christianity

Defense and explanation of Christian doctrine, practice, and worldview through rigorous biblical argumentation.

Origen on Prayer & Intercession of Saints Members Public

Here will be quoting from the English translation of Origen on Prayer, published by Christian Classics Ethereal Library, Grand Rapids, MI, pp. 25-29. Origen lists four different types or moods of prayer, which can be broken down as: 1. Request. 2. Prayer. 3. Intercession. 4. Thanksgiving Origen permits that requests,

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
prayersaintschurch-history

The Reformation and Purgatory Members Public

Quotations provided by William Albrecht. All emphasis is mine. DESIDERIUS ERASMUS It’s not surprising that Erasmus affirmed Purgatory since he was Catholic after all: “Even three hundred years after the birth of Christ, it was permitted to debate whether there was any fire in purgatory; some interpreted fire to

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
purgatorycatholicismchurch-history

Samuel Clarke’s Trinitarian Subordinationism Members Public

Dr. Samuel Clarke (1675-1729) was a Church of England divine who became the rector of the parish church of St. James, Westminster, a position he held until his death in 1729. Clarke became the focus of intense and heated controversy due to his unorthodox, “heterodox” views of the Trinity, which

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
trinitytheologychurch-history

Martyrdom of Peter’s Wife Members Public

According to Clement of Alexandria, there was a tradition which stated that Peter’s wife was martyred as the blessed Apostle looked and encouraged her:   They say, accordingly, that the blessed Peter, on seeing his wife led to death, rejoiced on account of her call and conveyance home, and called

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
church-historysaintschristianity

Tertullian: Trinity is the Faith of the Ancient Church Members Public

In refuting the modalist heretic named Praxeas, the second-third century AD North African Apologist Tertullian stresses the fact that belief in the Trinity has always been the ancient belief of the Church, much older than the hereies spewed by Praxeus and others. Here’s what he wrote: Chapter 2. The

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
trinitychurch-historytheology

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

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
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