Much literary criticism assumes that the gospels are not necessarily historical or else it plays down theological or religious context. However, these assumptions are not inherent in the method; a well-crafted piece of historical writing also promotes certain ideological concerns in an artistic and aesthetically pleasing (Bloomberg)." Now that we have garnered a greater understanding of the climate of Israel at the time of Jesus Christ and the criticisms that

.. In terms of content, then, and also in terms of the overall consistency of both content and structure within and between most chapters, all twenty-seven books of the New Testament, for example, are discussed first from the viewpoint of 'theological story', that is, how its actual narrative content unfolds and advances itself; and second, from the perspective of various, frequently although not always or immediately compared 'theological themes', i.e., key

However, certain elements of traditional Christian theology are centered on Mary, and the degree of emphasis that those elements receive can be very telling about Mary's actual role in the religion. For example, the connection between female chastity and religious observance seems to have been established by God's choice of a Virgin to carry his son. God did not have to choose a virgin to bear his child, but

" (John 15:26-27) John explicitly tells those who have come to walk in this way of knowing to pursue this knowledge in others. In his set of three epistles, which are held up with the apostle's other writings as central doctrines to the humanistic elements of Christianity, John delivers a summation of the relationship between man's regard of God and his treatment of his fellow which points to the morality underscoring

Social Justice and the Gospel For centuries, philosophers have puzzled the human condition. Questions abound about why humans act the way they do, why they form groups, what role cultural and social norms have for learning, how societies form, the nature of society, social change, and the way integration and alienation fit in with modern societies. In particular, the changes in urbanization and technology, and access to other cultures, spurred even

Analysis How clear is the argument? Does it flow logically? Are there gaps, inconsistencies, or contradictions in the discussion or argument? The author's argument that the Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit, of course, cannot be proved or disproved. However, their use of exegetical techniques, and information about the historical context of when the Bible was written is valuable, and persuasively made. Merely because the Bible was affected by history