WikiChristian - User contributions [en]

Christian wikis

2010-12-12T16:08:20Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Reasons Underlying the Development of Christian Wikis */

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Christian Wikis |
subtopics = Specific Wikis - [[WikiChristian]], [[OrthodoxWiki]], [[Theopedia]], [[ReformedWord]], [[BibleFootnotes]]
* [[Wiki]]s |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}

A wiki website is a site that allows users to add content, as on an internet forum, but also allows anyone to edit the content. There are a number of wiki websites related to [[Christianity]].

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===History of Christian Wikis===

The first Christian wiki was Clublet<ref>http://www.clublet.com</ref>, begun by Richard Drake in 2000.

Another early Christian wiki was Compass, which was set up by Richard Hall in early 2001. This is no longer online.

In late 2004 WikiChristian was set up as a non-denominational wiki for Christianity.

Other wikis developed in early 2005 including Orthodox Wiki (for [[Eastern Orthodoxy]]) and Theopedia (for Reformed Protestantism).

In 2006 and 2007 there was a brief explosion of Christian wikis, particularly "Bible" wikis dedicated to Biblical Christianity, such as Wikible. Most of these wikis have since disappeared because of lack of interest by web-users.

On August 23, 2009, Robert Pierce ([[User:Master Frederique|Master Frederique]]) founded LifeMusic Wiki, a database on Christian music. It is now the largest Christian music wiki and the second largest Christian wiki.

No Christian wikis have achieved anything like the numerical success of editors that wikipedia has. Currently there are only four English-language Christian wikis that have regular daily users. These are [[Theopedia]], [[OrthodoxWiki]], [[LifeMusic Wiki]], and [[WikiChristian]], WikiChristian being the largest.

==Quotes==

:{{q|I think Christian wikis need to join forces|From an internet chat forum}}

==References==

{{reflist}}

==Links==

===Active Wikis===
* [http://astorehouseofknowledge.info/ A Storehouse of Knowledge] "the encyclopedia with a biblical worldview."
* [http://christianity.wikia.com/ Christianity Knowledge Base]
* [http://www.anabaptistwiki.org The Global Anabaptist Wiki] An interactive community of Anabaptist-Mennonite groups from around the world.
* [http://heavenmusic.wikia.com/ LifeMusic Wiki]
* [http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/ OrthodoxWiki] An encyclopedia and information center for Orthodox Christianity.
* [http://www.sawiki.net/ SAWiki.net] SAWiki is an online encyclopedia covering all aspects of the Salvation Army.
* [http://www.textus-receptus.com/w/mediawiki-1.13.2/index.php/Main_Page Textus Receptus] A wiki promoting the Textus Receptus and versions translated from it.
* [http://www.theopedia.com/ Theopedia] An online encyclopedia of Christianity and Biblical Theology
* [[Main Page|WikiChristian]] ''(This website)'' An encyclopedia and discussion forum for all Christians to share their faith.

===Barely Active Wikis===
* [http://thecatholicguide.com/ The Catholic Guide]
* [http://wiki.faithfutures.org/ Jesus Database] Historical Jesus research.
* [http://oldbelievers.wetpaint.com/ Old Orthodox Wiki] Old-Rite Russian Orthodox
* [http://biblestudy.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Wikia Bible Study]

===Inactive Wikis===
* [http://bible.tmtm.com/wiki/Main_Page Bible Wiki] A user-created free scholarly commentary to the entire text of the Christian Bible.
* [http://www.lutheranwiki.org/ LutheranWiki] Lutheran theology
* [http://openbibleproject.org Open Bible Project]
* [http://theology.wikia.com/ Theologia] Theology from an ecumenical point of view

===Specific Interest Wikis===
* [http://www.apologetics-wiki.com ApologeticsWiki] (Wiki for Christian apologetics)
* [http://christianmusic.wikia.com/ Christian Music Wiki]
* [http://christianrock.wikia.com/ Christian Rock wiki]
* [http://www.creationwiki.org/ CreationWiki] (Creation Science Wiki Site)
* [http://lutheranhymntunemusic.pbworks.com Lutheran Hymn Tune Music] Lutheran hymn tune music.
* [http://www.mormonwiki.org/ MormonWiki.org] (Christian Wiki Reviewing Mormonism)
* [http://hymnal.oremus.org/ Oremus Hymnal] Anglican hymnal

===Christian Wikis in Non-English Languages===
* [http://www.kathpedia.com Kathpedia] (German)

===Christian Wikis Search Engine===
* [http://rollyo.com/rockofvictory/christian_wikis/ Christian Wikis Search Engine]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity and the Internet]]

[[Category:Christian wikis]]

Shout to the Lord (song)

2010-12-12T16:08:12Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Quotes */

{{quote | text={{Bible verse|Psalm|5|11|lang=WEB}} [[Psalm 5:11]]}}
{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Shout to the Lord
[[Image:Shout to the Lord.gif|thumb|center|The cover for the album "Shout to the Lord".]] |
subtopics = [[Shout to the Lord (Chords)]]
* [[Darlene Zschech]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}
{{YouTube Video|youtube=hGhr68iq7ck|Shout to the Lord|title=Shout to the Lord}}

"'''Shout to the Lord'''" is probably the best known song written by the [[Hillsong]] songwriter [[Darlene Zschech]]. It picks up the powerful and majestic themes and images of the [[Psalms]], particularly chapters 95 to 100.

It was estimated in 2006 that 25 million churchgoers worldwide sang "Shout to the Lord" in any one week. The song continues to be well known and was sung on American Idol in 2008<ref>'American Idol' Brings Jesus Back to Worship Song by [[Nathan Black]] of the [[Christian Post]], 11-April-2008. Web address: [http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080411/-american-idol-brings-jesus-back-to-worship-song.htm christianpost.com/article/20080411/-american-idol-brings-jesus-back-to-worship-song.htm]</ref>.

===Lyrics===

My Jesus, my Saviour
Lord, there is none like you
All of my days I want to praise
The wonders of your mighty love

My comfort, my shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship you

Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing
Power and majesty, praise to the King
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of your name

I sing for joy at the work of your hands
Forever I'll love you, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in you

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

==References==

{{reflist}}

==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shout_to_the_Lord Wikipedia - Shout to the Lord]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Christian music]]

[[Category:Christian music]]
[[Category:Videos]]

Love

2010-12-12T16:08:01Z

Smelly jewish whore: it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

{{quote | text={{Bible verse|matthew|22|37|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|matthew|22|38|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|matthew|22|39|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|matthew|22|40|lang=WEB}} [[Matthew 22]]:37-40}}
{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Love |
subtopics = [[God is love]]
* [[Translating love]] | [[Philia]] | [[Eros]] | [[Agape]] | [[Storge]]
* [[Mercy]] | [[Forgiveness]] | [[Grace]]
* Bible passages - [[1 Corinthians 13]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* [[Who do you love? A study of John 21:15-17 (carm)]]
* Sermon: [[Luke 10 - What is love? (G.G.)]] |
}}

'''Love''' is a word that is hard to define. In [[First Corinthians]] we are told that love is patient and love is kind; that it does not envy, or boast and isn't proud; love isn't rude or self-seeking or easily angered; it doesn't keep a record of wrongs; love always protects, it always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres; it never fails. [[God]] has a character of complete love and he calls us to love like he does.

===Love in the Bible===

One of the clearest themes in the [[Bible]] is the theme of love. The word is used on hundreds of occasions and there are hundreds of stories illustrating love.

====God's love====

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111
====[[Translating love]]====

In the New Testament, the word love has been translated from three different [[Koine Greek]] words: [[philia]], [[agape]] and [[storge]]. Philia is often used to describe the brotherly love of friendship. Agape is often used to describe the love of choice of the mind that is unconditional and limitless. And storge is often used for the the natural affection of families.

====Loving each other====

Jesus said that the second great commandment was that we love our neighbours as ourselves. The account is found in [[Luke 10]]:25-27 just before Jesus tells the story of [[The Good Samaritan]].
: ''{{Bible verse|luke|10|25|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|luke|10|26|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|luke|10|27|lang=WEB}}''

Later, in the [[Gospel of John]], Jesus says
: ''{{Bible verse|John|15|13|lang=WEB}}'' ([[John 15:13]])

Jesus shows us this love when he lay down his life for us.

====Passages about love====

Perhaps the most famous Bible passage about love comes from [[1 Corinthians 13]]
: ''{{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|13|1|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|13|2|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|13|3|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|13|4|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|13|5|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|13|6|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|13|7|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|13|8|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|13|9|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|13|10|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|13|11|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|13|12|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|13|13|lang=WEB}}''

===Stories of love in church history===

{{stub}}

==Quotes==

''The Beatles''
: All you need is love

==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love Wikipedia - Love]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Christian doctrine and debates]]
[[Category:Christian doctrine and debates]]

Christian doctrine and debates

2010-12-12T16:07:29Z

Smelly jewish whore: it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Doctrine and Debate |
subtopics = [[Creeds and catechisms]]
* [[Christian Doctrine and Debates Index]]
* [[Essence of Christianity]]
* Major doctrines
** [[Trinity]], [[Nature of Christ]]
** [[Sin]], [[Justification]], [[Grace]], [[Love]], [[Afterlife|Heaven and hell]]
* [[Theology]], [[Apologetics]], [[Polemics]], [[Heresies]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}

Doctrine means a set of beliefs or teaching. [[Theology]] in the Christian context refers to the study of different doctrines in the attempt to know God's nature more fully.

Although there is a great deal of common ground in beliefs between different Christians, since the [[church]] formed, major events and conflicts over matters of doctrine have resulted in significant rifts in the church. Various Creeds and catechisms have been written as statements of the beliefs of different Christians. Today, although Christians agree that there is a loving tri-une God and that Jesus, the Son of God, died for the sins of humanity and rose again to new life, there are still considerable differences in understanding on major themes including [[justification]], [[salvation]] and [[grace]].

==it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111==

===Conflict and debate===

Since the [[church]] formed, major events and conflict, often over matters of doctrine has resulted in significant rifts in the church. Various Creeds and catechisms have been written as statements of the beliefs of different Christians. Today there are still considerable differences in understanding on major themes in [[Christianity]] like [[justification]], [[salvation]] and [[grace]].

Doctrine is important. Scripture stresses the importance of sound doctrine. In the pastoral epistles there are 28 specific references to the importance of doctrine or the content of our teaching. For example,
* Give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and ''teaching'' ([[1 Timothy 4:13]]).
* Preach the word . . . with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure ''sound doctrine''; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires. ([[2 Timothy 4]]:2-3).
* Pay close attention to yourself and to your ''teaching'' (doctrine); persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. ([[2 Timothy 4:16]]).
* Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in ''sound doctrine'' and to refute those who contradict. ([[Titus 1:9]]).

===Major doctrine===

The key teachings of Christian relate to the nature of God as three yet one, the person of Jesus as both a man and as God who died for the sins of humanity and has risen again to new life, and the purpose of humanity to live in a relationship of love to God.

Some of the key doctrines of Christianity were outlined by the early church in various creeds such as the [[Nicene Creed]]/

====[[Trinity]]====

The Trinity is the Christian teaching that there is only one God but that he exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Although this teaching is never specifically defined within the Bible the concept of the Trinity permeates throughout Scripture.

====Deity of Christ====

Jesus, as part of the Trinity, is shown to be God in the Bible. This teaching is distinct to Christianity. At the same time, Scripture also teaches that Jesus was fully human. This teaching that Jesus is both God and human is sometimes referred to as the hypostatic union.

===Death and Resurrection of Jesus===

Another essential Christian teaching is that Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead. These events are remembered each Easter. The death of Jesus is seen by Christians as God's solution to human sin and shows God's love.

====Sin====

Sin is understood by Christians to be any actions, words or thoughts that are contrary to God's will and are seen to cause a separation between people and God. There are a variety of opinions regarding the nature and types of sins. For example, the Roman Catholic Church divides sins into two general types, [[venial sins]] and [[mortal sins]].

====Love====

A God of love is at the centre of Christianity who calls Christians to love him and each other. Although all Christians agree on this point, history has shown that not all Christians have lived in this manner.

====[[Justification]]====

Justification refers to the sinner being declared by God as righteous. In other words, justification is the term that describes the removal of sins from a person. In the [[Book of Isaiah]] the concept of justification is stated beautifully - [[Isaiah 1:18]]
: "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

There are significant differing views on justification among Christians. The [[Roman Catholic Church]] and the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] teach that justification and cleansing from sin requires both faith in [[Christ]]'s redemptive work on the cross as well as obedience and good works. This is known as [[justification by faith plus works]]. [[Protestant]] churches teach that justification and cleansing from sin requires only faith in [[Christ]]'s redemptive work on the cross, and does not require any good works on the part of the sinner. This is known as [[justification by faith alone]], and was one of the core reasons for the Protestant break-away from the Roman Catholic Church in the [[Reformation]].

==Quotes==

==Links==
* [http://www.theopedia.com/Doctrine Theopedia - Doctrine]
* [http://www.biola.edu/admin/connections/articles/06summer/d_word.cfm Has Doctrine Become the New Dirty Word?], by Holly Pivec (''Biola Connections'')
* [http://www.concentric.net/~Cosmas/christian_theology.htm A big collection of sites on Christian Theology]
* [http://www.iclnet.org/ Internet Christian Library]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]]
[[Category:Christian doctrine and debates]]

Church

2010-12-12T16:06:38Z

Smelly jewish whore: it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

{{quote | text=The church is not a building. Nor is it an organisation or human institution. The church is simply the people whose sins have been forgiven through their faith Jesus Christ... (An extract from the book [[Once a Catholic]] by [[Tony Coffey]])}}
{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Church / Ecclesiology
[[Image:Christians at lourdes.jpg|thumb|center|Christians at [[Lourdes]].]] |
subtopics = [[Nature of the church]]
* [[Mission of the church]]
* [[Church Terms Index]]
* Contemporary Ecclesiology Issues and Terminology - [[Megachurch]], [[Home church]], [[Emerging church]], [[Incarnational church]]
* [[Church building]]
* [[Church history]]
* [[Denominations]]
* [[World-wide church directory]]
* [[Church service]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* {{ebd}}
* [[What is the Church? (G.G.)]]
* [[The Theology of the Church (AmericanCatholic)]]
* [[The Church (justforcatholics.org)]] |
}}

The word '''church''' is used in many different ways. The '''church''' is the Christian community of believers, that is, it is the people. Sometimes the word '''church''' is also used to refer to a [[church building]] (the building used in [[Christian]] [[worship]]) or a [[church service]] (the weekly meeting of a group of Christians in a church building) or to a church [[denomination]].

'''Ecclesiology''' means the study of the doctrine of the church.

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===Uses of the word "church" in common English===

TIn English, the word "church" means different things to different people in different contexts. It can be used in reference to a gathering of people for a religious meeting. It is also sometimes used to refer to a building or group of buildings, and occasionally it refers to an entire [[denomination]]. It can also be used in an institutional sense to refer to all churches, such as "... the church today...."

===[[Nature of the Church]]===

There are a variety of understandings about what the church actually is.

The context in which the word [[ekklesia]] (church) is used in the Bible suggests that it was not originally intended to mean a building or an organization, but instead was intended to primarily mean a congregation or meeting of God's people. Thus the church, although consisting of the community of believers, is not simply the community of believers, but also includes activity.

Furthermore, although consisting of people, the church is not simply an instution created by people. In [[Matthew 16:18]] Jesus spoke about building '''his''' church and later, in [[Matthew 18:20]] he spoke about being present among the church
: ''{{Bible verse|matthew|16|18|lang=WEB}}'' (Matthew 16:18)
: ''{{Bible verse|matthew|18|20|lang=WEB}}'' (Matthew 18:20)

The Bible uses the term church in both a local and universal nature. Mostly the word refers to local churches, for example, the church in Rome or Antioch. Quite often it is spoken about the plural. On a few occasions the New Testament uses the word in a general or universal sense.

Throughout church history, starting with [[Augustine]], the church has sometimes been spoken about in terms of the "invisible church" as opposed to the "visible church". The invisible church basically means the community or collection of true believers in Jesus regardless of denominational affiliation. The term visible church is used to refer to the physical countable members or leaders that make up a church or group of churches. Many Protestant churches tend to emphasize the invisible church, and view this as something quite distinct from the visible church. The Roman Catholic Church, on the other hand, teaches that the invisible church and visible church are very closely connected, although there is recognition that some elements of the invisible church can be present outside the visible Roman Catholic church.<ref>[[Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]]: [http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070629_responsa-quaestiones_en.html Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine of the Church], 2007, second and third question.</ref>

===[[Mission of the church]]===

The church's mission can be summarized as to bring glory to God through humanity mirroring God’s own holy character of love<ref>[[Stanley J. Grenz]], ''[[Theology for the Community of God]]'' (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 2000), 489.</ref>. This involves:
# Honourable worship to God
# Building up of each other within the church
# Reaching out into the world through service and evangelism

===[[Church building]]===

Christians worhsip in church buildings. Although the [[Church]] (the people that belong to [[Jesus]]) can meet anywhere, they have since early times built buildings specifically for worshipping [[God]] in. There are many well known church buildings around the world such as [[St. Peter's Basilica]] in [[Rome]]. A common architecture for churches is a building in the shape of a cross, often with a dome or other large vaulted space in the interior to represent or draw attention to the heavens.

====Photos of church buildings====

<center><gallery>
Image:DCP 4427.jpg|The main church in [[Echmiadzin]], the physical centre of the [[Armenian Orthodox Church]]
Image:Wittenburg church door gg.jpg|The door of the famous church in [[Wittenburg]] where [[Martin Luther]] is thought to have nailed his [[95 Theses]] to the door
Image:Olney church.jpg|The church in [[Olney]] where [[John Newton]], author of the hymn [[Amazing Grace (song)|Amazing Grace]] worked
Image:Stanfordmemorialchurch.jpg|Stanford Memorial Church in [[California]]
Image:Trinity baptist colonel light gardens.jpg|A small local church, [[Trinity Baptist Church (Colonel Light Gardens, South Australia)|Trinity Baptist Church]] in [[Adelaide]], [[Australia]], once known as the "City of Churches"
Image:Église Collégiale Sainte Marthe (Tarascon).jpg|The Église Collégiale Sainte Marthe in [[Tarascon]], [[France]]
</gallery></center>

===[[Church history]]===

Since the church was formed after the resurrection of Jesus, major events and conflict, often over matters of [[doctrine]] have resulted in significant rifts. Initially the early Christians spread the good news of Jesus throughout the Roman empire and small congregations of Christians sprang up in many towns. Rome soon became the geographical centre of the church. However, there was a rift between the Church in Greece and the one in Rome that slowly developed over centuries culminating in a schism in 1054 AD. Later, in sixteenth century, Christians in northern Europe split from the Roman church, an event known as the [[Reformation]]. Today there seems to be a bewildering array of [[denominations]]. Some of the larger ones include [[Roman Catholicism]], the Greek and Russian [[Eastern Orthodox|Orthodox]] churches and the wide variety of [[Protestant]] churches.

==Quotes==

[[Once a Catholic]] by [[Tony Coffey]]
: The church is not a building. Nor is it an organisation or human institution. The church is simply the people whose sins have been forgiven through their faith Jesus Christ.

Lenny Bruce
: Every day people are straying away from the church and going back to God.

Charles de Lint
: Why did men worship in churches, locking themselves away in the dark, when the world lay beyond its doors in all its real glory?

Robert Short
: The church is the great lost and found department.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
: I like the silence of a church, before the service begins better than any preaching.

George Mueller
: An unvisited church will sooner or later become an unhealthy church.

Ignatius of Antioch
: Where the bishop, there the church (''Ubi episcopus, ibi ecclesia.'')

Eugene de Mazenod
: To love Jesus Christ means to love the church

== References ==

<references />

==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church Wikipedia - Church]
* [http://sharingknowledge.org/wb/pages/bible-teachings/fundamental-doctrines.php Sharing knowledge - Church]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]]
[[Category:Theology]]

God

2010-12-12T16:06:24Z

Smelly jewish whore: Blanked the page

Koine Greek

2010-12-12T16:05:59Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Bible */

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Koine Greek
[[Image:Codex Alexandrinus Luke.jpg|thumb|center|A copy of the [[Codex Alexandrinus]] opened to the [[Gospel of Luke]].]] |
subtopics = [[Koine Greek: Dictionary|Dictionary]]
* [[Greek]]
* Lessons
** [[Koine Greek: Alphabet|Alphabet]]
** [[Koine Greek: Nouns|Nouns]], [[Koine Greek: Definite Article|Definite Article]], [[Koine Greek: Prepositions|Prepositions]]
** [[Koine Greek: Adjectives|Adjectives]], [[Koine Greek: Comparison|Comparison]]
** [[Koine Greek: Verbs|Verbs]]
** [[Koine Greek: Participles|Participles]]
** [[Koine Greek: Adverbs|Adverbs]]
** Miscellaneous topics
*** [[Koine Greek: Crasis|Crasis]]
*** [[Koine Greek: Questions|Questions]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}
{{greek_dictionary}}

Koine is the Greek word for "common." Koine Greek (also called New Testament Greek) was the form of the Greek language used from around 300 BC to AD 300. The books of the [[New Testament]] were originally written in Koine Greek. Koine Greek was the ''lingua franca'' (or the commonly used language of communication) in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern for hundreds of years following the conquests of Alexander the Great, including during the time of the early church.

Claims have been made that the Greek language of the New Testament confused many scholars for a period of time but this is not the case. It was, however, sufficiently different from Classical Greek that some hypothesized that it was a combination of Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. An attempt was made to explain it as a "spiritual language," assuming that perhaps God created a special language just for the [[Bible]]. But studies of [[Greek]] papyri found in [[Egypt]] over the past 120 years have shown that the Greek of the [[New Testament]] manuscripts was the "common" (koine) language of the everyday people - the same as that used in the writing of wills and private letters. In fact, Koine Greek was propagated through the centuries by the Eastern Orthodox Church and was the language common in the Byzantine Empire. Therefore, knowledge of the language was never lost nor was the meaning of any of the vocabulary in doubt when reformation scholars began to translate from the Textus Receptus.

