Abbreviations |
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xiii | |
A Note on Transliterations |
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xv | |
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1 | (12) |
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1 | (1) |
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What is a canon and why is it important? |
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2 | (1) |
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What is the Bible in Judaism? |
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3 | (2) |
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5 | (1) |
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What are the Pseudepigrapha? |
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6 | (1) |
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What is the Bible in Christianity? |
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7 | (1) |
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What is the New Testament? |
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8 | (4) |
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Why is the Protestant Old Testament different from that of Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians? |
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12 | (1) |
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2 Languages, Texts, and Translations |
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13 | (15) |
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What languages was the Bible written In? |
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13 | (1) |
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How many translations of the Bible are there? |
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14 | (1) |
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What are the oldest translations of the Bible? |
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15 | (1) |
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16 | (1) |
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What is a literal translation? |
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16 | (2) |
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What is dynamic equivalence? |
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18 | (1) |
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What is textual criticism? |
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18 | (4) |
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What are some important English translations of the Bible? |
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22 | (2) |
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Should translations of the Bible use inclusive language? |
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24 | (1) |
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Why is translation so difficult? |
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25 | (3) |
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3 The Contents of the Bible |
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28 | (18) |
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What are the books of the Bible? |
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28 | (1) |
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How were the books of the Bible named? |
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29 | (1) |
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30 | (1) |
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What are the principal genres in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament? |
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30 | (1) |
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Which books of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament are narrative history? |
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31 | (1) |
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Which books of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament are historical fiction? |
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32 | (2) |
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Does the Bible contain myths? |
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34 | (1) |
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Where are laws found in the Bible? |
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34 | (1) |
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Where are hymns and prayers found in the Bible? |
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35 | (1) |
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What is wisdom literature? |
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36 | (1) |
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36 | (2) |
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What is prophetic literature? |
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38 | (1) |
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What is apocalyptic literature? |
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39 | (1) |
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What are the principal genres in the New Testament? |
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40 | (1) |
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40 | (2) |
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What is the genre of Acts of Apostles? |
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42 | (1) |
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What are the "letters" in the New Testament? |
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42 | (2) |
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What is the book of Revelation? |
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44 | (2) |
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46 | (14) |
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46 | (1) |
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Why does it matter who wrote the books of the Bible? |
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46 | (1) |
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How did the belief that Moses was the author of the Torah originate? |
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47 | (1) |
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Did David write the psalms and other poems attributed to him? |
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48 | (2) |
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Did Solomon write all the books attributed to him? |
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50 | (2) |
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Did the prophets write the books named after them? |
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52 | (1) |
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Who wrote the books of the Apocrypha? |
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53 | (1) |
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Who wrote the books of the New Testament? |
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53 | (2) |
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When was the Bible written? |
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55 | (5) |
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5 The Contexts of the Bible |
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60 | (25) |
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Why is it important to study the contexts in which the biblical writers lived? |
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60 | (1) |
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What is the Fertile Crescent? |
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60 | (2) |
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62 | (1) |
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What is the topography of Israel? |
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62 | (3) |
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How does historical geography help us understand the Bible? |
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65 | (1) |
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Are all the places mentioned in the Bible real places? |
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66 | (1) |
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What is the history of the ancient Near East? |
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66 | (5) |
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Which major biblical characters are mentioned in contemporaneous nonbiblical sources? |
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71 | (1) |
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How were the writers of the Hebrew Bible influenced by texts from other cultures? |
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72 | (2) |
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How were the writers of the Apocrypha influenced by texts from other cultures? |
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74 | (1) |
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How were the writers of the New Testament influenced by texts from other cultures? |
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75 | (1) |
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How does archaeology enhance our understanding of the Bible? |
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76 | (6) |
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Does archaeology prove the Bible? |
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82 | (3) |
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6 Interpretive Strategies |
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85 | (20) |
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What are interpretive strategies? |
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85 | (1) |
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85 | (1) |
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What is source criticism? |
