Kingdom, Empire, and the Modern State (Content)
Episode 1 – Why the Triumphal Entry Matters Politically Episode 2 — The Donkey, the King, and the Kingdom Episode…
Category: Religion
Episode 1 – Why the Triumphal Entry Matters Politically
Why the Triumphal Entry Matters Politically Without Reducing Jesus to Politics Primary texts: Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–44; John…
Episode 2 — The Donkey, the King, and the Kingdom
How Jesus’ “Peaceful Ride” Claimed Royal Authority Core claim: Jesus’ choice to enter Jerusalem on a donkey was not a…
Episode 3 — “Hosanna”, Cloaks, and Palms
How the Crowd Publicly Recognised Kingship Core claim: In the Triumphal Entry narratives, the crowd does not merely “cheer”. They…
Episode 4 — Why the Triumphal Entry Provoked the Authorities
Text focus: Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–44; John 12:12–19 (with Zechariah 9:9; Psalm 118) Purpose of this episode To…
Episode 5 — From Religious Accusation to Roman Sentence: Why Jesus Was Executed
Introduction By the time Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate, the issue is no longer framed (publicly) as an internal theological…
Episode 6 — From Empire to Christendom
Rome’s Collapse, Christianity’s Consolidation, and Europe’s Re-ordering Position in the series In Episodes 1–5 we established how Jesus’ Triumphal Entry…
Episode 7 — From Rome to Byzantium
Greek Language, Eastern Christianity, and the Long Continuity (c. 395–1453) Purpose of this episode In Episodes 1–6 we traced how…
Episode 8 — From Empires to Modern Nations
Why “Israel” and “Jordan” Did Not Exist in Jesus’ Day (and Why That Matters for Reading the Gospels) Purpose and…
Episode 9 — Language, Translation, and Authority: How Scripture Travelled from Jerusalem to the World
Introduction Across our series, a repeated pattern has emerged: empires change quickly; cultural infrastructure changes slowly. In Jesus’ world, Rome…
Episode 10 — From Empire to Christendom: How Latin Christianity Became a Political Order in Medieval Europe
Introduction When the Western Roman Empire fragmented, Christianity in the Latin West did not merely “survive”; it increasingly absorbed civic…
Episode 11 – The Printing Press, Vernacular Scripture, and the Reformation
When Authority Moved into the Hands of Readers (c.1450–1648) Introduction Across this series we have traced how authority is signalled,…
Episode 12 — From Empire to Christendom
How Rome’s Western Collapse Reconfigured Christian Authority and European Order (c. AD 300–800) 1. Framing the question Across this series,…
Episode 13 — After Rome
When Empires Collapse and the Church Endures (c. AD 476 onwards) Aim of this episode To show how the collapse…
Episode 14 — From Empire to Christendom
How Rome’s Collapse Reshaped Christianity and Reconfigured European Power 1. Why this episode matters to the series Across our earlier…
Episode 15 — From Jerusalem to the Ends of the Empire
How Roman Infrastructure, Greek Language, and Imperial Law Shaped the Early Christian Mission Introduction Across our discussion, one theme keeps…
Episode 16 — Revelation and Empire
The Roman Imperial Cult, Political Allegiance, and the Politics of Worship Introduction If the Gospels show Jesus redefining kingship in…
Episode 17 — Constantine and the Politics of Christian Legitimacy
Political Insights into the Bible and Christian History Introduction Across this series we have seen that biblical faith unfolds in…
Episode 18 — From Donkey-King to Christendom
How Imperial Christianity Rewired Authority in Europe Purpose of this episode Building directly on our Triumphal Entry analysis (messianic kingship…
Episode 19 — From Christendom to Confessional Europe
Reformation, State Power, and the Struggle for Legitimate Authority (c. 1517–1648) 1. Why this episode belongs in the series Across…
Episode 20 — The Enlightenment and the Reconfiguration of Authority
Reason, toleration, and the birth of the modern secular political order 1. Why this episode sits next in the content…
Episode 21 — Industrial modernity, nationalism, and mass politics
How “peoplehood” replaces “Christendom” as the political imagination Purpose in the series This episode explains why modern politics increasingly treats…
Episode 22 — Empire, mandates, and borders in the modern Middle East
Why today’s Israel/Jordan map is late and colonial in formation 22.1 Purpose and thesis This episode explains why the present-day…
Episode 23 — Final synthesis: Kingdom vs Empire vs Modern State
A capstone theological–political integration with contemporary application 1. Purpose of the capstone Across this series we have traced one sustained…