Koine Greek spread throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East as a result of the conquests of the Greek armies of Alexander the Great. It served as a second language for many people and had become the language of communication throughout much of the Roman Empire and beyond by the time of Jesus. It retained its role as the lingua franca until the Middle Ages.

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===Alphabet===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Letter name !! Lower Case !! Upper Case !! Transliteration in WikiChristian !! Pronunciation
|-
| alpha || α || Α || a || father
|-
| beta || β || Β || b || beta
|-
| gamma || γ || Γ || g || gamma
|-
| delta || δ || Δ || d || delta
|-
| epsilon || ε || Ε || e || epsilon
|-
| zêta || ζ || Ζ || ''z'' if first letter, otherwise ''dz'' || zêta ''or'' beds
|-
| êta || |η || Η || e || obey
|-
| thêta || θ || Θ || th || thêta
|-
| iota || ι || Ι || i || spaghetti
|-
| kappa || κ || Κ || k || kappa
|-
| lambda || |λ || Λ || l || lambda
|-
| mu || μ || Μ || m || mu
|-
| nu || ν || Ν || n || nu
|-
| xi || ξ || Ξ || x || axiom
|-
| omicron || ο || Ο || o || pond
|-
| pi || π || Π || p || pi
|-
| rho || ρ || Ρ || r || rho
|-
| sigma || σ / ς || Σ || s || sigma
|-
| tau || τ || Τ || t || tau
|-
| upsilon || υ || Υ || u || oops
|-
| phi || φ || Φ || ph || father
|-
| chi || χ || Χ || ch || Bach
|-
| psi || ψ || Ψ || ps || oops
|-
| omega || ω || Ω || o || obey
|}

=== Diphthongs and ι-subscripts ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Diphthong
! Pronunciation
|-
! ΑΙ
| 'ai' as in aisle
|-
! ΕΙ
| 'ei' as in freight (identical to 'Η')
|-
! ΟΙ
| 'oi' as in oil
|-
! ΑΥ
| 'ow' as in sow
|-
! ΟΥ
| 'oo' as in fool
|-
! ΥΙ
| 'ooe' as in gooey
|-
! ΕΥ
| '''*'''
|}

: '''*''' 'ευ' is both hard and controversial. There is some evidence to suggest that is was pronounced 'ew' (as in "Ew, that's gross!") or simply 'yu'. What has been taught for ages, however, is 'eh-oo', as sound not present in English.

There are also version of several vowels with a small iota underneath (or beside in the case of capitols): ᾼ ᾳ, ῌ ῃ, ῼ ῳ. It is believed that these represent ancient diphthongs, but the pronunciation is not altered in the time of any Greek writing we can know.
: ''We have chosen not to include ι-subscripts on '''WikiChristian''', partly because most browsers display them incorrectly.''

=== Accents and Breathing ===

There are three possible accents that can be put on Greek vowels: the acute <big>´</big>, the grave (pronounces 'grahv') <big>`</big> and the circumflex. The circumflex should like an upside crescent over the vowel, but some fonts use the caron (<big>^</big>) or even the tilde (<big>~</big>). It is thought the these different symbols represented rising and falling pitch, like modern Chinese, but by the time of our literature, they only indicate accent or stress.

* ἀρχῇ - ar'''xē'''
* λόγος - '''lo'''gos

Over the initial syllable of word that begins with a vowel, there will always be either a rough (<big>‘</big>) or a smooth (<big>’</big>) breathing sign. Rough means a 'h' sound and smooth means a lack of extra sound. A 'Ρ' (Rho), in the initial position, also taking a breathing sign, typically the rough. How precisely this altered pronunciation is not known.

: ''We also do not include accents here on '''WikiChristian''', since it would make searches extremely difficult, and also, because most browsers don't render them correctly.''

===Resources===

There a many resources available for the study of the Bible in Koine Greek.

There are numerous ancient manuscripts containing parts or all of the New Testament. Not all of these manuscripts are identical for a variety of reasons. For example, sometimes a scribe copying an older manuscript would make a spelling or grammatical error. The German Bible Society produces a work that contains what a number of well known scholars believe is the most likely representation of the original New Testament, known as the NA27 or the UBS4 version.

The language itself is studied widely throughout theological colleges. Well known textbooks include the series by [[William Mounce]].

Numerous internet resources also exist. One of the most used resources is the [[ReGreek]] project by Zack Hubert. This site was closed down in March 2009 due to copyright issues.

==Quotes==

==Links==
* [http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~fisher/gnt/chapters.html Greek New Testament - Parsing of each word]
* [http://www.textkit.com/ Textkit - Learn Greek and Latin]
* [http://www.theopedia.com/Greek Theopedia - Greek]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koine_Greek Wikipedia - Koine Greek]
* [http://ntgateway.com/ NT Gateway]
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Greek_Index.htm Online Interlineal Greek-English Bible New Testament]
* [http://scripturetext.com/ Scripturetext.com - Scripture versions and word-for-word Greek translation at Biblos.com]
* [http://www.zhubert.com Zhubert.com - Parsing of Greek New Testament]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[Translating the Bible]]

[[Category:Koine Greek]]
[[Category:Biblical languages]]

Amazing Grace (song)

2010-12-12T16:05:45Z

Smelly jewish whore: it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

{{YouTube Video|youtube=8MEeAzH6IgA|title=Amazing Grace - Truly Beautiful Version|}}

Amazing Grace is probably one of the best known [[hymn]]s in the world today. It is especially popular in the [[United States]]. The words tell of the [[grace]] of [[God]] - the gift of forgiveness and life that he gives to us freely.

The hymn was written by [[John Newton]], an English man who was born in 1725. As a young man he was captain of a ship that was used for slave-trading. During one voyage he cried out to God for mercy as the ship was tossed about in a storm. His ship was spared and John Newton began his walk towards [[Christ]]. He continued to be a slave trader for some years but there was a slow transformation and within the next 20 years Newton had given up this life and had become the parish priest of Olney, a village near London. Whilst here he wrote the the words to the famous hymn, Amazing Grace.

===Words===

<pre>
Amazing grace (how sweet the sound)
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind but now I see

It was grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already overcome
It was grace that led me safe thus far
And grace will bring me home

When we've been there a thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun
</pre>

{{stub}}

==Quotes==

==Links==
* [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Amazing_Grace Wikisource - Amazing Grace] With extra verses.
* [http://www.hymnswithoutwords.com/hymns/File:Amazing_grace.mp3 Free MP3 version of Amazing Grace for use in public and private worship]
* [http://www.virtualchurch.org/midi/amazing.mid Listen to Amazing Grace Version]
{{LMW|Amazing_Grace LifeMusic Wiki}}

{{returnto}} [[Christian music]] -> [[Hymns]]

[[Category:Christian music]]
[[Category:Hymns]]
[[Category:Videos]]

Characters of the Bible

2010-12-12T16:04:40Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* The Patriarchs */

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Biblical Figures |
subtopics = [[Bible Characters Index]]
* [[Patriarchs]], [[Judges]], [[Kings of Israel Index]], [[Prophets]], [[Apostles]]
* [[God]], [[Jesus]]
* Major characters: [[Adam]], [[Eve]], [[Abraham]], [[Moses]], [[King David]], King [[Solomon]], [[Simon Peter]], [[Apostle Paul]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}
{{bible_character_box}}

There are many stories of people in the [[Bible]] that give insight into history and culture and life. The central figure in the Bible is [[God]] who was revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God revealed himself to [[Abraham]] who is a key figure in [[Genesis]]. He revealed himself to the [[Moses]] who delivered the Israelites out of slavery, and to [[King David|David]] whom he made king over [[Israel]]. There is much to learn from every character in the Bible.

===[[God]]===

God is the central figure of the Bible. The Bible opens in [[Genesis 1:1]] with the words that God created the universe. The following chapters and books then focus on God's revelation of himself to the world and their acceptance or rejection of him. In the [[New Testament]] it becomes apparent that God himself became the man Jesus. As John puts it in [[John 1:1]], Jesus (the Word) was God
: ''{{Bible verse|John|1|1|lang=WEB}}''

===Early Genesis===

The first eleven chapters of the book of Genesis give an account of some of the first humans beginning with the first man [[Adam]], his wife [[Eve]], their children [[Cain]], [[Abel]] and [[Seth]] and Seth's descendent [[Noah]]. Many Christians accept that these people were actual real figures in history. Some Christians however believe that these stories are more like parables that explain the human condition and point to one God who created everything.

===The [[Old Testament Patriarchs|Patriarchs]]===

Tit's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===Moses and the Exodus and Conquest of Canaan===

The Book of Exodus records that the Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt for 400 years following the time of the Patriarchs. Their rescue from slavery was predominantly through God's amazing intervention through the work of one man [[Moses]]. Following their exodus from Egypt the people invaded the land of Canaan led by [[Joshua]], the sucessor of Moses.

===The Time of the Judges===

Following the conquest of the land of Canaan by the Israelites, the people were led by judges such as [[Samson]] and [[Gideon]]. A biblical judge (not to be confused with modern day legal judges) was a person that God called to be a deliver to the people of Israel in a time of need.

===The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah===

Following the time of the judges, Israel was ruled by kings. The first king was [[Saul]] who was succeeded by [[David]] and then his son [[Solomon]]. After this the kingdom broke up into a northern half and southern half, both of which continued to be ruled by absolute monarchs.

===The Prophets and the Exile and Return===

During the time of the kings the people of Israel and Judah continued to fall away from God into pagan beliefs and practices. God raised up men such as [[Elijah]] and [[Isaiah]] to call the people back to him. These men were known as prophets. Ultimately, as the books of the kings explains, the people did not respond and God brought about the invasion and exile of first the northern kingdom and then the southern kingdom. Around the time of the exile, prophets such as [[Jeremiah]] and [[Ezekiel]] continued to call on the people to repent and turn to God and brought God's promise to return the people of Judah back to their homeland - something which eventually happened under [[Cyrus]], ruler of the [[Persian]] Empire.

Following the return, Jerusalem including its walls and temple were rebuilt under the guidance of leaders such as [[Nehemiah]].

===Jesus, the Apostles and the first Christians===

After the rebuilding of Jerusalem the Bible is quiet on the state of Israel and its people until the coming of [[John the Baptist]] who announced the way for [[Jesus]] in the [[New Testament]]. The Gospels and book of Acts describe the earthly life of Jesus and describe his followers. His closest followers were known as the [[apostles]] and include men such as [[apostle Peter|Peter]], [[apostle John|John]] and [[apostle Paul|Paul]], all of whom were instrumental in the early church.

==Quotes==

==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Biblical_figures Wikipedia - List of Biblical figures]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_Biblical_figures Wikipedia - List of minor Biblical figures]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]]

[[Category:Famous Christians]]
[[Category:Bible characters]]

Old Testament

2010-12-12T16:04:30Z

Smelly jewish whore: it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

{{quote | text={{Bible verse|Genesis|1|1|lang=WEB}} [[Genesis 1:1]]}}
{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Old Testament
[[Image:Torah.jpg|thumb|center|The [[Torah]], part of the Old Testament.]] |
subtopics = Divisions - [[Books of the Law]], [[Historical Books of the Old Testament|Historical Books]], [[Poetical Books of the Old Testament|Poetical Books]], [[Prophetic Books of the Old Testament|Prophetic Books]]
* Languages - [[Biblical Hebrew]], [[Aramaic]]
* [[Ancient Israel and Judah]], [[Timeline of Biblical History]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* [[An Introduction to the Old Testament (G.G.)]] |
}}
{{ot}}

The Old Testament is the first major part of the [[Bible]], giving an account of God's interaction with the Jewish people through their history. To [[Christians]], the Old Testament is, throughout its pages, building up to the coming of [[Jesus]].

It consists of 39 books, that are often divided into the categories of law, history, poetry (or wisdom books) and prophecy. Within these categories, it gives an account of creation, and then follows the story of God's interaction with the Jewish people, through their slavery in Egypt, conquest of the promised land, strengthening kingdom, and finally its division and the people's exile. An brief approximate timeline of the [[Old Testament]] is shown below:

{{Brief_ot_timeline}}

Although all of these books were written before the birth of [[Jesus Christ]], they still show a picture of the same [[God]] that the [[New Testament]] does - the Old Testament also reveals a [[God is love|loving God]] of [[forgiveness]] and [[grace]]. To [[Christians]], the Old Testament is, throughout its pages, building up to the coming of [[Jesus]].

To Jewish people, the Old Testament is known as the "Tannakh", which is an acronym for the Torah (Genesis to Deuteronomy), Nebiim (Books of the prophets) and Kethubim (or Writings).

===Books of the Old Testament===

The [[Old Testament]] is divided into 40 books in English. These books are not all written in the same style, but are different types of genres. Loosely, the genres are sometimes categorized as
* Law
* History
* Poetry and Wisdom
* Major Prophets
* Minor Prophets

====Torah - [[Books of the Law]]====

The Torah consists of the first five books of the Bible. The first book, [[Genesis]], tells about the creation of the universe and God choosing a person ([[Abraham]]) to be the father of his people. The next four books (Exodus to Deuteronomy) describe God saving his people from slavery in Egypt and giving them the law by which they were to live, including the [[Ten Commandments]].

====[[Historical Books of the Old Testament]] and [[Poetical Books of the Old Testament]]====

Writings range from the historical such as [[Book of Joshua|Joshua]], the Samuels, Chronicles, or Kings to poetry such as [[Song of Solomon]], or [[Psalms]] and wisdom such as [[Book of Job|Job]], [[Ecclesiastes]], and [[Proverbs]]. They describe the nature of God such as [[Psalm 23]], the wisdom of God and man's reaction such as in [[Job]], or the History of Israel and God's involvement such as establishing [[King David]] and his legacy which led to [[Jesus Christ]] his most famous descendant of all.

===Old Testament History===

The Old Testament tells the story of [[God]] interacting with his people. It is history. It records stories about real people with real experiences and real emotions, living in a real society. However, it is not exhaustive - it doesn't record all that happened.

In the book [[How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth]], it was suggested that there are 3 levels to Old Testament history
# God's overall plan for his creation
# Israel's role in that plan
# Individual people within that plan

A brief timeline is below
* [[Genesis]] 1-11 - Undated - Creation, Fall, Flood, Babel
* [[Genesis]] 12-50 - Around 2000 BC - The [[Patriarchs]]
* [[Exodus]] - Around 1400 BC - From [[Ancient Egypt]] to the [[Promised Land]]
* [[Book of Joshua|Joshua]] and [[Book of Judges|Judges]] - Around 1400 BC to 1050 BC - Settling in the [[Promised Land]]
* [[1 Samuel]], [[2 Samuel]] and [[1 Chronicles]] - 1100 BC to [[971 BC]] - Beginning of the Monarchy
* [[1 Kings]], [[2 Kings]] and [[2 Chronicles]] - [[971 BC]] to [[539 BC]] - The Divided Kingdom and the Exile
* [[Book of Ezra|Ezra]] and [[Book of Nehemiah|Nehemiah]] - [[539 BC]] to [[410 BC]] - The return from the Exile

===Old Testament Themes and Theology===

The Old Testament sets the stage for what happens in the [[New Testament]]. Its overall theme is about God reaching out his hand of love and mercy to his people. Some of the key themes in it include
* [[Yahweh]]
* [[Israel]]
* [[Promised Land]]
* [[Covenant]]
* [[Sin]]
* [[Salvation]]
* [[Hope]]

===Old Testament Geography===
[[Image:Satellite image of Israel in January 2003.jpg|thumb|A satellite image of Israel.]]

An understanding of the geography of the region brings he stories of the Old Testament to life. There are 4 geographical north-south regions of Israel, in order of west to east:
* Flat and fertile plains along the coast
* Valleys and hills
* The Jordan Rift Valley
* Highland regions (now in modern day Jordan)

====Old Testament Maps====

<gallery>
Image:Maps-near-east-abrahams-journey.gif|Abraham's journey from [[Ur]] to the promised land
Image:Davids-kingdom.jpg|The kingdom of Israel, around the time of [[King David]], showing surrounding empires
Image:Maps-divided-kingdom.gif|The divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah
</gallery>

===Literature from the ancient Near East===

Apart from the [[Old Testament]], there is other literature from that time and region. Some of this literature includes creation stories and myths (such as the [[Enuma Elish]]), records from royal courts, conventants and laws, and poetry and wisdom literature from other ancient civilizations. These can be useful to help give more context (both in terms of type of literature and also in dating) to the Old Testament.

==Quotes==

==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Testament Wikipedia - Old Testament]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]]

[[Category:Bible]]
[[Category:Books of the Old Testament]]

Christian Songs Index

2010-12-12T16:04:09Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* C */

__NOTOC__
==A==

{{songs_box}}

[[Above All (song)|Above All]]

[[Agnus Dei]]

[[All creatures of our God and king]]

[[All people that on earth do dwell]]

[[All things are possible]]

[[Amazing Grace (song)|Amazing Grace]]

[[Amazing grace, amazing love]]

[[Amazing Love (song)|Amazing love]]
* [[Amazing Love (Graham Kendrick, song)]]
* [[Amazing Love (Billy James Foote, song)]]

[[A Mighty Stronghold is our God (song)|A Mighty Fortress Is Our God]]

[[Angels from the realms of glory]]

[[As the deer]]

[[Away in a manger]]

[[Awesome God]]

==B==

[[Beautiful blood]]

[[Beautiful one]]

[[Before the throne of God above]]

[[Believe]]

[[Be still for the presence of the Lord]]

[[Be thou my vision]]

[[Blessed be your name]]

[[Breathe (This is the air I breathe)]]

[[Breathe (Newsboys)]]

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

==D==

[[Day after day]]

[[Deeper]]

[[Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble]]

==E==

[[Eagles' wings]]

[[El Shaddai]]

[[Every Day]]

==F==

[[Friend Of God]]

[[Fast Paul (Apologetics)|Fast Paul]]

[[Find your wings]]

[[Finding who we are (song)|Finding who we are]] by [[Kutless]]

[[Firm foundation]]

[[The first Noel]]

[[Flood (Jars of Clay) (song)|Flood]]

[[Forgotten]]

[[For the Cross (song)|For the Cross]]

==G==

[[Glory Defined]]

[[God Of Wonders Third Day (Caedmon's Call)]]

[[Give thanks with a grateful heart]]

[[Go and sin no more]]

[[Go With God (song)]]

[[God (Rebecca St James) (song)|God]]

[[God is not a secret]]

[[God rest ye merry gentleman]]

[[Going public]]

[[Good King Wenceslas]]

[[Grace Like Rain (song)|Grace like rain]] - See [[Amazing Grace]] or [[Todd Agnew]]

[[Great Light Of The World]]

==H==

[[Hallelujah (Handel)]]

[[Hark the Herald Angels Sing (song)]]

[[Have Faith In God (song)|Have faith in God]]

[[Healing Rain]]

[[Here I am to worship]]

[[Hear our Praises]]

[[Heart of worship]]

[[Heaven's heart]]

[[He Reigns (song, Newsboys)|He Reigns (Newsboys)]]

[[The holly and the ivy]]

[[Holy and Anointed One]]

[[Holy is the lord]]

[[Here I am to Worship]]

[[How Deep The Fathers Love For Us]]

==I==

[[I am nothing]]

[[I believe in Jesus]]

[[I can only imagine]]

[[I Could Sing of Your Love Forever (song)|I could sing of your love forever]]

[[If We Are The Body (song)|If we are the body]]

[[I have never been unloved]]

[[I heard the bells on Christmas day]]

[[I lift my eyes up]]

[[I love you Lord]]

[[I'll always love you]]

[[In Christ alone]]

[[Indescribable (song)|Indescribable]]

[[Instead (Stacie Orrico)]]

[[In the secret]]

[[Into Jesus]]

[[It's all about you (Jesus, lover of my soul)]]

[[It came upon a midnight clear]]

[[I wanna be in the light]]

[[I will love you for the cross]]

[[I will rest in you]]

[[I will offer up my life]]

==J==

[[Jehovah Jirah]]

[[Jesus freak]]

[[Jesus I long]]

[[Jesus, lover of my soul]]

[[Jesus what a beautiful name]]

[[Joy (Newsboys)]]

[[Joy to the world]]

[[Justified (According to John)]]

==K==

[[Kyrie Eleison]]

==L==

[[Let everything that has breath]]

[[Let it go]]

[[Live the truth]]

[[Lord I lift your name on high]]

[[Look to you]]

[[The Lord is my shepherd]]

[[The Lord of the Dance]]

==M==

[[The measure of a man]]

[[A mighty stronghold is our God]]

[[Missing person]]

[[My deliverer]]

[[My hope is built]]

[[My Jesus, My life-line]]

[[My redeemer lives]]

[[My song is love unknown]]

[[My Savior My God (song)|My Saviour My God]]

==N==

[[Never underestimate my Jesus]]

[[Nothing but the blood]]

==O==

[[O come all ye faithful]]

[[O little town of Bethlehem]]

[[One bread, one body]]

[[One of these days]]

[[One Way]]

[[One week]]

[[Open the eyes of my heart]]

==P==

[[Praise you]]

[[Potter's hand]]

[[Power of Your Love (song)|Power of your love]]

==Q==

[[Quiet You With My Love]]

==R==

[[Redeemer, song by Nicole C. Mullen]]

[[Real good thing]]

[[Reson I'm Alive]]

[[Refiner's fire]]

[[Remedy (According to John)]]

==S==

[[Salvation is here]]

[[Send revival, start with me]]

[[Servant king]]

[[Shepherd of my Heart (song)|Shepherd of my heart]]

[[Shine (Newsboys) (song)|Shine (Newsboys)]]

[[Shine, Jesus shine]]

[[Shine like stars]]

[[Shout to the Lord]]

[[Silent night]]

==T==

[[Trading My Sorrows]]

[[Take me higher]]

[[Tell out my soul]]

[[Testify (Avalon)]]

[[There's a light that shines]]

[[These Thousand Hills (song)|These thousand hills]]

[[Thine be the glory]]

[[This is my desire]]

[[This is my prayer]]

[[This kingdom]]

[[Thy Word (song)|Thy Word]]

[[Till everything I do]]

[[To ever live without you]]

[[Trust (Sixpence none the richer)]]

==U==

[[Undo me]]

==V==

[[Voice In The Wilderness]]

[[Voice Of Truth (song)|Voice of truth]]

==W==

[[The Way (song)]]

[[We three kings of orient are]]

[[We Delight]]

[[What child is this]]

[[What If His People Prayed (song)|What if his people prayed]]

[[What if I stumble]]

[[When I needed a neighbour]]

[[When I survey the wondrous cross]]

[[When my love for Christ grows weak]]

[[Who Am I]]

[[Worthy Is The Lamb]]

[[Word of God speak (song)]]

==X==

==Y==

[[Yawheh (song)|Yahweh]]

[[Yahweh I know]]

[[You Are God Alone]]

[[You are the one]]

[[You are My All in All]]

[[You rescued me]]

[[You, You are God]]

==Z==

[[Zephaniah 3:17 (Eric Myers)]]

{{returnto}} [[Christian Music]]
[[Category:Indexes]]
[[Category:Christian music]]

Sin

2010-12-12T16:03:49Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Forgiveness */

{{quote | text={{Bible verse|luke|18|13|lang=WEB}} [[Luke 18:13]]}}

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Sin |
subtopics = [[Grace]], [[Repentance]], [[Mercy]], [[Forgiveness]], [[Justification]], [[Salvation]]
* [[Original sin]]
* [[Roman Catholic Doctrine: Sin]]
* [[Righteousness]]
* [[Death]], [[Hell]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* {{ebd}} |
}}

Sin is any act, or thought, or word or choice thing that is contrary to the will of [[God]] or falls short of perfection. Jesus called his followers to "Be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven". Sin is anything that separates us from God. Sin leads to spiritual blindness and to death. In the [[Bible]] we are taught that every person is under sin, yet, 'while we were still helpless, at the right time [[Christ]] died for the ungodly'.

