The Evolution of God in Human Imagination: The Judeo-Christian Path and Beyond
()
About this ebook
After empowering Christianity and becoming its titular head during the first quarter of the fourth century, Roman emperor Constantine played a greater role in determining the core belief and practice of this religion than any family member or disciple of the historical Jesus. Implications of this fact are many and should be of interest to all Christians and others with an interest in, or connections to, Western Civilization.
The Evolution of God in Human Imagination addresses vital questions that many have asked for centuries, including how God became man and/or man became God. Professor Gersham A. Nelson examines the evolution of God from a Judeo-Christian perspective, first demonstrating how different regional cultures and mythologies seem to have influenced Judaism and Christianity, before showing how Christianity jettisoned the most fundamental concept of God held by Judaism and other ancient religions. Professor Nelson also argues that a close examination of the Church that emerged with the imperial patronage of Rome during the fourth century repudiated not only Judaism but also views attributed to the Jesus of history.
Failure to re-examine the foundation of Christianity, including claims made by leaders regarding divine will and prerogative, after the Reformation, ensured that contradictions and confusion continue to plague one generation of Christians after another. Even when conspicuous flaws were identified in the worldview advocated by Christian teachings, adjustments would, at best, be slow and selective. Nevertheless, the growing capacity of human brings to explore, discover, and create new knowledge has continued to inspire new questions and is providing some unanticipated answers.
Gersham A. Nelson
GERSHAM A. NELSON is a Latin American History Professor with considerable breadth and depth of knowledge in African history, the history of Christianity, and the history of Human Civilization. He is co-editor of From Outside of Western Civilization, editor of Legacy of 1492, and author of The Life and Works of Rudolph James. Dr. Nelson was Associate Professor of history at Frostburg State University in Maryland, Professor and Head of History and Philosophy at Eastern Michigan University and most recently (2007-2017), Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Central Missouri.
Related to The Evolution of God in Human Imagination
Related ebooks
The Impact of Religion: on Character Formation, Ethical Education, and the Communication of Values in Late Modern Pluralistic Societies Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCritical Thinking and Defending the Biblical Worldview Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGift and Duty: Where Grace and Merit Meet Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Prescientific Bible: Cultural Influences On the Biblical Writers and How They Affect Our Reading of the Bible Today Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIs a Radical Church Possible?: Reshaping Its Life For Jesus' Sake Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFrom this World to the Next: Christian Identity and Funerary Rites in Nepal Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTraditional Christian Ethics: Volume Three: Affirmative or Positive Commandments L-Z Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRepetition and Mythos: Ratzinger’s Bonaventure and the Meaning of History Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPharaoh’s Magicians: Evolution, the Bible, and Modern Gnosticism Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsReformed Virtue after Barth: Developing Moral Virture Ethics in the Reformed Tradition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDeep Splendor: A Study of Spirituality in Modern Literature Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPastors in the Middle: Motivational Thoughts for Pastors in the Middle Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Science and Creation: The Search for Understanding Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Catching the Wind: A Search for God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPagan and Christian Creeds: Their Origin and Meaning Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSummary: The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson: Quick Gist Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Future of Being Human and Other Essays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Evolution of the Idea of God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCurrents in Twenty-First-Century Christian Apologetics: Challenges Confronting the Faith Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Principles of Secularism Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow to Find God in Under Five Hours Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Signs and Seasons Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBackstage with God: Reconciling Science to the Genesis Creation from a Christ Centered Point of View Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFaith Is Not Blind: Learning to Love the Lord with All of Our Mind Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIn Search of Christian Origins: A Timeline of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Gospel Is a Children's Story Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTeaching Others to Defend Christianity: What Every Christian Should Know Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBack to the Beginning of a Perfect Creation: Discovering the Creation of Our Civilization Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSummary of Rosaria Butterfield's The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Ministry Multiplication Cycle Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
History (Religion) For You
Lost Books of the Bible: The Rejected Texts, Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Didache : TEACHING of the TWELVE APOSTLES: Also Includes The Epistle of Barnabas Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Art of Living: The Classical Mannual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Year with Rumi: Daily Readings Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Enoch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Strange Religion: How the First Christians Were Weird, Dangerous, and Compelling Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Shinto the Kami Way Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Church History in Plain Language, Fifth Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Way of the Shaman Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Genesis 6 Conspiracy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Church History in Plain Language Workbook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hermeticism: How to Apply the Seven Hermetic Principles Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Paul: A Biography Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Voodoo of Louisiana: African Spirituality Beliefs and Practices, #5 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christ Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Simply Jesus: A New Vision of Who He Was, What He Did, and Why He Matters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/525 Books Every Christian Should Read: A Guide to the Essential Spiritual Classics Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pagan Origins of the Christ Myth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mules and Men Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Severe Mercy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Jubilees Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Yours, Jack: Spiritual Direction from C.S. Lewis Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related categories
Reviews for The Evolution of God in Human Imagination
0 ratings0 reviews