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Kirk Cameron And The Biblical Case For Annihilationism

Christian conversations about hell have never been especially calm, but the recent online reaction to Kirk Cameron’s comments in favour of annihilationism has been particularly revealing. Social media has erupted with accusations of heresy, doctrinal collapse, and theological compromise.  It’s the “Rob Bell Incident” all over again (if anyone remembers that).  The infamous John Piper tweet about Rob Bell A lot of comments I saw were wondering what Ray Comfort thinks of this, as he and Kirk worked closely together in ministry for about 25 years, and while Ray wasn’t as dismissive as John Piper was of Rob Bell, he still calls out Kirk’s new vi...

8 Most Controversial Topics In The Church Today

...ision and controversy throughout the broader church, there are also core doctrines that unite us. 1. Gay marriage Gay marriage and whether it should be permitted in the church are unquestionably at the top of the list of today's contentious issues. It does not take long to locate proof of this dispute in today's news. Many denominations have been divided on this subject. The Presbyterian Church (USA) supports it, although the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and others do not. But probably nowhere is the debate over this topic more heated than in the Anglican Church. The Anglican Church has changed its attitude on homosexual marriage and gay priests in re...

Creedal Christians: The Apostle's Creed

...where the controversy can come in. Apart from the obvious meaning that Jesus died and was buried, it also harkens back to 1 Peter 3:18-20, where it says that Jesus “went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison” rather than being condemned to actual hell. The Greek word used here is “hades” which is commonly translated and understood to mean “grave” or to an extent, the place of the dead/intermediate state. The Italian monk Rufinus is the first to mention this phrase in his commentary on the creed around the fourth century, and says that it “is not added in the Creed of the Roman Church, neither is it in that of the Oriental Churches” (C...

Francis Chan turns towards a more historical and ancient view of Communion

...If you follow certain Christian blogs, or have Christian friends on Social Media, then you may have seen a short video clip being shared which has been taken from a recent sermon by popular Evangelical pastor/speaker and author, Francis Chan of Crazy Love ministries. Depending on who shared the clip will depend on which reaction you have seen; some are praising his words, others fearing for his future calling it a “red flag”. And all of this over a short statement he made about communion! I recommend you watch this 3 minute clip below before continuing, if you haven’t seen it already. I would also recommend watching the whole 47 minute sermon for some b...

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

...Donatist controversy in the fourth century. This was a teaching claiming that the validity of sacraments depends on the moral character of the minister; e.g., if the one performing a baptism were in sin, then the baptism would be invalid. This sect persisted for a long time and eventually died out sometime after the fifth century, with the help of Augustine of Hippo. It obviously isn’t exactly the same issue faced by the early church, as Donatism was more about the moral standing of the ordained bishop or priest (and whether they recanted their faith during harsh persecution), rather than whether they recited liturgy correctly. But the similarities are there...

Melchizedek to Jesus: The Divine Thread of Bread and Wine

...usion and controversy among His listeners, yet they hint towards the spiritual reality of the Eucharist as a true participation in the body and blood of Christ and affirm the belief that the Eucharist is not merely symbolic, but a real and mysterious participation in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is also something that was recognised by a number of Early Church Fathers in their commentary and interpretations of John 6. Credit: @DefenseofSanity The Eucharist Today The Eucharist (from the Greek meaning “thanksgiving”), also known as Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper, is central to Christian worship, or at least, it should...