Divinity Usages[edit] Divinity as a quality has two distinct usages: Divine force or power - powers or forces that are universal, or transcend human capacitiesDivinity applied to mortals - qualities of individuals who are considered to have some special access or relationship to the divine. There are three distinct usages of divinity and divine in religious discourse: Entity[edit] In monotheistic faiths, the word divinity is often used to refer to the singular God central to that faith. The terms divinity and divine — uncapitalized, and lacking the definite article — are sometimes used as to denote 'god(s)[4] or certain other beings and entities which fall short of godhood but lie outside the human realm. Divine force or power[edit] As previously noted, divinities are closely related to the transcendent force(s) or power(s) credited to them,[5] so much so that in some cases the powers or forces may themselves be invoked independently. Mortals[edit] Christianity[edit] Acts 17:29 Romans 1:20 2 Peter 1:3
Devil The Devil (from Greek: διάβολος or diábolos = slanderer or accuser)[1] is believed in many religions, myths and cultures to be a supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly, ranging from being an effective opposite force to the creator god, locked in an eons long struggle for human souls on what may seem even terms (to the point of dualistic ditheism/bitheism), to being a comical figure of fun or an abstract aspect of the individual human condition. While mainstream Judaism contains no overt concept of a devil, Christianity and Islam have variously regarded the Devil as a rebellious fallen angel that tempts humans to sin, if not commit evil deeds himself. In mainstream Islam and Christianity, God and the Devil are usually portrayed as fighting over the souls of humans. Etymology Abrahamic religions Judaism For the Hasidim of the eighteenth century, ha-satan was Baal Davar.[7] Apocrypha/Deuterocanon Islam
Curse of Ham Origins[edit] The concept of the Curse of Ham finds its origins in the Genesis narrative of Gen. 9:20–27: The narrative's short five verses give indication that Canaan's Hamite paternity must have had great significance to the narrator or redactor, according to Sarna, who adds: "The curse on Canaan, invoked in response to an act of moral depravity, is the first intimation of the theme of the corruption of the Canaanites, which is given as the justification for their being dispossessed of their land and for the transfer of that land to the descendants of Abraham."[14] Ham's transgression[edit] Other ancient commentators suggested that Ham was guilty of more than what the Bible says. Modern scholars have suggested that to "uncover the nakedness" of a man means to have sex with that man's wife (e.g. Book of Jubilees[edit] Medieval Judaism[edit] Curse of Canaan[edit] Genesis 9:25: "And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren," Dead Sea Scrolls[edit]
Antediluvian The Creation, beginning of the antediluvian (i.e., pre-Flood) world. (Artist's rendition by James Tissot) The antediluvian (or pre-diluvian) period—meaning "before the deluge"—is the period referred to in the Bible between the Fall of man and the Deluge (flood) in the biblical cosmology. Timing the antediluvian period[edit] The biblical flood[edit] In religious texts such as the Christian Bible and the Hebrew Torah, the antediluvian period begins with the creation according to Genesis and ends with the destruction of all life on the earth except those saved with Noah in the ark. In early geology[edit] The Deluge subsides, thought in early geology to be responsible for the formation of sediments, with only traces of the antediluvian world. Prior to the 19th century, rock was classified into three main types: primary or primitive (igneous and metamorphic rock), secondary (sedimentary rock) and tertiary (sediments). The antediluvian world[edit] Creationist interpretation[edit] Other uses[edit]
Daniel in the lions' den Although Peter Paul Rubens' depiction shows Daniel as a young man (top), Daniel would have been over eighty years old at the time of this incident, making Briton Rivière's picture (bottom) more accurate. The story of Daniel in the lions' den is found in the sixth chapter of the Book of Daniel in the Hebrew Bible, and in the lesser known story of Bel and the Dragon in the Greek versions. Daniel is an official in the Persian empire under King Darius. Darius (at the instigation of his other officials) had made a decree that no one was to offer prayer to any god or man except him for a period of thirty days. Daniel continued to pray as was his habit, knowing that praying would have him killed. Dating the narrative[edit] Critical scholars speculate the dating of the authorship of chapter 6. Literary structure[edit] Based on Wayne S. A. B. C. D. D'. C'. B'. A'. Chapter 6[edit] Darius spent the night fasting, unable to sleep. Daniel’s regular prayer[edit] Daniel in the lions' den[edit] [edit]
