What doth the Bible say? “Image” first mention is the image of God – “our image” (Gen. 1:26) First mention of “graven” image is Exodus 20:4 “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that… Continue reading Graven Images
Category: Culture
The Family: Biblical Parenting and Godly Children
We began this discussion of the family dealing with the husband’s duty to his wife. We followed up talking about the wife’s duty to the husband. Now, I want to focus on the parents’ duty to their children. There are several variations of homes represented throughout our culture, and many of us have or are… Continue reading The Family: Biblical Parenting and Godly Children
The Family: The Role of the “Help Meet”
We previously discussed how a marriage in God’s eyes is between one man and one woman as they become one flesh. We also looked at several verses detailing how a husband is to LOVE (which is more difficult for men), CLEAVE (hold on to), PROVIDE (be a breadwinner, but also provide emotional/spiritual security), HONOR (respect),… Continue reading The Family: The Role of the “Help Meet”
The Family: Marriage and the Role of Husbands
It is often said that the Lord established three institutions – religion, civil government, and the home. The Devil has sought to destroy these institutions ever since their initiation. We are seeing a real time attack on all of these as we look around society today. Biblically based churches are losing ground to false gospels… Continue reading The Family: Marriage and the Role of Husbands
The Millstone
It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. – Luke 17:2 We live in a culture that constantly offends children. Disney came out and said that they want to increase their LBGTQ representation in… Continue reading The Millstone
Culture as Both Product and Practice
CULTURE AS A PRODUCT Hall and Neitz (1993) provide an inclusive definition of culture that describes it as 1) ideas, knowledge (correct, wrong, or unverifiable belief), and recipes for doing things; 2) humanly fabricated tools (shovels, sewing machines, and computers); and 3) products of social action that can be drawn upon in the conduct of… Continue reading Culture as Both Product and Practice
The Case for the Cultural Study of Religion
RELIGION AND CULTURE Rituals, symbols, and myths have been at the forefront of the Sociology of Religion since Durkheim (1915) wrote of the prominence of beliefs, rights, and rituals in the worship of social life. Naturism, animism, and totemic beliefs are mostly bygone religions – relics of a pre-industrialized world, but Durkheim predicted that religion… Continue reading The Case for the Cultural Study of Religion
American Secularization and Media Depictions of End Times
INTRODUCTION Media Influence Art has always had an influence on society, even if that influence is more indirect than the artist intended. In the “age of mechanical reproduction” (Benjamin 1969[1936]), the aura of art may not be as strong as the medium of film and television has eclipsed the close distance of the stage. The… Continue reading American Secularization and Media Depictions of End Times
The Church (Part 1): Trail of Blood
Most of us know the difference between The Christian Church and the local church. One is spiritual, and the other is physical. When COVID hit last year, I heard many Christians appeal to the Church as an excuse to abandon their church – because the “Church is not a building." However, the local church has… Continue reading The Church (Part 1): Trail of Blood
God’s Exhaltation
1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” Humility is not my strong suit, which is ironic because I suffer from low self-esteem and imposter syndrome (an internal experience of believing that you are not as competent as others perceive you to… Continue reading God’s Exhaltation
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