Abstract The Holy Bible has been the source of an enormous amount of controversy and debate over the years as different hagiographers have dissected the Scripture to identify inconsistencies, contradictions, and errors. However, for true believers, the Inerrancy of the Scriptures means that any such "mistakes" found in the Holy Bible are the result of misinterpretations or a failure to fully grasp the intent behind the original works. Because these issues continue to represent a divisive element within the Judeo-Christian community, it is important to understand where the Scriptures came from and how they came to us in the form we know today. To this end, this paper provides an analysis of where the Scriptures came from and whether the authors of the Scriptures understood the ultimate fate of their writings. An investigation of whether there are mistakes in the Scriptures is followed by an analysis of the impact of the doctrine of Inerrancy of Christianity. A summary of the research is provided in the conclusion.
From the Paper "While it is impossible to fully understand the thought processes that the authors of the Scripture underwent in their communications with the mind of God, it is reasonable to assume that such men would recognize the significance of the event and what it represented for future generations. Further, it is also reasonable to assume that any individual who has been touched by the hand of God in this way would understand that what would happen to their writings were subject to the will of God as well. This concept is reiterated by Orchard who writes, "Though the writers of the Old Testament historical books may not have perceived the full significance of the events they were inspired to record, they were well aware that history was under God's control" (45)."
Abstract The paper presents a thorough summary, explanation, and analysis of Aquinas's arguments and how they compare with the Scriptures. The paper looks at the ways in which Aquinas drew on Aristotle to support his ideas and how these ideas can, at times, be in conflict with the Scriptures and yet be supported by the Scriptures. Finally, this paper looks at how the Scriptures alone can be used to justify the concept of free will.
From the Paper "St. Thomas of Aquinas is recognized by the Orthodox as one of the foundational theologians, particularly in that he provided an important step in towards the Renaissance by helping to reacquaint Christianity with Aristotle, who he refers to throughout his as ?the Philosopher.? As one who draws inspiration from Aristotle, he is particularly interested in rational philosophy as applied to the realm of religion and theology. This makes his defense of free will particularly strong, though at points one feels he lacks the necessary sense of ambiguity to completely address the Biblical texts. What is important to glean from his work, however, is a message that is also prominent in the Scriptures: that man is "made to God's image, in so far as the image implies an intelligent being endowed with free-will and self-movement..." (Summa Theologica, II:1:1) "
Abstract Although different human cultures have established and practiced different relationships with their conception of the divine, the existence of scriptures appears to be a common element in all religions. This being said it must be noted that just as religions and religious practices differ widely across cultures, so too does the form, number, function, and nature of scriptures. This essay compares and contrasts the role of scripture in Hinduism and Buddhism.
Abstract This paper addresses the topic of the existence or non-existence of God and looks at theological arguments that support the concept that there is a God. The paper also looks at the doctrine of the Inerrancy of Scripture and discusses how Christian believers use this doctrine as evidence of a God, the Messianic Prophecy and the existence of the Holy Trinity, or the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
From the Paper "Jonathan Waller, in his online essay ?God versus God,? raises very pertinent issues about the existence of God"the ever-widening divide between theists and atheists. In light of recent events, Waller maintains that these issues are very important. Mohammad Atta, in the name of God, flew a plane into a building. One of the first recognizable casualties in New York of the September 11, 2001, was Fr. Michael Judge, the chaplain of the New York Fire department. A few days before his death, Fr. Judge proclaimed the firefighters" job ?a blessing from God.? Atta and Judge"two men on the same side of an argument"both were staunch believers in the power and existence of God (Wallace, 2001)."
Tags: believers, non-believers, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, good, last, supper
Abstract This paper explains that only after Scripture had been shaped and bordered did it turn out to be natural, or indeed likely, to see and to classify Christianity as a scriptural religion. The author points out that the traditional Catholic doctrines were, from the start, predicated upon the survival of Scripture as an absolute. The paper states that Catholicism is a faith able to differentiate itself from any society and yet is able to connect with and change them all.
Table of Contents
The Concept of Scripture in Catholicism
The Concept of Tradition in Catholicism
The Attempt of Church to Resolve Them
Conclusion
From the Paper "John England, Bishop of Charleston, marked the pastoral and he mirrored the theology of Francis P. Kenrick. Kenrick had been a theologian at the First Provincial Council, then coadjutor Bishop of Philadelphia (1842-1851), Bishop of Philadelphia (1830-1842), and Archbishop of Baltimore (1851-1863). Extensively considered as the leading theologian among the bishops, in 1839, he published the first edition of his Theologia Dogmatica. In his dissertation on the Word of God, he attempted to give a tradition for the rule of faith."
Abstract This paper discusses how the Hebrew Scriptures were produced from the traditions of the ancient Israeli people, and that these scriptures fused moral, along with political injunctions as to how the state should create a just as well as a holy society, and defined the responsibilities of the leaders in relation to the people, as well as defined the citizen's relationship to the state. The paper goes on to say that Christianity, which is derived from Judaism, was spawned during a different political and historical point in Israeli history. The paper reviews how both the theologians St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, when examining the responsibilities of the state, the ruler and the ruled in the Christian world, would also offer two different portraits of this judicial relationship, in attempting to reconcile scriptural prescriptions about correct behavior.
