Elohim

Adam, Eve, and extraterrestrial Elohim (according to Raëlism) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Elohim is a modern and ancient Hebrew word that denotes god or gods, making it grammatically singular or plural.

According to Catholic teaching, the fact that Elohim has a plural form doesn’t mean that it points to polytheistic understanding of God. It occurs over 2,500 times in the Old Testament.

Elohim is also used to refer to angels, heathen gods or representatives of God. Jesus‘ human side cried an Aramaic variant  – “Eloi, Eloi” – while feeling forsaken by God on the cross.

The term Elohim is also used by Raelians to depict apparently all-wise, loving aliens whom adherents believe created mankind.

Related articles

• אלוהים (Elohim) (eliezer40.com)
• He Says Concerning Himself “I am the Son of Elohim” (guapotg.wordpress.com)
• God, Elohim (hoagiestyle.wordpress.com)

Faith and Morals

Morality by tdietmut via Flickr

Most world religions speak of an inextricable link between faith and morals.

In the religious sense, to have faith is to try to please God and this involves making the right moral choices. At least, this is one approach to faith. Another approach is that you can do whatever you want and God will forgive you—providing, most would add, that a sincere attempt to stop doing the bad thing is made somewhere down the line.

Any discussion of faith and morals will likely include a section on laws. In the Old Testament the Jewish people are faced with a variety of laws, said to be from God and also to preserve and enhance one’s relationship with God.

In the New Testament, Jesus really only speaks of two laws—love God and love one another.

In liberal democracies today, laws are said to be based on natural reason. However, their impetus arguably is supernatural—that is, an awareness (based on faith and informed by grace) that morality is essential to the human condition.

So the supposed separation of the “supernatural” and “legal” realms could be seen as somewhat artificial. That point aside, one could also argue that this kind of distinction is not necessarily the same as the separation of “Church” and “State,” mainly because organized religions by their very nature contain not just supernatural but also political dimensions, as does any kind of social group.

Related Posts » Faith and Action, Faith and Reason

Related articles

• Faith (earthpages.wordpress.com)
• Faith and Action (earthpages.wordpress.com)
• Ethics and Respect Thrive with an Absolute Separation of Church and State (randomreflectionz.wordpress.com)
• Rick Santorum Says Separation of Church and State Makes Him Want to Vomit: VIDEO (towleroad.com)

Gospels

Folio 27r from the Lindisfarne Gospels, Incipit to the Gospel of Matthew via Wikipedia

The (canonical) Gospels are the first four books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) containing the events of Jesus Christ’s life and his teaching. Essentially, they offer the message of salvation from personal sin through God’s forgiveness.

Non-believers often point out apparent contradictions among the different accounts while believers usually see them as presenting a holistic harmony, not unlike four-channel audio that amplifies a single message.

Wikipedia nicely outlines the etymology of the word Gospel:

The word gospel derives from the Old English gōd-spell ^[1] (rarely godspel), meaning “good news” or “glad tidings”. It is a calque (word-for-word translation) of the Greek word εὐαγγέλιον, euangelion (eu- “good”, -angelion “message”). The Greek word euangelion is also the source (via Latinised evangelium) of the terms “evangelist” and “evangelism” in English. The authors of the four canonical Christian gospels are known as the four evangelists.¹

There are other so-called gospels that are not recognized by most Christian Churches as canonical.² They may, however, be acknowledged as offering some insights or points of interest concerning the total situation in the ancient world around the time of Jesus. On the down side, Church officials usually teach that non-canonical gospels might complicate things or distract otherwise genuine seekers, making it harder for them to find the true light of God.

Again, this is what most Christian Church officials will say. Contemporary Gnostics and New Age enthusiasts, however, would probably fire back that dried up and hypocritical Church structures and teachings would get in the way of their finding God, just as much if not more than a few allegedly misguided passages in a non-canonical gospel.

—

¹ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel

² For a list of these see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel#Non-canonical_gospels

Related Posts » Bible, Synoptic Gospels

Related articles

• Gospel of Luke (earthpages.wordpress.com)
• Gospel of Mark (earthpages.wordpress.com)
• Gospel of John (earthpages.wordpress.com)
• Gospel of Matthew (earthpages.wordpress.com)
• Gospel Life (garrettventry.wordpress.com)
• The earliest gospels – Marcion’s gospel (according to P.L. Couchoud) (vridar.wordpress.com)

Gospel of Matthew

Fragment of the Gospel of Matthew via Wikipedia

The Gospel of Matthew is one of the synoptic gospels of the New Testament (NT).

