DOCSLIB.ORG

Summary of Basic Beliefs of Various Religious Faiths

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Summary of Basic Beliefs of Various Religious Faiths Summary of Basic Beliefs of Various Religious Faiths With people from at least 62 different nationalities currently living in Cleveland and Bradley County, you are going to find a great diversity of cultures and of religions in our community. It is important for you and your team to be aware of the different faiths you will encounter among those whom you will be trying to reach with the Gospel. This section gives a brief background and explanation of the some prominent belief systems you may encounter. Always remember that, as Christians, our responsibility is to represent Christ first and foremost . When you meet people, always be considerate and friendly, asks questions and listen to the answers to try to know everything you can about the person and his/her beliefs BEFORE you try to witness to them. And allow them to ask questions. When you answer, try to refer them to Scripture and to focus their attention on Jesus Christ and His work. Avoid confrontations or controversies of any kind. And please concentrate on planting the seeds of the Gospel; do not worry about the harvest. That will come in time. Tips for Relating with Persons from Any Religious Faith 1. Ask questions and listen to answers before you speak. them? (i.e., if a Mormon says they practice Mormonism Try to understand and work to befriend people before because of an emphasis on family values, point out that you try to present the Gospel. Christ offers ultimate adoption as a child of God.) 2. Remember that just as in Christianity, each individual 3. Keep it personal. Sliding into a theoretical debate will practices his or her religion differently. Very few people rarely change anyone’s perspective. Your story of how practice the pure unadulterated ideal of a specific Christ has changed your life is your most valuable tool. religion. When talking to people who claim to be 4. Do not laugh at or criticize another viewpoint. People are Buddhist, Hindu, etc., do not attack the principles you misled, and some cults and religions may strike you as may know of the religion. Ask questions to discover ridiculous. But people place their eternal souls in the where that person is on their spiritual journey. Did they care of these beliefs. Laughing them off will not touch choose their religion, or is it primarily a cultural anyone’s life. The devil prowls like a roaring lion, identifier? What aspects of their religion helped them seeking whom he may devour — by making cults and choose to practice it and what does Christ have to offer false teachings seem reasonable and redemptive. Religious Faiths Buddhism Other key doctrines: • Eternal Life : Believe nothing in life is permanent. Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, a prince from northern • Souls : Individual selves do not truly exist, but in India, near modern Nepal, who lived from 536 - 483 BC. relation to others. We are all related to a greater whole Buddhism was founded as a form of atheism : rejecting the of consciousness. belief in a permanent, personal, creator god (Ishvara) who • Karma controlled the eternal destiny of human souls. This is an : An impersonal law of moral causation impersonal religion of self-perfection where the ultimate (karma) determines all. “What goes around comes around.” end is death and is closely related to the New Age • Movement. The goal is eventual assimilation into a great Reincarnation : Souls continue on an endless cycle of whole of spirituality, losing your “self.” human suffering, being reborn until they are able to There are three main schools within Buddhism: live a perfect life. The goal of life is to break out of Theravada (doctrine of the Elders), Mahayana (Greater this cycle by finally extinguishing the flame of life and Vehicle), and Vajrayana (Tantrism or Lamaism). The entering the permanent state of pure nonexistence: Buddhist belief system is founded on four Noble Truths, The Nirvana. (Many believe Nirvana is achieved when Noble Eightfold Path, and several additional key doctrines. perfect life is accomplished.) • The four Noble Truths are: 1) Life is full of suffering, 2) Buddha : Buddha was the only man believed to have Suffering is caused by craving, 3) Suffering only ceases achieved nirvana. He is not a god/deity, but a role when cravings cease, and 4) This can be achieved by model. following the Noble Eightfold Path. The Noble Eightfold Key question: Ask how one is supposed to achieve the Path refers to: right views, right aspirations, right speech, perfection of the noble 8-fold path? (We, as people, are right livelihood, right conduct, right effort, right imperfect , and can only improve with the help of Christ.) contemplation, right mindfulness. When Witnessing To Buddhists • Theosis (literally, “divinization”), the gradual 1. Avoid terms such as “new birth,” “rebirth,” process by which Christians become more and