publictheology

 The proleptic power of new creation Jesus’ Resurrection as Prolepsis of New Creation ST 4147 Miracles 7 In past posts in this Patheos series on miracles, we’ve asked inter alia whether the Easter resurrection of Jesus was historical. In this post we’ll ask: is it eschatological? My answer will be affirmative. The raising of Jesus from the dead by God on the first Easter is a prolepsis of the eschatological new creation. Therefore, Jesus’ resurrection has cosmic meaning. In the previous post, “Is resurrection the ultimte miracle?,” we concluded: Rather than think that miracles break a law of nature, miracles actually break into nature with the laws of the new creation. Here we ask: what does this imply for creation and redemption? In light of God’s promised new creation, I believe we can interpret each of Jesus’ healing miracles as a prolepsis, as a historical moment that incarnates ahead of time the eschatological consummation of all God’s work with creation. Now, let’s stretch ou...

  Hopes and Hazards of Artificial Intelligence A tsunami of controversy regarding the future impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has engulfed us over the last 15 months. The storm whipped up winds of fear with the arrival of ChatGPT and similar Large Language Models (LLMs) in November 2022. A hundred million users immediately found the speed and human-like quality both uncanny and amazing. But the techie giants — Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Google’s Geoffrey Hinton, Open AI co-founder John Schulman, transhumanist Ray Kurzweil, along with Tesla maverick Elon Musk — are piling sandbags in defense against a dangerous tidal wave they see coming. What dangers lurk in the AI tsunami? First, the possibility of superintelligence — what our transhumanists have been calling the “Singularity” — taking over the world and dispensing with the human race. Second, bad actors with malicious intent getting a hold on powerful AI tools and disrupting global communications while letting loose lethal aut...

 Explore a comprehensive collection of Christian Nationalism resources , from scholarly articles to engaging videos. These materials dive into the relationship between faith and politics, providing insight into one of the most discussed movements in modern Christianity.

 Explore the profound impact of UFO sightings on faith across diverse cultures in our latest article. Delve into the intersection of UFO phenomena and religion, discovering how these unexplained encounters have reshaped spiritual perspectives globally. Uncover the intriguing connections between extraterrestrial sightings and belief systems, as we navigate the influence of the unknown on religious narratives. Join us on a journey of curiosity and contemplation, as we examine the fascinating interplay between UFO and religion , and the transformative effects on collective faith experiences.

 Embark on a profound journey into the enigmatic realms of the afterlife & the soul . Explore the mysteries that lie beyond our earthly existence, delving into spiritual insights, ancient wisdom, and contemporary perspectives.

Astrotheology, the study of the relationship between religious belief systems and the cosmos, offers intriguing insights into the way humans project fears, hopes, and responsibilities onto external forces. One of the key concepts that astrotheology helps to explain is the scapegoat phenomenon, where blame or guilt is shifted onto an innocent party or external entity to resolve societal tensions. In modern discussions of UFOs and religion, this concept becomes particularly relevant. Historically, the idea of the scapegoat is deeply rooted in religious tradition. In ancient cultures, scapegoats were symbolic figures or animals burdened with the sins of a community, then cast out or sacrificed to purify the group. As society evolved, this practice took on more psychological and social dimensions, where minority groups or individuals were blamed for crises or unexplained phenomena. Astrotheology provides a framework to understand how these religious rituals mirror our cosmic quest for mea...