The first temple dedicated to YHWH in Jerusalem was constructed under King Solomon in the tenth century BC at the top of Mount Zion; where it stood until it was destroyed by the Babylonians in 585 BC. Solomon’s Temple was symbolic as the dwelling place of Israel’s god, a restored Eden, a microcosm, the cosmic centre, a bulwark against chaos and the story of Creation in stone.
Writing • Theology
On these pages you will find a selection of my theological writing. These are essays I wrote while studying for a theology degree from the University of Chester.
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What exactly did Adam and Eve do wrong?
The account of the creation of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, how they were tempted by the serpent and their subsequent fall are recorded in Genesis 2:4b-3:24. A study of this pericope will reveal that Adam and Eve already know the difference between good and evil, that they are already divine in a specific way, that they do not complete the purpose for which they had been placed in the garden of Eden, and the nature of the sin which led to their expulsion from Eden.
Words made flesh: What important insights are there for the practical theologian in the conviction that Jesus Christ is ‘God Incarnate’?
The study of the nature and person of Jesus Christ, known as Christology, has provoked much debate and controversy from the early Christian period up to the present day. To answer the question whether Jesus was only human or whether he was divine or both is the task for the practitioner of the Gospel when faced with those who challenge the historical understanding of Jesus. To illustrate this task, the position of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and contemporary writers on the identity of Jesus will be compared to the Arian heresy.
Summarise the contribution of Jesus of Nazareth to an understanding of leadership today
Jesus of Nazareth was a leader. Blanchard and Hodges call him the “one perfect leadership role model you can trust.” The public ministry of Jesus lasted for three years; his training has been estimated at thirty years. However, his influence has lasted two-thousand years.
The ‘glory’ of Christ on the Cross (cf. ‘lifted up’ / ‘glorified’ – esp. John 17)
In his final prayer with his disciples, Jesus Christ prays for the mutual glorification of the Father and the Son. In John’s Gospel, Jesus is glorified when he is lifted up on the cross at his crucifixion. John employs a double meaning of lifted up throughout the Gospel, demonstrating that the crucifixion is also the exaltation of Jesus.
Jesus’ message/John’s purpose in the Samaritan Woman story (John 4:1-42)
In this pericope from John’s Gospel Jesus meets a Samaritan woman, the traditional enemy of the Jews and a social outcast, at the OT setting for a matrimonial encounter. This dialogue reveals the truth of Jesus’ identity as Messiah and leads to the Samaritans’ confession that Jesus is the Saviour of the world. After discussing the historical, canonical and theological background I will present an exegesis of the story, describing Jesus’ actions and finish by providing some of the ways John intended the passage to be used and how it may be applied by the reader today.
