Photo: Google maps, edited by me for privacy considerations. Close to the first house I lived in as a baby/toddler. Port Coquitlam.
I appreciate the kind words.
(Six minute read? I am thrilled to see that)
Sunday, February 27, 2022
Saturday, February 26, 2022
Briefly: I've accepted Jesus as my personal saviour/Evangelical v Reformed
Briefly: I've accepted Jesus as my personal saviour/Evangelical v Reformed
Preface
This shorter posting, on my part, is not commenting on the philosophical, theological and biblical validity, or not, of the American Revolution.
Bruce Gore from You Tube
13. Boston Stands its Ground (2/21/2022)
Cited
An attempt to Commodor Knowles to enforcement 'impressment' meets its match as the Bostonians unite to force the British to back down.
At approximately the 45: 40 mark, forward:
(Paraphrased) The founding Fathers of the American Revolution did not sound like evangelical Christians.
(Yes, discussing and holding to the theology of divine providence in the context mentioned by Bruce Gore, is more so Reformed theology than evangelical theology or deistic theology/philosophy)
The 45: 48 mark, approximately, forward:
(Paraphrased) I've accepted Jesus as my personal saviour (savior, US English). Bruce Gore is correct to critique this theology negatively. The issue is not that God and God the Son, Jesus Christ as saviour, is acceptable to a human being. The question, rightly so, as Gore explains, is did God and Jesus Christ accept you?
Providence
From my PhD and website work
Philip Edgcumbe Hughes explains that through God’s providence the world is dependent, for if God did not maintain it, it would cease to exist. Hughes (1990: 45).
In Law of Nature, Edwards explains that providence is the means by which God governs the world as the supreme judge of the universe. Edwards (1731-1733)(2006: 553).
From my PhD and website work
Regeneration
John Murray (1937-1966)(1977) explains that the Holy Spirit ‘summons men into union and fellowship with his Son so that, united to him in whom all spiritual blessings are treasured, they come to possess Christ and all that belongs to him in his capacity as Saviour and Redeemer.’ Murray (1937-1966)(1977: 167).
Regeneration (Murray (1937-1966)(1977: 171) takes place which is a powerful change in the human being via the Holy Spirit (Murray (1937-1966)(1977: 171). This transforms one corrupt and in sin in opposition to God Murray (1937-1966)(1977: 168-169), to one pleasing to God and trusting in God.
It is a new ‘vital principle, a new habit, the law of God, and a divine nature’ are framed in a human heart. Murray (1937-1966)(1977: 172).
There is ‘no compulsion of the will in regeneration.’ states Shedd. Shedd (1874-1890)(1980: 136-137 Volume 2).
Calvin reasons that a person is not forced or coerced to believe in the gospel. Calvin (1543)(1996: 68). I would view conversion as taking place simultaneously with regeneration in a person, although again I state that God alone via the Holy Spirit causes the regeneration process. Murray (1937-1966)(1977: 172). This means as God chooses to regenerate a person he simultaneously persuades one to freely believe.
February 26, 2022
Believers in Jesus Christ and the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ, are chosen by God (John 15: 16, Ephesians 1, Romans 8-9, as examples). These people are regenerated and born again (John 3, Titus 3, 1 Peter 1: 23 as examples), not by human works, but by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2, Romans, Galatians, Hebrews, as examples). Human beings that become Christians, embrace salvation, which has justification, sanctification in regeneration. But salvific work and human application rests entirely on God the Father, God the Son and God Holy Spirit, through the gospel work.
Reformed theology typically places more emphasis on God's providence and divine regeneration than human free will in the salvation process, compared to typically, modern, evangelical theology.
---
King James Bible (KJV) 1 Peter 1: 23
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
ἀναγεννήσας having begotten again
Strong's 313
Strong's Concordance anagennaó: to beget again
Original Word: ἀναγεννάω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: anagennaó
Phonetic Spelling: (an-ag-en-nah'-o)
Definition: to beget again
Usage: I beget again, beget into a new life.