Messianic Expectations in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism
Comparison of Messianic Expectations (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) 🟦 1. Identity of the Messiah Religion Who is the Messiah? Judaism A…
Historical Timeline of Jesus in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism
Historical Timeline: Development of Beliefs About Jesus 1️⃣ Before Jesus (1000 BC – 1 AD) Judaism Impact:Judaism enters the time…
Jesus in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism
🟦 1. Did Jesus ascend to Heaven? Religion Belief Christianity Yes. Jesus rose from the dead and ascended bodily into…
Christology In The Bible (by Books – OT)
OLD TESTAMENT (39 Books) (Christ foreshadowed, promised, prefigured, prophesied, symbolised) 1. Genesis — The Promised Seed & Creator-Word Jesus is…
Christology In The Bible (by Books – NT)
NEW TESTAMENT (27 Books) (Christ directly revealed) 40. Matthew — Jesus the Messiah-King Fulfilment of prophecy and the manifestation of…
Key Doctrines In The Bible (by Books – OT)
OLD TESTAMENT (39 Books) 1. Genesis — Creation & Fall Reveals God as Creator and explains humanity’s origin, dignity, and…
Key Doctrines In The Bible (by Books – NT)
NEW TESTAMENT (27 Books) 40. Matthew — Kingdom of God Jesus the King fulfils prophecy and establishes His kingdom. 41.…
Miracles In The Bible (by Books – OT)
OLD TESTAMENT (39 Books) 1. Genesis 2. Exodus 3. Leviticus 4. Numbers 5. Deuteronomy 6. Joshua 7. Judges 8. Ruth…
Miracles In The Bible (by Books – NT)
NEW TESTAMENT (27 Books) 40. Matthew 41. Mark 42. Luke 43. John 44. Acts Paul’s Epistles (45–57) (Mostly descriptions of…
Prayers In The Bible (by Books – OT)
OLD TESTAMENT (39 Books) 1. Genesis — Foundational Prayers of the Patriarchs Abraham intercedes for Sodom; Hagar cries to God;…
Prayers In The Bible (by Books – NT)
NEW TESTAMENT (27 Books) 40. Matthew — Jesus’ Prayer Teaching Lord’s Prayer; prayer in Gethsemane; thanksgiving prayers. 41. Mark —…
Life Applications In The Bible (by Books – OT)
OLD TESTAMENT (39 Books) 1. Genesis — Trust God’s Plan from the Beginning God is faithful even when humans fail;…
Life Applications In The Bible (by Books – NT)
NEW TESTAMENT (27 Books) 40. Matthew — Follow Jesus as King Live the Sermon on the Mount; seek the Kingdom…
Angels & Supernatural Beings In The Bible (by Books – OT)
OLD TESTAMENT (39 Books) 1. Genesis Cherubim guard Eden; the Angel of the LORD appears to Hagar and Abraham; angelic…
Angels & Supernatural Beings In The Bible (by Books – NT)
NEW TESTAMENT (27 Books) 40. Matthew Angels appear at Jesus’ birth, temptation, resurrection; demons cast out; Satan tempts Christ. 41.…
Significant People of the Bible (by Books – OT)
OLD TESTAMENT (39 Books) 1. Genesis 2. Exodus 3. Leviticus 4. Numbers 5. Deuteronomy 6. Joshua 7. Judges 8. Ruth…
Significant People of the Bible (by Books – NT)
NEW TESTAMENT (27 Books) 40–43. Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) All centred on: 44. Acts Paul’s Letters (45–57) Each book…
Christianity and Buddhism in Comparative Perspective (Contents)
Part 1. Origins and Foundational Visions Part 2. The Making of the Scriptures: The Bible and the Tripiṭaka Part 3.…
Part 1. Origins and Foundational Visions
1. Introduction Christianity and Buddhism rank among the most influential spiritual traditions in human history. Though both respond to the…
Part 2. The Making of the Scriptures: The Bible and the Tripiṭaka
1. Introduction Sacred scripture is the heart of both Christianity and Buddhism, serving as the enduring witness to each tradition’s…
Part 3. The Nature of Ultimate Reality
1. Introduction Every religious and philosophical system begins with a fundamental question: What is ultimately real?In Christianity, ultimate reality is…
Part 4. The Human Condition
1. Introduction Every religion begins with an implicit anthropology — an understanding of what it means to be human and…
Part 5. Suffering, Evil, and Moral Order
1. Introduction No question is more universal than the problem of suffering. Every culture asks: Why do we suffer, and…
Part 6. The Path to Liberation or Salvation
1. Introduction Having examined the origins of suffering and moral disorder, we now turn to the paths of transformation. Both…
Part 7. Ethics, Love, and Compassion
1. Introduction In both Christianity and Buddhism, ethical life represents the visible expression of spiritual truth. Belief or enlightenment, if…
Part 8. Prayer, Meditation, and Spiritual Practice
1. Introduction Every religion seeks not merely to explain the world but to transform the heart. Both Christianity and Buddhism…
Part 9. The Afterlife and the Nature of Eternity