===Views on Sin===

===[[Forgiveness]]===
it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christian doctrine and debates]]

{{stub}}
[[Category:Christian doctrine and debates]]

Catholicism

2010-12-12T16:03:43Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Roman Catholicism in the Dark Ages */

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Roman Catholicism |
subtopics = [[Divisions in Roman Catholicism]], [[Roman Catholic Hierarchy]], [[Holy See]], [[Papacy|Pope]], [[Vatican]], [[Eastern Rite Catholic Churches]]
* [[History of the Roman Catholic Church]], [[Great Schism]], [[Counter-Reformation]], [[First Vatican Council]], [[Second Vatican Council|Second Vatican Council]]
* [[Roman Catholic Doctrine]], [[Roman Catholicism: Sacraments|Sacraments]], [[Roman Catholicism: Mass|Mass]], [[Justification by faith plus works]], [[Roman Catholicism: Sin|Sin]], [[Purgatory]], [[Roman Catholicism: Mary|Mary]]
* [[Roman Catholic Places Index]], [[Catholic Dioceses Index]]
* [[Catholic Encyclopedia]]
* [[Roman Catholicism: Consecrated Life|Consecrated Life and Religious Orders]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* [[Dispelling Myths of Roman Catholicism (AmericanCatholic)]] |
}}

The Catholic Church is the largest Christian [[denomination]], with over a billion members. Its head-quarters are in Rome but it has congregations throughout the world. It claims to have an unbroken leadership first from [[Jesus Christ]], through the [[apostle Peter]] to the [[pope]] by [[Apostolic Succession]]. The [[Protestant]] churches split away from the Roman Catholic Church in the sixteenth century based on differences in opinion of [[doctrine]], especially the issue of [[Justification by faith]] alone versus [[Justification by faith plus works]].

It is often erroneously refered to as the Roman Catholic Church or Romanism. This simply means the Roman Rite of the [[Mass]] or the fact that it is headquartered in Rome. There are several other rites, the Byzantine being the next largest.

===[[History of Roman Catholicism]]===

{{sectionstub}}

====Early Roman or Western Christainity====

====Roman Catholicism in the Dark Ages====
it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

====[[Great Schism]] of [[1054 AD]]====

====[[Reformation]] and [[Council of Trent]]====

====World-wide expansion of Roman Catholicism====

====[[First Vatican Council]]====

In the late eighteen hundreds, with its temporal powers waning, pope [[Pius IX]] called a council, that is recognized as ecumenical by the Roman Catholic Church, but not by other denominations. The council convened in 1869 and 1870 in the [[Vatican]], and stopped abruptly when Rome was taken by Italian forces, thus ending the era of the Papal states. The council essentially reaffirmed all that the [[Council of Trent]] had affirmed, as well as affirming [[papal infallibility]].

====[[Second Vatican Council]]====

The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI on 21 November 1965. At least four future pontiffs took part in the council's opening session: Giovanni Battista Montini, who on succeeding Pope John XXIII took the name of Paul VI; Bishop Albino Luciani, the future Pope John Paul I; Bishop Karol Wojtyła, who became Pope John Paul II; and Father Joseph Ratzinger, present as a theological consultant, who became Pope Benedict XVI.

====Recent History====

===[[Roman Catholic Hierarchy]] and the [[Papacy]] ===

The earthly leader of the Roman Catholic Church is the [[pope]]. The pope governs from the [[Vatican City]] in Rome, a sovereign state of which he is also the civil head of state<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/1066140.stm BBC - Country Profile: Vatican]</ref>. Each pope is elected for life by the College of Cardinals, a body composed of bishops elevated to the status of cardinal by the Pope. The pope is assisted in the Church's administration by the Roman Curia, or civil service. The Church community is governed according to formal regulations set out in the Code of Canon Law. The Church is divided worldwide into 2,782 regions called dioceses. These diocese are grouped into 1 of 23 particular rites - the Latin Rite being the most common, but with there being a further 22 Eastern rites. Each diocese is headed by a bishop and is divided into individual communities called parishes. Each parish is staffed by one or more priests. The parish itself is made up of the priests and the laity (general members / church-goers).

===[[Roman Catholic Doctrine]]===

{{sectionstub}}

==Quotes==

==References==

{{reflist}}

==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholicism Wikipedia - Roman Catholicism]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Denominations]]

[[Category:Denominations]]
[[Category:Catholic Church]]

Grace

2010-12-12T16:03:36Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Further developments in theological understandings of grace */

{{quote | text={{Bible verse|2 Corinthians|12|9|lang=WEB}} [[2 Corinthians 12:9]]}}
{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Grace |
subtopics = [[Sin]], [[Repentance]], [[Mercy]], [[Forgiveness]], [[Justification]], [[Salvation]], [[Atonement]]
* [[Irresistible grace]], [[Common grace]], [[Prevenient grace]]
* {{songs}} - [[Amazing Grace (song)|Amazing Grace]], [[When I Survey the Wonderous Cross (song)|When I Survey the Wonderous Cross]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* [[Justification by faith alone (G.G.)]]
* {{ebd}}
* [[Bible Study: Grace (G.G.)]] |
}}

Grace, in Christianity, refers to [[God]]'s [[love]] and [[salvation]] being poured out on people even though they don't deserve this love and salvation.

===Biblical concepts about grace===

The theme of grace permeates through the Bble. The whole Bible tells the story of humanity turning its back on its creator but despite this God lovingly forgiving us and drawing us back to himself through [[Jesus]].

[[Romans 3:23]], for example, explains that each person has [[sin]]ned, failing to completely love God and each other and fallen short of the glory of God. Later in Romans, in [[Romans 6:23|chapter 6, verse 23]], the [[apostle Paul]] explains that sin brings about death.

Despite our imperfections and failings that separate humans from a perfect and [[God is holy|holy God ]] and bring us death, Scripture reveals that God loves us. Although nothing we do can restore us to a right relationship with God, God himself restores that relationship to those who call out to [[Jesus Christ]] trusting in his death and resurrection. Passages such as [[Romans 5:8]], [[John 3:16]] and [[Romans 3:24]] attest to this
* ''{{Bible verse|romans|5|8|lang=WEB}}'' - (Romans 5:8)
* ''{{Bible verse|John|3|16|lang=WEB}}'' - (John 3:16)
* ''{{Bible verse|romans|3|24|lang=WEB}}'' - (Romans 3:24)

This concept of God showing humanity his good favour as a gift is what grace is, although the word "grace" itself is never specifically defined in the [[Bible]].

The word "grace" appears in the English [[Old Testament]] a dozen or so times, most commonly translated from the [[Hebrew]] word "[[chesed]]". This has also been translated as "loving-kindness".

In contrast, the word grace is found hundreds of times in the [[New Testament]], translated from the [[Koine Greek]] word "[[charis]]" which also means gift. [[John 1:17]] states that "{{Bible verse|John|1|17|lang=WEB}}" Although the word is not used into the [[gospels]] many times, the concept of grace is seen in Jesus' teaching, parables, miracles and death and resurrection. The parable of the [[The Prodigal Son|Prodigal Son]] is a wonderful example of grace.

Peter tells us to "set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed" ([[1 Peter 1:13]]) and that we [[worship]] the "[[God]] of all grace" ([[1 Peter 5:10]]). In Hebrews we are told that we may approach "the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" ([[Hebrews 4:16]]).

===Further developments in theological understandings of grace===

Tit's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

==Quotes==

U2
: Grace makes beauty out of ugly things

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Christian doctrine and debates]]
[[Category:Christian doctrine and debates]]

Protestantism

2010-12-12T16:03:26Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Definition and origins - Reformation */

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = The Protestant Churches |
subtopics = [[Branches of Protestantism Index]] - [[Anabaptist]], [[Anglican Communion]], [[Baptist]], [[Lutheran]], [[Methodist]], [[Presbyterian]], [[Reformed churches]], [[Salvation Army]], [[Seventh-day Adventist]], [[Uniting churches]]
* [[Protestant Doctrine]] - [[Justification by faith]]
* [[History of Protestantism]] - [[Reformation]], [[Puritan Movement]]
* Modern movements - [[Evangelicalism]], [[Liberalism]], [[Charismatic]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}

The Protestant Churches are one of the main groups of churches or branches in [[Christianity]]. The Protestant Churches developed because of a split from the [[Roman Catholic Church]] that occurred during the sixteenth century in Europe — a period known as the Protestant [[Reformation]]. The split occurred primarily over issues of doctrine (belief), especially the issue of [[Justification by faith]] versus [[Justification by faith plus works]]. Some of the main Protestant church denominations today include the [[Lutheran Church]], [[Anglican Communion]] and the [[Baptist Church]].

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===Basic theological tenets of the Reformation===

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===Later development - [[History of Protestantism]]===

Protestants can be differentiated according to how they have been influenced by important movements since the magisterial Reformation and the Puritan Reformation in England. Some of these movements have a common lineage, sometimes directly spawning later movements in the same groups.

====Pietism 17th Century - Methodist movement 18th century====

The German Pietist movement together with the influence of the Puritan Reformation in England in the 17th century were important influences on John Wesley and Methodism, as well as through smaller, new groups such as the Quakers.

The practice of a spiritual life, typically combined with social engagement, predominates in classical Pietism, which was a protest against the doctrine-centeredness Protestant Orthodoxy of the times, in favor of depth of religious experience. Many of the more conservative Methodists went on to form the Holiness movement, which emphasized a rigorous experience of holiness.

====Evangelicalism 18th Century====

Beginning at the end of 18th century, several international revivals of Pietism (such as the Great Awakening and the Second Great Awakening), took place across denominational lines, which are referred to generally as the Evangelical movement. The chief emphases of this movement were individual conversion, personal piety and Bible study, public morality often including Temperance and Abolitionism, de-emphasis of formalism in worship and in doctrine, a broadened role for laity (including women) in worship, evangelism and teaching, and cooperation in evangelism across denominational lines.

====Pentecostalism 20th Century====

[[Pentecostalism]] as a movement began in the United States early in the 20th century, starting especially within the Holiness movement. Seeking a return to the operation of New Testament gifts of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues as evidence of the "baptism of the Holy Ghost" became the leading feature. Divine healing and miracles were also emphasized. Pentecostalism swept through much of the Holiness movement, and eventually spawned hundreds of new denominations in the United States. A later "charismatic" movement also stressed the gifts of the Spirit, but often operated within existing denominations rather than coming out of them.

====Modernism 20th Century====

Modernism, or Liberalism, does not constitute a rigorous and well-defined school of theology, but an inclination of some writers and teachers to integrate Christian thought with the spirit of the Age of Enlightenment. New understandings of history and the natural sciences of the day led directly to new approaches to theology.
See also: Modernist Christianity

====Fundamentalism 20th Century====

In reaction to liberal Bible critique, Fundamentalism arose in the 20th century, primarily in the United States and Canada, among those denominations most affected by Evangelicalism. Fundamentalism placed primary emphasis on the authority and sufficiency of the Bible, and typically advised separation from error, and cultural conservatism, as important aspects of the Christian life.

====Neo-orthodoxy 20th century====

A non-fundamentalist rejection of liberal Christianity associated primarily with Karl Barth, neo-orthodoxy sought to counter-act the tendency of liberal theology to make theological accomodations to modern scientific perspectives. Sometimes called Crisis theology, according to the influence of philosophical existentialism on some important segments of the movement; also, somewhat confusingly, sometimes called neo-evangelicalism.

====Neo-evangelicalism mid 20th Century====

Neo-evangelicalism is a movement from the middle of the 20th century, that reacted to perceived excesses of Fundamentalism, adding to concern for biblical authority an emphasis on liberal arts, co-operation among churches, Christian Apologetics, and non-denominational evangelization.

====Ecumenism 20th Century====

The ecumenical movement has had an influence on mainline churches, beginning at least in 1910 with the Edinburgh Missionary Conference. Its origins lay in the recognition of the need for cooperation on the mission field in Africa, Asia and Oceania. Since 1948 the World Council of Churches has been influential. There are also ecumenical bodies at regional, national and local levels across the globe. One, but not the only expression of the ecumenical movement has been the move to form united churches, such as the Church of South India, the Church of North India, The United Church of Canada and the Uniting Church in Australia. There has been a strong engagement of Orthodox churches in the ecumenical movement.

===Protestant denominations===

Protestants often refer to specific Protestant churches and groups as denominations to imply that they are differently named parts of the whole church. This "invisible unity" is assumed to be imperfectly displayed, visibly: some denominations are less accepting of others, and the basic orthodoxy of some is questioned by most of the others. Individual denominations also have formed over very subtle theological differences. Other denominations are simply regional or ethnic expressions of the same beliefs. The actual number of distinct denominations is hard to calculate, but has been estimated to be over thirty thousand. Various ecumenical movements have attempted cooperation or reorganization of Protestant churches, according to various models of union, but divisions continue to outpace unions. Most denominations share common beliefs in the major aspects of the Christian faith, while differing in many secondary doctrines.

Please note that only general families are listed here (tens of thousands of individual denominations exist):

* Anabaptist and Baptist
* Anglican / Episcopalian
* Calvinist / Reformed and Presbyterian
* Lutheran
* Methodist / Wesleyan and the Holiness movement
* Pentecostal and Charismatic

===Number of Protestants===

There are about 590 million Protestants worldwide. These include 170 million in North America, 160 million in Africa, 120 million in Europe, 70 million in Latin America, 60 million in Asia, and 10 million in Oceania. 27% of all Christians today are Protestants.

===Well-known Protestant and Anglican religious figures===

Some of the well known 16th century Protestants include:
* [[Jacobus Arminius]], Dutch theologian, founder of school of thought known as Arminianism
* [[John Calvin]], French speaking Reformer, theologian, founder of school of thought known as Calvinism
* [[Thomas Cranmer]], Archbishop of Canterbury under Henry VIII, leader of the English Reformation
* [[John Knox]], Scottish Calvinist reformer,
* [[William Laud]], Archbishop of Canterbury under Charles I of England
* [[Martin Luther]], German religious reformer, theologian, founder of the Lutheran church in Germany, founder of Lutheranism
* [[Philipp Melanchthon]], early Lutheran leader
* [[Menno Simons]], founder of Mennonitism
* [[Philipp Jakob Spener]], "godfather" of the Pietist movement
* [[Huldrych Zwingli]], early Swiss religious reformer

Some of the well known Protestants from the 17th to 19th centuries include:
* [[Jacob Amman]], founder of the Amish church
* [[Francis Asbury]], early bishop of American Methodism
* [[Jonathan Edwards]], American Puritan theologian, Great Awakening reformist preacher, Calvinist
* [[George Fox]], Founder of the Society of Friends
* [[Friedrich Schleiermacher]], German theologian considered founder of Liberal Christianity
* [[Charles Wesley]], Anglican priest, Methodist leader, poet, & hymn writer
* [[John Wesley]], Anglican priest, founder of the Methodist movement
* [[George Whitefield]], Great Awakening reformist preacher

Some of the more recent well known Protestants include:
* [[Billy Graham]], American evangelist
* [[Martin Luther King Jr.]], peace and civil rights activist
* [[Jerry Falwell]], American evangelist and political activist
* [[C. S. Lewis]], apologist / fiction writer
* [[Karl Barth]], German theologian along with Emil Brunner known for Dialectical theology and Neo-orthodox theology
* [[Dietrich Bonhoeffer]], German theologian, involved in the resistance against Nazism and executed shortly before the end of World War 2
* [[Reinhold Niebuhr]], American theologion and ethicist
* [[Pat Robertson]], American charismatic/fundamentalist leader
* [[Paul Tillich]], Lutheran existentialist theologian
* [[Desmond Tutu]], Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, peace activist
* [[John Howard Yoder]], Mennonite theologian and ethicist
* [[Franklin Graham]], American evangelist (son of Billy Graham)
* [[John B. Cobb]], theologian, involved in Process Theology
* [[Stanley Hauerwas]], American Christian theologian and ethicist

==Quotes==

==Links==

===Defense of Protestant Christianity===
*[http://lionofjudah.tribulationforces.com/world_religions/catholic.html Protestant criticisms of Roman Catholicism]
*[http://www.apologeticsinfo.org/resource.html Apologetics Information Ministry]

===Criticisms of Protestant Christianity===
* [http://protestantism.blogspot.com/ Anti-protestant analysis]
* [http://catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0097.html Why Only Catholicism Can Make Protestantism Work] by Mark Brumley

===Miscellaneous===
* [http://catalystresources.org/issues/303balmer.html The Future of American Protestantism] from ''Catalyst'' ([[United Methodist Church|United Methodist perspective]])

{{returnto}} [[Denominations]]

[[Category:Denominations]]
[[Category:Protestant]]

Christian music

2010-12-12T16:03:02Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Christmas carols */

{{quote | text={{Bible verse|psalm|33|1|lang=WEB}} [[Psalm 33:1]]}}
{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Music and Christianity |
subtopics = [[Early Church music]], [[Gregorian chants]], [[Christmas carols]], [[Hymns]], [[Gospel music]], [[Contemporary Christian Music]]
* [[Christian Songs Index]]
* [[Song writers]], [[Christian Composer, Song Writers and Bands Index]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}
{{songs_box}}

Since Christians have met together, they have sung to [[God]] and about God. Early Jewish Christians probably sung [[psalms]]. In later centuries, monophonic [[Gregorian chants]] were widely sung. During and following the Protestant [[Reformation]], hundreds of hymns were written by men like [[Martin Luther]] and [[Charles Wesley]]. In recent decades, [[Contemporary Christian Music]], Christian music in rock style, has become increasing popular. Please help us create a database of information about, reviews on and lyrics to Christian songs and hymns.

===[[Music in the Bible]]===

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===[[Gregorian chants]]===

===[[Christmas carols]]===
it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===[[Hymns]]===

Traditional Christian hymns became widely popular from the sixteenth century onwards and many are closely tied to [[Protestantism]]. [[Martin Luther]] was a prolific hymn writer, with hymns such as [[A Mighty Fortress Is Our God]]. Hymns continued to be popular throughout the following centuries, although in recent decades their popularity has been falling in the west, with more modern songs becoming more commonly sung.

===[[Gospel music]]===

===[[Contemporary Christian Music]]===

Contemporary Christian Music (or CCM) is a term originally used in the 1970s to describe a new form of pop and rock music that was lyrically based in the Christianity. The music had its roots in [[Jesus Music]] which sprung from the hippie [[Jesus Movement]] of the early 70s. An entire Christian music industry soon sprang up, with Christian-only artists, record labels, [[Christian radio|radio stations]], and record stores. By the 1980s, CCM was a large music industry with artists such as [[Amy Grant]] and [[Michael W. Smith]] selling millions of records.

===[[Christian Hard Rock/Metal Music]]===

===[[Christian Alternative Rock]]===

===[[Christian Hip Hop/Rap Music]]===

===[[Christian Country Music]]===

==Christian Music and the Internet==

A number of websites are dedicated to Christian music, for example, [[LifeMusic Wiki]] has comprehensive information on thousands of Christian songs.

