#Theological Reflections

[bvthomas]

                                                      GOD “Exploring the Divine: The Essence of God” Introduction: In the vast expanse of human history and thought, few questions have stirred as much contemplation, debate, and yearning as those concerning the Divine. What is God? Does God exist? And if so, what is the nature of this supreme being who eludes easy definition and comprehension?…

[dionysus-complex]

still have not found a more succinct description of where I’m at theologically than “by now I think it’s pretty obvious that there is no God / and there’s definitely a God” from Fox’s Dream of the Log Flume by mewithoutYou. there cannot be a god with coercive power because if so then none of this makes sense and because I wouldn’t trust any god that works coercively. but as someone who was a firm atheist until about 8 years ago, I’m at a point that without a god I have a hard time making sense of it either. intellectually I agree with the case for atheism but emotionally there’s something in me that needs the transcendental

[bonefall]

Goose anon here! I like to read through your posts to see what I've missed and I just reach your post about Featherwhisker! I have a few ideas I'd like to pitch about his situation. The first being, have you considered adding a potential Pur(r)gatory level for StarClan to shove cats that they can't come to a decision on? Could be similar to the ghost situation in canon, minus the whole possession thing. (1/2)

Nah, I have a purgatory already but I am staunchly opposed to it being a final destination. The Meadow of Young Stars is a waiting room. You could wander there forever if you wanted, but it's a formless, endless sparkly field. It gets boring fast.

Purgatories are almost always a cop-out, imo. Something writers fall back on in an attempt to write 'reasonably' and have a 'sensible' afterlife system. But what's 'sensible' is rarely what's compelling.

BB!StarClan isn't here to be reasonable, it's here to be an evolving reflection of Clan Culture, based on the cats who fill its ranks. It's here to make life for Clan cats better with magic powers, too, and is gatekeeping who gets to have these powers and live in paradise.

And purgatories are often such a shrug. "Ah wellp I guess this whole dichotomy is flawed! Better make a third option instead of questioning the idea of sorting people based on their actions within a brief blink of time in the face of eternity!" It's like it's kicking the idea down the line and giving them more time to make the "right" choice.

But it's the judgement that's flawed in the first place, and more importantly, WHO is making those choices.

So, no. No purgatory level. No redemption either. BB will not contain either one unless the main series does so I can comment on whatever they decide to do. For Featherwhisker it is a matter of if StarClan rules to accept him for his life of service OR if they judge him harshly based on the flawed code of ethics they enforce.

[longagoitwastuesday]

I've also been reading the three musketeers and the thesis chapter had me Cackling. the clowning on learning latin in particular and aramis as a character constantly emphasizing that being part of the higher sought after and hard-to-get-into regiment of the king's musketeers is just kind of a temp job for him is so funny. character of all time. (also bazin wanting aramis to be a abbe so bad is so good)

Disclaimer that I was actually not reading the book, just giving a look and toying with the idea of reading it soon. In fact I was reading something else, but the chapter was so funny I've abandoned it and will probably start The three musketeers instead xD

Yes! Bazin was so funny. While reading him I couldn't help but be reminded of Smee wanting to leave Neverland and done with Hook's obsession for Peter Pan. Aramis dismissing being a musketeer is hilarious, but it becomes particularly funny after reading Cyrano de Bergerac, where Cyrano mentions being a musketeer wistfully a couple of times. While I was reading the play I kept thinking that Cyrano's aspirations were basically to be Aramis haha

The use of Latin each character (the curate, the Jesuit, D'Artagnan and Aramis) does was indeed very funny, as well as insightful. I ended up reading a paper on the command each of the four protagonists has of Latin, and I loved the comparison it established between Athos and Aramis. I don't have an opinion on this formed because I have yet to read the book, which is a good thing (it will hopefully keep me from rambling), but I found what I read super interesting.

The chapter was very funny, and I felt Dumas managed everything very well? I loved the writing itself. Every part of the chapter worked wonderfully as a whole to enhance every aspect, making the funny parts more fun and drawing a more clear lively depiction of the characters.