more “regeneration,” or “born again.” Use alternatives like Christ. such as “endless freedom from suffering, guilt, and • Equal authority of Church Tradition and Scripture sin,” “new power for living a holy life,” “promise of • Discouragement of individuals interpreting the Bible eternal good life without suffering,” or “gift of apart from tradition unlimited merit.” • The perpetual virginity of Mary 2. Emphasize the uniqueness of Christ. • Prayer for the dead 3. Focus on the gospel message and do not get • Baptism of infants without reference to individual distracted by details of Buddhist doctrine. responsibility and faith 4. Understand Buddhist beliefs enough to discern • The possibility of salvation after death weaknesses that can be used to make the gospel • The possibility of losing salvation appealing (see “Bridges for Evangelizing Buddhists” and “Jesus and the Eightfold Path”) Witnessing to members of Eastern Orthodox churches: 5. While using bridge concepts (see “Bridges for Most Orthodox beliefs are in agreement with Roman Evangelizing Buddhists”) be careful not to reduce Catholic beliefs —and many are in direct conflict with the Christian truth to a form of Buddhism. Buddhism Bible— . Similarly, when witnessing to members of the has been good at accommodating other religions. Do Eastern Orthodox churches you may follow the same not say “Buddhism is good, but Christianity is principles as when witnessing to Roman Catholics: easier.” 1. Remember that salvation does not depend on church 6. Share your own testimony, especially your freedom membership, but comes through faith in Jesus Christ from guilt, assurance of heaven (no more pain), and (Eph. 2:8-9). personal relationship with Christ. 2. Pray and trust in the Holy Spirit to use the gospel 7. Prepare with prayer. Do not witness in your own message to reach the hearts and minds of those who strength. are lost. 3. Share a testimony of your personal faith in Jesus Eastern Orthodox Church Christ as your Lord and Savior. Your testimony of The Eastern Orthodox Church is not a single church but what Jesus has accomplished in your life can have a rather a family of 13 self-governing bodies, denominated by great impact on them. Keep your testimony short. the nation in which they are located (e.g., the Greek Avoid using terms that are unfamiliar to Easter Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, etc.). They are united in their Orthodox, such as: “walked the aisle,” “got saved,” understanding of the sacraments, doctrine, liturgy, and and “born again.” church government, but each administers its own affairs. The 4. Share the assurance of salvation that God's grace five largest Orthodox bodies in the world are: Russian (70 to gives you. Make sure that you communicate that 100 million), Romanian (over 15 million), Greek (over 13 your assurance is derived from trusting Jesus and not million), Serbian (over 8 million), and Bulgarian (over 7 from your good works or your ability to remain million). There are over 6 million Orthodox people in the faithful (1 John 5:13). United States. 5. Give them a Bible and point them to the New The head of each Orthodox church is called a “patriarch” Testament. Point out texts that explain salvation. or “metropolitan.” The patriarch of Constantinople (Istanbul, (Rom. 3:23, 5:8, 6:23, 10:9, 13; John 3:16; Eph. 2:8- Turkey) is considered the “ecumenical” or universal 9.) patriarch. He is the closest thing to the Pope in the Roman 6. Avoid getting bogged down with secondary issues Catholic Church, however, while the Pope is known as “the that are not central to salvation. vicar of the Son of God”, the bishop of Constantinople is 7. Keep the gospel presentation Christ-centered. known as “the first amongst equals”. He enjoys special 8. Be patient. As with Catholics, they need to be lead honor, but he has no power to interfere with the 12 other to salvation through Bible study and that takes time. Orthodox communions. Hinduism Basic Beliefs: Originated in India around 1500 BC - 2500 BC. An • Like the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox estimated 1.5 - 2 million Hindus practice in the US. In Church claims to be the one true church of Christ, Hinduism, no single creed or final truth exists. Hinduism and seeks to trace its origin back to the original originates from a pagan background in which forces of nature apostles through an unbroken chain of apostolic and human heroes are personified as gods and goddesses. succession. • These gods and goddesses are commonly worshiped with Trinity prayers and offerings. • The Bible as the Word of God There are two types of Hinduism: Popular Hinduism, • Jesus as God the Son, characterized by the worship of gods through offerings, • No justification by faith rituals, and prayers, and Philosophical Hinduism, characterized by a complex belief system practiced by those Islam who study ancient texts, meditate, and practice yoga.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • On Faith-Healing New Secular Humanist Centers?
