Sailing the Last Voyage with Newton and Pascal
It is to pitch officiating civil marriages altogether, as the Sikhs in the UK are being advised: Sikh temples have been advised to halt all civil marriage ceremonies on their premises to protect them from possible legal challenges for refusing to conduct same-sex weddings. It is the first example of a religious group altering its …
Continue reading "The Most Sensible Response of the Churches to Same-Sex Civil Marriage"
Since the ACNA is dickering with the Creed re the "filioque" clause, it's informative to look at Thomas Aquinas' analysis of the problem. I reproduce same below, but the upshot of his argument is that, if the Holy Spirit does not proceed through the Son from the Father, it would be impossible to differentiate the …
Every now and then I will do a series about a theological topic or work. One of those series was on the Catechetical Lectures of St. Cyril of Jerusalem. It turned into an interesting exploration of Patristic doctrine and practice as opposed to what we have today in all parts of Christianity. Following are the …
Continue reading "Series on the Catechetical Lectures of St. Cyril of Jerusalem"
From the Stromata (Miscellanies) II, 4: Should one say that Knowledge is founded on demonstration by a process of reasoning, let him hear that first principles are incapable of demonstration; for they are known neither by art nor sagacity. For the latter is conversant about objects that are susceptible of change, while the former is …
Continue reading "Clement of Alexandria on Knowlege and Reason"
With the central event of the Christian calendar coming up, I'd like to link to some of my past pieces for the occasion. If you're looking for something different for this, I can recommend the following: Good Friday They Tell Us What To Do and We Do It Every King is Proclaimed by Soldiers Cross …
It wasn't always so, at least not as we understand it. In discussing Leo the Great, Hughes Oliphant Old's The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church, Vol. 2: The Patristic Age has this to say: Lent has usually been explained as a period of forty days during which …
One thing that surprises me in Anglican circles is the growing trend to insist on a literal interpretation of the Scriptures. In the old days Anglicans/Episcopalians used to believe that such hermeneutics was for “them”, a term loaded with educational, ecclesiastical and socio-economic overtones. After a half century of revisionism, however, a correction is understandable. …
Continue reading "The Significance of the Literal Meaning of Scripture: An Example from Origen"
Sure sounds like it: During the first centuries of the church the greatest theological controversy sought to answer the question, “How is Jesus of Nazareth God?” A full discussion of the Christological developments can fill a library with books. I want to briefly address only one issue – the significance of Theotokos, which says that …
Continue reading "Do We Have Nestorians Teaching in Our Seminaries?"
But a time is coming, indeed it is already here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father spiritually and truly; for such are the worshipers that the Father desires. God is Spirit; and those who worship him must worship spiritually and truly. (John 4:23-24) In 987 Prince Vladimir of Kiev decided that his people, …
And you know the way to the place where I am going.” “We do not know where you are going, Master,” said Thomas; “so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered: “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one ever comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:4-6) One …
Positive Infinity 