Mountains of Scripture (7): Mount Zion

In our tour of biblical mountains, we have come to Mount Zion. You may have heard of Zionism, or the fabricated Protocols of the Elders of Zion. There are many mentions of Zion in classic hymns, such as, โ€œO Zion haste, thy mission high fulfilling,โ€ and, โ€œWeโ€™re marching to Zion.โ€ But today I want to …

Ten tips for a successful research project

Writing a long essay or research project can be daunting. Follow these ten steps to complete a successful project. Get well organised from the start (time, technology, information storage, study desk and chair, limited interruptions, surroundings conducive to study). The better organised you are, the easier it will be to efficiently complete your research project. …

Mountains of Scripture (5): Mount Gerizim

The modern Israeli town of Shechem, framed by Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. Thereโ€™s a famous story recorded in the Gospel of John, chapter four, where Jesus encounters a woman from Samaria drawing water from a well at lunchtime. He has a significant conversation with him resulting in her sudden awareness that he is Israelโ€™s …

Are there creeds in the New Testament?

One of more than 50,000 baptisms performed at Saddleback Valley Community Church, California, since its founding in 1980. The baptismal formula of Matthew 28:19 is seen by many as an early credal statement. As a child, I encountered Christianity in the context of various independent churches in Australia and Papua New Guinea. None of those …