Hello, and thank you for stopping by my site. I just want to add a little info about my background in case you are curious about who this "Zoe" person is.

Who is "Zoe"?:

I grew up in a Christian family, and was taken to church since I was little. I went to a Mennonite elementary and junior high school. Since then I have been to many different churches made of different denominations. I have been to Nazarene, Vineyard, Mennonite, Wesleyan, and Baptist churches, but I don't have any denomination that I am committed to.

I have spent time studying the Bible and reading many Christian books, and am currently working on an advanced degree in Christian theology from a local seminary. Because I do not desire fame or personal gain from this website, and I also desire to be free to write articles which reflect my beliefs without potential negative real-life consequences, I do not want to give more details which could identify me, such as my real name, location, the type of degree or the specific college attended.

So if you desire answers from someone with verifiable credentials, perhaps the internet is not the best place to look. There are plenty of ordained, well-trained pastors out there who would be willing to chat with you, and millions of published Christian books, commentaries, and other theological resources if you desire to really get in-depth and authoritative comments from scholars. Although, it must be noted that there is a huge variety of opinions in Christian theology, and many ways of interpreting scripture. So while I have my own views expressed on this site, you may disagree with me and other scholars may also disagree with me, but that is the nature of theology at this point in time when none of us have yet seen Jesus face-to-face.

This website is designed to give fairly in-depth answers on particular topics which I feel the average person might do an internet search for, and which are not always clearly addressed in church sermons. I intend to give answers which I feel are balanced, biblically-based, thoughtful, and to encourage people to consider Christ as their personal savior if they have not yet done so, or to encourage new Christians to grow in their faith and study their own Bibles more in-depth.

Statement of Faith:

This statement is just to indicate what I believe. There is so much misguided theology out there that I hope this clarifies my viewpoint on the articles I write, and shows that I'm not a crackpot or someone trying to deliberately teach false doctrines. There are a huge percentage of Christians that don't believe the most basic teachings of the Bible [1], and so I hope this statement of faith reassures the reader that I follow Biblical doctrine.

I believe the Bible is the completely infallible, inerrant Word of God which was given directly to the Biblical authors, and that every word is true. Although there are different translations, they only vary in minor wording, and if necessary then we should look at the original Hebrew/Greek in order to clear up any uncertainty. For references in these articles, I use the New International Version and/or the Contemporary English Version translations.

I believe that when we read the Bible it should in most cases be taken literally and in a straightforward manner, unless it is clear that it is metaphorical (ie. a dream, vision, or poetic description).

I believe that the description of Creation is scientifically correct, and that science will line up with the bible when accurate experiments are done and when the Bible is properly interpreted. I believe that the Book of Revelation describes real events that will happen in the end times of the world, although it is hidden in somewhat metaphorical language. I believe that Satan, demons, and angels are entities that do exist and can influence people. I believe in the Trinity, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit when a person accepts Jesus as their saviour. I believe that miracles in the Bible were real and did happen exactly as stated.

I believe that a person is saved through faith (defined as personal trust in Jesus' death as payment for their sins), not works. I believe that if anyone has faith in Jesus and believes that He died for their sin, that they will go to heaven and live forever. Anyone who doesn't is going to go to a literal place called hell where they will be fairly punished for the sins they have done. Good deeds do not get a person to heaven, they only are an indicator of your faith.

I base my articles on the Bible, my years of Christian experience and personal study, and references to legitimate reliable sources (internet or hard copy sources) as well as using spiritual discernment and logic (as God is a God of order and reason, although our reason is corrupted by the Fall of humanity). I readily admit that I am capable of having errors in interpretation, as no one has their theology 100% right in this life. So when reading these articles, please look up the Bible passages for yourself, read them in their written and historical context, look up what other scholars say, ask other Christians, and make a final judgement based on what God tells you in your heart.

Thanks for reading!

[1] Most American Christians Don't Believe that Satan or the Holy Spirit Exist