Tag: Christianity
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Augustinian Predestination
At the moment, I am only going to post some objections to the Augustinian/Thomist view of predestination since I am starting to move away from that view due to the difficulties it poses. The Augustinian view of predestination suggests that after the fall all of mankind is destined for hell and that God, to show…
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Christianity of the Third Millennium
I can see the merits of Sola Scriptura. I can see why so many people choose to adopt that ideology. Just as Jesus seemingly condensed the law into two rules, so a summary compilation of the tenets of the faith, the Bible, condenses the work of millennia. It’s easier to read, and, in theory, it’s…
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What Is the Deal with Mary?
About a year ago, a friend asked me to write about Mary and why Apostolics (Catholics and Orthodox) have such a unique affinity for the Mother of God (Theotokos). So I am now acting upon that request! This article is not meant to seek to prove why one (or any) devotion to the Blessed Mother…
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Rediscovering Lost Horizons
Rediscovering the relationship between faith and reason is necessary for understanding and engaging with the atmosphere of our times. Indeed, it has been the church’s constant tradition to show those outside its fold how they possess vague glimpses of what the church teaches, believes, and confesses. However, before analyzing the relationship between faith and reason,…
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Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin
Growing up I often heard the phrase “love the sinner, hate the sin” used as a way to approach the complexity of living in a world where we are called to love a broken and sinful people. This phrase actually comes from St Augustine in his Letter 211 where he writes, “Cum dilectione hominum et…
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Sorrowful Even unto Death
When listening to Biblical passages from any given Sunday Gospel, the basic theme of doing good deeds and avoiding evil ones can more or less be understood on a rudimentary level. But every now and then, I personally come across a line from Scripture that forces me to scratch my head. Case in point, I…
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On the Crusades and Their Significance for Christianity
Shellfish. Starving children in Africa. The Crusades. In a normal, rational world, these three subjects would be as far apart from each other topically as they are physically. In religious debate between an uninformed atheist and an unprepared Christian, however, these three topics are the conversation’s bread and butter. Having grown up in the church…
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A Confutation on Circumcision
This article is a continuation of the discussion Zach, Anisha and I are having concerning whether circumcision is efficacious, a proposal that we both think has strong implications for Baptism. I want to revisit Zach’s most recent article and respond to its claims. At the beginning of Zach’s article, he problematically states that “Efficacy entails…
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Simple Beauty, Simple Truth: A Hobbit’s View on Profit Motive
“I have found a place where some Shire folk of Middle-Earth must have emigrated. Surely some hobbit blood runs through these people’s veins.” Such were the thoughts in my head as I entered the Airbnb while vacationing in the region of my maternal ancestors. Zakopane, Poland is a tourist town nestled in the rolling foothills…
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So that No Man may Boast
Oftentimes in conversations with Christians of the reformed tradition, a discussion of the goodness of man and how that relates to the divine plan of salvation will arise. During these conversations I have found that a difference in definitions to be harmful to actually discussing the issues at hand. Add to the differing nomenclature palates…
