Blog Search Results

Jesus, Yahweh, And The Power Over The Storm

Critics of Christianity will often make the claim that Jesus never said he was God or divine in the Gospels. The problem comes when they set unrealistic demands and expectations, like wanting a chapter and verse where Jesus says, “I am God, worship me”. But this isn’t how the Bible works and definitely not how Jesus went about his ministry. Throughout the Gospels, there are clear connections that reveal the true nature of Jesus in ways that would have been obvious to the Jewish people and leaders of his day who were very familiar with the Torah and other Scriptures we now call the Old Testament. One of the most striking examples is His demonstration of po...

The Real St. Nicholas: A Man of Virtue, Not Violence

...he Sacred Faith: Timeless Truths for Modern Minds Who was the real Santa Claus? | The Sacred Faith: Timeless Truths for Modern Minds Bishop Nicholas Loses His Cool ::: St. Nicholas Center Let’s Stop Celebrating St. Nicholas Punching Arius| National Catholic Register Did St Nicholas of Myra / Santa Claus punch Arius at the Council of Nicaea? — Roger Pearse CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Nicholas of Myra The Tertullian Project Roger Pearse — Thoughts on Antiquity, Patristics, putting things online, information access, and more Nicholas of Myra — Livius  ...

What was so good about Good Friday?

...I remember when I was growing up, this was a question I would often wonder about and ask. People would say "because Jesus died on the cross!", which was of little help to me as I would then think, why was Jesus dying a good thing?  But this is a question I'm sure many people will have asked themselves when they consider the name of their Bank Holiday, and probably a question they got an unsatisfactory answer to - if they got one at all! Really though, this holiday time should be more well-known and recognised than Christmas. While the birth of Jesus is important, it isn't actually central to the Faith, nor is it really emphasised much in the New Testament...

Lent: Day 13 - Justin Martyr: First Apology, Chaps. 12-23

...Rational Faith Continuing with the argument for acting rationally towards Christians, Justin outlines how the Faith in which they profess, is in actuality, a rational Faith. Before giving an explanation for this, he outlines the history of Christ; that he born for a purpose and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and how they learned he was the Son of God to be worshipped. …we reasonably worship Him, having learned that He is the Son of the true God Himself, and holding Him in the second place, and the prophetic Spirit in the third, we will prove. For they proclaim our madness to consist in this, that we give to a crucified man a place second to the unch...

Lent Day 23: Athanasius: Life of Anthony: Chaps. 21-30

...Day Twenty-three: St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: Chaps. 21-30 Who: Bishop of Alexandria; Confessor and Doctor of the Church; born c. 296; died 2 May, 373 AD. He was the main defender of orthodoxy in the 4th-century battle against the Arianism heresy. Certain writers received the title “Doctor” on account of the great advantage their doctrine had on the whole Church, Athanasius especially for his doctrine on the incarnation. What: The biography of Anthony the Great’s life, which helped to spread the concept of Christian monasticism, particularly in Western Europe. Why: From the letter’s own prologue: “The life and conversation of our holy Father...

Lent: Day 2 - Mathetes to Diognetus, pt. 1

...Day two: Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus: Chaps. 1-6 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 I've only ever come acros...