This important study of the published and unpublished writings of Scotland's most brilliant and controversial nineteenth-century theologian focuses on his concern to situate biblical religion within the context of the primal religions of Israel's neighbours. The book explores the implications of the relationship between the Christian faith and primal religion. Robertson Smith has still a contribution to make to contemporary discussion of the phenomenology of the Christian faith and Christian responses to religious pluralism.
This important study of the published and unpublished writings of Scotland's most brilliant and controversial nineteenth-century theologian focuses on his concern to situate biblical religion within the context of the primal religions of Israel's neighbours. The book explores the implications of the relationship between the Christian faith and primal religion. Robertson Smith has still a contribution to make to contemporary discussion of the phenomenology of the Christian faith and Christian responses to religious pluralism.
Our generation needs a reformation. But a single person won’t lead it. A single event won’t define it. Our reformation will be a movement of reformers living creatively, compassionately, courageously for the cause of Christ. This reformation will not be born of a new discovery. It will be the rediscovery of something old, something ancient. Something primal. —Mark Batterson, Primal What would your Christianity look like if it was stripped down to the simplest, rawest, purest faith possible? You would have more, not less. You would have the beginning of a new reformation—in your generation, your church, your own soul. You would have primal Christianity. This book is an invitation to become part of a reformation movement. It is an invitation to rediscover the compassion, wonder, curiosity, and energy that turned the world upside down two thousand years ago. It is an invitation to be astonished again.
Doctoral Thesis / Dissertation from the year 2024 in the subject Didactics - Theology, Religion Pedagogy, grade: 3.95 (A), University of Ghana, Legon (Selinus University of Sciences and Literature), course: Theology and Ethics, language: English, abstract: Africans have the capability to express their primal knowledge to enrich their Christian faith. Their primal spiritual knowledge is expressed through oral means such as singing accompanied by drumming and dancing. The expression of their primal spirituality helps them to present their spirit, soul and body wholly to God. This primal condition of being spiritual is the personal quality prior to any other religious beliefs, such as Christianity. Therefore, African Christianity is how to live the Christian faith and worship God within the African way of life, and not necessarily syncretising different systems of religious beliefs, but the expression of the soundness of Africanness. Hence, the thesis has been grounded in The Concept of Africanness in African Christianity, which is how Christianity would communicate with African cultural heritage. A distinct way of expressing Africanness can be noticed when Agbadza and Bᴐbᴐbᴐ music and the lyrics that are akin to Scripture are engaged in some African churches to worship God. This primal expression is functionally identical in the Apostles Revelation Society, and some branches of the Global Evangelical Church (hereinafter called the ARS and GEC, respectively). Nevertheless, while Agbadza is culturally considered as war music among the Anlo-EƲe, Bᴐbᴐbᴐ music among the EƲedome is also seen as immoral and frown upon. Notwithstanding these mixed feelings towards Agbadza and Bᴐbᴐbᴐ cultural music, majority of Christians get exceedingly excited about the engagements between these cultural music and Christian faith in their churches. The main objectives of the study are to find out why they get excited when these cultural music are being engaged in the churches, and the war and immoral nature of these music. In addition, the theological and ethical thoughts on some selected lyrics are considered. Finally, what would the ARS and GEC do differently to lay bare the impact these cultural music should have on their communities, which guarantee their future and sustainability in the churches. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, theological, ethical, and phenomenological methods are blended as qualitative technique has been adopted in data collection and analysis. The reason why the worshippers get excited about these cultural music had been explored, and the theological and ethical thoughts on the practice were examined.
The wisdom of tribal peoples has often been overlooked, both within the church and outside of it. However as the ideologies of consumerism, free market individualism, and nationalism grow more and more dominant across the globe, with devastating implications for our planet’s shared future, it has become ever more urgent to make space for voices from the margins – voices offering alternative frameworks for understanding the nature of existence, spirituality, and what it means to be human. This book draws together contributors from diverse tribal and denominational backgrounds to reflect on the future of Christianity in Northeast India, a region rich in ancient myths, oral traditions, and a vibrant awareness of both the spiritual realm and the embeddedness of humans within creation. Joining a wider conversation regarding the integration of Christianity and primal traditions, the authors wrestle with crucial questions surrounding identity and the challenges of contextualizing the gospel in relation to their own languages, cultures, and traditions. Looking both backwards and forwards, they provide insight into the history of Christianity in tribal contexts, while exploring the vital significance of recovering and transmitting indigenous knowledge and the profound perspective it offers the church into the significance of Christ and his gospel.
Religion is an integral part of mankind and affects everybody, regardless of religious inclination or posturing. The reality of our contemporary world is that matters of religion will literally stare you in the face – it’s ineluctable. There exists a wide spectrum of dedication, disinclination and aversion to religion, and the potential extremism among all categories is existential. In certain instances, adopted positions sometimes manifest as an aversion to religion, and by extension God. Historically, great minds, thinkers, philosophers and scientists have tried to decipher the meaning of life, and the matter of religion played a recurring role. In understanding the complexities of religion, the matter should ideally be approached via holistic and historical analysis, with the aim of unravelling its primal objective. The propositions of this project are derived from various academic sources, including theological exegesis – primarily Biblical and Quranic. P.R.I.S.M considers every form of belief and non-belief: from the agnostic to the atheist, Christian to Hindu, Jew to Muslim, and traditionalist to Zoroastrian. Maybe the concept of religion has been misunderstood and misrepresented? P.R.I.S.M is a multidisciplinary and rational approach to the matter of God and religion, from a universal viewpoint. Potentially, a proper understanding of these issues may assist mankind in its quest for peaceful coexistence.
