More Vocab

The latest list of words.

prolegomena - plural of pro·le·gom·e·non n. (pl. -na ) a critical or discursive introduction to a book. <DERIVATIVES> pro·le·gom·e·nous adj. <ORIGIN> mid 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek, passive present participle (neuter) of prolegein 'say beforehand', from pro 'before' + legein 'say'.

ex·is·ten·tial adj. of or relating to existence. <SPECIAL USAGE> - [PHILOSOPHY] concerned with existence, esp. human existence as viewed in the theories of existentialism. - [LOGIC] (of a proposition) affirming or implying the existence of a thing. <DERIVATIVES> ex·is·ten·tial·ly adv. <ORIGIN> late 17th cent.: from late Latin existentialis, from existentia (see EXISTENCE).

pau·ci·ty n. [in sing.] the presence of something only in small or insufficient quantities or amounts; scarcity: a paucity of information. <ORIGIN> late Middle English: from Old French paucite or Latin paucitas, from paucus 'few'.

in·im·i·cal adj. tending to obstruct or harm: actions inimical to our interests. <SPECIAL USAGE> unfriendly; hostile: an inimical alien power. See note at HOSTILE. <DERIVATIVES> in·im·i·cal·ly adv. <ORIGIN> early 16th cent.: from late Latin inimicalis, from Latin inimicus (see ENEMY).


a·pa·gog·i·cal - Proving indirectly, by showing the absurdity, or impossibility of the contrary.

er·is·tic FORMAL adj. of or characterized by debate or argument. <SPECIAL USAGE> (of an argument or arguer) aiming at winning rather than at reaching the truth. ■ n. a person given to debate or argument. <SPECIAL USAGE> the art or practice or debate or argument. <DERIVATIVES> er·is·ti·cal·ly adv.

 im·pe·ri·ous adj. assuming power or authority without justification; arrogant and domineering: his imperious demands. <DERIVATIVES> im·pe·ri·ous·ly adv. im·pe·ri·ous·ness n. <ORIGIN> mid 16th cent.: from Latin imperiosus, from imperium 'command, authority, empire'; related to imperare 'to command'. Compare with IMPERIAL.

Vocabulary Knowledge

I have started reading an overview of Karl Barth's, Church Dogmatics.  In the first 30 pages I have used the dictionary more times than I have in the past five years.

I decided that every time I look up a word I will record it along with it's definition for further review.  All definitions are (c)  (2010-04-01). The New Oxford American Dictionary (Kindle Locations 281790-281797). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

e·thos n. the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations: a challenge to the ethos of the 1960s. <ORIGIN> mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin, from Greek 'nature, disposition', (plural) 'customs'.


ex·e·ge·sis n. (pl. -ses ) critical explanation or interpretation of a text, esp. of scripture: the task of biblical exegesis | an exegesis of Marx. <DERIVATIVES> ex·e·get·ic adj. ex·e·get·i·cal adj. <ORIGIN> early 17th cent.: from Greek , from 'interpret', from ex- 'out of' + 'to guide, lead'.


ex·po·si·tion n. 1 a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory: an exposition and defense of Marx's writings.
<ORIGIN> Middle English: from Latin expositio(n-), from the verb exponere 'put out, exhibit, explain'.


pa·thos n. a quality that evokes pity or sadness: the actor injects his customary humor and pathos into the role. <ORIGIN> mid 17th cent.: from Greek pathos 'suffering'; related to paskhein 'suffer' and penthos 'grief'.


ap·po·site adj. apt in the circumstances or in relation to something: an apposite quotation; the observations are apposite to the discussion. <DERIVATIVES> ap·po·site·ly adv. ap·po·site·ness n. <ORIGIN> late 16th cent.: from Latin appositus, past participle of apponere 'apply', from ad- 'toward' + ponere 'put'.


on·tol·o·gy n. the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being. <DERIVATIVES> on·to·log·i·cal adj. on·to·log·i·cal·ly adv. on·tol·o·gist n. <ORIGIN> early 18th cent.: from modern Latin ontologia, from Greek , ont- 'being' + -LOGY.


po·lem·i·cal adj. of, relating to, or involving strongly critical, controversial, or disputatious writing or speech: a polemical essay. <DERIVATIVES> po·lem·i·cal·ly adv.


ex·is·ten·tial·ism n. a philosophical theory or approach that emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will. Generally taken to originate with Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, existentialism tends to be atheistic (although there is a strand of Christian existentialism deriving from the work of Kierkegaard), to disparage scientific knowledge, and to deny the existence of objective values, stressing instead the reality and significance of human freedom and experience. The approach was developed chiefly in 20th-century Europe, notably by Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, and Simone de Beauvoir. <DERIVATIVES> ex·is·ten·tial·ist n. & adj. <ORIGIN> translating Danish existents-forhold 'condition of existence' (frequently used by Kierkegaard),

fi·de·ism n. the doctrine that knowledge depends on faith or revelation. <DERIVATIVES> fi·de·ist n. fi·de·is·tic adj. <ORIGIN> late 19th cent.: from Latin fides 'faith' + -ISM.

ep·i·gone n. (pl. ep·i·gones or e·pig·o·ni ) a less distinguished follower or imitator of someone, esp. an artist or philosopher: the epigone's habit of exaggerating his master's voice.


analogia entis - The belief that there exists an analogy or correspondence between the creation and God that makes theological conversation about God possible. While many would say that finite beings with finite language cannot describe an infinite God, theologians of the medieval era discussed this problem, seeking to resolve it by developing a theory which allotted the communication of words into three separate categories. Some words are univocal (always used with the same sense), some were equivocal (used with very different senses), and some were analogical (used with related senses). It is this third sense that the analogia entis finds meaning. While finite man cannot describe an infinite God perfectly (univocally), he can do so truly, as God has created man in his image and hence, has provided an analogical way of communicating himself. To deny the analogia entis is thought by some to be a self-defeating proposition since it would present the situation where an all-powerful God is not powerful enough to communicate himself to his creation.

ax·i·om n. a statement or proposition that is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true: the axiom that supply equals demand.

