The Church of Jesus Christ

A Call to Anguish

Polycarp — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:59:54 +0000

What a powerful message – and one true across the theological bounds. The Church that I know is one content with cover-ups, with hiding the Gospel, with changing only light bulbs. Where are the laborer’s in the fields? Where is the weeping for lost loved ones, friends, and the ill? What great impact have w had? [...]

New Look(s) – Update

Polycarp — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:53:25 +0000

Over the next few hours or days, you may notice a change in the ‘theme’ of the page. As you can see, it has changed this morning. I wanted something different, so, we will go with this one, for now. I have some work yet to do on the banner – not good at graphics [...]

All in ‘The Family’ – Is this politics or a cult?

Polycarp — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:59:27 +0000

As I was watching some news last night, I saw this story on the Rachel Maddow show – and frankly, it’s a bit creepy. I usually stop watching news by that late hour – else the children run screaming from the information overload. It concerns The Family, founded by Nazi-sympathizer, Abraham Vereide. As I was [...]

My Only Post on John Calvin – Calvinism and Communism

Polycarp — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:51:18 +0000

Frankly, I am not going to take the time to write a post on John Calvin. (Dr. West is writing one every hour for twenty-four hours.) And others have written as well, What is Calvin’s legacy today? For most, he evokes the most stern and punitive theology of groups like the Puritans, but the reality is [...]

Guide to American Christianity

Polycarp — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:44:16 +0000

Ken Schenck has posted an essential guide to American Christianity – although not complete, it provides some thought Quadrilateral Thoughts: Guide to American Christianity (P.S. – It’s Friday, it’s okay to laugh.)

Geographic Distribution of Religious Groups

Polycarp — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:21:25 +0000

Following up on the post yesterday, we have another image of religious groups, this time, geographically. Click the image for a related story concerning the Southern Baptist Convention. A few points that I would like to make: While Catholicism is seemingly everywhere, the SBC is centralized in the South (makes sense really). Take another look – and [...]

Agapius now online in English; New Translation of Job

Polycarp — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:59:06 +0000

For those interested, Roger Pearse has a new translation of an ancient work up: I’m done, at last. The Universal History of the 10th century Arabic Christian writer Agapius is now online in English here. I hope it is useful! And Peter tell us of a new translation of Job: Those of you familiar with BOB’s friend Bob [...]

Lou Engle urges Americans to Invade Canada for God

Polycarp — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:59:10 +0000

Well, not really invade – but don’t think he is not thinking about it that way: First, from here: This summer, exactly 40 years after Woodstock, thousands of young, and young at heart, will descend on Vancouver, British Columbia, to cry out to God for a new movement in Canada and the nations of the earth. Biblically [...]

The In and Outflow of Faith Groups

Polycarp — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:59:10 +0000

I saw this image this past week. CD has several good points: Main points: None (no affiliation): This group has terrible retention (about 50%) but fantastic evangelism. The growth of this group and a new form of Christianity targeted to them has generally been what has led to revivals. Yet more evidence that the Emerging Church is [...]

The Gospel, Depravity and Change

Polycarp — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:18:23 +0000

Recently, I have found James’ blog, and it has become a reward all of itself. In a post today, James discusses the issue which divides many – depravity of the human soul. In his post here, he concludes: At the same time, there are plenty of people who believe that they can’t change–either because of their [...]

And now, a Message on the Benefits of Racial Purity

Polycarp — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:27:48 +0000

And now, we interrupt our regularly scheduled broadcast of biblical things to bring you a message on the benefits of Racial Purity (unless you count trying to stomp out racism as something biblical): Kilmeade and two colleagues were discussing a study that, based on research done in Finland and Sweden, showed people who stay married are [...]

The Trouble with Twitter – No, Obama is not the Antichrist

Polycarp — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:23:52 +0000

I Tweet on Twitter, and so does anyone who believes that freedom of speech includes saying something completely untrue and off the wall. Let me share with you a conversation from last night: meharvey Is Obama the Antichrist? http://www.hallindsey.com/v… To which I responded: @meharvey No, Obama is not the antichrist. No such thing as ‘the antichrist’ Then someone else [...]

