Niels Christian Hvidt
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195314472
- eISBN:
- 9780199785346
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195314472.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology
The Christian belief that Christ is the epitome of God's revelation has led to the notion of the “end of revelation with the last apostle”. This notion has undergone significant historical ...
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The Christian belief that Christ is the epitome of God's revelation has led to the notion of the “end of revelation with the last apostle”. This notion has undergone significant historical development. From signifying merely that Christ is the most complete but not the last form of Divine revelation, it has come to imply a literal end of divine communication in the writings of some theologians, leading to the widespread denial of the feasibility or even possibility of Christian prophecy. A more detailed treatment of the “end-notion” leads to important conclusions with regards to prophecy; it is not at all clear when revelation should have “ended”: with Christ, with the last apostle, or with the closure of the biblical canon.Less
The Christian belief that Christ is the epitome of God's revelation has led to the notion of the “end of revelation with the last apostle”. This notion has undergone significant historical development. From signifying merely that Christ is the most complete but not the last form of Divine revelation, it has come to imply a literal end of divine communication in the writings of some theologians, leading to the widespread denial of the feasibility or even possibility of Christian prophecy. A more detailed treatment of the “end-notion” leads to important conclusions with regards to prophecy; it is not at all clear when revelation should have “ended”: with Christ, with the last apostle, or with the closure of the biblical canon.
Solomon Schimmel
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195188264
- eISBN:
- 9780199870509
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195188264.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Philosophy of Religion
This chapter examines medieval and modern views about the meanings of reason, belief, faith, revelation, and truth, and the relationships between them. It provides moving testimony from a devout ...
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This chapter examines medieval and modern views about the meanings of reason, belief, faith, revelation, and truth, and the relationships between them. It provides moving testimony from a devout Christian of her sense of the presence of Christ in her life, which trumps rational doubt about the existence of God, and skeptics' reflections on reports of divine revelation and of personal experience of the divine. It discusses how religious apologists attempts to prove the truth of their belief in the divine authorship of the Bible or the Koran in the face of overwhelming evidence and logic against it. It challenges the claims of fundamentalists that the Bible and the Koran are paragons of ethics and morality, pointing to immoral or unethical teachings and ambiguities in them. The chapter then examines and critiques the Kuzari argument offered by Orthodox Jews to substantiate their belief that God revealed the Pentateuch to Moses at Sinai.Less
This chapter examines medieval and modern views about the meanings of reason, belief, faith, revelation, and truth, and the relationships between them. It provides moving testimony from a devout Christian of her sense of the presence of Christ in her life, which trumps rational doubt about the existence of God, and skeptics' reflections on reports of divine revelation and of personal experience of the divine. It discusses how religious apologists attempts to prove the truth of their belief in the divine authorship of the Bible or the Koran in the face of overwhelming evidence and logic against it. It challenges the claims of fundamentalists that the Bible and the Koran are paragons of ethics and morality, pointing to immoral or unethical teachings and ambiguities in them. The chapter then examines and critiques the Kuzari argument offered by Orthodox Jews to substantiate their belief that God revealed the Pentateuch to Moses at Sinai.
Richard Viladesau
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195126228
- eISBN:
- 9780199853496
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195126228.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology
This chapter begins by discussing the most basic epistemological presuppositions of a fundamental theology of the imagination that would respond to the questions raised in the preceding chapter. It ...
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This chapter begins by discussing the most basic epistemological presuppositions of a fundamental theology of the imagination that would respond to the questions raised in the preceding chapter. It utilizes a transcendental examination of the acting subject to provide the anthropological conditions of possibility for the knowledge of God and the reception of a divine revelation. It shows that among these conditions of “transcendent” knowledge are sensibility and the exercise of imagination. The chapter then constructs the outline of the first part of a “fundamental” theological aesthetics—that is, the discernment of the conditions of possibility for the communication and perception of revelation in sensible form. The central concern is to examine how words and images can be used to mediate the knowledge of God's self-revelation. This involves confronting two other more basic issues: how God is knowable to a mind intrinsically tied to sense perception, and how God can be revealed through human history.Less
This chapter begins by discussing the most basic epistemological presuppositions of a fundamental theology of the imagination that would respond to the questions raised in the preceding chapter. It utilizes a transcendental examination of the acting subject to provide the anthropological conditions of possibility for the knowledge of God and the reception of a divine revelation. It shows that among these conditions of “transcendent” knowledge are sensibility and the exercise of imagination. The chapter then constructs the outline of the first part of a “fundamental” theological aesthetics—that is, the discernment of the conditions of possibility for the communication and perception of revelation in sensible form. The central concern is to examine how words and images can be used to mediate the knowledge of God's self-revelation. This involves confronting two other more basic issues: how God is knowable to a mind intrinsically tied to sense perception, and how God can be revealed through human history.
