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Lent Day 25: Athanasius: Life of Anthony: Chaps. 41-50

...“Once someone knocked at the door of my cell”, he says, and getting up to answer the door, he sees “one who seemed of great size and tall” standing there. Enquiring who this person was, he answered, “I am Satan”. Unphased by this, Anthony just asks him what he is doing there at his door! Satan then just bemoans that all of the “monks and all other Christians” just blame him “undeservedly” and curse him “hourly”, to which Anthony simply asks him, 'then why do you bother them in the first place if you don't want to be blamed for it?'.  Maybe this is what inspired the Rolling Stones song title Sympathy for the Devil (sorry, couldn't hel...

Lent Day 36: Ambrose of Milan: Concerning the Mysteries: 5-9

...out here something unusual I’ve not heard before about foot washing. After these are baptised and anointed with oil, the converts then have their feet washed because of the example set by Jesus. It really is an example we are meant to follow too which is something I hadn’t noticed before, nor ever really been taught. Jesus specifically said to his disciples: John 13:14-15 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Ambrose here interprets this as meaning that although Peter was clean (vv.13), ...his feet were there...

The Temptations of Jesus: Testing God

...point of something. Otherwise Jesus would be standing on the spikes of the roof! No, in this case the pinnacle means a specific wing on the top most side of the temple, most likely being Herod's royal portico which was overhanging the ravine of Kedron, at the valley of Hinnom. Now this point was so high up, and the drop below so deep, that even the first century historian Josephus makes mention of this. He wrote that, “if any one looked down from the top of the battlements, or down both those altitudes, he would be giddy”! Other commentaries say that this wing or porch was about 350 feet above the valley – so that ought to give some context about what th...

Lent: Day 3 - Mathetes to Diognetus, pt. 2

...Day three: Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus: Chaps. 7-12 Who: Anonymous author, “mathetes” is not a name, but is the Greek word for “a disciple” What: possibly one of the earliest examples of a Christian apologetic defending the faith from its accusers, written to someone interested in learning more about the faith and its customs Why: The Christian faith was under attack and ridicule in the early centuries, many things about the Church were misunderstood and so various Christians took to writing apologetic's (defences) to clarify doctrines and beliefs from being maligned. When: Estimated between AD 130 and late 2nd century Today's reading is the...

Using AI to bring the Early Church to the modern age!

...Hello everyone, I've created and trained some AI chatbots on the writings of the Apostolic Fathers! You can ask them anything about the authors, the texts, topics, or quotes. Give it a try and see what you think: Apostolic Fathers Chatbot | Patristics.info I've also made Irenaeus into an AI so you can go and have a chat with him about his works Against Heresies. The bot 'thinks' it is Irenaeus too, so you can ask it personal things as though you were talking to Irenaeus: AI Irenaeus | Patristics.info And finally, introducing AI John Chrysostom as a similar AI which acts as the person so you can ask it questions in a more natural way: AI John Chrysostom | Pa...

The Early Concept of the Trinity: Tracing the Roots

...ip. While some scholars propose that Ignatius linked Jesus’ divine sonship to the incarnation, Ignatius clearly affirms Jesus’ pre-existence, stating that He ‘from eternity was with the Father and at last appeared to us’ (Magn. 6.1). Moreover, Ignatius emphasises the distinct existence of both ‘our God Jesus Christ’ and the Holy Spirit before Jesus’ birth, suggesting a pre-existing Trinity (Eph. 18.2). These insights from Ignatius offer a nuanced understanding of the early Christian perception of the Trinity, acknowledging the co-equality of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and hinting at the mysterious relationship between the divine persons. C...