Resources by Daniel McCoy:
Philosophy Questions: What Is Real Reality?
What is real reality? Many people throughout history have suspected that there is a world that lies beyond what our eyes can see. One clue is that there seem to be universal principles (“Forms”) according to which things in this world are structured. Another clue is how it’s hard to see how the physical world...
Daniel McCoy
God Is a Jealous God? Exploring a God Who Loves Us More Than We Want Him.
Is it true that God is a jealous God? Numerous Bible verses describe God as a jealous God, in the context of his people breaking their covenant with him and following idols. Although jealousy in humans typically means they are desiring things for selfish reasons, God’s jealousy means that he intensely desires people to return...
Daniel McCoy
Philosophy Questions: Where Does Morality Come From?
Where does morality come from? Some will answer that morality comes from humans as we learn what works and doesn’t work for society. Others answer that morality is grounded in the nature of a moral God who has planted his moral law in our hearts. The Christian perspective is that morality derives from God’s nature...
Daniel McCoy
Bible Verses About Money & 10 Questions That Follow
There are surprisingly numerous Bible verses about money. What does the Bible teach about money? Biblical teachings on money emphasize our need to steward it wisely and never let it become more important than it is. We are encouraged to love God and people, never money. Money should be used as a tool to help...
Daniel McCoy
What Does the Bible Say About Cremation? A Thoughtful Exploration of a Hot Topic
What does the Bible say about cremation? The Bible includes three references to cremation, compared to hundreds of references to burial, the dominant form of post-mortem care in the Old and New Testaments. The Bible depicts the physical body as part of God’s good creation as well as something God will restore in the final...
Daniel McCoy
What Is Islam? The Basics of Islam in 10 Questions, 10 Definitions, and 10 Quotes
What are the basics of Islam? Islam is a religion based on submission to Allah as taught through prophets, most notably Muhammad (“Allah’s Apostle”). In their submission to Allah, Muslims prioritize “5 pillars,” which include a profession of faith, prayers, fasting, alms to the poor, and a pilgrimage to Mecca for those who are able....
Daniel McCoy
Who Was Elijah in the Bible? Elijah’s Story in 8 Roles
Who was Elijah in the Bible? Elijah was a prophet of Yahweh sent to the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Ahab. Through displays of miraculous power and prophecies of hard truth, Elijah tried to call the people back from Baal worship to their covenant relationship with God. After Elijah was taken...
Daniel McCoy
Philosophy Questions: Is Truth Absolute?
Is truth absolute? If truth is absolute, this means that, if something is true, then the moment it becomes true, it’s true for all times, people, and places (regardless of what people believe). If, on the other hand, truth is relative, this means that truth varies from person to person. If truth is relative, then...
Daniel McCoy
Who Are the Pharisees Today? Christ’s Invitation to Modern-Day Pharisees.
Who are the Pharisees today? The Pharisees emerged after the Maccabee revolt as a group dedicated to restoring the Jewish people’s dedication to the law. Although the Pharisees began with worthy goals of steering the Jewish nation back to covenant faithfulness, by the time of the New Testament, many Pharisees formed the leading edge of...
Daniel McCoy
What Are Latter-Day Saints? The Basics of the LDS Church in 10 Questions, 10 Definitions, and 10 Quotes
What Are Latter-Day Saints? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was founded by Joseph Smith in the US in the 1830s. Smith tells of receiving visitations from heavenly persons telling him not to join any established churches and bestowing on him and his companions two priesthoods said to have been lost to the...
Daniel McCoy
Philosophy Questions: Why Is Philosophy Important?
Why is philosophy important? Philosophy is important because, as the “love of wisdom,” philosophy carves out space for wrestling with life’s most important questions. When broken into its main branches, philosophy boils down to studying what is good (ethics), how we know (epistemology), how to think (logic), and what exists beyond the physical (metaphysics). When...
Daniel McCoy
What, How, and Why We Pray for Our Nation
As disciples of Jesus, should we regularly pray for our nation? In 1 Timothy 2:1-4, the apostle Paul urged public prayers in church for public leaders. He described these as a practice that “is good and pleases God.” He encouraged that we pray “for kings and all those in authority” as a way of seeking...
Daniel McCoy
What Is Jainism? The Basics of Jainism in 10 Questions, 10 Definitions, and 10 Quotes
What are the basics of Jainism? Jainism is a religion arising from India which invites its adherents to liberation from rebirth by seeking non-violence and shedding karmic matter. It teaches how a soul can be purified of this karmic non-life (ajiva) through following the teachings of its founder Mahavira. Mahavira is the most recent of...
Daniel McCoy
What Is Sikhism? The Basics of Sikhism in 10 Questions, 10 Definitions, and 10 Quotes
What are the basics of Sikhism? Sikhism is a monotheistic religion arising out of India which sought to show that God transcended both Islam and Hinduism. It was founded by Guru Nanak, whose leadership passed through a succession of Gurus, until the tenth declared that the Sikh holy book, the Adi Granth, was the final...
Daniel McCoy
What Is Hinduism? The Basics of Hinduism in 10 Questions, 10 Definitions, and 10 Quotes
What are the basics of Hinduism? Hinduism is a religion historically based in India and focused on obtaining “moksha” (release, freedom). Imagine thousands and thousands of lifetimes, some better and some worse, like an eternal merry-go-round of endless rebirths. Throughout its history, Hinduism has offered three main ways of obtaining moksha from this cycle of...
Daniel McCoy
What Is Judaism? The Basics of Judaism in 10 Questions, 10 Definitions, and 10 Quotes
What are the basics of Judaism? Judaism is the religion of the Jews, with both “Jew” and “Judaism” derived from the name of one of Jacob’s sons, Judah. Judaism’s beliefs and practices are based in the Hebrew Scriptures (what Christians commonly call the “Old Testament”), as well as the teachings of Jewish rabbis throughout history....
Daniel McCoy