In “Stephen’s murder,” Jefferson Vann shares some notes on his translation of Acts 7:55-8:2. The text serves as a case study of Luke’s use of metaphors for death and murder. It shows that the theology of Acts is thoroughly conditionalist, with no trace of traditional dualism. My independent translation project continues, and this morning I found myself in the last part of … [Read more...]
Body and Soul
Articles in this subcategory seek to identify and explain who human beings are by noting what the Bible says about our composition. Key biblical terms discussed in these articles include:
body (בֶּטֶן ) (σῶμα)
flesh (בּשָׂר) (σάρξ)
soul (נֶפֶשׁ) (ψυχη)
spirit (רוּחַ) (πνεῦμα)
heart (לֵב) (καρδία)
mind (כּלְיָה) (νοῦς)
Key theological terms discussed in these articles include: dichotomy, trichotomy, and composite unity and functional unity.
expiration date
In “expiration date,” Jefferson Vann explains why the death of Ananias and Sapphira was a real death, not simply the departure of their “immortal souls.” I have a routine that I like to follow every morning. Part of that routine is writing a short devotional thought, and posting in online (https://marmsky.com/). After I do that, I usually go back to the scriptures, and … [Read more...]
Material salvation, part 3
This is the third and final part of the talk that I gave at the recent annual conference of the Conditional Immortality Association, where I addressed the question of what difference it makes if we embrace a biblical portrait of human beings as unified and physical, rejecting a substance dualist view of humanity. Salvation Naturally we can’t truly separate salvation from … [Read more...]
Material salvation, part 2
Here’s part 2 of the talk that I gave recently at the annual conference of the Conditional Immortality Association, about the difference it makes when we grasp a biblical portrait of human nature as unified and material. In part 1 I traced a brief history of the issue, and talked about some pressing social issues that our view of human nature has much to say about, namely sex … [Read more...]
the breath of our nostrils
In “the breath of our nostrils” Jefferson Vann examines how the major prophets of the Old Testament used the word רוּחַ (ruach) – a word that is often translated “spirit.” Translating words from one language into another is a complicated process. The translator has to decide all the shades of meaning that can be conveyed by a particular word. This list of potential … [Read more...]
where did all the spirits go?
In "where did all the spirits go?" Jefferson Vann shows how the authors of the Hebrew historical books in the Old Testament used the word that is most often mistranslated as “spirit.” In our study of the Hebrew word רוּחַ (ruach) in the books of Moses, we found this semantic range for the word: First, רוּחַ is the Breath of God, as the source of life for all … [Read more...]
introducing the breath of God
In “introducing the breath of God” Jefferson Vann shows how Moses used the Hebrew word that is most often mistranslated as “spirit.” Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to engage in a uniquely productive form of Bible study. I have been translating Scripture! I began with no preconceived notions about the best translation theory, but in the process of … [Read more...]
Christians for Hope
First presented at CIANZ Conference April 2018 by Warren Prestidge READING: Romans 8:18-24a Introduction: CIANZ, the Conditional Immortality Association of NZ, is an association of Christians for hope. By definition. Because we put our hope fully and firmly where real hope is to be found and only there: in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is where real hope is to be found, … [Read more...]
When did our souls come into being?
A review of Pre-existentialism, Traducianism and Creationism Have you ever wondered, when did our souls come into being and how they got here? If the amount of literature devoted to the subject is any indicator, not too many Christians contemplate this question in any degree of depth. Of course, most Christians today would affirm that God created the heavens and the earth and … [Read more...]
Did God issue a garbled threat?
One day, during a phone call to a jeweller, a customer service employee and myself were trying to determine if my son’s school ring would arrive on time. It was obvious that the manager was hovering over her employee’s shoulder; like all good managers, she was trying to smooth out any glitches in their procedures. While the service lady is busily typing, her manager could be … [Read more...]