    New Secular More on Humanist Faith-Healing Centers? James Randi Paul Kurtz Gerald Larue Vern Bullough Henry Gordon Bob Wisne David Alexander Faith-healer Robert Roberts Also: Is Goldilocks Dangerous? • Pornography • The Supreme Court • Southern Baptists • Protestantism, Catholicism, and Unbelief in France 1n Its Tree _I FALL 1986, VOL. 6, NO. 4 ISSN 0272-0701 Contents 3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 17 BIBLICAL SCORECARD 62 CLASSIFIED 12 ON THE BARRICADES 60 IN THE NAME OF GOD 6 EDITORIALS Is Goldilocks Dangerous? Paul Kurtz / Pornography, Censorship, and Freedom, Paul Kurtz I Reagan's Judiciary, Ronald A. Lindsay / Is Secularism Neutral? Richard J. Burke / Southern Baptists Betray Heritage, Robert S. Alley / The Holy-Rolling of America, Frank Johnson 14 HUMANIST CENTERS New Secular Humanist Centers, Paul Kurtz / The Need for Friendship Centers, Vern L. Bullough / Toward New Humanist Organizations, Bob Wisne THE EVIDENCE AGAINST REINCARNATION 18 Are Past-Life Regressions Evidence for Reincarnation? Melvin Harris 24 The Case Against Reincarnation (Part 1) Paul Edwards BELIEF AND UNBELIEF WORLDWIDE 35 Protestantism, Catholicism, and Unbelief in Present-Day France Jean Boussinesq MORE ON FAITH-HEALING 46 CS ER's Investigation Gerald A. Larue 46 An Answer to Peter Popoff James Randi 48 Popoff's TV Empire Declines .. David Alexander 49 Richard Roberts's Healing Crusade Henry Gordon IS SECULAR HUMANISM A RELIGION? 52 A Response to My Critics Paul Beattie 53 Diminishing Returns Joseph Fletcher 54 On Definition-Mongering Paul Kurtz BOOKS 55 The Other World of Shirley MacLaine Ring Lardner, Jr. 57 Saintly Starvation Bonnie Bullough VIEWPOINTS 58 Papal Pronouncements Delos B. McKown 59 Yahweh: A Morally Retarded God William Harwood Editor: Paul Kurtz Associate Editors: Doris Doyle, Steven L.
    [Show full text]
  • Religion of Science-Fantasy Cults Martin Gardner
    Summer 1987 Vol. 7, No. 3 .40,11 Was the Universe Created? Victor Stenger The New Religion of Science-Fantasy Cults Martin Gardner The Relativity of Biblical Ethics Joe Edward Barnhart Plus "Pearlygate" Morality • New Directions for Humanism • Personal Paths to Humanism with Joseph Fletcher, Anne Gaylor, Rita Mae Brown, Ashley Montagu, and Mario Bunge • Tyranny of the Creed by John Allegro _- FreeC SUMMER 1987, VOL. 7, NO. 3 ISSN 0272-0701 Contents 3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 9 PERSPECTIVE 10 ON THE BARRICADES 61 IN THE NAME OF GOD 62 CLASSIFIED 6 EDITORIALS "Pearlygate" Morality Paul Kurtz / New Directions for Humanism / Catholic Consistency at Any Cost Tom Flynn 12 The Tyranny of the Creed John Allegro BELIEF AND UNBELIEF AROUND THE WORLD 14 Japan and Biblical Religion Richard L. Rubenstein 21 Letter to a Missionary Ronn Nadeau ARTICLES 22 The Relativity of Biblical Ethics Joe Edward Barnhart 25 Xenoglossy and Glossolalia Don Laycock 26 Was the Universe Created? Victor Stenger 31 Science-Fantasy Religious Cults Martin Gardner PERSONAL PATHS TO HUMANISM 36 A Secular Humanist Confession Joseph Fletcher 37 Free from Religion Anne Nicol Gay!or 38 Surrender to Life Rita Mae Brown 40 As if Living and Loving Were One Ashley Montagu 42 Growing Up Agnostic in Argentina Mario Bunge 46 The Case Against Reincarnation (Part 4) Paul Edwards BOOKS 54 The Cult of Objectivism Nathaniel Branden 55 Propaganda Before Education Gordon Stein 56 Critiquing the Old Unities Robert Basil Rita Mae Brown's and Ashler Montagu's articles are adapted by permission from The Courage of Conviction, edited by Philip Berman, published in hardcover by Dodd, Mead, and Company and in paperback by Ballantine Books.
