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Lent: Day 6 - ignatius to the Magnesians

Day Six: St. ignatius of antioch: letter to the Magnesians (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: ignatius urges the church to continue in unity, to honour their leadership and to avoid Judaizers who may try to bring false teaching. This letter also gives some valuable insight to early church hierarchy. 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 Col...

the Battle for the Trinity: Historical Heresies and Church Defences

the Trinity is a cornerstone of Christian faith, defining God as one Being in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, throughout history, various misunderstandings and false teachings — known as heresies — have arisen, challenging this core doctrine. Understanding these heresies can strengthen our faith and deepen our appreciation for the truths held by the Church since its earliest days. What Is the Trinity? Before diving into the heresies, let’s briefly review what we mean by the Trinity. the Christian doctrine of the Trinity teaches that God is one essence in three distinct Persons: the Father: the Creator and sustainer of al...

Lent: Day 5 - ignatius to the Ephesians

Day Five: St. ignatius of antioch: letter to the Ephesians (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: the letter has a strong call to and for unity within the church, along with respect for their bishop. 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 there is a strong theme to this letter from the outset, an...

Lent: Day 8 - ignatius to the Romans

Day Eight: St. ignatius of antioch: letter to the Romans (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 challenging letter in which ignatius pours himself out to the Roman church about his impending martyrdom. 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 On reading the introduction to this letter my first th...

Lent: Day 7 - ignatius to the Trallians

Day Seven: St. ignatius of antioch: letter to the Trallians (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: ignatius urges the church to continue in unity and to honour their leadership. This letter also gives a defence against certain heresies. 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 letter to the Tr...

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...