For some readers the Liturgical Calendar like the prefix "St." is scary and reminscent of the Inquisition, Clerical sex-scandals, and everything they hate about religion in general. However, in years past, more and more people with that initial gut reaction have been rethinking their own positions, and have warmed to words like "Lent" and "Advent". I remember first … [Read more...]
St. Irenaeus of Lyons
Today is the feast of St. Irenaeus of Lyons, one of the most important early Christian writers. He was an apologist for the faith and wrote a famous work called "Against Heresies". This lengthy work is very early and so many apologists of modern confession positions (Catholics & Protestants) use it to prove their own system. Just look at one section. In Book III, … [Read more...]
St. Cyril of Alexandria
Today Christ's Church commemorates the feast of St. Cyril of Alexandria, leaving many to ask: Who was St. Cyril? Where is Alexandria? Why do weird popish - baby dunking - Christians like Andrew celebrate him? Besides the obvious reason that he's slavishly devoted to men in robes, candles, and chants. Well: -St. Cyril expelled the Novationists from Alexandria. What's a … [Read more...]
St. Anselm of Canterbury's 'Evangelical' Faith
Wikipedia has been my true alma mater in so many ways, however there are days when something irks me in its endless pages. If we understand Evangelical to mean one who is a Christian and places their faith in the saving life, death, and resurrection of Jesus who meritted their salvation, then Evangelicalism can hardly be said to have emerged in the 17th century. The Middle … [Read more...]
The City of God (Pt. 2)
Yesterday, we noted a great moment in the history of the Church: the story of Noah. From it and from Augustine, we noted the difference between the City of God and the City of Man, and how these two are continually opposed. In the same way Noah had been rejected by men for holding fast to the faith and preserving the City of God, King David prayed in the Psalms: "Let not … [Read more...]