church
Analyses of ecclesiology, church authority, mission, and the biblical foundation of the Christian community.
IGNATIUS’ SHORTER AND LONGER LETTERS TO THE TRALLANS Paid Members Public
The following translation is taken from: Trallians – Roberts-Donaldson English Translation (Shorter and Longer Recensions). It contains the shorter (Syriac) and longer recensions of St. Ignatius’ letter to the Trallans. The post quotes the shorter recension first. All emphasis will be mine. Shorter and Longer Versions Ignatius, who is also called
CATECHISM & PRAYER OF ABSOLUTION Paid Members Public
I cite from the particular sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the Church’s authority to absolve believers from any sin committed. All bold italic emphasis will be mine. VI. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation 1440 Sin is before all else an offense against God, a
LUTHER ON THE CATHOLIC CHURCH Paid Members Public
It may surprise Christians to discover that Martin Luther candidly admitted that the Catholic Church traces itself back to the Apostles, that it genuinely has Apostolic Succession, despite having (in Luther’s erroneous view) corrupted itself throughout time. Here is Luther in his own words. All emphasis is mine: Today
AUGUSTINE ON THE CHURCH’S AUTHORITY Paid Members Public
In the following extract Augustine shows how the Gospels’ reliability rests on the authority of the Catholic Church and to, therefore, attack the Church is to undermine the veracity of the Gospels themselves. Here is what he wrote in refuting of the claims of Manichaeus, the founder of Manicheism. All
EARLY CHRISTIAN WORSHIP Paid Members Public
The following excerpts are taken from Justin Martyr’s First Apology. All emphasis will be mine. Chapter 58. And raise up heretics And, as we said before, the devils put forward Marcion of Pontus, who is even now teaching men to deny that God is the maker of all things
CHRIST’S TITLES IN REV. 1-3 Paid Members Public
In this post I will demonstrate how the characteristics and functions attributed to Christ in Revelation 1 are either repeated or paralleled with the names and descriptions made about the risen Lord at the start of every exhortations and/or warnings to the seven churches, that John was commanded to
THE UNIQUENESS OF PETER Paid Members Public
In this post I present some of the biblical data which points to Peter’s primacy over the Apostles. I begin with some of the many verses where Peter is singled out for particular functions and specific privileges: “While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the
PUBLIC CONFESSION OF SINS Paid Members Public
In the epistle of James, believers are commanded to confess their sins to one another in the context of receiving forgiveness of those transgressions and/or healing from any illnesses that may have resulted from those sins: “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He