Sailing the Last Voyage with Newton and Pascal
Many of you know that I used to work for the Church of God Department of Lay Ministries. One of my colleagues, who did most of the graphic design work, was a good friend in addition to being a coworker. Sometimes he'd greet me with the phrase, "Things going your way?" It's an easy way …
Continue reading "Things Going Your Way? A Holy Week Reflection"
A new survey shows that the majority of Americans no longer believe that Jesus is the path to salvation and instead believe that being a good person is sufficient. As part of the ongoing release of the Arizona Christian University-based Cultural Research Center's American Worldview Inventory, the latest findings — exploring perceptions of sin and …
Over the years, I've noticed that some people take a break for Lent on social media. Some of that is to avoid the dumpster fire that social media is and has been for a long time, and that's understandable. On the flip side, some want to take a break from putting out content and concentrating …
An intriguing suggestion from J.N.D. Kelly's Early Christian Doctrines. First, concerning Ambrosiaster's influential Commentary on Romans: Ambrosiaster's teaching is particularly noteworthy because it relies on an exegesis of Rom. 5, 12 which, though mistaken and based on a false reading, was to become the pivot of the doctrine of original sin. In the Greek St. …
Continue reading "Is the “Classic” Concept of Original Sin Based on a Mistranslation?"
Old Russian joke (as told by an OCA bishop): If a young man has a good voice and good mind they make him a deacon.When he loses his voice they make him priest. And when he loses his mind… (via) via Sanity of Bishops — Ad Orientem
The debates are intense! (Old but good meme…) via Apophaticism — Ad Orientem
An intriguing (and sensible) suggestion from Trevor Gervase Jalland's The Church and the Papacy: Though there are, as we believe, adequate grounds for rejecting the view that Clement formally identifies episcopi with presbyters, yet in the face of this evidence it appears equally impossible to deny that he refers to the episcopate in a way …
One of Our Lord's commands that we have difficulty fulfilling is this one: But it is not only for them that I am interceding, but also for those who believe in me through their Message, That they all may be one--that as thou, Father, art in union with us--and so the world may believe that …
Continue reading "Book Review: Trevor Gervase Jalland’s The Church and the Papacy"
This, brought to my attention, from Cyril of Jerusalem's Catechetical Lectures, toward the very end: Approaching therefore, come not with thy wrists extended, or they fingers open; but make they left hand as if a throne for thy right, which is on the eve of receiving the King. And having hallowed thy palm, receive the …
Continue reading "Communion in the Hand, and Those Pesky Easterners"
In all of their glorification of the "giants of the faith," evangelicals either overlook or ignore the fact that same giants were usually far better versed in the classics of antiquity than is common today. To some extent this is understandable: study of these works has taken a beating the last fifty years, and we …
Continue reading "Scourged and Crucified: A Good Friday Reflection"
Positive Infinity 