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Showing posts from February, 2021

Prosperity Gospel Problems

Prosperity Gospel Defined The prosperity gospel is "An aberrant theology that teaches God rewards faith—and hefty tithing—with financial blessing" (Christianity Today).   It claims that God rewards increases in faith with increases in health and/or wealth and states that the atonement of Christ includes not just removing of sin, but also removal of low finances and illness (Carter, J., 2017, May 3).   Example Passages Taught by Prosperity Preachers in Context with Scripture Spiritual Blessings, Not Physical The prosperity gospel is one where certain bible verses are taken out of context.   For example, a prosperity gospel preacher may refer to a passage in Exodus that says, “You shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you.   None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days” (Exodus 23:25-26 ESV).   In this instance, if God's laws are obeyed, the people are ens

Social Justice, Great Commission, Several of Jesus' Teachings

Social Justice Social justice is "a political and philosophical theory which asserts that there are dimensions to the concept of justice beyond those embodied in the principles of civil or criminal law, economic supply and demand, or traditional moral frameworks" (Investopedia, 2020, October 26).  In modern terms, it revolves around favoring or punishing groups of a population regardless of individual choices.  For economics, this involves "redistribution of wealth, income, and economic opportunities from groups whom social justice advocates consider to be oppressors to those whom they consider to be the oppressed" (Investopedia).  It is often associated with socialism and revolutionary communism.  Socialism is an economic and political system based on public (collective) ownership of the means of production.  "In a purely socialist system, all legal production and distribution decisions are made by the government, and individuals rely on the state for everythi