All Questions
4
votes
1answer
30 views
Were all of Jesus' healings performed on the Sabbath?
I was just reading in John 5:1-17 about Jesus healing the man at the pool in Jerusalem, and noticed that this happened on the Sabbath. That reminded me of Him healing the man with the withered hand on ...
7
votes
1answer
43 views
Reason for drawing water at unusual time
John 4:5-8
New Living Translation (NLT)
5: Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
6: Jacob’s well was there; and ...
4
votes
2answers
98 views
Does the Mormon doctrine of exaltation implicitly require acknowledging the existence of sentient extra-terrestrial life?
The Mormon doctrine of exaltation is that we can become like God is, and in essence, attain godhood. This has sometimes been summarized, "As man now is, God once was. As God now is, man may become." I ...
1
vote
3answers
84 views
What does John 3:13 mean, NO MAN has ASCENDED to heaven? [closed]
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him. (Hebrews 11:5)
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
What are lunar sabbaths?
I know about the 7th day Sabbath and I know about SUNday but I cant quite understand lunar Sabbaths. What are these and who observes them?
4
votes
5answers
101 views
What was the light of the first day of creation?
In the Genesis account, the sun and stars are created on the fourth day:
Gen 1:14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them ...
5
votes
2answers
65 views
What is the difference between a dogma, a doctrine, an infallible statement, an ex cathedra statement, etc.?
There are a variety of terms used in the Catholic Church to refer to particular statements or beliefs. Here are a number of some such terms:
Dogma
Doctrine
Infallible statement
Infallible papal ...
0
votes
0answers
95 views
couples living together not married [closed]
A couple had been dating for four years, both of them raised in the truth not babtized. One is interested in joining the other to meeting and so forth. Now both want to continue meetin and all, but ...
2
votes
2answers
83 views
Which Roman Catholic doctrines are infallible?
I know that the Pope can speak infallibly (ex cathedra), and that this has officially been done once, as well as three times before Papal infallibility was formally declared. I would assume that any ...
6
votes
1answer
115 views
What is a brief history on the idea that the Papacy is the Anti-Christ?
I am quite familiar with the Reformers opposition to the Papacy and many said the Papacy is the Anti-Christ. What confuses me is this quote from that same page:
In calling the pope the ...
1
vote
1answer
33 views
Why is the Gospel of John said to present Jesus distinctively as “the Son of God”?
A common assertion is that the Gospel of John uniquely presents Jesus as "the Son of God", while Matthew presents Him as "the King of the Jews", Mark as the "Servant", and Luke as "the Son of Man".
...
1
vote
1answer
38 views
Why is the Gospel of Mark said to present Jesus as “the Servant”?
It is often asserted that the Gospel of Mark distinctively presents Jesus as the Servant, even the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53.
What is it about the particular content of the gospel of Mark that ...
1
vote
1answer
37 views
Why is it said that the Gospel of Luke presents Jesus as “the Son of Man”?
It is said that the Gospel of Luke presents Jesus as "the Son of Man"--not the Christ or King or God Incarnate, but distinctively the Son of Man.
What is it in the Gospel of Luke that gives rise to ...
3
votes
2answers
46 views
Why do Matthew and Luke contain genealogies of Jesus, while Mark and John do not?
Both Matthew and Luke contain genealogies of Jesus, Matthew to Abraham, and Luke to Adam. However, neither Mark nor John contain genealogies. What is the reason for this--both for why Matthew and ...
3
votes
1answer
33 views
Why is it said that the Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as the King of the Jews?
I have heard it stated that the Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as, specifically, the King of the Jews, rather than the Messiah, the Incarnate Word, or anything else.
What is the basis for this ...
3
votes
1answer
107 views
What is the Roman Catholic position on literally reading the Flood account in Genesis?
Elsewhere on this site, the question of whether the Roman Catholic church supported evolution was answered with evidence that the Catholic position is that evolution could be true. That is, because ...