    [Show full text]
  • Key Bible Concepts Defining the Basic Terms of the Christian Faith
    Gooding and Lennox are exemplary guides to the deepest questions of life. — Justin Brierley Key Bible Concepts Defining the basic terms of the Christian faith David Gooding John Lennox Key Bible Concepts Myrtlefield Encounters Myrtlefield Encountersare complementary studies of bib- lical literature, Christian teaching and apologetics. The books in this series engage the minds of believers and sceptics. They show how God has spoken in the Bible to address the realities of life and its questions, problems, beauty and potential. Books in this series: Key Bible Concepts: Defining the Basic Terms of the Christian Faith Christianity: Opium or Truth?: Answering Thoughtful Objections to the Christian Faith The Definition of Christianity: Exploring the Original Meaning of the Christian Faith The Bible and Ethics: Finding the Moral Foundations of the Christian Faith Key Bible Concepts Defining the Basic Terms of the Christian Faith David Gooding John Lennox Myrtlefield Encounters David Gooding and John Lennox have asserted their rights under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Authors of this work. Copyright © The Myrtlefield Trust, 1997, 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, elec- tronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher or a license permitting restricted copy- ing. In the UK such licenses are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd., Barnard’s Inn, 86 Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1EN. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
    [Show full text]
  • Rejecting the Da Vinci Code
    REJECTING THE DA VINCI CODE REJECTING THE DA VINCI CODE How a Blasphemous Novel Brutally Attacks Our Lord and the Catholic Church by TFP Committee on American Issues THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE DEFENSE OF TRADITION, FAMILY AND PROPERTY — TFP SPRING GROVE, PENN. 17362 Cover illustration: Painting by Carl Bloch in St. Nicholas Church in Holbaek, Denmark Dedication page illustration: Statue of the Immaculate Conception in the Piazza di Spagna, Rome. Copyright © 2005 The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property®—TFP® 1358 Jefferson Road, Spring Grove, Penn. 17362–(866) 661-0272 www.tfp.org All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property®—TFP® This book is being distributed as part of the TFP’s America Needs Fatima cam- paign. The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property®, TFP® and America Needs Fatima® are registered names of The Foundation for a Christian Civilization, Inc., a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ISBN-13: 978-1-877905-34-6 ISBN-10: 1-877905-34-8 Library of Congress Control Number: 2005933168 Printed in Canada American TFP Archive This book is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, patroness of the United States. We implore her to hasten the triumph of her Immaculate Heart promised at Fatima. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The publication of this book was made possible through the generosity of the TFP-America Needs Fatima Protectors of the Faith donors listed below: Distinguished Members George and Theresa Marie Chouquette Honored Members Mrs.
