scholarly journals The Creation Narratives in the Western and Greek-Orthodox Theology of the 20th Century

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 460-472
Author(s):  
Alexandra Palantza
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
Greek Orthodox ◽  
The Bible ◽  
God's Word ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Book Of Genesis ◽  
Theological Thought ◽  
The Church

Abstract The Book of Genesis offers not only to Israel but also to its neighbors the reason for their existence1. In western theological thought, W. Eichrodt’s Theology of the Old Testament and Cl. Westermann’s Commentary on Genesis are two of the most important works, which are distinguished because of their method and the expression of their theological perspectives on the topic “creation narratives”. In contrast to Western theologians, Greek-Orthodox Theologians inherited their tradition of interpretation from the Church Fathers. Eastern Theology has seen the topic of interpreting the Bible as an unbreakable whole, containing God’s word and action for the salvation of humankind. Any differences between them are caused by another perspective and ecclesiastical tradition.

Learning to Pray by Singing

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-121
Author(s):  
Stefan Klöckner
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
Gregory The Great ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Christian Perspective ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
Canonical Order ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Church

Gregorian chants are mostly based on Old Testament texts, predominantly from the Psalms. Decisive for their interpretation in the light of the New Testament are texts of the Church Fathers (Augustine, Gregory the Great, etc.). The texts often do not follow their canonical order in the Bible, but were primarily compiled on the basis of broader associations. Hence, it is not uncommon for new content references to emerge that are committed to a Christian perspective, emotionally and theologically very bold. This article describes an imaginary ‘Gregorian Composition Workshop’: the individual ‘chambers’ include compiling texts, the choice of a suitable mode and melody, as well as the most refined rhythmic differentiations. The final piece, through its unique quality as the ‘sounding word of Holy Scripture’ permits an intensive view of the spirituality of the ninth and tenth centuries, and a realistic understanding of the Psalms as the basis of Christian existence.

scholarly journals The World of the Bible: Indispensable Context in the Study of the Old Testament

Kairos ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-150
Author(s):  
Monika Bajić
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Near East ◽  
Ancient Near East ◽  
Biblical Text ◽  
Scriptural Interpretation ◽  
The Bible ◽  
God's Word ◽  
The World ◽  
Original Message ◽  
The Church

The Bible was not originally written for the modern reader, but the testimony of the Church is that it continues to speak God’s word to readers/hearers today. However, many modern Bible readers come across texts that need further explanation because the biblical authors did not offer clarification of their writings. They assumed the readers of their time were familiar with the background and could understand the reported events without further explanation. To achieve a “legit” interpretation of Old Testament texts, we first need to understand Scripture correctly, meaning that the biblical text must be read in its narrower and broader context. Only within a context does it become clear what the author meant to say. The main argument of this article is to exhibit that the Bible can only be fully understood against the backdrop of the Ancient Near East (ANE). The broader context consists of the knowledge of surrounding nations during Bible times (i.e., Hebrew Bible). By examining ANE texts and archeological findings we achieve a more complete and enriched comprehension of a given scriptural text or passage. This article exhibits through some concrete examples how archeological findings, inscriptions, and Ancient Near East texts can aid in understanding the broader context of the Old Testament world. In return, the wider context of the Bible world can enlighten or clarify a difficult, incomprehensible, or ambiguous biblical text and henceforth scriptural interpretation become more accurate and closer to the original message and meaning.

scholarly journals Penafsiran Amilenialisme & Teologi Kovenan Dalam Memahami Alkitab

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Philip Suciadi Chia ◽  
Juanda Juanda
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Covenant Theology ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
Book Of Revelation ◽  
Garden Of Eden ◽  
The Bible ◽  
God's People ◽  
Theological Understanding ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Church

