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Tag: Acts

Reading & Writing in the First Century —

Were the first century New Testament writers illiterate?

Reading & Writing in the First Century —

Were the first century New Testament writers illiterate?

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The New Testament makes many significant claims. But one that can be easily overlooked is its claim that it is a written record. Turning to the Gospels, for example, we notice Luke’s opening statement: “Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have
Of Secular and Sacred Wisdom: Socrates —

Part III. “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” Juxtaposing the ancient wisdom of the Athenian gadfly and Jerusalem’s philosopher king.

Of Secular and Sacred Wisdom: Socrates —

Part III. “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” Juxtaposing the ancient wisdom of the Athenian gadfly and Jerusalem’s philosopher king.

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The ancient Near East held to a spiritually intimate, yet cosmic view of wisdom, a kind of judicial sovereignty over chaos and order. Israel identified this source of wisdom as Yahweh––the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob––who was also the Creator of the cosmos and Author of life. The Greeks
Of Water, Wind and Fire —

Is water baptism just an outward sign of an inner reality? A brief reassessment of the Baptist conviction.

Of Water, Wind and Fire —

Is water baptism just an outward sign of an inner reality? A brief reassessment of the Baptist conviction.

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Why was Apollos baptized twice? His first baptism was administered by John the Baptist in obedience and repentance to God, to believe in the Messiah who was to come. In the same way many Protestants, particularly Baptists, affirm this view but relay it now in the past tense: Water baptism
Of Secular and Sacred Wisdom: Solomon —

Part II. “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” Juxtaposing the ancient wisdom of the Athenian gadfly and Jerusalem’s philosopher king.

Of Secular and Sacred Wisdom: Solomon —

Part II. “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” Juxtaposing the ancient wisdom of the Athenian gadfly and Jerusalem’s philosopher king.

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On the cusp of East and West, one thousand years before the apostle Paul addressed the Areopagus, and well before Aristotle (c.384-322 BC), Plato (c.428-347 BC), and Socrates (c.469-399 BC) catapulted a new era of Western philosophy that still persists today, and roughly four hundred years before natural philosopher Thales
Rest Assured. —

Why Christians must rest in Christ and not on Sabbath. Working out God's Edenic purpose of grace through Sabbatical soteriology.

Rest Assured. —

Why Christians must rest in Christ and not on Sabbath. Working out God's Edenic purpose of grace through Sabbatical soteriology.

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Must Christians observe Sabbath? To no one’s surprise is yet another very heated debate in the greater Christian community, particularly among Protestants and doctrinally dubious off-shoots. Throughout Christian history, Sunday was the newly appointed day of rest known as “the Lord’s Day”. As of the nineteenth century however, the technological
‘Twas the Night Before Council —

And other legendarium of Saint Nicholas and the Christmas season.

‘Twas the Night Before Council —

And other legendarium of Saint Nicholas and the Christmas season.

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It was a cold winter’s night in Nicaea when a sudden blizzard enclosed the known world. Unprecedented as it was, bishops trudged across Christendom by hoof and foot to assemble in what was to be the first real effort to obtain a sacred consensus—the First Ecumenical Council. More than three
Of Secular and Sacred Wisdom —

Part I. "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem, the Church with the Academy, the Christian with the heretic?" A sanctifying bridge between theology and philosophy.

Of Secular and Sacred Wisdom —

Part I. "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem, the Church with the Academy, the Christian with the heretic?" A sanctifying bridge between theology and philosophy.

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Throughout Christian history and even today, philosophy has been met with mixed emotions, whether it was measured a lower form of theological corruption, proof of God’s natural revelation, a tool of dogmatic refinement, or esteemed a servant of sanctity, even inspired to a lesser extent. From the apologetics of Justin