{{stub}}

==Quotes==

==Links==
* [http://www.topchristianlyrics.com/ Christian Song Lyrics]
* [http://www.virtualchurch.org/choir.htm Classic Christian Hymns]
* [http://patriot.net/~bmcgin/christmusic.html MIDI hymns and worship songs on the Internet]
* [http://www.freesheetmusicguide.com/christian.htm Free Sheet Music Guide: Christian]
* [http://www.abidingradio.com/ Conservative, Sacred, and Traditional Christian Music]
* [http://www.christian-gospelmusiclyrics.com/ Gospel Song Lyrics]
* [http://www.christianlyricsonline.com/ Christian Lyrics Online]
* [http://www.sharesong.org/ Sharesong.org]
* [http://www.seriousd.com/music.htm Free Christian Music Software Directory]
* [http://www.ccmplanet.com/?section=downloads Christian MP3 Downloads]
* [http://www.christianityfreebies.com/freebies1/Christian_Music/Music_Ministry_Resources.cfm Free Offers in Christian Music - Music Ministry Resources]
* [http://www.prays.com Prays.com] - Free Christian Worship Music and Hymns MP3 downloads
* [http://pop-popspoems.com/ Pop-Pop's Poems and Christian Music]
* [http://www.christsites.com/goto.cfm?categoryid=1178 Christsites.com Christian concerts]
* [http://www.christianconcerts.com/ Christianconcerts.com]
* [http://www.ccauthority.com/ Christian Concert Authority]
* [http://www.itickets.com/ Itickets.com - Christian concerts, events & music festival tickets]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Christian literature, art, music and media]]
[[Category:Christian music]]
[[Category:Media]]

Christian music

2010-12-12T16:02:50Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Early Church music */

{{quote | text={{Bible verse|psalm|33|1|lang=WEB}} [[Psalm 33:1]]}}
{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Music and Christianity |
subtopics = [[Early Church music]], [[Gregorian chants]], [[Christmas carols]], [[Hymns]], [[Gospel music]], [[Contemporary Christian Music]]
* [[Christian Songs Index]]
* [[Song writers]], [[Christian Composer, Song Writers and Bands Index]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}
{{songs_box}}

Since Christians have met together, they have sung to [[God]] and about God. Early Jewish Christians probably sung [[psalms]]. In later centuries, monophonic [[Gregorian chants]] were widely sung. During and following the Protestant [[Reformation]], hundreds of hymns were written by men like [[Martin Luther]] and [[Charles Wesley]]. In recent decades, [[Contemporary Christian Music]], Christian music in rock style, has become increasing popular. Please help us create a database of information about, reviews on and lyrics to Christian songs and hymns.

===[[Music in the Bible]]===

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===[[Gregorian chants]]===

===[[Christmas carols]]===

===[[Hymns]]===

Traditional Christian hymns became widely popular from the sixteenth century onwards and many are closely tied to [[Protestantism]]. [[Martin Luther]] was a prolific hymn writer, with hymns such as [[A Mighty Fortress Is Our God]]. Hymns continued to be popular throughout the following centuries, although in recent decades their popularity has been falling in the west, with more modern songs becoming more commonly sung.

===[[Gospel music]]===

===[[Contemporary Christian Music]]===

Contemporary Christian Music (or CCM) is a term originally used in the 1970s to describe a new form of pop and rock music that was lyrically based in the Christianity. The music had its roots in [[Jesus Music]] which sprung from the hippie [[Jesus Movement]] of the early 70s. An entire Christian music industry soon sprang up, with Christian-only artists, record labels, [[Christian radio|radio stations]], and record stores. By the 1980s, CCM was a large music industry with artists such as [[Amy Grant]] and [[Michael W. Smith]] selling millions of records.

===[[Christian Hard Rock/Metal Music]]===

===[[Christian Alternative Rock]]===

===[[Christian Hip Hop/Rap Music]]===

===[[Christian Country Music]]===

==Christian Music and the Internet==

A number of websites are dedicated to Christian music, for example, [[LifeMusic Wiki]] has comprehensive information on thousands of Christian songs.

{{stub}}

==Quotes==

==Links==
* [http://www.topchristianlyrics.com/ Christian Song Lyrics]
* [http://www.virtualchurch.org/choir.htm Classic Christian Hymns]
* [http://patriot.net/~bmcgin/christmusic.html MIDI hymns and worship songs on the Internet]
* [http://www.freesheetmusicguide.com/christian.htm Free Sheet Music Guide: Christian]
* [http://www.abidingradio.com/ Conservative, Sacred, and Traditional Christian Music]
* [http://www.christian-gospelmusiclyrics.com/ Gospel Song Lyrics]
* [http://www.christianlyricsonline.com/ Christian Lyrics Online]
* [http://www.sharesong.org/ Sharesong.org]
* [http://www.seriousd.com/music.htm Free Christian Music Software Directory]
* [http://www.ccmplanet.com/?section=downloads Christian MP3 Downloads]
* [http://www.christianityfreebies.com/freebies1/Christian_Music/Music_Ministry_Resources.cfm Free Offers in Christian Music - Music Ministry Resources]
* [http://www.prays.com Prays.com] - Free Christian Worship Music and Hymns MP3 downloads
* [http://pop-popspoems.com/ Pop-Pop's Poems and Christian Music]
* [http://www.christsites.com/goto.cfm?categoryid=1178 Christsites.com Christian concerts]
* [http://www.christianconcerts.com/ Christianconcerts.com]
* [http://www.ccauthority.com/ Christian Concert Authority]
* [http://www.itickets.com/ Itickets.com - Christian concerts, events & music festival tickets]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Christian literature, art, music and media]]
[[Category:Christian music]]
[[Category:Media]]

Stephen (Acts)

2010-12-12T16:02:43Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Speech */

{{quote | text={{Bible verse|Acts|7|59|lang=WEB}} [[Acts 7:59]]}}
{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Stephen
[[Image:StephenBeingStoned.jpg|thumb|center|200px]] |
subtopics = [[Persecution]]
* [[Acts 7]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* [[Stephen (EBD)|Easton's Bible Dictionary entry on Stephen]] |
}}

Stephen was a Christian whose story is told in the [[Book of Acts]]. He was stoned to death because of accusations of blasphemy, described in [[Acts 7]]. The [[apostle Paul]] (Saul) was present at Stephen's death, giving approval to it. Following his death, which probably occurred some time around [[33 AD]], the Jews of the early church became dispersed throughout Judea, Samaria and their Diaspora homelands, taking the gospel with them.

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===Death of Stephen===
Stephen was stoned to death.

===After-effects of Stephen's death===

Acts reveals that great persecution arose after Stephen's death. Saul (later the [[apostle Paul]]) was one of the main perpetrators of this violence. Believers (probably predominantly Hellenistic Jews) left Jerusalem to escape the persecution, and the gospel travelled with them, for example, to cities such as [[Antioch]]. So this persecution resulted in expansion of the early church.

==Quotes==

[[Oscar Cullmann]]
: Apart from Paul, Stephen was perhaps the most significant man in the early church. It seems he grasped what was new in Jesus’ thought better than almost anyone else.

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Famous Christians]] -> [[Characters of the Bible]] -> [[Apostles]]

{{stub}}
[[Category:Famous Christians]]

Famous Christians Index

2010-12-12T16:02:35Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* B */

__NOTOC__

{{christians_box}}

==A==

[[Athanasius]]

[[Augustine]]

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

==C==

[[William Carey|Carey, William]]

[[Cecil B. DeMill]]

[[Constantine I]]

[[Thomas Cranmer|Cranmer, Thomas]]

==D==

[[Dwight Lyman Moody]]

==E==

[[Jonathan Edwards|Edwards, Jonathan]]

==F==

==G==

[[Billy Graham|Graham, Billy]]

==H==

[[Bethany Hamilton|Hamilton, Bethany]]

==I==

[[Irenaeus]]

==J==

[[Jonathan Edwards]]

[[J.B. Phillips]]

[[John Bertram Phillips]]

[[John Bunyan]]

[[John Wimber]]

[[John Wycliffe]]

[[Justin Martyr]]

==K==

[[Børre Knudsen|Knudsen, Børre]]

==L==

[[C.S. Lewis|Lewis, C.S.]] ([[C.S. Lewis|Clive Staples Lewis]])

[[Martin Luther|Luther, Martin]]

==M==

[[Dwight Lyman Moody|Moody, Dywight Lyman]]

[[Martin Luther King, Jr.]]

[[Martin Luther]]

[[Mother Mary Magdalena Lewis Tate]]

[[Mother Theresa|Mother Theresa]]

==N==

==O==

==P==

[[Apostle Paul|Paul the apostle]]

[[Apostle Peter|Peter the apostle]]

[[John Bertram Phillips|Phillips, J.B.]]

[[Phineas Bresee]]

==Q==

==R==

[[Ravi Zacharias]]

==S==
[[Terri Schiavo|Schiavo, Terri]]

==T==

[[Hudson Taylor|Taylor, Hudson]]

[[Terri Schiavo]]

[[Terry Virgo]]

[[Thomas Cranmer]]

==U==

==V==

==W==

[[William Carey]]

[[John Wimber|Wimber, John]]

[[John Wycliffe|Wycliffe, John]]

==X==

==Y==

==Z==

[[Ravi Zacharias|Zacharias, Ravi]]

{{returnto}} [[Famous Christians]]
[[Category:Indexes]]
[[Category:Famous Christians]]

Forgiveness

2010-12-12T16:02:28Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Forgiveness in the Bible */

{{quote | text=This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Words of [[Jesus]] in [[Matthew 26:28]]}}

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Forgiveness |
subtopics = [[Grace]], [[Sin]], [[Repentance]], [[Justification]], [[Salvation]]
* [[God is forgiving]]
* [[Living as a Christian]]
* Songs about forgiveness - [[Let it go]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}

Forgiveness is the choice to let go of resentment and find no fault against a person for wrong he has committed. This is [[God]]'s nature and he calls [[Christian]]s to forgive like he does. The ultimate evidence of God's forgiving nature is in the [[cross]], where [[Jesus]] died so that we could be forgiven. In the [[Lord's Prayer]], Jesus asks us to pray, "Forgive us our sins and we forgive those who sin against us" ([[Matthew 6:12]]).

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===Famous Stories of Forgiveness===

==Quotes==

Words of [[Jesus]]
: [[Matthew 26:28]]
:: {{Bible verse|matthew|26|28|lang=WEB}}
: [[Matthew 6:12]]
:: {{Bible verse|matthew|6|12|lang=WEB}}
: As he was being executed
:: "Father forgive them they know not what they do"

Chantel, a [[Rwanda]]n woman speaking of the time she met the man who killed her family
: As I stared into the face of that person, I had to check my heart, and when I found I only had love for him it scared me

Elizabeth O'Connor
: Forgiveness is a whole lot harder than any sermon makes it out to be

==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forgiveness Wikipedia - Forgiveness]
* [http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddn4v5jr_4823ns27mhb Sermon about forgiving others]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Christian doctrine and debates]]

{{stub}}
[[Category:Christian doctrine and debates]]

Protestantism

2010-12-12T16:02:20Z

Smelly jewish whore: it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = The Protestant Churches |
subtopics = [[Branches of Protestantism Index]] - [[Anabaptist]], [[Anglican Communion]], [[Baptist]], [[Lutheran]], [[Methodist]], [[Presbyterian]], [[Reformed churches]], [[Salvation Army]], [[Seventh-day Adventist]], [[Uniting churches]]
* [[Protestant Doctrine]] - [[Justification by faith]]
* [[History of Protestantism]] - [[Reformation]], [[Puritan Movement]]
* Modern movements - [[Evangelicalism]], [[Liberalism]], [[Charismatic]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}

The Protestant Churches are one of the main groups of churches or branches in [[Christianity]]. The Protestant Churches developed because of a split from the [[Roman Catholic Church]] that occurred during the sixteenth century in Europe — a period known as the Protestant [[Reformation]]. The split occurred primarily over issues of doctrine (belief), especially the issue of [[Justification by faith]] versus [[Justification by faith plus works]]. Some of the main Protestant church denominations today include the [[Lutheran Church]], [[Anglican Communion]] and the [[Baptist Church]].

===Definition and origins - [[Reformation]]===

The term Protestant originally applied to the group of princes and imperial cities who protested the decision by the 1529 Diet of Speyer to reverse course and enforce the 1521 Edict of Worms. The 1521 edict forbade Lutheran teachings within the Holy Roman Empire. The 1526 session of the Diet had agreed to toleration of Lutheran teachings (on the basis of Cuius regio, eius religio) until a General Council could be held to settle the question, but by 1529 the Catholic forces felt they had gathered enough power to end the toleration without waiting for a Council.

In a broader sense of the word, Protestant began to be used as the collective name for a sudden movement of separation from the Roman Catholic Church, the beginning of which is ordinarily connected with the public disputes raised by Martin Luther. Later, John Calvin, French theologian of the Swiss, Zwinglian, Reformed churches, figured prominently in a movement that embraced a wider, more international diversity of churches. A third major branch of the Reformation, which encountered conflict with the Catholics, as well as with the Lutherans and the Reformed, is sometimes called the Radical Reformation. Some Western, non-Catholic, groups are labeled as Protestant (such as Quakers, for example), even if the sect acknowledges no historical connection to Luther, Calvin or the Roman Catholic Church.

In German speaking and Scandinavian lands, the word Protestant still refers to Lutheran churches in contrast to Reformed churches, while the common designation for all churches originating from the Reformation is Evangelical.

As an intellectual movement, Protestantism grew out of the Renaissance and universities, attracting some learned intellectuals, as well as politicians, professionals, and skilled tradesmen and artisans. The new technology of the printing press allowed Protestant ideas to spread rapidly, as well as aiding in the dissemination of translations of the Bible in native tongues. Nascent Protestant social ideals of liberty of conscience and individual freedom were formed through continuous confrontation with the authority of the Bishop of Rome, and the hierarchy of the Catholic priesthood. The Protestant movement away from the constraints of tradition, toward greater emphasis on individual conscience, anticipated later developments of democratization, and the so-called Enlightenment of later centuries.

===Basic theological tenets of the Reformation===

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===Later development - [[History of Protestantism]]===

Protestants can be differentiated according to how they have been influenced by important movements since the magisterial Reformation and the Puritan Reformation in England. Some of these movements have a common lineage, sometimes directly spawning later movements in the same groups.

====Pietism 17th Century - Methodist movement 18th century====

The German Pietist movement together with the influence of the Puritan Reformation in England in the 17th century were important influences on John Wesley and Methodism, as well as through smaller, new groups such as the Quakers.

The practice of a spiritual life, typically combined with social engagement, predominates in classical Pietism, which was a protest against the doctrine-centeredness Protestant Orthodoxy of the times, in favor of depth of religious experience. Many of the more conservative Methodists went on to form the Holiness movement, which emphasized a rigorous experience of holiness.

====Evangelicalism 18th Century====

Beginning at the end of 18th century, several international revivals of Pietism (such as the Great Awakening and the Second Great Awakening), took place across denominational lines, which are referred to generally as the Evangelical movement. The chief emphases of this movement were individual conversion, personal piety and Bible study, public morality often including Temperance and Abolitionism, de-emphasis of formalism in worship and in doctrine, a broadened role for laity (including women) in worship, evangelism and teaching, and cooperation in evangelism across denominational lines.

====Pentecostalism 20th Century====

[[Pentecostalism]] as a movement began in the United States early in the 20th century, starting especially within the Holiness movement. Seeking a return to the operation of New Testament gifts of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues as evidence of the "baptism of the Holy Ghost" became the leading feature. Divine healing and miracles were also emphasized. Pentecostalism swept through much of the Holiness movement, and eventually spawned hundreds of new denominations in the United States. A later "charismatic" movement also stressed the gifts of the Spirit, but often operated within existing denominations rather than coming out of them.

====Modernism 20th Century====

Modernism, or Liberalism, does not constitute a rigorous and well-defined school of theology, but an inclination of some writers and teachers to integrate Christian thought with the spirit of the Age of Enlightenment. New understandings of history and the natural sciences of the day led directly to new approaches to theology.
See also: Modernist Christianity

====Fundamentalism 20th Century====

In reaction to liberal Bible critique, Fundamentalism arose in the 20th century, primarily in the United States and Canada, among those denominations most affected by Evangelicalism. Fundamentalism placed primary emphasis on the authority and sufficiency of the Bible, and typically advised separation from error, and cultural conservatism, as important aspects of the Christian life.

====Neo-orthodoxy 20th century====

A non-fundamentalist rejection of liberal Christianity associated primarily with Karl Barth, neo-orthodoxy sought to counter-act the tendency of liberal theology to make theological accomodations to modern scientific perspectives. Sometimes called Crisis theology, according to the influence of philosophical existentialism on some important segments of the movement; also, somewhat confusingly, sometimes called neo-evangelicalism.

====Neo-evangelicalism mid 20th Century====

Neo-evangelicalism is a movement from the middle of the 20th century, that reacted to perceived excesses of Fundamentalism, adding to concern for biblical authority an emphasis on liberal arts, co-operation among churches, Christian Apologetics, and non-denominational evangelization.

====Ecumenism 20th Century====

The ecumenical movement has had an influence on mainline churches, beginning at least in 1910 with the Edinburgh Missionary Conference. Its origins lay in the recognition of the need for cooperation on the mission field in Africa, Asia and Oceania. Since 1948 the World Council of Churches has been influential. There are also ecumenical bodies at regional, national and local levels across the globe. One, but not the only expression of the ecumenical movement has been the move to form united churches, such as the Church of South India, the Church of North India, The United Church of Canada and the Uniting Church in Australia. There has been a strong engagement of Orthodox churches in the ecumenical movement.

===Protestant denominations===

Protestants often refer to specific Protestant churches and groups as denominations to imply that they are differently named parts of the whole church. This "invisible unity" is assumed to be imperfectly displayed, visibly: some denominations are less accepting of others, and the basic orthodoxy of some is questioned by most of the others. Individual denominations also have formed over very subtle theological differences. Other denominations are simply regional or ethnic expressions of the same beliefs. The actual number of distinct denominations is hard to calculate, but has been estimated to be over thirty thousand. Various ecumenical movements have attempted cooperation or reorganization of Protestant churches, according to various models of union, but divisions continue to outpace unions. Most denominations share common beliefs in the major aspects of the Christian faith, while differing in many secondary doctrines.

Please note that only general families are listed here (tens of thousands of individual denominations exist):

* Anabaptist and Baptist
* Anglican / Episcopalian
* Calvinist / Reformed and Presbyterian
* Lutheran
* Methodist / Wesleyan and the Holiness movement
* Pentecostal and Charismatic

===Number of Protestants===

There are about 590 million Protestants worldwide. These include 170 million in North America, 160 million in Africa, 120 million in Europe, 70 million in Latin America, 60 million in Asia, and 10 million in Oceania. 27% of all Christians today are Protestants.

===Well-known Protestant and Anglican religious figures===

Some of the well known 16th century Protestants include:
* [[Jacobus Arminius]], Dutch theologian, founder of school of thought known as Arminianism
* [[John Calvin]], French speaking Reformer, theologian, founder of school of thought known as Calvinism
* [[Thomas Cranmer]], Archbishop of Canterbury under Henry VIII, leader of the English Reformation
* [[John Knox]], Scottish Calvinist reformer,
* [[William Laud]], Archbishop of Canterbury under Charles I of England
* [[Martin Luther]], German religious reformer, theologian, founder of the Lutheran church in Germany, founder of Lutheranism
* [[Philipp Melanchthon]], early Lutheran leader
* [[Menno Simons]], founder of Mennonitism
* [[Philipp Jakob Spener]], "godfather" of the Pietist movement
* [[Huldrych Zwingli]], early Swiss religious reformer

Some of the well known Protestants from the 17th to 19th centuries include:
* [[Jacob Amman]], founder of the Amish church
* [[Francis Asbury]], early bishop of American Methodism
* [[Jonathan Edwards]], American Puritan theologian, Great Awakening reformist preacher, Calvinist
* [[George Fox]], Founder of the Society of Friends
* [[Friedrich Schleiermacher]], German theologian considered founder of Liberal Christianity
* [[Charles Wesley]], Anglican priest, Methodist leader, poet, & hymn writer
* [[John Wesley]], Anglican priest, founder of the Methodist movement
* [[George Whitefield]], Great Awakening reformist preacher

Some of the more recent well known Protestants include:
* [[Billy Graham]], American evangelist
* [[Martin Luther King Jr.]], peace and civil rights activist
* [[Jerry Falwell]], American evangelist and political activist
* [[C. S. Lewis]], apologist / fiction writer
* [[Karl Barth]], German theologian along with Emil Brunner known for Dialectical theology and Neo-orthodox theology
* [[Dietrich Bonhoeffer]], German theologian, involved in the resistance against Nazism and executed shortly before the end of World War 2
* [[Reinhold Niebuhr]], American theologion and ethicist
* [[Pat Robertson]], American charismatic/fundamentalist leader
* [[Paul Tillich]], Lutheran existentialist theologian
* [[Desmond Tutu]], Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, peace activist
* [[John Howard Yoder]], Mennonite theologian and ethicist
* [[Franklin Graham]], American evangelist (son of Billy Graham)
* [[John B. Cobb]], theologian, involved in Process Theology
* [[Stanley Hauerwas]], American Christian theologian and ethicist

==Quotes==

==Links==

===Defense of Protestant Christianity===
*[http://lionofjudah.tribulationforces.com/world_religions/catholic.html Protestant criticisms of Roman Catholicism]
*[http://www.apologeticsinfo.org/resource.html Apologetics Information Ministry]

===Criticisms of Protestant Christianity===
* [http://protestantism.blogspot.com/ Anti-protestant analysis]
* [http://catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0097.html Why Only Catholicism Can Make Protestantism Work] by Mark Brumley

===Miscellaneous===
* [http://catalystresources.org/issues/303balmer.html The Future of American Protestantism] from ''Catalyst'' ([[United Methodist Church|United Methodist perspective]])

{{returnto}} [[Denominations]]

[[Category:Denominations]]
[[Category:Protestant]]

A Biography of Saint Peter (Cpark)

2010-12-12T16:01:44Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Early Life */

{{opinionarticle}}

''By [[User:Cpark|Calvin Park]]'', December 2003,

{{rtoc}}

Peter the Apostle has been looked to throughout church history as a model. [[Roman Catholicism | The Roman Catholic church]] has claimed St. Peter as the first [[Papacy | Bishop of Rome]], thereby lending legitimacy to the modern day papacy. Peter is widely considered to have been among the "inner circle" of [[Jesus]]' disciples (ex. Mark 5.12).

He is the central figure in much of the first twelve chapters of the [[Acts | Acts of the Apostles]]. Two epistles bear his name and some scholars argue that he was the source material that allowed [[Mark | Mark]] to write his [[Mark | Gospel]]. Many apocryphal books deal with his preaching and deeds, and church tradition has a well developed story of his [[A Biography of Saint Peter#Martyrdom | martyrdom]].