By that I mean, basically, that even from the initial interaction between D'Artagnan and the hostess in which he asks for Aramis and she goes "the charming hot guy?" we can see Aramis' hypocrisy and unsteadiness by a mile. It's hilarious to read the chapter and see how Aramis ends up contradicting everything he does or says, at times not even that long after saying it xD

Which takes me to the thesis itself. Honestly, I loved the topics. I know they're supposed to sound a bit ridiculous and funny, but I thought Dumas conveyed very well the air of some of those intricate questions of theology that seem trifle but have a lot of implications, and end up being of a very poetic nature (such as the question about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, one of my all time favourite questions). I wasn't very interested on the topic of the hands until the Jesuit commented that sprinklers "simulate an infinite number of blessing fingers"; that's beautiful.

Now, the topic Aramis himself proposes is just gorgeous. The way he defends it with a syllogism is so clever of Dumas considering the link between theology and the development of Logic. Besides that, despite how unorthodox the topic may appear at first, as Aramis himself puts it, there is a lot of truth in what he says about the world being full of temptations and it being very much a sacrifice to leave it, and how there lies the devotional act. I ended up being very intrigued by the potential development of this thesis in a mix of appreciation of the world as God's creature, and thus the leaving of the world as an act of true love for God, of more importance; how instead of an easy surrender, the struggle and doubts are as much reflection of the condition of humanity's frailty as it is a more steady and full surrender to God.

The topic of Aramis' thesis is somewhat paradoxical yet sound, and reflects doubts, as well as an appreciation for the world, aesthetics and beauty; I think it reflects so much of what makes Aramis himself.

And then, again, there's the whole hypocrisy through the entire chapter (which is what makes it for me haha). The way he says he isn't defending a regret at renouncing the world while proposing the thesis, that the mere idea is sacrilegious, how he insists he won't miss it, that friends are but shadows and the world a grave, and still how his resolution wavers almost instantly with his "And yet, while I still hold to the earth, I would have liked to talk with you, about you, about our friends" (and what a tender shaking), only to end up asking D'Artagnan to tell him about the world in the last line? Hilarious. What an hypocrite xD

But how extremely charming and adorable, I must admit! I love how when D'Artagnan tells him "But how are you going to live while you wait for me? No more thesis, no more commentaries on fingers and blessings, eh?", Aramis smiles and replies "I shall compose verses". Truly one of the characters of all time xD

[fandfnews]

Wikipedia Co-Founder Larry Sanger Shares Journey from Atheism to Christianity

In a candid interview, Larry Sanger, co-founder of Wikipedia and a lifelong skeptic, revealed his transformative journey from atheism to Christianity—a shift rooted in intellectual rigor, personal relationships, and a deep dive into scripture. Sanger, who holds a PhD in philosophy, spent 35 years questioning faith before embracing Christianity in his 50s. His story challenges stereotypes about…

[pastordin]

Renewed Strength Through Faith in the Lord

Renewed Strength Through Faith in the Lord | Pastor Aamir and Carissa Din Home | Media | Contact Renewed Strength Through Faith in the Lord “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” — Isaiah 40:31 (NIV) Published on December 10, 2024 Dear Faithful Brothers and Sisters in…

[christian-witchy-business]

I think the most important ways to do this is to identify, doctrinally and biblically, how we are taking steps everyday to not be like that rather than making a declaration that we are fundamentally not like that already.

Saying that we can’t hurt people or perpetuate oppression through Christianity because we’re the “right” kind of Christian and the people who use religion as a weapon are “wrong” only isolates us from being able to recognize when we too are weaponizing our faith or falling for oppressive rhetoric.

We must acknowledge that many who truly and genuinely believe in Christ have perpetuated great evil in His name or, at the very least, while being believers. This has been true for centuries, as colonizers, crusaders, conquistadors, and slaveholders have all professed their faith and yet caused immense suffering. Kings, emperors, bishops, and popes justified war and violence through the Bible. This is not new.

