Throughout Scripture, sacred assemblies are depicted as pivotal moments in the spiritual life of the Israelite community and the early Church.Old Testament ContextIn the Old Testament, sacred assemblies are frequently associated with the major feasts and holy days prescribed by the Mosaic Law. ...
Creation and the Beginning of TimeThe Bible begins with the declaration of God's creation of time: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). This verse establishes God as the originator of time, marking the commencement of the temporal order. The six days ...
The oldest of Indian symbols, Chintamani, the sign of happiness, is composed of this symbol and it can be found in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. It appears in the Three Treasures of Tibet; on the breast of the Christ in Memling’s famous painting; on the Madonna of Strasbourg; on ...
Scripture and observances According to the first chapter ofThe Acts of the Apostles, after appearing to theApostleson various occasions during a period of 40 days, Jesus was taken up in their presence and was then hidden from them by a cloud, a frequent biblical image signifying the presence ...
With the outbreak of World War I (1914–18), there was in Afghanistan widespread support of Ottoman Turkey against the British. However, the ruler of Afghanistan at the time, Ḥabībullāh Khan, was able to maintain a policy of noninvolvement throughout the war. When Ḥabībullāh was ...
In Judaism, Sukkot—or the Feast of Tabernacles—is a fall harvest festival that lasts for 7 days. The last day of the Feast, the 8th day, is known as the Last Great Day. This is a separate yet connected holiday, and it’s treated as a solemn occasion in the Hebrew faith. Accord...
to relate the role ofScriptureand tradition (the postbiblical teaching of the church) to their common origin in the Word of God that has been committed to the church. The document affirms the value of Scripture forsalvationwhile maintaining an open attitude toward the scholarly study of the...