Historical Errors in Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola

Last updated on: June 23, 2024 at 11:10 am By Al Baker

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

Last updated on: April 13, 2024 at 8:07 am 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

Last updated on: June 15, 2024 at 8:31 am 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?

Last updated on: December 9, 2023 at 7:54 am 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

Last updated on: November 23, 2023 at 7:48 am 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

Last updated on: November 23, 2023 at 7:26 am 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

Last updated on: September 28, 2023 at 7:30 pm 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

Last updated on: September 21, 2023 at 9:56 am 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

How Can a God of Love Also Have Wrath? Part 3

Last updated on: September 21, 2023 at 9:53 am By Al Baker

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Fire is used many times by Jesus and other NT Writers as a metaphor of judgment. Photo: Pexels.com | Frank Cone The Witness of the Apostolic Fathers In Part 2 we looked at the evidence from the parables and sayings of Jesus pointing to some kind of final judgment. We also briefly looked at the evidence from the NT letters. Several texts from the epistles use the same language and tone found in the parables. In this section I want... Read more

How Can a God of Love Also Have Wrath? Part 2

Last updated on: June 18, 2023 at 8:33 am By Al Baker

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The Wrath of God is sometimes depicted by dark and ominous clouds. Photo: Pexels.com | Pixabay The Words of Jesus… and the New Testament Writers In Part 1 we read about “the wrath of the Lamb” in John’s Revelation. Jesus is the Passover Lamb and in the Revelation He shares in displaying God’s wrath. In this section I want to share from the New Testament (NT) without using the apocalyptic book of Revelation. First I will focus on the words... Read more

What does the Shield of Faith protect believers from?