Unitarian Christian AllianceIn his 2022 UCA Conference presentation, Dr. Dustin Smith, looks at the plural of majesty in the Hebrew bible, assessing the extent of its use and the implications for monotheism.
He explores how the biblical authors employed the plural of majesty to describe Israel’s God with various parts of speech: nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
He also examines how characteristics, qualities, and locations associated with Israel’s God sometimes have plural forms with clear singular meanings. Additionally, he demonstrates how the biblical authors portrayed human beings with the plural of majesty. His study then gives attention to passages associated with royalty and kingship that exhibit characteristics of the plural of majesty. Finally, he observes how large primordial animals have plural forms with singular meanings.
He shows how the existence of plural forms to refer to Yahweh is not evidence of a plurality of persons within the one God, supposedly hinted at all along by the biblical authors.
As the concept suggests, Israel’s God is majestically plural, intensive in scope, and honorific in value. In other words, the use of plural forms to portray the person of Yahweh reflects his heightened status, his incomparable value, and his unrivaled worth.
The biblical authors also felt comfortable depicting high-ranking human beings with recognizable plural of majesty terms also used for Yahweh (i.e., elohim, adonim). This attribution results in human beings bearing authorized titles and functioning as qualified agents of the one true God without threatening unitary monotheism.
This study stands on the shoulders of some of the best Hebrew Bible scholarship available in the modern era. Notably, these scholars are not finding evidence for a numerical plurality within the God of the Hebrew Bible. Instead, these specialists observe the repeated appearance of the plural of majesty to refer to the one true God.
Dustin Smith - The Plural of MajestyUnitarian Christian Alliance2023-02-18 | In his 2022 UCA Conference presentation, Dr. Dustin Smith, looks at the plural of majesty in the Hebrew bible, assessing the extent of its use and the implications for monotheism.
He explores how the biblical authors employed the plural of majesty to describe Israel’s God with various parts of speech: nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
He also examines how characteristics, qualities, and locations associated with Israel’s God sometimes have plural forms with clear singular meanings. Additionally, he demonstrates how the biblical authors portrayed human beings with the plural of majesty. His study then gives attention to passages associated with royalty and kingship that exhibit characteristics of the plural of majesty. Finally, he observes how large primordial animals have plural forms with singular meanings.
He shows how the existence of plural forms to refer to Yahweh is not evidence of a plurality of persons within the one God, supposedly hinted at all along by the biblical authors.
As the concept suggests, Israel’s God is majestically plural, intensive in scope, and honorific in value. In other words, the use of plural forms to portray the person of Yahweh reflects his heightened status, his incomparable value, and his unrivaled worth.
The biblical authors also felt comfortable depicting high-ranking human beings with recognizable plural of majesty terms also used for Yahweh (i.e., elohim, adonim). This attribution results in human beings bearing authorized titles and functioning as qualified agents of the one true God without threatening unitary monotheism.
This study stands on the shoulders of some of the best Hebrew Bible scholarship available in the modern era. Notably, these scholars are not finding evidence for a numerical plurality within the God of the Hebrew Bible. Instead, these specialists observe the repeated appearance of the plural of majesty to refer to the one true God.Rohan Holt - Why Biblical Unitarianism MattersUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-10-11 | In this presentation at the 2024 UCA UK International Conference, Rohan Holt argues that Biblical Unitarianism is an important corrective that refocuses our evangelism on the true gospel message. By unburdening our evangelistic efforts of the problems of trinity and incarnation, we can better reach those in the mission field and better disciple ourselves to Jesus.
From his paper: "Biblical Unitarianism requires a sober reassessment of our boundary markers—who is, and who is not, a friend to God. The need for this reassessment should be evident to any Christian who has witnessed anyone coming to Christ without having ever heard of the Trinity, simply through being made conscious of their sin and of their need for God’s forgiveness through what Jesus did on the cross. Since earliest times, people have come to follow Jesus without the doctrines of the Trinity and the eternal deity of Christ, so any insistence that these doctrines must be held is similar to the Pharisaical “fence around the Torah,” or the demands of the Judaizers which Paul argued nullified the gospel. It is of critical importance for evangelism and missions that we filter out these non-essential traditions, rooted in our own cultural background and religious tradition, and return to preaching nothing but “Jesus Christ and him crucified.”"Dustin Smith - The Jewish Principle of Agency in the Gospel of JohnUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-10-04 | In this paper presentation at the 2024 UCA UK International Conference, Dr. Dustin Smith defines the Principle of Agency in its Jewish context, and develops this key concept in order to interpret the relationship between God and Jesus Christ within the Gospel of John.
