"One of the first, and most important of those duties which are incumbent upon us, is fervent and united prayer. However the influence of the Holy Spirit may be set at nought, and run down by many, it will be found upon trial, that all means which we can use, without it, will be ineffectual. If a temple is raised for God in the heathen world, it will not be by might, nor by … [Read more...]
The Father of Modern Missions – William Carey (part 1)
Regardless of whether or not, William Carey ought to be considered the 'founding father of modern missions', his influence was immense. In fact, the man was so heroic, he was supported by as diverse an array of figures as: Adoniram Judson, the Lutheran king of Denmark, and the Episcopal Church (who ironically gave him a saint's day celebration). As with any hagiography his … [Read more...]
From the Middle Ages to Michele Bachmann: The Papacy and Anti-Christian Accusations
Last year American presidential candidate Michele Bachmann was attacked because the confessions of her church declared that the office of the papacy was Antichristian / The Pope was Antichrist. This position is hardly shocking to those familiar with the history of the churches of the Protestant Reformation. Declaring the Pope as antichrist was not merely a tradition of … [Read more...]
The Level Ground At The Foot of the Cross
"The Christian religion, though scattered and abroad will in the end gather itself together at the foot of the cross." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe There's an old saying in the American church that "the ground is level at the foot of the cross". Gathered in that moment, and seeing what the world has done, crucified its Lord and Saviour, everyone in their confession of guilt … [Read more...]
The Freedom of the Will: John Calvin & Justin Martyr & Martin Luther
St. Augustine of Hippo One of the fundamentally differing premises between Catholicism and Protestantism, was the doctrine of the human will. Where Catholics argued that the will was weakened by original sin, but free to do good or evil, Protestants argued that the will was free only to choose between sins; free only to do evil. Here's a quotation from John Calvin's "The … [Read more...]