it straight when it comes to appropriate receiving of Communion.

Now, I've never seen a priest pull back his hand and say, "Forget it; today you get a blessing," even someone smelling of alcohol. So in practice, assuming one is not committing heresy, at worst receiving Communion inappropriately can be rectified through an act of contrition.

But how is it really supposed to work? I'm Roman Catholic. Can I legitimately go to my friend's Greek Orthodox church and receive Communion?  What about my Russian neighbor baptized Eastern Orthodox? Can he receive Communion at my church? If restricted, is there a permission process outside of RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation in Adults)?

Were the answers to the above questions identical before the schism, and if not, how?


texts: Why did the medieval church become involved with marriage?

texts:
It seems, through my research, that the Christian Western marriage was created during the Middle Ages (cf. this question).

So, does that mean that before the Middle Ages, the Western Christian church did not really care about marriage? And if that is true, why and how did the medieval Christian church become involved with marriage?


texts: How many stalls for horses and chariots did Solomon have?

texts:
In 2 Chronicles we read:

  ... Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots and 12,000 horsemen ...- 2 Chronicles 9:25

... but in 1 Kings:

  Solomon had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. - 1 Kings 4:26


texts: How can Christians reconcile the request to prohibit same-sex marriage and the lawfulness of homosexuality itself?

texts:
Assuming one believes that the bible is the word of god, believes that the bible says homossexuality is wrong (or commonly quoted, an abomination), and because of that gays should not marry, how come one says same-sex marriage should be unlawful and homosexuality itself should not? In other words, if one wants to prohibit same-gender marriages because homosexuality is an abomination, shouldn't one be proposing to make it unlawful just to be gay or act upon homosexuality such as build a household or simply have sex with someone of the same gender?

Edit: I would like to clarify the point of my question a little better. I am not really interested in if Gay Marriage should be outlawed or not (I personally believe it should not, but that's besides the point). Of course I am also not suggesting the viability of attempting to outlaw homosexuality itself, which is absurd in our society.
My point is that I see people DEFENDING certain rights of homosexuals' such as the right to have homosexual relationships, public display of affection, the right to constitute a family, adopt, etc, and at the same time say their marriage should be banned because homosexuality is a sin/abomination. That is the disconnect I am trying to understand.


texts: The bronze snake in numbers and the serpent Lucifer

texts:
In Numbers 21:4-9, Moses makes a bronze serpent on a stick to heal the Hebrews' snake bites, as per God's instructions. They don't worship it, but they are to look at it in order to live.

Why did God order a statue of a serpent knowing very well that a serpent is used to refer to Satan himself(Genesis 3:1)??? Help me understand the connection between the serpent used by God and the one symbolising His adversary...


texts:
Did Samson drink wine?
Nazirite vow restricted one from drinking wine.
Is there evidence in the bible that Samson violated the terms of a Nazirite vow?


texts: How can women be forbidden to speak and yet prophesy and speak in tongues?

texts:
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul give forbids women from speaking in church.

1 Corinthians 14 NIV

  34 Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to
  speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to
  inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home;
  for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

... later

  39 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do
  not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a
  fitting and orderly way.

I am assuming the word in Greek Paul is using here for church is Ecclesia, and that he wasn't, in fact, referring to a physical meeting place, or house, but rather a Christian gathering in general (but perhaps I am mistaken in this).

I wonder how it is that he explicitly forbids them to speak "They are not allowed to speak", but then a mere four verses later he is instructing 'brothers and sisters' to be eager to prophesy, and speak in tongues. If not at Christian gatherings, then where else were they prophesying and speaking in tongues? I understand that context is probably the key here, and that things in the Corinthian church had probably gotten very much out of hand, however, It just seems strange to me that if he meant women to speak in tongues and prophesy, he would have said "They are not allowed to speak out of turn", or something to that effect.


texts: Have any popes explicitly expressed disapproval of the inclusion of homosexual priests, including the nonpracticing, into the priesthood?

texts:
A 2002 Los Angeles Times poll of 1,854 priests in the US  found that 9% of the priests surveyed marked themselves as homosexual with 6% identifying as 'somewhere in between but more on the homosexual side'. These numbers are significantly higher than the general population's number of self-identifying homosexuals, which is around 3.8%. It is thought that a large number of homosexual priests entered the clergy in the 70's and 80's.

