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Is Halloween a Pagan Holiday?

...life that Jesus has given us, that victory over death and evil! Have something to add to this? Leave a comment below. If you'd like to learn more about this subject, or have a small resource to hand out to others, I've compiled all my writing on Halloween's history and a selection of stories from four ancient martyrs into a short book. Available wherever you get books in paperback, ebook, and audiobook. Get it now Dive into the lives and testimonies of these faithful men and women who can still inspire faith in us even now: Before The Pumpkins: Reclaiming All Hallows’ Eve Before The Pumpkins: The Road To The Lions Before The Pumpkins:...

Lent: Day 4 - Polycarp to the Philippians

...lief that Jesus's humanity was an illusion), quoting 1 John 4 and calling them the “firstborn of Satan”, plus some grieving for one of the church leaders who fell into sin. Polycarp also included some letters from Ignatius with this one, which were highly commended to be read and passed on amongst the churches. Overall, this letter feels very familiar and is just as encouraging as the Pauline letters we read in the New Testament, well worth at least one read through in full....

Lent Day 34: Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXIII

...our Lord Jesus Christ:--To whom be glory and honour and might, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and world without end. Amen  ...

Creedal Christians: Introduction

...in Christ Jesus." (Apostle Paul, Gal 3:28) With that of the Greek and Jewish sayings: “There are three blessings for which I am grateful to fortune: First, that I was born a human being and not one of the brutes; Next, that I was born a man and not a woman; Thirdly, a Greek and not a barbarian” (A quote attributed to Socrates or Thales; Diogenes Laertius, Thales 1.33). “Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe who has not created me a woman.” (This appears as part of a sequence of blessings found in the Talmud, which men would recite in their morning prayers) There’s also other examples of early New Testament creeds, of vari...

Power Cuts and the Fear of God

...e warning Jesus gives us about the Father in Matthew 10:28— Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. God is that electricity that can light up our world, protect us and keep up safe when we plug into Him as intended (via following His commands and Laws), but if we go astray or don’t follow the “instructions”, then that power outlet can be something to be feared! I know this isn’t like my usual articles, but I hope that this is helpful to some in garnering a better understanding of the fear of the Lord, framed in a modern context. Let me...

Christians and the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

...words of Jesus: “Love your neighbour” should guide us in this situation in all things, and what’s more loving than not infecting people with a potentially deadly disease? Stay vigilant, wash your hands, and limit physical contact where possible. I’ll close this with the words of St. Teresa of Avila as some inspiration for us during this trying time: “Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are t...