Ismo Dunderberg
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- May 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199284962
- eISBN:
- 9780191603785
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199284962.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter argues that the enigmatic ‘disciple Jesus loved’ in John cannot be identified, and that the evidence for his role as the founder and the leader of the Johannine group remains meagre. The ...
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This chapter argues that the enigmatic ‘disciple Jesus loved’ in John cannot be identified, and that the evidence for his role as the founder and the leader of the Johannine group remains meagre. The Beloved Disciple is no doubt an ideal figure in John, but he is not necessarily portrayed as a paradigm of true faith to the audience. Rather, his major function is to authenticate the contents of the Gospel of John. While he is often compared to the Paraclete in John, his figure is more closely connected with that of Jesus. He is one link in the chain of the transmission of divine revelation: the Father supplied the beloved Son with this revelation, and the Beloved Disciple was needed to transmit it to future generations.Less
This chapter argues that the enigmatic ‘disciple Jesus loved’ in John cannot be identified, and that the evidence for his role as the founder and the leader of the Johannine group remains meagre. The Beloved Disciple is no doubt an ideal figure in John, but he is not necessarily portrayed as a paradigm of true faith to the audience. Rather, his major function is to authenticate the contents of the Gospel of John. While he is often compared to the Paraclete in John, his figure is more closely connected with that of Jesus. He is one link in the chain of the transmission of divine revelation: the Father supplied the beloved Son with this revelation, and the Beloved Disciple was needed to transmit it to future generations.
CAROL HARRISON
- Published in print:
- 1992
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198263425
- eISBN:
- 9780191682544
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198263425.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology, History of Christianity
Faith, hope, and love are the terms most often used by Augustine to describe man's response to divine revelation, including the revelation of divine beauty. They have in common the fact that their ...
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Faith, hope, and love are the terms most often used by Augustine to describe man's response to divine revelation, including the revelation of divine beauty. They have in common the fact that their object is at once hidden and veiled. According to Augustine, faith, hope, and love are the pre-eminent lessons which the account of God's revelation in the Old and New Testaments offers. It is the faith, hope and love inspired by the revelation of God's beauty on earth which purifies, heals, and reforms man in order to see God's supreme beauty. This chapter considers how they contribute to Augustine's thought on the beauty of God's revelation, bringing man to an ultimate vision of supreme beauty in the life to come.Less
Faith, hope, and love are the terms most often used by Augustine to describe man's response to divine revelation, including the revelation of divine beauty. They have in common the fact that their object is at once hidden and veiled. According to Augustine, faith, hope, and love are the pre-eminent lessons which the account of God's revelation in the Old and New Testaments offers. It is the faith, hope and love inspired by the revelation of God's beauty on earth which purifies, heals, and reforms man in order to see God's supreme beauty. This chapter considers how they contribute to Augustine's thought on the beauty of God's revelation, bringing man to an ultimate vision of supreme beauty in the life to come.
B. Keith Putt
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- March 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780823225316
- eISBN:
- 9780823236893
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Fordham University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5422/fso/9780823225316.003.0017
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology
This chapter uses radical and ontological metaphor to illustrate the different senses of the possible. It compares theology to a cartography that creates maps to plot ...
