Traditional customs can present a tricky dilemma when people
convert to Christianity. There’s often debate on whether they can be accepted
by the church, or whether they constitute idolatry. Many of the traditions in
Christianity, like Yuletide trees and Easter eggs, predate Christianity by
centuries.
Introducing Christian
Theology explores the symbols in the Old Testament that allow further
elaboration. For instance, the Lord first appears in Genesis as the Creator,
and the question of Trinity now arises. If the Lord created the universe, can
we expect that he would create Jesus as his son? In the Gospel of John, Jesus
says “I will ask the father to give you another helper” and describes him as ‘the
spirit of truth.” Other theologians wonder if the idea of the Holy Spirit comes
from the Jewish idea of the Messiah, which is not clearly defined anywhere in
Jewish scripture. Would the Holy Spirit be a divine being, or a prophet? The
only thing in Judaism that would match the Holy Spirit is Elijah the Prophet,
who was taken to the afterlife while still alive. Therefore, he’s not “dead”
and can return at any time!
Victor Ezigbo’s treatise on theology brings a breath of
fresh air to the study of religion. He gives new insights to the traditional
European view on the bible, and cites both the Five Books and the New
Testament, with interesting and enlightening arguments.
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