Contemporary society is intensely secular and pluralistic. Postmodernity places its emphasis on rationalism and on scientific progress, and as a result conservative values and Christian orthodoxy are regarded as outdated and obsolete. The Christian religion, however, remains an indispensable check on the disorders that arise from the destructive side of human nature. It acts as…
The Book of Psalms is among the most sublime works in all of Holy Scripture. In it the most beautiful and intense expressions of the heart come to the surface, giving poetic form to feeling — whether in praise, imprecation, supplication, or instruction. Martin Luther affirmed that the Book of Psalms “puts before us not…
High Christology is bound to the divine nature — both to the nature of Christ and to the essential substance of true discipleship: faith. In it the transcendent takes precedence over the natural world, for in a singular way the spiritual dimension disclosed itself in materiality through Christ incarnate. The Gospel according to the apostle…
The account of the Gospel according to Mark contributes a great deal to our understanding of Jesus — His life and His central mission: to announce the Good News and proclaim that the Kingdom of God was at hand, presenting Himself as the Suffering Servant. Through its narrative emphasis on Jesus’ public ministry, the Gospel’s…
Methods of biblical reading offer different ways of interpreting the Scriptures in the light of an objective perspective. The great majority of studies taking this approach use the historical-critical method. In academic circles a number of hermeneutical methods have emerged that bring ideological presuppositions to the biblical text, among them psychological, feminist, and sociological criticism….
The Prosperity Theology has represented a threat to the Brazilian Pentecostal movement. With a harmful bias, this theology—stemming from Retribution Theology—has contributed to the distortion of true spirituality and the intrinsic values of classical Pentecostalism. The proposal presented by the Theology of Retribution is based on a cause-and-effect relationship, according to which all retribution occurs…
Health is a condition of life valued by every human being. Through it, every area of our existence can function productively and develop to its full potential. The state of health that sustains well-being, however, is not static; it is not a fixed condition, once achieved and thereafter maintained indefinitely. It calls for effort and…
The Church is a living organism, visible in its outward expression in the world and in harmony with its invisible attribute — the spiritual fuel of that organization called the Body of Christ. Charting a course for effective leadership in a church is always a challenge, since there are competing models of how ecclesiastical government…
Theological anthropology offers competing accounts of how the parts that constitute the human being are divided. Whether cast as dualism or as trichotomy, they arrive at the same conclusion: the human being is at once material and immaterial. Whichever account one adopts, an analysis from the standpoint of the holistic being is unavoidable — one…
The historical-cultural context is of fundamental importance for the correct interpretation of any message. The elements that interweave to form the identity of a people include geographical, social, political, religious, and economic factors, among others. The historical-cultural context of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians will serve here as a point of reference. Ephesus in the…
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