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This chapter uses radical and ontological metaphor to illustrate the different senses of the possible. It compares theology to a cartography that creates maps to plot a course towards divine revelation and the discovery of God. As Gregory affirms, the progressing along various chosen ways to God, always occurs over rugged topography with steep grades. Yet, if theological maps are drawn and read in the dark, then the journey takes on an even more problematic character, given that reading and writing in the dark results in a dimming of hermeneutical lucidity. In other words, as Charles Winquist insists, theology addresses the knowledge of God by engaging language about God, which in turn demands interpretation. Theological language may strive to realize more specificity or rigor, but it always remains a second-order vocabulary dependent upon the first-order religious language of avowal, that is, the language of faith, testimony, and attestation.Less
This chapter uses radical and ontological metaphor to illustrate the different senses of the possible. It compares theology to a cartography that creates maps to plot a course towards divine revelation and the discovery of God. As Gregory affirms, the progressing along various chosen ways to God, always occurs over rugged topography with steep grades. Yet, if theological maps are drawn and read in the dark, then the journey takes on an even more problematic character, given that reading and writing in the dark results in a dimming of hermeneutical lucidity. In other words, as Charles Winquist insists, theology addresses the knowledge of God by engaging language about God, which in turn demands interpretation. Theological language may strive to realize more specificity or rigor, but it always remains a second-order vocabulary dependent upon the first-order religious language of avowal, that is, the language of faith, testimony, and attestation.
Jane Dammen McAuliffe, Barry D. Walfish, and Joseph W. Goering (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195137279
- eISBN:
- 9780199849482
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195137279.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
This book explores medieval scriptural interpretation. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are often characterized as religio-cultural siblings, traditions whose origins can be traced to the same ...
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This book explores medieval scriptural interpretation. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are often characterized as religio-cultural siblings, traditions whose origins can be traced to the same geographical region and whose systems of belief and institutional structures share much in common. A particularly important point of commonality is the emphasis that each of these traditions places upon the notion of divine revelation, especially as codified in the text. During the medieval period, the three exegetical traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam produced a vast literature, one of great diversity but also one of numerous cross-cultural similarities. The three sections of this book, each of which begins with an introduction to one of these exegetical traditions, explore this rich heritage of biblical and Quarʼanic interpretation.Less
This book explores medieval scriptural interpretation. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are often characterized as religio-cultural siblings, traditions whose origins can be traced to the same geographical region and whose systems of belief and institutional structures share much in common. A particularly important point of commonality is the emphasis that each of these traditions places upon the notion of divine revelation, especially as codified in the text. During the medieval period, the three exegetical traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam produced a vast literature, one of great diversity but also one of numerous cross-cultural similarities. The three sections of this book, each of which begins with an introduction to one of these exegetical traditions, explore this rich heritage of biblical and Quarʼanic interpretation.
Aharon Shemesh
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520259102
- eISBN:
- 9780520945036
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520259102.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
The Qumran scrolls present the exegesis of the Torah and consequently the halakhic decisions that stem from it as the product of divine inspiration. However, the rabbinic writings treat it as an ...
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The Qumran scrolls present the exegesis of the Torah and consequently the halakhic decisions that stem from it as the product of divine inspiration. However, the rabbinic writings treat it as an open-ended process of human exegetical activity. This chapter argues that this aspect of the relationship between early sectarian and later rabbinic halakhic discourse is best explained by the developmental model. This is because the early Jewish literature, very much like the Dead Sea Scrolls, strongly tends toward attributing a divine origin to halakhic biblical explanations. On the contrary, later generations tend toward embracing human activity as a source of authority that is rooted in the exegetical process. Parting of the ways between early sectarian writings and later rabbinic literature is especially evident in the procedures that the two groups employ for making legal decisions. This is best illustrated by their opposing treatment of the biblical injunctions concerning the false prophet, on the one hand, and the status of the high court's decisions, on the other. Rabbis, due to the lack of appropriate means, treated the false prophet as a sage; the Qumranites took the opposite tack.Less
The Qumran scrolls present the exegesis of the Torah and consequently the halakhic decisions that stem from it as the product of divine inspiration. However, the rabbinic writings treat it as an open-ended process of human exegetical activity. This chapter argues that this aspect of the relationship between early sectarian and later rabbinic halakhic discourse is best explained by the developmental model. This is because the early Jewish literature, very much like the Dead Sea Scrolls, strongly tends toward attributing a divine origin to halakhic biblical explanations. On the contrary, later generations tend toward embracing human activity as a source of authority that is rooted in the exegetical process. Parting of the ways between early sectarian writings and later rabbinic literature is especially evident in the procedures that the two groups employ for making legal decisions. This is best illustrated by their opposing treatment of the biblical injunctions concerning the false prophet, on the one hand, and the status of the high court's decisions, on the other. Rabbis, due to the lack of appropriate means, treated the false prophet as a sage; the Qumranites took the opposite tack.