Although it appears first in the NT, it was written after Mark. Scholars date it from 60-100 CE. This would make it improbable but not impossible that Matthew, himself, wrote it.

Matthew is generally believed to be based on at least two sources: The Gospel of Mark and a hypothesized but entirely undiscovered document simply called “Q” (from the German quelle, meaning “source”).

Papias, said to be Bishop of Hieropolis (60-130 CE), apparently wrote that Matthew kept an account of the life and sayings of Christ. But Papias’ document has been lost. The early historian Eusebius (260-340 CE), however, mentions Papias’ book, The Sayings of the Lord Explained, which claims that Matthew wrote about Christ in Aramaic.

The Wikipedia entry sums up our current state of knowledge this way:

“Matthew” probably originated in a Jewish-Christian community in Roman Syria towards the end of the 1st century.^[1] The anonymous author probably drew on a number of sources, including the Gospel of Mark, the sayings collection known as the Q source, and material unique to his own community, as well as his own experience.¹

Regardless of who wrote it and how, Matthew tells us about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

—

¹ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Matthew

Related articles

• What Matthew wrote and what did not? – Gary Cottrell’s overview (nomorefear.wordpress.com)
• Who Wrote the Oldest Gospel? Hint: The One Apostle Who Owned Ink and Parchment (cantuar.blogspot.com)
• Introduction To Gospel of Matthew: By Dr.WR ‘Dick’ Lockhart (chaplaingary.wordpress.com)
• Why Christ rose from the dead in four different ways (vridar.wordpress.com)
• Matthew 1:1-1 Posted By DR. WR “Dick” Lockhart (chaplaingary.wordpress.com)

Gospel of Mark

Illumination of Christ before Pilate via Wikipedia

The Gospel of Mark is one of the synoptic gospels of the New Testament.

Most scholars say that Mark is the oldest of the three synoptic gospels, written around 65-70 CE.

Its authorship is uncertain. A Papias, the Bishop of Heirapolis (60-130 CE) wrote that Mark had written an account based on St. Peter‘s memory of the life and sayings of Christ. But modern scholars only agree that it was probably written in Syria by an unknown Christian.

Mark deals with the life and teachings of Jesus from the time of his baptism by John the Baptist to his Ascention. Many of the specific events recorded in Mark, however, were not necessarily written in the actual order that they occurred. And it tends to concentrate on the last week of Jesus’ life, from his ride into Jerusalem to his death.

Related articles

• Whose is Mark’s Gospel? (smoodock45.wordpress.com)
• Earliest Manuscript of the Gospel of Mark Validates Earl Doherty (vridar.wordpress.com)
• First-Century Manuscript of the Gospel of Mark (xcntrik.wordpress.com)
• Who Wrote Mark’s Gospel? (coffeehouseapologetics.wordpress.com)
• The Gospel of St. Mark is the Gospel of St. Peter (newtheologicalmovement.blogspot.com)
• The Action Gospel (prayereverywhere.wordpress.com)

Gospel of Luke

St Luke's Infancy Narratives (Photo: Lawrence OP via Flickr)

The Gospel of Luke is one of the synoptic gospels and the third book of the New Testament.

The only gospel with a prologue, Luke tells his readers that the work is based on research rather than direct observation.

Contemporary scholars believe that Luke drew on the Gospel of Mark and another, as of yet undiscovered, document that scholars have called Q. Scholars also believe that Luke could have drawn on other written sources.

Particular to Luke is the Nativity scene (Luke 1:26-80), the account of Jesus’ childhood (Luke 2:41-52), and the human genealogy of Christ (3:23-38).

Luke’s gospel tends to emphasize marginalized people, women and the importance of prayer. Depending on who you’re talking to, scholars believe it was written sometime between 60 CE and 100 CE.

Related Posts » Luke (St.), Acts of the Apostles

Related articles

• Why Did Jesus Come To Earth? – Lee Strobel and When Was the Gospel of Luke Written? (rodiagnusdei.wordpress.com)
• Studies of the Gospel of Luke the Gentile.1 (rev12eleven.wordpress.com)
• The earliest gospels 6(c) – Luke’s Gospel (Couchoud) (vridar.wordpress.com)
• The autorship of the Gospels _ Gary Cottrell (nomorefear.wordpress.com)
• Mark and the Other Synoptics (coffeehouseapologetics.wordpress.com)

Gospel of John

The recto of Rylands Library Papyrus P52 from the Gospel of John via Wikipedia

The Gospel of John is the fourth Gospel of the New Testament, probably written around 90 CE. John is normally separated from the first three synoptic gospels due to its portrayal of Christ as the Son of God, the divine Word, and also because of its coverage of Christ’s teachings and life.