Noah's Ark Noah's Ark (1846), a painting by the American folk painter Edward Hicks A ship modeled after the biblical description of Noah's Ark, Ark van Noach, in the Netherlands Noah's Ark (Hebrew: תיבת נח; Biblical Hebrew: Tevat Noaḥ) is the vessel in the Genesis flood narrative (Genesis chapters 6–9) by which Noah saves himself, his family, and a remnant of all the world's animals from the flood. God gives Noah detailed instructions for building the ark: it is to be of gopher wood, smeared inside and out with pitch, with three decks and internal compartments; it will be 300 cubits long (137.16 m, 450 ft), 50 wide (22.86 m, 75 ft), and 30 high (13.716 m, 45 ft); it will have a roof "finished to a cubit upward"; and an entrance on the side. The story goes on to describe the ark being afloat throughout the flood and subsequent receding of the waters before it came to rest on Mount Ararat. The Genesis flood narrative is similar to numerous other flood myths from a variety of cultures. Origins[edit]
Sons of God Sons of God (Heb: bənê hāʼĕlōhîm,[1] בני האלהים) is a phrase used in the Hebrew Bible. Bene elohim are part of different Jewish angelic hierarchies. Hebrew Bible[edit] In the Hebrew Bible, the phrase "sons of the Elohim" occurs in: Gen 6:2 bənê hāʼĕlōhîm (בְנֵי־הָֽאֱלֹהִים) the sons of Elohim.Job 1:6 bənê hāʼĕlōhîm (בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים) the sons of Elohim.Job 38:7 bənê ĕlōhîm (בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִֽים) without the definite article - sons of godly beings.Psalm 29:1 bənê ēlîm (בְּנֵי אֵלִים) without the definite article - sons of elim. Deuteronomy 32:8 also mentions "sons of Israel" bÿney yisra'el (בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) which is translated as the "people of Israel" in the HCSB, "heavenly court" in the New Living Translation and "heavenly assembly" in the New English Translation. [2][3] In some copies of Deuteronomy the Dead Sea Scrolls refer to the sons of God rather than the sons of Israel, probably in reference to angels. Literary origins[edit] Ugaritic text[edit] Late text[edit] J. Translations[edit]
Fallen angel Mention of angels who descended to Mount Hermon (not "fell"), to Earth is found in the Book of Enoch, which the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church accept as canonical, as well as in various pseudepigrapha. Primary sources in relation to fallen angels[edit] Sons of God[edit] In the period immediately preceding the composition of the New Testament, some sects of Judaism identified the "sons of God" (בני האלהים) of Genesis 6:1–4 with fallen angels.[4] Some scholars consider it most likely that this Jewish tradition of fallen angels predates, even in written form, the composition of Gen 6:1–4.[5][6] Lester L. Watchers, "Grigori"[edit] The reference to heavenly beings called "Watchers" originates in Daniel 4, in which there are three mentions, twice in the singular (v. 10, 20), once in the plural (v. 14), of "watchers, holy ones". First Enoch[edit] Slavonic Enoch[edit] Fall of Satan[edit] Christianity[edit] A dragon and his angels[edit] Fall of Lucifer[edit] Judaism[edit]
War in Heaven Revelation 12:7-13[edit] Modern Bible commentaries, in general, view the "war in heaven" in Revelation 12:7-13 as an eschatological vision of the end of time or as a reference to spiritual warfare within the church, seeing it as "not (as in Milton's Paradise Lost) the story of the origin of Satan/Lucifer as an angel who rebelled against God in primeval times."[3] Some Christian commentators have seen the war in heaven as "not literal" but symbolic of events on earth.[4][5] In John Milton's (1608–1674) Paradise Lost, a war in heaven follows the rebellion by Satan and other angels before the Fall of Man. A third of the angels are hurled from Heaven, including pagan gods such as Molech and Belial.[6] Frederick Holweck, in the Catholic Encyclopedia (1911), article St. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that Revelation 12 concerns the pre-mortal existence of man and take the scripture literally. Motif[edit] Hebrew Bible parallels[edit] Dead Sea Scrolls[edit] James R.