Today, we have politicians and pastors preaching for the end to social safety nets, the continuation and escalation of violence, the destruction of civil rights, the erasure of queer and trans people, and the decimation of our natural resources not despite but because of the way their politics interweaves with their religious convictions.

And so, we, as believers in Christ, must constantly reassess why and how we believe, what purpose belief serves, and the ways we live our beliefs. Are we too using our religion as a tool of our politics? Are we too imagining ourselves as morally superior because we “believe the right thing”? Is that bible verse a divine truth of our lives or just a “gotcha” moment in a debate?

Being a Christian doesn’t insulate us from being wrong and being wrong doesn’t immediately cancel out our Christianity.

sorry, but the conservative fundie christian voting for trump is a bigot AND a Christian. We as (in this context, usamerican) Christians cannot ‘no true scottsman’ our religion when it is actively being used to ruin lives. I know being lumped in with bigots hurts. I know it’s uncomfortable and painful to be associated with them. But you cannot strip them of our religion without denying the real problems of Christianity, and that kills people.

[biblebloodhound]

For the Sake of Beauty (1 Kings 7:1-12)

Beauty in architecture is a theological statement.

King Solomon’s throne room, by Edward Poynter, 1890 Solomon’s palace took 13 years to build. Forest Hall was the largest room in the palace. It was 44 meters long, 22 meters wide, and 13.5 meters high, and was lined with cedar from Lebanon. It had 4 rows of cedar pillars, 15 in a row, and they held up 45 cedar beams. The ceiling was covered with cedar. Three rows of windows on each side faced…

[tmarshconnors]

"You don't have to give up your intellect to trust the Bible. You have to give up your pride."

Robert Charles Sproul was an American Reformed theologian and ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America. He was the founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries and could be heard daily on the Renewing Your Mind radio broadcast in the United States and internationally.

Theologian and Author: R.C. Sproul was a prominent Reformed theologian and author known for his extensive work in Christian theology. He authored numerous books on theology, biblical interpretation, and Christian living, including notable works such as "The Holiness of God" and "Chosen by God."

Founder of Ligonier Ministries: Sproul founded Ligonier Ministries in 1971, a Christian educational organization dedicated to teaching the Reformed faith through resources such as books, conferences, and broadcasts. The ministry is named after Ligonier Valley, where it was initially established.

Teaching Pastor: He served as the teaching pastor at St. Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida, where he was influential in shaping the church’s theological direction and providing teaching and preaching that emphasized Reformed theology.

Popular Speaker and Teacher: R.C. Sproul was known for his engaging teaching style and was a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars. His teaching reached a wide audience through radio programs, such as "Renewing Your Mind," and his teaching series were widely distributed.

Reformed Theology Advocate: Sproul was a staunch advocate of Reformed theology, emphasizing doctrines such as the sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture, and the importance of understanding and teaching core Christian doctrines. His work contributed significantly to the spread of Reformed thought in contemporary evangelicalism.

[turiyatitta]

The Sacred Within the Flawed

A Paradox of Divine TextsIn an intricate dance between the divine and human, sacred texts from various religious and philosophical traditions find themselves at the nexus of reverence and scrutiny. These texts, while venerated as conduits of divine wisdom and moral guidance, are not immune to critique nor the acknowledgment of their inherent flaws.When we unravel the threads of any sacred text,…

[dead-generations]

great post, really. two quibbles

1 there are definitely currents of cynical control in religion for basically as long as we can observe it having existed. you could probably back and forth over which is principle and which developed the other but you know. its a dialectic. But for the roman pagans the state and religion were more or less inextricable.

2 “people in the past generally believed their religions” well... since we are talking about Rome... and specifically prechristian rome... the form of roman belief was really quite... broad in manifestation. across time and across society itself. and this is much debated they were definitely motivated by orthopraxy not orthodoxy principally. so practice over belief. doesnt matter if you believe the emperor is a god but you gotta sacrifice to him in the proper way!

and there were definitely many skeptics on one hand - many people who explicitly upheld philosophy over theology. Some who believed at the very least that roman theology was flawed and held beliefs that more resembled something like the later Neoplatonist framework of emanations. People sometimes denied the Gods had the sort of agency and immanence that was the orthodoxy of roman religion, and some decried the myths as a lowly human corruption of true divine nature of the gods.

and on the other hand there were definitely many superstitious people motivated by magical practices and esotericism. magic existed for some but for others it was simple cultural symbology. for others still magic and superstitions were cultural ills to be stamped out and had no place either under philosophy or under theology! You can read roman pagans arguing against the practice of magic and belief in superstitions because they're basically the ramblings of yokels.

Back in the naughties, especially in New Atheist circles, you used to see the line a lot that the reason religious people invented the afterlife was because they were scared of dying and they needed a comforting lie to sleep better at night. Incidentally, that's not true; aside from the problem that people in the past generally believed in their religion, and this whole line of reasoning (along with "religion was invented solely to control the masses") assumes a level of cynicism by religious leaders that historically is actually quite rare, we have a pretty good cognitive framework for why human beings tend to come up with a belief in spirits, ghosts, and gods, and why that tends to lead to a belief in an immaterial spirit world and (quite naturally from there) an afterlife.

Research into the cognitive aspect of spiritual beliefs has explored human intuitions about the self include its partability and permeability, which I think I've mentioned here before; our intuitions about ascribing agency to phenomena in our environment, even when no agency is immediately evident (a sort of overly-cautious tripwire for evading predators) and our overactive tendency toward pattern-matching lend themselves naturally to belief in invisible, intelligent agents shaping the world around us. When you combine that natural tendency to believe in such agents, plus intuitions about a self that can include a separate immaterial component, and the ways in which (for example) the feeling of a familiar presence can be triggered by some stray bit of sensory input or a misinterpreted environmental cue, it is very common for societies to develop a belief that the dead continue to exist in some form and continue to act in the world, possibly from some invisible spirit realm, because that is something that people are just straightforwardly experiencing on a day-to-day basis. In that sense, belief in something like a soul and something like an afterlife is more like a belief in rainbows or solar eclipses--sure, people might get the underlying phenomenological explanation for what they're seeing wrong, but they're not speculating, they're doing their best to interpret the actual experience of feeling the presence of dead loved ones and their apparent agency in the world.

That said, in the case of Christianity, we also know historically the framework that motivated the development of specifically Christian doctrines about the afterlife, which emerges from the context of Second Temple Judaism at the turn of the era. Here, the motivation was not one of comfort stemming from fear of death, it was one of morality and the problem of evil. Earlier thinking in the sort of broader Levantine cultural sphere had mostly envisioned the problem of evil as being one related to divine favor and punishment; God or the gods rewarded the righteous and punished the wicked in this life (cf., for instance, all the narratives in the Old Testament where God sends this or that conqueror to punish the people for their sins). Increasing philosophical sophistication, literature grappling with the ways in which the world could be patently unjust (like the Book of Job), and political circumstances like the conquest of Judea by the Romans and the evident lack of divine retribution against these oppressors, all led to dissatisfication in some quarters with that earlier theodicy. IIRC the influence of Greek philosophy and Greek thinking about the afterlife also played a role here.

Transposing the balancing of the moral scales to the afterlife, as some Second Temple-era thinkers did, helped construct what felt like a more intuitively correct theodicy: the wicked still got their comeuppance, even if you didn't get to personally witness it, and the righteous still got their reward. The exact nature of that comeuppance was up for grabs for a long time--there are like three different competing visions of what damnation looks like in the New Testament, and it's not until later that "eternal conscious torment" wins out as the favored position among most Christians. The righteous were always guaranteed salvation; but we know this wasn't a sop to people who were frequently scared of death because the idea that martyrdom guaranteed salvation was so compelling you had Christians begging the Roman authorities to put them to death, and even groups like the Circumcellions who attacked armed soldiers with clubs in the hopes that they could provoke martyrdom-by-cop. And you could paint these guys as fanatical outliers, but again, people in the past generally believed their religions, and we have mountains of writing, art, poetry, and music by Christians over the course of two thousand years where people are worried about a lot of things related to death (did I live a good life? will I go to heaven?) but who do not seem to be philosophically troubled by the question of whether the afterlife actually exists.

