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1500 questions
21
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If both the Orthodox and Catholic Church affirm salvation by grace through faith, why did the Protestant Reformation happen?
I will often engage in dialogue with Catholics and Orthodox Christians who tell me that the doctrine of their churches affirms that salvation is by grace through faith.
If that is true, then what distinguishes Lutherans from Catholics and Eastern…
Dan
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Did Paul preach Jesus's message?
In the four Gospels, Jesus seems to talk a lot about the Law, about how to behave, about "the Kingdom" and how to restore social order. It doesn't seem like he talks about what Paul talks about: grace, law vs. gospel, gentile-inclusion. Mostly, what…
Thomas Shields
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21
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Is it appropriate to capitalize pronouns referring to Jesus Christ?
Somewhere along the line I picked up the habit of capitalizing He, His, Him, etc. when they are referring to Jesus Christ as a form of respect. Likewise I always capitalize Christ, which is the title of Jesus of Nazareth. My question is if this is…
Jim McKeeth
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21
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What does "see" in "the Holy See" mean?
The seat of the Bishop of Rome is called "the Holy See". What does "see" mean?
Does it mean “Holy Sea”, as the word “see” could be an archaic spelling of the word “sea”. It would make sense, because there is an unholy sea in the Bible also, called…
Constantthin
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21
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What is the significance of Noah, after the flood, getting drunk and cursing his son who saw him Naked?
A strange passage in the beginning of Genesis contains the account of Noah who, after surviving the flood, planted a vineyard and made wine. After he drank the wine and became drunk one of his sons (Ham) sees him naked, tells his two brothers about…
aceinthehole
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Why (how) does Jesus' coat have no seam?
When Jesus is arrested and His captors take His clothes, they split them in four parts. However, His coat they did not split, as John records, "the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout." See John 19:23,24.
Is this seamless robe only…
dleyva3
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21
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Is there a Biblical basis for not believing that Global Warming is occurring?
This is something that has confused me over the years. It appears that many Christians stand against the belief that global warming or climate change is occurring. But I have yet to hear any biblical reasoning. What is the biblical basis, if any,…
Darye
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Why does Jesus not want people to repent and be forgiven in Mark 4?
This is in response to the disciples asking why Jesus teaches in parables:
He said to them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables, so that although they look they may look but not…
aceinthehole
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Where did angels get their wings?
The Bible does not record angels having wings at any point, but this is a popular depiction of angels. Do any Christian groups teach that angels do have wings, in extra-biblical materials? Where does the idea come from?
Waggers
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21
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When was “pistis christou” first understood as a statement about Christ’s faith?
There is an ongoing debate among translators and commentators of Paul’s letters about how to understand the phrase Πίστις Χριστοῦ (pistis christou)1 -- “[the] faith[fulness] of Christ" vs. “faith in Christ”. For instance, Gal 2:16:
εἰδότες ὅτι οὐ…
Susan
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21
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Early church writers opposed to the baptism of infants?
In his book On Baptism, Chapter 18, "Of the Persons to Whom, and the Time When, Baptism is to Be Administered," Tertullian says
According to the circumstances and disposition, and even age, of each individual, the delay of baptism is preferable;…
Kazark
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How does free will fit with the doctrine of predestination?
The Calvinistic doctrine of predestination states that God has chosen who will live and who will die. That Christians are unconditionally elected for salvation or damnation.
However, how does this fit the idea of Free Will? If it's God that is…
Richard
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21
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When in the development of trinitarian doctrine was the word "persons" first applied to God?
In the Bible, the word "persons" is not used in reference to God, nor are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit called "persons."
When, in early Christian writings and creeds, was the word "persons" (plural) first used in reference to God as part of the…
Lee Woofenden
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21
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Why is the Bible a foundation of theological evidence?
Please excuse my ignorance I'm new to this.
I've been looking through the Q&A on the site and I've noticed scripture and especially passages from the Bible are cited as evidence for one argument or another.
What is the theological argument that the…
Jodrell
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Will blind people be blind in Heaven?
Matthew 18:9, NIV:
And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
Does this mean that people who are (or become)…
Flimzy
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