Questions tagged [origin]
Questions about the origins of beliefs, concepts, and terminology
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Where does the concept of a "God-shaped hole" originate?
There's a concept that I heard used many times throughout my life in regards to idolatry. The idea is that inside each of us is a "God-shaped hole"--a place inside of our hearts that only God can ...
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Is Xmas a secular name for Christmas?
I heard that Xmas is a secular way of "taking Christ out of Christmas". When and why did this practice originate? Is there any truth to the claim that it has a secular or "un-Christian" origin?
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What is the history of the concept of a "personal relationship with Jesus"?
It is common these days to hear questions like:
Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?
Or...
The most important thing is your personal relationship with Jesus.
The Bible never uses ...
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From where does the doctrine that there is no time in heaven originate?
I'm quite familiar with the fact that God himself is outside of time, this is very easy to show through scripture.
However it seems to be an increasingly popular conception that there is no time in ...
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What is the meaning and origin of bridal veils in Christian weddings?
Does the practice of brides wearing veils have its origin in either the Bible or Christian tradition? If so, where exactly did it originate and what is it supposed to symbolize?
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What is the origin of the moral-civil-ceremonial distinction of the Old Testament law?
This distinction is often called tripartite division of the law.
I ran across this series of blog posts, which considers the division of the law into "moral", "civil", and "ceremonial" parts:
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Swear to tell the truth 'so help me God'?
I know that in court if you don't believe in God you are allowed to simply give an "Affirmation" instead of an Oath. But what I want to know is why any Christian would swear an Oath to tell the truth "...
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What is the origin of holding hands when praying around a circle before a meal?
My impression is that, among many Christians, people around a table saying a prayer thanking Jesus for a meal hold hands with one another. What is the origin of this practice, and are there any ...
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When in the development of trinitarian doctrine was the word "persons" first applied to God?
In the Bible, the word "persons" is not used in reference to God, nor are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit called "persons."
When, in early Christian writings and creeds, was the word "persons" (...
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How old is old earth creationism?
The answers to What is the biblical evidence for an old Earth? say that biblical arguments for old Earth creationism are based on the ambiguous words used for describing lengths of time in Genesis.
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Why is the number 666 considered evil?
People always make jokes about the number 666 and how it's evil and such. What is the basis of this?
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What is the origin of the idea that Michael is Jesus?
I recently came across the idea of identifying the angel Michael as Jesus. I'm surprised I hadn't heard it before. Wikipedia documents it as common to Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses. I'...
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How old is the idea of premillenial rapture?
Wikipedia claims that the doctrine of rapture was first formed in the 17th century:
The concept of the Rapture, in connection with premillennialism, was expressed by the 17th-century American ...
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Where did the idiom "asking Jesus into your heart" come from?
Where did the idea of "asking Jesus into your heart" come from? That figure of speech is not explicitly from the bible or probably even early church history. Can anyone find its first use and maybe ...
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What is the origin of the idea that Matthew, Mark, and Luke didn't mention Lazarus in order to protect him?
As discussed in another question, on why Matthew, Mark, and Luke didn't mention the raising of Lazarus, this miracle is only related in John 11 – the Synoptics, though they presumably knew about it, ...
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