Curious Christian

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

Kabbalistic Speculation in Rennaisance Christianity

Published by

Matt Stone

on

2014-10-23

An unusual diagram don’t you agree? It shows a Christian appropriation of the Kabbalistic ideas of Ein-Soph and the Sephiroth which I found buried in an article on Jung and Western Mysticism where the author, Dr. J. Glenn Friesen, suggests Jung owed more to Kabbalah and Alchemy than Gnosticism.
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What do Muslims find most difficult about Christianity?

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Matt Stone

on

2014-10-16

I recently asked some Muslim friends, “What is the one thing you find most difficult or offensive about Christianity?” and whether this related to belief or behaviour. The overwealming majority answered that it was the Christian affirmation of the divinity of Jesus that they found most difficult, with many expressing…
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The Yin Yang of World Hunger

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Matt Stone

on

2014-10-15

“The yin and yang of world hunger” by Imgur This yin-yang-inspired image strikingly highlights the profound imbalance between developed and developing nations. As a citizen of a developed nation, I find Jesus’ words in Luke 6:25 deeply sobering: “Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.…
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How the church messed up with Aboriginal Australians

Published by

Matt Stone

on

2014-10-11

This image by Jacqui Stewart is entitled “Hope Beyond the Window”. As an Australian Christian I find it very confronting. Here is an interpretation of the image that Jacqui passed on through her blog: ‘The above piece of work depicts the scene of half-caste Aboriginal children sitting in front of the church…
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Francis of Assisi in the Wilderness

Published by

Matt Stone

on

2014-10-04

“Francis and the Wolf” by John August Swanson
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What is your favourite story about Mohammad?

Published by

Matt Stone

on

2014-09-30

This is a question I like to ask of Muslims, “What is your favourite story about Muhammad?” It is true, isn’t it, that most stories we Christians hear about Muhammad are negative. This is understandable. Negative stories help us Christians feel comfortable with our rejection of Islam as a way of…
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Learning to love exceptionally

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Matt Stone

on

2014-09-27

I have been reflecting on an observation by Tim Challies in his book, The Next Story: Life and Faith after the Digital Explosion. He wrote, “Learning to love the people I don’t like is by far the best way to learn how to love”. Learning to love the people I…
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The Fish And The Flow: A Curious Mix Of Christian And Taoist Symbolism

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Matt Stone

on

2014-09-26

How is this for an unusual blend of Christian and Taoist symbolism? An ichthus fish containing a yin yang! To me seems more syncretistic than critically contextual, but on a purely aesthetic level I find it kinda appealing.
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A Muslim Shares His Story

Published by

Matt Stone

on

2014-09-19

Are you ever curious about the world beyond your own backyard? About religions other than your own? About spiritual journeys unlike your own? If so, you may be interested to hear that I have invited a number of friends to guest post on Curious Christianity and share some of their…
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Knowledge Is Not Sin

Published by

Matt Stone

on

2014-09-17

A common accusation made by critics against orthodox Christians is that Christians equate knowledge with sin. For example, in The Gnostic Bible, the editor Marvin Meyer writes of “the fundamental biblical notion that knowledge is sin.” But is this notion as biblical as Gnostics assert? No, if fact such proclamations represent…
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