We did it again! We saw the history of Original Sin in the Mediterranean. Then, we looked at where Original Sin came from. Finally, the Pelagian Controversy and Augustine locked it into our Church dogma. This research was part of my graduate work at the University of Rhode Island and was compiled into a single paper. Here is that paper. Introduction The Mediterranean is home to three of the world’s largest religions – Judaism, Christainty, and Islam. These religions share... Read more
We’re finally here! We’re at the doorstep of the start of Original Sin. More specifically, we’re going to talk about the Pelagian Controversy. If you missed it, you can see the roots of Original Sin in other Mediterranean religions and where Original Sin came from. So – what is the Pelagian Controversy? Let’s start with Augustine. Augustine of Hippo Augustine of Hippo (354-430 CE) was born in North Africa to a Pagan father and Christian mother. He was slow to... Read more
In the previous article, we saw the lack of Original Sin in Islam and Judaism. Neither Judaism nor Islam hold Original Sin as a foundational element for their understanding of God. However, there is a branch of Judaism that interprets Genesis 1-3 in what we know as Original Sin. But – how do we know this? Arguing FOR Original Sin in Judaism John Towes (the historian from the las post – remember?) makes an important note. ““The unequivocal rejection of... Read more
The Mediterranean is home to three of the world’s largest religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These religions share a common ancestry in the Abrahamic tradition, and therefore share some similarities. However, Christianity began to blossom in the Mediterranean. Once Rome decriminalized the religion under Constantine in the fourth century, Christian thought began to fluctuate with intense periods of interpretation and heretical accusations. The concept of Original Sin – the belief that humans are born already sinful and deserving of... Read more
Well, we did it. We looked at three different ways Jesus’ message was retold for a specific audience. First, we looked at Jesus as a rural preacher. Next, we asked if Jesus was just another Greek Hero. Finally, we saw how Socrates influenced the retelling of Jesus in the gospel of John. This research was part of my graduate work at Northwind Theological Seminary and was compiled into a single paper. Here is that paper. Introduction Mark’s account of Jesus... Read more
While each gospel has their own voice and audience, the gospel of John is unique for several reasons. Scholarly consensus has this gospel being written later than the Synoptics, and John chooses not to include many of the same stories found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Some earlier theologians believed this was because John was ‘filling in the gaps’ of the Synoptics. However, when we consider the departure from that narrative style towards a more apologetic voice, it seems unlikely.... Read more
The Gospels – and let’s face it, the Bible in general – was written with a specific perspective. Each writer brought their own unique experience to the text that influenced how and what they wrote. While some might see this as a downfall, I like to see this as an opportunity to see many sides of the same God. My last post talked about Jesus as a rural preacher, but now we’ll see Jesus as something more. I was introduced... Read more
There are 4 accounts of the life of Jesus in our modern, Western Bible. However, these are not the only accounts we have, and we can assume there are many others that did not survive history. This is where we find ourselves – let’s talk about what people have written about Jesus in the past. We’ll talk about the Gospels as we move through this series, but first up is the Q gospel – what is it and why the... Read more
Deconstruction has become a buzzword in American Christianity. This single word can be a beacon of light or the boogeyman under the bed. American Conservative Christianity have demonized the movement, most notably in recent months with a book by Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett. Those who criticize the idea of deconstruction favor more conservative and traditional Christian expression in America. However, this traditional American expression of Christianity is the exact thing that people are deconstructing. In Oord and Fuller’s book, God... Read more
I actually don’t like always or never statements. They cause a huge problem when talking logically. When I say “this is always how it is” or “this never happens”, it creates a huge weak spot in an argument. Because if someone can prove a single time where this isn’t the case, then the argument fails. So I’m not trying to say this is an always or never. And I am surely not trying to say I know exactly what God’s commands are for modern... Read more
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