While most bible scholars see its authorship as anonymous (or as composed by a Johannine community), it’s often believed to have been written by John the son of Zebedee, the “beloved disciple” of Jesus (John 21:24).

Probably because of its ambiguous origins, each generation of bible scholars seems have a new idea as to just who wrote it.

Scholars also believe that existing religious tensions (between Jews who didn’t accept Christ as the Messiah vs. all those who did) most likely contributed to its formation.

This post needs more content. Why not help us out and expand it? Please remember that copying and pasting large amounts of material from Wikipedia (or some other online encyclopedia) is not what Earthpages.ca is about. We want a fresh view, from you… not from your copy and paste editor!

Thanks,

Michael Clark, Ph.D.

Related articles

• After Much Thought…I’ve Chosen the Gospel of John (thebiblerunner.wordpress.com)
• Did John Write the Fourth Gospel? (thesacredpage.com)
• John on grace and truth (cinhosa.wordpress.com)
• “The Gospel of John” by Margaret Feinberg { Preparing for Lent } (nicoleandkevin.wordpress.com)
• My Favorite Gospel (teresasthoughtsfortoday.wordpress.com)
• The earliest gospels 5 – Gospel of John (according to P L Couchoud) (vridar.wordpress.com)
• The Gospel of John (thechristianpundit.org)
• Dec 27th: John, the (Queer) Evangelist. (queeringthechurch.com)
• John 10 – I Am The Good Shepherd (readingacts.wordpress.com)

Holy Spirit

Child Jesus with the virgin Mary, with the Holy Spirit (represented as a dove) and God the Father, with child john the Baptist and saint Elizabeth on the right, 1665-1670 Bartolomeo Esteban Murillo via Wikipedia

In Christian theology, The Holy Spirit is one of the three “persons” constituting the Holy Trinity of The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit.

Each person is said to be eternal, equal, distinct and yet of the same substance. The term Holy Ghost is an old English version of the Latin Spiritus.

In the New Testament Jesus promises his disciples that the Paraclete or Spirit of Truth will return. However, the worldly and evil people of this world cannot and will not see it unless they repent (John 14:16-17).

Around 360 CE the early Christian Church opposed as heretical the idea of the pneumatomachi–-the teaching that Jesus Christ but not the Spirit is Divine.

In 381 the Council of Constantinople repudiated these heretics by declaring the dogma of the Holy Spirit. This was further elaborated in 589 by the Council of Toledo’s dogma of double procession, or the filioque, which stipulates that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.

This teaching became popular as the Nicene Creed spread throughout the empire of the Franks from the 9^th-century onward. But due to an apparent temporal paradox (How can the Holy Spirit proceed from the Father and the Son if the Holy Trinity is co-eternal?), the filioque has been controversial and, indeed, openly attacked by the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Many Christians tend to describe the Holy Spirit as an indwelling of the divine. That is, God is wholly-other but also immanent as a numinous experience. On the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Karl Gross cites Evelyn Underhill:

As they know themselves to dwell in the world of time and yet to be capable of transcending it, so the Ultimate Reality, they think, inhabits yet inconceivably exceeds all that they know to be — as the soul of the musician controls and exceeds not merely each note of the flowing melody, but also the whole of the symphony in which these cadences must play their part. » Source

However, a philosophical problem arises with the idea of indwelling. It’s obvious that many religious groups (and individuals) claim to be guided by the Holy Spirit while promoting drastically different agendas. Perhaps a partial solution to this problem could be to say that some of these groups and individuals are closer to enacting God’s will than others.

Related Posts » Arius, Calvinism, Christianity, Confirmation, Joachim of Fiore, John the Baptist, Otto (Rudolf), Psychosis, Spirit, Swedenborg (Emanuel), Tradition, Wave

Related articles

• Praying for Yourself and Those Whom You Love to Experience the Liberating Power of the Holy Spirit (trinitytuscaloosa.wordpress.com)
• When someone is speaking ‘in tongues’ in the Holy Spirit does this mean that you are speaking God’s language which is ancient Hebrew (wiki.answers.com)
• The Dove and The Holy Spirit (tnlighthouse.wordpress.com)
• walking in the truth…walking in love (evanlaar1922.wordpress.com)

Holy Rosary

Azzano San Paolo, Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy - procession on the Feast of the Holy Rosary by Luigi Chiesa via Wikipedia

The Holy Rosary is a Catholic devotion usually prayed on a circle of beads, with a short row of five beads and crucifix attached at the bottom.

