This article takes a thematic approach to commonalities between the three main wisdom books in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible (OT/HB; sections 1–3), and then looks briefly at apocryphal and New Testament (NT) developments (section 4). The first section covers the acquisition of wisdom; it...
Utilitarianism is one of the most straightforward ethical theories: it simply calls for the greatest welfare for the greatest number. Despite its early links to theological reasoning, this moral view has often been sharply contrasted with the outlook of Christians. This entry presents the k...
The New Testament gospel, or ‘good news’, is especially the announcement of Jesus’ saving death and resurrection. The New Testament explains that it is ‘according to the scriptures.’ This means that this good news must be understood in light of the backstory of God’s saving acts in history.
Suffering is a topic commonly driven by human questions and experience, with Christians facing these challenges in light of their own sacred scriptures and broad tradition. Individuals and communities are consistently faced with painful situations that provoke them to ask nagging questions,...