2025

2025 articles

Polycarp, Pope Anicetus, Irenaeus & Easter Members Public

Church historian Eusebius recorded the early controversy that arose among the faithful in respect to the celebration of Easter. Some Christians such as Polycarp insisted that the Church should follow the example within the Gospels by observing it on the fourteenth day of Nisan, which is the date fixed by

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
easterchurch-historypassover

Chrysostom & Petrine Primacy Members Public

I share some of the many statements from St. John Chrysostom, one of the greatest saints biblical exegetes of the Church, affirming the primacy of Peter. These citations attest that Chrysostom held to Peter being the Rock and Leaders of the universal Church, having been given a preeminence over the

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
church-historycatholicismorthodoxy

The God Who Is Tri-Personal Members Public

The list of quotes cited here is taken from David W. Bercot’s A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, published by Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Massachusetts in 1998, pp. 241-255. The author will mention the particular volume and page number of the ten-volume set of The Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. Alexander Roberts

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
trinitytheologychurch-history

Paul, Baptism & the Gospel Members Public

Many so-called Bible believing Christians oppose what has been the universal teaching of the Church from the time of the Apostles up until the Protestant Reformation, namely, water baptism is the means through which God sends forth the Holy Spirit to regenerate an individual and unite him/her to Christ

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
baptismsalvationholy-spirit

Muhammad Gets Mounted by Men! Members Public

According to a sahih (sound, authentic) narration, a group of tall, scrawny men mounted and rode Muhammad all night long, which caused him tremendous pain and exhaustion: إن عبدالله قال إستبعثني رسول الله ﷺ قال فانطلقنا حتى أتيت مكان كذا وكذا فخطَّ لي خطة فقال لي كن بين ظهرَي

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
islamhadithsunnah

Hermas’ Trinitarianism Members Public

In this post I revisit the theology of the book known as the Shepherd of Hermas in order to show that this is a very early Christian witness to the Church’s belief in the Trinity and the Son’s essential coequality with the Father. Many scholars date the writing

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
trinitychurch-historyapocrypha

Christ: God of God Members Public

The list of quotes cited here is taken from David W. Bercot’s A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, published by Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Massachusetts in 1998. The author will mention the particular volume and page number of the ten-volume set of The Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. Alexander Roberts and James

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
trinityjesus-christgod

Hermas’ Mediating Angel Members Public

The Shepherd of Hermas was a very popular work, which some Christians even wanted to include in the canon. An interesting aspect of this writing is that Hermas has an angel whom he beseeches or begs to assist him in understanding the parable that was being revealed to him. The

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
angelsapocryphacanon
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