Curious Christian

Exploring life, art, spirituality, and the way of Jesus

Jesus and the Old Testament

Published by

Matt Stone

on

2019-01-30

Below is a graphic representation of the number of times Jesus quotes the Old Testament in the New Testament. There are some interesting patterns here. Firstly, note how the the Gospel of Matthew is the most quote heavy of the four all and that there’s considerable focus on the Torah,…
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The church as a rival kingdom

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Matt Stone

on

2019-01-24

When fellow Christians speak of the separation of church and state I find it’s necessary to tease out what they mean by that. Do they mean church should only be overseeing the personal dimensions of life while the state overseeing the political dimensions of life, as in a two kingdoms…
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The Trinity in the Bible

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Matt Stone

on

2019-01-17

Although the doctrine of the Trinity is not taught explicitly in scripture, it is the many verses which illustrate the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, acting as one, which bring Christians back, time and time again, to the question. Consider, for instance, this introduction to the first letter to the…
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Columcille Fecit: Song of Columba

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Matt Stone

on

2019-01-15

Delightful would it be to me to be in Uchd Ailiun (an Irish headland over the sea) On the pinnacle of a rock, That I might often see the face of the ocean; That I might see its heaving waves over the wide ocean, When they chant music to their…
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Alternative ways of speaking of the Trinity

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Matt Stone

on

2019-01-13

Sometimes it’s worthwhile to explore the Bible in its original languages. The Hebrew word used for the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament is Ruah. The Greek word used for the Holy Spirit in the New Testament is Pneuma. Both mean Spirit or Breath. So it is quite orthodox to…
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Three but one

Published by

Matt Stone

on

2019-01-07

Traditionally the persons of Trinity have been understood as distinct in terms of their existence but identical in terms of their essence. I find the Trinity Shield (above) is probably the least problematic way of illustrating this.
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My Druid is Christ: A Saying Atteibuted to St. Columba

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Matt Stone

on

2018-12-29

A saying attributed to St. Columba: My Druid is Christ, the Son of God, Christ, Son of Mary, the Great Abbot, The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This saying speaks deeply to me, intertwining the old and the new, blending ancient traditions with the truth of Christ. It’s…
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Short Celtic poem on the Trinity

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Matt Stone

on

2018-12-27

O Father who sought me O Son who bought me O Holy Spirit who taught me
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The gospel has many layers

Published by

Matt Stone

on

2018-12-21

One of the things I find fascinating about the gospel is how it operates on a number of different levels simultaneously. The Christ. The gospel is first and foremost the story of the Christ promised by God, who entered history as Jesus of Nazareth. It tells of his life, death, resurrection,…
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Angel Magic and the Grimoire Tradition

Published by

Matt Stone

on

2018-12-21

I’ve been observing that a lot of the medieval and renaissance grimoires basically boil down to angel magic. Whether we’re talking Kabbalistic, Solomonic, Enochian, or other systems it’s much the same: it’s about summoning and seeking the aid of a plethora of angels (or demons) by the power of the…
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