Is the Sunday Morning Preaching Sermon Inherently Pagan?

July 14, 2024 By Al Baker

Biblical Errors in Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola and George Barna, Part 3 There is nothing in Scripture to indicate its existence [the contemporary sermon] in the early Christian gatherings. (Viola, Pagan Christianity, p.88) In this edition of “Errors made by Frank Viola” we will look at his critique of Sunday morning preaching. In addition to the opening statement above, Viola says apostolic preaching was “sporadic…extemporaneous and without rhetorical structure.” (p.88) In chapter four of his book Viola attacks... Read more

Christian Church Buildings Prior to Constantine

June 20, 2024 By Al Baker

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Historical Errors In Pagan Christianity By Frank Viola In my introduction I mentioned five historical errors made by Viola that are critical. An underlying critique for me is Viola’s use of footnotes, but rather than focus on this I am going to point to specific errors. Almost ALL of Viola’s errors include either poor footnotes or significant errors IN the footnotes. Yet for the average reader, the 700+ footnotes alone provides a cloak of scholarship. Is Constantine Responsible for Christians... Read more

Historical Errors in Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola

May 21, 2024 By Al Baker

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Pagan Christianity grabbed the attention of many Christians seeking to “deconstruct” their faith since it’s publication in 2012. Let me say up front – there are several points made Viola-Barna that I agree with, BUT this book seems to base many of it’s ideas on historical blunders and misrepresentations. I am going to offer several articles showing clear examples of how Viola-Barna have misrepresented the history of early Christianity: OUTLINE OF THIS SERIES: The use of “scholarly footnotes.” I will... Read more

The Importance of Mary and Martha in Luke 10

April 13, 2024 By Al Baker

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This is an addition to the series: The Role of Women in Christianity. After the Introduction, the first article laid out the evidence for The Women who Followed Jesus. Jesus broke the rules of first century Judea. This is just another reason for why the Pharisees disliked Him. He allowed women to travel with Him (single women, married women without their husband, former prostitutes) He touched lepers, demoniacs, corpses…and women He allowed Gentiles to touch Him He allowed women to... Read more

Women in Problematic Second Century Groups

March 5, 2024 By Al Baker

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In this article Women in Early Christianity, I want to show how women in problematic early movements appear to have changed how women were allowed to serve. I will offer evidence that points to a probable historical context and timeframe for when NT MSS were changed and the church began to limit the roles of women. [-1-] We opened this series with an article showing how women followed Jesus. Jesus broke the rules, allowing... Read more

Are Women Supposed to be Silent in Church?

November 29, 2023 By Al Baker

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The Role of Women in the Early Church – Part 4 In the last section we saw the evidence of women in the orbit of the Apostle Paul. The evidence in the book of Acts and from the letters of Paul indicate that women were not only accepted into Paul’s orbit – they are celebrated and served as leaders. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one... Read more

The Women in the Orbit of the Apostle Paul

November 8, 2023 By Al Baker

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The Role of Women in the Early Church – Part 3 After seeing how Jesus welcomed women into His ministry, we now turn to the Apostle Paul. Was Paul against women in leadership? A close look might surprise you. Paul was a controversial figure in the primitive church. He says that he did not receive his gospel from men – specifically not from the apostles in Jerusalem. [Galatians 1:1; 1:11-12] Did Paul welcome women into his orbit? – Women in... Read more

The Women Who Followed Jesus

October 11, 2023 By Al Baker

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The Role of Women in the Early Church – Part 2 The Women Who Followed Jesus The ancient world was “male-centered.” Most cultures have been patriarchal. To simply condemn these cultures by our 21st century standards does not seem helpful and is not my focus here. Women were simply not counted in the first century Jewish world: “…there must be ten men present to begin a synagogue service; the testimony of a woman was insignificant in court; and women were... Read more

The Role of Women in Early Christianity

September 28, 2023 By Al Baker

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The Chosen Series Helped Me “See” the Women in the Synoptic Gospels From the first through the fourth centuries, how did women contribute to Christian leadership? Why did Constantine or any of the Councils, like the Council of Nicea, keep women from Christian leadership positions? A female reader of my Church History 101 website sent these questions to me. These are excellent questions…and deserve to be answered. So I am beginning a series to address this issue. Immediately I must... Read more

How Can a God of Love Also Have Wrath? Part 4

August 4, 2023 By Al Baker

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God of Love and Wrath In the previous sections I offered evidence illustrating that primitive Christianity presented God with love and mercy, but also with wrath, judgment and personal accountability. Part 2: Evidence from the New Testament God is presented as love [1 John 4:8]. Jesus gives clear teachings about the love and forgiveness of our heavenly Father. However, there are also numerous clear passages where Jesus speaks of (or illustrates in a parable) wrath, judgment and a final accountability.... Read more