Concept of god in major religions ebook pdf 12 may, 2016 in read by believer. Understanding the biblical call to shalom what is shalom. Is the concept of god in christianity the trinity three gods or one. We are left with just another religion with some beautiful ideas and noble ethics. Today in christian history dailya daily newsletter featuring the most. Christianity shares a number of beliefs and practices with other religions, particularly judaism and islam. Western concepts of god internet encyclopedia of philosophy. He notes that the presentation of salvation in the hands of overseas missionaries. Western concepts of god have ranged from the detached transcendent demiurge of aristotle to the pantheism of spinoza. Characteristic features of the christian concept of god. Christianity christianity medieval and reformation views.
The primary difference that separates christianity from these other religions is the belief that jesus christ, the son of the god jehovah and the human woman mary, was. At its heart the biblical concept of shalom is about gods vision for the emphatic goodness of all relationships, harper says. The concept of the summum bonum according to christian. Yours is an age old question, which stems from a basic misunderstanding. He needs to be saved both physically and spiritually. Christian teachings of the immanence and involvement of god and his love for humanity exclude the belief that god is of the same substance as the. It is intended as an introduction to christianity for nonchristians, and also as background for. With characteristic clarity and forthrightness, dr.
The concept of the summum bonum according to christian ethics christian ethics, summer session, w. Concept of god in major religions english zakir naik. It comes from the same origins as judaism and islam. You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with christians all over the world we hope to see you as a part of our community soon and god bless. Though there are numerous divine attributes that we could examine, for our present. The christian concept of god essay 2245 words bartleby. Judge, loving father and so on, at present christians say god is jesus.
It also shows that the worship of god in african traditional religion is through sacrifices, offerings, singing, dancing and prayers. The concept of god in the traditional religion of the akan. We have one god in three persons, but that is confusing unless we also understand that god is a spirit. In particular, the concept of god in islam and christianity is so different that both religions cannot be right. To explain that we must also understand the difference between the spiritual realm and the. Christianity medieval and reformation views britannica. The christian concept of god christians claim that their concept of god is found in the bible. It is different from the jewish understanding of jehovah, and unlike the islamic understanding of allah, even though these theological concepts are also monotheistic. In christianity, god is the eternal being who created and preserves all things. Our god, according bonhoeffer, is not deus ex machinaa mechanical being that appears just in time to solve our insoluble problems. Christianity is good news concerning a historical person, jesus christ of nazareth, who, on the human side was born of the royal seed of david, and demonstrated to be the son of god with power by his resurrection from the dead rom 1. Having salvation means you will go to heaven and have eternal life and live with god forever.
Christianity is an active religion practiced widely around the world, with more followers than any other in the modern era. Nash judiciously evaluates competing conceptions of deity, and in the end recommends an understanding of god that is both theologically sound and philosophically acceptable. Salvation in christianity, or deliverance or redemption, is the saving of human beings from death and separation from god by christs death and resurrection christian salvation not only concerns the atonement itself, but also the question how one partakes of this salvation, by faith, baptism, or obedience. Concept of god in major religions ebook pdf the choice. With judaism and islam, christians believe in one god, who created the universe and all that is in it. This means that christians know nothing about god except through the life, teaching, death and the resurrection of jesus. Pdf god, divinities and spirits in african traditional. Welcome to christian forums, a forum to discuss christianity in a friendly surrounding. One may ask, if both muslims and christians love and respect jesus pbuh, where exactly is the parting of ways. The concept of god in islam and christianity reasonable. Meaning, the concept that god gave to his people christians is perfect, but his people are not perfect and. Some offer radically different concepts of god, exploring novel ideas of what god may be like. Luhman an expanded version of a paper first published in the evangelical quarterly 54.
