Free will is a perennial theological and philosophical topic. As a central dogmatic locus, it has been implicated in debates about core Christian doctrines, such as grace, salvation, sin, providence, evil, and predestination. Despite its venerable history in both philosophy and theology, ...
It is widely accepted that the Stoics had a decisive influence on historical Christian thought, particularly Christian ethics. But the nature of this influence is contested among contemporary scholars. Moreover, even those historical and contemporary theologians who engage with Stoic writin...
The doctrine of angels is not the heart of the gospel. However, it is also not extrinsic cultural symbolism borrowed from the surrounding culture, purely accidental, as a means through which the Christian faith expressed itself in the past, and which it could – or even should – abandon today ...
Though not linguistically prominent in Christian scripture, the theology of providence captures several recurring scriptural themes. These include the order of the cosmos, the wisdom reflected in the natural and social worlds, the direction of the history of Israel and the church, and the...
Ever since their emergence in nineteenth-century natural philosophy, theories of biological evolution have prompted religious believers to revisit traditional theological views of the world, humanity, and even God. This entry will first clarify the various strands of meaning to be discerned...