In contrast to a diachronic approach is a synchronic approach. This constitutes an examination of something at a single point in time. There is no speculation or even consideration of how the phenomenon might have been in the past or how it might be in the future. A synchronic approach is a form of reification, a privileging of one moment in time over all others.
Two examples of diachronic analysis that are very helpful in furthering one's understanding of the messages of the Bible. One is a changing sense of language and languages. The languages that the Bible has been presented in have changed themselves from Hebrew and Greek to Latin and then to a wide range of vernacular languages.
These linguistic changes have shifted the meanings of each passage in the Bible as have the changes internal to each language itself. Languages are living (and dying) creatures, and even when the language of the Bible did not change, the mundane meanings of many of the words did change, and only a diachronic analysis can track all of these changes of meaning that is sufficient to understanding the meaning of the Bible on the level of individual words and texts.
Diachronic analysis of the Bible also helps one to understand changing concepts of the most important events in the Bible. An event as central as the death of Jesus might seem to be a candidate for an enduring interpretation. But all aspects of the Bible are seen through personal understanding that is influences by history and culture. This is, again, not in any way a diminishment of the divinity of God or the sacredness of the Bible. It is simply an acknowledgement that humanity, as God's creation, is sufficiently complex to accomplish continual change.
A useful synchronic...
From a scientific point-of-view, religion should not be associated only with revelation, as people should simply try to understand it by concentrating on the religious experience and on the result of their interaction with God (Lindberg & Numbers 449). In contrast to scientists, theologians considered that revelation was essential in learning more in regard to God, given that human nature was divided between the natural order and the supernatural one.
And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life" King James Version ( Exodus 21:22-23) This is an example of an abortion case which is minimal yet needs justice to be served by the civil authorities. In this example, there are four sensitive phrases which needs to be emphasized and interpreted in order to bring out the intensity of this abortion issues, the phrases/sentences are; "If men
It indicates that he is set apart form all that is creaturely and corrupt, that he is distinct from this physical and fallen world. It affirms that God is not like humans, angels, false gods, animals -- or anything in existence. In short, we may say that there is no one like God, even though that statement has the obvious limitations of a negative sentence -- it does not
Can you provide any testimony of having received illumination? One of the areas of discord in modern Christian discussion is God's view of homosexuals and homosexuality. Many Christians believe that God has labeled homosexuality a sin and considers that sin to be so grievous that it would warrant damnation. Other Christians believe that God, specifically through Jesus, had a message of love and that such condemnation of homosexuals would go against
God What is the image of God? This is an important theological question. Depending upon what a person believes the image of God to be, and man's relation to that image, the whole rest of that person's theological belief system will be affected and slanted by it. The Bible gives some good guidelines as to what the image of God is, and what man's relation to that image is. Noted
Responses to Heather and StephenHeatherUrban form theory and procedural planning theory are applicable to the subject of urban planning in the US, and the biblical perspective you provide is also appropriate: as you point out, Psalms 69:35 states, �For God will save Zion and build cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it.� This shows that God wants His people to care for the creation that he
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