Archbishop Bruno Forte
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- March 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780823228058
- eISBN:
- 9780823237111
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Fordham University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5422/fso/9780823228058.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
A passage from the Book of Numbers, where two explorers come back from the land of Canaan, bringing with them a pole from which hangs a cluster of grapes, in addition to the fruit of the pomegranate ...
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A passage from the Book of Numbers, where two explorers come back from the land of Canaan, bringing with them a pole from which hangs a cluster of grapes, in addition to the fruit of the pomegranate and the fig-tree, helps us throw some light on some important questions such as: What relationship does Christian faith see between Israel and the Catholic Church? What is the reason for the significance and the continued relevance of Israel for the Church? This chapter examines three elements of continuity together with discontinuity between Israel and the Christian Church: the eschatological character of divine revelation in the First Testament and in the New Testament; the community-oriented notion of salvation, determined by the founding principle of the covenant between the eternal God and His people; and the messianic significance of the two peoples, of the one who waits as well as of the one who contemplates the fulfillment of the promises.Less
A passage from the Book of Numbers, where two explorers come back from the land of Canaan, bringing with them a pole from which hangs a cluster of grapes, in addition to the fruit of the pomegranate and the fig-tree, helps us throw some light on some important questions such as: What relationship does Christian faith see between Israel and the Catholic Church? What is the reason for the significance and the continued relevance of Israel for the Church? This chapter examines three elements of continuity together with discontinuity between Israel and the Christian Church: the eschatological character of divine revelation in the First Testament and in the New Testament; the community-oriented notion of salvation, determined by the founding principle of the covenant between the eternal God and His people; and the messianic significance of the two peoples, of the one who waits as well as of the one who contemplates the fulfillment of the promises.
Ian Ker
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199569106
- eISBN:
- 9780191702044
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199569106.003.0017
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
While writing the last stages of the Grammar, John Henry Newman was distracted by the drama unfolding at Rome. There was an attempt to define the Pope as infallible in matters of faith. Newman had ...
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While writing the last stages of the Grammar, John Henry Newman was distracted by the drama unfolding at Rome. There was an attempt to define the Pope as infallible in matters of faith. Newman had always believed in papal infallibility, but opposed the church's declaration of it. He warned that the church was not ready for the Pope's infallibility. Newman continued to explain and interpret the dogma to the people who wrote to him for advice and information. For Newman, the only infallibility the Pope possessed was the infallibility of the Roman Catholic Church. Unlike the Apostles, it was a negative gift. The Popes were not inspired but merely protected from error. He also stated that definitions involving infallibility did not come from divine revelation “but of human means, research, and consulting theologians”.Less
While writing the last stages of the Grammar, John Henry Newman was distracted by the drama unfolding at Rome. There was an attempt to define the Pope as infallible in matters of faith. Newman had always believed in papal infallibility, but opposed the church's declaration of it. He warned that the church was not ready for the Pope's infallibility. Newman continued to explain and interpret the dogma to the people who wrote to him for advice and information. For Newman, the only infallibility the Pope possessed was the infallibility of the Roman Catholic Church. Unlike the Apostles, it was a negative gift. The Popes were not inspired but merely protected from error. He also stated that definitions involving infallibility did not come from divine revelation “but of human means, research, and consulting theologians”.
William J. Abraham
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- August 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199687589
- eISBN:
- 9780191767166
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199687589.003.0011
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology, Philosophy of Religion
This chapter offers some brief comments on significant elements of Newman’s vision of divine revelation with respect to the issues in epistemology and theology that have emerged in light of his ...
