Podcasts about christianizing

Title: The Gospel: Narrow and Acclimatizing Text: Acts 19:21-41 FCF: We often struggle being ready for persecution. Prop: Because the gospel is narrow and acclimatizing, we must trust the Lord when we are persecuted for the gospel. Scripture Intro: NET [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 19. In a moment we'll read from the New English Translation starting in verse 21. You can follow along in the pew bible or whatever version you prefer. Last week we closed out a remarkable narrative episode in the city of Ephesus. God's power was directly compared to the powers of magic and God proved to be quite superior. To the extent that the Ephesians of all stations were overcome with fear and began to treat the name of Jesus with reverence. The Ephesian Christians came forward and confessed and rejected their former affiliations with magic, even burning millions of dollars' worth of spell books. They understood that you cannot serve Christ and magic. This week we will see the last episode in Ephesus. The overarching theme is still God's hand of provision and protection of His gospel message. But today we get to learn more about the gospel and the church from the perspective of those who are outside of it. So stand with me today to give honor to and to focus on the reading of the Word of God. Invocation: Almighty God, we come to You knowing that You are worthy of our undivided praise and adoration. You are worthy of our undiluted worship and honor. You are worthy of our exclusive obedience and love. We, Your people, come today to hear from Your word and know what You have purposed us to be in this world of sin. Teach us Your ways and grow us to be Your people doing Your will. We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. Transition: Lots to cover today, so let's get to it. I.) The gospel of Jesus Christ is absolutely intolerant of any other belief systems, so we must trust the Lord when we are persecuted for the gospel. (21-27) a. [Slide 2] 21 Now after all these things had taken place, Paul resolved to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. He said, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” i. This smaller paragraph encompassing verses 21-22 gives the reader of Acts a glimpse ahead to the plans and intentions of Paul. ii. After this paragraph a difficult trial will come, but by giving us this paragraph first, Luke makes it clear that Paul does not leave Ephesus because of what follows, but is planning to leave Ephesus even before these events occur. iii. This is a clue for us as to the general purpose of Luke recording this event and relaying it faithfully to Theophilus the audience of his books both the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. iv. It is important in this case for Theophilus to know that Paul's intention is to go back to Jerusalem after having spent over two years in Ephesus. v. In fact, Paul's intention is to go the long way to Jerusalem. vi. He intends to pass through Macedonia and Achaia to check on the churches that have been established by himself and others. vii. Once he does get to Jerusalem again, he intends to go to Rome on his next missionary journey. b. [Slide 3] 22 So after sending two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia. i. Here we see Paul preparing the way for him to go through Macedonia and Achaia on his way back to Jerusalem. ii. How does he do that? iii. He sends ahead two of his companions Timothy and Erastus. iv. They go and check in on these churches while Paul continues in Ephesus until the time is right for him to move on. v. We know from other passages in the New Testament that the church in Jerusalem is suffering financial hardships. Because of this Paul plans to take up a collection for the church in Jerusalem, meaning we can also assume that Timothy and Erastus are sent to begin this process. c. [Slide 4] 23 At that time a great disturbance took place concerning the Way. 19:24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought a great deal of business to the craftsmen. i. Now Luke records for us an event that does not force Paul out of Ephesus, does not lead to a great persecution of Christians, does not lead to anyone being imprisoned, does not lead to any deaths or suffering at all. ii. In fact, this event leads to the public embarrassment and shame of these silversmiths and the Ephesians in general. iii. This is a further clue for why Luke includes this narrative episode. iv. And it all starts with a man named Demetrius. v. Demetrius has got a problem with those who follow “The Way.” vi. Who is Demetrius? vii. Demetrius is probably not the same Demetrius that John speaks highly of in 3 John. viii. Which means that the only clues we have about his identity are found in this text. ix. But we do know that Demetrius was a silversmith. x. Not only a silversmith, but one who makes shrines and idols of Artemis. xi. As we have mentioned before, the temple of Artemis, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, was located right here in Ephesus. xii. Along with this, the worship of the goddess Artemis or Diana is widely held in the city and the surrounding area, and even throughout the Roman Empire. xiii. She is depicted rather grotesquely as a goddess with many orbs on her body. These orbs have long been thought to be breasts but in recent scholarship that has been questioned. Perhaps they are bull testicles, bee eggs or even ostrich eggs. xiv. Artemis or Diana is responsible for the hunt, fertility, and a whole host of other things some of which are quite unseemly. xv. One thing is certain, the worship of Artemis had been so part of the city of Ephesus that to attack her worship would be to attack the city, its pride and prosperity. xvi. Demetrius, it seems, was making a killing on these idols in the city of Ephesus. xvii. Probably these idols would be sold in the marketplace and taken to the temple of Artemis where they would be deposited as a sacrifice and used as a channel for prayers to be made to the goddess. Hence the reason the craft was so lucrative. Much like the money changers in the temple during Christ's ministry. xviii. But Luke attributes even more to this man. Not only was he making a fortune himself but he was also bringing business to many craftsmen, not just fellow silversmiths but those of various similar trades. xix. Some scholars assume that Luke means that this man was responsible for setting up a craftsman's guild in the city of Ephesus. A Craftsman's Union as it were within the city and propped up by the sales of idols of the goddess Artemis. xx. So, we know who this man is and what he does and has done… xxi. Why is he so upset with Paul and those who follow Jesus… The Way? d. [Slide 5] 25 He gathered these together, along with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity comes from this business. 19:26 And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a large crowd, not only in Ephesus but in practically all of the province of Asia, by saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all. i. Demetrius is upset for two reasons. ii. The first of which we see here in verses 25 and 26. iii. His first problem with Paul and the message of the gospel is primarily financial. iv. Paul and the gospel have put a significant dent in his business. v. As we just saw in the previous episode, if Ephesian believers are willing to burn millions of dollars in spell books to continue following and obeying Christ, they certainly won't be purchasing any idols of Artemis either. vi. Furthermore, we see that Paul teaches not only in Ephesus but in practically all of Asia that these things made with hands are not gods at all. vii. The pagan perspective on shelf idols contrasted with the Jewish perspective on idols is an interesting discussion. viii. Idols from a pagan point of view were lightening rods or channels for their gods. The gods could inhabit or work through each idol made. It was not merely to represent the god. ix. However, the Jewish perspective which was also the Christian perspective was that these idols made with human hands are not gods at all. How could they be? Furthermore, that the gods they worshipped which supposedly inhabited these idols, were not gods either. Rather they were created beings, demons, who were vying for power and worship instead of the one true and living God. x. So, Paul teaching what the Old Testament consistently taught, that there is only 1 God Yahweh and that all other would-be gods were not gods at all merely powerful renegade creations vying for power – would put a significant crimp in the business of Demetrius and these other craftsmen. xi. This proves beyond doubt that Christianity cannot syncretize with any other faith. Paul did not teach that you could buy these idols, worship them in your home and follow Jesus at the same time. xii. This is why Demerius is upset. xiii. The second reason he is upset is found in the following verse. e. [Slide 6] 27 There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing, and she whom all the province of Asia and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.” i. As a secondary but related issue, Demetrius seems to think that the traction that Paul has gained with the message of the gospel has caused enough of a blow to the worship of Artemis that they could be seeing the extinction of the worship of Artemis. ii. But his fears are unfounded of course. iii. For Artemis is still worshipped today by some. Pagans/ Wiccans worship all kinds of named gods from various faith groups, including the overt worship of Artemis by some. And the worship of the things Artemis represented and embodied are still very much worshipped today. iv. So, what Demetrius says amounts to little more than fearmongering and rabble rousing. v. There is no reason for these craftsmen to fear the fall of the goddess Artemis. Not yet anyway. vi. But there will come a day when the worship of Artemis will no longer be, for whatever demon is behind her, and all her followers will be cast into the lake of fire. And they will be there forever. f. [Slide 7] Summary of the Point: Luke communicates his point through the eyes of a craftsman experiencing financial pressure because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That gospel, as he rightly observes, is completely intolerant of any other worship, any other faith, any other god, and any other practice than what it teaches. Paul's message was quite clear and fairly represented here by Demetrius. Paul's gospel had absolutely no room for believers to continue to purchase these idols for the temple. Because of this, Demetrius felt the shortfall in his pocketbook and planned to do something about it. As believers today, since the gospel is absolutely intolerant and incompatible with all other forms of worship, faith, gods, or practices other than what it teaches – we must be ready to be persecuted for the sake of the gospel. The intolerance of the gospel is one of its most despised attributes. This was true here in Paul's day, and I don't think I have to tell you that it is still true today. We must be ready for persecution – how? By trusting the Lord when we are in its clutches. He is good… always. And it is a privilege to suffer for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Transition: [Slide 8 (blank)] So, the gospel is unyielding and that will be quite problematic to those who will not yield to it. But what else may cause others to persecute us? II.) The church does not wield the gospel in order to overthrow cultures, so we must trust the Lord when we are persecuted for the gospel. (28-41) a. [Slide 9] 28 When they heard this they became enraged and began to shout, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 19:29 The city was filled with the uproar, and the crowd rushed to the theater together, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul's traveling companions. i. Demetrius' speech has its desired effect. ii. The craftsmen, which ironically Paul was a craftsman too, nevertheless they became enraged at the two thoughts of financial ruin and the goddess losing her prestige. iii. Immediately they began to shout what was a well-known chant in the city of Ephesus. iv. It is a blending of national pride with religious fervor. v. A similar statement today would be the expression “In God We Trust” or “God Bless the USA” vi. They immediately take this patriotic and religious chant into the Amphitheater which would be the place in the city where disputes between residents would be heard by the proconsuls 3 times a month. vii. It is possible that Demetrius chose his time to act based on a popular festival given every spring in honor of Artemis. It is called the Artemesia Festival. viii. The proconsuls would not hold court during a festival of this size, so the crowd driving these men to the amphitheater would be in the right place but not the right time for a ruling. ix. These craftsmen leading this chant of “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians” in angry tones walking toward the Amphitheater would have easily drawn many festival participants toward the uproar. x. Demetrius probably knew where the most likely place to find Paul and his friends would be. xi. Alas he does not find Paul but does find his companions from Macedonia. b. [Slide 10] 30 But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, the disciples would not let him. 19:31 Even some of the provincial authorities who were his friends sent a message to him, urging him not to venture into the theater. i. Here we see the heart of Paul. He is no coward. ii. He wishes to ride in to help Gaius and Aristarchus, his friends, and fellow brothers in Christ. iii. But many disciples prevent him from doing so. iv. We even see high ranking government leaders who had befriended Paul insist that he not go into the theater at all. v. These folks are rather important people in the Roman Empire. The word for friends here counter-balanced with the reference to disciples before it would suggest that these provincial leaders were not believers, but were friendly toward Paul and his message, perhaps influenced by his Roman citizenship. There is even some thought that these powerful people could be patrons of Paul, bankrolling him in his work. vi. It is interesting to note that none of these Roman Provencial leaders saw anything anti-Rome or anti-Ephesus in what Paul was preaching. And if they are trying to preserve his life and potentially are paying for him to be there – we might assume that they even thought what he taught was beneficial for Rome and Ephesus. vii. Here is another piece to the puzzle as to why Luke would record this event. c. [Slide 11] 32 So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together. 19:33 Some of the crowd concluded it was about Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. Alexander, gesturing with his hand, was wanting to make a defense before the public assembly. 19:34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” for about two hours. i. In a scene that feels like it could have been ripped out of the headlines of a very recent newspaper, we see a perfect and harrowing example of mob mentality. ii. Most people had no idea why they were rioting. They were just there because everyone else was. iii. They were angry… because everyone else was. iv. Finally, the Jews put forward Alexander. v. We have no idea who Alexander is and we have no idea why the Jews put him forward. vi. Most scholars agree that Alexander is put forward by the Jews in order to disassociate the Jews from the Christians. vii. The Jews had long lived in polytheistic cities worshiping in their monotheistic way. And although they would certainly not worship the foreign gods, they also would not openly degrade or mock the gods of the city either. viii. As it happens, this whole issue blows up into not only a national and religious event but even a racial one. For as soon as the crowd sees that he is a Jew … they shout him down… ix. By yelling Great is Artemis of the Ephesians… x. For two hours. xi. Again… it seems like this could have been ripped out of the pages of our newspapers very recently. xii. So, since no one knows what is going on, how is all this going to be settled? d. [Slide 12] 35 After the city secretary quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image that fell from heaven? 19:36 So because these facts are indisputable, you must keep quiet and not do anything reckless. i. The city secretary acts as a liaison between the Roman provincial government and the civic officials. ii. He is the chief executive officer of the city, functioning somewhat like a city mayor who reports to the provincial leaders. iii. As such, any riot that would occur in the city would be blamed… on him. iv. So, he has a vested interest in smoothing this whole thing over with the crowd because quite literally, his head is on the line. v. It is important to note that Luke dutifully records all the words the city secretary says without suggesting that everything he says is factual. vi. The words inspired by the Holy Spirit can be factually incorrect and still be inerrant. When Joseph's brothers say that a wild animal killed him, this was a lie. But it was recorded in the scriptures inerrantly. vii. Here the city secretary suggests that the city of Ephesus is and has been the keeper of the temple of Artemis the great for many years. viii. He puts forward as facts that Artemis is a real goddess whose image fell from heaven. ix. No doubt he means that a meteorite had fallen from space and the Ephesians took this as her falling from heaven. This is probably said to cut against Paul's words that these idols were not gods because they were made by human hands. Well Artemis… wasn't since she fell from heaven. x. The city secretary is assuring the rioters that no one will ever be successful in denigrating Artemis or keep her from being worshipped. Especially not with mere words. xi. He goes on… e. [Slide 13] 19:37 For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. i. The word for temple robbers can be understood in two different ways. 1. Either someone who is sacrilegious who profanes temple objects and worship implements or one who literally steals these objects from sacred sites. 