God Death And Religious Teaching

This is a collection of articles written by the author, which range through the Christian doctrines of creation, the human soul, the Eucharist, and life after death, which have always been centres of discussion by philosophers and theologians. They discuss the right way to approach theological issues. They offer a distinctive approach to ethical questions that arise in controversy between different religious traditions, and between religious and secular thinkers generally. And they consider the place of faith in religious thinking and the weight that should be given to authority and tradition. The volume carries a new general introduction to the collection.

This volume offers a nuanced picture with specific instances of religion and politics in Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, and Hindu contexts, broadly presenting the phenomenon of religion and politics via country and thematic case studies. Qualitative, quantitative, material, philosophical, and theological analyses draw upon social theory to show how (and why) religion matters deeply in each time and place. The authors and contributors demonstrate that religion is a significant force that drives societies and polities around the world, and that a radical change in the Western understanding of value-driven global politics is needed. Beyond the Death of God offers new, local voices to Western audiences—through essays that suggest the need for an appreciation of Divinity as a quintessence holding a significant place in the hearts, minds, social orders, and political organization of polities around the world.

Over half of Americans believe in a literal heaven, in a literal hell. Most people who hold these beliefs are Christian and assume they are the age-old teachings of the Bible. Ehrman shows that eternal rewards and punishments are found nowhere in the Old Testament, and are not what Jesus or his disciples taught. He recounts the long history of the afterlife, ranging from The Epic of Gilgamesh up to the writings of Augustine, focusing especially on the teachings of Jesus and his early followers. Ehrman shows that competing views were intimately connected with the social, cultural, and historical worlds out of which they emerged. -- adapted from jacket

Winner of the Award of Excellence of the Foundation for Pentecostal Scholarship 2010. The teaching of Kenyon, Hagin and Copeland that Jesus ‘died spiritually’ (JDS) is important because of the influence of these men, not least on Pentecostalism. JDS originated with Kenyon, and has been taught in the Word-faith movement by Hagin and Copeland, despite much criticism. It incorporates three elements: in this death, Jesus was separated from God; partook of a satanic nature; and was Satan’s prey. This theological appraisal takes research far further than previous works, both in method and in scope. It concludes that adoption of JDS by Pentecostalism would be damaging in several respects, and thus draw the latter away from its moorings in traditional Christianity. Pentecostals and others are advised to reject the bulk of this teaching.

An eminent the ologian draws on insights from major Eastern and Western world religions, natural science, philosophy, and psychology in offering a broad treatment of man's beliefs about death and immortality.

Many think that belief in life after death flies in the face of what science has discovered. Paul Badham explores the grounds on which the hope of immortality, central for Christian doctrine, can be revitalized today. He suggests that the possibility of a relationship between God and human beings is confirmed by our religious experience, and that resurrection and immortality need each other. Includes chapters on the evidential value of near-death experiences, concepts of heaven, and arguments against belief in hell.