From the Paper "However, in the Gospel According to St. Matthew, Jesus says: "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:21) In other words, the purpose of religion is not to concern itself with the worldly affairs of the here and now, but the world to come. Jesus frequently implies that there is a dichotomy between the morals and values of the ruling state and the true values of a very different world above. The second beatitude of the "Sermon on the Mount" is one of Jesus' most famous: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:4) The meek that do not rule on earth will rule later on, and the rules that govern the world will be forever altered after the Day of Judgment. St. Paul reinforces this flesh and spirit divide in his Epistle to the Galatians: "For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." (Galatians 5:14) In other words, the true law of the land is spiritual, not the formally codified laws pertaining to ruling a state found in the Hebrew Bible. This is why Paul preaches against Christians observing the rules that Jews were bound by, such as circumcision. Christ had supplanted such old, physical laws. The laws of the world were of less concern than the inner laws of one's spiritual life."
Abstract Although fundamentalists in religious life assert that the answers to all human problems are available in inerrant scriptural form, there is still the problem of interpretation. From the beginning, differing stories, differing translations, and differing interpretations of scripture have led to the development of separate communities and sects within communities.
From the Paper "Research on Qumran, Early Christians, and Early Rabbinic Judaism
Introduction
Although fundamentalists in religious life assert that the answers to all human problems are available in inerrant scriptural form, there is still the problem of interpretation. From the beginning, differing stories, differing translations, and differing interpretations of scripture have led to the development of separate communities and sects within communities. The intent in this essay is to look at three separate groups the Qumran community, the Early Christians and Early Rabbinic Judaism exploring their major beliefs and their use of canonical scripture."
Abstract This paper discusses the life and works of C. S. Lewis. The author shows how C. S. Lewis took the everyday questions about religion and faith, tackling them head-on. It is illustrated with various examples how Lewis was a Christian writer who was deeply influenced by the teachings of God and His Scripture, although Lewis's views differ greatly from the fundamentalist view of scripture.
From the Paper "CS Lewis was born, in 1898, in Belfast, Ireland. He was educated at various schools throughout England (Hooper, 1996). In 1914, he began studying Latin, Greek, French, German and Italian and later moved to Oxford. His education was disrupted by the first World War but within two years, he resumed his studies.
In 1924, Lewis became a teacher of Literature and Language at Magdalen College in Oxford, where he remained until 1954. During this time, he wrote the majority of his work. Lewis later moved to Cambridge where he spent the rest of his life teaching Medieval and Renaissance Literature."
Abstract This paper examines the canonization of the Hebrew Scriptures through examining the principles that were used in order to choose specific selections from the Hebrew Scriptures over others. This paper also addressed the social, political, and theological controversies that went into the process of canonization.
Abstract This paper explains what an exegesis is and demonstrates what is needed in order to do a proper exegesis of a passage of scripture. In doing so, the paper names different methods of scriptural criticism and explains how they assist in the exegetical task. The paper explores Jesus' understanding of the Kingdom of God and how it related to his preaching. The question of how the Christian church today relates to the Kingdom of God is discussed. The paper delineates a proper theology of the resurrection of the body in relationship to Jesus' death and resurrection and how that relates to the contemporary church and its mission today.
From the Paper "To conduct an appropriate exegesis one must first understand the literal meaning of the passage, understand its place in the overall canon of scripture, and also historically why it was included in the Bible. Thus, exegesis can approach scripture in a literal or hermeneutic sense, that is to understand what the actual words of scripture meant when they were first written in their historical, literary, and canonical context. It can also approach scripture in a historical or formal sense. One can interpret the different interpretations that have applied to a particular passage in line of the overall composition of the Bible, in an attempt to understand how particular stories and the authors, assemblers, and readers of the text would likely have interpreted images in the past. Lastly, the Bible can be understood in a literary sense or in theological terms, how the Bible can function as guide for life for today."
Abstract In this article, the writer provides an examination of the factors within theological studies that make it difficult to speak of the "authority" of scripture today. The writer discusses clashes between the Bible and other sources of scripture, that is mainly due to varying opinions in the different religions.
From the Paper "There are a number of factors from within theological studies that make it difficult if not impossible to speak of the authority of Scripture today. The Bible and other sources of Scripture often clash with respect to authority depending on different views of Catholics, Protestants and Jewish theologians. As Bruce maintains 'The question to be examined is how did certain documents and these only come to receive this recognition? Who if anyone decided that these and no others should be admitted to the list of holy Scriptures?'"
Tags: Protestants, Christians, New Testament, Old Testament, God, Bible, Apostles, experience, belief, interpretation
Abstract This paper reviews two works by Mary Douglas and Victor Turner on the matters of ritual and anthropology (article sources are not named and are not included). The paper briefly explores issues of taboo behavior in scriptures and rituals, and concludes that the process of studying such scriptures and rituals is difficult because of the inter-connectivity found between them and their respective host societies.
