Bibles The Bible and the codex initially took shape within a Roman Empire that stretched from Syria to Scotland. Greek and Latin were the literary languages, and by fourth century Christianity was the state religion. In the early Middle Ages individual nations began to emerge, with their own languages, cultures, and religious traditions—orthodox Christian, heretical, and pagan—all influencing the ways in which Bible and book were perceived and produced. Still, the concept of "empire" continued to haunt ambitious leaders who saw faith as a way to unite their diverse subjects. Disseminating a religion of the Word involved both finding interpreters to preach in local languages and teaching people sufficient literacy for reading and copying texts. For those who dedicated their lives to God's service, to be entrusted with the transmission of his Word was a high calling indeed. The transmission of scripture also promoted the use of written vernacular (local) languages.
Predestination vs. Free Will - Is It One or the Other? Introduction One of the major controversies among Christians is the extent of predestination that God has ordained. At the extremes are those who claim that God uses only one to the exclusion of the other. Predestination In order to fulfill His prophecies, God must predestine history to a certain degree. But He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose." Redemptive history Other verses indicate that the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was "predetermined" and "foreknown" by God1 and fulfilled part of God's eternal purpose.2 The Bible indicates that God's role in redemptive history extends beyond the Messiah to God's role in the redemption of Israel. Declaring the end from the beginning And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'; Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Free will Conclusion
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