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This chapter offers some brief comments on significant elements of Newman’s vision of divine revelation with respect to the issues in epistemology and theology that have emerged in light of his vision. In today’s terminology, Newman deployed an externalist vision of reason that sees human agents as complex truth-detecting organisms that can rightly rely on intuition or on cumulative case arguments that are not amenable to formal articulation. The chapter covers not just positive receptions but also important misreadings of Newman, such as the claim of scepticism. The chapter ends with some reflections on the radical differences of opinion in the assessment of a figure of the stature of Newman, especially from those doing historical research.Less
This chapter offers some brief comments on significant elements of Newman’s vision of divine revelation with respect to the issues in epistemology and theology that have emerged in light of his vision. In today’s terminology, Newman deployed an externalist vision of reason that sees human agents as complex truth-detecting organisms that can rightly rely on intuition or on cumulative case arguments that are not amenable to formal articulation. The chapter covers not just positive receptions but also important misreadings of Newman, such as the claim of scepticism. The chapter ends with some reflections on the radical differences of opinion in the assessment of a figure of the stature of Newman, especially from those doing historical research.
David L. Weddle
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814794159
- eISBN:
- 9780814784532
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814794159.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter examines the meaning and purpose of miracles in Judaism. Miracle stories in Jewish tradition express confidence in God as the original creator of the world, revealer of moral law, and ...
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This chapter examines the meaning and purpose of miracles in Judaism. Miracle stories in Jewish tradition express confidence in God as the original creator of the world, revealer of moral law, and champion of justice in human history. Biblical stories of Exodus and Sinai are interpreted as miracles performed on behalf of those with whom God entered into covenant. In the subsequent history of Israel, God worked miracles through prophets, rabbis, and masters to recall the Jewish community to their responsibility for restoring the world to justice through obedience to Torah. Miracles served the purpose of confirming the authority of divine revelation, defeating the persecutors of the Jewish people, and demonstrating God's faithfulness to his covenant with Israel in the most extreme circumstances.Less
This chapter examines the meaning and purpose of miracles in Judaism. Miracle stories in Jewish tradition express confidence in God as the original creator of the world, revealer of moral law, and champion of justice in human history. Biblical stories of Exodus and Sinai are interpreted as miracles performed on behalf of those with whom God entered into covenant. In the subsequent history of Israel, God worked miracles through prophets, rabbis, and masters to recall the Jewish community to their responsibility for restoring the world to justice through obedience to Torah. Miracles served the purpose of confirming the authority of divine revelation, defeating the persecutors of the Jewish people, and demonstrating God's faithfulness to his covenant with Israel in the most extreme circumstances.
Elizabeth Reis
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- July 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780807831021
- eISBN:
- 9781469605173
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of North Carolina Press
- DOI:
- 10.5149/9780807867990_brekus.5
- Subject:
- Religion, Religious Studies
This chapter illustrates why it is important to include women in narrative histories of Puritanism and why examining the experiences of both women and men changes our historical understanding of ...
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This chapter illustrates why it is important to include women in narrative histories of Puritanism and why examining the experiences of both women and men changes our historical understanding of Puritanism. It highlights Puritan attitudes toward divine revelation and witchcraft by focusing on how Puritans accused women of being witches and denigrated their religious experiences. The chapter views Puritanism in New England as a strongly gendered faith that offered women spiritual equality in theory only and suggests that gender often created a double standard about knowing God's secrets. It also considers the ways that women and men were expected to express their spirituality in Puritan England. Finally, the chapter demonstrates how gender shaped Puritan perception and judgment with respect to salvation, wonders and revelations, and witches and angels.Less
This chapter illustrates why it is important to include women in narrative histories of Puritanism and why examining the experiences of both women and men changes our historical understanding of Puritanism. It highlights Puritan attitudes toward divine revelation and witchcraft by focusing on how Puritans accused women of being witches and denigrated their religious experiences. The chapter views Puritanism in New England as a strongly gendered faith that offered women spiritual equality in theory only and suggests that gender often created a double standard about knowing God's secrets. It also considers the ways that women and men were expected to express their spirituality in Puritan England. Finally, the chapter demonstrates how gender shaped Puritan perception and judgment with respect to salvation, wonders and revelations, and witches and angels.