God's Jigsaw Puzzle

          By Danny Darden

         Originally published: August 1st, 2012, EMBC Good News, Newsletter

Recently, a friend asked what advice I could give in seeking God's will for her life.  I advised that she should seek God by studying the message He left for us, through His word, so that she could prepare her heart for His calling.  I explained that often we can be our largest stumbling block.  Upon speaking this, I immediately visualized sitting with my Grandmother as a child working a jigsaw puzzle.  Thus begins our analogy.

I envision God's plan for Creation as a massive jigsaw puzzle.  Every part of creation that has ever existed or will ever exist is represented in the pieces of the puzzle.  I think back to helping my Grandmother with jigsaw puzzles as a child and remember always being very excited to find the place for the piece I had in my hand.  I was holding it tightly, keeping it to myself, searching for its place.  Grandma slowly arranged all the pieces, proceeding methodically, quietly and quickly, while seeing the puzzle as a whole.  As a child, I am focused on the five or so pieces I can fit in my hand.  I search and search for the special place for that piece to fit in, in my child-like selfish way.  It isn't until I lay that piece down that Grandma can actually put it in the puzzle.  She's not going to force it from me, there are plenty of other pieces to work on.  God does the same thing with us.  He wants to help us fit our pieces, to complete our parts of the puzzle, but he isn't going to force us to put our pieces down.  We have to surrender them voluntarily.  Only then can he fit them in their place.

But what happens once that prize edge piece is set?  Excitedly like a child we see our piece go down in place and are ready, so ready, for the rest of the pieces to fall in quickly.  If you've ever done a puzzle you know that the inside is the longest process.  That's the part where we wait on the Lord.  We have to wait on God to complete the inside.  Only in His time is the puzzle of our lives complete, and that part is dependent upon many other people.  God is putting their puzzles together as well.  If we listen, He may even guide our hand to the right spots and let us help.  Helping with the puzzle requires patience, and submitting to His will.

My friend then asked, "What if those pieces we are holding onto are so broken, that you can't see where they go anymore?"  Good question.  My answer?  "Who are we to say? We can't even see the picture on the box, so how do you know the piece is really mangled?"  Now this is the really cool part: The puzzle isn't 2D, flat like a regular puzzle.  It's 5D.  A 5D puzzle?  If the puzzle is all of creation (3D), it includes time (4D), and it includes God (5D+).  God exists outside of time, so we have a 5D jigsaw puzzle.  There is no way a human being could begin to see or even interpret the picture on the box of a 5D puzzle.This is our dilemma, and why we must give up our pieces and let God place them where they belong.

Even though we can't see the picture on the puzzle box, what we do have is a nice little pamphlet that was included.  It's the Word of God.  One of the most recurring themes in the Bible is that we should, in every instance, place our trust in Him.  Only He can see how the puzzle pieces of Creation fit together to achieve Redemption for man and achieve His Glory.  Trust the hands of Our Father to build the jigsaw puzzle of your life.

Tyndale giving away NLT

It looks like Tyndale publishers are at it again!  They are giving away copies of the NLT Life Application Study Bible for Christmas.  The first 100 people that post entries about the contest will be given this great translation of the Bible and entered into several contests for a Tyndale NLT Life Application Study Bible pack which includes all the versions of the NLT Life Application Study Bible and one entrant will win an Apple iPad.

Check it out here.....

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFJ2ZjFab0NRaE5YcjhpcjN3OHk2b3c6MQ#gid=0

I have several friends who are familiar with the Life Application Study Bible and use it everyday and they love it!  Check out this great resource!

Science vs. God

I received this from a friend, and it was too good not to share.

'Let me explain the problem science has with religion.'The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.
'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'
'Yes sir', the student says.
'So you believe in God?'
'Absolutely.'
'Is God good?'
'Sure! God's good.'
'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'
'Yes'
'Are you good or evil?'
'The Bible says I'm evil.'
The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible!' He considers for a moment.  'Here's one for you.  Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him.  You can do it.  Would you help him?

Halfway Review: The Fight of Our Lives

My review at the midpoint of "The Fight of Our Lives" is not exactly promising at this point.  Granted it's a short book, I've put about two hours into it so far and am halfway through.  I'm a pretty slow reader, preferring to listen to myself read in my own voice, in my head.

The title of the book and blurb gave this tome a sort of "William F. Buckley, Jr." feel to it.  I was hoping to get a large dose of conservative facts and information that would for the most part, make me a more informed information consumer.  However, Bennet & Leibsohn seem to be spending more time on the liberal response to the Middle East situation and Islam in America than they are spending on their own position.  If I want to see what liberal America thinks about any of the Middle East questions, all I have to do is turn on the television.

The Lines Are Always Open

Our Father answers prayer.  The phone lines are always open.  Its pretty plain and simple.  However Heaven doesn't have a direct dial phone system.  Jesus has to connect the call.

Matthew 21:18-22 says

Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry.

Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.