universalism

I am tired!

Dr. Celucien Joseph Human solidarity, Humanism, Social Evil, Social Justice, Uncategorized , , ,

I am tired!

I am tired of those individuals who are insensitive to human suffering, pain, and death.

I am tired of those individuals who misinterpret the words of Scripture/Jesus to devalue life and dehumanize people.

I am tired of those individuals who are afraid to change, forgive, and repent of their sins.

I am tired of those individuals who appeal to human depravity and social sins to justify the miscarriage of justice and support the mistreatment of those who are hurting.

I am tired of those individuals who are/ have been silent and use their power and status to shut the mouth of those peak against injustice, inequality, oppression, and social evils.

I am tired of those individuals who appeal to human reason to rationalize and counter the fact and the evidence so that they can feel good about themselves, and prove the world that they’re rational and brilliant.

I am tired of those individuals who are not bold enough to practice social justice, love their neighbor, and defend the innocent and their right to exist.

I am tired of those individuals who deny the social implications of the Gospel and Christian responsibility in the public sphere.

I am tired of those individuals who area afraid to suffer and be humiliated and alienated for the cause of love, justice, truth, and peace.

I am tried of being traumatized by fear, fear of death, and fear of social alienation.

I am tired!

When Apostle Paul Meets Chinua Achebe

Dr. Celucien Joseph African Literature, Biblical Theology, New Testament Studies, The Bible, The Letter of Paul to the Romans, Uncategorized, World Literature , , , , , , , ,

When Apostle Paul Meets Chinua Achebe

(Cambridge, MA – November 17, 2008) Novelist Chinua Achebe reads some of his poetry Monday Afternoon for a packed Tsai Auditorium as the guest speaker for this year’s Distinguished African Studies Lecture. Staff Photo Nick Welles/Harvard News Office

This semester, I am teaching two classic books in World Literature, in two different locations: one at my job ‪#‎IRSC‬ , the other at my Church: ‪#‎CalvaryPSL‬. Both books were written by two dead dudes. The first dude is Africa’s premier literary giant, the founder of modern African literature, and a fervent apologist of African cultural traditions and pre-colonial African civilizations. The second dude is Christianity’s premier theologian, thinker, and an unapologetic defender of the Christian Faith. Some individuals even call him the Founder of Christianity.

Paul (Apostle Paul, as some people have called him) wrote, what some religious scholars, thinkers, and theologians believe as, the greatest letter ever written in modern history, and history of thought: The Book of Paul to the Christians at Rome–which he wrote about A.D. 56-57 from the city of Corinth. Chinua Achebe wrote “Things Fall Apart” (1958), the foundational text that gave birth to modern African literature.

You, Facebook friends, can’t enroll in my IRSC course on Achebe. Sorry, it’s too late. Nonetheless, if you live in the Treasure Coast area in Florida, you are cordially invited to sign up for my Lifegroup class on the Letter of Paul to the Romans. I am sure it is possible to bring both Paul and Achebe in conversation about the things of God, and God’s relationship with humanity and the world.
Please allow me to inform you about the class on Paul:

The class meets once a week on Thursday night, at 7:00 PM. Child care will be provided. Our first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 4.

Class Description

Next meeting: Thu. February 04, 2016 • 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Meets every Thursday effective 2/4/2016 until 5/5/2016 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Location — where do we meet?
Name St. James Shine Building

Address
5555 NW St. James Drive
Port Saint Lucie, FL 34983

Summary
According to faith in Jesus. So “there is no difference” now between Jews and Gentiles (Romans 3:22). The call to unity is just as relevant to us today as we continue to face tensions in the body of Christ. May we hear and respond to God’s call to us in Romans. Lessons under the guidance of one of the world’s leading and most loved Bible teachers and preachers, John Stott, include inductive study, application, commentary, prayer helps, and leader guidelines. Children Children are welcome Start date 2/4/2016

Course Registration Process

The process takes only 2 minutes. First, create a user name online at Calvary Port St. Lucie.

After creating the account, you will be sent an email to verify your account.

After email verification, go back to register for the course:

https://ccpslpbifl.infellowship.com/GroupSearch/Show…

Next, tollow these easy 5 step process to sing up for the course

1. Campus: St. James

2.Category: Life Groups

3. Weekdays: Thursday

4. Search

5. Click on Mixed Gender – Romans: Encountering the Gospel’s Power
to register.

Look forward to seeing you there

Celucien L. Joseph, PhD (Docteur Lou)
Life Group Facilitator
Calvary PSL
Assistant Professor of English
Co-Advisor to the Haitian Cultural Club (HaitianculturalAwareness At Irsc)
IRSC – Indian River State College
Port St. Lucie, Florida

Ten Theological Truths about God in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Dr. Celucien Joseph Abrahamaic Religions, Christianity, Comparative Religion, God, Islam, Religion, Uncategorized , , , , , ,

Briefly, here are 10 theological truths that all three Abrahamaic religions (i.e. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) confess about God:

1. Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe in the unity (oneness) of God and that there is only one God (both Jewish and Christian theologians call that the doctrine of monotheism or “tawhid” in Islamic theology).

2. Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe that God is transcendent and uncreated (that is, God has always existed; he has no beginning and no end. Theologians use the theoretical concept “aseity” to describe this phenomenon about God)

3. Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe God is Creator of everything and Sovereign Lord of the universe.

4. Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe that God’s knowledge of the present, past, and future is comprehensive and exhaustive.

5. Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe that God created the first human beings: Adam and Eve.

6. Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe that God created human beings to serve, worship, and honor Him.

7. Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe that God is love, just, and compassionate.

8. Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe that God cannot be known by human beings; rather, God himself has revealed Himself to humanity—through chosen individuals known as prophets.

9. Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe that God has also revealed Himself through a Book; Jews call this sacred text the Hebrew Bible/Scriptures (Old Testament); Christians call it the Bible—which includes both the Old Testament and New Testament—and Muslims call their book the Qur’an.

10. Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe that God has reserved a judgement day in which he will judge all people, punish all evildoers, and rewards everyone according to his/her deeds.

* There are also great theological divides and differences between Jews, Christians, and Muslims about the same God they confess. For example, Christians believe God exists in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Christian theologians call this special aspect about God the trinity. Both Muslims and (orthodox) Jews reject the doctrine of the trinity. Orthodox Jews are still waiting for God to send the Jewish Messiah; Christians believe that Jesus is/was the Jewish Messiah promised by God in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament); and Muslims do not believe that Jesus is/was the Jewish Messiah. Further, Christians confess the full deity and humanity of Jesus; that is Jesus is God, and that God incarnated in the historical person named Jesus. Christians also believe that Jesus is the final revelation of God and that no one can come through God except through Jesus (that is Jesus is the only way to God). Both orthodox Jews and Muslims reject the finality and supremacy of Jesus. Muslims believe Mohammed, not Jesus, is the final revelation of God.

Happy New Year!