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Original Sin / Baptism / Free Will / Orthodoxy
The earliest, clearest statement (there also some less clear, earlier statements) on Original Sin among the patristics, as I hinted to Gene in the combox of another thread, naturally relates to the symbolism of baptism (addressed in this case, by the corresponding OT symbol circumcision): Augustine, “City of God,” Book XVI, Chapter 26 And thus,…
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Wait a Tick … Pope head of Orthodoxy too?
According to this article, Orthodoxy is willing to conceded that the pope is its head (link). Oh, and for certain naive folks, the following quotation from the article should be enlightening: “The meeting was marred at the start when delegates from the Russian Orthodox Church walked out over a territorial dispute with a rival Orthodox…
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Response to Orthodox: Unfair if Man Unable (and misc.)
Orthodox wrote: T: 1. God says: “Anyone who repents and believes will be saved.” O: He says more than that, he also says “repent and believe”. Which remainsa false offer even if you think they can’t do it. Ro 1:20 says that the entirety of creation is designed so that men arewithout excuse. To give…
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Tradition – What does it Mean?
If you have the chance to address those who seek to defend “tradition” from Scripture, you will find them appealing to Scriptures and fathers who say that the apostles passed some things on orally, rather than in writing. Let’s be clear on one thing: even if the “tradition” advocates were right that the was material…
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Traditionalist Caveat
If you are opposed to Sola Scriptura, supposing that tradition is necessary to provide authoritative tradition, you need to make sure you have the right authoritative tradition. While you have no doubt heard the usual anti-Sola-Scriptura argument that there are ba-zillion (it’s a technical term) Protestant denominations, possibly you are unaware that there are good…
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History of Gifts?
I’ve been enjoying various discussions with TheoJunkie (link), who appears to have taken the position that the extraordinary gifts (the so-called Charismata) have not ceased. I still consider him a Christian brother, and I value his thoughts. That said, I disagree his apparent views on the charismata. My impression of the history of things is…
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A Fly in the Charismatic Ointment (Pun Cheerfully Intended)
John Chrysostom, Homily IV on Paul’s Second Epistle to the Thessalonians: “Because if he meant to say the Spirit, he would not have spoken obscurely, but plainly, that even now the grace of of the Spirit, that is the gifts, withhold [the AntiChrist]. And otherwise he ought to have come, if he was about to…
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‘Tis Tradition, Stop vs. Thus the Bible Says
“Orthodox” and I are having a debate that could be roughly characterized as a Sola Scriptura vs. Sola Ecclesia debate (though neither of those terms is in the resolution.) Should this sort of thing interest you, stop by and read up, here: Resolved: “It is tradition, look no further” is less workable as applied to…
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A Brief Challenge to Orthodox
Dear Orthodox, You’ve been providing a lot of comments to this blog recently, most of them in disagreement with things I’ve offered. How about we formalize the disagreement in the form of a debate? I would happy to defend the thesis: “Resolved: ‘It is tradition, look no further’ is less workable as applied to the…
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Thought-Provoking Questions for "Orthodox" Readers
Query: Surely you are aware that the Orthodox church has a “one bishop, one city” rule that has been in place for centuries. Do you think that this rule: a) is only to prevent peer competition between bishops in a single city; b) suggests that the flock in a single city has only a single…