But, amidst all of this the question must be raised, who was Peter? This man that is held in such high regard by some and who has captured the imagination of no few, who is he? There are two basic sources that a person may look to for information in this regard. First, the Bible itself has a wealth of information regarding Peter. Second, church history, tradition, and even apocryphal writings may shed some amount of light on the life of Peter, most notably his later life and ministry.

==Early Life==
it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

==Life during Jesus' Ministry==

The [[Matthew | Gospel of Matthew]] portrays Peter's great statement regarding the divinity of Jesus in the context of a question asked by Jesus. A discussion takes place between Jesus and his disciples near the city of [[Caesarea Philippi]]; this discussion begins with Jesus asking the question, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is" (Matt 16.13). The disciples proceed to explain the various opinions that the people have in the next verse before Jesus interjects with, "But who do you say that I am" (Matt 16.15). It is at this point that Peter is singled out in Matthew's Gospel as he replies, "You are the [[Christ]], the Son of the living God" (Matt 16.16). This is of great interest to the student of Peter's life. Here, for the first time recorded in the Gospels, the flamboyant Peter deftly proclaims that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God. Jesus appears pleased with this statement and blesses Peter in the following verse.

It quickly becomes clear that Peter's idea of a Messiah did not include the idea of a suffering servant because a scant six verses later Peter takes Jesus aside and begins rebuking him for the idea that Jesus would die. Here Jesus rebukes Peter, calling him an adversary and saying that his mind is set on the things of man and not on the things of God (Matt 16.22-23). This is typical of Peter's interaction with Christ. He will take a great step of faith or make a great proclamation only to not quite get the full impact of what he just did or said. This is not something that Peter should be harshly judged on, rather it shows his own faith journey and humanity.

Similarly Peter shows his faith a few chapters earlier in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus' walking on the water is recorded in [[Mark]] 6.45-52, [[John]] 6.16-21, and [[Matthew]] 14.22-33. However, only in Matthew is Peter's role mentioned. In this narrative Jesus comes to the disciples, who are in a boat fighting against the wind and waves, walking on the water. At first the disciples are terrified by this sight and cry out in fear that it is a ghost. Once Jesus assures them that it is him, and not a ghost, Peter asks Jesus to command him to join him on the water. Jesus responds with the simple word, "come," (Matt 14.29). Peter obeyed, got out of the boat, "walked on the water and came to Jesus," (Matt 14.29). This is, perhaps, more than can be said for the other disciples who remained in the boat. Peter, in this passage, takes part in an event that he surely remembered for the rest of his life. It is important to remember at this point that Peter did not lack faith, he merely lacked enough faith to successfully stay on top of the water. As the story goes Peter saw the wind and became afraid, only then did he begin to sink. Still though, he cries out to Jesus for help which his lord readily gives with the gentle rebuke, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt" (Matt 14.31). So, at this point in his life Peter is revealed to be a man of faith, albeit only a little faith.

These two examples serve as a brief synopsis of Peter's life during the earthly ministry of Christ. Constantly it is Peter who is singled out as the disciple of action. It is he who walks on water, he who proclaims Jesus as the son of the living God, he who proposes that tents be pitched for Jesus, [[Moses]] and [[Elijah]] (Matt 17.2-4), it is he who cuts off [[Malchus]]' ear (John 18.10). Throughout the Gospels Peter acts. Most often these actions are undertaken on Peter's part with a lack of full understanding regarding what Jesus is doing. Nevertheless Peter does act, and it is he who receives the command to feed Jesus' sheep (John 21.15-17). Interestingly, Peter receives this command after jumping out of a boat to get to Jesus and then hauling 153 large fish ashore in a net single handedly, or so the text would seem to indicate (John 21.1-14). These examples show that it takes no stretch of the imagination to say that Peter was a man of action throughout his associate with Jesus.

==After the Resurrection: The early church==

At this point a certain amount of tension might be expected. If one has read the Gospel accounts in their entirety there is no doubt that although Peter was a man of action, his action often goes in the wrong direction. Jesus constantly rebukes Peter, sometimes harshly (Matt 16.22-23) and sometimes gently (Matt 14.31). Yet in the beginning chapters of Acts this same disciple, the one who has been rebuked the most by Christ, even if because he acted the most in his presence, is again set forth as the principle speaker and action-taker of the Twelve, now reduced to eleven. It is this reduction that sets forth Peter as the action-taker within the first chapter of Acts. Peter "makes out a good case for the choice of an unblemished successor to Judas" (Thiede). It is Peter who sets out the requirements for [[Judas]]' replacement (Thiede), and it may even have been Peter who decided on the use of the lot to decide between the two possible replacements (Thiede). So as the book that will outline the earliest history of the church begins Peter is again in the spotlight. Still taking action, and maturing along the way. Undoubtedly, the author of Acts portrays Peter as an extremely important figure of the early Christian community.

Perhaps the greatest show of Peter's maturity in the book of Acts is his vision in [[Joppa]] and subsequent conversion of the gentile [[Cornelius]]. This narrative takes place near the end of Peter's recorded ministry in Acts, but it reveals much light on how Peter had grown over the years since the night when he denied his Lord. In the vision that Peter has, recorded in Acts 10.16, a voice commands him to eat unclean animals. Peter refuses in his classic manner by proclaiming that he has "never eaten anything unholy and unclean" (Acts 10.14). Yet verse seventeen is the first real light that is shed upon Peter's growth and maturity. In this verse Peter is greatly perplexed at the vision, and verse nineteen elaborates this point by saying that Peter was reflecting on the vision. He was thinking! At some point Peter had gone from an action-taker who did not think, or at the least thought only briefly and often came to wrong conclusions, to an action-taker (as can be seen in the fact that he does go and preach to Cornelius) who thought through things.

Peter's reflection is interrupted by the men Cornelius has sent, or more accurately, his reflection is interrupted by the [[Holy Spirit | Spirit]] telling him that men are looking for him and that he should accompany them (Acts 10.19-20). This narrative proceeds with Peter traveling to Cornelius' house and speaking the Gospel to all who were there (Acts 10.34-43). The narrative ends with the new converts speaking in tongues and being baptized (Acts 10.44-48). Some discount the miracles, and indeed the entire Cornelius narrative as nothing more than an attempt by the writer of the book of Acts to include Peter in a more favorable light towards the gentiles (Grant). However, with the presupposition that Acts is an accurate historical source, one may see how Peter has come to the right conclusion this time. In Acts 10.28 Peter explains that God has shown him that no man should be called unclean. This is undoubtedly an important revelation for Peter. Of great importance to the modern reader, it shows that Peter has truly thought things through. In the time period between Christ's death and Peter's vision the apostle has gained understanding. Perhaps we see in Peter, more than any of the other disciples, a man who has grown through his relationship with Jesus.

The narrative of Acts shifts from a focus on Peter to a focus on Paul half way through chapter twelve when the author reports that after escaping imprisonment and almost certain death Peter "left and went to another place" (Acts 12.17). This is the last appearance of Peter in the book of Acts save for a brief speech during the [[Jerusalem Council]] mentioned in chapter fifteen. This then nearly exhausts the information contained within the [[New Testament Canon]] regarding Peter. It is true that he is mentioned by Paul in both [[Galatians]] and [[1 Corinthians]], but chronologically speaking Peter is largely out of the picture aside from the aforementioned appearance at the [[Apostolic Council]] (Grant). It is now necessary to turn to Church history, tradition, and various apocryphal writings for an understanding of the later years of Peter's life.

==Later life==

Peter's leaving for "another place" (Acts 12.17) can possibly be dated to AD 41 or 42, this dating would also satisfy an [[Apocrypha | apocryphal]] command of Jesus that the [[Apostles]] should remain centered in [[Jerusalem]] for twelve years ([[Acts of Peter]] 2.5). It is possible that after departing from Jerusalem Peter visited [[Antioch]], as well as several towns in [[Asia Minor]] that are later mentioned in [[1 Peter]]. He may have visited Corinth, which would explain the reference that Paul makes to a "[[Cephas]] group" within that church ([[1 Corinthians | 1 Cor]]. 1.12,14; 9.5). It is important however to keep in mind that all of Paul's "references to Cephas in Galatians and 1 Corinthians are...distant and somewhat guarded" (Michaels).

Invariably any discussion of Peter's later missionary activity, indeed any discussion of his whereabouts and activities after Acts 15 must eventually come to a discussion of his alleged stay in Rome. Some have purposed that Peter had two stays in [[Rome]], the first of which began in the winter of AD 42 and was interrupted when Peter returned to Jerusalem after [[Herod Agrippa]]'s death (Thiede). The question of whether or not Peter ever even went to Rome has been questioned off and on for that past 800 years, beginning with the [[Waldensians]] (Cullmann). The Biblical record remains silent regarding this issue (Custer), the only arguments that may be made from the book of Romans on the issue are arguments from silence (Cullmann), such as the fact that "Peter was not one" (Custer) of the persons listed by Paul at the end of [[Romans]]. The only other possible reference to Peter in Rome in the [[New Testament]] is found in 1 Peter 5.13 where the writer sends greetings from the saints in "[[Babylon]]." Some scholars have taken Babylon to be a "cryptic name for Rome" (Cullmann). If this is the case then it makes at least some argument for Peter having stayed in Rome, though a single reference is far from conclusive. As has already been postulated one must move outside the realm of [[Scripture]] for an answer to the question of Peter's stay in Rome, and indeed for an explanation of Peter's [[martyrdom]] in general.

At least one scholar has commented that all the "earliest extant sources which comment on Peter's death agree that it happened in Rome" (Thiede). These earliest sources include [[Dionysius of Corinth]] dated to sometime between AD 166 and 174. However Dionysius contradicts [[Paul]]'s statement in Romans that he has not yet visited Rome (Rom. 1.9-10). This has caused some scholars to be dubious as to the accuracy of the remainder of what he has to say. Even with obvious objections being raised as to the historicity of Peter's stay in Rome "there is a large measure of agreement that Peter did go to Rome" (Grant). Assuming that this large measure of scholarship is correct, and that Peter did indeed stay in Rome there are certain other traditions regarding his stay. There is one strong tradition that he lived with [[Aquila]] and [[Priscilla]] during his time in the Imperial Capital (Grant). There is also a tradition that says Peter lived with [[Senator Pudens]] during this period. The apocryphal Acts of Peter attribute Peter's confrontation with [[Simon Magus]] to several locations finally ending in Rome. The final, and perhaps most important tradition regarding Peter in Rome is his martyrdom.

==Martyrdom==

The [[Acts of Peter]] record a legend in which Peter flees Rome when Nero began his persecution in AD 64. The legend says that Jesus appeared to him and asked him where he was going, Peter needed no more words and immediately turned around and headed back to the city (Grant 152). However there is an earlier, and far more respected text which may shed light on Peter's martyrdom; that text is the [[First Epistle of Clement]] (Cullmann). The epistle is commonly held to have been composed during AD 96 (Cullmann). The information on Peter is found in a section of the letter where Clement is making an argument that is vaguely reminiscent of [[Hebrews|Epistle to the Hebrews]] 12 and 13 where the author of that letter speaks of attested exemplars. In this section Peter is listed as one who bore many torments and afterwards went to a "place of glory" (1 Clem. 5.4-5). Nevertheless this text does not give a particular location for Peter's death. It is an unsatisfactory response to say that the place could not have been [[Rome]] because Clement knew nothing of Peter's martyrdom except what he mentioned. It is much more likely that Clement assumed "that it [the place of Peter's death] was known; moreover, he is not giving a report about martyrs but an example of the results of envy and strife" (Cullmann). "Constantine the Great was so convinced of the fact" (Grant) that Peter had died and been buried in Rome that he built St. Peter's Basilica over the site where tradition held Peter had been buried in the early 4th century. There had, apparently, been a shrine where the basilica was built since the late second century (Grant).

If it can be safely assumed that Peter died in Rome circa AD 65 (Reicke) than the final question that must be answered is the means of his death. Tradition has long held that Peter was crucified, like Jesus himself. One scholar has said, "those who mention the manner of his death are unanimous are this point" (Thiede). Those who look for Canonical evidence sometimes point to the [[John|Gospel of John]] when it says, "'Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.' (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) " (John 21.18-19a) as proof that Peter would die by crucification. The [[Acts of Peter]] tells the story of his martyrdom and adds that he refused to be crucified right-side up, but demanded to be crucified upside down so as not to compete with Jesus. Although this tradition does come from the Acts of Peter it should not be immediately dismissed since it is mentioned by Origen and may have been "in line with the desire for novelty among the Roman henchmen" (Thiede). The vast majority of literary sources point to Peter having been martyred in Rome at some point during the reign of [[Emperor Nero]] (Cullmann). However, even with this evidence the means of Peter's death cannot be confirmed unequivocally (Grant).

==Conclusions==

Peter's life has been examined, from his humble beginnings in a back water province of the Roman Empire, to his meeting with the Son of the Living God, to his death, presumably, in the capital of the greatest of the ancient empires. Throughout his life Peter proved to be a man of faith; he stepped out on a wind-tossed sea to be with his Lord. He was often quick to act and slow to think in his early years, showing him to be a man of action. He had no qualms about cutting off the ear of someone who came to take his Lord away from him. Yet, many years later, it can be seen that Peter had matured a great deal and that, although he remained a man of both faith and action, he had brought these into at least some type of balance. Perhaps it is this human struggle and maturity, this humanity, that makes Peter one of the most interesting Biblical characters to study.

==Sources==

* Peter by Oscar Cullman
* A Witness to Christ by Stewart Custer
* Saint Peter: A Biography by Michael Grant
* The Anchor Bible: The Epistles of James, Peter and Jude by Bo Reicke
* Simon Peter: From Galilee to Rome by Carsten P. Thiede

{{returnto}} [[Apostle Peter]]

Ancient Israel and Judah

2010-12-12T16:01:29Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Patriarchs */

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Ancient Israel and Judah
[[Image:Maps-divided-kingdom.gif|thumb|center|A map showing the divided kingdoms]] |
subtopics = [[Hebrew]]
* [[Characters of the Bible]]
* [[Patriarchs]]
* [[Exodus]], Promised Land
* [[Judges]]
* [[Kings of Israel Index]] - King Saul, [[King David]], [[Solomon]]
* Kingdom of Judah, [[Kingdom of Israel]]
* The Exile |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}

The history of the Israelites is a story of [[God]]'s promises and steadfast love. It begins when God chose [[Abraham]] to go into the land of Canaan. The descendants of Abraham later became slaves in [[Egypt]], but [[Moses]] delivered them out of slavery and back to the land God had promised. The people of [[Ancient Israel]] were initially ruled by judges and later kings, the most famous being [[King David]]. Time and time again the people turned away from God, only to be forgiven. Eventually however, the [[kingdom of Israel]] split in civil war into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Both fell to invading armies and the people of Israel were exiled to foreign lands. Some returned and rebuilt the temple in [[Jerusalem]], but remained under foreign rule. The Romans controlled the area of Palestine at the time of [[Jesus]], who came to restore God's kingdom - but not in the way people of the time expected - he restored us to a right relationship with God.

The table below is a brief time-line of the main events of the [[Old Testament]].

{{brief_ot_timeline}}

===[[Old Testament Patriarchs|Patriarchs]]===

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===Slavery in Egypt and the Exodus===

The Israelite (Hebrew) people multiplied rapidly in Egypt but were forced into slavery by the Egyptian pharaohs. Of the 12 brothers who went to Egypt, each had sons who formed a clan - the twelve tribes of Israel. For approximately 400 years the Israelites suffered in Egypt, until [[Moses]] was born. After calling Moses to free the slaves, God miraculously rescued the [[Hebrew]] people bringing them into the [[Sinai]] region. It was here that the people received the [[Ten Commandments]].

These stories are told in the [[Book of Exodus]] (also [[Leviticus]], [[Numbers]] and [[Deuteronomy]])

===Conquest of Canaan===

[[Joshua]] succeeded Moses as the Hebrew leader and led the people into Canaan (Israel) conquering and destroying the people in that land under God's direction. Each tribe of Israel moved into its own designated area of Canaan.

These stories are told in the [[Book of Joshua]].

===[[Judges]] and United Monarchy===

The twelve tribes of Israel were initially united as one people. The country was initially led by judges – religious leaders appointed by God who dealt justice to the people and also took charge in case of war.

Later, the people of Israel insisted on having a king like the nations around them, and the judge
[[Samuel]] appointed King Saul, who was followed by [[King David]] and then his son [[Solomon]].

(These stories are told in the [[Book of Judges]], [[1 Samuel]], [[2 Samuel]] and [[1 Kings]] (also [[1 Chronicles]]).

===Divided Monarchy===
[[Image:Ancient Israel 830 BC.jpg|thumb|A map of the region around 830 BC]]

Following the death of King Solomon, the kingdom of Israel underwent a schism, bisecting into the kingdom of Israel in the north, and the kingdom of Judah in the south (containing [[Jerusalem]]). This is described in 1 Kings 12. The remainder of the book [[1 Kings]] and all of the book [[2 Kings]] describes the history of Israel during this period of a divided kingdom. It explains from a theological view the political developments that occurred in this time. Both kingdoms progressively lost sight of God and began to follow pagan gods.

There was especially rapid decline into polytheism in the northern kingdom, ultimately resulting in God's judgement against the kingdom with the invasion of the Assyrian army and the deportation of the people, who ceased to exist in history as an independent culture or people.

In the southern kingdom of Judah, the decline was slower, with certain kings, such as [[Hezekiah]] and Josiah, refocussing the nation on God. Ultimately however the southern kingdom also received God's judgement for their abandonment of him in place of other gods, and the kingdom was invaded by the Babylonian army and the people deported to [[Babylon]]. The Jews of the southern kingdom however maintained their identity and culture and so did not cease to exist in history.

During this period, there was intense prophetic activity with prophets such as [[Isaiah]] and [[Jeremiah]] calling the people back to God.

Below is a table showing the kings of the two kingdoms during this period, with estimated dates of when the kings ruled.

These stories are told in [[1 Kings]] and [[2 Kings]] (also: [[2 Chronicles]])

{{Divided_kingdom_kings}}

===Captivity - [[Exile]]===

In [[722 BC]] the Northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrian Empire. Its people were moved en masse by the Assyrians into neighbouring territories, and people of other conquered nations moved into the land to fill the void. The Jews of the northern Kingdom assimilated into their new lands, and these tribes of Israel disappeared from history as a distinct people forever. The account is explained in [[2 Kings 17]] as a judgement against the people of the the northern Kingdom for repeated and continued unfaithfulness to God.
: ''{{Bible verse|2 Kings|17|6|lang=WEB}}''
: ''{{Bible verse|2 Kings|17|7|lang=WEB}}''
: ''{{Bible verse|2 Kings|17|8|lang=WEB}}''
: ''{{Bible verse|2 Kings|17|9|lang=WEB}}''
: ''{{Bible verse|2 Kings|17|10|lang=WEB}}''

A number of prophets were active prior to this time of the fall and exile of northern Israel, calling the people to repentance and to return to proper worship of God. They included [[Amos]], [[Hosea]] and [[Isaiah]].

Following the fall of the northern kingdom, the southern kingdom continued as an independent nation for a further 150 years. In the final years of the 8th century, [[Hezekiah]] ruled the kingdom as a king who trusted in [[God]]. The Assyrian Empire invaded Judah taking much of the land, and besieging [[Jerusalem]] in [[701 BC]], however it was not successful in taking the city. The kings following Hezekiah progressive lost sight of God, until Josiah came to the throne in [[640 BC]], and "rediscovered" the Books of the Law in the Temple. Josiah brought the kingdom back to God, but under subsequent kings the people degenerated again into [[polytheism]]. Around this time the Assyrian Empire began to lose its dominance of the Ancient Near East, and the Babylonians rose to power, finally destroying Assyria in [[609 BC]]. The Babylonians continued their conquests, invading and conquering Judah in the early 6th century BC, exiling her people, forcing them to leave their country.

A number of prophets were active in this era before the conquest by the Babylonians calling. These include [[Nahum]], [[Habakkuk]], [[Zephaniah]] and [[Jeremiah]].

===Rebuilding the Temple===

===Roman Occupation===

==Quotes==

==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Israel Wikipedia - Ancient Israel]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[Old Testament]]
[[Category:Old Testament]]
[[Category:Timelines]]

Essence of Christianity

2010-12-12T16:01:19Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Jesus */

{{quote | text={{Bible verse|1 John|4|10|lang=WEB}} [[1 John 4:10]]}}
{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Essence of Christianity
[[Image:Cross sunrise.jpg|thumb|center|The [[cross]] representing a [[God]] who has redeemed us is central to [[Christianity]].]] |
subtopics = [[God]], [[Jesus]]
* [[Christian]]
* [[Becoming a Christian]], [[Grace]]
* [[Living as a Christian]], [[Love]], [[Worship]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* [[Salvation (justforcatholics.org)]]
* [[How to be saved (Compass)]]
* [[Essential Christian doctrines (anon)]] |
}}

[[Christianity]] is about [[God]] reaching out his hand in friendship to mankind. [[Christian]]s believe that the everything within the universe was [[creation|created]] by God. God is a personal being, and by some mystery that we cannot understand, he is three, yet one: [[God the Father|Father]], [[Jesus|Son]] and [[Holy Spirit|Spirit]]. He created people in his image, to [[love]] him. Yet every person has rebelled against God. But instead of turning his back on us, God the Son, became a man, Jesus, and lived among us, dying because of us - the death that we should have died. [[Death of Jesus|Jesus was crucified]] on a cross, but [[Resurrection of Jesus|he rose from the dead]], and now calls us to trust him, to love him and to [[repent]] of our rebellion. If we do this, then our relationship with God becomes restored, and God the Spirit lives within us, assuring us of the promise of everlasting life.