-3
votes
1answer
89 views
In Prophecy what does a beast represent? [closed]
Revelation and Daniel talk about beasts. These, of course, can not be taken literal since they are symbolic. My question is what does a beast represent in prophecy?
6
votes
2answers
124 views
Have different Popes ever contradicted each other?
I understand that Roman Catholics do not think that everything the Pope says or does is infallible. However, has a sitting Pope ever revoked or contradicted an infallible statement made by a previous ...
5
votes
1answer
73 views
How was Judas Iscariot, as the son of perdition, able to work miracles and cast out demons?
The Scriptures describe Judas Iscariot in terms that certainly indicate that he was never a true follower of Jesus:
The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by ...
2
votes
1answer
39 views
What was John Wesley's view on Original Sin?
John Wesley was a supporter of free will and in opposition to Calvinism which taught predestination... What was his view on Original sin since by logic the baby is predestined to sin by just being ...
2
votes
2answers
54 views
Are some spiritual gifts more important than others? [closed]
1Co 12:28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
...
5
votes
1answer
42 views
John's question in prison
John the Baptist was someone whose job was to prepare the way from Christ. When Jesus makes his appearance, John introduces him to the people.
John 1:29-34, New Living Translation (NLT)
Jesus, the ...
4
votes
1answer
42 views
The lie of the Old Prophet
In the 1 Kings, We have man of God from Judah, who came to Bethel to warn Jeroboam and ends up getting killed on his way out by an Old Prophet who lied to him.
1 Kings 13:18
New International ...
7
votes
2answers
83 views
When did Jesus send the Holy Spirit?
I've always assumed that the Holy Spirit did not make his presence known amongst men until Pentecost. Famously, in Acts 2, the Spirit descends upon the first believers, gives them power of speech, ...
2
votes
2answers
104 views
If the old priesthood is abolished, what is the point of having Catholic priests?
Before Christ, there would be two tabernacles in the temple: an outer and an inner tabernacle. Priests would minister at the outer tabernacle by caring for the lamps, by burning incense to God twice ...
4
votes
3answers
168 views
Did the sun and the moon really stop rotating?
Or, the better question is: did the earth really stop rotating?
Joshua 10:12-14
New International Version (NIV)
12: On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to ...
7
votes
1answer
101 views
Why did Joseph only present five brothers?
After Joseph and his brothers were reunited, Joseph presents only five of his brothers to Pharaoh.
Genesis 47:1-2
New International Version (NIV)
47:1: Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My ...
6
votes
2answers
83 views
Who rules this Earth after the millenium?
According to premillenial eschatology, there will be a special period after Christ comes again in which He will reign on earth with His saints for a 1000 years. Their view is typically based on a ...
3
votes
2answers
66 views
Did the atonement end on the Cross? [closed]
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
When Jesus said it is finished did he mean that the atonement ...
2
votes
3answers
102 views
What is the sentence for adultery in the New Testament?
I'm just curious to know what the New Testament says about adultery? How is the adulterer supposed to be sentenced?
2
votes
2answers
60 views
What traditions hold that Satan is not actually a person?
I heard somewhere (can't remember where) that Satan is more of a term than a person. In other words, Satan is not so much a fallen angel, person, or being, but rather a designation for evil.
Is this ...
0
votes
0answers
49 views
God in the Universe? [closed]
If at some point in the future scientists found intelligent creatures on other planets how do you think this would effect our religion?
I personally see this as a possibility, but as long as we don't ...
0
votes
0answers
35 views
Are fallen angels also called sons of God in the Bible? [duplicate]
This comes from the verse which people interprete sons of God as fallen angels
Gen_6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the ...
9
votes
0answers
109 views
Where does the Catholic church procure most of its Bibles?
I was recently doing some research on Bible publishing and distribution in order to compose this answer over on the Skeptics Stack Exchange site. In spite of the result being well received, I have a ...
3
votes
1answer
68 views
How does music relate to the prophecy of God's mind?
I have been thinking about the 'aesthetic aspect of understanding' and found it surprising, when I noticed the role music had in the Bible. (I still scratch my head a bit and find it pleasurably ...