    [Show full text]
  • The Nativist Prophets of Early Islamic Iran: Rural Revolt and Local
    The Nativist Prophets of Early Islamic Iran Patricia Crone’s latest book is about the Iranian response to the Muslim penetration of the Iranian countryside, the revolts triggered there, and the religious communities that these revolts revealed. The book also describes a complex of religious ideas that, however varied in space and unstable over time, has demonstrated a remarkable persistence in Iran across a period of two millennia. The central thesis is that this complex of ideas has been endemic to the mountain population of Iran and has occasionally become epidemic with major consequences for the country, most strikingly in the revolts examined here and in the rise of the Safavids who imposed Shˉı‘ism on Iran. This learned and engaging ˙ book by one of the most influential scholars of early Islamic history casts entirely new light on the nature of religion in pre-Islamic Iran, and on the persistence of Iranian religious beliefs both outside and inside Islam after the Arab conquest. Patricia Crone is Mellon Professor of Islamic History in the School of Historical Studies, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. Her numerous publications include Slaves on Horses: The Evolution of the Islamic Polity (1980, 2003); God’s Caliph: Religious Authority in the First Centuries of Islam, co-authored with Martin Hinds (1986, 2003); Pre-Industrial Societies: Anatomy of the Pre-Modern World (1989, 2003); and Medieval Islamic Political Thought (2005). The Nativist Prophets of Early Islamic Iran Rural Revolt and Local Zoroastrianism PATRICIA CRONE Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton cambridge university press Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo, Delhi, Mexico City Cambridge University Press 32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-2473, USA www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9781107018792 © Patricia Crone 2012 This publication is in copyright.
    [Show full text]
  • Reincarnation in Abrahamic Religions
    Leiden University Centre for the Study of Religion (LUCSoR) Master Thesis in Theology and Religious Studies Reincarnation in Abrahamic Religions Submitted by: S. Meysami-Azad Supervisor: Prof. dr. A.F. de Jong Second reader: Dr. E.M. de Boer 31 August 2017 Leiden ADAM ENOCH NOAH ABRAHAM MOSES DAVID ELIJAH JESUS MOHAMMAD 2 Table of Contents Foreword ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 1. Reincarnation; Terminology and Definition .......................................................................................... 7 2. Views of the Afterlife in Judaism ........................................................................................................ 11 2.1. General Views .................................................................................................................................. 12 2.2. The Belief in Reincarnation in Judaism ...................................................................................... 16 2.2.1. Early Period ............................................................................................................................... 16 2.2.2 In Kabbalistic Tradition .............................................................................................................. 19 3. Views of the Afterlife in Christianity ...................................................................................................... 21 3.1 General Views ..................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The University of Sydney Copyright in Relation to This Thesis·
    The University of Sydney Copyright in relation to this thesis· Under the Copyright Act 1968 (several provision of which are referred to below), this thesis must be used only under the normal conditions of scholarly fair dealing for the purposes of research, criticism or review. In particular no results or conclusions should be extracted from it. nor should it be copied or closely paraphrased in whole or in part without the written consent of the author. Proper written acknowledgement should be made for any assistance obtained from this thesis. Under Section 35(2) of the Copyright Act 1968 'the author of a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work is the owner of any copyright subsisting in the work'. By virtue of Section 32( I) copyright 'subsists in an original literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work that is unpublished' and of which the author was an Australian citizen, an Australian protected person or a person reSident in Australia. The Act. by Section 36( I) provides: 'Subject to this Act. the copyright in a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work is mfringed by a person who, not being the owner of the copyright and without the licence of the owner of the copyright, does in Australia. or authorises the doing in Australia of, any act comprised in the copyright'. Section 31 (I )(a)(i) provides that copyright includes the exclusive right to 'reproduce the work in a material form'.Thus, copyright IS mfringed by a person who, not being the owner of the copyright. reproduces or authorises the reproduction of a work.
    [Show full text]
  • Christ Our Righteousness, Parts 1-6 Video: $35; Audio: $12 Please Add 10% Shipping
    Editorial opportunity to learn what is truth. Ten- "Do we realize how large a number 1 derly will the Lord look upon them. His In the world are watching our move- , heart of mercy is touched; His hand is ments? From quarters where we least still stretched out to save, while the door expect will come voices urging us for- is closed to those who would not enter." ward in the work of giving to the world Testimonies, vol. 9, 97. the last message of mercy. Ministers and ND that, knowing the time, that "God cannot forbear much longer. people, wake up! Be quick to recognize now it is high time to awake out Already His judgments are beginning to and seize every opportunity and advan- A of sleep: for now is OUf salvation fall on some places, and soon His signal tage offered in the turning of the wheel nearer than when we believed. The night displeasure will be felt in other places." of providence. God and Christ and the is far spent, the day is at hand: let us Testimonies, vol. 9, 96. heavenly angels are working with in- therefore cast off the works of darkness, There will come to the faithful an tense activity to hold in check the fierce- and let us put on the armour of light. Let understanding of these events, the pur- ness of Satan's wrath, that God's plans us walk honestly, as in the day; not in pose of which is to bring an urgency to may not be thwarted.