And of course the conflict between reflective and intuitive cognition is relevant here; one might reflectively believe in the afterlife, but intuitively recoil from deadly harm. I do not want to suggest that religious belief can trivially overwhelm human instinct to survive. But "the afterlife was invented as a comforting lie" is overly dismissive and flattens a complex phenomenon. It is, in its own way, a comforting lie--the lie that people in the past were all stupid, superstitious rubes, that we are infinitely smarter and more sophisticated than them, that progress will ultimately consign all such supernatural thinking to the dustbin of history. That such thinking is quite deeply rooted in our cognition and we may never be able to dispense with it entirely is very much at odds with a lot of the 2000s era all-religion-is-indoctrination children-are-born-atheist triumphalist cliches.

[seekingtheosis]

Reflections on the Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 14

Delve into the profound significance of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Orthodox Christianity. Explore its historical context, theological implications, and relevance in modern times.

In the name of God the Father, Christ Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit, One True God. Amen. But God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me and I to the world. Galatians 6:14 Dear brothers and sisters in Christ On September 14 of every year, the Church as a whole celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.…

[halkonensis]

Rumaragasang ilog ang katarungan:

Ang masaker sa pamilya Fausto at ang Kristiyanong pagsisikap para sa kapayapaan

Sa halip ay padaluyin ninyo ang katarungan, gaya ng isang ilog; gayundin ang katuwiran tulad ng isang di natutuyong batis. Amos 5:24 MBBTAG

Trigger warning: graphic descriptions of military violence

Nakagigimbal ang pagpaslang ng pamilya Fausto, mga magsasaka at kapanalig ng Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), sa kamay ng mga kagawad ng 94th Infantry Battalion ng Philippine Army (IBPA), sa Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Oriental noong Hunyo 14.

Kumikintil pa rin sa diwa ang mga litrato ng kubong tinutuluyan ng mag-anak: mga duguang bangkay na nakalaylay sa pintuan at sa hagdan. Apat na katawang balot sa puting tela, nakahandusay sina Roly Fausto, ama; Emelda Fausto, ina; at sina Ben at Ravin, mga anak.

Sinasalaysay lamang ng mga litrato ang isang parte ng kuwento. Marami pang mga pinagkakait ang 94th IBPA at ang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) na mga detalye.

Ayon sa September 21 Movement, isang grupo para sa karapatang pantao, matagal nang target ng panliligalig ang mga Fausto sapagkat kasapi ang pamilya ng Baklayan, Bito, and Cabagal Farmers and Farmworkers Association (BABICAFA). Kasama sa mga ginawang paglabag sa karapatang pantao ng mga kagawad ng 94th IBPA ang panunutok ng sundang kay Emelda, pagnanakaw, pangtotortyur kay Roly upang pasukuin bilang di-umanong kasabwat ng New People’s Army (NPA), at pangraransak sa bahay, bago ang sukdulang pangmamasaker sa mag-anak.

Ngunit sa pag-iral ng kasamaan ng AFP, imbes na itaguyod ang hustisya at panagutin ang mga maysala sa kanilang hanay, pilit nilang binabalahura ang alaala ng pamilya sa pamamagitan ng pagbabaluktot sa katotohanan. Ayon kay Orlando Edralin, opisyal ng 94th IBPA, sa isang panayam sa DNX News, asset daw ng militar si Roly na nais nang bumaklas sa pagkakasabwat mula sa NPA, at ang pumatay raw sa mga Fausto ay ang mga NPA, bagay na pinabulaanan ng kaanak ng mga biktima.

Kade-kadenang Paglabag sa Karapatang Pantao

Di makakaila ang track record ng AFP (at ng estado sa pangkabuuan) sa karapatang pantao. Sa kasamaang-palad, pinupuno lamang ito ng mga paglabag.

