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Euthymius Protasecretis against Images
I came across this beautiful text from a Greek-speaking author with whom I’m not familiar. It is interesting for a variety of reasons, including its opposition to the use of religious images: Euthymius Protasecretis (10th century?), Encomium to St. Theodore Stratelates (d. 319) (Encomium in sanctum Theodorum stratelatem). (7) “Do not be harsh on things you…
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Irony of Idolatry in Francis of Rome's Remarks and the Split Tenth Commandment
Francis of Rome recently was reported as saying (VIS, 9 June 2013): “We shouldn’t see the Ten Commandments as restriction upon our freedom; no, not that way. We should see them as signs for our freedom. … They teach us how to avoid the slavery to which the many idols that we ourselves build reduce…
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Carl Trueman's "Reasons … For Moving Romeward"
No, Carl Trueman isn’t moving Romeward, but he has post listing reasons that he thinks people give for leaving (link to post). But the reasons given for leaving was not exactly the question posed to him. The question posed to him was the reasons that people leave for Rome. Trueman listed a lot of salient…
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Thomas Vincent's "The Shorter Catechism Explained from Scripture" on the Second Commandment
The following is an excerpt from Thomas Vincent’s “The Shorter Catechism Explained” (Question 49)(Question 50)(Question 51)(Question 52) XLIX. Ques. What is the second commandment?Ans. The second commandment is, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath%…
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Thomas Watson's Body of Divinity on the Second Commandment
The following is an extract from Thomas Watson’s Body of Divinity (first part)(second part). The Second Commandment ‘Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt…
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Fisher's Catechism on the Second Commandment
James Fisher, Ralph Erskine, and Ebenezer Erskine produced a meta-catechism, a catechism designed to explain and explicate the Westminster Shorter Catechism. It was originally released in 1753, though it was revised and ultimately released in the form below by James Fisher in 1765. As explained in the introduction, while these three men were involved, they…
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Because Painted Images Can't Do Anything
Isaiah 41:24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you. To God be the Glory!
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Cranmer on the Second Commandment
Here are some thoughts from Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489 – 1556) on the second commandment: God did also foresee, that, in the latter days, men should come, who would maintain worshipping of images, not only with painted colours, but also with painted words, saying, We kneel not to the image, but before the image. We…