Jesus.net :: Who is Jesus? - Knowing God - Growing with Jesus - Sharing my faith Spirituality The term "spirituality" lacks a definitive definition, although social scientists have defined spirituality as the search for "the sacred," where "the sacred" is broadly defined as that which is set apart from the ordinary and worthy of veneration. Definition[edit] There is no single, widely-agreed definition of spirituality. According to Waaijman, the traditional meaning of spirituality is a process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape of man, the image of God. Waaijman points out that "spirituality" is only one term of a range of words which denote the praxis of spirituality. Spirituality can be sought not only through traditional organized religions, but also through movements such as liberalism, feminist theology, and green politics. Etymology[edit] The term spirit means "animating or vital principle in man and animals". Development of the meaning of spirituality[edit] Classical, medieval and early modern periods[edit] In the 11th century this meaning changed.
Historicity of Jesus The historicity of Jesus concerns the analysis of historical evidence to determine whether Jesus of Nazareth existed as a historical figure, and whether any of the major milestones in his life as portrayed in the gospels can be confirmed as historical events.[citation needed] Historicity is the study of the historical actuality of persons and events, meaning the quality of being part of history as opposed to being a historical myth or legend, or of being part of prehistory. Since the 18th century a number of quests for the historical Jesus have taken place, and historical critical methods for studying the historicity of Jesus have been developed. Existence[edit] Bart D. That (Jesus) was crucified is as sure as anything historical can ever be, since both Josephus and Tacitus... agree with the Christian accounts on at least that basic fact.[47] Accepted historic facts[edit] Scholars attribute varying levels of certainty to other episodes. Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Notes[edit]
Knowing Jesus By Steven L. Pogue If you’ve committed your life to Christ, you have a relationship with Him. That’s a great beginning! Developing that relationship involves getting to know Him better. The best way to learn about Jesus is to read His claims concerning His identity in the Gospels. Jesus was born about 4 or 5 B.C. The bulk of the Gospel accounts is devoted to the three years that Jesus spent ministering around the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. Throughout his ministry Jesus kept pointing the people to Himself. Let’s examine four incidents in the Gospel of John to determine what Jesus claimed about Himself. John 5: Jesus Teaching God is His Father In the Gospel of John, chapter 5, Jesus was accosted by Jewish religious leaders for healing an invalid on the Sabbath (the Jewish “Day of Rest”). Jesus defended his action of healing on the Sabbath by explaining that God, as the sustainer of the universe, never rests but continually keeps working. Moses asked God who he should say sent him.
Zoroastrianism Iranian religion founded by Zoroaster With possible roots dating back to the 2nd millennium BCE, Zoroastrianism enters recorded history around the middle of the 6th century BCE.[10] It served as the state religion of the ancient Iranian empires for more than a millennium (approximately from 600 BCE to 650 CE), but declined from the 7th century CE onwards as a direct result of the Arab-Muslim conquest of Persia (633–654 CE), which led to the large-scale persecution of the Zoroastrian people. Recent estimates place the current number of Zoroastrians in the world at around 110,000–120,000[12] at most, with the majority of this figure living in India, Iran, and North America; their number has been thought to be declining.[13][14] Terminology The name Zoroaster (Ζωροάστηρ) is a Greek rendering of the Avestan name Zarathustra. Overview Theology Practices Ossuary with reliefs of Zoroastrian priests attending a fire, Mullakurgan (near Samarkand), Uzbekistan, 7-8th century CE.[52] History Conversion
Jesus in Christianity Christian views of Jesus are based on the teachings and beliefs outlined in the Canonical gospels, New Testament letters, and the Christian creeds. These outline the key beliefs held by Christians about Jesus, including his divinity, humanity, and earthly life. The second sentence in the ICET version of the Nicene Creed states: "We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God...". In the New Testament Jesus indicates that he is the Son of God by calling God his heavenly father. Overview[edit] Those groups or denominations committed to what are considered biblically orthodox Christianity nearly all agree on the following points:[14] Christians not only attach theological significance to the works of Jesus, but also to his name. Christians predominantly profess that through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, he restored humanity's communion with God with the blood of the New Covenant. Christ, Logos and Son of God[edit] Incarnation, Nativity and Second Adam[edit] Ministry[edit]
Flood myth "The Deluge", frontispiece to Gustave Doré's illustrated edition of the Bible. Based on the story of Noah's Ark, this shows humans and a tiger doomed by the flood futilely attempting to save their children and cubs. A flood myth or deluge myth is a symbolic narrative in which a great flood is sent by a deity, or deities, to destroy civilization in an act of divine retribution. Parallels are often drawn between the flood waters of these myths and the primeval waters found in certain creation myths, as the flood waters are described as a measure for the cleansing of humanity, in preparation for rebirth. Mythologies[edit] The Mesopotamian flood stories concern the epics of Ziusudra, Gilgamesh, and Atrahasis. In the Genesis flood narrative, Yahweh decides to flood the earth because of the depth of the sinful state of mankind. Claims of historicity[edit] Nanabozho in Ojibwe flood story from an illustration by R.C. See also[edit] References[edit] Jump up ^ Leeming, David (2004).
Resurrection of Jesus The resurrection of Jesus is the Christian religious belief that, after being put to death to take the punishment deserved by others for the sins of the world, Jesus rose again from the dead. It is the central tenet of Christian theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures".[1][2] In the New Testament, after the Romans crucified Jesus, he was anointed and buried in a new tomb by Joseph of Arimathea but God raised him from the dead[3] and he appeared to many people over a span of forty days before he was taken to heaven, to sit at the right hand of God.[4] Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, two days after Good Friday, the day of his crucifixion. Easter's date corresponds roughly with Passover, the Jewish observance associated with the Exodus, that is fixed for the night of the Full moon near the time of the spring equinox.[6] New Testament events[edit] Burial[edit] Tomb discovery[edit] Easter[edit]
Origins of Judaism This article discusses the historical roots of Judaism throughout the 1st millennium BCE. For the origins of the modern-day religion of Judaism, see Origins of Rabbinic Judaism. From the 5th century BCE until 70 CE, Israelite religion developed into the various theological schools of Second Temple Judaism, besides Hellenistic Judaism in the diaspora. The text of the Hebrew Bible was redacted into its extant form in this period and possibly also canonized as well. Rabbinic Judaism developed during Late Antiquity, during the 3rd to 6th centuries CE; the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible (the addition of vowels to the consonant text) and the Talmud were compiled in this period. Historical background[edit] Pre-monarchic (tribal religion)[edit] The central founding myth of the Israelite nation is the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt under the guidance of Moses, followed by the conquest of the Promised Land (Canaan). Monarchy (centralized religion)[edit] Babylonian exile[edit] See also[edit]
Crucifixion of Jesus Jesus' crucifixion is described in the four canonical gospels, referred to in the New Testament Epistles, attested to by other ancient sources, and is established as a historical event confirmed by non-Christian sources,[1] though there is no consensus on the precise details of what exactly occurred.[2][3][4][not in citation given][5] Historicity[edit] While scholars agree on the historicity of the crucifixion, they differ on the reason and context for it, e.g., both E. P. Sanders and Paula Fredriksen support the historicity of the crucifixion, but contend that Jesus did not foretell his own crucifixion, and that his prediction of the crucifixion is a "church creation" (p. 126).[11] Geza Vermes also views the crucifixion as a historical event but provides his own explanation and background for it.[11] John P. Gospel narratives[edit] In the New Testament all four Gospels conclude with an extended narrative of Jesus' arrest, trial, crucifixion, burial, and accounts of resurrection.