    [Show full text]
  • Assembled Book
    Epilogue The Lord Jesus ended His Sermon on the Mount with three warnings. He did this because God is not willing that anyone should perish (2 Pet. 3:9). These three warnings should cause all to ask the following three questions: 1. What is the one and only way that will lead to eternal life (Mt. 7:13-14)? 2. Who are the false prophets [teachers] that will deceive many (Mt. 7:15)? 3. Why will so many who call Jesus Christ, Lord, not be able to enter into the kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 7:21-23)? The correct answers can only be found in the Holy Bible (Jn. 14:6)! We will now examine the three specific warnings with which the Lord Jesus closed His Sermon on the Mount and how they pertain to every man, woman, and child who has ever been conceived and born. The First Warning (Matthew 7:13-14) The Way The first of these three warnings described the two ways that people had to choose taking. Each of these ways would lead to gates through which they would reach their eternal destiny. The first way is described as the broad [wide] way that most people will take even though it leads to their destruction [loss]. In contrast, the second way is described as being the narrow [compressed] way, that would lead to eternal life [connection] with God. Thus, the eternal destiny of every human being, will be determined by the way [road] they choose to take (Mt. 7:13-14). As the Lord Jesus Christ made His way towards Jerusalem, He was asked if only a “few” people would be saved (Lk.
    [Show full text]
  • Animal Ethics in Al-Ma90arrī's Epistle of the Horse and the Mule
    religions Article Suffering the Sons of Eve: Animal Ethics in al-Ma arr“ ı’s¯ Epistle of the Horse and the Mule Kevin Blankinship Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA; [email protected] Received: 1 June 2020; Accepted: 4 August 2020; Published: 10 August 2020 Abstract: In the year 1021 CE, blind author and skeptic Abu¯ l-( Ala¯ ) al-Ma( arr¯ı (d. 1057 CE) wrote Risalat¯ al-s.ahil¯ wa-l-sha¯h. ij (The Epistle of the Horse and the Mule), a winding prose work populated by animal characters who talk about poetry, grammar, riddles, and Syrian society on the eve of the crusades. Traditionally forgotten as a source for al-Ma( arr¯ı’s pacifism, and his vegan worldview, the S. ahil¯ lets readers see his thinking on animals more than most other works. After a brief survey of animals in Islam, which shows a mainstream desire for balance between human and non-human needs, as well as exceptional cases that strongly uphold animals as subjects per se and which stand as ( key inter-texts for al-Ma arr¯ı, this paper considers how the S. ahil¯ champions non-human creatures through images of animal cruelty deployed to shock readers into compassion, and through poetry and popular sayings (amthal)¯ recast in a zoocentric mold. It, therefore, advocates with more fervor than anthropocentric Islamic writings on animals, such as Kal¯ılah wa-Dimnah or the letters of the Ikhwan¯ ) ( al-S. afa¯ . However, this happens in a way that makes it hard to pin down the sources of al-Ma arr¯ı’s thought.