Baby Update

Polycarp — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:38:11 +0000

I haven’t posted on this in a while, so I thought that I might. Last week, we had our 6th month appointment – and everything is fine. We are expecting, and praying for, a very healthy baby girl. Unfortunately, Sophia will be saddled with Camille as the middle name – something my wife as decided. I prefer [...]

The KJVO Belief that God is an English only speaker

Polycarp — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:59:07 +0000

While reading this post, a commentator post a link to what we will examine below. One of the issues with KJV-Onlyism is that it is Anglo-centric, meaning that many of those who promote it would declare England/American as the lost tribe(s) of Israel. I want to just answer a few things from Sam Gipp’s take [...]

The Prophet Amos and the Resurrection, Part Two

Polycarp — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:59:04 +0000

Esteban has posted another post in his series on reading Amos 9.11-12. He qoutes from Cyril of Alexandria: The tabernacle of David means the race of the Jews. It must be known that after Cyrus has freed Israel from captivity, they returned to Judea and built the temple of God. Then, after they had again fortified the cities [...]

Letter of Eusebius of Nicomedia to Paulinus of Tyre

Polycarp — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:59:07 +0000

For those of you just joining us, I have discovered Fourth Century Christianity. It has more twists and turns, heros, villains, and back stabbing than any other time period of the Church. By studying the Fourth Century, I have developed a better understanding of doctrinal development, and indeed a greater respect for the men who [...]

Paul Washer, First Hand on the Word of Faith

Polycarp — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:46:11 +0000

HT.

Queen kind of supports Anti-Gay Anglicans

Polycarp — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:56:56 +0000

It’s not like she can be voted out - She told the heads of the traditionalist group, formed in response to the liberal direction of some parts of the Anglican Communion, that she “understood their concerns” about the future of the 80 million-strong global church. The Queen, who [...]

Patristics Carnival XXV

Polycarp — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:41:06 +0000

Phil has the newest Patristics Carnival up today: hyperekperissou: Patristics Carnival XXV. He has posted some really great articles, which I look forward to reading myself. Stop over, if you get a chance.

The Modest Woman in the Ancient World

Polycarp — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:59:52 +0000

Michael at Ecce Homo listed as one of this five valuable resources a letter between two women, friends, concerning the modesty of a wives in the ancient world. According the Michael, while the letter which we have dates from the 3rd century, it was most likely written as early as the 1st century – or [...]

Archaeological Evidence that King David Existed

Polycarp — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:59:46 +0000

Admittedly, this is not an unbiased story, but interesting nonetheless - ….Dr. Eilat Mazar, world authority on Jerusalem’s past, has taken King David out of the pages of the Bible and put him back into living history. Mazar’s latest excavation in the City of David, in the southern shadow of the Temple Mount, has shaken up [...]

Can you explain away Christianity?

Polycarp — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:59:36 +0000

Two posts which are somewhat related – two questions for you to think about. Let’s set it up: Let’s say that Christianity is an imagined community from the ground up. No Resurrection of a political Jesus. No miracles. No signs and wonders. No fulfillment of prophecies. Let’s say that the earliest written accounts of this myth called [...]

It’s Deplorable what is being Ignored

Polycarp — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:11:15 +0000

Friends, the world watches as the people of Iran, China, and Honduras fight for life and freedom, while the Darfur genocide goes on, and people starve in the richest country in the world – and Americans entrance themselves in the death of a pop icon. I am watching the Twitter feeds of ‘journalists’ and lay people [...]

Struggle between Messianics and haredim in Arad

Polycarp — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:50:40 +0000

Thanks to PJ for this article: (Warning, offensive language, after the jump) The word “nigger” features prominently in the videos taken by Eddie Beckford and his wife Lura, a Messianic Christian couple living in the desert town of Arad. The videos, going back to 2005, show anywhere from a handful to a mob of local Gur [...]

Bart, the BBC, and the Codex Sinaiticus

Polycarp — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:03:14 +0000

Yes, yes, we know that Bart Ehrman is the world re-known ‘I was born again bible-believing Evangelical and now it is my mission to destroy the bible’ but can we not just go without him this one time? The BBC writes: Had this [the epistle of Barnabas] remained in subsequent versions, “the suffering of Jews in the [...]