Abstract the concept of god in the traditional religion of akan and ewe ethnic groups compare to the bible by godwin kwame ofosuhene i am going to focus this writing, on how the akan and ewe ethnic groups of ghana, understood god in their traditional. It was originally written as part of the frequently asked questions collection for the usenet newsgroup soc. A history of god by karen armstrong the new christian west during the middle ages introduction as a child, i had a number of strong religious beliefs but little faith in god. Nevertheless, much of western thought about god has fallen within some broad form of theism. The major difference between islam and christianity is the christians insistence on the supposed divinity of christ pbuh. Bonhoeffers idea of religionless christianity not only opens a door for us to reach a postchristian world, but it can help us understand the true relationship between god and scientific knowledge. The concept of idolatry in the bible is powerful and complex, diverse and problematic.
Christianity is a theistic religion and belief in god is its important tenet but instead of saying that god, according to christianity is one, creator, sustainer. For a thousand years, a period that began with what some historians called the dark ages in the christian west and that endured through both the eastern and western extensions of the roman empire, the essence of christian faith was guarded differently than it had been in the first three centuries, before christianity. Alfred adlers concept of god ii the idea of god and its immense significance for mankind can be understood and appreciated from the viewpoint of individual psychology as concretization and interpetation of te man recognition of reatness and perfection, and as commitment of the individual as well as ofsociety to a goal which rests in mans. Christianity today weekly weeklyctweekly delivers the best content from to your inbox each week. The concept of god is an excellent treatment of an increasingly critical issue in philosophical theology. Known as classical theism, this view of god has long been considered the orthodox theistic position of the western world. Islam and christianity have different doctrines or teachings concerning what god is like. Part 1 is god, if there is a god, a personal, conscious, allpowerful supreme being. This document tries to summarize christian beliefs and practices.
The analysis of the concept of god purported by the author. A monistic concept of god will inevitably disregard sin and evil, affirming all natural desires, whereas the christian understanding of god views god alone as good, desiring to manifest his character of goodness in his creation in place of the fallen, natural, evil tendencies of mans desires. Christianity characteristic features of the christian. Various factors led to this controversy and misunderstanding, such as prejudice by western scholars who measured african traditional religious concept with christianity. The concept of god, divinities and spirits in african traditional religious ontology has been so misunderstood by many scholars to the point of seeing africans as people who did not know the. It concludes that africans knew god before the coming of the missionaries to africa. The paper also considers the concept of evil, ethics, justice and time in african traditional religion. The following core concepts are explored in the understanding christianity approach, as part of the big story of salvation, as understood within christianity. There is a distinction between belief in a set of propositions and a.
Even though, as halbertal and margalit note, the central theological principle in the bible is the refutation of idolatry 10,1 it is ironic that the category that is supposed to be the firmest and strictest of all. Is the concept of god in christianity the trinity three. It briefly explains how the christian concept of god explores descriptive and then. Many buddhists adopted the local god and thus the religion of nogod was transformed into the religion of manygods big and small, strong and weak and male and female. For example, christians believe that god is tripersonal, that there are in the one god three persons whom we call the father, son, and holy. Jesus christ pbuh never claimed divinity one may ask, if both muslims and christians love and respect jesus pbuh, where exactly is the parting of ways. No muslim is a muslim if he does not believe in jesus pbuh. The concept of god, divinities and spirits in african traditional religious ontology has been a controversial and misunderstood concept.
Christianity christianity characteristic features of the christian concept of god. Within the christian perception and experience of god, characteristic features stand out. God, divinities and spirits in african traditional. They challenge theism the god of judaism, christianity and islam with radically new kinds of gods. If jesus was not god in human flesh, christianity is exploded, writes john stott. Christians believe the universe and human life are gods good creation. This article provides a concept of god in the christianity. A reflection on mbitis concept of salvation in african christianity mbitis conception of salvation in african christianity is that salvation is wholeness. Then, it describes the concept of god for worlds several major religions including hinduism, sikhism, judaism, and others. Many scholars consider the evolution of god within buddhism as an effect of hinduism. A christian understanding of god is unique, distinct, and unlike any other concept of god. The mangod appears on earth in human form and incarnates from time to. Transcript the concept of god in islam and christianity.
294 787 47 1548 1609 265 953 1420 1317 1001 1339 568 698 1553 923 174 5 1539 865 1511 1381 964 22 122 748 1295 640 405 1153 1363 28 1567 1444 335 487 517 379 526 976 362 351 121 680