He demonstrates that relationship is one of principal and agent, fitting all six tenants of the Jewish principal of agency. And he calls on us to act as agents of Jesus who sends us, just as God sent Jesus.Thomas Gaston - Dynamic Monarchianism: The Earliest ChristologyUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-09-28 | In this presentation from the 2024 UCA UK International Conference, Thomas Gaston argues that ancient Dynamic Monarchians held that Jesus was a miraculously conceived man who, after his resurrection, ascended to heaven and to divine authority, as opposed to being an eternal divine Person who became human. Far from being a phenomenon that appeared only in isolated cases in the third century, Dynamic Monarchianism was a tradition that existed from the earliest days of Christianity and was part of the Christian mainstream until the emergence of newer Christologies led to it being regarded as heretical.
Thomas Gaston holds a Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Oxford, a Masters in the History of Christianity from the University of Birmingham, and a degree in Philosophy from the University of Warwick. He specializes in historical Christology, early Christianity, and biblical interpretation. He is also the author of Historical Issues in the Book of Daniel (Paternoster, 2016) and many articles on Christian theology and history which have appeared in academic journals. Gaston is a member of the Society of Christian Philosophers and is a senior manager at Wiley. He lives in the United Kingdom.Andrew Perriman - Philippians 2 - In the form of a god: the making of a religious anti-heroUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-09-20 | In this presentation from the 2024 UCA UK Conference, Andrew Perriman explicates the famous passage of Philippians 2:6-11, with a focus on bringing out the big picture narrative and clarifying four exegetical puzzles.
He argues the passage isn't about movement between two realms, earth and heaven, but rather shifts in the public estimation of Jesus.Dan Weatherall - It wasnt God on the cross (2024 UCA UK Conference)Unitarian Christian Alliance2024-09-13 | In this presentation from the 2024 UCA UK International Conference, Dan Weatherall of the BibleFeed Podcast challenges Christians to examine their Bibles and ask the question "who was on the cross, Jesus or God?".
He argues the biblical evidence is exactly what we would expect if Jesus was the one who died on the cross, and that the same evidence would be highly surprising if it was God who died on the cross.Jerry Wierwille - One God, One Lord - 1 Cor 8.6: Christianized Shema or Soteriological AcclamationUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-09-06 | In this presentation from the 2024 UCA UK International Conference, Dr. Jerry Wierwille investigates whether Paul in 1 Corinthians 8:6 is reformulating the Shema, and whether he has soteriology or cosmology in view.Dale Tuggy - The Fall of the TrinityUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-09-05 | ...Dale Tuggy - Christian theologies in the year 240Unitarian Christian Alliance2024-08-14 | In his paper presentation at the 2024 UCA UK International Conference, Dr. Dale Tuggy shares the state of Christian theology circa 240ad, and the implications for unitarian and trinitarian competing narratives for which is authentic apostolic teaching.Fred Sanders on the revelation of the Trinity in ScriptureUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-05-15 | ...Richard Swinburne on justification for Trinity beliefUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-05-04 | Renowned Oxford analytic theologian Richard Swinburne, here in a lecture on the trinity, makes some astonishing admissions.
• 00:01:03 - Two YouTube Commenters • 00:03:29 - Religious Authority, Damage • 00:04:51 - Interview • 00:07:31 - Being A Child In The Way • 00:09:51 - Interpreted Most Accuracy • 00:11:10 - The Sermon On The Mount? • 00:12:15 - Don’t Confess Negatives Out Loud • 00:16:38 - It Was Different At Home • 00:19:42 - You Bear The Blame • 00:22:31 - The Light Cracks In Through Friends • 00:26:18 - The Realization That There Are Others • 00:31:55 - Factors From Headquarters • 00:36:15 - The Final Straw • 00:38:51 - Seeing What Else Is Out There • 00:41:21 - The Shocking Approach To Scripture • 00:44:13 - The Tears • 00:47:03 - Walking The Loop • 00:49:13 - How Does The "Lock" Happen? • 00:53:23 - Fruit Of The Doctrine • 00:56:26 - To Live in Community • 00:57:47 - Events • 00:58:36 - Matt From Australia • 01:00:14 - Email Me
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1. No NT author ever collected the Trinitarian propositions together as a basis for any teaching. 2. No Bible author teaches us about a being that has three persons. 3. The contradictions that are self-evident from the Trinity are unnoticed and not addressed by any NT author. 4. No Biblical author teaches a dual nature theory or uses it to explain these contradictions 5. No New Testament author ever resorted to “mystery” to defend their complex and difficult explanation of God and his Christ. 6. No New Testament author ever made belief in the Trinity a requirement for being a follower of Christ.
