One of the most uninformative statements one could possibly make about mathematics is that the axiomatic method expresses the real nature of mathematics, i.e., that mathematics consists in the deduction of conclusions from given axioms. For the same could be said about several other subjects, for example, about theology. Think of the first part of Spinoza’s Ethica ordine geometrico demonstrata ...

Let us begin by summarizing what we have covered in the first 2 lectures, and then set the task for today's lecture. We have covered the following 4 issues: 1. Is dualism a necessary part of a Christian view of humankind? In Lecture 1, I suggested (without going deep enough to prove the point) that body/soul dualism has extra-Christian roots and is not a necessary presupposition for understandi...

Christianity has had a long history in Asia. Although it is generally assumed that it took a very long time for the Gospel to reach Asia because Christianity moved westward since the time of Paul’s missionary journeys, Christians might have arrived in China as early as the end of the first century.1 There is also evidence of St. Thomas’s mission to India, Armenia’s declaration of Christianity a...

The prospect of employing embryonic stem cells for research has reignited debate over the status of the human embryo. However, the current debate centres on the very earliest stages of embryonic development, notably on the blastocyst at around 5-7 days’ gestation. After a scientific overview of early embryonic development, three theological perspectives are considered. These provide insight int...

INTRODUCTION Biology is the study of life, psychology is the study of mind, and medicine is the investigation of the causes and treatments of disease. This chapter describes how the central concepts of life, mind, and disease have undergone fundamental changes in the past 150 years or so. There has been a progression from theological, to qualitative, to mechanistic explanations of the nature of...

among the most important jewish encounters with other cultures and civilizations, the encounter with islamic culture was, in our view, the most important. this encounter was in some aspects like their encounter with the ancient civilization, but the impacts were more valuable and constructive. under islamic rule, the jews not only had a sense of security but also enjoyed a relatively satisfacto...

I put it to readers that the evangelical church around the world and in Australia has lost its way and is suffering a crisis of identity. Many who call themselves evangelicals have little idea what they believe or why—or even what we are meant to be doing. As Tom Slater put it: “what is the Christian cause? Is it the survival of the church? Is it the ‘success’ of the church? Is it the maintenan...