2017-01-11T19:36:44-04:00

Altar of Calvary (Golgotha): the actual site of Jesus’ crucifixion, at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem. Photograph by Ana Ulin: 10-13-07). I was there in October 2014. [Wikimedia Commons /  Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license] *** (6-4-07) *** From my  Study Guide (available online) for the ecumenical video / book Common Ground: Pastor Steve described frequent reports of former Catholics who attend his church: “I didn’t find Christ in the Catholic Church. I didn’t meet Jesus . .... Read more

2017-01-11T13:38:49-04:00

Jesus and the Centurion (c. 1571), by Paolo Veronese (1528-1588) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (April 1987) *** 1. Jesus’ Attitude    A. Our Lord Jesus acknowledged the right of civil defense: ” . . . let him who has no sword sell his robe and buy one” — Luke 22:36. B. Jesus accepted the notion of obedience to civil government in general when He said: “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” (in this particular instance, taxes, which, no... Read more

2017-01-10T13:48:48-04:00

Christ and the Good Thief (c. 1566), by Titian (1490-1576) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (1996) *** Many evangelical Protestants like to point out that the thief on the cross next to Jesus wasn’t baptized and went to heaven anyway (Lk 23:39-43). From this they then conclude that both baptism, and sacraments in general are unnecessary for salvation. This is a weak, insubstantial argument from the get-go, because it presupposes a fallacy of wrongly applying the elements of an... Read more

2017-01-10T13:23:55-04:00

Seven Sacraments Altarpiece; detail: Ordination, Marriage, and Extreme Unction (c. 1450), by Rogier van der Weyden (c. 1400-1464) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** [2009; Addendum added on 1-10-17] *** [all passages: RSV] *** DISCIPLES AND ELDERS ANOINT WITH OIL TO HEAL Mark 6:12-13 So they went out and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them. James 5:14-15 Is any among you sick? Let him... Read more

2017-01-09T21:12:57-04:00

Luther and fellow “Reformation” leader Zwingli tried to settle their dispute about communion in Marburg in September of 1529. Unsurprisingly, they were unsuccessful. Luther continued to regard Zwingli as damned and no Christian, due to his denial of the Real Presence in the Eucharist. Protestants retain this internal disagreement to this day, along with profound differences on baptism. Anonymous woodcut from 1557 [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** [this took place recently on Jerry Wall’s (public) Facebook page. He is a... Read more

2021-11-22T14:06:19-04:00

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

2017-01-09T14:04:45-04:00

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

2021-11-20T15:25:19-04:00

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

2017-01-07T13:28:17-04:00

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

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