Month: June 2019
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Divine vs. Human Doctrine
Jesus described two types of doctrine: Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the…
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Doctrine, Community, and the Individual
Can a faith group exist without doctrine? Doctrine says something about us. In many ways, it defines who and what we are. It says more about us than it says about God. A shared religion or doctrine is a functional way for like-minded people to find one another and to work together for shared aims….
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Relating to God Through Questions or Meditation
The Babelonian community wanted to establish a closer relationship with God and align more closely with His will. Does a community stand a better chance than the individual in this respect? God seemed to question the Babelonian motives, however, and worried that if they were to succeed their will would be as powerful as God’s:…
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Beyond Our Understanding? The Power of Questions
Having given an uncharacteristically straight answer to the Pharisees’ doctrinal questions by summarizing the law into “love God and love your neighbor,” Jesus questioned them in turn: Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son…