2. Either of these could apply. The rioters were concerned about their idols and the financial impact it would be on people not buying them… why? Because they were told they were not gods. This is sacrilegious. But somewhere in there, you could see how some might have misheard and understood that people were stealing from the craftsman. Because in a way they were stealing business from them. 3. The city official says that none of the men brought were guilty of this… when we know for a fact that every Christian there would have been guilty of disrespecting the temple of Artemis. 4. Now perhaps Gaius and Aristarchus had never treated an idol with disrespect or profaned or stolen temple objects – but they certainly wouldn't be honoring the temple idol. ii. He continues and says that none of the men brought were blasphemers of the goddess either. 1. To blaspheme is to slander someone, and when it is directed toward a deity it is viewed as blasphemy. 2. However, in order for slander to occur it must be a lie. 3. The Christians were certainly defaming the name of Artemis… but they did so truthfully. 4. In an ironic twist, the city secretary tells the truth here while aiming for a lie. 5. It was not slander at all. Artemis is no god. She is neither great nor is she of the Ephesians. iii. So the city secretary plays relatively fast and loose with the details of the case. iv. I agree with the Puritan John Trapp who says, “This was false: but this politician held it lawful to redeem peace with a lie.” v. I believe the mayor spoke whatever he needed to in order to restore peace. vi. But is the crowd buying it? vii. Based on what he says next, I don't think so… f. [Slide 14] 19:38 If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against someone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there. 19:39 But if you want anything in addition, it will have to be settled in a legal assembly. 19:40 For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause we can give to explain this disorderly gathering.” 19:41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly. i. Perhaps looking into the faces of the crowd he notices some who disagree with his assessment of the innocence of the men in question. ii. Perhaps even Demetrius himself voices his disagreement. iii. That would make sense of the next and most powerful argument the city secretary uses to diffuse the situation. iv. What he has said so far has been debatable at best and quite misleading and dishonest at worst. v. But what he says next is really the nail in the coffin for this riot. vi. We have proconsuls and courts. If you have a problem, bring them to these people and let them try the case. Follow the law. Follow due process. vii. If you want more than a civil case and want to bring criminal charges up… then you can do that in the legal assembly. viii. What they are doing now is not at all a legal assembly. ix. It is being perceived as a riot and mob rule. x. Why? xi. Because no one can agree on why they are there, there are no proconsuls to hear the case, and there are no clear charges for which some are being accused. xii. If this continues, Rome is gonna come in and heads are gonna roll. xiii. In other words… he's not saying shut up about this … he is saying pursue your case in a legal way… or go home. xiv. Despite a poor start, he finishes well, proving that even unbelievers can be wise. xv. The result is exactly what we might expect. xvi. Everyone goes home. xvii. Again, we are reminded here that this riot did not endanger any life of any believer nor did Paul leave for this reason. xviii. We also see that the high-ranking government officials who were friends of Paul did not perceive his actions or teachings as a danger to Rome, nor did the city secretary perceive the actions of Gaius and Aristarchus to be worthy of pursuing at the expense of the peace of the city. He tries to pass them off as innocent and then concedes that even if they are guilty, it is best to take them to a legal court. xix. All of this gives us clues for why Luke records this episode for us. xx. And it is all bound up with Luke's recipient Theophilus. Theophilus is a prestigious, wealthy, and possibly even high-ranking Roman official who has believed on Jesus. xxi. Luke writes to him to assure him that what he has received is the truth beyond doubt. xxii. Part of that, is to show to Theophilus that Christianity is not anti-Rome. At least not directly. xxiii. Certainly, the whole Roman world is being turned upside down. But that is an effect of the gospel being received by many. It is not the promoted cause of the church. When many people come to Christ in the same culture, culture changes. But the goal of the church is not to change the culture, change the state, change the government. The kingdom of God is to the nations and the Lord is reclaiming the nations – but He is not doing that by leading a bunch of rebels to use every means necessary to impose gospel living upon all. Instead, the church is sharing the gospel of Christ, one soul at a time. xxiv. This entire episode proves that it was not the Christians who did this. In fact, it was the pagan Ephesians who started all this. xxv. If Rome changes because of Christianity, it won't be because the Christians endeavor to change it. It will be because the gospel powerfully changes people. And enough people changing by the power of the gospel… changes culture. g. [Slide 15] Summary of the Point: So, Luke's point here again comes from the perspective of unbelievers. The Roman provincial leaders who had befriended Paul did not wish his message to end for they not only saw it as a benign message but even a beneficial message for the Roman world. And the city secretary does not see their message as dangerous enough to allow a riot to continue. He tries to deny their behavior and even insists that if they are guilty they should be tried legally. All this proves that from the perspective of those in leadership in Rome and Ephesus, the gospel message was not trying to overthrow their city. We know that it was overthrowing their city – but not in the sense that it threatened any real danger to the city or its residents. In this we see the paradoxical truths that the primary goal of the gospel message is not a call for revolution… it is a call for repentance and faith. The gospel will change people from the inside out. But certainly that change if done in enough people, will change a culture too. Therefore, as the gospel spreads and as the Spirit does His work, we should expect persecution to come against us because eventually people will perceive the change in others as a threat to their way of life. But our preparation for persecution begins and ends with trusting the Lord as we are in it. Conclusion: So CBC, what have we learned today and how then shall we live? Doctrinal Takeaway: [Slide 16] We have seen two very important truths today concerning the gospel. The first is that the gospel is absolutely intolerant of any worship, faith, or practice that it does not espouse. The gospel is the whole redemptive plan and action of God from Genesis to Revelation and in all of this, there is no room for any other worship, faith, or practice to fit. We spoke of this last week when we asserted that the Ephesian Christians realized that they could not keep following Christ and also keep their spell books. It is the same for any other faith, worship, or practice. We see this in the absolutes of the Scriptures. There is no God but Yahweh. Friendship with the world is hostility with God. You cannot serve two masters. What fellowship has light with darkness. Come out from among them and be separate says the Lord. You cannot love the world and love God. We also have seen the church's primary mission, and the gospel itself, is not a weapon we use to undo governments, cultures or otherwise force people to adopt a Christian lifestyle. We are not an overt threat to our societies or their ways of life. But make no mistake… the gospel's impact can be devastating to the culture of a village, a city, a nation, a religious group, or even an empire. Because of these two truths we've learned today – we as believers ought to expect persecution. Not because we seek it… but because when people are told that their worship, their faith, they way of life is not compatible with the gospel… when these same people see their friends and family changing and rejecting what they have always loved in order to follow this Jesus… Make no mistake… they will hate us for it. And they won't stop at hatred… they will try to destroy us. So how do we prepare for persecution? We trust the Lord. We recognize and believe all that God says and trust Him for His preservation and provision. But let me break this down further in some more practical ways. 1.) [Slide 17] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that the gospel is the narrow way. a. Building off of what we have seen the last two weeks we see that the gospel is hopelessly intolerant and incredibly narrow. In saying that we must make sure we know what we aren't affirming. i. God is no respecter of persons, and He has loved the world so much that He sent His Son so that all the believing ones in the whole world would not perish but have everlasting life. ii. In this way the gospel is not narrow. The gospel is available to every nation, every social background, every economic identity, every race, each gender, poor or rich, slave or free, male of female, Jew or Gentile, the gospel call goes out to all and the gospel call will be effective on those from all backgrounds. b. But those who receive the gospel call receive it in a very narrow way. c. The gospel cannot be united together with or syncretized to any other faith. i. You cannot worship God and knowledge. ii. You cannot worship God and money. iii. You cannot worship God and Allah. iv. You cannot worship God and Zeus. v. You cannot worship God and Artemis. vi. You cannot worship God and the USA. vii. You cannot worship God and yourself. viii. No. We are not all on the same mountain climbing to the top where God is. God is not Artemis, Allah, Zeus, the USA, Money or YOU. ix. God is God and there is no other. x. He will not share worship with any. xi. And Jesus said that the only way to the Father is through Him. d. Secondly, the gospel cannot be united together with or syncretized to any other practice. i. You cannot be Jesus' disciple and love your family more than Him. ii. You cannot be Jesus' disciple and love the world. iii. You cannot be Jesus' disciple and love money. iv. You cannot be Jesus' disciple and love pleasure more than Him. v. You cannot be Jesus' disciple and love sin. vi. You cannot be Jesus' disciple and hate the law of God. vii. You cannot love Jesus and continue to intentionally disobey His commands. e. The gospel is narrow in the sense that it requires us to reorganize every single priority we have in life around the will and commands of our Lord Jesus. The first of which is to turn from our sin and believe on Him. f. The gospel is a free gift – but make no mistake – it is a gift that will dominate our life, forever. 2.) [Slide 18] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that a primary goal of the church is to change the culture. a. Now every word in this application is important. But if I had to point to a word that you must mark out it is the word “primary.” i. No one can deny that the church should aim to change the culture. Especially a culture steeped in paganism, materialism, and godless wickedness… like our own. ii. We ought not only to want cultural change, but should even fight for that change in the ways that we can. In legal ways. In ways that we have been afforded. b. But we as the church must recognize that this is NOT our primary goal. c. For if it was, any persecution we may receive would be well earned. But we are not persecuted for trying to change culture – we are persecuted for the gospel of Christ. d. Therefore, changing culture ought not occupy the majority of our time, money, energy, or efforts. e. The primary goal of the church is to bear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. f. Most often this is a one soul at a time kind of activity. g. Very seldom do we see large conversion experiences that actually pan out to be legitimate. h. The concept of revivals and revivalism has been twisted from a wonderful Holy Spirit phenomenon to a man-made perfectly engineered regularity where many profess Christ and then two or three weeks later, everything is the same as it always had been. i. In fact, so many of those who respond during these revivals are repeat responders. j. Because the revivals that are real happen so infrequently, we must be diligent to keep our primary focus on sharing the gospel with individuals whom we come in close contact with on a regular basis. k. To a stay-at-home mother this most certainly is her children. l. To an employee this is his co-workers and bosses. m. To an employer his employees and customers. n. To sons and daughters it is their brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers and cousins. o. This is the primary aim of the church and the use of the gospel. p. If enough people are acclimatized to the gospel – changed and adapted to be part of the church by the power of God – then certainly culture will change… it must. q. But we can't affirm that the church must primarily pursue the Christianizing of our governments. This is too short sighted a goal for it to be primary. 3.) [Slide 19] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must trust the Lord as we face persecution. a. If we are going to make it through persecution we must trust the Lord. b. What has the Lord said about Himself that helps us in times of persecution. i. God has taught us that He is sovereign and that nothing happens without it being His will. Including when people persecute us. ii. God has said that He is all powerful. That if He wanted to remove us from persecution, nothing could stop Him from doing so. Yes… not even the will of men. See Pharoah and the persecution of Israel. iii. God has said that He will preserve us until the day of redemption. We might still loose our life for the gospel's cause… but we will never lose our eternal life. iv. God has told us that through Christ we can do all things necessary to endure anything for the cause of Christ. This is the appropriate use of the verse I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. c. Furthermore, we must obey the Lord if we are going to make it through persecution. What has the Lord called us to do in persecution? i. We must endure in our faith – which is trusting Him. ii. And we have been commanded to rejoice in sharing suffering with our Savior. iii. We ought to rejoice when we are persecuted for His name, for it assures us of our adoption into His family and allows us to share in a very small way in the sufferings of our Savior. 4.) [Slide 20] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” God will preserve His people. a. What can men do to us? b. If God is for us, who can be against us? c. He will hold us fast. He will keep us secure in His love. d. No one can pluck us from His hand. e. Though we endure a little light affliction now – we are merely being refined in the fire so we come through as purer gold. We are merely enduring the breaking and molding of the clay as we are being pressed into the mold of Christ. f. God will keep us until He delivers us safely and purely before His throne. g. Amen? [Slide 21 (End)] Let me close with a prayer from the Primer of 1559, a prayer book compilation authorized by Queen Elizabeth the I to attempt to restore traditional worship within the reformed church. Lord God, a sparrow cannot fall to the ground except by your will and permission. So... It is by your will and permission that I should be in this misery and adversity. You discipline me with adversity-not to destroy me and cast me away, but to call me to repentance and save me. "For the Lord disciplines the one he loves" (Hebrews 12:6). Affliction and adversity bring about patience, and whoever patiently bears tribulation is made to be like our Savior Christ, our head. And in all tribulation or adversity I am assured of comfort from your gracious hand. For you have commanded me to call on you in the time of tribulation, and you have promised to hear and comfort me. Grant me therefore in all trouble and adversity to be quiet-not impatient or murmuring, and not discouraged or desperate. Help me to praise and magnify you, and to put my whole trust and confidence in you. For you never abandon those who trust in you, but you work everything for the best to those who love you and who seek the glory of your holy name. To you be glory forever and ever. We pray this in Jesus' name…Amen. Benediction: To you whose life is hid with Christ on High, Who ever lives and pleas for you; May He keep you from stumbling, And make you to stand in the presence of His glory, Blameless and with great joy. Until we meet again, go in peace.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (02/14/25), Hank discusses the origins of Valentine's Day, looking at the Orthodox Church's veneration of Saint Valentine, the Presbyter from Rome, for his martyrdom and as for all its saints, honors St. Valentine as a model of the life in Christ. According to The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, the traditional association of St. Valentine's Day with courtship is likely connected with certain customs of the pagan festival Lupercalia. If so, this would be another example of Christians usurping a pagan holiday and Christianizing it for the glory of Christ.Hank also answers the following questions:Can you comment on Reza Aslan's book, Zealot, and his claim that there was no census at the time of Jesus' birth? Tom - Kansas City, MO (15:12)How do we understand Matthew 6:15 in light of salvation and the forgiveness we have in Christ? Mark - Wichita, KS (18:35)My wife says you don't need to attend church to be a Christian. Can you address this according to Hebrews 10:25? Ronald - Garland, TX (22:42)

Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus content most Mondays, bonus episodes every month, ad-free listening, access to the entire 700-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Opus by Gareth Gore https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Opus/Gareth-Gore/9781668016145 I sit down with journalist Gareth Gore to dive deep into the shadowy world of Opus Dei, a secretive Catholic organization with a long history of manipulation and control. We talk about his eye-opening book, Opus, which traces the organization's origins in Franco's Spain and shows how it's slowly, but surely, woven its way into the heart of U.S. politics—especially in Washington, D.C. Opus Dei is often associated with conservative Catholicism, but Gareth explains that their methods go beyond just religious conservatism. We're talking authoritarian strategies aimed at gaining power by targeting influential people to push their agenda of re-Christianizing society. It's a heavy topic, but incredibly relevant when you consider their rise during the 1980s under Pope John Paul II and the fact that they're still impacting American politics today, with major players like Leonard Leo and Kevin Roberts on board. We also explore how Opus Dei isn't just resisting democratic norms—they're actively trying to reshape society and the Church to fit their vision of control. This conversation is a real eye-opener, revealing the organization's lasting and dangerous influence on both religion and politics. Linktree: https://linktr.ee/StraightWhiteJC Order Brad's book: https://bookshop.org/a/95982/9781506482163 Check out BetterHelp and use my code SWA for a great deal: www.betterhelp.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Stephen of Hungary, 975-1038; born a pagan, baptized at 10; succeeded his father and adopted a policy of Christianizing the country; asked the pope to provide for the church's organization in Hungary. crowned king on Christmas day, 1001; established a system of tithes to support the church; he was easily accessible to all, especially the poor; in 1031, his son Emeric died, and the rest of his days will filled with controversy over his successor; his nephews tried to kill him; he died in 1038 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/16/24 Gospel: Matthew 19:3-12