The good news of Jesus, or the [[gospel]], is summarized in [[1 Corinthians 15]]. This passage is a simple statement that gives a portrait of what the essence of Christianity is - forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
: ''{{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|15|3|lang=WEB}}''
: ''{{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|15|4|lang=WEB}}''

===[[Becoming a Christian]]===

To become a [[Christian]], a person must believe in his heart and confesses that [[Jesus Christ]] is [[Lord]]. When he accepts the fact that he has disobeyed [[God]], but also accepts Jesus' death on the cross as punishment for his [[sin]]s, that person has become a Christian. [[Ephesians 1:7]] in the [[New Testament]] shows that forgiveness of sins are through Jesus
: ''{{Bible verse|Ephesians|1|7|lang=WEB}}''

There are many biblical passages that show that belief, or faith, in Jesus Christ is what brings life to people. Faith in Jesus is ultimately what makes a person a Christian. Perhaps the most famous of these verses is [[John 3:16]]
: ''{{Bible verse|John|3|16|lang=WEB}}''

===[[Living as a Christian]]===

When we become a [[Christian]], we are called to live for [[God]] in every aspect of our lives. He brings us into a relationship of [[love]] with him and with other Christians and calls us to live for him fully, obeying him and trusting in him completely.

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]]

A Biography of Saint Peter (Cpark)

2010-12-12T16:01:09Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Early Life */

{{opinionarticle}}

''By [[User:Cpark|Calvin Park]]'', December 2003,

{{rtoc}}

Peter the Apostle has been looked to throughout church history as a model. [[Roman Catholicism | The Roman Catholic church]] has claimed St. Peter as the first [[Papacy | Bishop of Rome]], thereby lending legitimacy to the modern day papacy. Peter is widely considered to have been among the "inner circle" of [[Jesus]]' disciples (ex. Mark 5.12).

He is the central figure in much of the first twelve chapters of the [[Acts | Acts of the Apostles]]. Two epistles bear his name and some scholars argue that he was the source material that allowed [[Mark | Mark]] to write his [[Mark | Gospel]]. Many apocryphal books deal with his preaching and deeds, and church tradition has a well developed story of his [[A Biography of Saint Peter#Martyrdom | martyrdom]].

But, amidst all of this the question must be raised, who was Peter? This man that is held in such high regard by some and who has captured the imagination of no few, who is he? There are two basic sources that a person may look to for information in this regard. First, the Bible itself has a wealth of information regarding Peter. Second, church history, tradition, and even apocryphal writings may shed some amount of light on the life of Peter, most notably his later life and ministry.

==Early Life==

==Life during Jesus' Ministry==

The [[Matthew | Gospel of Matthew]] portrays Peter's great statement regarding the divinity of Jesus in the context of a question asked by Jesus. A discussion takes place between Jesus and his disciples near the city of [[Caesarea Philippi]]; this discussion begins with Jesus asking the question, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is" (Matt 16.13). The disciples proceed to explain the various opinions that the people have in the next verse before Jesus interjects with, "But who do you say that I am" (Matt 16.15). It is at this point that Peter is singled out in Matthew's Gospel as he replies, "You are the [[Christ]], the Son of the living God" (Matt 16.16). This is of great interest to the student of Peter's life. Here, for the first time recorded in the Gospels, the flamboyant Peter deftly proclaims that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God. Jesus appears pleased with this statement and blesses Peter in the following verse.

It quickly becomes clear that Peter's idea of a Messiah did not include the idea of a suffering servant because a scant six verses later Peter takes Jesus aside and begins rebuking him for the idea that Jesus would die. Here Jesus rebukes Peter, calling him an adversary and saying that his mind is set on the things of man and not on the things of God (Matt 16.22-23). This is typical of Peter's interaction with Christ. He will take a great step of faith or make a great proclamation only to not quite get the full impact of what he just did or said. This is not something that Peter should be harshly judged on, rather it shows his own faith journey and humanity.

Similarly Peter shows his faith a few chapters earlier in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus' walking on the water is recorded in [[Mark]] 6.45-52, [[John]] 6.16-21, and [[Matthew]] 14.22-33. However, only in Matthew is Peter's role mentioned. In this narrative Jesus comes to the disciples, who are in a boat fighting against the wind and waves, walking on the water. At first the disciples are terrified by this sight and cry out in fear that it is a ghost. Once Jesus assures them that it is him, and not a ghost, Peter asks Jesus to command him to join him on the water. Jesus responds with the simple word, "come," (Matt 14.29). Peter obeyed, got out of the boat, "walked on the water and came to Jesus," (Matt 14.29). This is, perhaps, more than can be said for the other disciples who remained in the boat. Peter, in this passage, takes part in an event that he surely remembered for the rest of his life. It is important to remember at this point that Peter did not lack faith, he merely lacked enough faith to successfully stay on top of the water. As the story goes Peter saw the wind and became afraid, only then did he begin to sink. Still though, he cries out to Jesus for help which his lord readily gives with the gentle rebuke, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt" (Matt 14.31). So, at this point in his life Peter is revealed to be a man of faith, albeit only a little faith.

These two examples serve as a brief synopsis of Peter's life during the earthly ministry of Christ. Constantly it is Peter who is singled out as the disciple of action. It is he who walks on water, he who proclaims Jesus as the son of the living God, he who proposes that tents be pitched for Jesus, [[Moses]] and [[Elijah]] (Matt 17.2-4), it is he who cuts off [[Malchus]]' ear (John 18.10). Throughout the Gospels Peter acts. Most often these actions are undertaken on Peter's part with a lack of full understanding regarding what Jesus is doing. Nevertheless Peter does act, and it is he who receives the command to feed Jesus' sheep (John 21.15-17). Interestingly, Peter receives this command after jumping out of a boat to get to Jesus and then hauling 153 large fish ashore in a net single handedly, or so the text would seem to indicate (John 21.1-14). These examples show that it takes no stretch of the imagination to say that Peter was a man of action throughout his associate with Jesus.

==After the Resurrection: The early church==

At this point a certain amount of tension might be expected. If one has read the Gospel accounts in their entirety there is no doubt that although Peter was a man of action, his action often goes in the wrong direction. Jesus constantly rebukes Peter, sometimes harshly (Matt 16.22-23) and sometimes gently (Matt 14.31). Yet in the beginning chapters of Acts this same disciple, the one who has been rebuked the most by Christ, even if because he acted the most in his presence, is again set forth as the principle speaker and action-taker of the Twelve, now reduced to eleven. It is this reduction that sets forth Peter as the action-taker within the first chapter of Acts. Peter "makes out a good case for the choice of an unblemished successor to Judas" (Thiede). It is Peter who sets out the requirements for [[Judas]]' replacement (Thiede), and it may even have been Peter who decided on the use of the lot to decide between the two possible replacements (Thiede). So as the book that will outline the earliest history of the church begins Peter is again in the spotlight. Still taking action, and maturing along the way. Undoubtedly, the author of Acts portrays Peter as an extremely important figure of the early Christian community.

Perhaps the greatest show of Peter's maturity in the book of Acts is his vision in [[Joppa]] and subsequent conversion of the gentile [[Cornelius]]. This narrative takes place near the end of Peter's recorded ministry in Acts, but it reveals much light on how Peter had grown over the years since the night when he denied his Lord. In the vision that Peter has, recorded in Acts 10.16, a voice commands him to eat unclean animals. Peter refuses in his classic manner by proclaiming that he has "never eaten anything unholy and unclean" (Acts 10.14). Yet verse seventeen is the first real light that is shed upon Peter's growth and maturity. In this verse Peter is greatly perplexed at the vision, and verse nineteen elaborates this point by saying that Peter was reflecting on the vision. He was thinking! At some point Peter had gone from an action-taker who did not think, or at the least thought only briefly and often came to wrong conclusions, to an action-taker (as can be seen in the fact that he does go and preach to Cornelius) who thought through things.

Peter's reflection is interrupted by the men Cornelius has sent, or more accurately, his reflection is interrupted by the [[Holy Spirit | Spirit]] telling him that men are looking for him and that he should accompany them (Acts 10.19-20). This narrative proceeds with Peter traveling to Cornelius' house and speaking the Gospel to all who were there (Acts 10.34-43). The narrative ends with the new converts speaking in tongues and being baptized (Acts 10.44-48). Some discount the miracles, and indeed the entire Cornelius narrative as nothing more than an attempt by the writer of the book of Acts to include Peter in a more favorable light towards the gentiles (Grant). However, with the presupposition that Acts is an accurate historical source, one may see how Peter has come to the right conclusion this time. In Acts 10.28 Peter explains that God has shown him that no man should be called unclean. This is undoubtedly an important revelation for Peter. Of great importance to the modern reader, it shows that Peter has truly thought things through. In the time period between Christ's death and Peter's vision the apostle has gained understanding. Perhaps we see in Peter, more than any of the other disciples, a man who has grown through his relationship with Jesus.

The narrative of Acts shifts from a focus on Peter to a focus on Paul half way through chapter twelve when the author reports that after escaping imprisonment and almost certain death Peter "left and went to another place" (Acts 12.17). This is the last appearance of Peter in the book of Acts save for a brief speech during the [[Jerusalem Council]] mentioned in chapter fifteen. This then nearly exhausts the information contained within the [[New Testament Canon]] regarding Peter. It is true that he is mentioned by Paul in both [[Galatians]] and [[1 Corinthians]], but chronologically speaking Peter is largely out of the picture aside from the aforementioned appearance at the [[Apostolic Council]] (Grant). It is now necessary to turn to Church history, tradition, and various apocryphal writings for an understanding of the later years of Peter's life.

==Later life==

Peter's leaving for "another place" (Acts 12.17) can possibly be dated to AD 41 or 42, this dating would also satisfy an [[Apocrypha | apocryphal]] command of Jesus that the [[Apostles]] should remain centered in [[Jerusalem]] for twelve years ([[Acts of Peter]] 2.5). It is possible that after departing from Jerusalem Peter visited [[Antioch]], as well as several towns in [[Asia Minor]] that are later mentioned in [[1 Peter]]. He may have visited Corinth, which would explain the reference that Paul makes to a "[[Cephas]] group" within that church ([[1 Corinthians | 1 Cor]]. 1.12,14; 9.5). It is important however to keep in mind that all of Paul's "references to Cephas in Galatians and 1 Corinthians are...distant and somewhat guarded" (Michaels).

Invariably any discussion of Peter's later missionary activity, indeed any discussion of his whereabouts and activities after Acts 15 must eventually come to a discussion of his alleged stay in Rome. Some have purposed that Peter had two stays in [[Rome]], the first of which began in the winter of AD 42 and was interrupted when Peter returned to Jerusalem after [[Herod Agrippa]]'s death (Thiede). The question of whether or not Peter ever even went to Rome has been questioned off and on for that past 800 years, beginning with the [[Waldensians]] (Cullmann). The Biblical record remains silent regarding this issue (Custer), the only arguments that may be made from the book of Romans on the issue are arguments from silence (Cullmann), such as the fact that "Peter was not one" (Custer) of the persons listed by Paul at the end of [[Romans]]. The only other possible reference to Peter in Rome in the [[New Testament]] is found in 1 Peter 5.13 where the writer sends greetings from the saints in "[[Babylon]]." Some scholars have taken Babylon to be a "cryptic name for Rome" (Cullmann). If this is the case then it makes at least some argument for Peter having stayed in Rome, though a single reference is far from conclusive. As has already been postulated one must move outside the realm of [[Scripture]] for an answer to the question of Peter's stay in Rome, and indeed for an explanation of Peter's [[martyrdom]] in general.

At least one scholar has commented that all the "earliest extant sources which comment on Peter's death agree that it happened in Rome" (Thiede). These earliest sources include [[Dionysius of Corinth]] dated to sometime between AD 166 and 174. However Dionysius contradicts [[Paul]]'s statement in Romans that he has not yet visited Rome (Rom. 1.9-10). This has caused some scholars to be dubious as to the accuracy of the remainder of what he has to say. Even with obvious objections being raised as to the historicity of Peter's stay in Rome "there is a large measure of agreement that Peter did go to Rome" (Grant). Assuming that this large measure of scholarship is correct, and that Peter did indeed stay in Rome there are certain other traditions regarding his stay. There is one strong tradition that he lived with [[Aquila]] and [[Priscilla]] during his time in the Imperial Capital (Grant). There is also a tradition that says Peter lived with [[Senator Pudens]] during this period. The apocryphal Acts of Peter attribute Peter's confrontation with [[Simon Magus]] to several locations finally ending in Rome. The final, and perhaps most important tradition regarding Peter in Rome is his martyrdom.

==Martyrdom==

The [[Acts of Peter]] record a legend in which Peter flees Rome when Nero began his persecution in AD 64. The legend says that Jesus appeared to him and asked him where he was going, Peter needed no more words and immediately turned around and headed back to the city (Grant 152). However there is an earlier, and far more respected text which may shed light on Peter's martyrdom; that text is the [[First Epistle of Clement]] (Cullmann). The epistle is commonly held to have been composed during AD 96 (Cullmann). The information on Peter is found in a section of the letter where Clement is making an argument that is vaguely reminiscent of [[Hebrews|Epistle to the Hebrews]] 12 and 13 where the author of that letter speaks of attested exemplars. In this section Peter is listed as one who bore many torments and afterwards went to a "place of glory" (1 Clem. 5.4-5). Nevertheless this text does not give a particular location for Peter's death. It is an unsatisfactory response to say that the place could not have been [[Rome]] because Clement knew nothing of Peter's martyrdom except what he mentioned. It is much more likely that Clement assumed "that it [the place of Peter's death] was known; moreover, he is not giving a report about martyrs but an example of the results of envy and strife" (Cullmann). "Constantine the Great was so convinced of the fact" (Grant) that Peter had died and been buried in Rome that he built St. Peter's Basilica over the site where tradition held Peter had been buried in the early 4th century. There had, apparently, been a shrine where the basilica was built since the late second century (Grant).

If it can be safely assumed that Peter died in Rome circa AD 65 (Reicke) than the final question that must be answered is the means of his death. Tradition has long held that Peter was crucified, like Jesus himself. One scholar has said, "those who mention the manner of his death are unanimous are this point" (Thiede). Those who look for Canonical evidence sometimes point to the [[John|Gospel of John]] when it says, "'Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.' (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) " (John 21.18-19a) as proof that Peter would die by crucification. The [[Acts of Peter]] tells the story of his martyrdom and adds that he refused to be crucified right-side up, but demanded to be crucified upside down so as not to compete with Jesus. Although this tradition does come from the Acts of Peter it should not be immediately dismissed since it is mentioned by Origen and may have been "in line with the desire for novelty among the Roman henchmen" (Thiede). The vast majority of literary sources point to Peter having been martyred in Rome at some point during the reign of [[Emperor Nero]] (Cullmann). However, even with this evidence the means of Peter's death cannot be confirmed unequivocally (Grant).

==Conclusions==

Peter's life has been examined, from his humble beginnings in a back water province of the Roman Empire, to his meeting with the Son of the Living God, to his death, presumably, in the capital of the greatest of the ancient empires. Throughout his life Peter proved to be a man of faith; he stepped out on a wind-tossed sea to be with his Lord. He was often quick to act and slow to think in his early years, showing him to be a man of action. He had no qualms about cutting off the ear of someone who came to take his Lord away from him. Yet, many years later, it can be seen that Peter had matured a great deal and that, although he remained a man of both faith and action, he had brought these into at least some type of balance. Perhaps it is this human struggle and maturity, this humanity, that makes Peter one of the most interesting Biblical characters to study.

==Sources==

* Peter by Oscar Cullman
* A Witness to Christ by Stewart Custer
* Saint Peter: A Biography by Michael Grant
* The Anchor Bible: The Epistles of James, Peter and Jude by Bo Reicke
* Simon Peter: From Galilee to Rome by Carsten P. Thiede

{{returnto}} [[Apostle Peter]]

Template:Chapters

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Smelly jewish whore: /* Chapters */

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Apostle Paul

2010-12-12T16:00:52Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Paul in the Acts of the Apostles */

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = The Apostle Paul
[[Image:Paul.jpg|thumb|center|200px]] |
subtopics = [[Acts of the Apostles]]
* [[Pauline Epistles]]
* [[New Perspective on Paul]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}

Paul (originally Saul) was a critical figure in the early [[Christian]] [[church]]. He was a [[Jew]] who was a [[Roman]] citizen from the city of [[Tarsus]]. As a [[Pharisee]] he was involved in the persecution of the early Church until his encounter with the resurrected [[Jesus]] on the road to the city of [[Damascus]]. After this he worked tireless at preaching the [[gospel]] to the non-Jewish ([[gentile]]) communities throughout the Roman empire. He wrote many letters to churches in different cities; these letters are included in the [[New Testament]].

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===Paul's speeches in Acts===

A number of Paul's speeches are recorded in Acts. The way Paul speaks varied greatly depending on the background of his audience.

When speaking to Jews, for example in [[Acts 13]] and [[Acts 28]], Paul would quote from the [[Old Testament]] to show how [[Jesus]] fulfilled the Old Testament. He would speak about [[faith]] and [[forgiveness]] rather than [[Law]].

Paul used quite a different approach of evangelism when speaking to pagans who were not believers in the God of Israel. He spoke to untutored (uneducated) pagans in [[Acts 14]] explaining how his God was the God of creation, and not a lifeless idol. He did this without using [[Old Testament]] quotations. He spoke to tutored (educated) pagans in [[Acts 17]] in his famous speech in the [[Areopagus]] in [[Athens]], using culturally relevant statements. He introduced God by talking about something he had seen in the marketplace in Athens, a statue to the "unknown god". Again he didn't use Old Testament quotes, but instead quoted Greek poets, and he spoke about sin in a different light, calling it "ignorance".

When Paul spoke to believers, as in [[Acts 20]]:18-35, he spoke words to remind and encourage them, warning them to hold onto their faith.

And when Paul was called to speak in his legal defence, as in [[Acts 22]], [[Acts 24]] and [[Acts 26]], he gave personal testimony of how God had spoken to him, and he highlighted the work of God.

===[[Pauline Epistles|Paul's letters]]===
*Epistle to the Romans
*First Epistle to the Corinthians
*Second Epistle to the Corinthians
*Epistle to the Galatians
*Epistle to the Ephesians
*Epistle to the Philippians
*Epistle to the Colossians
*First Epistle to the Thessalonians
*Second Epistle to the Thessalonians
*Epistle to Philemon
*First Epistle to Timothy
*Second Epistle to Timothy
*Epistle to Titus
*Epistle to Philemon

===The [[New Perspective on Paul]]===

The New Perspective on Paul refers to a recent discussion about Paul's theology on salvation that has developed among Protestant Christians. Protestants have traditionally believed that Paul argued against a legalistic Jewish culture that sought to earn salvation through works in his letters. Supporters of the New Perspective argue that Paul has been misread and contend that he was actually combating Jews who were boasting because they were God's people, the "elect" or the "chosen ones" and their "works", so to speak, were done to show they were God's covenant people and not to earn their salvation. According to the New Perspective on Paul, the result is a Judaism that affirmed sola gratia (grace alone). Presently the effects of the New Perspective are primarily seen in the academic world of New Testament scholars, however, future ramifications include directly affecting the Protestant doctrine of Justification by Faith (Sola Fide).

==Quotes==

==Links==
* [http://www.theopedia.com/Paul Theopedia - Paul]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_of_Tarsus Wikipedia - Paul of Tarsus]
* [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Author:Paul_of_Tarsus Author:Paul of Tarsus] at [[wikipedia:Wikisource|Wikisource]]
* [http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintp12.htm Patron Saints Index - Paul the Apostle]

{{returnto}} [[Apostles]] | [[Famous Christians]]

[[Category:Famous Christians]]
[[Category:Apostles]]
[[Category:Saints]]

Christian

2010-12-12T16:00:44Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Terms */

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Christian |
subtopics = [[God]], [[Jesus]]
* [[Becoming a Christian]], [[Grace]]
* [[Living as a Christian]], [[Love]]
* [[Nominalism]], [[Evangelicalism]], [[Charismatic]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}

A '''Christian''' is a person who follows [[Jesus]] and has a personal and living relationship with him. Followers of Jesus were first called Christians in [[Antioch]] in the first century AD. Today, there are around 2 billion people who call themselves Christians world-wide.

Some Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican Christians consider a person to be a Christian once [[baptism]] has taken place. Since infants are baptized in these churches, this often means that a young child can be called a Christian. Alternatively, many Protestants consider that a personal belief in Jesus as saviour defines a person as Christian. In countries where Christianity is historically the majority religion, the term is often used to describe anyone who has a vague belief in God.

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==Quotes==

[[Billy Graham]]
: Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion; it is like a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.

==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian Wikipedia - Christian]
* [http://www.christian.com Christian]
{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Essence of Christianity]]

Places

2010-12-12T16:00:37Z

Smelly jewish whore: it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = The World
[[Image:World.jpg|thumb|center|A map of the world.]] |
subtopics = Regions: [[Africa]], [[Americas]], [[Asia]], [[Europe]], [[Pacific]]
* [[Biblical Places Index]]
* [[Church History Places]]
* The [[Persecuted Church]]: {{world_watch_list}}
* [[Denominations]]
* [[World-wide church directory]]
* The [[World]]
* [[Languages Index]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}

The world's 5 inhabited continents contain almost 7 billion people. The population is increasing rapidly, and it doubled between 1960 and 2000. There are 237 independent states. 66 of these have significant restrictions on religious belief. About 30% of the world's population call themselves [[Christian]] (2 billion people), 20% call themselves [[Muslim]] (1.3 billion people), 15% are [[non-religious]] (1 billion) and 13% call themselves [[Hindu]]. Although [[Europe]] is rapidly becoming secular and non-religious, the majority of Christians live in areas where European settlement or missionary work has been significant. [[Asia]] is the least evangelised continent. Of Christians, there are about 1 billion [[Roman Catholic]], 700 million [[Protestant]] and 550 million [[Eastern Orthodox]] Christians.

