generic decline message
In 1924 Dr Arie Noordtzij, 1871-1944, neo-Calvinist theologian and Professor at Leiden, published God’s Word and the Testimony of the Ages, which subsequently was deemed to inaugurate the so-called Framework Hypothesis. He did not, in fact, coin this term, but did advance a framework structure for Genesis 1 which was the basis of a novel … Read more
While Trinitarian theology has gained attention in biblical studies, the book of Chronicles has rarely been examined in relation to the doctrine of the Trinity. Most Trinitarian studies in the Old Testament focus on the Torah, Prophets, or Psalms, leaving a gap in theological interpretation of the Chronicler’s writings. Despite its rich theology and liturgical … Read more
The Harrowing of Hell, also known as the Visit of Christ to Hades is certainly one of the most intriguingly enigmatic passages in 1 Peter, perhaps the entire New Testament. From early times (the first century), writers have elaborated and expanded on the event. The earliest form (after the New Testament period) occurs in the … Read more
Paul’s references to eschatological loss and salvation “only as through fire” in 1 Corinthians 3:15 have long puzzled biblical scholars. The majority interpretation throughout history has understood the “suffering of loss” as receiving a lesser degree of eschatological rewards (e.g., Augustine, Schweitzer, Braun, Filson, Reicke, Sanders, Rosscup, Fuller, Ton, Piper). The phrase “but only as … Read more
Chronic anxiety, affecting over 40 million U.S. adults annually (National Institute of Mental Health), distorts worldview, convincing sufferers that hope is futile, suffering lacks purpose, and God is distant, leading to despair and isolation. Interventional methods, such as therapy and medication, aimed at regulating the body and calming neural patterns, cannot fully reorient these perceptions … Read more
Deuteronomy 6:4, known as the Shema, is a key proclamation of the belief in one God in the Hebrew Bible: אֶחָֽד יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל שְׁמַ֖ע. This verse captures the Jewish faith’s core by highlighting God’s oneness and uniqueness. It acts as a fundamental theological principle that sets Israelite beliefs apart from the polytheistic customs … Read more
This paper considers whether memory provides knowledge of the historical event itself or only to the author’s mind. Is it a matter of only how it was remembered, or can we postulate what likely happened? The example of whether Jesus was crucified is considered in conjunction with the epistemic theory of remembering. It is argued … Read more
The doctrine of divine simplicity has been largely ignored, rejected, or redefined in the last one hundred years of scholarship until the recent resurgence of interest. Specifically, modern apologist theologians and philosophers have largely rejected this doctrine in discussing God’s attributes and the relations of the Trinitarian persons, believing it to be something to apologize … Read more
Thesis statement: In clarifying the Incarnation after Nicaea, Gregory of Nazianzus’s defense of Mary as Theotokos also promoted extra-biblical teachings about the mother of Jesus that linger in Christian thought today. Nicaea’s creed proved insufficient to effectively squash Arian teachings. Between 325 and 381, scholars continued to clarify biblical Christology, declaring that, in his Incarnation, … Read more
Studies of John Webster have consistently focused on tracing his approach to various doctrinal loci over the course of his career or interacting with particular sets of essays (most notably those collected in his later years in the titles Domain of the Word and God without Measure 1 and 2). Less attention has been given … Read more