Articles on Televangelists

New Westminster, BC

I have been working hard on PhD revisions, with about 40 hours spent last week alone. I therefore have not had time to research any major articles for this site. However, on my other blog, I did prepare another short You Tube related article on televangelists, and this one is the best one yet perhaps. I have written on Dr. Eugene Scott, José Luis De Jesús Miranda, Peter Popoff, Ernest Angley, and Benny Hinn (within the comments). Here the are links for this series of articles:

http://satireandtheology.blogspot.com/2006/11/250-000.html

http://satireandtheology.blogspot.com/2006/09/miami-christ.html

http://satireandtheology.blogspot.com/2006/09/old-news-but-still-relevant-james-randi.html

http://satireandtheology.blogspot.com/2006/09/heal.html

http://satireandtheology.blogspot.com/2006/09/blog-post.html

Other work, other blogs

Greetings, it has been raining here in Greater Vancouver quite a bit, which is common. I therefore thought I would post a stormy photo. I do not know where the photo was taken.

I do not have delusions of grandeur, and I realize that this a small blog. I am not a professor as of yet, but I am close to finishing my PhD, and with God's help I present well reasoned articles. I write as a conservative, but use liberal sources as well, and I am attempting to be objective in my writing. I am my own worst critic and make many changes to my articles. I view them as all open to alteration, other than my MPhil which has been published by Wales, but even that has amendments to it in the comments. I appreciate those of you who check up on my work occasionally, and as well those who comment respectfully and intelligently.

I am back working with an advisor at Wales, which is a relief because I have been without one since March. This means that my postings on thekingpin68 will become less frequent, just as they were while I was preparing my four chapters on theodicy (the problem of evil). If you look at when my articles were published you can pretty much deduce when I have been busier with my PhD writing. However, please continue to check this blog, because I will present some work here. My new advisor is reviewing the chapters which had been accepted by the previous advisor. We are also working on the questionnaire/survey, and any person attending a Christian church who is interested in assisting with the survey, please leave a message in the comments in the following article, or in the comments with this article.

http://thekingpin68.blogspot.com/2006/09/questionnaire-assistance.html

As well, if you so desire, please email me at rnmwales@shaw.ca in regard to filling out a survey when it is ready.

Some of you may realize that I have a second blog which is in the links. Satire and theology has articles which are generally shorter than on this one, but they often contain theological reflections on serious topics. There will be more postings on satire and theology than thekingpin68, because the satire and theology articles are generally easier to write. I did a recent article on there which those of you who like my writings here may appreciate. It is my second article on satire and theology which I have done with the use of information provided by religious facts.com.

http://satireandtheology.blogspot.com/2006/10/new-testament-manuscripts_31.html

I have also recently been involved in a short, non-exhaustive debate on another site in my links, which you may find interesting. The debate is in the comments of that article.

http://mormonismreviewed.blogspot.com/2006/11/joseph-smiths-bible-part-2.html

Thanks greatly

Russ:)

Eternal vs. Everlasting

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Eternal vs. Everlasting 

Interestingly in New Testament Greek according to J. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the same Greek word can be defined in English as either eternal or everlasting. The Greek word aíwvios (aionios) is explained as meaning perpetual, used of past time or past and future as well, eternal, for ever, and everlasting. Strong (1986: 8). Strong provides only one word for eternal or everlasting from the New Testament. Walter Bauer notes that in Romans 16: 25, a form of the word is used to describe a mystery of long ages ago without beginning. Bauer (1979: 28). In Hebrews 9: 14, a form of the word is used to describe the eternal Spirit and is mentioned as existing without beginning or end. Bauer (1979: 28). 

In Mathew 19: 29, Jesus discusses those that shall inherit everlasting life, and the word is used in a form that describes life existing without end. Bauer (1979: 28). The first verse appears to be describing a mystery that always existed with God, and in the second verse it mentions the Spirit of God that has always existed, and did not begin and will not cease. In the third verse the life Jesus discusses did not always exist, but everlasting life shall be given to some by God. There is a clear philosophical difference between the first two meanings and the last one. The first two examples, in my view, are describing aspects of the eternal God. Something which is eternal according to Simon Blackburn is not moving, and is beyond time, whereas the third example in light of Blackburn's definition is describing something that is everlasting and running within time. Blackburn (1996: 126). 

In the first two usages of the word the idea being put across is that the mystery existed within the mind of the eternal God, and that God’s Spirit was eternal. God is eternal, as in without beginning or end and is beyond time. Grenz, Guretzki, Nordling (1999: 47). The third verse is not describing eternal life, but everlasting life which has a beginning but no ending. The everlasting life of those in Christ is not eternal, but exists within time and continues to run within time and therefore this life should be properly defined as everlasting life as opposed to eternal life. This philosophical difference is why in my writings I only use the term eternal in the context of God and use the terms everlasting life, everlasting existence, or everlasting punishment when mentioning God’s created beings which exist in time. I am not trying to split hairs here, but rather wish to attempt to define my terms as properly as possible in order to avoid related theological and philosophical difficulties through the use of terminology in the future. 

This is not to deny some of the theological concepts which scholars and students use with the concept of eternal life. One student mentioned to me, while I lived in England, that we as Christians will share in the eternal life of God in the culminated Kingdom of God. I agree that we shall exist with God and experience his existence, but technically speaking he has eternal life, and we shall have everlasting life. God alone has always existed and therefore has eternal life. J.F. Walvoord notes that eternal life in Scripture is contrasted with physical life, and I completely agree. Walvoord (1996: 369). Whether the term is translated as eternal or everlasting life, I agree that it is the life that is opposed to physical temporal life from a Scriptural perspective. I would also add that it is contrasted with everlasting punishment for unbelievers. Whether we call it eternal or everlasting life it can only be found through Christ according to the Biblical account. 

BAUER, W. (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press. 

BLACKBURN, S. (1996) ‘Eternity’, in Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy,Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI and CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press. 

STRONG, J. (1986) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Pickering, Ontario, Welch Publishing Company. 

WALVOORD, J. F. (1996) ‘Eternal Life’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.

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