There are various choices in understanding the Bible to become dogma in a church. Whether it was built based on a guide from the Bible and the traditions of the apostles or church fathers, to those who only focus on the Bible. Those based only on the Bible also have their own uniqueness. Amillennialism believes that the church is in the entire Old Testament. Paul, for example, uses the church that leads to Israel (Gal. 6:16). In addition, the remnants of the Israelites in the OT were said to be the church (Acts 7:38). The church is already in the OT with the election of the nation of Israel to be God's people. Even further, followers of amillennialism believe that the church existed in the garden of Eden. Covenant theology bases its theological understanding and the study of the Bible is based on three covenants namely the work agreement, redemption and grace. Covenant theology can be said to be a new theology, not even in the days of the church fathers. Even so, Augustine did mention the relationship of Adam, who at first, stood before God as a covenant. The exposition of the book of Revelation, according to the Covenant Theologian, is based on the method of progressive parallelism which is divided into seven parts. The seven parts are parallel with each other. Each section also reveals a certain progression in the process of eschatology. Although the book of Revelation is divided into seven parts, it should not only pay attention or focus on one part, but should appreciate all parts of the book of Revelation as a whole. Abstrak Indonesia Ada aneka pilihan di dalam memahami Alkitab untuk bisa menjadi dogma dalam sebuah gereja. Entah yang dibangun berdasar perpanduan dari Alkitab dan tradisi para rasul atau bapa gereja, hingga yang hanya fokus kepada Alkitab semata. Yang mendasarkan pada Alkitab saja, juga memiliki keunikannya masing-masing. Kaum amilenialisme meyakini bahwa gereja sudah ada di dalam seluruh Perjanjian Lama. Paulus, contohnya, memakai gereja yang mengarah kepada Israel (Gal. 6:16). Di samping itu, sisa-sisa orang Israel di dalam PL dikatakan sebagai gereja (Kis. 7:38). Gereja sudah ada di dalam PL dengan pemilihan bangsa Israel menjadi umat Allah. Bahkan lebih jauh lagi, penganut amilenialisme percaya bahwa gereja sudah ada ketika di taman Eden. Teologi kovenan mendasarkan pemahaman teologis maupun penelahaan Alkitabnya berdasarkan dari tiga perjanjian yaitu perjanjian kerja, penebusan dan anugerah. Teologi perjanjian dapat dikatakan suatu teologi yang baru, bahkan belum ada pada masa bapa-bapa gereja. Meskipun demikian, Agustinus memang pernah menyinggung hubungan Adam, yang pada mulanya, berdiri di hadapan Allah sebagai perjanjian. Eksposisi kitab Wahyu, menurut Teolog Kovenan, didasarkan pada metode paralelisme progresif yang terbagi menjadi tujuh bagian. Ketujuh bagian tersebut bersifat paralel satu dengan lainnya. Masing-masing bagian juga menyingkapkan akan progresivitas tertentu dalam proses eskatologi. Meskipun kitab Wahyu terbagi atas tujuh bagian, namun tidak boleh hanya memperhatikan atau terfokus pada satu bagian saja, tetapi hendaknya menghargai semua bagian dalam kitab Wahyu sebagai keseluruhan.

Witches and Forgers

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Mandelbrote
Keyword(s):  
Seventeenth Century ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Republic Of Letters ◽  
The Bible ◽  
God's Word ◽  
1 Samuel ◽  
The Witch

Scepticism and loyalty represent the poles of van Dale’s career. Two contexts have been mentioned as relevant here: the seventeenth-century attack on magic and superstition, and the circles of friendship that created a contemporary Republic of Letters. This chapter evaluates both contexts, as well as others that may throw light on his relatively neglected attitude to the text of the Bible. It brings into focus two important intellectual episodes: his treatment of the account of the Witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28:3–25), and his engagement with Hellenistic sources relating to the text of the Old Testament, especially to the miraculous composition of the Septuagint. These issues brought van Dale to ask questions about God’s Word. The chapter explores the limits of his scepticism, the extent of his scholarship, and the role of friendship and isolation in his development. Finally, it draws attention to his place in contemporary Mennonite debates.