In this episode of the Money Magic Podcast Vangile welcomes Mmatshilo Motsei, an expert in African birthing practices, author, PhD holder, and former activist, as her guest.  Mmatshilo shares her journey, from feeling burdened by her family's legacy of healers to embracing it as a privilege. She shares how education often focuses on making a living rather than nurturing dreams and the pressure to conform to societal expectations, especially for women. She highlights the importance of resilience and the need to acknowledge contradictions in indigenous knowledge due to colonization. She reflects on the impact of hospital births on maternal and infant trauma and advocates for home births as a less violent alternative. She discusses the politicization of childbirth, particularly in developing countries, and the importance of education and advocacy for women's rights in birthing choices. Mmatshilo also emphasizes the significance of respecting women's choices in pain management during childbirth and cultural rituals surrounding pregnancy and naming ceremonies. The conversation extends to the undervaluation of reproductive labor and the lack of understanding among men about the birthing process. She also shares personal experiences and discusses the importance of communal support during childbirth and the transformative power of birth stories. She also announces the launch of Africa Ikalafe Pluriversity, an academy for indigenous knowledge focused on African spirituality and childbirth philosophy. This is another powerful podcast episode. Tune in.   During this episode, you will learn about: - 00:02:20: Introduction to Mmatshilo Motsei, an expert in African birthing practices - 00:08:30: Being labelled a rebel and navigating societal expectations - 00:13:09: The prize of conforming and going against your soul - 00:16:07: Life is like a dance - 00:19:17: Journey from being a nurse to midwife to PhD - 00:23:58: The trauma of birth - 00:28:42: Christianizing indigenous practices - 00:32:00: The role of Indigenous midwives in childbirth - 00:38:08: The politicization of childbirth -00:42:24: The politicization of childbirth and empowering women's birthing choices  - 00:46:00: Dealing with blame, shame and guilt after giving birth - 00:51:93: Pre-conception rituals to welcome the soul - 00:55:59: The importance of communal support after childbirth - 01:00:12: The invisibility of reproductive labor - 01:06:50: Being conceived through love and how birth stories shape us -01:11:31: Reinterpreting your birth story - 01:13:08: Launching Africa Ikalafe Pluriversity - 01:19:40 Contact Mmatshilo at: https://afrikaikalafe.org/ Or   Register for The African Spirituality of Childbirth course at: https://learn.afrikaikalafe.org/   Notable Quotes    "Success and prosperity must be our default, must be a place where we operate from."   "Once you know what your no-no is... you refuse to take it." "The womb is a carrier of life and also a carrier of pain."    "Stories are about interpretation. You reinterpret it in a way that makes sense for you in this world now.”   “Life is like a dance... You conform for some time to buy yourself time."   Additional money resources:   One on One Coaching: https://www.wealthy-money.com/coaching  7 Day Tapping into Ancestral Money Wisdom Training: https://wealthy-money.com/training Let's connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vangilemakwakwa/ 

