I'd just like to float a few thoughts here related to divinity and gender in Christianity. Whilst I would affirm that God transcends gender, and assert such a view is completely biblical, based on texts like Genesis 1:27 and others, there's no denying that the bible uses masculine metaphors for God more often than feminine … Continue reading Divinity and Gender in Christianity
God is who God is
I wrote this in response to some questions about God, time, evolution, and suffering. —— I believe in an evolving creation, in a Creator who’s creativity is eternal. God’s first creative act was to create time, so it is meaningless of speak of the passage of time before the moment of creation or of a … Continue reading God is who God is
The one God and the many gods
A verse that I find very interesting is Psalm 82:1, which states, “God [elohim] presides in the great assembly; he [singular] renders judgment among the gods [elohim].” I find the verse very interesting because it contains two very different uses of the Hebrew word elohim, using the word to denote both a singular God and … Continue reading The one God and the many gods
What Is Natural Theology?
The following explanation of Natural Theology is sourced from the Gifford Lectures. Traditionally natural theology is the term used for the attempt to prove the existence of God and divine purpose through observation of nature and the use of human reason. Seen in a more positive light natural theology is the part of theology that does … Continue reading What Is Natural Theology?
How transformative is your God?
How people view God is often influenced by their experience of authority, especially parental authority. Some parents can be quite harsh and tyrannical, always pushing and rarely encouraging. Some parents can be quite the opposite, permissive but not providing much in the way of structure or support. Other parents can be altogether absent. The best … Continue reading How transformative is your God?
A Celtic triad
The three witnesses of God in respect of His works: His infinite power; infinite knowledge; and infinite love; for there is nothing that these attributes cannot accomplish; cannot seek; and cannot wish. - Iolo Morganwg
Is YHWH just a Hebrew version of Zeus?
Is YHWH equivalent to other gods? Just a Hebrew version of Zeus for instance? With a wife even? No, YHWH’s domain is not limited to the sky. Nor did YHWH come into being at some point like Zeus did. Granted there is some evidence to suggest early Hebrews had a more limited conception of YHWH, … Continue reading Is YHWH just a Hebrew version of Zeus?
God’s presence in nature
Catholic theologian, Father Edward Leen, expresses in his book, The Holy Spirit, just how intimate God’s presence is in nature: “God’s power is put forth in every pulse of organic and inorganic being, in repose and movement, in every slightest change. Since every being and every aspect of being is the effect of God’s creative … Continue reading God’s presence in nature
Fertility and Divinity
With the grass being so lush and green this Beltane, with all the heat and rain, I’ve been meditating on YHWH as the source of life and fertility. In the process I’ve stumbled across a critique of Karl Barth by Walter Brueggemann, where he suggests Barth overplayed his hand in depicting YHWH as god of … Continue reading Fertility and Divinity
God’s Ineffability – Ron Rolheiser
God's Ineffability - What's Reveiled in Jesus' Eyes? Ron Rolheiser God, as I understand him, is not very well understood. A colleague of mine, now deceased, was fond of saying that. It’s a wise comment. Anyone who claims to understand God is deceived because the very first dogma we have about God affirms that God … Continue reading God’s Ineffability – Ron Rolheiser
On the jealousy of God
A few thoughts on the jealousy of God. In order to understand the jealousy of God properly it is important to understand it in relation to other qualities of God, such as the goodness of God, the justice of God, and the self sufficiency of God. Being uniquely self sufficient, the jealousy of God has … Continue reading On the jealousy of God
The Lady chosen by our Lord
I have been considering the ways in which Christianity can legitimately be said to have both a Lady and a Lord. The Second Epistle of John opens with an address to “To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth”. From the context it would seem that the … Continue reading The Lady chosen by our Lord
