Negative theology, also known as via negativa or apophatic theology, is an approach to theology that attempts to describe God by negation, speaking only in terms of what God is not rather than presuming to describe what God is. The key idea is that God is so infinitely beyond human understanding and language that we can only approximate an understanding of God by saying what God is not. This approach stands in contrast to cataphatic theology, which makes positive statements about the nature and attributes of God based on Scripture and reason. While both approaches have a long history in…
Author: Tim Collings
Hanbali Islam is one of the four major schools of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence. It was founded by the Islamic scholar Ahmad ibn Hanbal (780-855 CE). Here is an overview of Hanbali Islam in around 9000 words: The Hanbali school of Islamic law was established by Ahmad ibn Hanbal in the 9th century CE. Ibn Hanbal was born in Baghdad and was known for his knowledge of hadith (sayings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad). He lived during a time of religious and political turmoil, as the Abbasid Caliphate was fragmenting and theological controversies were raging. Ibn Hanbal advocated a strict…
The story of the Israelite spies visiting Rahab’s house is found in Joshua 2. Here is a 9000 word explanation of this biblical account: The Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land after wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. Before crossing the Jordan River, Joshua sent two spies into the land, specifically into the city of Jericho, to gather intelligence about the inhabitants there (Joshua 2:1). Jericho was a heavily fortified city, so this mission was very risky. The spies entered Jericho and came to the house of Rahab, who the Bible describes as a prostitute (Joshua 2:1).…
A common question many Christians have is whether God truly forgets our sins once we repent and accept Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The Bible has much to say about God’s forgiveness and “forgetting” our sins, but what exactly does it mean for an all-knowing God to forget something? First, it’s important to understand what the Bible means when it talks about God “remembering” or “forgetting” something. As an eternal, omniscient being outside of time, God does not suffer from human limitations of memory. He does not literally forget in the sense that a detail slips His mind. Rather, Biblical…
The story of Jacob blessing his sons and assigning them territories is found in Genesis 49. As Jacob was nearing death, he called together his 12 sons to bless them and tell them what would become of their descendants. The blessings contained prophetic words about the future characteristics and territorial inheritances of each tribe. Looking at a map of the tribal allotments made under Joshua’s leadership shows some clear geographic positioning that aligns with Jacob’s prophetic words to his sons. For example: Jacob said Judah’s brothers would praise him and that he would subdue his enemies (Gen 49:8-9). Judah was…
The Lord’s day refers to Sunday, the first day of the week, on which Christians gather for corporate worship in commemoration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. The phrase “Lord’s day” comes from Revelation 1:10 where the apostle John says, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.” Here are some key points about the meaning and significance of the Lord’s day according to the Bible: The Lord’s day commemorates Christ’s resurrection All four gospels record that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1). Christians therefore…
Mariology is the theological study of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. It examines her life, virtues, and role within the economy of salvation as described in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. Mary in the Old Testament and Intertestamental Writings The Old Testament contains several prophecies and types pointing to Mary and her role as the Mother of the Messiah. Genesis 3:15 speaks of the “woman” who will bear the Redeemer, while Isaiah 7:14 prophesies that a “virgin” will give birth to Emmanuel. Michah 5:2-3 indicates the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, and other passages such as Proverbs 8…
Christology is the study of the person and work of Jesus Christ. It examines Jesus’ nature, identity, and role in salvation. Some key topics in Christology include: Jesus’ Divine Nature The Bible teaches that Jesus has a divine nature. He is the eternal Son of God who took on human flesh (John 1:1, 14, 18; Philippians 2:5-8). Jesus claimed equality with God the Father (John 5:18; 10:30) and embodied the divine attributes such as omnipotence (Matthew 28:18), omniscience (John 2:24-25), and omnipresence (Matthew 18:20). His miracles, sinless life, authority to forgive sins, and power to give eternal life all point…
The apostle Paul uses the metaphor of fighting a “good fight” several times in his New Testament letters. He employs this imagery to describe his efforts to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in the face of struggle and opposition. One place Paul uses this phrase is in 2 Timothy 4:7, where he writes, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Here Paul is reflecting on his life of ministry as he faces execution in Rome. He considers his life of evangelism and church planting to have been like a long…
The Hare Krishna movement, also known as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), is a new religious movement that emerged in the United States in the 1960s. It is based on the teachings of the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita and venerates Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here is an overview of their beliefs and practices: History and Origins ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He was sent by his guru to spread the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a 15th century Hindu saint who started the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition focused…