Have any popes, with or without the knowledge of these statistics, ever clearly and straightforwardly frowned upon the idea of allowing homosexuals, specifically including nonpracticing ones, into seminaries? If so, what was the general thought process involved in this view?


texts: Was there an official Church of England response to the 2002 survey of clergy beliefs?

texts:
A 2002 survey of nearly 2000 Church of England clergy uncovered some worrying statistics:

a third doubted or disbelieved in the physical resurrection
only half were convinced of the truth of the virgin birth
more than 75 percent believe in the Trinity, with the very troublesome implication that 20 percent didn't in some way

Was there an official response to this survey or others like it, either to refute the numbers, or to initiate measures that might improve the proportion of clergy who can uphold the church's official doctrines with enthusiastic integrity?

(PS: If anyone could find the official survey report that would be helpful - I can only find news reports, and some blogs who question how the survey's results are being reported.)


texts: What is the LDS definition of "Divinity"

texts:
Prompted by this comment.

In answering a question on the divinity of Christ, I used the understanding (definition) of the term that is commonly understood in mainline protestant terms.  From http://carm.org/dictionary-divinity

  Divinity is the nature or quality of being God. Within Christianity it
  belongs to God alone. It is also important to note that orthodox
  Christianity believes that Jesus was divine in nature (Col. 2:9) as
  well as being a man. For more information see Jesus' Two Natures.

Mason commented

  One minor point: Latter-Day Saints have a slightly different
  understanding of Jesus and the nature of divinity in general than
  mainstream Christianity, but in no way do they deny the divinity of
  Christ.

However, the LDS teaching is that Jesus is a created being, a son of God just like ordinary men and Satan.

  Jesus, Satan, and all humanity share God the Father as their spiritual
  sire. However, moral agency led Jesus to obey God the Father perfectly
  and share fully in the Father's divine nature and power. The same
  agency led Satan to renounce God, fight Jesus, and doom himself to
  eternal damnation. The remainder of God's children—all of us—have the
  choice to follow the route chosen by Satan, or the path to which
  Christ invites us and shows the way.

The mainline definition of "divinity" includes "Within Christianity it belongs to God alone".  Since the "mainstream" understanding of who Christ is is that Jesus is God, not a physical/spiritual son of God, this bears on the doctrine of the Trinity.

The LDS position is that Jesus is a separate being from God, but is still divine.

Clearly this means that the LDS Church must have a different understanding of the term "divinity".  Divinity must not be applicable to "God alone" if Jesus is not God, and Jesus is divine.

So, all of that said, all I'm trying to get to is what is the LDS definition of "divinity".

Just to head off anticipated non-constructive debate/comments...

I am absolutely not interested in determining if the LDS definition is "right", or "wrong". This site is not the place for that, and non-constructive arguments aren't welcome.  I am just asking what the definition/understanding is.

Also, if my logic is flawed, that can be incorporated into any answer.  It is entirely possible my question is simply based on a misunderstanding of LDS doctrine.  I'm here to learn, so correcting my misconceptions, if there are any, is a welcome response.


texts: How do Protestants explain Zechariah 12:10-14, used by Roman Catholics to prove Mary's perpetual virginity?

texts:
For those Protestants that believe that Mary had other children after Jesus was born, what do they make of Zechariah 12:10-14?

  10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of
  Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on
  me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one
  mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves
  for a firstborn son. 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be
  as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12
  The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by
  themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan
  of the house of Nathan and their wives, 13 the clan of the house of
  Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, 14 and all
  the rest of the clans and their wives.

All Christians agree that Jesus was pierced and was a firstborn son. Why should we not also conclude from this passage that Jesus was also an only child? One Catholic article makes this point:
http://whynotcatholicism.net/view/mary-ever-virgin

To connect Mary with this passage, is added this from Luke 2:

  34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child
  is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to
  be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many
  hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”


texts: Can a Christian believe in Oni  (Japanese Demons)?

texts:
I am a Christian but also I have a strong belief in demons Japanese (no better Tototro http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096283/ why edited anyway) style like beer demon, wine demon maybe cigars demon anyway good food demon. Now this belief helps a lot because from that I understand they are strong forces and shall be treated with respect but controlled. But then the Bible says little about demons and almost always like 'pagan gods' or something. That is not exactly it, I think. But then as Christian Colridge style I have my doubts maybe I shall not believe in such demons?

A brief description from Wikipedia:

  Depictions of oni vary widely but usually portray them as hideous,
  gigantic creatures with sharp claws, wild hair, and two long horns
  growing from their heads. They are humanoid for the most part, but
  occasionally, they are shown with unnatural features such as odd
  numbers of eyes or extra fingers and toes. Their skin may be any
  number of colors, but red and blue are particularly common. (totoro is not like that)


texts: What is the biblical basis for the Dual Nature of Man as opposed to the Tripartite Nature?

texts:
A common belief regarding the nature of mankind is that we have a body, a soul and a spirit. This is known as the Tripartite Nature of Man (or trichotomism).  Some, however, hold to only a Dual nature of man (also known as dichotomism).

