Exodus

Author(s):  
Ellen F. Davis

Together the two parts of Exodus—Israel in Egypt and in Sinai—form one of the master narratives of the Bible. The first part pits against each other two opposite responses to YHWH’s self-revelation: while Moses yields to God’s will, Pharaoh consistently resists manifestations of God’s presence and power. The second part introduces three elements of Israel’s formation as a people. The gift of manna establishes a godly food economy. The treatment of covenant provides theological reflection on divine sovereignty, divine dangerousness, the goodness of creation, and the problem of slavery. Finally, the instructions for the building of the tabernacle and its completion show Israel’s initial resistance to God’s commands and their eventual obedience; it also provides a humanizing counterpoint to Israel’s slave labor in Egypt.

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Masalha

The Concept of Palestine is deeply rooted in the collective consciousness of the indigenous people of Palestine and the multicultural ancient past. The name Palestine is the most commonly used from the Late Bronze Age (from 1300 BCE) onwards. The name Palestine is evident in countless histories, inscriptions, maps and coins from antiquity, medieval and modern Palestine. From the Late Bronze Age onwards the names used for the region, such as Djahi, Retenu and Cana'an, all gave way to the name Palestine. Throughout Classical Antiquity the name Palestine remained the most common and during the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic periods the concept and political geography of Palestine acquired official administrative status. This article sets out to explain the historical origins of the concept of Palestine and the evolving political geography of the country. It will seek to demonstrate how the name ‘Palestine’ (rather than the term ‘Cana'an’) was most commonly and formally used in ancient history. It argues that the legend of the ‘Israelites’ conquest of Cana'an’ and other master narratives of the Bible evolved across many centuries; they are myth-narratives, not evidence-based accurate history. It further argues that academic and school history curricula should be based on historical facts/empirical evidence/archaeological discoveries – not on master narratives or Old Testament sacred-history and religio-ideological constructs.


2005 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-197
Author(s):  
Catherine Wessinger

This article provides an initial report on oral histories being collected from three surviving Branch Davidians: Bonnie Haldeman, the mother of David Koresh, Clive Doyle, and Sheila Martin. Their accounts are being made into autobiographies. Interviews with a fourth survivor, Catherine Matteson, are being prepared for deposit in an archive and inform the material gathered from Bonnie Haldeman, Clive Doyle, and Sheila Martin. Oral histories provided by these survivors humanize the Branch Davidians, who were dehumanized and erased in 1993 by the application of the pejorative ‘cult’ stereotype by the media and American law enforcement agents. These Branch Davidian accounts provide alternate narratives of what happened in 1993 at Mount Carmel Center outside Waco, Texas, to those provided by American federal agents, and flesh out the human dimensions of the community and the tragedy. Branch Davidians are differentiated from many other people primarily by their strong commitment to doing God's will as they understand it from the Bible. Otherwise they are ordinary, intelligent people with the same emotions, loves, and foibles as others.


Vox Patrum ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 65 ◽  
pp. 653-681
Author(s):  
Mariusz Terka

St. Augustine interprets the tragedy of Job presented in the Bible by two co­incidental and connected with each other scenes: the first describes the history of man depressed with suffering, who lost his property, family and health, where the second one shows the dialog on the spiritual level between God and Satan, in con­sequence of which Satan receives the power of doing damage (potestas nocendi) to Job. The matter of this power, its range and goal are examined by The Bishop of Hippo by means of the relationship analysis between God, deviland Job. The power of harming comes from God and He is definitely responsible for Job’s suffering. He gives this power for devil but only for making man more pre­fect and revealing His justice. Where the action of devil is the charge of insincere devotion, jealousy, suspecting of hidden sin and temptation of Job in order to make him turn around from God. But for Job the experience of suffering is the trial which is given from God and by it God demands from Job taking a decision. His reply to God is described by St. Augustine as trust and agreement his will with God’s will. The power of harming is limited first by God’s will and permission given by Him, next by devil’s nature as a creature which has to ask for harm­ing permission and hasn’t got any access to human heart, and later by Job’s will and a choice made by him. So potestas nocendi is not license of devil, but first of all the power of God and devil’s desire of harming.


