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Did the Early Church invent the Trinity?

...e grosser particles being mixed up with the lighter. — Embassy for the Christians, Chapter X ~A.D. 176–180) Irenaeus (c. 189) For the Church, although dispersed throughout the whole world even to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and from their disciples the faith in one God, the Father Almighty … and in one Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became flesh for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit” — Against Heresies 1:10:1, A.D. 189. Tertullian (c. 216) We do indeed believe that there is only one God, but we believe that under this dispensation, or, as we say, oikonomia (Gk. οἰκονομία, “economy”), there is...

Melchizedek to Jesus: The Divine Thread of Bread and Wine

...r to be a part of these conflicts and only enters the scene when it’s all over, and Abram has rescued Lot and subdued the king who captured Sodom. Then “the king of Sodom went out to meet [Abram] at the Valley of Shaveh, that is, the King’s Valley.” (Gen 14:17), which is modern-day Kidron Valley, just outside of Jerusalem. So the meeting was local and close to Melchizedek, but still doesn’t explain what happens next to Abram: Genesis 14:18–20And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth,and blessed be God Most High,...

Is Halloween a Pagan Holiday?

...It's that time of year when you begin to see various articles and debates online about Hallowe'en, and whether it's entirely pagan in origin and the Church "stole it"; or if it's something that Christians should even have any part in. Table of Contents Origins of the holiday Aren’t there pagan roots? What about “Trick or Treat”, costumes and pumpkins? In conclusion To some people, the answer is a straightforward “no”, while others say it falls into the realm of Christian freedom and personal discernment. But what about if you're unsure or somewhere in the middle of those two positions, how should you decide what is the right thing to do?...

Who was the real Santa Claus?

...that were part of his life could explain how “Old Saint Nick” came to be seen as a magical figure too. So how did a fourth-century Bishop from Turkey end up as a jolly old man with a beard and a red suit? You can thank the sailors who took him on as their patron saint for that. As they travelled the world, stories of St. Nicholas went with them, eventually arriving with the Dutch who called him Sinterklaas (or Sint-Nicolaas). This, in time, became “Santa Claus” via American Dutch settlers where the tradition then came to England and merged with other ancient traditions of “Father Christmas”, a 15-17th century personification of Christmas in Britain....

Ancient Amulet Rewrites History Of Christianity In Europe

...New discovery proclaims Jesus as “Son of God” a century earlier than previously thought. An exciting archaeological discovery has recently come to light: researchers have unearthed an 1800-year-old silver amulet in Frankfurt, Germany. This amulet provides the earliest known evidence of Christianity north of the Alps and disrupts previously held ideas about the spread of the faith, namely that Christianity didn’t get to the German region around the fourth century. The amulet, dating from approximately 230 to 270 AD, was found in 2018 beneath the chin of a man’s skeleton during excavations at a Roman burial site near the former town of Nida, now part o...

Why Read The Early Church Fathers?

...today as part of that great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us (Heb 12:1). This is an excerpt from the introduction to my new book. You can read more from the Early Church Fathers in my new book, 40 Days with the Fathers: A Journey Through Church History, which is available now on Amazon. See lukejwilson.com for more details and to begin your journey through the first four centuries of the Church!  ...