EPISODE INDEX
• 00:00:38 - Not What a Trinitarian Expects? • 00:04:35 - Cults • 00:07:09 - The Comic Of Christian Branches • 00:09:48 - A Reflection On Human Traits • 00:11:45 - Fist Pumping • 00:14:16 - Truth Is Formidable • 00:17:20 - Our Prepensity To Certainty • 00:18:14 - He Had To Be God • 00:23:09 - Animal Brain • 00:25:52 - But Cults Have Bibles, Right? • 00:26:59 - The Magic Of The Cult • 00:28:45 - New Heresy: Bi-personalism • 00:34:44 - This Is The Way • 00:35:30 - Trinitarian Hermeneutical Legacy • 00:39:19 - The Challenge • 00:40:57 - The Six Facts • 00:46:05 - Peace Vs. Doubts • 00:47:17 - Events • 00:48:40 - Workshops • 00:49:14 - Articulate Apologetics • 00:50:31 - Disclaimer / Fine Print
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Podcast twitter @UCApodcast (https://t...The Bible Project - Reading the Bible with trinitarian colored glassesUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-04-12 | In this clip from The Bible Project, Tim Mackie and Jon Collins try to explain how God is one, and also three. Is that what the Bible actually teaches, or are they reading it through a filter, a pair of "trinitarian colored glasses"?
unitarianchristianalliance.org/registration-open-join-us-in-little-rock-and-or-windsorJames White, the Trinity, and historyUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-04-04 | James White and other trinitarian apologists argue that the New Testament authors were trinitarian, and only the language used to describe the belief changed over time. But an examination of the history shows the belief's themselves changed between the time of Jesus and the 4th century church councils.
Link for the full video that was referenced here: youtu.be/xJp_jfT7vEI?si=YVdJ44zg_y4DsQuRWilliam Lane Craig vs Jesus as a babyUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-04-03 | Two natures christology will always tend towards docetism, as the one divine person with a divine nature overrides the human nature. Here William Lane Craig warns against docestism, but his neo-apollinarianism doesn't succeed.
Matthew 24:36 ESV “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
Mark 13:32 ESV “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.James White on exegesis vs eisegesisUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-03-28 | UCA Board Member Brandon Duke, having a little fun with some comments by James White during the White/Tuggy debate on "Is Jesus YHWH?".
On the substance, debate watchers should take note of the clear and many passages Dr. Dale Tuggy built his case on, in contrast to the few and unclear passages Dr. James White built his case on.
For the terms exegesis and eisegesis: "In biblical exegesis, the opposite of exegesis (to draw out) is eisegesis (to draw in), in the sense of an eisegetic commentator "importing" or "drawing in" their own subjective interpretations into the text, unsupported by the text itself. Eisegesis is often used as a derogatory term." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exegesis
gotquestions.org/exegesis-eisegesis.html82. Experiencing the Tuggy/White Debate, Street Interviews, and Post-debate RoundtableUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-03-20 | Experience the James White / Dale Tuggy debate ("Is Jesus YHWH?") first hand, with "man on the street" interviews and a next-day roundtable discussion.
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Podcast Webpage: podcast.unitarianchristianalliance.orgDebate Analysis - White/Tuggy Debate - by William BarlowUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-03-18 | Pastor William Barlow of Compass Christian Church analyzes the debate between Dr. Dale Tuggy and Dr. James White. The debate topic was: "Is Jesus YHWH?"
00:00 Introduction 01:41 James White Opening Remarks 26:50 Dale Tuggy Opening Remarks 51:57 James White Rebuttal 1:01:48 Dale Tuggy Rebuttal 1:12:10 James White Cross Examination 1:22:22 Dale Tuggy Cross Examination 1:32:42 James White Closing Remarks 1:37:54 Dale Tuggy Closing Remarks 1:43:39 Q&A
#uca #trinitydebate #unitarianismJohn 12 - Tuggy/White debate response - William BarlowUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-03-10 | Response video for Dale Tuggy and James White debate: youtu.be/ky2SaHscSIoPhilippians 2 - Tuggy/White debate response - Jerry WierwilleUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-03-10 | Response video for Dale Tuggy and James White debate: youtu.be/ky2SaHscSIo1 Peter 3:15 - Tuggy/White debate response - Sean FinneganUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-03-10 | Response video for Dale Tuggy and James White debate: youtu.be/ky2SaHscSIoHebrews 1 - Tuggy/White debate response - Dustin SmithUnitarian Christian Alliance2024-03-10 | Response video for Dale Tuggy and James White debate: youtu.be/ky2SaHscSIo81. Reconstructing to Relationship - Josiah Wright (Part 2)Unitarian Christian Alliance2024-02-21 | Josiah's reemergence from agnosticism blossomed into a relationship with God beyond his expectations.
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