Kurios ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yohanes Hasiholan Tampubolon ◽  
Aeron Frior Sihombing ◽  
Robi Prianto ◽  
Oferlin Hia

Covid 19 has hit the world and is a global problem today. Various theological responses are also present to interpret suffering, worship to pastoral care. However, this pandemic cannot be separated from the problem of the relationship between humans and other creations of God. Humanitarian issues and environmental problems are interrelated. So, there needs to be a theological reflection related to the integrity of creation in the midst of a pandemic. The author uses the term stewardship of creation to describe the relationship between humans and other creations of God. This article uses a descriptive-analytic research method with a qualitative approach. The author found that important themes in the Bible can encourage human involvement in the stewardship of creation even though there are certainly various challenges that will be faced.


Author(s):  
Stephan P. Pretorius

Many people plagued with incurable diseases or diseases that seem to be resistant to medical treatment, in desperation turn to preachers who claim to administer divine healing. These divine healers make certain claims, based on their interpretation of the Scriptures and a so-called revelation of God’s will. They furthermore preach that healing and health are included in atonement and that nobody should be sick. Illness is an indication of a lack of faith on the part of the believer. It could also be attributed to an attack from the devil. In order to obtain healing, a process of ignoring the symptoms, followed by an unyielding and repeated confession of the healing needed, based on selected verses from the Scriptures, is proposed.This article is based on the contention that the healing practised by these divine healers is nothing more than a ‘mind-over-matter’ approach, leading people into confessing over and over that they have been healed. These practices are reminiscent of the utilisation of affirmations that lead to positive thinking, which will evidently result in a change of behaviour on the part of the confessor. No indication of Godly intervention seems to be evident in this healing ministry, and neither is any submission to the will and purpose of God.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-164
Author(s):  
Grant Macaskill

The Bible is normative for all Christian theology and ethics, including responsible theological reflection on the biotechnological future. This article considers the representation of creaturehood and what might be labelled ‘deification’ within the biblical material, framing these concepts in terms of participation in providence and redemption. This participatory emphasis allows us to move past the simplistic dismissal of biotechnological progress as ‘playing God’, by highlighting ways in which the development of technology and caregiving are proper creaturely activities, but ones that must be morally aligned to the goodness of God. Framing our approximation of divine character in terms of ‘deification’ highlights its relational and soteriologically defined shape, preventing us from conceiving its attainment in any way that is loosed from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The discussion allows us to affirm the pursuit of biotechnological research, but to recognize that it is unable by itself to accomplish certain ends, and that it must be pursued in alignment with the standards of goodness by which God loves his world.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-128
Author(s):  
Marlon Butarbutar

Kristologi adalah merupakan pokok terpenting dalam ajaran iman Kristen. Kristologi juga bisa disebut sebagai pusat kekristenan itu sendiri, dengan itu kristologi adalah pusat dari ilmu theologia. Karenanya mempelajari Pribadi dan karya Kristus, berarti sedang berada pada pusat theologi Kristen. Yesus Kristuslah yang memberikan identitas kepada kekristenan, yang sekaligus membedakannya dari agama atau kepercayaan yang lain. Keistimewaan doktrin ini terletak dalam pribadi dan karya Yesus Kristus sebagai Tuhan yang menjadi finalitas jalan menuju kepada keselamatan yang kekal. Pemahaman yang benar terhadap doktrin kristologi tidak lepas dari pengetahuan yang sehat terhadap Alkitab, sebab Alkitablah satu-satunya sumber utama yang dengan jujur dan terbuka memberikan kesaksian mengenai pribadi Yesus sebagai juruselamat dunia. Memang realita historis tulisan-tulisan di dalam Alkitab itu ditulis oleh manusia, akan tetapi proses penulisannya diilhami oleh Allah melalui pimpinan Roh Kudus sehingga apa yang diucapkan atau ditulis sesuai dengan kehendak Tuhan (bnd. 2Tim 3:16). Alkitab secara keseluruhan dipercaya dengan akurat dalam mengambarkan Yesus Kristus. Akan tetapi dalam prosesnya banyak ditemukan bahwa kristologi yang dihasilkan bertentangan dengan Alkitab. Sejarah membuktikan bahwa gereja selalu berhadapan dengan pengajaran-pengajaran sesat yang menyerang gereja dari dalam. Dalam hal ini berbentuk ajaran-ajaran (doktrin) yang menyesatkan atau bidat-bidat yang menyelewengkan ajaran murni Alkitab. Bahaya ajaran-ajaran sesat ini tidak saja timbul pada abad-abad belakangan ini, melainkan sudah ada sejak gereja didirikan. Karenanya penulis hendak menguraikan kristologi yang akan menjadi dasar apologetika di era postmodern sekarang ini.   Christology is the most important point in the teachings of the Christian faith. Christology can also be called the center of Christianity itself, so that Christology is the center of theological science. Therefore studying the Person and work of Christ, means being at the center of Christian theology. It is Jesus Christ who gives identity to Christianity, which also distinguishes it from other religions or beliefs. The specialty of this doctrine lies in the person and work of Jesus Christ as Lord who becomes the finality of the path to eternal salvation. A correct understanding of the doctrine of Christology is inseparable from a healthy knowledge of the Bible, because the Bible is the only major source that honestly and openly testifies about the person of Jesus as the savior of the world. Indeed the historical reality of the writings in the Bible was written by humans, but the process of writing was inspired by God through the leadership of the Holy Spirit so that what was said or written was according to God's will (cf. 2Tim 3:16). The Bible as a whole is believed to be accurate in describing Jesus Christ. However, in the process it was found that the resulting christology was in conflict with the Bible. History proves that the church is always dealing with false teachings that attack the church from within. In this case the form of teachings (doctrines) are misleading or heretics who distort the pure teachings of the Bible. The danger of these heresies has not only arisen in recent centuries, but has existed since the church was founded. Therefore the author wants to elaborate on the Christology that will be the basis of apologetics in the current postmodern era.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
rita evimalinda