Canons to the Left of Him: Brevard Childs, his Critics, and the Future of Old Testament Theology

1997 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iain Provan
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
18Th Century ◽  
Biblical Theology ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Probable Origin ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church

It is well known that the seeds from which the modern discipline of OT theology grew are already found in 17th and 18th century discussion of the relationship between Bible and Church, which tended to drive a wedge between the two, regarding canon in historical rather than theological terms; stressing the difference between what is transient and particular in the Bible and what is universal and of abiding significance; and placing the task of deciding which is which upon the shoulders of the individual reader rather than upon the church. Free investigation of the Bible, unfettered by church tradition and theology, was to be the way ahead. OT theology finds its roots more particularly in the 18th century discussion of the nature of and the relationship between Biblical Theology and Dogmatic Theology, and in particular in Gabler's classic theoreticalstatementof their nature and relationship. The first book which may strictly be called an OT theology appeared in 1796: an historical discussion of the ideas to be found in the OT, with an emphasis on their probable origin and the stages through which Hebrew religious thought had passed, compared and contrasted with the beliefs of other ancient peoples, and evaluated from the point of view of rationalistic religion. Here we find the unreserved acceptance of Gabler's principle that OT theology must in the first instance be a descriptive and historical discipline, freed from dogmatic constraints and resistant to the premature merging of OT and NT — a principle which in the succeeding century was accepted by writers across the whole theological spectrum, including those of orthodox and conservative inclination.

Enchanted Calvinism

2021 ◽  
pp. 589-607
Author(s):  
Adam Mohr
Keyword(s):  
Bible Study ◽  
Primary Site ◽  
Presbyterian Church ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Initial Transformation ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Church

The goal of this chapter is to explain how healing and deliverance practices were instituted in the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG). The first half of this chapter examines the PCG’s initial transformation, which was driven by three factors: the decision by the leadership to introduce healing practices into the church, the creation of the Bible Study and Prayer Group to manage the afflicted within congregations, and the influence of two parachurch organizations. The second half of this chapter focuses on Catechist Ebenezer Abboah-Offei, who since 1996 has been leading Grace Presbyterian Church in Akropong, the primary site of healing and deliverance practices within the PCG. With regards to Abboah-Offei, this chapter describes how he came to teach and practise deliverance and the process by which Grace Presbyterian was established. Finally, this chapter describes the various healing and deliverance activities that occur at Grace Presbyterian Church.

Manichaeism and Gnosticism in the Papyri

2011 ◽  
pp. 622-643
Author(s):  
Cornelia Römer
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Religious Movements ◽  
Late Antique ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
Religious Groups ◽  
Christian Church ◽  
The People ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Church

The church fathers were appalled in particular by the Gnostics' condemnation of creation. But the fact that much of their teaching was in many respects not so far from Christian dogma must have disturbed the advocates of the “real” Christian church. In some of these Gnostic systems, Christ was the main savior figure; in others, it was the forefathers of the Old Testament who guaranteed salvation; in Manichaeism, it was the new Messenger of Light, the apostle Mani, who, coming after Christ, would finally give the right revelation to the people and excel Christ in doing so. This article deals with religious groups such as these as they existed in Egypt in the Roman and late antique periods. Papyrology has played a decisive role in our understanding of the religious movements of the first centuries ce in Egypt and elsewhere in the Mediterranean.

scholarly journals “Varii errores qui ab origine mundi emerserunt”. The semantic scope of the term “heresy” in Philastrius’ of Brescia Diversarum hereseon liber

Vox Patrum ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 68 ◽  
pp. 315-325
Author(s):  
Mariusz Szram
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Moral Issues ◽  
Rule Of Faith ◽  
Early Christian ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Or Practice ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Church ◽  
Semantic Scope

