The book deals with the wide background and context of early Christianity. Particularly, it highlights the rise of Jewish national identity and the influence of the Essene Yahad, seeing the New Testament in the light of cultural conditioning and regarding as central the divinization doctrine. in the last section it delves into doubt, faith, and mysticism.

Although bumper stickers abound that propose otherwise, the Bible itself reveals that just because “God says it,” does not, in fact, mean “that settles it.” On the contrary, a close reading of Scripture reveals that God does not want us to blindly obey him, but rather, invites us to “lock hands” with him and fight. The purpose of this book is to…[Read more]

A fresh attempt to explain the suicide of Judas and the death of Ananias and Sapphira as imagined consequences of an allegedly deadly excommunication.

The Tribe of Dan has always appeared to biblical scholars and archaeologists as something of an enigma. For decades, certain scholars, beginning with Yigael Yadin, have proposed a connection between the Denyen/Danaoi Sea People and the Danites of Ancient Israel, arguing that the former became the latter and were adopted into Israel at a later date…[Read more]

An article exploring original research on the Seventh-day Adventist 1919 Bible Conference and how it sheds light on both perceptions of Ellen White and her own views. It presents evidence that Mrs. White may have believed in a dual fulfillment model of prophecy, based on her belief that the Apocrypha (and the books of Maccabees) were scripture, as…[Read more]

A brief overview of Adventism’s relationship with the Apocrypha, spanning from the year 1842 until 1918. It updates the conclusions of the last previous study conducted by Ron Graybill and utilizes previously undiscovered documents and even writings by Ellen White to propose that Adventism’s entanglement with the Apocryphal corpus is far reaching…[Read more]

A summary and review of a creative and neutral approach to teaching the Documentary Hypothesis to undergraduate students.

For centuries, the story of Lot’s daughters in Genesis is one which has both abhorred and intrigued countless readers. Utilizing the hermeneutical lenses of Narrative and Feminist Criticism, this paper draws attention to overlooked details in the narrative. The story is also contrasted with that of the Levite’s Concubine in Judges 19. The res…[Read more]

This article delves into the intriguing ΦΧΦΠ cryptograms on the west facade of the St. George Church in Staro Nagoričino, shedding light on their connection to the era of King Milutin and their profound theological significance. It explores the convergence of architecture and symbolism, focusing on these cryptograms as a representation of the “Tru…[Read more]

This article explores the King’s Church of Studenica, and its connections to the Byzantine Chora Church in Constantinople. By examining the architectural and artistic elements of the King’s Church, the article argues that King Stefan Uroš II Milutin sought to create a choral experience for the viewer, immersing them in a world of divine beau…[Read more]

The Dietrich Child Perhaps the most incredible case Edgar Cayce ever encountered was the case of the Dietrich child. In fact, because newspapers did publish the remarkable story of the Dietrich child, Edgar Cayce immediately became a sensation. In 1902, Cayce had just begun to gain a reputation as a healer. Aimee Dietrich was a six-year-old child…[Read more]

This article re-analyses in detail the meaning of the expression ludi Graeci which appears in two of Cicero’s letters (Ad Fam. 7,1 and Ad Att. 15,5). A careful examination of the first instance reveals that ludi Graeci indeed referred to theatrical performances in Greek language and not merely to Latin plays that followed Greek models. A brief s…[Read more]

This paper surveys potential counterparts of the ancient Egyptian concept of mAat (maat) from other cultures and summarises such cross-cultural studies as have already been completed. Its scope ranges from antiquity to the present day and across Europe, Africa, the Near East, India, China, Australia and the Americas. Paradigms that appear to…[Read more]

This paper surveys potential counterparts of the ancient Egyptian concept of mAat (maat) from other cultures and summarises such cross-cultural studies as have already been completed. Its scope ranges from antiquity to the present day and across Europe, Africa, the Near East, India, China, Australia and the Americas. Paradigms that appear to…[Read more]

This article investigates several discussions of “chemistry,” understood as an analysts’ category referring to theories and practices dealing with the structure and transformation of matter. By reading these texts (a treatise defending kīmiyāʾ by al-Fārābī, the famous passage from Ibn Sīnā’s Shifāʾ on transmutation, Ibn Taymiyyah’s fatwā…[Read more]

The present article challenges Walter C. Kaiser, Jr’s influential proposal for evangelical Old Testament missiology. Out of concern to avoid an understanding of “Israel as God’s favored or pet nation,” Kaiser argues that God’s promise to Abraham in Gen 12:3 is for the sake of all nations, and as such, “the first Great Commission mandate of…[Read more]

Sicily – and especially Syracuse – seems to have had an ongoing preoccupation with paired eyes as an apotropaic or magico-religious symbol. This brief paper explores some signature pieces and speculates that the excised eyes of Santa Lucia, patron saint of Syracuse, may be but a recent embodiment of a propensity that dates back to the Neolithic era.

At Christmas, Christians celebrate that Jesus was born on December 25 as the son of God andthe Virgin Mary. But this event is not unique. In this article, I show that the birth of Jesus hasseveral non-Christian predecessors, whereby various elements of the ritual dynamics have beenChristianized and implemented into the figure we know today as Jesus Christ.

At Christmas, Christians celebrate that Jesus was born on December 25 as the son of God andthe Virgin Mary. But this event is not unique. In this article, I show that the birth of Jesus hasseveral non-Christian predecessors, whereby various elements of the ritual dynamics have beenChristianized and implemented into the figure we know today as Jesus Christ.

Sinabi ni Ramon Reyes: Kung ituturing nating relihiyon ang pangunahing dimensyon ng tao kung saan iniuugnay niya ang sagrado, sa “lampas,” sa nagbibigay ng batayan at pinakahuling kahulugan ng kanyang pang-araw-araw na pag-iral, kung gayon ang mga animistikong paniniwala at gawain ng ang mga unang Pilipino ay magiging kuwalipikado bilang…[Read more]