Brian Davies
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199790890
- eISBN:
- 9780199914418
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199790890.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Philosophy of Religion
Chapter 3 tried to explain some of Aquinas's basic (or metaphysical) views, ones that we need to understand in order to follow him when it comes to his approach to God and evil. They are not ...
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Chapter 3 tried to explain some of Aquinas's basic (or metaphysical) views, ones that we need to understand in order to follow him when it comes to his approach to God and evil. They are not theological views. They are ones that Aquinas thought defensible by reasonable argument without recourse to divine revelation. This chapter adds to the account of such views by turning to what Aquinas thought in general about “goodness” and “badness.” These are terms that always feature prominently in discussions of God and evil, but how did Aquinas understand them? He did not do so by drawing on beliefs about God. Rather, some of his beliefs about God depended on what he thought of goodness and badness without reference to God, thinking that formed a critical backdrop to his overall position on God and evil. That is why we need at this stage to be clear as to what it amounts to.Less
Chapter 3 tried to explain some of Aquinas's basic (or metaphysical) views, ones that we need to understand in order to follow him when it comes to his approach to God and evil. They are not theological views. They are ones that Aquinas thought defensible by reasonable argument without recourse to divine revelation. This chapter adds to the account of such views by turning to what Aquinas thought in general about “goodness” and “badness.” These are terms that always feature prominently in discussions of God and evil, but how did Aquinas understand them? He did not do so by drawing on beliefs about God. Rather, some of his beliefs about God depended on what he thought of goodness and badness without reference to God, thinking that formed a critical backdrop to his overall position on God and evil. That is why we need at this stage to be clear as to what it amounts to.
Martha Himmelfarb
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781479896950
- eISBN:
- 9781479825707
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9781479896950.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
Many of our sources pertaining to 2nd Temple Judaism, including the Apocrypha, pseudepigrapha, Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, and Philo, were preserved by Christians, leading Robert Kraft to warn ...
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Many of our sources pertaining to 2nd Temple Judaism, including the Apocrypha, pseudepigrapha, Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, and Philo, were preserved by Christians, leading Robert Kraft to warn against assuming that they were originally Jewish despite the presence of biblical allusions. Several of these works, such as those associated with Enoch, are pseudepigraphic and retell biblical stories. Others demonstrate the development of wisdom teachings and apocalyptic ideas, with accounts of heavenly ascents, divine revelations, and symbolic visions like those found in earlier texts from this genre.Less
Many of our sources pertaining to 2nd Temple Judaism, including the Apocrypha, pseudepigrapha, Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, and Philo, were preserved by Christians, leading Robert Kraft to warn against assuming that they were originally Jewish despite the presence of biblical allusions. Several of these works, such as those associated with Enoch, are pseudepigraphic and retell biblical stories. Others demonstrate the development of wisdom teachings and apocalyptic ideas, with accounts of heavenly ascents, divine revelations, and symbolic visions like those found in earlier texts from this genre.
Giordano Bruno
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- October 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780300092172
- eISBN:
- 9780300127911
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300092172.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Language
Giordano Bruno's The Cabala of Pegasus grew out of the great Italian philosopher's experiences lecturing and debating at Oxford in early 1584. Having received a cold reception there because of his ...