From the Paper "It is commonly accepted that many religious scriptures help convey social and communal codes. Dietary habits are a good example of this, where certain cultures avoided the ingestion of pork on the grounds that it was prohibited by their faith, but also that avoidance helped reduce the possibilities of disease. However, the authors promote the concept that there are multiple ways to understand adherence to certain scriptures and codes as presented in the religious texts. The concept of what is dirty, soiled, or sinful, for example, can be interpreted on one level as helping practitioners avoid lifestyle traits that were unhealthy. Yet this can be interpreted on a second level as well, where the avoidance of dirt was more of a symbolic avoidance of impurities."
Abstract This paper discusses the important role that typology has to play in proper scripture interpretation. It discusses a brief history of the use of typology in the understanding of scripture. It then looks at the strengths and weaknesses of this form of interpretation. Finally, the paper presents examples of the use of typology in understanding a number of events from the Bible.
Table of Contents:
Typology: A Definition
Introduction
Importance of Types
Types & Allegories
A Brief History
Introduction
Early Church Fathers
Reformers
Weaknesses
Allegories
Over-analyzing
Strengths
Deeper Understanding
Typology: An Example
Introduction
The Exodus Story
The Moses - Jesus Connection
The Egypt - Sin Connection
The Passover - Crucifixion Connection
The Manna - Christ Connection
The Mount Sinai - Justification Connection
The Kadesh-Barnea - Crossroads Connection
The Wilderness - Sanctification Connection
The Canaan - Spirit Filled Life Connection
Conclusion
Conclusion
From the Paper "This exaltation of Jesus Christ above Moses is the capstone on this Exodus-Hebrews typology pyramid. Comparing the two occurrences doesn't really have much of a point without the mention that the work of Christ is better than the work of Moses. Moses freed the people from an earthly bondage. Christ freed them from spiritual slavery. The Passover kept the firstborns from a physical death. The crucifixion keeps Christians from a spiritual death. The Red Sea was a physical show of faith. A baptism is a faith promise - a public display of an internal decision. Manna sustained the Israelites physically, while Christ sustains Christians spiritually. The wilderness was a time of testing for the Israelites. The sanctification process is a time of testing for the Christian. Mount Sinai provided the Israelites with laws to live by; justification for a Christian doesn't involve laws, but faith. Kadesh-Barnea was a time of testing when the Israelites have to choose whether to stand for God or waiver in their faith. Each Christian reaches a crossroad in their life when they have to make a similar decision. The Israelites who stood firm with Christ were rewarded, eventually, with Canaan. Christians who stand firm with Christ will be rewarded with the spirit-filled life."
Abstract The paper is an extensive essay on Christian mission and is addressed in two sections. Firstly the Biblical commentary and the church's interpretation explaining that Christian mission is conversion. The second section attends to scriptural outlooks on conversion. The paper continues and explains how the terms "mission" and "conversion" are interpreted by various commentators and finally looks at how this is all applicable to the Indian community.
Outline:
Introduction
Understanding of mission
Scriptural perspective on conversion
Mission and conversion
Its implications for the church today
Conclusion
From the Paper "In this chapter I would like to give some idea and concept of mission as understood by Christians. The Christian mission is rooted in the Holy Scriptures. They and only they alone are able to make man 'wise and able to instruct you for salvation" (2 Tim 3:15). From them Christians derive their message, their mandate, their motivation, and their methodology. Apart from the word of God the missionary movement has neither meaning nor sanction. According to the 'new theology' man is not eternally lost, because God is a loving Father. His all conquering love and his irresistible grace will finally win the last day, and till men will be saved. Indeed, they are already saved by the virtue of Jesus' death on the cross. The task of Today's missionary, then is simply to inform the non-Christians that, without their knowledge or consent, all men are 'in Christ', and as such are part of the new humanity of which he is the head."
Tags: theology, mission, conversion, church, bible, India
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that against the broader backdrop of the ongoing debate about the integration of religion and psychology, is the debate about the integration of specific faith practices in behaviorist strategies in both professional and non-professional settings. The writer notes that integration attempts to engage individuals in a wholistic manner, considering all aspects of their personhood: behavioral, social, physical, mental and spiritual. The writer also notes that religious individuals and families benefit from behaviorist interventions that include Scripture, prayer and the foundation of a spiritual understanding of humanity. The writer then discusses whether the use of Christian practices with behaviorist intervention should be considered as control, discipline or discipleship.
Outline:
Abstract
Integrating Scripture with Behavioral Interventions
In Professional Settings (Psychotherapy, CBT and ASD)
In Non-Professional Settings (Church and Home)
From the Paper "Sunday School is once a week and many Christian parents do not find themselves in psychotherapy, CBT or ABA therapy with their children. It is within the day-to-day task of parenting children without disorders that they desire to integrate faith practices. With the relationship of Jesus and His disciples serving as a model, it is suggested that in daily life learning/behavior modification is continuous and often unscheduled. The bookshelves in church libraries and church sponsored parent education classes become a source of information on how this can be accomplished.
"A review of an assortment of books in the Willingdon Church library highlighted the various levels of education and experience of authors, as well as varying degrees of integration suggested. With millions of books sold, Dr. James Dobson is a leading psychologist that Christian parents go to for direction."