The bishop of Brescia, Philastrius, author of the first Latin catalogue of he­resies, written between 380 and 388, presented in his treaty an extremely large number of heterodox movements: 28 within Judaism and 128 in early Christianity. This comes as a result of a wide understanding of the term heresis. For Philastrius this term was synonymous with the term error, recognized as any deviation from the universal truth in the history of the world, inspired by Satan as “the father of lies”, ocurring primarily in Judaism and Christianity. Among the early Christian views defined by the bishop of Brescia as heresy five groups can be distinguished. The first group includes mainly the erroneous views on fundamental theological questions contained in the rule of faith, such as the concept of a creator God and saviour Jesus Christ. The second set of he­resies, closely related with the previous one, contains the erroneous doctrines of anthropology, such as questioning the resurrection of the human body or the view of the materiality of the human soul. The third group includes the views related to the misinterpretation of Scripture, especially exaggerated literal interpretations of the texts of the Old Testament, as well as the cosmological views which do not agree with descriptions contained within the Bible. The fourth group contains the moral issues related to the based on laxism or rigorism way of life, as well as to the attitude of lack of deference to the laws of the Church, but non-threatening the primary truths of the Christian faith. The fifth group of heresies includes the movements defined by the authors of the late patristic period as a schizm, while the term schisma is not at all used by the bishop of Brescia in his work. The semantic scope of the term heresis in Philastrius’ treaty went beyond the noncompliance with the regula fidei. According to the bishop of Brescia each offense – whether in doctrinal teaching or practice of life, as well as with regard to the understanding of the text of Scripture – is a heresy because it offends God and the Church. Therefore, in Philastrius opinion one should not differentiate between superior and minor error, but equally condemn them as attitudes directed against God as the Father of Truth.

scholarly journals Creation accounts in Gen. 1 & 2: a feminist interpretation

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-33
Author(s):  
Ubong Ekpenyong Eyo
Keyword(s):  
Hebrew Text ◽  
Male Gender ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Feminist Interpretation ◽  
Culturally Based ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Book Of Genesis ◽  
Holy Writ ◽  
King James Version

It is the view of most people who claim the authoritative nature of the Bible that, women assigned secondary status in relation to men is ordained and supported in the Bible. Many have quoted different texts of the holy writ to support their culturally-biased position on issue of gender equality. Most often views in respect to gender issues are culturally-based and interpreted rather than divinely-based and interpreted. There is therefore the need to look back at Jesus’ words, “But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.” (Matt 19:4; Mark 10:6 King James Version). The two accounts in the Book of Genesis by the Priestly and Yahwistic strands give a complimentary account of the creation of humankind (both male and female) in the image and likeness of God and their creation from a single stock אדם who was not a male gender. At a cursory reading of the creation accounts, one will tend to see האדם as the male gender, but looking at the Hebrew text more closely it will be noticed that the Hebrew words אישה and אישwere only introduced after the two genders have been separated. Note carefully that it was not איש that was asked to tend the garden, who named the animals, was given instruction of what to eat or what not to eat, who fell into a deep sleep or whose ribs was used in the creation of אישה but it was האדם . It was after the creation or ‘separation’ of אישה (woman – the female האדם) that the other part was called איש (man – the male האדם) (see vv 23 & 24 King James Version). It will therefore not be right to speak of the creation of אישה out of איש, because as at the time of the creation of the former, the later was not in existence as איש To view these creation accounts with the sense of gender superiority (either male over female or vice versa) is to read the texts using lenses which have been obscured and tainted by patriarchal, matriarchal or cultural biases.

scholarly journals Kajian Praktis Tentang Pola Asuh Orang Tua dalam Meningkatkan Minat Belajar Alkitab Anak Berdasarkan Amsal 22:6

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-84
Author(s):  
Dadan Wahyu ◽  
Rudolf Sagala ◽  
Stimson Hutagalung ◽  
Rolyana Fernia
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Scientific Article ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
The Bible ◽  
God's Word ◽  
Official Sources ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
The Church

The objectives of this study are, first, to provide an explanation of the importance of parenting. Second, Provide guidance to parents in building spiritual children based on the book of Proverbs 22:6. The method that the researcher uses is a qualitative method with a grounded theory approach. Data collection techniques used: the Bible, books, official sources from the internet, and other articles related to the writing of this scientific article. The results of this study are, first, good parenting will encourage children to have an interest in reading the Bible regularly until their old age. Second, so that parents can understand properly and correctly the meaning of the advice written in the book of Proverbs 22:6 in raising their children. That is why parents and the Church from the beginning have played a role in the protection and maintenance of their lives, so that they know the way of truth through God's word every day, so that they become strong individuals in the future, strong in their faith, and fearing God to make life a blessing or meaning to others.

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