The website lists this as aorist, participle, active, and nominative, masculine, singular.
Bauer documents ἀναγεννάω (page 51), defined as beget again, be born again, figurative of spiritual rebirth of Christians. (51). This is the context of 1 Peter 1: 3, born again. (51).
Biblically and theologically, the new birth, to beget again, being born again equates to regeneration.
BARTH, KARL (1932-1968) Church Dogmatics, The Doctrine of Creation: Volumes 1 and 3. Translated by J.W. Edwards, Rev. O. Bussey, and Rev. Harold Knight, Edinburgh, T. and T. Clark.
BAUER, WALTER. (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.
CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College.
CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book IV, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College.
CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
EDWARDS, JONATHAN (1729)(2006) Sovereignty of God, New Haven, Connecticut, Jonathan Edwards Center, Yale University.
EDWARDS, JONATHAN (1731-1733)(2006) Law of Nature, New Haven, Connecticut, Jonathan Edwards Center, Yale University.
EDWARDS, JONATHAN (1754)(2006) Freedom of the Will, Flower Mound, Texas. Jonathanedwards.com.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1986) Predestination and Free Will, in David Basinger and Randall Basinger (eds.), Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press.
FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1994) The Many Faces of Evil, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House.
FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (2001) No One Like Him, John S. Feinberg (gen.ed.), Wheaton, Illinois, Crossway Books.
FRAME, JOHN M. (1999) ‘The Bible on the Problem of Evil: Insights from Romans 3:1-8,21-26; 5:1-5; 8:28-39’, IIIM Magazine Online, Volume 1, Number 33, October 11 to October 17, Fern Park, Florida, Third Millennium.
FRAME, JOHN M. (2002) The Doctrine of God, P and R Publishing, Phillipsburg, New Jersey.
GEISLER, NORMAN L. (1975) Philosophy of Religion, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House.
GEISLER, NORMAN L. (1978) The Roots of Evil, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House.
GEISLER, NORMAN L. (1986) Predestination and Free Will, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press.
GEISLER, NORMAN L. (1996) ‘Freedom, Free Will, and Determinism’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.
GEISLER, NORMAN, L (1999) ‘The Problem of Evil’, in Baker Encyclopedia of Apologetics, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.
GREEN, JAY (1971) Five Points of Calvinism, ‘Forward’, Grand Rapids, Sovereign Grace Publishers.
HUGHES, PHILIP. (1990) A Commentary On The Epistle To The Hebrews, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
HUME, DAVID (1779)(2004) Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, Digireads.com/Neeland Media LLC, Lawrence, Kansas.
MACDONALD, M.H. (1996) ‘Deism’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.
MURRAY, JOHN (1937-1966)(1977) Collected Writings of John Murray, Vol. 2: Select Lectures in Systematic Theology, Edinburgh, The Banner of Truth Trust.
PAILIN, DAVID A. (1999) ‘Deism’, in Alan Richardson and John Bowden (eds.), New Dictionary of Christian Theology, Kent, SCM Press Ltd.
SANDERS, JOHN (1998) The God Who Risks, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press.
SCHELLING, F.W.J. (1845)(1936) Schelling, Of Human Freedom, Translated by James Gutmann, The Open Court Publishing Company, Chicago.
SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T. (1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 2, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers.
STRONG, J. (1890)(1986) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Burlington, Welch Publishing Company.
WAINWRIGHT, WILLIAM J. (1996) ‘Deism’, in Robert Audi (ed.), The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
WEBER, OTTO (1955)(1981) Foundations of Dogmatics, Volumes 1 and 2, Translated and annotated by Darrell L. Guder, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Friday, February 25, 2022
PhD: Twitter quote 118-Short on a best possible world
Image credit: Adam Block, Mount Lemmon,
SkyCenter University of Arizona
2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter
Feinberg holds to modified rationalism
which was explained in Chapter Two as the idea that God was not obligated to
create anything, including a world, but chose to create purely from his own
desires.[1] Within modified
rationalism, the concept of a best possible world is denied in favour of the
view that God chose to create the present world which was initially perfectly
good.[2] The fact that the problem
of evil exists would be seen within modified rationalism as a result of the
free choice of human beings to rebel against God in both free will and
sovereignty theodicy which both deny the notion of best possible world.[3] Modified rationalism
would oppose the best possible world concepts of Leibniz from the Enlightenment
era, and Mackie from the modern era.[4]
Twitter version
Modified rationalism is the idea that God was not obligated to create anything, including a world, but chose to create purely from his own desires.