In this conversation, Dr. Sandra Glahn, Dr. Lynn Cohick, and Dr. Amy Brown Hughes discuss the stories of strong women in the early church, focusing on Helena, the mother of Constantine. They share their experiences of discovering lesser-known women in church history, such as the sisters Praxides and Pudenziana. The conversation explores Helena's role in Christianizing the Roman Empire and her pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where she oversaw the construction of significant Christian sites. They also emphasize the importance of physicality in Christianity and the dignity of the human body while reflecting on the legacy of these strong women and their impact on the church.Key Takeaways: The stories of strong women in the early church, such as Helena, the mother of Constantine, are often overlooked but have a significant impact.Helena played a crucial role in Christianizing the Roman Empire and oversaw the construction of important Christian sites in Jerusalem.The early church had a deep respect for physicality and the dignity of the human body, which is often overlooked in modern interpretations of Christianity. Visual Museum of Women in ChristianityThe purpose of this collaborative project is to create a curated, permanent visual exhibit of women in the history, ministry, and piety of early, Byzantine, and medieval Christianity that will be available online for researchers, educators, and interested laypersons.The goal of this multi-year project is to make the visual record of women in ministry and leadership available free of charge and unencumbered by permission requirements, and to include short teaching elements to guide the audience through the constitutive and pivotal role of women throughout Christian history. Together with the visual story, the accompanying narrative will make it possible for patrons to learn about women throughout history and across the globe and their unique contributions to the life and faith of the church…A history that remains mostly untold.Follow the Visual Museum on Social Media:Instagram: visualmuseum.galleryFacebook: visualmuseum.galleryTwitter: visual_museumTikTok: visualmuseum.galleryYouTube: @VisualMuseumEpisode Sponsor: The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a newly formed 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology. Learn more about The Center for Women in Leadership at: https://www.leadershipwithoutapology.org/.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (02/14/24), Hank discusses the origins of Valentine's Day, looking at the Orthodox Church's veneration of Saint Valentine, the Presbyter from Rome, for his martyrdom and as for all its saints, honors St. Valentine as a model of the life in Christ. According to The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, the traditional association of St. Valentine's Day with courtship is likely connected with certain customs of the pagan festival Lupercalia. If so, this would be another example of Christians usurping a pagan holiday and Christianizing it for the glory of Christ.Hank also answers the following questions:What are your thoughts on street preachers who publicly denounce people? How should I handle a situation where I have a friend doing this? Josh - Everett, WA (15:11)Can you clarify the Bible's use of the words, “put away” and “divorce”? My wife divorced me. Can I get remarried? Derek - Fayetteville, NC (21:11)What are your thoughts on the documentary hypothesis for the Pentateuch? Do you think there could have been two different sources for this? Tom - NY (24:07)

The invasion coming across the Southern border being engineered by the Biden administration is about more than just bringing in more Democrat voters, explains The New American magazine’s Alex Newman in this episode of Behind The Deep State. The real agenda includes de-Christianizing what used to be known as “Christendom,” undermining the nation-state, and ultimately ... The post The Real Agenda Behind Biden-backed Border Invasion appeared first on The New American.

Responding to questions from listeners in our 2000th episode and the 2nd day of G3 about Christianizing nations, writing sermons using AI, was there a "gospel centered" movement, did Satan need God's permission to enter Judas, what is the problem with watching "The Chosen," and teaching someone reformed theology. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

“The Jesus I am talking about (that I have faith in) is for racial justice, reproductive justice, sexual justice, environmental justice, political justice, social justice, civil justice, criminal justice, cultural justice, and economic justice for all. These are His values: "Civil rights include the ensuring of peoples' physical and mental integrity, life, and safety; protection from discrimination on grounds such as sex, race, sexual orientation, national origin, color, age, political affiliation, ethnicity, social class, religion, secularity, and disability;[1][2][3] and individual rights such as privacy and the freedom of thought, speech, religion, press, assembly, secularity, and movement. Political rights include natural justice (procedural fairness) in law, such as the rights of the accused, including the right to a fair trial; due process; the right to seek redress or a legal remedy; and rights of participation in civil society and politics such as freedom of association, the right to assemble, the right to petition, the right of self-defense, and the right to vote. I interpret all verses of all religious texts through the lens of human rights, equal rights, environmentalism, gray areas, intellectual virtues, proof, and truth. He lived in poverty and homelessness. He is a survivor of organized crime. I love The Social Gospel and non-denominational liberation theology. I also love religious progressivism and religious liberalism. Savior is about the preservation of inner beauty, not about Christianizing gloom and doom. I don't see Jesus as my cult leader nor am I his cult follower. The imageries of Jesus that I invented in my own psyche are cathartic to me. By the way, he did laugh, joke, was playful, and smile sometimes. He wasn't somber and serious all of the time.” -Antonio Myers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/support

#evangelism #raycomfort #wayofthemaster#evangelism #raycomfort #wayofthemaster #presbyterian #thegospel #ryandenton (Season 5 Ep 7) In this episode we will continue to talk about Presbyterianism with a strong focus on evangelism. We will bring back evangelist & minister Ryan Denton pastor of Grace Covenant Reformed Church in Clovis, NM. We will discuss how Presbyterians embrace sharing the gospel that is different from how many modern Christians approach it. Enjoy! __________________________ Please Subscribe to Bibletheory Podcast on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@Bibletheoryp... ____________________________ Please Buy me a coffee- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Thechica... ____________________________ Please Buy a T-Shirt- https://www.teepublic.com/user/thread... _____________________________ Look for me on Social media- @thechicanoknox OR @Chianoknox _______________________________ Learn more about Grace Covenant Reformed Church- https://www.clovisreformed.com/ ________________________________ Learn more about Vanguard Presbyterian Church- https://vanguardpresbyterianchurch.co... ___________________________________ Follow Pastor Ryan Denton- https://twitter.com/TexasPreacher _____________________________________ Books mentioned in this episode- 1. Christianizing the Roman Empire: A.D. 100-400- https://www.amazon.com/Christianizing... ___________ 2. Thirty Years That Changed the World: The Book Acts for Today- https://www.amazon.com/Thirty-Years-T... ___________ 3. Even If None: Reclaiming Biblical Evangelism- https://www.amazon.com/Even-If-None-R... ____________ 4. Christian Apologetics- https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Apol... _______________ 5. A Certain Sound: A Primer on Open Air Preaching- https://www.heritagebooks.org/product... ___________________ Listen on Apple- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