===[[Africa]]===

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===[[Americas]]===

The Americas cover 2 continents and about 50 countries with about a billion inhabitants. [[North America]] includes the wealthy and English speaking predominantly [[Protestant]] countries of the [[United States of America]] and [[Canada]] and the poorer, predominant countries from [[Mexico]] to [[Panama]]. [[South America]] countains the developing [[Spanish]]-speaking predominantly [[Roman Catholic]] countries like [[Argentina]] and [[Chile]] and the larger [[Portugese]]-speaking predominant [[Roman Catholic]] country of [[Brazil]].

===[[Asia]]===

The continent of Asia contains over half of the world's people and spans from [[Japan]] in the east to [[Turkey]] in the west. It contains the rapidly developing, predominantly [[Buddhist]] countries of [[South East Asia]] and [[China]], [[Hindu]] [[India]] and the predominant [[Muslim]] nations of the [[Middle East]]. Asia is the least evangelised continent.

===[[Europe]]===

Europe is an ethnically diverse continent with around 700 million inhabitants. It is mostly economically wealthy, containing the large and influential [[European Union]]. It has traditionally been the home of Christianity being the centres of [[Eastern Orthodoxy]], [[Roman Catholicism]] and [[Protestantism]]. There is widespread freedom of religion, however Europe is rapidly become predominantly secular with [[atheism]] as the major belief system.

===[[Pacific]]===

The Pacific region includes 25,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean and includes [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Papua New Guinea]] and 26 smaller island states and territories. The total population is about 35 million, and two-thirds of these people live in Australia. The majority of people are of European descent, however there are significant numbers of Melanesian, Polynesian and Asian people. The majority of people throughout the Pacific region are Christians, predominantly [[Protestant]] or [[Roman Catholic]], although there is an increasing number of non-religious people in the wealthy countries of Australia and New Zealand.

==Quotes==

==Links==
* [http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/links/church.html Alphabetical listing of church and ecumenical organizations from the world directory of churches]
* [http://www.churchsitedirectory.com/ Directory of Churches]
* [http://netministries.org/churches.htm Netministries directory of churches]
* [http://www.biblebelievers.com/churches/ Bible Believers Church Directory]
* [http://worshipquest.org/?src=overture Search for one of over 70,000 churches]
* [http://www.masstimes.org/dotnet/default.aspx Worldwide Directory of Churches]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]]
[[Category:Places]]

Enuma Elish

2010-12-12T16:00:26Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Summary of the myth */

{{quote | text=When in the height heaven was not named, and the earth beneath did not yet bear a name, and the primeval Apsu, who begat them... [[Text:Enuma Elish|Full text of the Enuma Elish]].}}
{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = The Enuma Elish
[[Image:Enuma elish.jpg|thumb|center|A ancient tablet containing some of the Enuma Elish]] |
subtopics = [[Creation]], [[Creation Stories Index]]
* [[Text:Enuma Elish|1906 English Translation of the Enuma Elish]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}

The Enûma Eliš is the Mesopotamian creation epic. It was first discovered by modern scholars (in fragmentary form) in the ruined library of [[Ashurbanipal]] at [[Nineveh]] ([[Mosul]], [[Iraq]]).

The Enûma Elish has about a thousand lines and is recorded in Akkadian on seven clay tablets. The majority of Tablet V has never been recovered, but aside from this lacuna the text is almost complete.

This epic is one of the most important sources for understanding the Babylonian worldview, centered on the supremacy of [[Marduk]] and the existence of mankind for the service of the gods. Its primary original purpose is to elevate Marduk, the chief god of [[Babylon]], above other Mesopotamian gods.

The Enûma Elish has existed in various versions and copies from [[Babylonia]] as well as from [[Assyria]]. The version from Ashurbanipal's library dates to the 7th century BC. The story itself probably dates to the eighteenth century BC on account of the fact that this is the time when the god Marduk seemed to have a prominent status. Some scholars date it later (14th to 12th centuries BC).

===Summary of the myth===

===Comparing [[Genesis 1]] with the Enuma Elish===

[[Genesis 1]] gives the Biblical account of [[creation]]. Some major points of difference between the Enuma Elish and Genesis 1 are
* There were many gods in the Enuma Elish; there is only one God in Genesis
** Apsu the primordial god begat with Mummi-Tiamat all the gods in the Enuma Elish
** Marduk created the sky and earth with body parts of another god that he had vanquished
* Humans were created to do the work of gods in the Enuma Elish; humans are given great importance in Genesis
** Marduk creates man to serve the gods: "a savage man I will create; he will be charged with the service of the gods"
** There is a high view of humans in Genesis, with God giving authority to man
* Creation is good in Genesis; some of creation was evil in the Enuma Elish
** [[Genesis 2:2]] reveals that all that God created was good
** In the Enuma Elish, some things created are evil, for example monster-serpents are borne by Mother Hubur
* Genesis shows structure and order to creation; the Enuma Elish does not
** In Genesis we are shown a picture of a purposeful creation
** In comparison, there is a very chaotic picture of creation in the Enuma Elish, where creation is often due to begetting - for example, wind was begot by another god

These points of difference may be significant, in that many Christian scholars feel that they reveal that God was trying to reveal specific points to the Israelites about creations. For example, that he wanted to reveal that he was the only creator.

==Quotes==

==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enuma_Elish Wikipedia - Enuma Elish]
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/ane/enuma.htm The full surviving text of the Enûma Elish]

{{returnto}} [[Genesis 1]]

Christmas

2010-12-12T16:00:02Z

Smelly jewish whore: it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Christmas
[[Image:Nativity scene.jpg|thumb|center|The nativity scene]] |
subtopics = [[Christmas carols]]
* [[Birth of Jesus]], [[Matthew 2]], [[Luke 2]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* [[Christmas (carm)]] |
}}

'''Christmas''' (or '''Christmas Day''') is an annual [[Christian]] holiday that celebrates the [[birth of Jesus]]. It is traditionally celebrated on December 25th by most Christian; in the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] it celebrated on January 7. It is a time when peace and goodwill are especially called for, and a time when Christians remember that [[God]] came down as a frail human, to save us from our [[sin]]. Christmas has many aspects, both religious and secular, including the exchange of gifts, Santa Claus (or Father Christmas), decoration and display of the Christmas tree, and church services remembering [[Jesus]].

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

===History===

====[[Birth of Jesus]]====

Jesus was born to a virgin named [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Mary]] in the town of [[Bethlehem]] around 4 BC.

There are numerous predictions about Jesus' birth in the [[Old Testament]], particularly in the [[Book of Isaiah]]. The story of his birth is told in gospel accounts of [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] ([[Matthew 2|chapter 2]]) and [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] ([[Luke 2|chapter 2]]).

====Pre-Christian origins of holiday====

Christmas has its origins in several pagan holidays. The celebration known as Saturnalia included the making and giving of small presents (saturnalia et sigillaricia). This holiday was observed over a series of days beginning on December 17 (the birthday of Saturn) and ending on December 25 (the birthday of Sol Invictus, the "unconquered sun"). The combined festivals resulted in an extended winter holiday season. Business was postponed and even slaves feasted. There was drinking, gambling, and singing, and nudity was relatively common. It was the "best of days," according to the poet Catullus.

During the time in which Christianity was spreading throughout the Roman Empire, another similar religion known as Mithraism was also gaining widespread acceptance. The followers of Mithraism worshipped Mithras, a god of Persian origin, who was identified with Sol Invictus. The followers of Mithraism, consequently, adopted the birthday of Sol Invictus as the birthday of Mithras. In 274 AD, due to the popularity of Mithraism, Emperor Aurelian designated December 25 as the festival of Sol Invictus.

====Christian origins of holiday====

The idea that December 25 is Jesus' birthday was popularized by Sextus Julius Africanus in Chronographiai (221 AD), an early reference book for Christians. This identification did not at first inspire feasting or celebration. In 245 AD, the theologian [[Origen]] denounced the idea of celebrating the birthday of Jesus "as if he were a king pharaoh." Only sinners, not saints, celebrate their birthdays, Origen contended.

There were Christmas celebrations in Rome as early as 336 AD. December 25 was added to the calendar as a feast day in 350 AD.

====Medieval Christmas and related winter festivals====

The forty days before Christmas became the "forty days of St. Martin," now Advent.

Christmas Day itself was a relatively minor holiday, although its prominence gradually increased after Charlemagne was crowned on Christmas Day in 800 AD.

Northern Europe was the last part to Christianize, and its pagan celebrations had a major influence on Christmas. Scandinavians still call Christmas Jul (Yule), originally the name of a twelve-day pre-Christian winter festival. Logs were lit to honor Thor, the god of thunder, hence the "Yule log." In Germany, the equivalent holiday is called Mitwinternacht (mid-winter night). There are also twelve Rauhnächte (harsh or wild nights).

By the High Middle Ages, Christmas had become so prominent that chroniclers routinely noted where various magnates "celebrated Christmas." King Richard II of England hosted a Christmas feast in 1377 at which twenty-eight oxen and three hundred sheep were eaten. The "Yule boar" was a common feature of medieval Christmas feasts. Caroling also became popular, and was originally a group of dancers who sang. The group was composed of a lead singer and a ring of dancers that provided the chorus. Various writers of the time condemned caroling as lewd, largely due to overtones reminiscent of the traditions of Saturnalia and Yule). In England, gifts were exchanged on New Year's Day, and there was special Christmas ale.

====The Reformation and the 1800s====

During the Reformation, Protestants condemned Christmas celebration as "trappings of popery" and the "rags of the Beast". The Catholic Church responded by promoting the festival in a more religiously oriented form. When a Puritan parliament triumphed over the King, Charles I of England (1644), Christmas was officially banned (1647). Pro-Christmas rioting broke out in several cities. For several weeks, Canterbury was controlled by the rioters, who decorated doorways with holly and shouted royalist slogans. The Restoration (1660) ended the ban, but Christmas celebration was still disapproved of by the Anglican clergy.

By the 1820s, sectarian tension had eased and British writers began to worry that Christmas was dying out. They imagined Tudor Christmas as a time of heartfelt celebration, and efforts were made to revive the holiday. The book A Christmas Carol (1843) by Charles Dickens played a major role in reinventing Christmas as a holiday emphasizing family, goodwill, and compassion.

The Puritans of New England disapproved of Christmas and celebration was outlawed in Boston (1659-81). Meanwhile, Virginia and New York celebrated freely. Christmas fell out of favor in the U.S. after the American Revolution, when it was considered an "English custom". Interest was revived by several short stories by Washington Irving in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon (1819) and by "Old Christmas" (1850) which depict harmonous warm-hearted holiday traditions Irving claimed to have observed in England. Although some argue that Irving invented the traditions he describes, they were imitated by his American readers. German immigrants and the homecomings of the Civil War helped promote the holiday. Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the U.S. in 1870.

Irving writes of Saint Nicholas "riding over the tops of the trees, in that selfsame waggon wherein he brings his yearly presents to children." The connection between Santa Claus and Christmas was popularized by the poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" (1822) by Clement Clarke Moore, which depicts Santa driving a sleigh pulled by reindeer and distributing gifts to children. His image was created by German-American cartoonist Thomas Nast (1840-1902), who drew a new image annually beginning in 1863. By the 1880s, Nast's Santa had evolved into the form we now recognize. The image was standardized by advertisers in the 1920s.

====Modern times====

In the midst of World War I, there was a Christmas truce between German and British troops in France (1914). Soldiers on both sides spontaneously began to sing Christmas carols and stopped fighting. The truce began on Christmas Day and continued for some time afterward. There was even a soccer game between the trench lines in which Germany's 133rd Royal Saxon Regiment is said to have bested Britain's Seaforth Highlanders 3-2.

In modern times, the United States has experienced some controversy over the nature of Christmas, and whether it is a religious or a secular holiday. Because the US government recognizes Christmas as an official holiday, some have thought that this violates separation of church and state. This has been brought to trial several times, including Lynch v. Donnelly (1984) and Ganulin v. United States (1999). On December 6, 1999, the verdict for Ganulin v. United States (1999). declared that "the establishment of Christmas Day as a legal public holiday does not violate the Establishment Clause because it has a valid secular purpose." This decision was appealed, and upheld by the Supreme Court on December 19, 2000.

More recently, some Christians have protested against what is seen as a secularization of Christmas, leading some to believe that the holiday is under attack from a general secular trend or from persons and/or organizations with a deliberate or unconscious anti-Christian agenda.

===[[Christmas carols]]===

Christmas carols are hymns about Christmas and the birth of Christ

===Chirstmas church services===

Many churches hold a midnight church service on Christmas eve.

==Quotes==

==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas Wikipedia - Christmas]
* [http://docs.google.com/View?docid=ddn4v5jr_358g73pjjk4 Sermon - The Anticipation of Christmas]

{{returnto}} [[Christian Calendar]]
[[Category:Christian Calendar]]

Genesis

2010-12-12T15:59:53Z

Smelly jewish whore: it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Genesis |
subtopics = [[People in Genesis Index]] - [[Adam]], [[Noah]], [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]], [[Jacob]], [[Joseph (Genesis)|Joseph]]
* [[Stories in Genesis Index]] - [[Creation]], [[The Fall of Man]], [[The Flood]], [[Tower of Babel]]
* [[Historical understandings of Genesis]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* {{ebd}}
* [[Text:Catholic Encyclopedia:Book of Genesis]] |
}}
{{chapters}}
[[Genesis 1|1]]
[[Genesis 2|2]]
[[Genesis 3|3]]
[[Genesis 4|4]]
[[Genesis 5|5]]
[[Genesis 6|6]]
[[Genesis 7|7]]
[[Genesis 8|8]]
[[Genesis 9|9]]
[[Genesis 10|10]]
[[Genesis 11|11]]
[[Genesis 12|12]]
[[Genesis 13|13]]
[[Genesis 14|14]]
[[Genesis 15|15]]
[[Genesis 16|16]]
[[Genesis 17|17]]
[[Genesis 18|18]]
[[Genesis 19|19]]
[[Genesis 20|20]]
[[Genesis 21|21]]
[[Genesis 22|22]]
[[Genesis 23|23]]
[[Genesis 24|24]]
[[Genesis 25|25]]
[[Genesis 26|26]]
[[Genesis 27|27]]
[[Genesis 28|28]]
[[Genesis 29|29]]
[[Genesis 30|30]]
[[Genesis 31|31]]
[[Genesis 32|32]]
[[Genesis 33|33]]
[[Genesis 34|34]]
[[Genesis 35|35]]
[[Genesis 36|36]]
[[Genesis 37|37]]
[[Genesis 38|38]]
[[Genesis 39|39]]
[[Genesis 40|40]]
[[Genesis 41|41]]
[[Genesis 42|42]]
[[Genesis 43|43]]
[[Genesis 44|44]]
[[Genesis 45|45]]
[[Genesis 46|46]]
[[Genesis 47|47]]
[[Genesis 48|48]]
[[Genesis 49|49]]
[[Genesis 50|50]]

==Commentary==

It has traditionally been accepted that Moses was the author of Genesis. Some scholars suggest however that multiple authors were involved in the writing and compilation of Genesis.

===Main Themes===

====Key Word: Beginning====

====Man's Sin====
it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

====The Divine Covenant====

====Initial Steps Toward Redemption====

====The Early history of the Chosen Race of the Covenant====

===Outline===

====The Biblical Account of Creation====

=====Of the Universe=====

[[Genesis 1]]:1-25

=====Of the Human Race=====

[[Genesis 1]]:26-31 and [[Genesis 2]]:18-24

====The Story of Early Man====

====Temptation and the Fall, The First Messianic Promise====

[[Genesis 3]]:1-24

=====Cain and Abel=====

[[Genesis 4]]:1-26

=====Genealogy and Death of the Patriarchs=====

[[Genesis 5]]:1-32

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[Old Testament]] -> [[Books of the Law]]

[[Category:Books of the Old Testament]]
[[Category:Books of The Law]]
[[Category:Commentary]]

Shine, Jesus Shine (song)

2010-12-12T15:59:35Z

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{{Infobox_Contents |

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christian music]]

[[Category:Christian music]]
[[Category:Videos]]

Bible Characters Index

2010-12-12T15:59:02Z

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__NOTOC__
{{bible_character_box}}

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

==C==

[[Cain]]

[[Caiaphas]]

[[Cornelius]]

[[Cyrus]]

==D==

[[Daniel]]

[[King David|David]] or [[David]] - sort this out - two copies

[[Deborah]] - a prophetess, one of the judges in the bible

==E==

[[Eli]]

[[Elijah]]

[[Elisha]]

[[Enoch]]

[[Esau]]

[[Esther]]

[[Eve]]

[[Ezekiel]]

==F==

==G==

[[Gabriel]]

[[Gad]]- one of the twelve tribes of Israel, son of Jacob

[[Gideon]]- The fifth of the judges of Israel, he asked signs from God

[[God]]

[[Gomer]]

[[Goliath]]

==H==

[[Habakkuk]]

[[Haman]]

[[Hannah]]

[[Herod]]

[[Hezekiah]]

[[Holy Spirit]]

[[Hosea]]

[[Huldah]]

[[Hushai]]

==I==

[[Isaac]] - Son of Abraham, his name means "laughter"

[[Isaiah]] - one of God's prophets

==J==

[[Jacob]] - Son of Isaac, the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, his name was later changed into Israel

[[Jael]] - a female of action who appeared in the book of Judges, her name means "mountain goat"

[[James]]

[[Jeremiah]]

[[Jesse]]

[[Jesus]]

[[Jezebel]]

[[Joab]]

[[Jochebed]]

[[John]]

[[John Mark]]

[[John the Baptist]]

[[Joseph (Son of Jacob)|Joseph, the son of Jacob (Genesis)]] - Jacob's favorite son from Rachel, sold to Potiphar

[[Joseph (Husband of Mary)]]

[[Jonah]] - He was sent to preach at Niniveh but went to Tarsis, got swallowed by a fish

[[Jonathan]] - King Saul's son

[[Joshua]]

[[Joshua the Priest]]

==K==

==L==

[[Luke]]

[[Lazarus]]

==M==

[[Malachi]]

[[Mary (mother of Jesus)]]

[[Mary Magdalene]]

[[Michal]]

[[Miriam]]

[[Moses]]

==N==

[[Nathan]]

[[Nebuchadnezzar]]

[[Nehemiah]]

[[Noah]]

==O==

[[Othpiel]] - husband of Deborah, the judge

[[Orkha]] - one of Naome's daughter in law

==P==

[[Apostle Paul|Paul the apostle]] or [[Paul the apostle]] - two copies - sort this out

[[Apostle Peter|Peter the apostle]]

[[Pharisees]]

[[Philip's Daughters]]

==Q==

[[Queen of Sheba]]

==R==

[[Rebecca]] - Laban's daughter, married to Isaac. She had two sons Esau and Jacob

[[Ruth]] - Naome's daughter in law who later married Boaz

==S==

[[Samuel]]

[[Sarah]]

[[King Saul]]

[[Simeon]]

[[Solomon]]

[[Apostle Stephen]] - Stephen was not an Apostle - sort this out

==T==

==U==

==V==

==W==

==X==

==Y==

==Z==

[[Zacchaeus]]

[[Zachariah]]

[[Zacharias]]

[[Zadok]]

[[Zebedee]]

[[Zedekiah]]

[[Zerubbabel]]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[Characters of the Bible]]

[[Category:Bible characters]]
[[Category:Indexes]]

Bible Characters Index

2010-12-12T15:58:49Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* A */

__NOTOC__
{{bible_character_box}}

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

==B==

[[Balaam]]

[[Barabbas]]

[[Belshazzar]]

==C==

[[Cain]]

[[Caiaphas]]

[[Cornelius]]

[[Cyrus]]

==D==

[[Daniel]]

[[King David|David]] or [[David]] - sort this out - two copies

[[Deborah]] - a prophetess, one of the judges in the bible

==E==

[[Eli]]

[[Elijah]]

[[Elisha]]

[[Enoch]]

[[Esau]]

[[Esther]]

[[Eve]]

[[Ezekiel]]

==F==

==G==

[[Gabriel]]

[[Gad]]- one of the twelve tribes of Israel, son of Jacob

[[Gideon]]- The fifth of the judges of Israel, he asked signs from God

[[God]]

[[Gomer]]

[[Goliath]]

==H==

[[Habakkuk]]

[[Haman]]

[[Hannah]]

[[Herod]]

[[Hezekiah]]

[[Holy Spirit]]

[[Hosea]]

[[Huldah]]

[[Hushai]]

==I==

[[Isaac]] - Son of Abraham, his name means "laughter"

[[Isaiah]] - one of God's prophets

==J==

[[Jacob]] - Son of Isaac, the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, his name was later changed into Israel

[[Jael]] - a female of action who appeared in the book of Judges, her name means "mountain goat"

[[James]]

[[Jeremiah]]

[[Jesse]]

[[Jesus]]

[[Jezebel]]

[[Joab]]

[[Jochebed]]

[[John]]

[[John Mark]]

[[John the Baptist]]

[[Joseph (Son of Jacob)|Joseph, the son of Jacob (Genesis)]] - Jacob's favorite son from Rachel, sold to Potiphar

[[Joseph (Husband of Mary)]]

[[Jonah]] - He was sent to preach at Niniveh but went to Tarsis, got swallowed by a fish

[[Jonathan]] - King Saul's son

[[Joshua]]

[[Joshua the Priest]]

==K==

==L==

[[Luke]]

[[Lazarus]]

==M==

[[Malachi]]

[[Mary (mother of Jesus)]]

[[Mary Magdalene]]

[[Michal]]

[[Miriam]]

[[Moses]]

==N==

[[Nathan]]

[[Nebuchadnezzar]]

[[Nehemiah]]

[[Noah]]

==O==

[[Othpiel]] - husband of Deborah, the judge

[[Orkha]] - one of Naome's daughter in law

==P==

[[Apostle Paul|Paul the apostle]] or [[Paul the apostle]] - two copies - sort this out

[[Apostle Peter|Peter the apostle]]

[[Pharisees]]

[[Philip's Daughters]]

==Q==

[[Queen of Sheba]]

==R==

[[Rebecca]] - Laban's daughter, married to Isaac. She had two sons Esau and Jacob

[[Ruth]] - Naome's daughter in law who later married Boaz

==S==

[[Samuel]]

[[Sarah]]

[[King Saul]]

[[Simeon]]

[[Solomon]]

[[Apostle Stephen]] - Stephen was not an Apostle - sort this out

==T==

==U==

==V==

==W==

==X==

==Y==

==Z==

[[Zacchaeus]]

[[Zachariah]]

[[Zacharias]]

[[Zadok]]

[[Zebedee]]

[[Zedekiah]]

[[Zerubbabel]]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[Characters of the Bible]]

[[Category:Bible characters]]
[[Category:Indexes]]

When I Survey the Wonderous Cross (lyrics)

2010-12-12T15:58:41Z

Smelly jewish whore: it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

Genesis

2010-12-12T15:58:21Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Commentary */

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Genesis |
subtopics = [[People in Genesis Index]] - [[Adam]], [[Noah]], [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]], [[Jacob]], [[Joseph (Genesis)|Joseph]]
* [[Stories in Genesis Index]] - [[Creation]], [[The Fall of Man]], [[The Flood]], [[Tower of Babel]]
* [[Historical understandings of Genesis]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* {{ebd}}
* [[Text:Catholic Encyclopedia:Book of Genesis]] |
}}
{{chapters}}
[[Genesis 1|1]]
[[Genesis 2|2]]
[[Genesis 3|3]]
[[Genesis 4|4]]
[[Genesis 5|5]]
[[Genesis 6|6]]
[[Genesis 7|7]]
[[Genesis 8|8]]
[[Genesis 9|9]]
[[Genesis 10|10]]
[[Genesis 11|11]]
[[Genesis 12|12]]
[[Genesis 13|13]]
[[Genesis 14|14]]
[[Genesis 15|15]]
[[Genesis 16|16]]
[[Genesis 17|17]]
[[Genesis 18|18]]
[[Genesis 19|19]]
[[Genesis 20|20]]
[[Genesis 21|21]]
[[Genesis 22|22]]
[[Genesis 23|23]]
[[Genesis 24|24]]
[[Genesis 25|25]]
[[Genesis 26|26]]
[[Genesis 27|27]]
[[Genesis 28|28]]
[[Genesis 29|29]]
[[Genesis 30|30]]
[[Genesis 31|31]]
[[Genesis 32|32]]
[[Genesis 33|33]]
[[Genesis 34|34]]
[[Genesis 35|35]]
[[Genesis 36|36]]
[[Genesis 37|37]]
[[Genesis 38|38]]
[[Genesis 39|39]]
[[Genesis 40|40]]
[[Genesis 41|41]]
[[Genesis 42|42]]
[[Genesis 43|43]]
[[Genesis 44|44]]
[[Genesis 45|45]]
[[Genesis 46|46]]
[[Genesis 47|47]]
[[Genesis 48|48]]
[[Genesis 49|49]]
[[Genesis 50|50]]

==Commentary==

It has traditionally been accepted that Moses was the author of Genesis. Some scholars suggest however that multiple authors were involved in the writing and compilation of Genesis.

