What is the meaning of Christotokos?
Christotokos is simply a Greek word that means “Christ-bearer” and is a title that is applied to Mary as the one who bore Christ in her womb. Mary gave birth to Christ, so Christotokos is an accurate term to describe her. However, there is a lot of history behind the term, and its usage has…
What is divine providence?
Divine providence is the governance of God by which He, with wisdom and love, cares for and directs all things in the universe. The doctrine of divine providence asserts that God is in complete control of all things. He is sovereign over the universe as a whole (Psalm 103:19), the physical world (Matthew 5:45), the…
What is nontrinitarianism?
Nontrinitarianism is a theological view of God that rejects the doctrine of the Trinity. Any group that denies that God exists in three eternal, co-equal Persons sharing one nature in perfect unity is nontrinitarian. Within Christianity, broadly defined, are nontrinitarian groups that believe that God the Father is God but that Jesus and the Holy…
What is partialism in relation to the Trinity?
Partialism is a flawed view of God that suggests that the three members of the Trinity are each “100 percent God” but not “100 percent of God.” As an analogy, partialism would point out that the Atlantic Ocean is 100 percent water, and the Pacific Ocean is 100 percent water, but the Atlantic Ocean by…
What is the kingdom of God?
The kingdom of God is referenced often in the gospels (e.g., Mark 1:15; 10:15; 15:43; Luke 17:20) and other places in the New Testament (e.g., Acts 28:31; Romans 14:17; 1 Corinthians 15:50). The kingdom of God is synonymous with the kingdom of heaven. The concept of the kingdom of God takes on various shades of…
What is perichoresis?
The word perichoresis comes from two Greek words, peri, which means “around,” and chorein, which means “to give way” or “to make room.” It could be translated “rotation” or “a going around.” Perichoresis is not found in the Greek New Testament but is a theological term used in three different contexts. In the first, perichoresis…
What is middle knowledge?
Middle knowledge is a theological concept developed by Luis Molina and espoused by modern Christian philosophers such as William Lane Craig and Alvin Plantinga. Middle knowledge is the philosophical cornerstone supporting the theology of Molinism. In short, middle knowledge is God’s omniscient awareness of what “would” happen if certain circumstances were to occur, including the…
What is the origin of the doctrine of the Trinity?
The Trinity is Christianity’s most unique, defining, incomprehensible, and awesome mystery. It is the revelation of who our Almighty Creator actually is—not just a god, but an infinite Being existing in eternity as three co-equal, infinite Persons, consubstantial yet distinct. The origin of the doctrine of the Trinity is the Bible, although the word Trinity…
What is process theology?
Process theology is based on the philosophy that the only absolute which exists in the world is change. Therefore, God, too, is constantly changing. The Bible clearly states that process theology is false. Isaiah 46:10 is unequivocal regarding God’s sovereignty and unchanging nature: “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things…
What is Trinitarianism?
Trinitarianism is the teaching that God is triune, that He has revealed Himself to be three co-equal and co-eternal Persons. For a detailed biblical presentation of the Trinity, please see our article on what the Bible teaches about the Trinity. The purpose of this article is to discuss the importance of Trinitarianism in regard to…