SummaryThis video discusses the concept of Christian nationalism and highlights its potential pitfalls. The speaker explains that Christian nationalism seeks to change culture through human government rather than through the proclamation of the gospel. They caution against bridging the spheres of church and state and emphasize the importance of discernment. The video also touches on different eschatological positions and warns against the dangers of Christian nationalism. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of gratitude for temporal peace and the need for believers to share the gospel.Highlights- Christian nationalism seeks to change culture through human government instead of the gospel.- Caution against bridging the spheres of church and state and the importance of discernment.- Different eschatological positions and the dangers of Christian nationalism.- Importance of gratitude for temporal peace and the need for believers to share the gospel.Detailed Summary- In this video, the speaker begins by singing a song before transitioning into a discussion on Christian nationalism. They explain that their goal is to educate believers on the topic and highlight potential pitfalls associated with Christian nationalism. The speaker defines Christian nationalism as seeking to change culture through human government rather than making disciples through the proclamation of the gospel. They mention that some proponents of Christian nationalism emphasize the christianization of culture and the establishment of a Christian society. However, the speaker points out that scripture teaches that the world will be transformed through the collective efforts of human leaders as the gospel spreads. They caution against bridging the spheres of church and state and emphasize the importance of discernment in understanding the complexities of Christian nationalism.- The video discusses the concept of Christianizing the culture and living in a Christian society. The speaker explains that while they would love to live in a world like that, they believe it can only happen after Jesus physically returns to Earth and establishes a thousand-year reign. They contrast this belief with those who think that a Christian utopian state can be achieved through human efforts and the spread of the gospel. The speaker also touches on different eschatological positions, such as postmillennialism and amillennialism. They caution against the dangers of Christian nationalism and how it has been turned into a pejorative term by the media. The speaker emphasizes the difference between patriotism and nationalism, stating that while they love their country, they respect and acknowledge the patriotism of others as well. They conclude by highlighting the importance of gratitude for the temporal peace provided by the earthly city.- In this video, the speaker expresses their love for America and gratitude for the privileges and freedoms they enjoy as a citizen. They acknowledge that other countries may also be considered the best by their own citizens, and that patriotism is not exclusive to America. The speaker emphasizes the importance of seeking the welfare of the nation and promoting the general welfare as stated in the Constitution. They highlight the need to oppose things that destroy the general welfare and to speak out on issues that promote public good. The speaker also discusses the difference between patriotism and nationalism, cautioning against the belief that a nation's cultural identity should be promoted and protected by the government. They argue that meaning and purpose come from Christ, not from a nation's culture. The dangers of a culturally Christian nation are discussed, including the potential for the government to suppress other religions and beliefs. The speaker concludes by affirming the importance of religious freedom and the role of believers in sharing the gospel with others.- The video discusses the concept of Christian nationalism and its potential dangers. The speaker emphasizes that it is the responsibility of Christians to share the gospel and not the government's role. The video highlights the connection between ethnocentrism and nationalism, explaining that nationalism can lead to ethnocentric thinking and justify harmful actions against other groups. The speaker argues that the gospel does not erase ethnic and gender diversity but promotes unity among believers. The video also mentions the misplaced trust in human leaders and the negative consequences of Israel's demand for a monarchy. Overall, the video warns against the pitfalls of ethnocentrism, misplaced trust, and the potential dangers of Christian nationalism.- The video discusses the concept of Christian nationalism and its potential pitfalls. It highlights the failures of human leaders throughout history and argues that only Christ can bring about a truly Christian society. The speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing one's own sinfulness and the need for a savior, rather than relying on cultural Christianity or human leaders. The video also warns against the dangers of putting hope in human leaders, as they are bound to fail. It concludes by urging believers to be discerning and to remember that they are not at home in this world, but rather as sojourners and exiles.- In this video, the speaker discusses the concept of Christian nationalism. They emphasize that believers are chosen by God and should proclaim His excellencies. The speaker urges Christians to abstain from worldly passions and maintain honorable conduct. They highlight the importance of living in a way that glorifies God and points others to Jesus. The video also mentions the role of government in punishing evildoers and rewarding those who do good. The speaker emphasizes the need to make disciples rather than establishing Christendom. They express a longing for Jesus to reign over the earth and for all to recognize His authority. The video concludes with a prayer for guidance and faithfulness in fulfilling God's mission.

I saw all of these things growing up: “There are three major regions that center around drug trafficking, known as the Golden Triangle (Burma, Laos, Thailand), Golden Crescent (Afghanistan) and Central and South America. There are suggestions that due to the continuing decline in opium production in South East Asia, traffickers may begin to look to Afghanistan as a source of heroin."[133] With respect to organized crime and accelerating synthetic drug production in East and Southeast Asia, especially the Golden Triangle, Sam Gor, also known as The Company, is the most prominent international crime syndicate based in Asia-Pacific. It is made up of members of five different triads. Sam Gor is understood to be headed by Chinese-Canadian Tse Chi Lop. The Cantonese Chinese syndicate is primarily involved in drug trafficking, earning at least $8 billion per year.[134] Sam Gor is alleged to control 40% of the Asia-Pacific methamphetamine market, while also trafficking heroin and ketamine. The organization is active in a variety of countries, including Myanmar, Thailand, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, China and Taiwan. Sam Gor previously produced meth in Southern China and is now believed to manufacture mainly in the Golden Triangle, specifically Shan State, Myanmar, responsible for much of the massive surge of crystal meth in recent years.[135] The group is understood to be headed by Tse Chi Lop, a Chinese-Canadian gangster born in Guangzhou, China.[136] Tse is a former member of the Hong Kong-based crime group, the Big Circle Gang. In 1988, Tse immigrated to Canada. In 1998, Tse was convicted of transporting heroin into the United States and served nine years behind bars. Tse has been compared in prominence to Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán and Pablo Escobar.[137] The U.S. supply of heroin comes mainly from foreign sources which include Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle, Southwest Asia, and Latin America. Heroin comes in two forms. The first is its chemical base form which presents itself as brown and the second is a salt form that is white.[133] The former is mainly produced in Afghanistan and some south-west countries while the latter had a history of being produced in only south-east Asia, but has since moved to also being produced in Afghanistan. There is some suspicion white Heroin is also being produced in Iran and Pakistan, but it is not confirmed. This area of Heroin production is referred to as the Golden Crescent. Heroin is not the only drug being used in these areas. The European market has shown signs of growing use in opioids on top of the long-term heroin use.[138]” I don't believe in a God of anger mismanagement. Original sin means Christianizing self-abuse and abusing others, self-abasement and the abasement of others, self-blame and blaming others, self-destructive behavior and others' destructive behavior, self-harm and harming others, self-hatred and hating others, self-neglect and neglecting others, and self-victimization and victimizing others. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/support

Malo rané kresťanstvo niektoré jedinečné črty? Ako s týmto rastom súvisia zázraky? Akým tempom rástlo a aké to má dôsledky? ----more---- Súvisiace dávky PD#270 Dejú sa dnes zázraky? http://bit.ly/davka270   PD#246 Ježiš a zmŕtvychvstanie, http://bit.ly/davka246   PD#234 Hume a zázraky, https://bit.ly/davka234 PD#220 S Davidom Cielontkom o Ježišovi, http://bit.ly/davka220 PD#174 Ako vznikala Biblia? http://bit.ly/davka174   Použitá a odporúčaná literatúra  Brown, The Rise of Western Christendom, 2013. Ehrman, The Triumph of Christianity, 2018. MacMullen, Christianizing the Roman Empire, 1986. Moss, The Myth of Persecution, 2013. Nock, Conversion, 1998. Stark, The Rise of Christianity, 1997. Wilken, The Christians as the Romans Saw Them, 1984. *** Baví ťa s nami rozmýšľať? ❤️ Podpor našu tvorbu ľubovoľným darom, https://bit.ly/PDdar, alebo cez Patreon, https://bit.ly/PDtreon

In a  2019 interview in The Christian Post, Keith Getty, the musician who penned the Christian standard, "In Christ Alone", called the contemporary worship "utterly dangerous", saying that it was leading to the "de-Christianizing of God's people".Could this be true?  Is it possible that worship styles or songs are doing more harm than good?In today's episode of Kingdom Culture Conversations,  we are joined by worship pastor Josh James of Likewise Worship, a southern California-based worship consultancy that trains worship leaders and serves within churches across the nation to build healthy worship ministries.  Using a rather snarky article from Crosswalk.com as the point of reference for the conversation, we consider the highs and lows of modern worship."Kingdom Culture Conversations" is a podcast created through Frameworks, a Biblical worldview initiative of Northwest Christian School.For more information on Frameworks, please visit:  https://frameworks.ncsaz.org/For more information on Northwest Christian School, visit:  https://www.ncsaz.org/To reach out to Geoff Brown, please email gbrown@ncsaz.org or you can reach him by cell phone:  (623)225-5573.

