(Theatrical poster for a mind reading performance, 1900 wiki) In this essay Sudduth covers a lot of ground, but mainly considers Keith Augustine’s critique of recent attempts to use the example of a well-known medium Mrs. Piper to argue the soul continues to exist after death.  The idea of being a medium is generally someone … (Part 1) Michael Sudduth on The Augustine-Braude Bigelow Survival Debate: A Postmortem and Prospects for Future Directions

Previously, I’ve talked about how Trump is positioning himself that a vote against him is a vote against God. What better way to spend a political rally than as Christian Worship time, lol? For anyone not familiar with evangelical worship practices, Noem is raising her hand filled with the Spirit. Your name Your email Subject … Never Saw This at a Political Rally: Trump as God’s Candidate

Check out the trailer for our new Kids chapter book: Your name Your email Subject Your message (optional)

There is a really interesting thing happening in politics right now. Politicians have adopted a lawyer schema where they defend their side at the expense of the truth. And, the people have responded accordingly. For the above example, liberal voters say Vance is avoiding the question, whereas conservative voters say Vance flipped the script questioning … JD Vance: Flip The Script?

Last time I said: Now, the conclusion: Paul notes there were many different factions teaching variations on Jesus, “12 What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified … The Christ Myth Theory: Did Jesus Exist on Earth or Start Out as a Myth?

One popular idea on the internet is Jesus started out as a vague dying/rising savior myth that was later placed in historical stories (Euhemerized). How do New Testament specialists teaching New Testament at accredited Secular universities respond to this? Against mythicism, Prof Bart Ehrman notes for Paul righteousness came through the cross/resurrection, that if it … Did Jesus Exist or Start Out as a Myth

Masaccio’s fresco (1424-28), in the Brancacci Chapel, Florence, emphasizes the nakedness and shame of the original sinners. Photo: Bridgeman Images (wiki) 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die, 5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw … John MacDonald Internet Infidels/Secular Web Religious Studies Essays

Saint Paul (c. 1611) by Peter Paul Rubens (wiki) [Intro] Bart Ehrman’s “New Insights Into The New Testament” Conference (2024 Apostle Paul) [2: Bart’s Preface] Bart Ehrman’s “New Insights Into The New Testament” Conference (2024 Apostle Paul) [3: Benjamin L White] Bart Ehrman’s “New Insights Into The New Testament” Conference (2024 Apostle Paul) [4: Jason Staples] Bart Ehrman’s … Reporting for NINT Apostle Paul (2024) Index

It’s been really fun following along with the conference presenters. The last presenter, Ehrman, gave an overview of Paul and showed how Paul saw himself as the prophesied one at the end of history who would bring the gentiles to the God of the Jews. Paul sees himself as spreading the gospel to the end … [10: Bart Ehrman] Bart Ehrman’s “New Insights Into The New Testament” Conference (2024 Apostle Paul)

James Tabor has a bit of a different take on Paul’s apocalyptic thinking. In Tabor’s reading, Genesis was the dust prototype of death and decay that would later be replaced by a cosmos of spirit (pneuma). Here are a few gems from the presentation: The salvation is cosmic because all the forms of existence are … [9: James Tabor] Bart Ehrman’s “New Insights Into The New Testament” Conference (2024 Apostle Paul)