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Biblical Inspiration and the Canon: How We Got the Bible

...sured the truth of His message was faithfully recorded by the biblical writers. What is the Canon? The word “canon” comes from the Greek κανών (kanōn), meaning “rule” or “measuring rod.” In the context of the Bible, the canon refers to the official list of books recognised as divinely inspired and authoritative for faith and practice. The canon developed over time as the early church recognised which writings carried divine authority. The Old Testament canon was largely settled by the time of Jesus, based on the Hebrew Scriptures used in the Jewish community. The New Testament canon, however, was formed through a process of discernment over...

Does Easter Have Pagan Origins?

...r and the truth about Easter - Uncomplicated Christianity Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume I/Church History of Eusebius/Book V/Chapter 24 - Wikisource, the free online library From Easter to Ostara: the Reinvention of a Pagan Goddess? Is Easter Named After a Pagan Goddess? - Dr. Michael Heiser Who Separated Passover from Easter? | Articles | AskDrBrown | Your voice for Moral Sanity and Spiritual Clarity | The Line of Fire Philip Schaff: NPNF2-14. The Seven Ecumenical Councils - Christian Classics Ethereal Library Philip Schaff: NPNF2-04. Athanasius: Select Works and Letters - Christian Classics Ethereal Library Ishtar | Goddess, Worship, &...

Lent: Day 7 - Ignatius to the Trallians

...efend the truth of the Gospel from every direction. Because of the nature of the Docetic beliefs — that Jesus wasn’t really manifest in the flesh but was rather an illusion, Ignatius gives us a nice run down of the life and passion of Jesus, which really focusses on his physical nature. Like John wrote so clearly in his Gospel: “the Word became flesh”, Ignatius writes a similar summary of the Gospel message in order to combat any notions that Christ was anything but human in manifestation. There appeared to be those who taught “that [Jesus] only seemed to suffer” and if that were so, Ignatius argued, “then why am I in bonds … Do I therefore di...

Why God Is Necessary For Morality

...Guest post by Darwin to Jesus Dostoevsky famously said, “If there is no God, then everything is permitted.” For years, as an atheist, I couldn’t understand what he meant, but now I do… Here’s a simple analogy that shows why only theism can make sense of morality: Imagine you just got hired at a company. You show up, set up your desk, and decide to use two large monitors. No big deal, right? But then some random guy walks up to you and says: “Hey, you’re not allowed to do that.” You ask, “What do you mean?” They say, “You’re not permitted* to use monitors that big.” In this situation, the correct response would be: “Says who...

Before The Pumpkins: Faith In The Flames

...e sake of truth, the cost of integrity in a dishonest world, the quiet suffering of remaining faithful when it would be easier to yield. Polycarp’s story shows us what it means to be steadfast. He did not become brave in a single moment of crisis; his courage was the fruit of a lifetime walking with Christ. Faithfulness is not forged in the fire, it is revealed there like precious metal in a blacksmiths furnace. Next Time… Next in this series, we’ll journey to the third century, to Carthage, where a young mother named Perpetua faced death in the arena with unshakable courage and a vision of heaven that strengthened all who watched her die. Subscribe t...

An Examination of Conditional Immortality (Part One)

...has of a truth sent to us?— Ignatius of Antioch: Letter to the Ephesians, chaps. 16–17 Similarly, in his epistle to the Magnesian church, Ignatius makes the claim that if Jesus were to “reward us according to our works, we should cease to be”! Though he doesn’t elaborate on this point, it squares with the New Testament message that the “wages of sin is death”. Written around the same time as Ignatius, was the Epistle of Barnabas, who, in his conclusion, states that: “For the day is at hand on which all things shall perish with the evil [one].”. This would even imply that the devil will eventually perish as well, along with everything that do...