Sunday, September 05, 2021

Friendly Zoom debate & discussion

From Facebook 

I just finished hosting my sometimes, Saturday night (possibly Sunday night) open topic Zoom meeting 'World of Domes' (host is an exception). Tonight we mainly discussed the pandemic and vaccines. 

I appreciate Howard James Bartel for his libertarian stance and Dean Hintz for his scientific knowledge, and others. I am thankful we debated as friends. 
--- 

Blogger

I will add in this Blogger context, from last evening, Sir Robin (not on Facebook) was also appreciated for his political science and other contributions. 

It was four of us on extended at the end, but other friends contributed earlier as well.

Saturday, September 04, 2021

PhD: Twitter quote 100

PhD: Twitter quote 100

Photo: AR_200417_GortonMons-1 Manchester Evening News, Gorton Monastery

Preface

I think I have viewed Gorton Monastery while in a motor vehicle, but I do not believe it was near my walking routes, although looking at a map, it was close.

In my Reformed theology, God's infinite attributes work within the logically possible. For examples, God cannot choose to cease to exist (as logically necessary, and the first and primary cause), make the finite, infinite, or create another infinite, omnipotent God, equal to self.

God the Son, as infinite, within the Trinity, did (does) take a finite, human nature in the incarnation. Correctly, and classically, the natures do not mix. Jesus Christ is both finite man and infinite God.

PhD: Twitter quote 100

Edited from PhD thesis


2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter 

Twitter version I

Thiessen defines omnipotence as meaning the creator is able to accomplish whatever he wills, as long as it does not oppose his nature. Thiessen (1956: 126). 

Twitter version II

Omnipotence: Herman Bavinck reasons God does whatever pleases God. Bavinck (1918)(2006: 233 Volume 2). 

BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 2: God and Creation, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids. 

BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 3: Sin and Salvation in Christ, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids. 

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

ERICKSON, MILLARD (2003) What Does God Know and When Does He Know It? Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

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.

THIESSEN, HENRY C. (1956) Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

archive search: omnipotence

Monday, August 30, 2021

PhD: Twitter quote 99-Thank you sir, but I am not looking to decapitate a bloke, just to defend myself

PhD: Twitter quote 99

Preface

I resided in this area of Gorton for about eight months. This was my second of three locations in Greater Manchester where I lived. 

I studied for a very short time at the University of Manchester (ungraded) before finishing my MPhil/PhD theses degrees through the University of Wales. I started my Wales, MPhil work while living in Burnage, Manchester and then finished my degrees from my present desk here in Maple Ridge, British Columbia.

I studied @ Wales, Lampeter, University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, campus, three times. I enjoyed staying in Wales.

Image 1: Inkl photo: Hyde Road Bridge, Gorton, Manchester. I used to walk on the left (sidewalk) there. One day after church I did a three hour walk, with some side journeys, from church in Didsbury to back home in Gorton (1.5 hour walk). I could still do that easily, by the way. It helps having toenails removed, but I digress and shall spare you the details.

Image 2: St. James Church (1871), Gorton, Manchester, England.  From the official website. 

I walked past that church many times. I enjoyed viewing the Church from my flat's window and pondered on the years of history. I wondered about all the various people that had attended.

Gorton was a working class area with some nice parks nearby, a fantastic local butcher shop with UK grass fed beef and an excellent grocer with fruit from Spain and France. I will state once again that I thought the food in England at that time was mainly excellent. This contrary to many opinions.

A neighbour in a nearby building was beaten to death, tied to a chair, with reportedly nothing stolen and the door to his flat left open. The owner of the grocery store stated that when he first heard the news, he thought it might be me that was the victim. I think I was expected to be an undercover 'copper'. I had been accused of this at least once, perhaps twice. I did get in more trouble in my two year stay in Manchester than in the rest of my life. See my archives for the bottle incident on my second Blogger website.


I was burgled at my first residence @ Crumpsall and while back in Canada, temporarily, and had my computer taken which I needed to do my academic work. I moved to Gorton and once again, while in Canada, temporarily, and was again burgled, but this time the kind Bobby Singh was storing my goods. I still own the custom Windows XP, PC that Bobby Singh made for me, as it is my old games back-up computer. 

A good friend's Dad, a retired police officer, suspected my landlord from both Crumpsall and Gorton, was the burglar. I have no firm opinion...

Apparently, while I lived in Gorton, an elderly lady down the road was killed with a screwdriver in her home...

Eventually, I went into a downtown Manchester weapons shop looking for some legal protection. The first thing I was offered was a samurai sword, I declined. (Paraphrased) Thank you sir, but I am not looking to decapitate a bloke, just to defend myself.

