Dumb Idols - Spiritual Thoughts of Daniel J. Clausen

Symbolic Convergence: Christianity’s Fine-Tuned Architecture A Grand Unification Theory of Apologetics *This is a Chapter included in my new book "Pilgrimage to Shiloh," available soon. Introduction: A New Class of Evidence In previous chapters, we examined numerous logical, historically grounded, time-bound arguments for Christianity. I find that each of these on their own are quite compelling. However, there exists a profound apologetic argument that is rarely articulated but is felt intuitively by many. It is an argument that transcends the typical forensic “proofs” of Christianity. This one is not isolated evidence such as the empty tomb, manuscript reliability, or philosophical arguments for God’s existence. Instead, it is about the very architecture of Christian reality itself: the recognition that Christianity forms a symbolic ecosystem in which prophecy, typology, liturgy, history, ritual, cosmology, and theology converge on a single Person in time. The coherence ...

"And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' which is, being interpreted is, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' . . .  And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost." - Mark 15:34, 37 The last words of Christ dying on the cross are disturbing to many. They look and say, "See? Even Jesus despaired in that great hour," or "See? Even Jesus felt like God had abandoned Him."  No doubt, the travail of the crucifixion would be enough to break even the best of us, however, there is a more likely, and I daresay, a more encouraging understanding on these pained words.  First, some cultural context Back in first century Jewish culture, and even in some communities in the present day, it was the standard practice of all children to memorize Scripture, that is, the Old Testament. Scribes and scrolls were scarce in those days - not everyone had more books than they know...