(February 25, 2022: I agree with modified rationalism. I also reject the idea of a best possible world, as any created world/reality, fallen or not, has limited goodness)
(February 25, 2022: Would this not be a best possible worl' to Bob Ross?)
FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1986) Predestination and Free Will, in David Basinger and Randall Basinger (eds.), Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press.
FEINBERG,
JOHN.S. (1994) The Many Faces of Evil, Grand Rapids, Zondervan
Publishing House.
FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (2001) No One Like Him, John S. Feinberg
(gen.ed.), Wheaton, Illinois, Crossway Books.
FLEW,
ANTONY, R.M. HARE, AND BASIL MITCHELL (1996) ‘The Debate on the Rationality of
Religious Belief’, in L.P. Pojman (ed.), Philosophy, The Quest for
Truth, New York, Wadsworth Publishing Company.
FLEW,
ANTONY AND A.MACINTRYE (1999) ‘Philosophy of Religion’, in Alan Richardson and
John Bowden (eds.), A New Dictionary of Christian Theology, Kent,
SCM Press Ltd.
LEIBNIZ, G.W.
(1710)(1998) Theodicy, Translated by E.M. Huggard Chicago, Open Court
Classics.
MACKIE,
J.L. (1955)(1996) ‘Evil and Omnipotence’, in Mind, in Michael
Peterson, William Hasker, Bruce Reichenbach, and David Basinger (eds.),
Philosophy of Religion, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
MACKIE,
J.L. (1971)(1977)(2002) ‘Evil and Omnipotence’, in The Philosophy of
Religion, in Alvin C. Plantinga, God, Freedom, and Evil, Grand Rapids. Wm.
B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
PLANTINGA,
ALVIN C. (1977)(2002) God, Freedom, and Evil, Grand Rapids, Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company.
PLANTINGA,
ALVIN C. (1982) The Nature of Necessity, Oxford, Clarendon Press.
---
[1]
Feinberg (1994: 36).
[2]
Plantinga (1982: 167-189). Feinberg
(1994: 36).
[3]
Plantinga (1982: 167-189). Feinberg
(1994: 36).
[4] Leibniz (1710)(1990). Mackie (1971) in Plantinga (1977)(2002: 32-33).
Saturday, February 19, 2022
PhD: Twitter quote 117
PhD: Twitter quote 117
Photo: Shutterstock, NASA
2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter
From the footnotes
A rationalist holds that there is knowledge that can be understood independent of empirical experience. Edwards and Papp (1973: 666). A view that certain things can be innately known by the mind, even without being experienced. Pojman (1996: 599).
Cited
Rationalism
Philosophy, philosophical of religion, religious studies and theology, primarily and generally work within rationalism. Rationalism is the view that unaided reason can be used in finding knowledge without the use of sense perception. Blackburn (1996: 318).
(Note: February 19, 2022: I certainly hold that there is non-empirical knowledge and empirical knowledge, and I tend to not name myself either a rationalist or empiricist)
(Note: February 19, 2022: I certainly hold that there is non-empirical knowledge and empirical knowledge, and I tend to not name myself either a rationalist or empiricist)
Christian theology uses philosophical reasoning and a priori knowledge in deducing the existence of God, and this could be considered a form of rationalism and some logical positivists could accept rationalism in conjunction with an acceptance of empirical science.
(Note: February 19, 2022: Biblical truth that leads to Christian theology, is dependent on rationally provided, divine revelation from God, that is significantly, rationally understood by humanity, especially the Church)
A priori knowledge can be known without the use of sensory experience in the course of events in reality. Blackburn (1999: 21).
