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...]
A Few Early Fathers on Peter, The Rock, and Matthew 16:18
There has been a flurry of Evangelical conversions to Roman Catholicism recently (I did it once when I was young and foolish) in the Blogosphere. That seems as good an occasion as any to return to the early fathers of the Christian Church between which and the current RCC there is a great gulf fixed. Far from having any real consensus, at times, the consensus of the fathers … [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...]
The City of God (Pt. 1)
Long ago, St. Augustine of Hippo wrote a book commonly called "The City of God". In it he chronicled that: "we have learned that there is a city of God, and its Founder has inspired us with a love which makes us covet its citizenship. To this Founder of the holy city the citizens of the earthly city prefer their own gods, not knowing that He is the God of gods" - St. Augustine … [Read more...]