1. Introduction Death has always stood as one of humanity’s greatest mysteries. Every religion seeks to explain what, if anything,…
Part 10. The Person of Christ and the Figure of the Buddha
1. Introduction Every religion is shaped by its founding personality. In Christianity and Buddhism, the life and teaching of the…
Part 11. Truth, Knowledge, and Enlightenment
1. Introduction Every religion offers not only a path to salvation or liberation but also a theory of knowledge —…
Part 12. Community, Worship, and the Path of Discipleship
1. Introduction Religion is not lived in isolation. Both Christianity and Buddhism affirm that spiritual growth unfolds within a community…
Part 13. Convergence, Dialogue, and the Search for Universal Wisdom
1. Introduction The encounter between Christianity and Buddhism represents one of the most profound dialogues in religious and philosophical history.…
Explaining Christianity to Buddhists (Contents)
Part 1: Understanding the Buddhist Mindset Part 2: The Language Barrier – From Revelation to Realisation Part 3: Speaking of…
Part 1: Understanding the Buddhist Mindset
Bridging the Light: Explaining Christianity to Buddhists with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction Before Christians can explain their faith to…
Part 2: The Language Barrier – From Revelation to Realisation
Bridging the Light: Explaining Christianity to Buddhists with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction When Christians speak about God, sin, faith,…
Part 3: Speaking of God – Explaining a Personal Creator to a Non-Theistic Listener
Bridging the Light: Explaining Christianity to Buddhists with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction For Christians, speaking about God is natural…
Part 4: Explaining the Soul and the Self
Bridging the Light: Explaining Christianity to Buddhists with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction Among all differences between Christianity and Buddhism,…
Part 5: Grace, Karma, and Moral Cause
Bridging the Light: Explaining Christianity to Buddhists with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction For Christians, the word grace (charis) lies…
Part 6: Sin and Suffering — The Christian Meaning of Deliverance
Bridging the Light: Explaining Christianity to Buddhists with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction Every religion wrestles with the same universal…
Part 7: Jesus Christ – Saviour, Teacher, and the Living Word
Bridging the Light: Explaining Christianity to Buddhists with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction For Christians, Jesus Christ is the centre…
Part 8: Faith and Practice — The Path of Transformation
Bridging the Light: Explaining Christianity to Buddhists with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction To a Buddhist, spiritual progress depends on…
Part 9: The Church and the Sangha — Community as Spiritual Support
Bridging the Light: Explaining Christianity to Buddhists with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction Both Christianity and Buddhism recognise that spiritual…
Part 10: Dialogue and Witness — Building Bridges without Barriers
Bridging the Light: Explaining Christianity to Buddhists with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction Interfaith dialogue is not about winning arguments…
Explaining Buddhism to Christians (Contents)
Part 1: Understanding the Buddhist Worldview Part 2: The Life of the Buddha – History and Meaning Part 3: The…
Part 1: Understanding the Buddhist Worldview
Explaining Buddhism to Christians with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction Before one can explain Buddhism to Christians, it is vital…
Part 2: The Life of the Buddha – History and Meaning
Explaining Buddhism to Christians with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction To understand Buddhism, one must begin with its founder: Siddhartha…
Part 3: The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path
Explaining Buddhism to Christians with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction At the heart of Buddhism lies a simple but profound…
Part 4: Karma, Rebirth, and the Law of Cause and Effect
Explaining Buddhism to Christians with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction Few Buddhist ideas are as famous — or as often…
Part 5: The Concept of No-Self (Anattā) and Impermanence
Explaining Buddhism to Christians with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction At the very core of Buddhist philosophy lies a teaching…
Part 6: Nirvāṇa — The Buddhist Goal of Liberation
Explaining Buddhism to Christians with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction At the heart of Buddhism lies a single ultimate goal…