A posteriori knowledge can be known through the use of some sensory experience, and if something is knowable A posteriori it cannot be known A priori according to Blackburn. Blackburn (1996: 21).
(Note: February 19, 2022: Notably the scientific, medical and engineering, academic disciplines are dependent on empirical research and data)
For balance, please note that the biblical authors, biblical characters, Jesus Christ, his disciples and his apostles were empirically observed and documented within religious history. The death on the cross (his atoning work) and resurrection of Jesus Christ was empirically observed. Biblical Studies deals with empirical manuscripts.
Act 1: 3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
3 To [c]these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.
(c) Acts 1:3 Lit whom
(c) Acts 1:3 Lit whom
Twitter version I
A rationalist holds that there is knowledge that can be understood independent of empirical experience. Edwards and Papp (1973: 666).
Twitter version II
Rationalism: A view that certain things can be innately known by the mind, even without being experienced. Pojman (1996: 599).
---
BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
EDWARDS, PAUL AND ARTHUR PAP (1973)(eds.), A Modern Introduction To Philosophy, New York, The Free Press.
FUMERTON, RICHARD A. (1996) ‘Logical Positivism’ in Robert Audi (ed.), The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
GEIVETT, R. DOUGLAS (1993) Evil and the Evidence for God, Philadelphia, Temple University Press.
HICK, JOHN (1970) Evil and The God of Love, London, The Fontana Library.
HICK, JOHN (1978) ‘Present and Future Life’, Harvard Theological Review, Volume 71, Number 1-2, January-April, Harvard University.
HICK, JOHN (1981) Encountering Evil, Stephen T. Davis (ed.), Atlanta, John Knox Press.
HICK, JOHN (1993) ‘Afterword’ in GEIVETT, R. DOUGLAS (1993) Evil and the Evidence for God, Philadelphia, Temple University Press.
HICK, JOHN (1993) The Metaphor of God Incarnate, Louisville, Kentucky, John Know Press.
HICK, JOHN (1994) Death and Eternal Life, Louisville, Kentucky, John Knox Press.
HICK, JOHN (1999) ‘Life after Death’, in Alan Richardson and John Bowden (eds.), A New Dictionary of Christian Theology, Kent, SCM Press.
HUME, DAVID (1739-1740)(1973) ‘A Treatise of Human Nature’, in Paul Edwards and Arthur Pap (eds.), A Modern Introduction To Philosophy, New York, The Free Press.
HUME, DAVID (1779)(2004) Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, Lawrence, Kansas.
KANT, IMMANUEL (1781)(1787)(1998) Critique of Pure Reason, Translated and edited by Paul Guyer and Allen W. Wood, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
KANT, IMMANUEL (1781)(1787)(1929)(2006) Critique of Pure Reason, Translated by Norman Kemp Smith, London, Macmillan.
KANT, IMMANUEL (1788)(1997) Critique of Practical Reason, Translated by Mary Gregor (ed.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
KANT, IMMANUEL (1788)(1898)(2006) The Critique of Practical Reason, Translated by Thomas Kingsmill Abbott, London, Longmans, Green, and Co.
KANT, IMMANUEL (1791)(2001) ‘On The Miscarriage of All Philosophical Trials in Theodicy’, in Religion and Rational Theology, Translated by George di Giovanni and Allen Wood, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
KENT, JOHN (1999) ‘Positivism’, in Alan Richardson and John Bowden (eds.), New Dictionary of Christian Theology, Kent, SCM Press Ltd.
PLANTINGA, ALVIN C. (1977)(2002) God, Freedom, and Evil, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
PLANTINGA, ALVIN C. (1982) The Nature of Necessity, Oxford, Clarendon Press.
PLANTINGA, ALVIN C. (2000) Warranted Christian Belief, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
POJMAN, LOUIS P. (1996) Philosophy: The Quest for Truth, New York, Wadsworth Publishing Company.
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