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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...

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

Day Thirty-two: St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXI Who: Bishop of Jerusalem and Doctor of The Church, born about 315; died probably 18 March, 386. Little is known of his life, except from his younger contemporaries, Epiphanius, Jerome, and Rufinus, as well as from The fifth-century historians, Socrates, Sozomen and Theodoret. What: Each of The lectures deal with a different topic to teach converts The mysteries of The Church, particularly: rites of The renunciation of Satan and his works, of anointing with oil, of baptism, of anointing with The holy chrism, and of partaking of The body and blood of Christ. Why: Cyril delivered to new c...

The next 50 years

...13   The Church needs to step up, stop squabbling, and demonstrate true love. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one anoTher. John 13:35   Stop worrying about how The World acts and lives, and manage your own house. For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? 1 Cor 5:12 Act in love towards one anoTher and let that bleed out INTO The World. Let Them know us by our love and watch Them come. God's house will stand in spite of us....

Before The Pumpkins: The Road To The Lions

...ands us. The Church today stands on The shoulders of such giants. Ignatius walks among that “great cloud of witnesses” described in Hebrews 12 — those who have run The race and kept The faith. His chains became his crown, his suffering his song. And through his letters, his voice still calls out across The centuries: “And let no one, of things visible or invisible, envy me that I should attain to Jesus Christ.”. Next time, we’ll turn to anoTher of John’s spiritual sons: The aged bishop Polycarp who met his death with The same serenity and defiance that marked The earliest Church. FurTher Reading Ignatius of Antioch: Letter to The Ephesi...