In art, either as creators or participants, we are helped to remember some of the glorious things we have forgotten, and some of the terrible things we are asked to endure, we who are children of God by adoption and grace. — Madeleine L’Engle [1] The proper story of man is everything. The proper study of man as artist is everything which gives a foothold to the imagination and the passions. —C.S. Lewis[2] The Gospel is the story of the... Read more
In his historical mission, Jesus, the light of the world, constantly encountered the dark forces of sin. It was found all over, from those who claimed to be pious followers of God to people living in the tombs. Wherever he went, the darkness would make itself known. Demonic powers were everywhere, for where there was sin, there was the darkness which confronted the light, trying to entrap it so that it could be set aside. “The light shines in the... Read more
One of the great powers of symbols is that they are quite adaptable; the same symbol can be used to represent multiple meanings. Often, the meanings evolve, one from another, adding layer after layer of meaning. This means that previous understandings of the image are included in and help explain their new meaning once the transformation has taken place. Christians, since the foundation of the Christian faith, have taken symbols from the culture around them, using the meaning already associated... Read more
It is a sad fact that for many, Christianity, the Christian faith, is believed to be taught merely for the salvation of souls. Everything else is said to be secondary, and indeed, easily put aside. Of course, the salvation of souls is a part of the Christian faith. No one should deny its importance. But it is not all that Christianity teaches, nor all that it is concerned about. It is concerned with what is true, and promoting the practices... Read more
Scripture tells us little concerning the writer of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke gives us a few glimpses as to why he wrote his texts, but we are given next to nothing concerning his own particular biography. We might try to connect him to the companion of Paul mentioned in the book of Colossians, “Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you” (Col.  4:14 RSV), Philemon (cf. 1:24), and 2 Timothy (cf. 4:11), but... Read more
Christians have always been engaging themselves with the cultures in which they live. They have done this both transforming the culture from within, but also by allowing the culture to transform the way Christians represented themselves by addressing, and applying, the values and beliefs of the culture at large to the Christian faith. That is, Christians have let the culture they live in establish the symbols and standards in which Christians are to act and think. This is not to... Read more
Not only is homelessness a major crisis, it is not getting better, but only worse. Sadly, many of our leaders do not care about the people affected by extreme poverty. If they care, it is only to find a way in which the homeless can be hid from the public, to make them disappear. There is no concern as to making sure the homeless are treated with the dignity and respect everyone deserves, nor is there any significant investigation as... Read more
Many, if not most, people today accept that being deliberately cruel to animals is wrong. They understand there is something immoral in such activity, even if they cannot exactly state why it is immoral. Likewise, they even accept that there can be, and should be, some legal protections which prevent at least some kinds of cruelty towards animals. On the other hand, most people also accept the notion that humanity is, in some way or another, superior to animals, and... Read more
In the canons of the Council of Chalcedon, we read: A woman shall not receive the laying on of hands as a deaconess under forty years of age, and then only after searching examination. And if, after she has had hands laid on her and has continued for a time to minister, she shall despise the grace of God and give herself in marriage, she shall be anathematized and the man united to her. [1] In case some might wonder... Read more
In many religious debates, the word Gnostic is often thrown around as a way to insult one’s opponent, with the intention of suggesting they are a heretic. The problem is that the term is often used wrongly. While it does not necessarily indicate someone is a heretic, there are various heretical groups, each which claimed special knowledge necessary for salvation, that were labelled Gnostic so that the term became associated with heresy. While the claim that particular knowledge is necessary... Read more
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