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86 | (1) |
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How does source criticism work in the Torah/Pentateuch? |
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86 | (2) |
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Is source criticism used in studying other parts of the Hebrew Bible? |
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88 | (1) |
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How does source criticism work in the Gospels? |
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89 | (2) |
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91 | (2) |
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What is the Gospel of Thomas and why is it important? |
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93 | (1) |
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How does the Gospel of John differ from the Synoptic Gospels, and why? |
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94 | (2) |
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96 | (1) |
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What are infancy narratives and how can they be interpreted? |
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96 | (2) |
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What are the passion narratives and how can they be interpreted? |
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98 | (2) |
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What is tradition criticism? |
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100 | (1) |
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What is redaction criticism? |
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100 | (2) |
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What is the Deuteronomistic History? |
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102 | (1) |
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What is canonical criticism? |
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103 | (1) |
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What are cultural and ideological criticisms? |
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104 | (1) |
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What other methods do scholars use in interpreting the Bible? |
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104 | (1) |
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105 | (16) |
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What is reception history? |
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105 | (1) |
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What is the reception history of the book of Job? |
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106 | (1) |
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How have people tried to edit the Bible? |
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107 | (2) |
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How has the Bible been used in liturgical services? |
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109 | (2) |
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Which Jewish holy days are based on the Bible? |
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111 | (2) |
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Which Christian holy days are based on the Bible? |
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113 | (1) |
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How is Sabbath observance based on the Bible? |
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113 | (1) |
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What rituals are based on the Bible? |
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114 | (1) |
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What later religious movements are based on the Bible? |
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115 | (1) |
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How has the Bible been used in politics? |
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115 | (3) |
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How has the Bible influenced jurisprudence? |
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118 | (1) |
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Why do people swear on the Bible? |
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118 | (1) |
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How else has the Bible been used in ordinary life? |
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118 | (1) |
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How has the Bible influenced scientific understanding? |
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119 | (1) |
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How has the Bible influenced the practice of medicine? |
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119 | (2) |
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121 | (19) |
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What do I mean by "biblical concepts"? |
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121 | (1) |
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121 | (1) |
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What other names and titles does Yahweh have? |
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122 | (1) |
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How did monotheism develop? |
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122 | (2) |
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What did early Christians mean when they called Jesus "son of God"? |
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124 | (3) |
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What does "son of man" mean? |
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127 | (1) |
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127 | (1) |
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When will the Messiah come? |
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128 | (1) |
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What significance does the title "son of David" have? |
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129 | (1) |
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What is a covenant, and which are the most important covenants? |
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129 | (2) |
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What is the "new covenant"? |
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131 | (1) |
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132 | (1) |
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132 | (2) |
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What were biblical writers' views about life after death? |
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134 | (2) |
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What did early Christians believe about Jesus's resurrection? |
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136 | (1) |
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Does the Bible have a central theme? |
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137 | (3) |
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140 | (19) |
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What are the Bible's highest values? |
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140 | (1) |
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141 | (1) |
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How else can one show love for one's neighbor? |
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142 | (2) |
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Is the command to love one's neighbor consistently observed in the Bible? |
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144 | (1) |
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What does the Bible say about same-sex relationships? |
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144 | (3) |
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What about the sin of Sodom? |
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147 | (1) |
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What does the Bible say about transgender persons? |
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148 | (1) |
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What was the status of women In ancient Israel? |
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149 | (2) |
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What does the New Testament say about the status of women? |
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151 | (1) |
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What are the biblical writers' views about marriage and divorce? |
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152 | (1) |
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What does the Bible say about abortion? |
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153 | (1) |
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What does the Bible say about slavery? |
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153 | (1) |
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What does the Bible say about capital punishment? |
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154 | (1) |
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Is the New Testament anti-Semitic? |
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154 | (1) |
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Can only believers fully understand the Bible? |
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155 | (1) |
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Does the Bible still have authority? |
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156 | (3) |
Notes |
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159 | (18) |
Further Reading |
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177 | (6) |
Online Resources |
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183 | (2) |
Index |
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185 | |