One of the striking things about Paul’s letters is they sound like Papal missives or decrees. Paul was a self-made man from Tarsus and a self-proclaimed apostle. But his long and weighty letters make him sound like a Roman provincial administrator. In fact, the letters themselves depict Paul as such an administrator who makes the … End of Year Post. Announcing My Fourth and Final Essay on the Historical Paul and Prof Nina Livesey

Heidegger notes in the history of philosophy as metaphysics from Plato to Nietzsche the central “world” or context the questions are being interrogated in are that of Being, which made scientific reasoning possible. The Greek word for Being, ousia, which first became a technical term in Aristotle originally meant estate, the general sphere or network … Jacques Derrida and the Philosophy of Death: The Gift of Death chapter 2(b) with Heidegger, Derrida, and Artificial Intelligence

What I would like to do below is read some key passages from the beginning of chapter two and then illuminate them with some thoughts on Heidegger, Derrida, and AI.  Derrida says: What we are here calling the apprehension of death refers as much to the concern, anxious solicitude, care taken for the soul (epimeleia … Jacques Derrida and the Philosophy of Death: The Gift of Death chapter 2(a) with Heidegger, Derrida, and Artificial Intelligence

Previous Post New Blog Post Series: Jacques Derrida and the Philosophy of Death One of the great mysteries of philosophy’s contact with religion and death since Kierkegaard is the story of Abraham being told by God to sacrifice his son Isaac. There are 2 major issues here. On the one hand God has promised Abraham … Jacques Derrida and the Philosophy of Death: The Gift of Death chapter 1

In the last series I talked in good Heideggerian fashion about how our stance/being toward death is going to establish the way in which the human condition unfolds for us. For example, I summarized that: Death is such a wonderful topic in Philosophy, like in Plato’s dialogues or Heidegger’s Being and Time.  Of course, most … New Blog Post Series: Jacques Derrida and the Philosophy of Death

Previously: The Meaning of Life Through Death What’s the Point of the Bible? (2/2) What’s the Point of the Bible: Causing Anagnorisis in the Reader (CONCLUSION) What’s the Point of the Bible: What is Faith?  It’s not What you Think Breaking the Demonic Spell: A Twofold Interpretation of Sin in Christian Origins Holiday Post Series: … Afterword: The Apostle Paul and the Philosophy of Death

Previously: The Meaning of Life Through Death What’s the Point of the Bible? (2/2) What’s the Point of the Bible: Causing Anagnorisis in the Reader (CONCLUSION) What’s the Point of the Bible: What is Faith?  It’s not What you Think Breaking the Demonic Spell: A Twofold Interpretation of Sin in Christian Origins Holiday Post Series: … Conclusion: Salvation in Paul’s Letter to the Romans

I’m continuing with this study of Paul’s letter to the Romans. We noted previously that though the pagans did not have the letter of the Law, they followed the Law because the spirit of the Law was written on their hearts.  It was this spirit of the Law Jesus and Paul were interested in, because … (Romans 3) The Modes of Salvation in Romans

A recurring theme in the Old Testament is about the inherent flaws or sinful inclinations of the human heart: Genesis 6:5 states: “The Lord saw that the wickedness of humans was great in the earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually.” Genesis 8:21 notes: “And when the … (Part 1 on Romans 2): The Models of Salvation in Romans

I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of demon possession and people being forced to sin against their wills, not just Sin as transgression, but having a demonic sinful disposition toward life. I will look at Romans for this next time, but I want to start here with the idea that there are two … (Part 2) Divine/Demonic Possession and the Heart of Christianity