A Wisdom Archive on Theophany

A theophany is a visible manifestation of God to humans. For example, in the Bible in Isaiah 6, the story of Isaiah seeing the Lord sitting upon a throne is called a theophany. According to the philosopher Philo, God is purely transcendent, so his interactions with the material world are through an expression of himself, his Logos, or Word. It was through this Word that God created the world. Perhaps the best known example of theophany in Western religion is from the Torah where God appears to Moses and, by many a ...

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Metatron (alternate spelling: Metraton, sometimes referred to as the Latin Metator) is the name of an angel in Judaism and some branches of Christianity. However, there are no references to him in the Jewish Tanakh (Old Testament) or the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) and there is no consensus as to his genesis or the role that he plays in the hierarchy of Heaven and Hell. A mysterious figure, Metatron is identified with the term, "lesser YHVH" in a Talmudic version read by the Karaite scholar Kirkisani. Interestin ... Including:

• Metatron - Metatron's Cube
• Metatron - Metatron in popular culture

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Each of the thirteen circles (referred to as 'nodes') is connected to each other node with a single line, creating a total of seventy-eight lines. Within the cube, many other shapes can be found, including two dimensional models of the five platonic solids. In early kabbalist scriptures, Metatron supposedly forms the cube from his soul, which can later be seen in Christian art, where it appears on his chest or floating behind him. Metatron's cube is also considered a holy glyph, and was often drawn around an object or person to ward o ...

Read more here: » Metatron: Encyclopedia II - Metatron - Metatron's Cube

After Twelfth Night the Carnival season starts, which lasts through Mardi Gras. In some places such as New Orleans, Louisiana, the night of January 6 with the first Carnival celebrations is called Twelfth Night. In some places, Twelfth Night celebrations include food traditions such as the king cake or tortell. Twelfth Night is when all Christmas Decorations should be removed so as not to bring bad luck upon the home. If decorations are not rem ...

Read more here: » Twelfth Night holiday: Encyclopedia II - Twelfth Night holiday - Traditions

Advent Christmastide Epiphany Pre-Lent Lent Eastertide Ascension Day Pentecost Ordinary Time Pre-Advent Feast of Cross Nativity Fast Nativity Theophany Great Lent Pascha Pentecost Transfiguration Dormition Intercession The Christian doctrine of the Ascension holds that Jesus bodily ascended to heaven following his resurrection. This is affirmed by Christi ... Including:

• Ascension - Biblical Accounts
• Ascension - Feast
• Ascension - Superstitions

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Holy water figures in Roman Catholic rituals of exorcism. It is also the usual water used in baptisms that occur in a church; however, the use of specifically consecrated water is not required for a licit baptism under Roman Catholic religious law. The vessel to hold holy water is called a bénetier or aspersorium. A quantity of holy water is typically kept in a font, an item of church architecture that typically appears in a baptistery; a smaller font, called a stoup, may be placed near the entrance of the church ...

Read more here: » Holy water: Encyclopedia II - Holy water - Roman Catholic holy water

Some Roman Catholics believe that water from Lourdes and other holy wells and shrines has supernatural powers, such as for healing. This water, technically, is not holy water since it has not been consecrated by a priest or bishop. Other Christian groups have sold water from the Jordan River and called it holy water as well, since this is the location of the baptism of the Christ. The Sikhs prepare a sort of holy water, which they cal ...

Read more here: » Holy water: Encyclopedia II - Holy water - Other consecrated waters

Holy water is used in Orthodox rites of blessing and exorcism, and is the water normally used for baptisms. A quantity of holy water is typically kept in a font placed near the entrance of the church where it is available for anyone who needs it. Holy water is sometimes sprinkled on items or people when they are blessed, as part of the prayers of blessing. For instance, in Alaska, the fishing boats are sprinkled with holy water at the start of the fishing season as the priest prays for the crews' safety and success. Orthodox Ch ...

Read more here: » Holy water: Encyclopedia II - Holy water - Eastern Orthodox holy water

Baptism is any water purification ritual practiced in any of various religions including Christianity, Mandaeanism, and Sikhism, and has its origins with the Jewish ritual of mikvah. The word baptize derives from the Greek word βάπτειν (the infinitive; also listed as the 1st person singular present active indicative βαπτίζω), which loosely means "to dip, bathe, or wash". To some groups it is a matter of religious conviction to assert that baptism is precisely equivalent to, to plunge something entirely into th ... Including:

• Baptism - Background in Jewish ritual
• Baptism - Explanation
• Baptism - Ecumenical statement
• Baptism - Roman Catholic Eastern Orthodox Lutheran Anglican and Methodist baptism
• Baptism - Baptism and salvation
• Baptism - Conditions of the validity of a baptism
• Baptism - Baptism by other denominations
• Baptism - Who may administer a baptism
• Baptism - Baptist and other Protestant baptism
• Baptism - Reformed and Covenant Theology view
• Baptism - Latter Day Saint baptism
• Baptism - Baptism in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Baptism - Jehovah's Witnesses
• Baptism - Baptism in Churches of Christ
• Baptism - Other baptisms
• Baptism - Non-christian religions
• Baptism - Non-religious baptism
• Baptism - Related articles and subjects
• Baptism - People and ritual objects
• Baptism - Resources

Read more here: » Baptism: Encyclopedia - Baptism

One ecumenical statement prepared by representatives across a spectrum of Christians, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestants traditions of Christianity, attempts to express a common understanding of baptism, as it is derived from the New Testament. " ... according to Acts 2:38, baptisms follow from Peter's preaching baptism in the name of Jesus and lead those baptized to the receiving of Christ's Spirit, the Holy Ghost, and life in the community: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaki ...

Read more here: » Baptism: Encyclopedia II - Baptism - Ecumenical statement

Yaqeen - Ilm al-yaqîn the knowledge of Certainty. The first degree is referred to by the name ‘’'ilm al-yaqîn’’ (the knowledge of Certainty), which means that Certainty is the result of knowledge. At this degree the object of Certainty is knowledge just as the aim of knowledge is Certainty. Both together are in the soul uniquely, such that Certainty is the first degree of spiritual life and the last of speculative experience. This particular degree of mystical ‘’yaqîn’’ is the result of divine theophanies in Act at the level of existence and also the result of theophanies of light ...

Read more here: » Yaqeen: Encyclopedia II - Yaqeen - Stages

The liturgy of baptism in the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, and Methodist traditions makes clear reference to baptism as not only a symbolic burial and resurrection, but an actual supernatural transformation, one that draws parallels to the experience of Noah and the passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea divided by Moses. Thus baptism is literally and symbolically not only cleansing, but also dying and rising again with Christ. Catholics believe that baptism is necessary for the cleansing of the taint of original si ...

Read more here: » Baptism: Encyclopedia II - Baptism - Roman Catholic Eastern Orthodox Lutheran Anglican and Methodist baptism