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Creedal Christians: The Apostle's Creed

...-theology/history-authority-of-the-apostles-creed/ https://blog.faithlife.com/blog/2015/04/the-apostles-creed-its-history-and-origins/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communion_of_saints https://www.fpcjackson.org/resource-library/sermons/i-believe-inthe-communion-of-the-saints Tyrannius Rufinus’ Commentary – http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2711.htm Ignatius, Epistle to the Trallians, Chapter 9 – http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.v.iv.ix.html cf. Epistle to the Smyrnaeans, Chapter 1 – http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.v.vii.i.html Justin Martyr, First Apology, Chapter 13 – http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.ii.xiii.html Ire...

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

...of church history: “I didn’t know that for the first 1,500 years of church history, everyone saw it as the literal body and blood of Christ … And it wasn’t until 500 years ago that someone popularised the thought that it’s just a symbol and nothing more. I didn’t know that. I thought, ‘Wow, that’s something to consider.’” This part isn’t too far from reality, really, though a little over-simplified. But I understand his zeal and excitement about this discovery of his, as I went through the exact same mind-blowing realisation around five or so years ago when I first delved into the writings of the Early Church Fathers and was forced to co...

Does Christmas have pagan origins?

...le bit of history and see how the early church viewed these festivals, as they were still happening in full force whilst the Church was still young and were a contemporary concern, and what date they pinned the birth of Christ on to. Much of the earliest references to the Nativity occur in a passing way as a commentary on the event rather than anything celebratory about it. Justin Martyr in his First Apology (~160 AD) mentions that Jesus was born 150 years before him, in the time of Quirinius (or Cyrenius as some translations have it – cf. Luke 2:2), where his readers could “ascertain also from the registers” the accuracy of his statement. Tertullian (197...

Melchizedek to Jesus: The Divine Thread of Bread and Wine

...n through history into the New Testament era and beyond and into our present-day worship. Despite the number of kings fighting all across Canaan, Melchizedek doesn’t appear to be a part of these conflicts and only enters the scene when it’s all over, and Abram has rescued Lot and subdued the king who captured Sodom. Then “the king of Sodom went out to meet [Abram] at the Valley of Shaveh, that is, the King’s Valley.” (Gen 14:17), which is modern-day Kidron Valley, just outside of Jerusalem. So the meeting was local and close to Melchizedek, but still doesn’t explain what happens next to Abram: Genesis 14:18–20And King Melchizedek of Salem brought...

Who was the real Santa Claus?

...It's that magical time of year when the lights go up, the trees get decorated and a familiar bearded man in a red suit pops up everywhere. He goes by a few names: Santa Claus, Father Christmas, and Saint Nick. But who was the real Santa Claus? Well, to answer that, we need to go way back in history to the fourth century to a Bishop called Nicholas of Myra (present-day Demre, Turkey). Memes abound about St Nicholas and Arius Some early lists place him as one of the Bishops who attended the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, and there are some questionable legends which state that he was temporarily defrocked (removal from office) and imprisoned during...

Did Herod’s Massacre Of The Innocents Historically Happen?

...ot record history the way we do now. A small number of peasant children killed in an obscure village would not have registered as a notable event alongside palace intrigue, royal executions, or political upheaval. For Josephus, it would have been barely worth mentioning if it reached his sources at all. It was just another Tuesday for Herod’s madness. During this time period of Herod’s reign, he had already executed his own sons, ordered mass arrests, oversaw brutal reprisals, and was responsible for widespread political violence. A few peasant family deaths at his hands in an obscure backwater village, something that didn’t disrupt anything politically,...