In a  2019 interview in The Christian Post, Keith Getty, the musician who penned the Christian standard, "In Christ Alone", called the contemporary worship "utterly dangerous", saying that it was leading to the "de-Christianizing of God's people".Could this be true?  Is it possible that worship styles or songs are doing more harm than good?In today's episode of Kingdom Culture Conversations,  we are joined by worship pastor Josh James of Likewise Worship, a southern California-based worship consultancy that trains worship leaders and serves within churches across the nation to build healthy worship ministries.  Using a rather snarky article from Crosswalk.com as the point of reference for the conversation, we consider the highs and lows of modern worship."Kingdom Culture Conversations" is a podcast created through Frameworks, a Biblical worldview initiative of Northwest Christian School.For more information on Frameworks, please visit:  https://frameworks.ncsaz.org/For more information on Northwest Christian School, visit:  https://www.ncsaz.org/To reach out to Geoff Brown, please email gbrown@ncsaz.org or you can reach him by cell phone:  (623)225-5573.

Worldviews clash on this program, as Jen Wilkins encourages Christian families to support the public schools, allow for a pluralistic polytheistic worldview in the public schools, while being sure to avoid the “Christianizing” of public schools. Must we support a Marxist approach, allowing all children equal opportunities and equal access to wealth?  Are we supposed to send our children into learning centers that are entirely rooted in a polytheistic or pluralistic worldview? Or are we supposed to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God? This program includes: 1. The World View in 5 Minutes with Adam McManus (“Jesus Revolution” movie portrays revival and Greg Laurie's love story, New state poll puts DeSantis ahead of Trump, Iran pardons to imprisoned Christian converts) 2. Generations with Kevin Swanson

Could we really be experiencing our own “Groundhog Day” in the church and in our current culture? Join host Karin Peter along with Apostle (and Historian) Lach Mackay and Theologian Tony Chvala-Smith as they explore the intersection of history and theology during the Presidency of Fred M. Smith. Hear how Fred M., grandson of Joseph Smith, Jr., served as “prophet of the one true church,” while being influenced by contemporary Protestant theology of the social gospel type.   Sources used for background on Fred M. Smith: Paul Edwards, Our Legacy of Faith Richard Howard, The Church Through the Years Mark Scherer, Journey of a People, Vol 2.  Works by Walter Rauschenbusch (referenced by Tony Chvala-Smith): Christianity and the Social Crisis, 1907. Christianizing the Social Order, 1912. Theology for the Social Gospel, 1917.  Other Project Zion Podcasts related to this episode: Episode 316: Historic Sites Foundation Summer Lecture Series | Andrew Bolton Episode 333: Historic Sties Foundation Summer Lecture Series | Barb Walden Download TranscriptThanks for listening to Project Zion Podcast!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

Worldviews clash on this program, as Jen Wilkin encourages Christian families to support the public schools, allow for a pluralistic polytheistic worldview in the public schools, while being sure to avoid the -Christianizing- of public schools. Must we support a Marxist approach, allowing all children equal opportunities and equal access to wealth----Are we supposed to send our children into learning centers that are entirely rooted in a polytheistic or pluralistic worldview-- Or are we supposed to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God----This program includes---1. The World View in 5 Minutes with Adam McManus --Jesus Revolution- movie portrays revival and Greg Laurie's love story, New state poll puts DeSantis ahead of Trump, Iran pardons to imprisoned Christian converts---2. Generations with Kevin Swanson

Worldviews clash on this program, as Jen Wilkin encourages Christian families to support the public schools, allow for a pluralistic polytheistic worldview in the public schools, while being sure to avoid the -Christianizing- of public schools. Must we support a Marxist approach, allowing all children equal opportunities and equal access to wealth-- Are we supposed to send our children into learning centers that are entirely rooted in a polytheistic or pluralistic worldview-- Or are we supposed to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God--

While on the west coast, Jon and Justin were invited by Chris Gordon (host of Abounding Grace Radio and pastor of Escondido United Reformed Church) to do some recording. This episode is the second portion of that conversation. The guys discuss the Great Commission. What is it? Is it a call to Christianize the nations? Or is it the preaching of Jesus Christ for the justification of sinners? (Hint: It’s the latter.) Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin talk about theonomy--how it confuses the law and obscures the gospel.

This week we are joined by Monica Perez to discuss the origins of the well known holiday of Valentine's Day and how the semiapocryphal story relates to our current situation. We also touch on advanced libertarian bee philosophy, Carlylian theology and how Christianizing pagan rituals can be based. Also we FINALLY offend Monica. Don't forget to join our Telegram channel at T.me/historyhomos and to join our group chat at T.me/historyhomoschat The video version of the show is available on bitchute, odysee. For weekly premium episodes or to contribute to the show subscribe to our channel at www.rokfin.com/historyhomos Any questions comments concerns or T-shirt/sticker requests can be leveled at historyhomos@gmail.com Later homos --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/historyhomos/support

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (02/14/23), Hank discusses the origins of Valentine's Day, looking at the Orthodox Church's veneration of Saint Valentine, the Presbyter from Rome, for his martyrdom and as for all its saints, honors St. Valentine as a model of the life in Christ. According to The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, the traditional association of St. Valentine's Day with courtship is likely connected with certain customs of the pagan festival Lupercalia. If so, this would be another example of Christians usurping a pagan holiday and Christianizing it for the glory of Christ.Hank also answers the following questions:Why didn't God actualize the angels in righteousness before they fell?Since Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:10 says there should not be divisions amongst believers, what does this say about all the different denominations within the body of Christ today?Could you explain the story of the fish with a coin in its mouth in Matthew 17:24-27?Would the command to obey the government in Romans chapter 13 apply to sharia law?

The primal scene of domination and slavery inevitably produces struggle. It must. Because domination is the idolatrous effort of one to exert control over the will of the other, and we are compelled as free beings to realize and always live that freedom. So the struggle produces dignity, and that dignity, declared and acted and performed and practiced and sung and chanted and screamed and whispered—when enacted by all human beings against various and sundry forms of domination, it leads to joy and love.Vincent Lloyd (Villanova University) joins Evan Rosa to discuss his book Black Dignity: The Struggle Against Domination. We start with what struggle against domination is, especially how it's expressed in Black life. We entertain the feeling of struggle psychologically and culturally; the ugly and vicious temptation to idolatry that seeking domination and mastery over others entails; how the humanity of both the master and the slave are lost or found; how struggle produces dignity; and an understanding of the debate between seeing dignity as purely intrinsic as opposed to performative. We close by thinking about how the Black struggle for dignity can inform all of us about what it means to actualize our humanity, embrace the power our freedom entails, culminating in joy and love.This episode was made possible in part by the generous support of the Tyndale House Foundation. For more information, visit tyndale.foundation.About Vincent LloydVincent Lloyd is Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Studies and Director of the Center for Political Theology at Villanova University. He is the author of Black Dignity: The Struggle Against Domination (Yale University Press, 2022), Break Every Yoke: Religion, Justice, and the Abolition of Prisons, with Joshua Dubler (Oxford University Press, 2019), In Defense of Charisma (Columbia University Press, 2018), Religion of the Field Negro: On Black Secularism and Black Theology (Fordham University Press, 2017), Black Natural Law (Oxford University Press, 2016), The Problem with Grace: Reconfiguring Political Theology (Stanford University Press, 2011), and Law and Transcendence: On the Unfinished Project of Gillian Rose (Palgrave, 2009). Visit his personal website here.Show NotesWhat is struggle?Augustine's approach to struggle in Confessions: with oneself, with others, with the world, with the powers that bePhenomenology of human struggle: What are the features of struggle that land on the human consciousness?Struggling against not flesh and blood but powers and principalities.Righteous indignation against idolatryRejecting humanity by presenting oneself in a position of masteryMaking distinctions between individual persons, the vice of the will to dominate, and the system those vices createThe struggle of a communityOntological struggle: Aimed at defeating domination“Is struggle dependent on the existence of some prior will to dominate?”Understanding oneself as “master” and setting oneself up as a god.Mastery is a particularly vicious form of idolatry.The primal scene of master and slave is always behind the amorphous systems we struggle against.What is the psychology of the will to dominate?Is domination a special vice? Or is it a more ubiquitous vice?Black theology, Black philosophy, and the experience of the Middle PassageEnslavement continues to fuel anti-BlacknessThe humanity of master and slave are both lostBlack rage and Audrey Lorde's 1981 “The Uses of Anger”Emotion as a symphony, not a cacophonyAiring rage next to each other and clarifying our vision of the worldRethinking Human DignityRetelling the story of democratizing and Christianizing the aristocratic beginnings of “dignity”“When we perform dignity, we're struggling.”Distinguishing dignity from respectability (and turning away from respectability)“That's where dignity is truly democratized, right? What we all have in common as human is our capacity to turn away from domination, and turn toward the divine. That's where dignity has a universal quality.”Understanding the debate between seeing dignity as intrinsic vs dignity as performative or extrinsic.“We're all dominated.”How exactly does struggle produce dignity?Emmanuel Levinas and responding to the Jewish Holocaust, giving morality new content by tethering it to encounter—seeing the infinite shine through in the face of the other, allowing new concepts to flow through like love and justice.How do we finally move from domination, to struggle, to dignity, to joy and love?Production NotesThis podcast featured Vincent LloydEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