4
votes
0answers
35 views
How did Thomas Aquinas view grace as opposed to the church fathers?
I talked to a teacher at a theological seminary here in Sweden today, and we discussed the nature of grace: Fulfillment of natural potential or completely otherworldly? His idea was that with Thomas ...
0
votes
0answers
33 views
Why are some Christian denominations excluded from the group by other Christian denominations? [closed]
I have always wondered why some Christian denominations exclude certain other denominations and say they are not Christian. From my perspective as long as you believe in Christ and worship Him as our ...
6
votes
1answer
67 views
Why does any Archbishop get to decide if alligator is okay for Lent?
NPR ran an interesting piece about the saga of whether or not Catholics could eat alligator on Fridays during Lent. According to the story, an alligator merchant by the name of Jim Piculas advocated ...
10
votes
2answers
167 views
In Theistic Evolution when do the genealogies in Genesis become real?
In Genesis there is the genealogy of Adam to Noah, then the account of the flood. After that is the genealogy of Noah to Abraham. The accounts of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob's sons then follow. ...
6
votes
1answer
78 views
What is the difference between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven?
I did a search and saw that the phrase "Kingdom of Heaven" appears exclusively in the Gospel according to Matthew. However, the phrase "Kingdom of God" appears a few times in Matthew, but is also ...
4
votes
1answer
118 views
Does intelligence or rationality belong to other animals by participation?
In the Summa Theologica, Question 108(5), St Thomas Aquinas writes:
Therefore, if anything is to be called by a name designating its
property, it ought not to be named from what it participates ...
1
vote
2answers
90 views
Is android a kind of mankind? [closed]
In St.Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica, it said
But to know distinctly what is contained in the universal
whole is to know the less common, as to "animal" indistinctly is to know it as "animal"; ...
8
votes
3answers
111 views
Are the gospel authors who we believe them to be?
What I'm wondering is whether the actual authors of the book of John, Luke, Matthew, and Mark are who we believe them to be. I go to a Catholic high school, and in our version of the Bible it says, in ...
3
votes
2answers
81 views
What does the story of Noah's Ark foreshadow in the New Testament?
I have seen Noah's Ark listed one of the "types" in Scripture--something that occurred, but that also foreshadowed something else that would come later.
What exactly, then, does the Ark of Noah ...
2
votes
1answer
66 views
What is the significance of shouting “Hosanna” by the people of Jerusalem?
The word Hosanna has many meanings: "help", "save, I pray", "Save, now!" or Praising etc.
If the people shouted "Hosanna" in order to praise Jesus merely as a great Prophet, it would be easier to ...
6
votes
2answers
85 views
What is the basis for the belief among some LDS/Mormons that children in their pre-mortal existence choose who their parents will be?
I saw on an LDS-releated site recently where an LDS member indicated the belief that children in their pre-mortal existence choose who their parents will be. After seeing this, I recalled hearing the ...
6
votes
8answers
230 views
Do people go to heaven immediately when they die?
When someone passes away, at their funeral the priest will usually say something that gives the idea that the deceased is in heaven. And a lot of people like to also give the idea that people who die ...
1
vote
1answer
57 views
According to mainstream Christianity, who is God? [duplicate]
This question also relates to it:
Biblical basis for the doctrine of the Trinity
Growing up I've been led to believe that God is God, and Jesus is God's son. But others have also preached that ...
5
votes
3answers
146 views
How do Bible Literalists deal with trees older than the flood?
According to Answers in Genesis, the flood happened in approximately 2348 BC, which means it would've happened about 4360 years ago. Wikipedia has a list of the oldest individual trees known, of which ...
9
votes
1answer
66 views
In Catholic understanding, did Paul speak/write ex cathedra while Peter was serving as Pope?
Catholic doctrine teaches that Peter was the first Pope and that Popes may speak "ex cathedra". When they do, that is considered infallible.
However, while Peter was alive and presumably serving as ...