Part 7: Meditation, Mindfulness, and Inner Discipline
Explaining Buddhism to Christians with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction If one word captures modern interest in Buddhism, it is…
Part 8: Compassion, Wisdom, and the Bodhisattva Ideal
Explaining Buddhism to Christians with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction Buddhism, often described as a philosophy of wisdom, is equally…
Part 9: Buddhism’s View of God, Creation, and Salvation
Explaining Buddhism to Christians with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction One of the most profound differences between Buddhism and Christianity…
Part 10: Dialogue and Witness — Building Bridges Without Barriers
Explaining Buddhism to Christians with Clarity and Compassion 1. Introduction This final part concludes the series by turning understanding into…
Understanding One God (Contents)
Part 1 – God the Father: Source, Creator and Eternal One Part 2 – The Son: The Word Made Flesh…
Part 1 – God the Father: Source, Creator and Eternal One
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”— Genesis 1:1 (NRSV) 1. Introduction Among the world’s faith traditions,…
Part 2 – The Son: The Word Made Flesh (Yahshua / Jesus Christ)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”— John 1:1 (NRSV)…
Part 3 – The Holy Spirit: The Living Breath of God
“And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”— Genesis 1:2 (NRSV) 1. Introduction The Holy…
Part 4 – The Trinity: One God in Three Persons
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son…
Part 5 – Worship and Praise: The Trinitarian Order
“For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”— Ephesians 2:18 (NRSV) 1 Introduction Christian worship…
Part 6 – Roles in Creation, Salvation, and Restoration
“From Him and through Him and to Him are all things.To Him be the glory for ever. Amen.”— Romans 11…
Part 7 – Analogies and Understanding: Sun, Light and Heat
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood…
Part 8 – The Language of the Spirit: Breath, Wind, Fire and Life
“The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it…
Part 9 – Common Misunderstandings about the Trinity
“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.”— 1 Corinthians 14 : 33 (KJV) 1 Introduction The…
Part 10 – Knowing God Personally: Living in Divine Fellowship
“Indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”— 1 John 1 : 3 (NRSV) 1…
From Eternity to Eternity (Contents)
Part 1 – Before Time Began: The Eternal God Part 2 – The Heavenly Order: Angels and the First Rebellion…
Part 1 – Before Time Began: The Eternal God
🔹 Introduction Before the world existed, before time or matter, God already was.No stars, no angels, no physical creation yet—only…
Part 2 – The Heavenly Order: Angels and the First Rebellion
🔹 Introduction After the eternal God willed creation to begin (Part 1), the first reality to appear was not physical…
Part 3 – The Creation of the Universe and the Earth
🔹 Introduction Following the establishment of the heavenly realm, the divine will moved outward again.The same Word that existed before…
Part 4 – The Corruption of Creation: The Entrance of Evil and the Fall of Humanity
🔹 Introduction The universe God made was “very good” (Genesis 1 : 31).Order, beauty, and peace defined both heaven and…
Part 5 – The Rise of Humanity: From Cain to Noah
🔹 Introduction After humanity’s expulsion from Eden, the world entered a new era — one shaped by both divine mercy…
Part 6 – The Covenant and the Nations: From Noah to Abraham
🔹 Introduction After the great flood, the earth was silent once more — cleansed but fragile.God had judged corruption yet…
Part 7 – The Promise and the Redemption: From Abraham to Christ
🔹 Introduction From the covenant with Abraham onward, God’s redemptive plan took visible shape in history.The promise first given in…
Part 8 – The Spirit and the Church: From Pentecost to the Apostolic Age
🔹 Introduction With Christ’s resurrection and ascension, redemption was accomplished — but God’s work within creation was not yet complete.The…
Part 9 – The Final Restoration: From the Last Days to the New Creation
🔹 Introduction History began with creation and will end with restoration.The Bible does not close with despair but with hope…
Asking for Faith (Contents)
Part 1 – The Father Who Cried, “Help My Unbelief” (Mark 9:14–29) Part 2 – The Apostles Who Prayed, “Lord,…
Part 1 – The Father Who Cried, “Help My Unbelief” (Mark 9:14–29)
1. Name & Context A desperate father brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus’ disciples, but they could not heal him.…