Confirmation (1712), by Giuseppe Crespi (1665-1747) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (5-6-08) *** [all passages: RSV] *** THE HOLY SPIRIT’S DESCENT UPON PERSONS Wisdom 9:17 Who has learned thy counsel, unless thou hast given wisdom and sent thy holy Spirit from on high? Matthew 3:16 And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; (cf.... Read more
Martin Luther, Bust in Three-Quarter View (1520), by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (1996) ***** Scripture seems to clearly refer to baptismal regeneration in Acts 2:38 (forgiveness of sins), 22:16 (wash away your sins), Romans 6:3-4, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Titus 3:5 (he saved us, . . . by the washing of regeneration), and other passages. For this reason, many prominent Protestant individuals and denominations have held to the position of baptismal regeneration, which is... Read more
God Condescending to Human Limitations of Understanding God the Father, attributed to Cima da Conegliano (1460-1518) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (1-20-09) *** Anthropopathism is a fancy word for the attribution of non-physical human emotions and passions to God. The related term, anthropomorphism, is the attribution of physical human properties (or animal properties such as wings) to God. Most Christians — of any stripe — recognize the metaphorical nature of the many anthropomorphisms in Scripture since they agree that... Read more
The Victory of Joshua over the Amorites (1625-1626), by Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (11-10-07) *** This is how I have understood the matter, in my own apologetic reflection. Perhaps it will be helpful to others as well: * * * * * Because God is Creator He also has the prerogative to judge. This is analogous to our experience. Society takes it upon itself to judge the criminal and punish him if he supersedes the... Read more
Moses Appoints Joshua: illustration from Henry Davenport Northrop’s 1894 Treasures of the Bible [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] ***** I just finished last night a forthcoming article for National Catholic Register in which I argued for apostolic succession based on the joint authority in the Jerusalem council of elders (Gk., presbuteros = priest / pastor) and apostles. It was an expansion of one argument from a longer series of dialogues from yesterday. If they exercised more or less equal authority in such... Read more
Photo by “paterdarius” [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] *** (5-9-08) *** [all verses RSV] *** The Power of Priests to Bind and Loose (Impose Penance and Grant Absolution) Matthew 3:6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Matthew 18:18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (cf. Mt 16:19: to Peter alone) Mark 1:5 . .... Read more
+ The Catholic Role in Canonizing the Bible Christ Handing the Keys to St. Peter (1481-1482), by Pietro Perugino (1448-1523) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] ***** [This occurred on Baptist professor Jerry Walls’ Facebook page; the words of others will be in various colors] ***** Jerry Walls: “Guided by the Holy Spirit, we compiled the Bible.” –TV commercial for RCC Simplistic, self-serving hubris. *** Accurate, historical fact. Who else do you claim compiled the... Read more
Yours truly: c. March 1976: senior in high school, about a year before my evangelical conversion (and the longest hair ever seen in any of my photos!) ***** (7-27-11) *** Thank heavens for Google Search. I have almost 2600 papers on my blog. After thoroughly searching, I found all there is to find about my early life, on my website. To summarize, my life can be divided into four quite distinct periods: 1) Very nominal, ignorant, lax Methodist (United Methodist... Read more
(7-24-08) ***** This theme has come up several times. It is becoming almost a mantra: particularly in anti-Catholic Protestant and “traditionalist” Catholic circles (those two groups, oddly enough, often seem to have a great affinity in style, argument, and beliefs). Former Catholic Bill Cork recently enlisted it in a reply to my critique of his reasons for returning to Adventism (and I made a short reply). Anti-Catholic Steve Hays has tried (futilely) to make this case with regard to my... Read more
Photo by “markus53” [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] ***** (12-18-08; expanded on 1-4-17) ***** This was a question on the Coming Home Network forum (where I was moderator from 2007-2010): 2 Thessalonians 2:11 says that those who refuse to accept the love of the truth will be sent strong delusion from God. To what extent do we understand this? It is hard to say that God would be responsible for leading someone to delusion, but is it only because a... Read more
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