===Main Themes===

====Key Word: Beginning====

====Man's Sin====

====The Divine Covenant====

====Initial Steps Toward Redemption====

====The Early history of the Chosen Race of the Covenant====

===Outline===

====The Biblical Account of Creation====

=====Of the Universe=====

[[Genesis 1]]:1-25

=====Of the Human Race=====

[[Genesis 1]]:26-31 and [[Genesis 2]]:18-24

====The Story of Early Man====

====Temptation and the Fall, The First Messianic Promise====

[[Genesis 3]]:1-24

=====Cain and Abel=====

[[Genesis 4]]:1-26

=====Genealogy and Death of the Patriarchs=====

[[Genesis 5]]:1-32

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[Old Testament]] -> [[Books of the Law]]

[[Category:Books of the Old Testament]]
[[Category:Books of The Law]]
[[Category:Commentary]]

The Good Samaritan

2010-12-12T15:58:11Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Setting */

{{quote | text={{Bible verse|luke|10|29|lang=WEB}} [[Luke 10:29]]}}

{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = The Good Samaritan
[[Image:Samaritan.jpg|thumb|center|A picture showing the Samaritan help the man in need.]] |
subtopics = [[Luke 10]]:25-37
* Songs - [[When I Needed A Neighbor]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* Sermon: [[Luke 10 - What is love? (G.G.)]] |
}}

The Good Samaritan is a famous [[New Testament]] [[parable]] appearing only in the [[Gospel of Luke]] ([[Luke 10|10]]:25-37). The parable is told by Jesus to illustrate that compassion should be for all people, and that fulfilling the spirit of [[the Law]] is just as important as fulfilling the letter of the Law. In the story, Jesus describes how a Samaritan, who at the time, was a despised foreigner in the eyes of the Jews, shows himself to be the neighbour by helping out a Jew who was in great need.

===Setting===

===Interpretations===

At the conclusion of the story, Jesus asks the lawyer, of the three passers-by, who was the stricken man's neighbour? The lawyer responds, "The one who helped him." Jesus responds with "Go and do the same." So a "neighbour" is anyone who needs your love and help. Jesus has turned the attention away from the question "To whom do I owe an obligation?" and to the question, "To whom do I feel compassion?" Jesus is pointing out the nature, or subject, of love, not the object of it.

This parable is one of the most famous from the New Testament and its influence is such that to be called a Samaritan in Western culture today is to be described as a generous person who is ready to provide aid to people in distress without hesitation. In many English-speaking countries, a Good Samaritan law exists to protect from liability those who choose to aid people who are seriously ill or injured.

It is important to note that Samaritans were despised by the story's target audience, the Jews. The Samaritans were also largely taught by their interpretation of history to hate Jews. Thus the parable, as told originally, had a significant theme of non-discrimination and interracial harmony.

While this parable is known for its social implications, it also presents a very important spiritual message. During his ministry Jesus was often accused of associating with the publicans and sinners by the Scribes and Pharisees ([[Luke 5:30]]). In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus reaffirms his reasons for doing so, which are also reported in [[Luke 5]]:31,32. The stricken figure in the parable represents all those who are spiritually sick, such as the gentiles and the sinners.

===Text - [[Luke 10]]:25-37===

{{Bible verse|luke|10|25|lang=WEB}}

{{Bible verse|luke|10|26|lang=WEB}}

{{Bible verse|luke|10|27|lang=WEB}}

{{Bible verse|luke|10|28|lang=WEB}}

{{Bible verse|luke|10|29|lang=WEB}}

{{Bible verse|luke|10|30|lang=WEB}}

{{Bible verse|luke|10|31|lang=WEB}}

{{Bible verse|luke|10|32|lang=WEB}}

{{Bible verse|luke|10|33|lang=WEB}}

{{Bible verse|luke|10|34|lang=WEB}}

{{Bible verse|luke|10|35|lang=WEB}}

{{Bible verse|luke|10|36|lang=WEB}}

{{Bible verse|luke|10|37|lang=WEB}}

==Quotes==

==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Samaritan Wikipedia - Parable of the Good Samaritan]
* [http://www.wikichristian.org/index.php?title=Luke_10 Sermon - Luke 10 - What is love]

{{returnto}} [[Parables of Jesus]]
[[Category:Parables of Jesus]]

Mission

2010-12-12T15:58:00Z

Smelly jewish whore: it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

{{quote | text={{Bible verse|matthew|28|19|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|matthew|28|20|lang=WEB}} [[Matthew 28]]:19-20}}
{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Mission |
subtopics = [[Great Commission]], [[Gospel]], [[Evangelism]], [[Testimonies]]
* [[Persecution]], [[10/40 Window]], [[Operation World]]
* [[Places]], [[World-wide church directory]], [[Christian Education]]
* [[Poverty]]
* Important figures in history: [[William Carey]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* ''Testimonies'' - [[Story of Gebre, a Me'en evangelist (November 2006)]] |
}}

The [[Bible]] tells us that it is only by [[Christ]] that we can come to [[the Father]]. There is a mass of people who have not heard the good news of [[Jesus]]. Christians around the world are involved in missionary work to bring men and women to Christ as commanded by Jesus in the [[Great Commission]].

In the book of [[Romans]], the [[apostle Paul]] reminds how people cannot be saved if they do not hear, and that people will not hear if Christians are not sent out to preach - he tells us, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news." Christians around the world are involved in missionary work to bring men and women to Christ as commanded by Jesus in the [[Great Commission]].

{{stub}}

==Quotes==
it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

==Links==
* [http://www.thebiblesite.org Donate bibles to persecuted Christians worldwide]
* [http://www.gfa.org/ Gospel for Asia]
* [http://www.sim.org/ Serving in Missions]
* [http://www.christianmissions.net/ christianmissions.net]
* [http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/ Christian missions: A Church for every people and the Gospel for every person]
* [http://www.missionresources.com/ www.missionresources.com]
* [http://www.missionaries.org/ 3095 resource links]
* [http://www.mrd.org/ Mission Resource Directory]
* [http://www.praize.com/engine/Conferences_and_Events/Mission_Events/ PRAIZE Christian Mission Events]
* [http://directory.google.com/Top/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Christianity/Conferences_and_Events/Mission_Events Google Directory Mission Events]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]]
[[Category:Mission]]

Parables of Jesus

2010-12-12T15:57:38Z

Smelly jewish whore: it's a vandalism time! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

{{quote | text={{Bible verse|matthew|13|13|lang=WEB}} [[Matthew 13:13]]}}
{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = The Parables of Jesus |
subtopics = [[Parable]]
* [[Parables Index]] (a list of all of the parables of Jesus)
* Very famous parables
** [[The Wise and the Foolish Builders]] - [[Matthew 7]]:24-27
** [[Parable of the Sower|The Sower]] - [[Matthew 13]]:3-23, [[Mark 4]]:1-20, [[Luke 8]]:5-15
** [[The Lost Sheep]] - [[Matthew 18]]:12-14, [[Luke 15]]:1-7
** [[Parable of the Unmerciful Servant|The Unmerciful Servant]] - [[Matthew 18]]:23-35
** [[The Good Samaritan]] - [[Luke 10]]:30-37
** [[The Prodigal Son]] - [[Luke 15]]:11-32 |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}

'''[[Jesus]]''' often taught using illustrations and stories - [[parable]]s. His parables often tell of the kingdom of [[God]] and the nature of God. Sometimes the meaning is clear, at other times it can seem hidden.

The word "parable" is derived from the Greek word [[Παραβολη]] (''[[parabole]]''). It can be used to refer to stories that make a point (like the Good Samaritan), stories that are allegories (like the parable of the Sower) or simple statements.

Each of the four Gospels contains parables of Jesus unique to that Gospel, with two of the best known, [[the Prodigal Son]] and [[the Good Samaritan]], both being among those that occur only in the [[Gospel of Luke]]. Only two parables occur in the [[Gospel of John]], and both are unique to that Gospel. A few parables appear in more than one of the [[synoptic Gospels]]. But no parable is common to the [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] and either [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] or [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] but not both; that is, if a parable occurs in Mark and also somewhere else, then it appears in all three. This observation is one of those used to try to identify and analyse the sources used by the gospel writers, see [[Q document]].

[[Parables]] also exist in the Old Testament and in many other writings, the best known being the story that the prophet [[Nathan]] tells [[King David]].

===Nature / types of parables===

===Purpose of parables===

The reason that Jesus' taught in parables is not immediately obvious. It seems that Jesus taught in parables for many reasons.

====Purpose: To conceal meaning====

Some parables, rather than enlighten everyone, seemed to be spoken to conceal the meaning. For example, in the parable of the sower, we are told that Jesus spoke in parables so that people would be "Forever seeing, and not understanding" ([[Luke 8]]).

====Purpose: To make one or two spiritual points====

Parables usually had one overall point. Occasionally they have two or three main points. For example, in the difficult parable of the Shrewd Manager in [[Luke 16]], Jesus seems to be making a single point - think and be shrewd in your actions. Likewise, the parable of the great banquet ([[Luke 14]]) seems to be making one main point - come when you are invited.

====Purpose: To make points by comparison====

Many parables made their point by comparison. For example, in the [[Prodigal Son]] ([[Luke 15]]), Jesus makes a point by comparing the responses of the two brothers and the father.

====Purpose: To make people who were interested to think and judge====

Parables, by their very nature of not being completely straight forward, draw interested people to think and judge. An person who is interested is almost always compelled to think and wonder at hearing a parable. For example, Jesus' disciples came to Jesus wanting an explanation after the parable of the sower.

====Purpose: To help people remember====

Parables can be easy to remember because a story needs to be remembered.

====Purpose: To reveal people's hearts / to confront people====

In the Gospels, we find that the parables often confronted people and revealed their hearts. For example, in the parable of the wicked tenants, the Pharisees were confronted by Jesus, and instead of repenting, they became more angry - their true hearts were revealed by the parable.

===Some of the most famous of Jesus' parables===

====[[The Prodigal Son]]====

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is one of Jesus' most well known parables. The story is found in [[Luke 15]]:11–32, being preceded by [[The Lost Sheep]] and [[The Lost Coin]]. It is the story of a son who dishonours his father and squanders his fortues and returns home in disgrace to his father but is welcomed with arms open wide and [[forgiveness]]. A central theme of the story is that God is like the Prodigal son's father - full of mercy and love and forgiveness.

====[[The Good Samaritan]]====

[[The Good Samaritan]] is another famous parable. It appears only in the [[Gospel of Luke]] ([[Luke 10|10]]:25-37). In the parable, Jesus illustrates that compassion should be for all people, and that fulfilling the spirit of the Law is just as important as fulfilling the letter of the Law. In the story, Jesus describes how a Samaritan, who at the time was a despised foreigner in the eyes of the Jews, shows himself to be the neighbour by helping out a Jew who was in great need.

==Quotes==

''[[Matthew 13:13]]''
: Jesus said, "This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see. Though hearing, they do not hear or understand."

==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parables_of_Jesus Wikipedia - Parables of Jesus]

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Jesus]] -> [[Events in the life of Jesus]]

[[Category:Jesus]]

Bible:1 Kings 1:20

2010-12-12T15:53:27Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Commentary */

{{Quote|text=<big>{{Bible verse|1 Kings|1|20|lang=WEB}}</big>}}
{{Infobox Contents |
topic_name = 1 Kings 1:20 |
subtopics = |
opinion_pieces = [[Bible:1 Kings 1:20 (discussion)|1 Kings 1:20 (discussion)]] '' (For short comments and opinions)'' |
}}

== DIRTY NIGGER ADMIN SLUTS OF THIS WIKI! I'LL MAKE YOU SUCK MY SMELLY COCK!!! GLORY TO VANDALS! GLORY TO THE HOLOCAUST!!! MAKE SOAP FROM YIDS!!!!==

{{clear}}
{{Bible versions|1 Kings|1|20}}

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[1 Kings]] -> [[1 Kings 1]]

Bible:1 Kings 1:18

2010-12-12T15:53:15Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Commentary */

{{Quote|text=<big>{{Bible verse|1 Kings|1|18|lang=WEB}}</big>}}
{{Infobox Contents |
topic_name = 1 Kings 1:18 |
subtopics = |
opinion_pieces = [[Bible:1 Kings 1:18 (discussion)|1 Kings 1:18 (discussion)]] '' (For short comments and opinions)'' |
}}

== Commentary ==

{{clear}}
{{Bible versiDIRTY NIGGER ADMIN SLUTS OF THIS WIKI! I'LL MAKE YOU SUCK MY SMELLY COCK!!! GLORY TO VANDALS! GLORY TO THE HOLOCAUST!!! MAKE SOAP FROM YIDS!!!!

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[1 Kings]] -> [[1 Kings 1]]

Bible:1 Kings 1:15

2010-12-12T15:53:07Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Commentary */

{{Quote|text=<big>{{Bible verse|1 Kings|1|15|lang=WEB}}</big>}}
{{Infobox Contents |
topic_name = 1 Kings 1:15 |
subtopics = |
opinion_pieces = [[Bible:1 Kings 1:15 (discussion)|1 Kings 1:15 (discussion)]] '' (For short comments and opinions)'' |
}}

== Commentary ==

{{clear}}
DIRTY NIGGER ADMIN SLUTS OF THIS WIKI! I'LL MAKE YOU SUCK MY SMELLY COCK!!! GLORY TO VANDALS! GLORY TO THE HOLOCAUST!!! MAKE SOAP FROM YIDS!!!!

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[1 Kings]] -> [[1 Kings 1]]

Bible:1 Kings 1:12

2010-12-12T15:52:52Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Commentary */

{{Quote|text=<big>{{Bible verse|1 Kings|1|12|lang=WEB}}</big>}}
{{Infobox Contents |
topic_name = 1 Kings 1:12 |
subtopics = |
opinion_pieces = [[Bible:1 Kings 1:12 (discussion)|1 Kings 1:12 (discussion)]] '' (For short comments and opinions)'' |
}}

== Commentary ==

{{clear}}
{{Bible versions|1 KinDIRTY NIGGER ADMIN SLUTS OF THIS WIKI! I'LL MAKE YOU SUCK MY SMELLY COCK!!! GLORY TO VANDALS! GLORY TO THE HOLOCAUST!!! MAKE SOAP FROM YIDS!!!!

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[1 Kings]] -> [[1 Kings 1]]

Bible:1 Kings 1:1

2010-12-12T15:52:44Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Commentary */

{{Quote|text=<big>{{Bible verse|1 Kings|1|1|lang=WEB}}</big>}}
{{Infobox Contents |
topic_name = 1 Kings 1:1 |
subtopics = |
opinion_pieces = [[Bible:1 Kings 1:1 (discussion)|1 Kings 1:1 (discussion)]] '' (For short comments and opinions)'' |
}}

== Commentary ==

{{clear}}DIRTY NIGGER ADMIN SLUTS OF THIS WIKI! I'LL MAKE YOU SUCK MY SMELLY COCK!!! GLORY TO VANDALS! GLORY TO THE HOLOCAUST!!! MAKE SOAP FROM YIDS!!!!

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[1 Kings]] -> [[1 Kings 1]]

Bible:1 Kings 19:7

2010-12-12T15:52:35Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Commentary */

{{Quote|text=<big>{{Bible verse|1 Kings|19|7|lang=WEB}}</big>}}
{{Infobox Contents |
topic_name = 1 Kings 19:7 |
subtopics = |
opinion_pieces = [[Bible:1 Kings 19:7 (discussion)|1 Kings 19:7 (discussion)]] '' (For short comments and opinions)'' |
}}

== Commentary ==

{{clear}}DIRTY NIGGER ADMIN SLUTS OF THIS WIKI! I'LL MAKE YOU SUCK MY SMELLY COCK!!! GLORY TO VANDALS! GLORY TO THE HOLOCAUST!!! MAKE SOAP FROM YIDS!!!!

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[1 Kings]] -> [[1 Kings 19]]

Bible:1 Kings 19:4

2010-12-12T15:52:28Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Commentary */

{{Quote|text=<big>{{Bible verse|1 Kings|19|4|lang=WEB}}</big>}}
{{Infobox Contents |
topic_name = 1 Kings 19:4 |
subtopics = |
opinion_pieces = [[Bible:1 Kings 19:4 (discussion)|1 Kings 19:4 (discussion)]] '' (For short comments and opinions)'' |
}}

== Commentary ==

{{clear}}DIRTY NIGGER ADMIN SLUTS OF THIS WIKI! I'LL MAKE YOU SUCK MY SMELLY COCK!!! GLORY TO VANDALS! GLORY TO THE HOLOCAUST!!! MAKE SOAP FROM YIDS!!!!

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[1 Kings]] -> [[1 Kings 19]]

Bible:1 Kings 19:20

2010-12-12T15:52:21Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Commentary */

{{Quote|text=<big>{{Bible verse|1 Kings|19|20|lang=WEB}}</big>}}
{{Infobox Contents |
topic_name = 1 Kings 19:20 |
subtopics = |
opinion_pieces = [[Bible:1 Kings 19:20 (discussion)|1 Kings 19:20 (discussion)]] '' (For short comments and opinions)'' |
}}

== Commentary ==

{{clear}}DIRTY NIGGER ADMIN SLUTS OF THIS WIKI! I'LL MAKE YOU SUCK MY SMELLY COCK!!! GLORY TO VANDALS! GLORY TO THE HOLOCAUST!!! MAKE SOAP FROM YIDS!!!!

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[1 Kings]] -> [[1 Kings 19]]

Bible:1 Kings 19:18

2010-12-12T15:52:14Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Commentary */

{{Quote|text=<big>{{Bible verse|1 Kings|19|18|lang=WEB}}</big>}}
{{Infobox Contents |
topic_name = 1 Kings 19:18 |
subtopics = |
opinion_pieces = [[Bible:1 Kings 19:18 (discussion)|1 Kings 19:18 (discussion)]] '' (For short comments and opinions)'' |
}}

== Commentary ==

{{clear}}DIRTY NIGGER ADMIN SLUTS OF THIS WIKI! I'LL MAKE YOU SUCK MY SMELLY COCK!!! GLORY TO VANDALS! GLORY TO THE HOLOCAUST!!! MAKE SOAP FROM YIDS!!!!

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[1 Kings]] -> [[1 Kings 19]]

Bible:1 Kings 19:15

2010-12-12T15:52:07Z

Smelly jewish whore: /* Commentary */

{{Quote|text=<big>{{Bible verse|1 Kings|19|15|lang=WEB}}</big>}}
{{Infobox Contents |
topic_name = 1 Kings 19:15 |
subtopics = |
opinion_pieces = [[Bible:1 Kings 19:15 (discussion)|1 Kings 19:15 (discussion)]] '' (For short comments and opinions)'' |
}}

== Commentary ==

{{clear}}DIRTY NIGGER ADMIN SLUTS OF THIS WIKI! I'LL MAKE YOU SUCK MY SMELLY COCK!!! GLORY TO VANDALS! GLORY TO THE HOLOCAUST!!! MAKE SOAP FROM YIDS!!!!

==Quotes==

==Links==

{{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Bible]] -> [[1 Kings]] -> [[1 Kings 19]]