One prays the rosary to the Blessed Virgin Mary, not only to venerate her and glorify the Lord, but also to implore the saint to pray to God on one’s behalf. This request for intercession can be for oneself, others, the whole world, and for all souls who ever existed and will exist.

A distinction can be made between the instrument itself (the loop of beads), and the type of prayer performed with them. For instance, Catholics often pray a special prayer called the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, apparently given to St. Faustina, using rosary beads.

Before 2002, the full rosary consisted of 15 decades (ten beads per decade). A Hail Mary Prayer is said on each bead, with two extra prayers at the end of each decade. The first prayer is The Our Father, which is repeated on each large bead dividing the decades.

A sterling silver Catholic rosary via Wikipedia

Each decade celebrates a holy “mystery.” A mystery is a particular event in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The first group of mysteries involves the Joyful Mysteries (5 decades), dealing with the events leading to Jesus’ birth and growth to maturity.

The next group of mysteries are the Sorrowful Mysteries (5 decades), focussing on the period from Jesus’ arrest to crucifixion.

The third group is the Glorious Mysteries (5 decades), dealing with Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, as well as Mary’s assumption into heaven.

To these three mysteries, Pope John-Paul II added the Luminous Mysteries in October 2002. So the former group of three mysteries (Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious) officially became four.

No one really knows for sure how the Holy Rosary came into existence. Some believe that it was adapted from earlier Muslim prayer beads, introduced through the Crusades.

Sandro Botticelli, Magnificat, 1480-81, tempera on panel, Uffizi Gallery, Florence via Wikipedia

Others believe that the Catholic rosary existed prior to the Crusades.

Catholic tradition, itself, says the Holy Rosary originated with St. Dominic (1170-1221 CE).

Not a few non-Catholics liken different goddesses to the Virgin Mary, and in a similar way, not a few people say that different types of prayer beads found around the world – such as Tibetan and Islamic forms – are equivalent to the Holy Rosary.

But this claim seems superficial because world religions are so different from one another.

Related articles

• New Rosary Commemorates the Anniversary of the 9/11 Attacks; Precious Keepsake Symbolizes a Sign of Hope for all in the Face of Global Terrorism (prweb.com)
• Why are there 59 beads that make up a rosary (wiki.answers.com)
• Our Lady of the Rosary (sevenoaksordinariate.wordpress.com)
• Rosary (cutoutandkeep.net)
• How to Use Advent to Establish the Family Rosary… (cantuar.blogspot.com)
• Hail Mary Prayer (earthpages.wordpress.com)
• October: Month of the Holy Rosary (catholichomeeducationnetwork.wordpress.com)
• Ave Maria! Rosary Part 1 (growingapologist.wordpress.com)
• How do people respect the rosary (wiki.answers.com)

Historicity

Image of a horse from the Lascaux caves via Wikipedia

The word historicity has two main meanings. The first refers to any kind of recorded history after prehistory. This could include cave art, such as we find at Lascaux in southwestern France.

The second meaning of the term refers to questioning the historical existence of Christ, or some other divine personage, mythical figure or place.

For example, an opponent of Christianity might say, “the accounts of Jesus that appear outside of the New Testament are riddled with ambiguity, so the historicity of Jesus is hardly confirmed.”

Related Posts » Atlantis, Christology

Related articles

• Reasonably doubting that John baptized Jesus – Or how HJ scholars worked before they had Tools (vridar.wordpress.com)
• Non-Biblical Sources which Document the Historical Jesus (compassioninpolitics.wordpress.com)
• Dale Allison on Jesus Mythicism (diglotting.com)
• David Fitzgerald Debunks Historical Jesus at Skepticon 3 (holyblasphemy.net)
• Critically evaluating Paul’s claims about Jesus (vridar.wordpress.com)
• Why and how I came to question the historicity of Jesus (vridar.wordpress.com)
• Bart Ehrman’s failed attempt to address mythicism (vridar.wordpress.com)
• A rational foundation for investigating the mythicist question (vridar.wordpress.com)
• Reconciliation and Representation: Doctrine of Christ (wateristhickerthanblood.wordpress.com)
• Chris Columbus to Produce Film about Jesus Christ as a Kid (geektyrant.com)