    [Show full text]
  • Krister Stendahl(Ed.), Immortality and Resurrection(New York: Mac· 18
    Notes CHAPTER I: THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE QUESTION I. I John 5.7. 2. I Corinthians I5.35- 42 (NEB). CHAPTER 2: CONFUSION IN TRADITIONAL CHRISTIAN OPTIONS ABOUT 'THE LIFE OF THE WORLD TO COME" I. Ezekiel 9.IO. 2. Psalm 6.6. 3. Psalm I39.8 QB); cf. Deuteronomy 32.22, Amos 9.2, Isaiah 7.11. 4. Acts 23.8. 5. 2 Corinthians I2.2 6. I Enoch 48.9. Enoch, among apocryphal books, was very popular with early Christians. 7. It is so used in this general sense in Nehemiah 2.8, Song of Solomon 4.l::S, Ecclesiastes 2. 5. 8. Luke 23.43. 9. Daniel I2.2 10. E.g. 2 Maccabees 7.9, 14.46. 11. Matthew 22.23, Mark 12.18, Luke 20.27, Acts 23.8. 12. 2 Timothy 2.17. 13. Romans 6.23. 14. 2 Timothy 2.18. 15. Oscar Cullmann, 'Immortality of the Soul or Resurrection of the Dead,' in Krister Stendahl(ed.), Immortality and Resurrection(New York: Mac· millan, 1965) p.45. Cf. Acts 17.32. 16. Mark 10.I7. 17. Philippians I. 23. 18. Gregory of Nyssa, De anima et resurrectione, in Migne, P.G. 46, 108D. 19. Tatian, Oratio ad Graecos, 6. 20. Revelation 20.4 ff. 21. Justin, Dialogue with Trypho, 5. 22. Ibid. 80. CHAPTER 3: WAYS OF UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF REINCARNATION 1. Act iv, Scene I. 2. Psalm 19. 7. 3. Psalm 89.1. 4. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, I, 2, 2 ad 1. 150 Notes and References 151 5.
    [Show full text]
  • Reincarnation, Christianity and the Dogma of the Church Unmasking the Myth That the Reincarnation Doctrine Would Be Unchristian
    Jan Erik Sigdell Reincarnation, Christianity and the Dogma of the Church Unmasking the Myth that the Reincarnation Doctrine would be Unchristian Translated from the original German text by the author partly extended and improved Original: Reinkarnation, Christentum und das kirchliche Dogma Ibera, Vienna, 2001 You made me so special… You made me so special that the world you offered me was lost between my hands. Or did you make a mistake and threw me into hell were the humans live? Tan especial me hiciste… Tan especial me hiciste que el mundo que me ofreciste se perdió entre mis manos. ¿O fue que te confundiste y me arrojaste al infierno donde viven los humanos? By the Spanish poet and artist Manuel Marquez Alba personally given to the author in 1983 (who translated it) Contents Preface Page 4 Preface to the English translation 5 Introduction 6 Chapter 1 THE THEODICY PROBLEM IN A NEW VIEW Free Will and Reincarnation as a Solution 10 Chapter 2 IS THE REINCARNATION DOCTRINE UNCHRISTIAN – OR MERELY UNECCLESIASTICAL? 16 Chapter 3 ORIGEN AND THE MANIPULATION OF HIS TEXTS 27 Chapter 4 THE FALL OF THE ANGELS IN A MODERN VIEW 35 Chapter 5 DIMENSIONS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE RIDDLES OF THE CREATION 42 Chapter 6 FROM ORIGEN TO JUSTINIAN 46 Chapter 7 ARE BODY AND SOUL INSEPARABLE? 50 Chapter 8 REINCARNATION – WHY DOES THE CHURCH FEAR IT? 54 Chapter 9 ARGUMENTS OF THE OPPONENTS 60 Chapter 10 REINCARNATION – WHY DO PEOPLE FEAR IT? 65 Chapter 11 DOES THE CHURCH WANT CHRIST TO RETURN? 67 Chapter 12 CRITIC’S ACCUSATIONS TO THE CHURCH 74 Chapter 13 CAN THE CHURCH RECONCILE WITH REINCARNATION? 79 Chapter 14 HISTORY AND PRINCIPLE OF PAST-LIFE THERAPY 82 Chapter 15 AFTER-DEATH EXPERIENCE OF A FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN 91 Appendix 1 REINCARNATION IN JESUS’ TEACHINGS by Palle Wischmann 93 Appendix 2 THE PRESENT-TENSE LORD’S PRAYER AND ADDITIONAL PRAYERS 105 About the author 108 4 PREFACE During many years, I used the opportunity of my travelling to gather facts and material in various university and institution libraries in Europe.
    [Show full text]