Does the rabbinic tradition have a concept of original sin? This article first gives an overview of the view in the rabbinic tradition of the origin of evil and original sin. Next, it gives a thorough treatment of the apostle Paul's idea of original sin by examining Romans 5:12-21, Romans 7:7-25, and 1 Corinthians 15:20-22.
Through literary analysis this essay examines the meaning and message of Job 42:7b.
This article considers the use of the use of "ou monon" in Romans 5:3. Porter reviews comments made by previous commentators on this text. He wants to reaffirm that the subjunctive reading is correct in Romans 5:1, independent from any conclusions one reaches about Romans 5:2-3.
The exception phrase in Matthew 19:9 has many implications for a Christian understanding of divorce and remarraige. The article argues for the limited usefulness of the logical structure of any text to determine its meaning.
How does the Bible function in Christian ethics? The essay surveys a number of different theories and approaches and tries to indicate what it means to take seriously the whole testimony of the Bible and matters of hermeneutics. Porter explores the possible use of Wittgenstein's "classes of utterances" for a better understanding of the use of Scripture in ethics.
People love conspiracies. They love it even more when it involves politics, noteworthy people, or such institutions as Christianity. After all, isn't it exciting to think that there is some sinister plot that lurks behind what we don’t know, or perhaps, don’t want to accept? It is in this context that so many people have latched on to The Da Vinci Code, a novel by Dan Brown. People use it as a vehicle to express their doubts.