Sa Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, minasaker noong Hulyo 22, 2022 ng pinagsanib na puwersa ng 62nd IBPA at PNP ang 18 taong gulang na si Everly Kee Jacolbe, buntis niyang ina na si Maria Christina Jacolbe, at kamag-anak na si Rodan Montero, matapos ang walang-humpay na red-tagging at pagpapahirap.

Sa ulat naman ng Karapatan Negros, pinatay naman noong Enero 9 ang magsasakang si Jose Gonazales sa Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City ng 94th IBPA, kapwa mga kagawad ding pumaslang sa mga Fausto. Nilapastangan pa ng mga sundalo ang bangkay ni Gonzales sa pagparada nito bilang babala sa mga mamamayan sa di-umanong rebelyon, ngunit pinasinungalingan ito ng mag-anak ng pinaslang.

Kamakailan lang din, nagsagawa ng seminar ang NTF-Elcac na primaryang pinatatakbo ng kasundaluhan sa mga pagawaan ng Philfoods Fresh Baked Products Inc. at Gardenia Bakeries, Phils. sa probinsya ng Laguna upang pigilan ang pagtatayo at paglakas ng unyon ng mga manggagawa. Di nagpapigil ang mga sundalong i-red-tag ang Unyon ng Panadero-Gardenia Bakeries, Phils. (PANADERO-OLALIA-KMU) at paratangang NPA ang opisyal nitong si Rhoel Alconera. Ganito ring panliligalig ang ginagawa ng mga kagawad ng NTF-Elcac at mga sundalo sa mga pagawaan tulad ng Wyeth-Nestle at Fuji sa Laguna.

Ang Kristiyanong Sagot: Kapayapaang batay sa Katarungan

Ngunit sa harap ng lantarang paglabag sa karapatang pantao, ano ang dapat itugon ng kabataang Kristiyano?

Ang sagot ay nakasaad sa Banal na Aklat: pagsikapang matamo ang kapayapaang nakabatay sa katarungan. (Isa 2:4, Mik. 4:3, Joel 4:10)

Batay sa katotohanang ang tao ay nilalang na kawangis ng Diyos, ang katarungan ay ang pagtataguyod ng dignidad ng bawat buhay ng tao. Nilalapastangan ng rehimeng Marcos-Duterte ang dignidad na ito sa porma ng pagkakait ng pagtataas ng sahod, pagpapabayang tumaas ang presyo ng bilihin, kawalan ng reporma sa lupa, hindi pagsasaayos ng matagalang krisis sa edukasyon, at pagpapatahimik sa mga balidong daing ng mamamayan. Isama pa ang pagdaragdag ng base-militar ng US sa lupain ng Pilipinas, pagraratsada ng Mandatory ROTC, at pagtutulak sa Maharlika Wealth Fund.

Kung totoo ngang kapayapaan ang nais makamit ng rehimen gamit ang mga galamay nito tulad ng AFP at PNP, ano ba ang pagpapakahulugan nila sa kapayapaan? Ito ang kalagayang wala nang lumalaban sa kanila upang magawa ang lahat ng gusto nila at makuha ang lahat ng luho nila.

Labis naman itong kaiba sa kapayapaan para sa sambayanang Pilipino. Simple ang hangad: magkaroon ng marangal na kabuhayan, tamang oras ng masustansyang pagkain, tirahang sasanggala mula sa init at ulan, karapatan sa pagpapahayag, at edukasyon ng mga kabataan. Kung ikukumpara sa kasalukuyang kalagayan, talagang nakaririndi ang kawalan ng kapayapaan lalo na at nabubuhay ang sambayanan sa panahon ng kawalang-katarungan.