Education is a basic effort to transform individuals. Teachers are the vanguard people who transform society and the nation through education. Christian religious education seeks change, renewal and reform of individuals and groups through the power of the Holy Spirit, so that students live according to God's will, as stated by the Bible and by the Lord Jesus Himself. In order for the purpose of this Christian Education to be achieved, transformative teachers are needed, namely teachers who are committed to the perspective of learning from a whole human perspective, in providing affective, cognitive, behavioral, and spiritual changes. This paper aims to formulate transformative Christian teacher criteria. Through literature review, observation, the main idea of the author is that a transformative teacher has the following characteristics: having spiritual competence, creating constructivist experiences in learning, having theological and teacher knowledge, being active in the community or fellowship of Believers, having a strong personal identity and integrity, having a commitment (determination) and Becoming an Example. Studying the six criteria above will help the willingness of educators to build human quality in the midst of today's moral morality. It is God who helps foster commitment and quality of life in educators to carry out their duties and calling as teachers


Author(s):  
James P. Byrd
Keyword(s):  

Five days separated General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox and Lincoln’s assassination at Ford’s Theatre. For Christians, it was Holy Week: Lee surrendered on Palm Sunday; Booth shot Lincoln on Good Friday. Did God send—or at least allow—this hated bullet to kill Lincoln? Was it providential? For most Americans, the best guide to providence was the Bible. Although many agreed that God was mysterious, they also agreed that scripture was the best guide to God’s will. The circumstances of the assassination made the Bible especially visible for Christians. Again, it was Holy Week: Booth shot Lincoln on Good Friday; he died on Saturday, so many preachers addressed the assassination on Easter Sunday. As news of Lincoln’s death shook the nation, preachers scrapped their Easter sermons and took on the task of addressing the crisis. This chapter examines how Americans cited scripture in response to Lincoln’s assassination.


2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Hendrik Fick

Abstract Simon Maimela was one of the first contextual theologians appearing on the scene in the 1970s in South Africa. He obtained a ThD at Harvard University in 1978 and was appointed inter alia as lecturer in the Department of Systematic Theology at Unisa. Like other contextual theologians his writings give evidence of a search for an ongoing dialogue between ‘text’ and ‘context.’ They have a strong Christological character, which corresponds with his conviction that liberation theology should be a keen exponent of a doctrine of atonement. This article is an attempt to investigate and describe the way in which his Christology stands in relation to a number of systematic theological loci. This is done within a broader context of the nature of African and South African Christology. The impact of his theological reflection in South Africa is finally assessed in the light of his view on the Bible.


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