Archangel An archangel /ˌɑrkˈeɪndʒəl/ is an angel of high rank. Beings similar to archangels are found in a number of religious traditions; but the word "archangel" itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Some branches of the faiths mentioned have identified a group of seven Archangels, but the actual angels vary, depending on the source. Raphael, Gabriel, and Michael are always mentioned; the other archangels vary, but most commonly include Uriel as well, who is mentioned in the book 2 Esdras. The word archangel is derived from the Greek ἀρχάγγελος (arch- + angel, literally chief angel).[2] In Judaism[edit] There are no explicit references to archangels in the canonical texts of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). In Christianity[edit] Guido Reni's Archangel Michael Trampling Satan, 1636. Roman Catholic[edit] In Roman Catholicism, three are honoured by name: GabrielMichaelRaphael Eastern and Oriental Orthodox[edit] Protestant[edit]
Annunciation Approximating the northern vernal equinox, the date of the Annunciation also marked the New Year in many places, including England, where it is called Lady Day. Both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches hold that the Annunciation took place at Nazareth, but differ as to the precise location. The Basilica of the Annunciation marks the site preferred by the former, while the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation marks that preferred by the latter. The Annunciation has been a key topic in Christian art in general, as well as in Marian art in the Catholic Church, particularly during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Biblical account[edit] In the Bible, the Annunciation is narrated in the book of Luke, Luke 1:26-38: A separate annunciation, which is more brief but in the same vein as the one in Luke, is given to Joseph in Matthew 1:18-21: Eastern traditions[edit] In Eastern Christianity Mary is referred to as Theotokos (Θεοτόκος="God-bearer"). St. Feast day[edit] 45Behold!
The world, the flesh, and the devil In Christian theology, the world, the flesh, and the devil (Latin: mundus, caro, et diabolus; Greek ό κοσμος, ή σαρξ, και ό διαβολος) are often traditionally described as the three enemies of the soul. As the sources of temptation, they are sometimes opposed to the Trinity. The roots of this triad are possibly to be found in Jesus' parable of the Sower: the three scenes of unproductive soil represent "Satan" (birds eating the seed), shallow and unreceptive believers (corresponding to weak "flesh"?), and "the cares of the world and the lure of wealth" (Gospel of Mark 4:15-17). Many Christian sources refer to the world, the flesh, and the devil. Peter Abelard states in his Expositiones that Tria autem sunt quae nos tentant, caro, mundus, diabolus. (There are three things which tempt us, the flesh, the world, and the devil.) Thomas Aquinas refers to the world, the flesh, and the devil in the Summa Theologica. [... or, in modern editions, [...
Immaculate Conception The doctrine of the immaculate conception of Mary concerns her own conception by her mother and father, not Mary's conception of Jesus (the virgin birth of Jesus) nor the perpetual virginity of Mary. Although the belief that Mary was sinless and conceived immaculate was widely held since at least Late Antiquity, the doctrine was not dogmatically defined until December 8, 1854, by Pope Pius IX in his papal bull Ineffabilis Deus. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is observed on December 8 in many Catholic countries as a holy day of obligation or patronal feast, and in some as a national public holiday. Distinctions[edit] Original sin and actual (personal) sin[edit] Virginal conception[edit] The doctrine of the immaculate conception (Mary being conceived free from original sin) is not to be confused with her virginal conception of her son Jesus. Redemption[edit] Another misunderstanding is that, by her immaculate conception, Mary did not need a saviour. History[edit] Later developments[edit]
Veneration of Mary in Roman Catholicism Roman Catholic veneration of Mary, the mother of Jesus, which has grown over time in importance, is manifested not only in prayer but also in the visual arts, poetry and music.[2][3][4][5] Popes have encouraged it, while also taking steps to reform some manifestations of it.[note 1] The Holy See has insisted on the importance of distinguishing "true from false devotion, and authentic doctrine from its deformations by excess or defect".[6] There are significantly more titles, feasts and venerative Marian practices among Roman Catholics than in other Christian traditions.[7] Marian Movements and Societies with millions of members have arisen from belief in events such as Akita, Fatima and Lourdes and other reasons.[12] From Christ to Mary in the Roman Catholic tradition[edit] Theological basis for the veneration of Mary[edit] Mysteries of Christ and Mary[edit] At the centre of this mystery, in the midst of this wonderment of faith, stands Mary. From veneration to theology[edit]