What is the essential argument in favor of the Dual Nature of Man?  It would be interesting to see how the evidence for the Tripartite Nature of Man is explained as well, especially a verse like Hebrews 4:12.

  For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12 ESV


texts: Are the twelve spiritual disciplines biblically sound?

texts:
I was reading about Renovaré and came across the "twelve spiritual disciplines": meditation, prayer, fasting, study, simplicity, solitude, submission, service, confession, worship, guidance, and celebration

My first thought is that the list almost sounds contrived (being exactly 12).  However, when I look at each one, I can see how each of these things might be able to help us grow spiritually.

Is this list found in the Bible somewhere or was a contrived list?  Is this the only twelve items that can help you grow (or even the "top twelve")?

Are there any one of the twelve items that may be contentious or can they all truly be ways to grow in faith?

More info at their website


texts: According to Catholicism, will those who are alive on the Day of Judgement die physically?

texts:
At  1 Thessalonians 4:15–17 (NRSVCE) we read:

  For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died.  For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first.   Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever.

Do the words of St. Paul imply that those who are alive on the Day of Judgement will not face physical death, but will directly enter Judgement?  What do the Catholic Church's teachings say about such a prospect?


texts: What writing materials did the writers of the Gospels use?

texts:
I am wondering what kind of writing materials the writers of the Gospels used to make the original scrolls.

I know that papyrus and parchment were used widely at the time.


texts: When did the use of formal, seminary-type education begin and why?

texts:
When did it become the norm for church leaders to get a formal Christian education and why did that process begin?

When I say formal education I'm not talking about the mentor/mentee style that Jesus did with his disciples.

I'm talking about the following scenario:

A person independently enrolls in a Bible School/Seminary/Divinity school
They get a degree
They apply for pastor jobs and get hired as a pastor somewhere

The reason I ask is because the aforementioned process isn't implied anywhere in scripture. The idea of it had to have come from somewhere and for some reason.

Similar to this question, but I'm not asking whether or not this practice is supported by Scripture—I'm asking when it started and why it started.


texts: How far is too far when it comes to drinking alcohol?

texts:
Why does the Bible praise the effects of alcohol? How are we supposed to know when those effects have gone too far? I am mostly confused about this verse:

  Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto
  those that be of heavy hearts. Proverbs 31:6

Phrases like "wine that maketh glad the heart of man" (Psalm 104:15) and "wine, which cheereth God and man" (Judges 9:13) seem to suggest that it's okay to seek the light pre-drunkenness that comes with alcohol.

Does this mean it is okay to get tipsy? How far is too far in the merry-making associated with wine in the Bible?


texts: Did Jesus commit any sin pertaining to the Sabbath?

texts:
Please keep in mind #4 (or #3 depending on the version) of the 10 commandments:

Exodus 20:8-11

  “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor,
  and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD
  your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your
  daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your
  livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days
  the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and
  rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day
  and made it holy.
  and

Deuteronomy 5:12-15

  "Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God
  commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the
  seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do
  any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or
  your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your
  livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male
  servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall
  remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your
  God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched
  arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath
  day.

As we know from John 5:8-11 NIV

  Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At
  once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

  The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jewish
  leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the
  law forbids you to carry your mat.”

  But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your
  mat and walk.’ ”

Per the Pharisees via
Matthew 12:10 NIV

  and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to
  bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on
  the Sabbath?"

The following list is from this site:

  Jesus gave at least eleven different reasons for apparently breaking
  the Sabbath

  Pulling an ox out of a ditch on the Sabbath was permitted.
  Circumcision is permitted on the Sabbath.
  It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.
  The precedent of David and his men eating the shewbread.
  Priests work on the Sabbath and are blameless.
  The ministry of the Messiah is greater than the ministry of the Temple.
  God desires mercy from His people and not sacrifice.
  The son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.
  The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
  It is lawful to lead animals to water on the Sabbath.
  The Father works on the Sabbath.

Do we say that Jesus did not commit any sin based on the New Testament?  Or do we say that he did not commit any sin based on Mosiac Law?

Just imagine if I commit a sin and someone says,

  "Hey, you broke the law!"

and I say,

  "I am [some blasphemous saying that I won't even type for example],
  I make a new law with my authority."

I can completely understand the Jewish concerns.


texts: When people sin against us but don't repent, should we forgive and forget?

texts:
Someone sins against us, e.g. says something unkind. They are completely unrepentant. That might be because they don't think it is a sin or they don't care (yes, I'm deliberately mentioning two different attitudes).

