Christian Faith: Beliefs, Reason, and Following Christ
The Truth to Believe as a Christian
Key Manifestations of Christian Faith:
- Believing in one God and the truths He has revealed.
- For Christians, believing in God is inseparable from believing in Jesus Christ, His beloved Son.
- Believing in God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ means believing in the Holy Spirit.
Christians are to believe all the truths contained in the Creed. Christian faith involves a full commitment to the symbol of faith and all the truths revealed within it. It’s not a matter of
Read MoreNotre Dame Cathedral & Ghent Altarpiece: History & Art
Notre Dame Cathedral: A Gothic Masterpiece
Notre Dame: The construction of this cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, was launched at the behest of the bishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully. It exhibits the same structural elements as other great cathedrals of the time, such as Saint Denis, Laon, and Senlis, including the framework for the facade of two towers, three open gates, and the large central rosette. However, in this case, the architectural proportions of this building are of perfect
Read MoreChrist and the Church: Universal Sacrament of Salvation
Following the downward arrow at each stage, we approach everyday life. God becomes visible in history. Following the upward arrow, man’s life ascends, step by step, to the revelation of the true face of God.
The sacramental life constantly makes this double movement: God comes to man, and man goes to God. Jesus Christ, through his Church, appears as the path that unites man with God.
If a sacrament, in the religious sense, means revelation and gift of God’s salvation in and through an outward and
Read MoreChurch History in Africa: Key Concepts and Questions
Church History in Africa: Revision
- Primary Focus: God and the coming of His Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Three Reasons to Study Church History:
- Scripture exhorts us to study history.
- God wants us to be inspired by men and women of faith who have gone before us and to learn from those who have failed.
- Studying history gives us a sense of God’s purpose as it relates to humanity.
- Key Theological Terms:
- Pneumatology: The study of the Holy Spirit.
- Missiology: The study of God’s mission.
- Ecclesiology:
Understanding Analytic vs. Synthetic Judgments: A Priori Knowledge
Analytic vs. Synthetic Judgments: A Priori Knowledge
Analytic judgments a priori are statements considered analytical (not adding new knowledge) when the predicate expresses something already implicitly included in the concept of the subject, within its definition. For example, the concept of a stone includes the idea of “occupying space,” i.e., “possessing a certain extent.” A stone that does not occupy space would be nothing; it would be absurd to say that unextended stones exist. An indirect proof
Read MoreSaint Augustine: Life, Conversion, and Theological Impact
Augustine, born in Tagaste (Souk Ahras, Algeria) in 354, was endowed with great imagination and extraordinary skill. In his tireless search for truth, Augustine explored various philosophical schools, none of which fully addressed his concerns.
He questioned certain aspects of Christianity (the problem of evil, freedom, the literary quality of the Bible, etc.) without ever abandoning the Christian tradition inherited from his mother.
In his youth, he had experiences he later regretted. At age 32,
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