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Giordano Bruno's The Cabala of Pegasus grew out of the great Italian philosopher's experiences lecturing and debating at Oxford in early 1584. Having received a cold reception there because of his viewpoints, Bruno went on in the Cabala to attack the narrow-mindedness of the university—and by extension, all universities that resisted his advocacy of intellectual freethinking. The Cabala of Pegasus consists of vernacular dialogues that turn on the identification of the noble Pegasus (the spirit of poetry) and the humble ass (the vehicle of divine revelation). In the interplay of these ideas, Bruno explores the nature of poetry, divine authority, secular learning, and Pythagorean metempsychosis, which had great influence on James Joyce and many other writers and artists from the Renaissance to the modern period. This book, the first English translation of The Cabala of Pegasus, contains both the English and Italian versions as well as annotations.Less
Giordano Bruno's The Cabala of Pegasus grew out of the great Italian philosopher's experiences lecturing and debating at Oxford in early 1584. Having received a cold reception there because of his viewpoints, Bruno went on in the Cabala to attack the narrow-mindedness of the university—and by extension, all universities that resisted his advocacy of intellectual freethinking. The Cabala of Pegasus consists of vernacular dialogues that turn on the identification of the noble Pegasus (the spirit of poetry) and the humble ass (the vehicle of divine revelation). In the interplay of these ideas, Bruno explores the nature of poetry, divine authority, secular learning, and Pythagorean metempsychosis, which had great influence on James Joyce and many other writers and artists from the Renaissance to the modern period. This book, the first English translation of The Cabala of Pegasus, contains both the English and Italian versions as well as annotations.
Robert Wuthnow
- Published in print:
- 1998
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520213968
- eISBN:
- 9780520924444
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520213968.003.0005
- Subject:
- Anthropology, Anthropology, Religion
This chapter considers experiences of mystery and miracle. It states that miraculous experiences help reassure people that there is more to life than meets the eye, and presents several examples of ...
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This chapter considers experiences of mystery and miracle. It states that miraculous experiences help reassure people that there is more to life than meets the eye, and presents several examples of people who believe they have experienced some form of divine revelation. It some data on the number of Americans who believe in angels and who believe that they have had some form of divine encounter. It explains why Americans are drawn to the miraculous, and notes that religious organizations are less in control of spirituality. It shows how interest in miracles and other supernatural phenomena can be merged with the highly advanced scientific knowledge that is also characteristic of American culture. Finally, this chapter studies the interplay between spirituality and secularity.Less
This chapter considers experiences of mystery and miracle. It states that miraculous experiences help reassure people that there is more to life than meets the eye, and presents several examples of people who believe they have experienced some form of divine revelation. It some data on the number of Americans who believe in angels and who believe that they have had some form of divine encounter. It explains why Americans are drawn to the miraculous, and notes that religious organizations are less in control of spirituality. It shows how interest in miracles and other supernatural phenomena can be merged with the highly advanced scientific knowledge that is also characteristic of American culture. Finally, this chapter studies the interplay between spirituality and secularity.
William J. Abraham
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- December 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780198786528
- eISBN:
- 9780191828805
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198786528.003.0018
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology, Philosophy of Religion
Instances of near-death experiences both attract and puzzle us. Yet the canonical heritage of the church bids us find the network of concepts and images that can make sense of these experiences and ...
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Instances of near-death experiences both attract and puzzle us. Yet the canonical heritage of the church bids us find the network of concepts and images that can make sense of these experiences and the ultimate destiny of human beings in the language of eschatology. There are compelling arguments for an intermediate state in a comprehensive account of the future. There is also a network of attractive biblical images (paradise, wedding feast, a house with many mansions, and the like). We should expect comprehensive reconciliation in the life to come. We must also take seriously the prospects of judgment resulting in eternal separation from God. The warrants for our claims in this arena are essentially divine revelation and experience of God.Less
Instances of near-death experiences both attract and puzzle us. Yet the canonical heritage of the church bids us find the network of concepts and images that can make sense of these experiences and the ultimate destiny of human beings in the language of eschatology. There are compelling arguments for an intermediate state in a comprehensive account of the future. There is also a network of attractive biblical images (paradise, wedding feast, a house with many mansions, and the like). We should expect comprehensive reconciliation in the life to come. We must also take seriously the prospects of judgment resulting in eternal separation from God. The warrants for our claims in this arena are essentially divine revelation and experience of God.
Samuel Hopkins
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- March 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199916955
- eISBN:
- 9780190258368
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199916955.003.0057
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
This chapter presents excerpts from Samuel Hopkins's The System of Doctrines, Contained in Divine Revelation, Explained and Defended (1793). Hopkins is arguably the most creative thinker among ...