Bilang mga kabataang Kristiyano naghahangad ng kapayapaan at nagtataguyod ng katarungan, kailangang balikan ang Mabuting Balita ayon kay Lucas. Mula sa pagsasalaysay, sinabi ni Cristo na kaakibat ng pagsunod sa kanya ang pagtatakwil sa sarili at pagpapasan sa krus (9:23). Mapapatotoo natin ang pangakong Kaharian ng Diyos dito sa lupa sa pagsunod natin kay Jesus. Dapat nating iwaksi ang pagkamakasarili sa pamamagitan ng pag-ugnay ng problema ng kabataan sa mas malawak na problemang kinahaharap ng sambayanang Pilipino. Ang krus na papasanin natin ay ang mabigat na krus ng aktibong pagbaka at pakikibaka laban sa namamayaning kasamaang nagpapahirap sa bayan ng Diyos.

Wika nga ni Jesus sa kanyang sermon sa bundok, “Pinagpala ang mga gumagawa ng paraan sa kapayapaan, sapagkat sila’y ituturing na mga anak ng Diyos.” (Mt. 5:9 MBBTAG) Gayong mahaba ang landasin ng Kalbaryo para sa Kristiyanong kabataan at sambayanang lumalaban, tayo rin ang bubukalan ng katuwiran upang dumaloy ang katarungang parang ilog (Amos 5:24).

Magsumikap para sa kapayapaan! Paragasain natin ang ilog ng katarungan!

Hustisya para sa pamilya Fausto! Singilin ang 94th IBPA at ang rehimeng Marcos-Duterte!

[cedarofgod]

I think that American Evangelicals often find it challenging to understand and empathise with Christians in the Middle East due to the stark contrasts between their cultural contexts and theological foundations, which are closely intertwined. Evangelicalism places a strong emphasis on individualism, particularly a personal relationship with Jesus, focusing heavily on privatised salvation and direct access to God through prayer and scripture. This privatisation of religious life contrasts sharply with the communal and sacramental expressions of Christianity prevalent in the Middle East. There, faith is practised within a collective framework that emphasises communal worship, shared rituals, and long-standing traditions that have transcended centuries. For many Christians in the Middle East, the Church is not merely a place for personal worship but an important institution that preserves traditions, cultural heritage, and social cohesion, especially in regions where Christians, as a minority, face persecution or marginalisation.

The sacraments, which are largely absent from Evangelical practice, play a central role in fostering communalism and spiritual life for Middle Eastern Christians. The sacraments are not merely symbolic acts of individual faith but deeply communal experiences that bind believers together. Among them, the Eucharist holds a place of profound significance, serving as the central act of worship in many Christian traditions. The Eucharist is not simply a memorial of Christ's sacrifice; it is a shared ritual that embodies the unity of the Church, transcending time and space, and connecting believers with fellow Christians across the world and throughout history. This communal aspect of Christian life, particularly evident in Middle Eastern Christian communities, reflects the vision Christ had for His Church— a community of believers bound by love, shared faith, and common worship. These communities are not just descendants of the first Christians in a geographical sense; they are the living embodiment of the traditions and practices that have defined the Church from its earliest days.

[wesleyaninaditch]

I think it’s dope as hell how many proudly queer Christians there are on Tumblr. I don’t know many irl and oftentimes I feel like my bisexuality and my faith are both seen as “uncomfortable,” depending on who I’m with. My queer friends tend to have (extremely reasonable) reservations because they’ve been hurt by religious communities. And even the most well-meaning cishet Christians can be kinda… awkward. Ironically, despite the fact that this blog doesn’t have my irl name on it, it’s authentic to who I am in a way I can’t always be around other people in person.

I also appreciate how so many of y’all continue to value the traditions and history of your denominations. I truly believe the accusations of theological bankruptcy among queer Christians don’t hold water. I know that at least for me, it took a lot of studying, praying, and self-reflection to reach where I am today. It’s not a wide and easy path, as much as some might claim it is.

Things are hard and getting harder, but I believe the Spirit resides among queer Christians the world over. That truth leaves my heart strangely warmed.

[pastordin]

Trusting in God's Perfect Plans for Your Life

Trusting in God’s Perfect Plans for Your Life | Pastor Aamir and Carissa Din Home | Media | Contact Trusting in God’s Perfect Plans for Your Life “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) Published on December 9, 2024 Dear Faithful Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Grace and…