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Did a Roman Catholic priest perform 'invalid' baptisms for years?

You may have seen in the news lately, a Roman Catholic priest in Arizona, USA, has apparently performed “invalid” baptism for years, well over a decade, even. Due to this, now thousands of people are stressing about whether their baptism counted or if they need to be re-baptised due to the error by Rev. Andres Arango! This has caused concern over the other sacraments these people have partaken in since their baptism, such as the Eucharist, and whether they should have even been allowed it. the Diocese of Phoenix is trying to identify people baptised by Arango so that they can track them down for re-baptism (and possibly, re-confirmation and whatever other r...

the Historic Practice of Abortion and How Ancient Christians Responded

It’s no secret that the majority of Christians are against abortion, no matter where you look in the world. But nowhere has the issue come to more of a head than in the US recently with the overturning of Roe v Wade, which had made abortion legal across the country. Now abortion is no longer a federal constitutional right, but individual states now have the authority to determine the legality and rulings around abortion. Christian opposition to abortion in America has always been a heated topic, especially in recent decades, but this isn’t a novelty within the church in America, or globally, and has been a position of the faithful for about 2000 years. Even...

Lent: Day 10 - Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans

Day Ten: St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter to the Smyrnaeans (full text) Who: Ignatius converted at a young age and later became Bishop of Antioch. A friend of Polycarp and fellow disciple of John, there is a long standing tradition that Ignatius was the child that Jesus held in his arms and blessed in Mark 10:13-16 What: A defence against the heresy of Docetism and an intriguing insight into the possible origins of evil spirits! Why: Ignatius wrote a series of letters to the churches in Asia Minor whilst en route to Rome to face martyrdom by wild beasts in the Colosseum around 108 AD. When: Around 107-108 AD the opening chapters of this letter pulls no punc...

Is the Rapture Biblical?

Most people have some idea about what the rapture is – or do they? Generally there is an idea or concept of a form of escapism from the world when Jesus returns, which happens pre, mid or post tribulation and in some connection to the millenium. Now, if you understood any of those terms, you are most likely on, or aware of, the Dispensationalism side of things. there’s a lot of doctrine all bundled together in “end times” beliefs, and a fair bit of speculation around “the rapture” with its timing and logistics etc. which makes the whole thing a but murky, but nonetheless, it’s pretty much taken for granted as a staple belief within the Evangelical...

Lent Day 32: Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXI

...owship in the church, after they had been baptised. When: Around 348-350 AD You can find today’s reading on page 156 here: lentfatherscomplete.pdf   Today's lecture on the mysteries by Cyril, is on “chrism” and is an exposition based on 1 John 2:20-28 1 John 2:20,28But you have been anointed by the Holy One … that when he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming. This was a new one to me today, I've never come across the word chrism before. From the passage of Scripture this lecture is based on, I guessed it was something to do with anointing and on looking it up I found that it's actually a type of o...

the next 50 years

...the next fifty years in this country (the UK), and the U.S. — the West in general especially really — is going to be very interesting for society; for the church. Mainly for the church. Society is going through a major shift, almost on a global scale. A great divide is coming and will hit the church over issues of sexuality and marriage. More so than it might already seem. A great divide is coming Only one side will come out of it as the dominant "winner". the other, to reside in obscurity in the annals of embarrassing history. Everything is being done under the guise of "love" — almost as if to try and shame the church into looking as though it...