Should we forgive?

And should we forget?

I know Jesus forgave on the cross, saying, "they don't know what they are doing." Was this attitude something we should always try to copy?


texts: Have any critiques of Lindbeck's principles been offered by academics?

texts:
George Lindbeck's principles for doing 'good' Christology are as follows:

Monotheism - There is only one God
Historic Specificity - Centred on Jesus of Nazareth
Christological Maximalism - all highest possible significance should be attributed to Him

If we use these principles when talking about Christ we will have a 'good Christology.'

Are there any known critiques of these principles as offered by other theologians?


texts: Why is incorruptibility of saints' relics used as proof of their sanctity?

texts: Why is the notion of incorruptibility advanced by some Catholics and some Orthodox when determining the corruptibility or incorruptibility of a saint's relics has never been a part of the beatification or canonization process?


texts: Has any pope ever visited Macau? I can't seem to find any information on it. If a pope hasn't visited Macau before, why not? The Catholic Diocese of Macau is directly administered by the Holy See so it would make sense to at least show once.


texts: How has the Catholic Church interpreted the tearing of the temple veil?

texts: In this answer to another question, a protestant view is given on what it means that the temple veil was torn. I have started to do some quick research into how the Catholic Church has understood it, but have mostly found the words of modern apologists and don't have time to do extensive research. This given interpretation does not ring true in my heart and obviously does not reflect Catholic teaching so that is the reason for my question.


texts: What Scriptures are used to justify the belief that Christians of Denominations other than a specific one will be rejected by God?

texts:
In my studies of the Bible I have never found times when God has rejected the worship of anyone who worshipped him in sincerity.
The only restrictions to worship other than worshipping in holiness as far as I have been able to find is in:

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:19-20, KJV)

And David in Psalms decreed:

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.  He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This [is] the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. (Psalms 24:3-6, KJV)
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. (Psalms 29:2, KJV)

And in Hosea it says:

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6, KJV)

As far as I am able to determine God  does not seem to be concerned except that we humbly worship him in righteousness.
So for those who do believe that God only accepts a single denomination, what scriptural passages do they use to back it up?


texts: Does the act of sex constitute marriage in God's eyes?

texts:
I came across this verse today (bold added):

  1 Corinthians 6:15-17 (NASB)
  15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! 16 Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.” 17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

In light of this verse:

  Mark 10:7-9 (NKJV)
  7  ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8  and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Does this imply that the act of consensual sex initiates a marriage in the eyes of God?

Note: My doctrinal tradition is protestant.


texts: Have witches ever been executed by the Eastern Orthodox Church?

texts:
If we don't count lynchings, have people ever been executed for witchcraft by the Eastern Orthodox Church?

In western Christianity, the execution of witches was condemned until 1484, four centuries after the schism of the eastern and western churches, so I'd guess no, but I'd be glad for some evidence for it.


texts: How widely held among Protestants is the belief that the authors of the books of James and Jude were half brothers of Jesus?

texts:
The following Scriptures have been touted as indicating that Joseph and Mary had children of their own, after the birth of Jesus: (all Scripture is quoted from the King James translation)

Matthew 12:46  While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
Luke 8:19  Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.
MarK 3:31  There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.
Matthew 13:55 and 56  Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
Galatians 1:19  But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

How common is the belief among Protestant Denominations that the authors of these two New Testament books are Jesus' half brothers (the natural children of Joseph and Mary)?


texts: Praying for someone's salvation. Is there a point?

texts:
According to I Timothy 2:4 (NIV), God "...wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth".

But since we have free will, God cannot make us choose to accept the salvation that is available through his Son.

Since I believe that God loves others more than I can, and he desires them to be saved. I think it's logical to conclude that he's going to do everything He can to draw them to Him.

So then what is the point of praying for someone's salvation?


texts: Catholic Church's History Reflects The life of Christ?

texts:
Background: A while back I had a very devout friend of mine explain to me that the life (or as I understood, the History) of the Catholic Church sort of paralleled the life of Jesus. That, like Jesus, the Gospel and the Church were accepted by many, and many believed. But then in the end the world would turn against the Church, and condemn it- just as Jesus was condemned. After this persecution, the Church would return, living in the same Resurrection that Christ received (And I presume, with Christ Himself).

My friend said he read this in a book while he was in Europe, but he couldn't remember its name or author.

My Question is this: Is this an idea that any theologians have had? Does the Catholic Church have any teachings out its History and Life that sound like this? I've googled it a handful of times but don't ever seem to find anything.