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This chapter presents excerpts from Samuel Hopkins's The System of Doctrines, Contained in Divine Revelation, Explained and Defended (1793). Hopkins is arguably the most creative thinker among Jonathan Edwards's followers. His innovative modifications to Edwards's thought became known as “Hopkinsianism,” in which he posited true virtue in ethical terms as opposed to Edwards's definition of virtue aesthetically as benevolence to “Being in general.” Hopkins insists that true self-love meant being willing to sacrifice personal interests for the greater good of the whole. He promoted the notion of disinterested benevolence whereby a person completely and willingly submitted to the divine will no matter what the cost. His two-volume System of Doctrines produced a systematic theology of the New Divinity movement that identified God as a moral legislator who would not tolerate selfishness. While advocating the complete sovereignty of God, Hopkins tried to justify the existence of evil in the System of Doctrines.Less
This chapter presents excerpts from Samuel Hopkins's The System of Doctrines, Contained in Divine Revelation, Explained and Defended (1793). Hopkins is arguably the most creative thinker among Jonathan Edwards's followers. His innovative modifications to Edwards's thought became known as “Hopkinsianism,” in which he posited true virtue in ethical terms as opposed to Edwards's definition of virtue aesthetically as benevolence to “Being in general.” Hopkins insists that true self-love meant being willing to sacrifice personal interests for the greater good of the whole. He promoted the notion of disinterested benevolence whereby a person completely and willingly submitted to the divine will no matter what the cost. His two-volume System of Doctrines produced a systematic theology of the New Divinity movement that identified God as a moral legislator who would not tolerate selfishness. While advocating the complete sovereignty of God, Hopkins tried to justify the existence of evil in the System of Doctrines.
Justin Champion
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- July 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780719057144
- eISBN:
- 9781781700259
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719057144.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Early Modern History
This book explores the life, thought and political commitments of the free-thinker John Toland (1670–1722). Studying both his private archive and published works, it illustrates how he moved in both ...
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This book explores the life, thought and political commitments of the free-thinker John Toland (1670–1722). Studying both his private archive and published works, it illustrates how he moved in both subversive and elite political circles in England and abroad. The book explores the connections between Toland's republican political thought and his irreligious belief about Christian doctrine, the ecclesiastical establishment and divine revelation, arguing that far from being a marginal and insignificant figure, he counted queens, princes and government ministers as his friends and political associates. In particular, Toland's intimate relationship with the Electress Sophia of Hanover saw him act as a court philosopher, but also as a powerful publicist for the Hanoverian succession. The book argues that he shaped the republican tradition after the Glorious Revolution into a practical and politically viable programme, focused not on destroying the monarchy but on reforming public religion and the Church of England. It also examines how Toland used his social intimacy with a wide circle of men and women (ranging from Prince Eugene of Savoy to Robert Harley) to distribute his ideas in private. The book explores the connections between his erudition and print culture, arguing that his intellectual project was aimed at compromising the authority of Christian ‘knowledge’ as much as the political power of the Church. Overall, it illustrates how Toland's ideas and influence impacted upon English political life between the 1690s and the 1720s.Less
This book explores the life, thought and political commitments of the free-thinker John Toland (1670–1722). Studying both his private archive and published works, it illustrates how he moved in both subversive and elite political circles in England and abroad. The book explores the connections between Toland's republican political thought and his irreligious belief about Christian doctrine, the ecclesiastical establishment and divine revelation, arguing that far from being a marginal and insignificant figure, he counted queens, princes and government ministers as his friends and political associates. In particular, Toland's intimate relationship with the Electress Sophia of Hanover saw him act as a court philosopher, but also as a powerful publicist for the Hanoverian succession. The book argues that he shaped the republican tradition after the Glorious Revolution into a practical and politically viable programme, focused not on destroying the monarchy but on reforming public religion and the Church of England. It also examines how Toland used his social intimacy with a wide circle of men and women (ranging from Prince Eugene of Savoy to Robert Harley) to distribute his ideas in private. The book explores the connections between his erudition and print culture, arguing that his intellectual project was aimed at compromising the authority of Christian ‘knowledge’ as much as the political power of the Church. Overall, it illustrates how Toland's ideas and influence impacted upon English political life between the 1690s and the 1720s.
