R.C. Sproul

The fatherhood of God is extended to those who are adopted into His family by virtue of their union with Christ. And so, so far from teaching the universal fatherhood of God, the Bible teaches the particular fatherhood of God. The idea of the universal fatherhood of God is not a biblical concept.

The fatherhood of God is extended to those who are adopted into His family by virtue of their union with Christ. And so, so far from teaching the universal fatherhood of God, the Bible teaches the particular fatherhood of God. The idea of the universal fatherhood of God is not a biblical concept.

Our Father who art in heaven. That's the opening address of the Lord's Prayer. We've already looked briefly at the significance of this form of personal address that begins, Our Father. But I'm not quite finished with this. I don't want to move on to the first petition until I spend a little bit more time on this form of personal address.

Our Father who art in heaven. That's the opening address of the Lord's Prayer. We've already looked briefly at the significance of this form of personal address that begins, Our Father. But I'm not quite finished with this. I don't want to move on to the first petition until I spend a little bit more time on this form of personal address.

In the 19th century, a new discipline was added to the curriculum of the study of religion called comparative religion. an attempt at understanding the great religions of the world, not in isolation from each other, but as the term comparative religion suggests, in terms of the interconnectedness and comparisons of the various world religions. This interest was brought about

In the 19th century, a new discipline was added to the curriculum of the study of religion called comparative religion. an attempt at understanding the great religions of the world, not in isolation from each other, but as the term comparative religion suggests, in terms of the interconnectedness and comparisons of the various world religions. This interest was brought about

in part because of the shrinking of the globe. In the past, because of difficulties of travel and immigration, we would seem to find clusters of religion in certain geographical portions of the world and limited to ethnic groups or nationalities.

in part because of the shrinking of the globe. In the past, because of difficulties of travel and immigration, we would seem to find clusters of religion in certain geographical portions of the world and limited to ethnic groups or nationalities.

But as the world became smaller and more interaction took place between the West and the East, Christians had to deal with Islam and with Buddhism and Shintoism, Confucianism, and so on. And so, the nineteenth-century field of comparative religion tried to look at the various religions of this world and find common denominators among them.

But as the world became smaller and more interaction took place between the West and the East, Christians had to deal with Islam and with Buddhism and Shintoism, Confucianism, and so on. And so, the nineteenth-century field of comparative religion tried to look at the various religions of this world and find common denominators among them.

It was during this period that the famous mountain analogy was first coined. The idea that God in the image sits at the apex of a high mountain. and that there are many roads that go to the peak of that mountain. Some of them go more or less directly from the base of the mountain to the top, while others bend and wind and twist and turn into a circuitous route to the top.

It was during this period that the famous mountain analogy was first coined. The idea that God in the image sits at the apex of a high mountain. and that there are many roads that go to the peak of that mountain. Some of them go more or less directly from the base of the mountain to the top, while others bend and wind and twist and turn into a circuitous route to the top.

But the basic idea was it doesn't really matter ultimately which road you take because all of the roads lead to the top and will eventually get you to the top. So if you're trying to get to God, you can go on the road of Buddhism or Taoism or Shintoism or Judaism or Christianity. These are just different roads all going to the same place.

But the basic idea was it doesn't really matter ultimately which road you take because all of the roads lead to the top and will eventually get you to the top. So if you're trying to get to God, you can go on the road of Buddhism or Taoism or Shintoism or Judaism or Christianity. These are just different roads all going to the same place.

Now in German scholarship in the 19th century, particularly in this field of comparative religion, I noticed that there was a German word that occurred over and over and over again in the titles of important books written during this period. And that word is the German word Wesen, W-E-S-E-N, Wesen. And that word can be translated by the English word being or substance or essence.

Now in German scholarship in the 19th century, particularly in this field of comparative religion, I noticed that there was a German word that occurred over and over and over again in the titles of important books written during this period. And that word is the German word Wesen, W-E-S-E-N, Wesen. And that word can be translated by the English word being or substance or essence.

And the idea was that as we look at the different religions of the world, can we penetrate to the core beliefs of these religions, get to the fundamental substance of religion, or distill the basic essence or vason, the being of world religion?

And the idea was that as we look at the different religions of the world, can we penetrate to the core beliefs of these religions, get to the fundamental substance of religion, or distill the basic essence or vason, the being of world religion?

The sanguine conclusion of these scholars in the 19th century, as I've already mentioned, was at the core, at the essence of world religions, there is this common affirmation of faith. Now one of those works that was written by an outstanding German church historian, perhaps the most important church historian of the last 200 years, Adolf von Harnack, is that von Harnack

The sanguine conclusion of these scholars in the 19th century, as I've already mentioned, was at the core, at the essence of world religions, there is this common affirmation of faith. Now one of those works that was written by an outstanding German church historian, perhaps the most important church historian of the last 200 years, Adolf von Harnack, is that von Harnack