Tag Archives: debate

White Paper: The Politics of Time—Academic Dating Conventions, Religious Alienation, and Identity Commitments in Chronological Systems

Executive Summary This paper examines the widespread academic adoption of the terms “CE (Common Era)” and “BCE (Before Common Era)” in place of the traditional “AD (Anno Domini, ‘in the year of our Lord’)” and “BC (Before Christ)”. It analyzes … Continue reading

Posted in Christianity, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: The Contrast Between Documentary Hypotheses About the Bible and the Named Sources of the Bible

Executive Summary This paper explores the profound contrast between modern documentary hypotheses—theories that propose the Pentateuch (and other biblical books) are composed of multiple, anonymous editorial layers—and the explicitly named sources and authorial attributions found within Scripture itself. The study … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: A Typology of Issues That Threaten the Unity of Churches

Executive Summary Church unity has long been a central theme in Christian theology and ecclesiology, rooted in Christ’s prayer “that they may be one” (John 17:21). Yet, churches across history and denominations face recurring threats to their internal and external … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: The Unfortunate Anonymity of Little River Band—and the Struggle Over the Legitimacy of Its Identity

Executive summary Little River Band (LRB) had one of the strongest U.S. chart runs by any Australian act in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Yet in 2025, many casual listeners know the hits but cannot reliably connect them to … Continue reading

Posted in History, Music History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: The Typology of Inherited Trauma in the Successor Churches of the Worldwide Church of God

Executive Summary The breakup of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) following Herbert W. Armstrong’s death in 1986 represents one of the most profound institutional and psychological crises in modern religious history. The massive doctrinal, organizational, and emotional dislocations that … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

White Paper: Pacifism and the Law of the Thief: A Biblicist Contrast

Abstract This white paper examines the contrast between Christian pacifism and the biblical principle that “the thief has no blood” (Exodus 22:2), which permits lethal defense of life and property under certain circumstances. From a biblicist perspective—one seeking direct correspondence … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: The Dynamics and Policy Implications of Locked Religious Councils

Abstract This paper examines the practice—found across history and faith traditions—of religious councils being sequestered or “locked in” until a unanimous or majority consensus is reached on doctrinal or disciplinary matters. Such procedures, whether literal or symbolic, aim to ensure … Continue reading

Posted in Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: The Effects of History and the Seeming Marginality of Scotland on Relations Between Scotland and England

Executive Summary The relationship between Scotland and England is one of the most enduring and complex in Europe. From centuries of armed conflict to the eventual Treaty of Union in 1707, their shared history has shaped both nations’ identities, economies, … Continue reading

Posted in History, International Relations, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: The Application of Deuteronomy 12 to Māori and Other Indigenous Religious Traditions in Contemporary Western Societies

Introduction Deuteronomy 12 occupies a central place in the covenantal framework of Israel’s worship, emphasizing the exclusive centralization of sacrifice, the rejection of syncretism, and the demand to destroy rival cultic sites. Its principles reach beyond ancient Israel’s immediate context, … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: A Typology of Institutional Politics

Executive Summary Politics is often associated with statecraft and electoral contests, but its scope is far broader. Institutions—whether universities, corporations, religious organizations, military hierarchies, NGOs, or local communities—develop their own forms of politics. These modes of political practice shape decision-making, … Continue reading

Posted in Christianity, Church of God, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment