On The First Day Of The Week

Now on the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, while it was yet dark, unto the tomb, and seeth the stone taken away from the tomb. She runneth therefore, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple . . . Continue reading →

The Main Purpose Of The ‘Rule Of Faith’ Is to Help Readers Identify Jesus As The One To Whom The Scriptures Point

Jesus Christ is not the solution to a puzzle, whether that solution is derived by means of a sophisticated homiletical method or a sophisticated hermeneutical method. Jesus Christ is God the Son in person. Someone, not something, is the central subject matter and scope of Scripture. Someone, not something, should be the central subject matter and scope of Christian preaching. Continue reading →

The St Nicholas Of History (Sort Of)

After the recent Heidelcast episode on Christmas and Santa Claus, Brad Isbell reported that his better half asked something to the effect of, “but what about the real St Nicholas?” This is a great question and one that I have intended to . . . Continue reading →

Pew Poll: Christendom Lives In The Hearts Of Many Americans

On October 28, 2021 The Pew Research Center published another of their fascinating and illuminating polls. This one surveyed the attitudes of Americans on the relations between church and state. For our international readers the USA has a written constitution (other nations . . . Continue reading →

What’s Going On Right Now: Sex, Race, Politics, and Power with Dr. W Robert Godfrey (3)

In this third session of Dr. Godfrey’s Sunday school class at the Escondido URC, he develops how Christianity fared under Christendom. He explains the trajectory of challenges Christianity faced as it became wealthy and influential and, sadly, moved away from the gospel. . . . Continue reading →

Gregory of Nyssa Against The Chiliasts

Now if we loudly preach all this, and testify to all this, namely that Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, always changeless, always imperishable, though He comes in the changeable and the perishable; never stained Himself, but . . . Continue reading →

Polycarp: A Model For Ministry In The Post-Christian West

Polycarp (Πολύκαρπος), whose name might be translated as fruitful was the leading pastor (ἐπίσκοπος) of Smyrna (today, Izmir, Turkey) on the Agean coast of Asia Minor. We do not know a great deal about his life. He was friends with Ignatius, the pastor of Antioch, who was (presumably) martyred about AD 115. Continue reading →

Valentinus, Marcion, And Contemporary Christianity

In our ancient church course we have been working through the basic ideas and foundational figures in the Gnostic movement of the second century AD.