Gnostic writings of Jesus portray him as a heavenly redeemer made less of flesh than of spirit. The emphasis of Jesus' importance is not on his physical humanness but rather, on his ability to show people the way to the kingdom. Jesus put on flesh in order to give people gnosis and reveal to the...

"The truth about man is not merely that he is, by nature, savage and afraid, but that he refuses deliverance, and murders the messenger of light"(Dick, "Criticism" 197). This view of our nature as human beings is based on the teachings of the Christian doctrine of original sin, ...

"The Shroud of Turin is either the most awesome and instructive relic of Jesus Christ in existence.... or it is one of the most ingenious, most unbelievably clever, products of the human mind and hand on record; there is no middle ground." (John Walsh, The Shroud, 1963) The Shro...

Since prehistoric times, human beings have believed in the existence of a reality greater than themselves that serves as a definer and creator of cultures, and as an antidote to the fragility and apparent finality of human existence (Coogan 1998). Each major religion generally recognizes an individ...

I am attempting to write one coherent essay discussing questions three and two. I propose to first characterize the opposing views of the savior in Gnosticism and in Orthodoxy. Secondly, I will compare the Valentinian and classic Gnostics in how they differ and how the Gospel of Truth exemplifi...

The Sermon on the Mount The Sermon on the Mount is one of Jesus' most quoted, and most referenced teachings. The Sermon, a guideline to Christian behavior, worship, and spirituality, is found in the Gospel According to Matthew, chapters 5, 6, and 7. The sermon is broken into a vast array of ideol...

Bible 301 Our English word Bible comes from the Greek word Biblos, which means "book." In theology a study of the Bible is called bibliology. While the word Bible simply means "book" the words "The Bible" distinguish it as the supreme, unique and incomparable Holy Bib...

Knowing God In the scriptures we read of relationships that people like the apostles had with Jesus. The friendships that they had were deep and personal. They were also challenging. Jesus challenged the disciples regualarly as well as encouraged them. He warned them of the evil they were to ...

Jesus Christ, A Critical View of His "Conquering" of the Cross By taking an in depth view of the exact points of the story concerning Jesus Christ's crucifixion, by examining the physical evidence before and after his crucifixion, and by exploring the differences between the...

John Calvin created the patterns and thought that would dominate Western culture throughout the modern period. North American culture, in particular, is thoroughly Calvinist in some form or another; at the heart of the way North Americans think and act, you'll find this fierce and imposing reformer...

Introduction: The General Concept of Angels in Catholic Doctrine Angels are integral to the Catholic experience, doctrine, and cosmology. Defined most simply as a "pure spirit created by God," Angels were mentioned in the Old Testament as well as the New ("Angel Pages"). However...

Introduction My great aunt was a fascinating woman. She was raised in Canadian by English parents, married and immigrated to the United States. She understood French and English and was fluent in several different languages. She attended services, in places of worship, all over. She chose to p...

Being There Figure-Ground: Indefinite amount of reality depending on what you make figure or ground. We see the world through figure-ground. What can be background can be figure. What can be figure can be background. Figure is what one pays attention to, while ground is what...

Hind site is always 20/20. Looking back on history, especially the history of painting, one can decipher a great deal about the time it was painted in and the changes in those times. One can understand the value systems, the ethics, government, morality, economics and personal lives of the times r...

THE SERVANT OF CHRIST "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ" (Gal. 1:10). Does The Preacher Please Men Or God? With sarcasm Paul asks in Galatians 1:10: "Am I trying to persuade God to fall in li...

Kim Gnagey APE per. 4 Levels of Meaning in Cool Hand Luke and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey is a story of a mental hospital, the patients within it and the changes both undergo. The film Cool Hand Luke is a story that is somewhat sim...

Prophecy formed a critical part of the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. In fact, the Old Testament prophets played an extremely critical role in the transmission of God's message. The role of prophets changed in the New Testament, because Christ was the fulfillment of most of the proph...

"Let the children come to Me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these." In 1976, the United States Catholic Conference (USCC) issued a document entitled "A Vision of Youth Ministry." It was a guiding and illuminating response to the challenges of the effective bringi...

Introduction Mark 16:16 says, "And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned."1 This is the basis for which Christian's all around the world shares the gosp...

Like most morality plays, The Digby Mary Magdalene, uses allegorical exemplum form to relate moral material to the audience. The usual plot of morality plays is an allegorical challenge for the spiritual good of the mankind figure. Susan Haskins, in her book Mary Magdalene, Myth and Metaphor, state...

Knowing God A healthy, vibrant, growing and happy Christian life requires a regular routine of communion with God through prayer, study His Word, and in Christian service to mankind. Like eating, sleeping, and exercising, it demands daily attention. And like our bodies, our spiritual life q...

Political Distortions and the Pharisees The Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke, known as the synoptic gospels, that is, "seeing together," were the first writings within the Christian Bible that would come to be referred to as the New Testament. These Gospels were very similar ...