Paul Wants Unity For The Church One of the central themes in all of Christendom is that of unity. Though there are many denominations Christians everywhere consider themselves to be in the family of God. However within the Catholic Church we have something that the other churches do not. We have the body, soul, and divinity of Christ present with us in the Eucharist (Our Orthodox brethren are the only exception). In the Catholic Church we are a family, and in that... Read more
In the previous two articles there has been much said about apostolic succession, but I think some clarification is in order. Apostolic succession is much more than one taking an office from a predecessor, though that is part of it. In combating the Gnostics, St. Irenaeus listed apostolic succession as a key to knowing the true church. The great saint boasted in each bishop being able to trace his lineage to the apostles. Today each bishop in the Catholic Church... Read more
Arianism, Church Fathers, And Apostolic Succession The temptation when looking at the Arian controversy is to immediately look to the Council of Nicea. However there is much more to the church’s response. As any good Pastor would be, Bishop Alexander became concerned by the teaching of one of his priests. This error has eternal consequences for those who became wooed by this new doctrine. Alexander admits that he initially ignored the false doctrines and hoped they would die out on... Read more
To those who study Church history the Arians are a familiar foe of orthodoxy. The heresy came to the forefront in the 4th century, and was declared heretical at the Council of Nicea in 325 and again at the Council of Constantinople in 381. How was the proper view of Christ upheld? Was it strictly by St. Athanasius’s brilliant exposition of scripture? No doubt that was part of the equation, but Arius was also pleading his case from sacred scripture. Apostolic... Read more
Every Sunday in the creed we declare that Jesus is our Lord, but what does that mean? What implications does that have on our lives? In the Gospels Jesus tells us to love our neighbor (Mark 12:31), love God (Matthew 22:37), and show mercy (John 8:11). How do his words correlate to his deeds, and what does that mean for us as his followers? This post will take a deeper look at the scriptures referenced to illustrate how the words... Read more
The Trinity is a complex subject, and at times is very misunderstood. Some try to rationalize and fall into error by declaring a type Tritheism, or even Modalism. However, the persons of the Trinity are three persons of one essence. The Trinitarian Godhead is made up of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and all within the Trinity are two processions. We will look at the role procession plays in the Trinity. What Is Procession? To understand this further it... Read more
One of the things that I enjoy doing is reviewing books for other writers. It is my act of solidarity with them and an appreciation for the extreme effort they put into their work. A few weeks ago I was offered the chance to review a new book. The book is titled Glimmers of Grace: Moments of Peace and Healing Following Sexual Abuse. The author, Faith Hakesley, put together this fantastic devotional from a very personal perspective. As a victim of... Read more
Apollinaris is a figure in the early church that certainly has his share of controversy. At the young age of twenty, he was excommunicated for singing a hymn to the Greek god Dionysius. He eventually would come back to Christianity and confessed the newly formed Nicean creed under the tutelage of Basil of Caesarea. In 360AD, he became bishop of Laodicea and was a supporter of St. Athanasius in his battle against the Arians. Apollinaris Sought To Avoid Heresy Apollinaris... Read more
The Trinity is a doctrine that some have had issue with since the earliest days of Christianity. The great church father St. Augustine was not immune to having to deal with Christological heresies. Though the heresies are Christological, they deal with the Trinity because Christ is the second person of the Trinity. St. Augustine And Trinitarian Heresy If a there is a false understanding of who Christ is, then there is a false understanding of what the Trinity is. In... Read more
20Then he looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. 23Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in... Read more
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