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The Resurrection as a historical event

...nuclear shadows” were created? It’s speculation, but it’s definitely interesting. Evidence from Paul Paul talks a lot about Jesus in a spiritual, post-resurrection way; but he does give us a couple of references to the historic Jesus too. In his letter to the Corinth church there is one such example of what happened after the resurrection: 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (v.6) “Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.” After a quick run-down of the Gospel and how Jesus rose again, Paul highlights a little tidbit of info which is him basically saying, “if you don...

Melchizedek to Jesus: The Divine Thread of Bread and Wine

...t in time had not yet been given, which leaves us with more unanswered questions regarding what this priesthood of Melchizedek was (and its origins), and also why Abraham would give a tenth like a tithe. Salem, which is understood to be the ancient name for Jerusalem, means “city of peace”. This is highly significant as it links to the messianic prophecy of Jesus being the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). The connection between Melchizedek being the king of Salem and Jesus being in the lineage of David, who reigned in Jerusalem, ties the notion of peace directly into the divine narrative. Melchizedek’s role as a king and priest in the city of peace prefigure...

Debunking the Crusades: 5 Myths You Probably Believe

...ian world had already been conquered by Muslim forces, including regions such as Syria, North Africa, and most of Spain. The Seljuk Turks’ advance into Byzantine territory (a Christian empire) and the capture of Jerusalem were major catalysts for Pope Urban II’s call to arms. The Crusades were framed as a defensive response, although not always executed with purely defensive motives. Myth 2: The Crusades were primarily motivated by greed and the desire for land. Truth: While individual crusaders certainly had varied motivations, the majority did not join the Crusades for wealth or land. In fact, going on a Crusade was an incredibly costly and dangerous...

Is Halloween a Pagan Holiday?

...aints who had died, not just martyrs since there had become too many to individually commemorate. And thus, All Saints Day was born. This isn't even the earliest time that martyrs were remembered as a formal event, as the practice goes way back to at least 135 AD which we can read about in the Martyrdom of Polycarp. In this text, the believers are said to treat the bones of Polycarp as “more precious than the most exquisite jewels, and more purified than gold”. The next reference comes around 250 AD. In Epistle 36 of Cyprian, he states that the Church should take note of the days on which the martyrs are killed: Finally, also, take note of their days on...

Biblical Inspiration and the Canon: How We Got the Bible

...The book had to be written by an apostle or someone directly connected to an apostle. For example, the Gospel of Mark was accepted because Mark was closely associated with Peter, and according to Papias (as recorded by Eusebius in Ecclesiastical History 3.39.15–16), Mark wrote his Gospel based on Peter’s preaching. Theological Consistency — The book had to align with the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. A text was not included if a text contained theological ideas that contradicted the established apostolic message. Widespread Use and Acceptance — The book had to be widely recognised and used by the early Christian community as authoritati...

Before The Pumpkins: The Day Two Women Defied Rome

...said she had “never known such darkness”, plus it was hot and crowded, the soldiers mistreated them all and she was trying to care for her child! Thankfully, later on a couple of deacons, Tertius and Pomponius, who were ministering to them managed to somehow pay the Romans to allow Perpetua and Felicity some respite in a better part of the prison where the child could be better fed and later handed off into the care of Perpetua’s mother.  Dreams of Victory While in prison, Perpetua received a series of visions that strengthened her for what lay ahead. In one, she saw a golden ladder reaching up to heaven, guarded by a fierce serpent below, and sharp i...