Idolatry

In Conquest David Day describes one of the key ways in which the Roman Emperor, Constantine, soght to create Constantinople as a rival city to Rome. He did it by making Constantinople a centre of sacred relics. In the forum Constantine erected a 37-metre-tall column, topped by a bronze statue that evidently represented Constantine himself, with [...]

In this sermon we come to grips with the root sin involved in our unrighteous suppression of the truth that God is our Creator whom we should acknowledge in all that we are and have. Romans 1:18-32 sermon

This morning’s sermon in church was based on Luke 14:25-35. Kevin Murray began by noting that many have trouble with the way Jesus expresses himself in verse 26: If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life [...]

During September 2007 some men from a small tribal group called the Kastam traveled from Tanna, Vanuatu to visit London. This was at the invitation of a British TV company. The Kastam people have some peculiar religious beliefs. For example, they believe that England and Tanna were once the same country, both erupting from a volcano [...]

When I was in Dallas just over a week ago, I was driven around the city for three-and-a-half hours to see the sights. At one point I got out of the car to take some photos. A bikie rode by, conspicous for the fact that he was wearing no helmet. When I got back in [...]

God’s revelation of Jesus’ identity to Peter contrasts with the idolatrous quest of the Jewish people, as epitomized by the Pharisees and Sadducees for alternate revelation – a miraculous sign from heaven (16:17 cf. vv1-4). To the religious leaders Jesus rejoins: A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be [...]

 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”    They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” ”But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered,\”You [...]

1. What does Isaiah say about idolatry? (1) It is absurd to compare an idol with God (40:18ff). How can a manufactured article, made from inferior materials because of the inadequate resources of the person who commissions its manufacture, compete with God (40:19-20)? An idol is static, in contrast to the dynamism of God as the Creator-King [...]

Immanuel Kant once observed, “Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made.” One of the most accessed blogs in the world, Crooked Timber, is based on this quote. I have not been able to track down as yet the source of Kant’s statement and I am not sure exactly what he meant. [...]

At the commencement of the Lotus Sutra Shakyamuni is treated as though he was the most supreme being in the universe – a universe made up not only of the universe as we know it, but also of countless alternative realities called Buddha Lands. The Lotus Sutra begins locating Shakyamuni at Ragagriha or Rajagriha, that [...]