Edit & Clarification: I'm not insinuating that the Catholic Church never experienced corruption - and obviously, Jesus never sinned. What I am asking for is whether the Catholic Church has any teaching on its view of History and Salvation that sounds like the concept stated above.


texts: The sacrificial perogative of the kings of Israel

texts: Why was the sacrifice offered by Saul at Gilgal rejected by God while obviously the sacrifices of David and Solomon at a later time were evidently accepted? Did it have anything to do with the death of Samuel?


texts: Why was it important that Isaac's wife be from within Abraham's family?

texts:
In Genesis 24, Abraham tells his servant to go back to his homeland and find a wife for Isaac from Abraham's country and Abraham's relatives.

First of all, I suppose I can understand why Isaac was not allowed to marry a Canaanite.  Abraham didn't want Isaac, the son of promise, to be led astray by a wife outside the covenant, right?

But that still doesn't explain why the wife had to come from within Abraham's relatives.  Sure, the servant could go back to his hometown; but surely there were other eligible young women among other families?


texts: Do any Christian traditions exist as to what type of animal skin did God clothe Adam and Eve with?

texts: I must be alone to understand that since man failed to listen to God more than the female that both failed to be innocent, Therefore not being as lambs in spiritual dogma they must have been dressed with goat skins. A more coarse material than the softness of lamb skins. An irritating material which was why Moses said: The women who's heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats hair. The dark color of sackcloth worn by men of God in penance was a reflection of the darkness of Adam and Eves heart when God banished them from Eden and they mourned in tears as they fled. Abraham conquered love for God and kept Gods command secret from his wife, his servants, and even his own son Isaac. Likewise Gods Ram substitute was a fully grown lamb which took the place of Isaac. Men of over sensual desires are called goatish in the dictionary because goats eat everything just like Adam wanted what was good fruit and fruit that made the heart void.


texts: What are the Presbyterian denominations in England?

texts: Except the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales and the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, both of which have a few congregations in England, I am not aware of any other Presbyterian churches in England. I know that the Presbyterian Church of England merged to form the United Reformed Church some years ago, but surely there must be some that did not merge?


texts: Have any major Christian intellectuals responded to Stephen Hawking's "The Grand Design"?

texts:
Stephen Hawking, in The Grand Design, argues that God did not create the universe. One review of the book states its aim as "to banish a divine creator from physics".

The essence of the argument is:

  Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will
  create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there
  is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we
  exist. It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper
  and set the universe going.

The Biblical stance is that all things were created by God (Gen 1:1, Is 42:5, Eph 3:9...).

Are there any books or articles written with a Christian world view as a foundation that address and incorporate what physics has to say about the cosmos, but still make a strong case that all things were created by God? Such a response, written in a way that makes sense to somebody like him, but that remains firmly Biblical, would be a fascinating thing to read.


texts: Italian Version of St. Maxilmian Kolbe writings

texts: I am looking for a digital version of the Italian translations of St. Maxilmilian Kolbe's writings. Where can I find them in digital form? Does that even exist? If not where then can I find hard copies? Would I have to go to Italy? (not a problem, BTW)


texts: Is it true that the Southern Baptist denomination marks no distinction between member and non-member?

texts:
Is it true that the Southern Baptist denomination marks no distinction between member and non-member, Christian or non-Christian, in that everyone is encouraged to participate in the events (sitting in the sanctuary during worship service, engaging in Bible Study groups, participating in charities, going to Sunday school, donating money to charity programs, etc.)? Or does this behavior vary from congregation to congregation (since the entire denomination operates on a congregational level by direct democracy), where some congregations may be more open to outsiders and some congregations may only reserve activities for believers or for members only, but the only difference between a member and non-member is that the member is allowed to vote and assume leadership? So, a person can be a regular churchgoer, hearing the sermons every week and sending the children to Sunday school, and not really become a member or become baptized until the person chooses to assume leadership in the church community?

I suspect that it all boils down to the Baptist belief that baptism is the outward sign of inward conversion. Therefore, a person may choose to remain unbaptized or not officially become a member, unless the person wants to assume leadership roles, such as deacon.


texts: Are there any sects of Christianity that still practice animal sacrifice?

texts:
Are there any modern sects who originate from or claim affiliation with Christianity that still practice any sacrificial rites? If so, who are they and what specifically is their understanding of the nature of sin and forgiveness in relation to sacrifice?

I think I understand the general position of orthodox Christianity on the issue. I'm specifically looking for anybody who both claims the label "Christian" and acknowledges Christ as the Messiah, but still sees a need for ongoing animal sacrifice -- and why.