church-history

Historical studies on the development of Christian doctrine, early church writings, councils, and controversies.

NOTES FOR THE ANTHONY ROGERS’ REBUTTAL Members Public

DID MARY HAVE BIOLOGICAL CHILDREN? In their zeal against and hatred of Mary’s perpetual virginity, rabid anti-Catholic calvinists such as Anthony Rogers will cite Psalm 69:8 to prove that the blessed Mother of our Lord (Cf. Luke 1:43) had biological children after giving birth to Christ. This

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
maryjesusbible

FRANCIS TURRETIN ON THE PERPETUAL VIRGINITY OF MARY Members Public

This post is courtesy of Perry Robinson of energetic procession: https://energeticprocession.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/sometimes-you-feel-like-a-nut-francis-turretin-on-the-perpetual-virginity-of-mary/. The perpetual virginity of Mary often comes up in Protestant and Catholic arguments. When I was Reformed, I didn’t think much of it. I didn’t think it ought to be

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
marycalvinismtheology

MURATORIAN CANON Members Public

The Muratorian Canon refers to a fragment that mentions a list of the books that the 2nd century churches deemed to be authoritative and canonical. Since it is dated at approximately at 170 AD it becomes a very important witness to the canon accepted by the church at large. All

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
canonchurch-history

SHEPHERD OF HERMAS: REFUTING THE HERETICS Members Public

In this post I will be citing from the “Shepherd of Hermas”, an early Christian writing that was highly esteemed and quite popular among Christians of the first few centuries. It was such an influential document that there were many Church writers/fathers that even considered it to be canonical.

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
christianitychurch-historyapocrypha

ARIUS: A UNITARIAN MUSLIM? Members Public

Muslims scour early church history to find a particular group of Christians whose beliefs were similar enough to Islam, in order to prove the Quran’s assertion that Jesus’ followers were all Muslims (Cf. Q. 3:52; 5:111).   Some of these Muhammadans think they have found such individuals, namely,

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
trinitychristianitychurch-history

EBIONITES TO THE RESCUE? Members Public

Muhammadans are notorious in appealing to heretical Christian groups, which began to flourish from the second century AD onwards, for the purpose of confirming the Quran’s assertion that Jesus’ original followers were all Muslims. Conveniently, these polemicists fail to note that these groups actually prove that Muhammad is a

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
islamquranchristianity

MORE ANCIENT WITNESSES TO CHRIST’S DEITY Members Public

In this short post I will share two 2nd-3rd century testimonies to the absolute, essential Deity of Christ and his personal distinction from God the Father. All emphasis shall be mine. Mathetes Epistle to Diognetus Chapter 7. The manifestation of Christ For, as I said, this was no mere earthly

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
jesus-christtrinitychurch-history

Matthew 28:19: A Text Critical Investigation Members Public

TThe post here is taken from the following article by Tim Hegg: Matthew 28:19. by Tim Hegg In some recent Christological discussions, the tripartite designation included in the standard texts of Matthew 28:19 has often been suspect. The problem is that it sounds far too trinitarian to have

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun
matthewbaptismtrinity
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