Reading this, I have actually lived a pretty interesting life.
---

PhD: Twitter quote 99

Twitter version

Scientific progress has helped humanity tremendously to live better lives, but humanity is still capable of committing  grotesque & intense evils.


2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter

I reason that scientific progress has helped humanity tremendously to live better quality lives,[1] but human beings are capable of committing as grotesque and intense evils as ever in the twenty-first century.[2] 

[1] Krikorian (1944)(2007: 1).

[2] For example, nuclear technology has made nuclear weapons possible since the 1940s and there are nuclear weapons in the world which can do tremendous damage to humanity on a large scale within a few hours.

archives: I reason that scientific progress has helped humanity tremendously to live better quality lives, but human beings are capable of committing as grotesque and intense evils as ever in the twenty-first century.

BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

THE CONCISE OXFORD DICTIONARY (1995) Della Thompson (ed.), Oxford, Clarendon Press. 

BLOESCH, DONALD G. (1987) Freedom for Obedience, San Francisco, Harper and Rowe Publishers. 

FRANCIS, LESLIE J. and Practical Theology Team (2005) ‘Practical and Empirical Theology’, University of Wales, Bangor website, University of Wales, Bangor. 

DUBRAY, C.A. (1911)(2007) ‘Naturalism’ in New Advent: Catholic Encyclopedia, New York, Robert Appleton Company. 

GANZEVOORT, R. RUARD (2004)(2005) ‘Van der Ven’s Empirical/Practical Theology and the Theological Encyclopedia’, in Hermans, pp.53-74, C.A.M. & Moore M.E. (eds), Amsterdam. 

HEIMBROCK, HANS-GUNTER (2005) ‘From Data to Theory: Elements of Methodology in Empirical Phenomenological Research in Practical Theology’ in International Journal of Practical Theology, Volume 9, December, Berlin, Walter D. Gruyter. 

KLEIN, WILLIAM W. CRAIG, C. BLOMBERG, AND ROBERT L. HUBBARD, JR. (1993) Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, London, Word Publishing. 

KRIKORIAN, K. (1944)(2007) (ed.), Naturalism and the Human Spirit, New York, Columbia University Press, in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University. 

PETERS, KARL, E. (1992) ‘Empirical Theology in the Light of Science, in The Journal of Religion and Science, Volume 27 Issue 3 Page 297-325, September, Oxford, Zygon, Blackwell Publishing. 

SIRE, JAME W (1975) The Universe Next Door, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press. 

THIESSEN, HENRY C. (1956) Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

WEBER, OTTO (1955)(1981) Foundations of Dogmatics, Volumes 1 and 2, Translated and annotated by Darrell L. Guder, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Change of You Tube channel

Change of You Tube channel

Image: Io GuédéAbsolument Surréaliste March 16 2021 

My You Tube channel connected to this Google/Blogger account and this website Dr. Russell Norman Murray has been 'overrun' by my other interests. I removed my name as that You Tube account, title, although I am still the administrator and post all the content.

Therefore, I am in the process of posting second versions of my academic videos for my other You Tube channel, which is connected to Google/Blogger and my second website Satire Und Theology

You Tube limits the amount of posts per day, so I am in process.

To be blunt, my audio/video posts are not a top priority. I am not seeking subscribers, per se, which is pretty obvious considering my current numbers. It seems easier for a reader to skim my writing as opposed to skimming my writing and listening to a less than three minute audio post. I can relate for the need to skim academic work (accurately) having completed my degrees.

My good friend and friendly neighbour keeps telling me again and again he would like me to try to be like N.T. Wright, online, but I am not famous like  N.T. Wright. 

I am also not willing to work through the many hassles of having comments on You Tube. My academic and philosophical views will cause some disagreements and arguments within the Christian community, the secular world and other worldviews. I am a good debater, but simply do not have the time to 'waste' on extended debating and have very little patience for dealing with online abuse in the comments on You Tube. I view this as a WOT= waste of time.

So comments are turned off.

I am however, not dodging discussion. With the second versions of my You Tube articles, and new videos, there will be links (where I remember to add) to the original Blogger articles where the video is presented and public Blogger comments can be made. I am willing to debate respectfully, but I do prefer having moderation control on Blogger. This as opposed to much less moderation control on You Tube, where, for example, according to one of the 'Red Pill' You Tube content creators I listen to, You Tube actually debates some of the comments. You Tube link below...


There is also a comments option on the Facebook Business Page version of my Blogger articles: Russell Norman Murray, PhD  

I think I am going to end the In Three Minute articles and at times post an audio/video presentation without that time restriction.