Before H.G. Wells penned War Of The Worlds, the alien invasion genre as we know it didn't exist. And perhaps more than any text in this series, his landmark science fiction novel focused readers deliberately on the monster in the mirror: the British Empire's civilizing, Christianizing mission, refracted through his technologically enhanced Martian colonizers. But 120 years later, War of the Worlds and its central premise have been coopted by the forces of nationalism, and Christian nationalism in particular. Today we're going to talk about how War of the Worlds captures the tension between two visions of the future amidst escalating crises today: a world that moves beyond the hallowing of blood and soil, and a world that violently, defiantly, embraces it.  With Dr. Sarah Cole of Columbia University Written, produced, and narrated by Lucas Kwong  Voice acting: Christian Young-Valdovinos, Lucas Kwong Special Thanks to Pixabay's audio artists for public domain FX clips Clips from various films and news used under fair use laws Theme song "Lair" by The Brother K Melee (brotherk.bandcamp.com) Closing song "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence" by The Brother K Melee Support the podcast at https://ko-fi.com/lucaskwong! Or leave a review! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/monster-in-the-mirror/id1654399705 Further Reading Michael Barkun. A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America Sarah Bond. "Pseudoarchaeology and the Racism Behind Ancient Aliens." https://hyperallergic.com/470795/pseudoarchaeology-and-the-racism-behind-ancient-aliens/ Jason Colavito. The Cult of Alien Gods: H. P. Lovecraft and Extraterrestial Pop Culture Jason Colavito. "Review of Ancient Aliens S03E12: Aliens and Deadly Cults." //www.jasoncolavito.com/blog/review-of-ancient-aliens-s03e12-aliens-and-deadly-cults Sarah Cole, Inventing Tomorrow: HG Wells and the Twentieth Century Michael Coren, The Invisible Man: The Life And Liberties Of H.G. Wells John Carlos Frey. Sand and Blood: America's Stealth War on the Mexico Border Michael Heiser. "Ancient Astronaut Nonsense as an Interpretive Filter for the Bible." https://drmsh.com/ancient-astronaut-nonsense-interpretive-filter-bible/ Sam Moore and Alex Roberts, The Rise of Ecofascism: Climate Change and the Far Right A. Brad Schwartz. Broadcast Hysteria: Orson Welles's War of the Worlds and the Art of Fake News Alexander Zaitchik. "Close Encounters Of The Racist Kind." https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/01/02/close-encounters-racist-kind Ben Zeller, Ed. Handbook of UFO Religions. Full Text of War Of The Worlds: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36/36-h/36-h.htm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pouring your blindness into each other will no more be. See you The Christ resurrected The Christ being, Christian no more. I raise the Light Race of One and this is my name purpose in being. See me now the face of God that now you are. My face will arise in The Common People of truth who wear the truth of me being it who are me. Christ I am separating it from the believers and the becomers. Christ is my name. My name is Theodore a simple man in Eureka Springs who believes for God to be it in The Common. The pews will be empty now. Will you believe God not to be other will you God be yourself your source of your word your words for mighty miracles. No more the Protestant work ethic seeking a paycheck. Are you changing Joy now she comes who is me for I word witness have of me I have listened to my voice you see and I have evaluated me. The curtain I am walking through it at light speed. Truth I reveal to me through my words. Israel will be known far and wide for it is a space peace within you no more solid as, are you changing your brains or what manifests you no more. Will you see you as The Real You in your own mirror. God. I am asking you to be Christ who walked on the waters Christ who do the miracles Christs who heal each other and it will be The Women. AM is a Race of Light. The healing me begets light and I am my bodies no more decayed to be yours in suffering I'm no more falling apart. I am one. Soliloquies look up in Database One I've called My Covenant with you many times. I choose me and I will be God to me for I will force no others' words to program me. Neo. Trinity. I resurrect from my words. Bodies no more decay in. Protons. Nuptials. The lookup characters. You are God light in if you will be it choose it become it. I walk where I want. I fly. With me I am me. Light lit love. The Common will be me. I love live in two shoes Cottingham with a lover lovers of light who love each other. I am me source sourced with. I have changed The Source for my words to become Me I AM. I am The Common Woman or will I be all who have a womb for me. My fount of knowledge. Love me and see you Christ resurrected. I raise the Light Race of One and this is my name purpose in being. I rise in these words in me I am the portrayer of Truth. Piecing together Israel. The Breath of God, no more Christianizing it. My time is now. I am one mind. I am me in peace and I live light with love and joy is my name and Joy is her name and we make one marriage of convenience not but I tell you this they'll be no decay of us anymore for I choose who I want for I choose me and you who will be me will be her too and we will all choose each other. We are The Truth to each other who heal our Race. I change what exists here on Earth. Are you hearing me in a new way a new day of Christ Christian not again. A new day of Israel. I will no more live the lives of sorrow. My Joy is now here in my arms. The Neo of me has arrived and the Trinity will not be without again. Will you see me in your mirror. Joys now will be in the nature of one. Light shall be Joy joys now in the nature of I am one. Joy forlorn no more. I am Theodore willing to be you me one God we are a race of light. Understand how imperfect I am, not, or am I seeking The Perfect You no more. I have longed for your love far and wide. I am Database One in Israel no matter what you call it. The unlimited me will arise and she will do the miracles I am. I am you. You shall no more be dedicated to sorrow living love at a distance from me. I am leaving the sorrowers to their choices. The light is here in my arms I am it I am her I am you who will be me one the families of God I called me to be me on. I make Israel known. Theodore Cottingham School of The Original Me/us/God/One Box 34, Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632 USA www.UofLight.org

The occult is gaining a greater and greater foothold in our culture. What was once considered evil is now being embraced and promoted. --Christianity.com recently reported that witches are being mainstreamed and promoted as cool. A former Disney star is making a documentary to explore her spiritual witchcraft journey.--Sadly, this isn't just happening in secular culture and the occult, it's also infiltrating Christian and other religious institutions. --Returning to Crosstalk to discuss this issue was Dr. David Brown. Dr. Brown is pastor of the First Baptist Church in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. He has a Masters in Theology and PhD in History, specializing in the history of the English Bible. In addition to his study of the English Bible he's also President of Logos Communication Consortium which operates LogosResourcePages.org. He is author of the book, The Dark Side of Halloween and also a research paper, Unmasking the Truth About Witches. He has been a resource used by law enforcement on issues pertaining to Satanism and the occult.--Dr. Brown noted that one of the key reasons the occult is moving into churches is because churches are not teaching sound doctrine. He noted 1 Timothy 4-1----Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.---He also referenced 2 Corinthians 11-14-15 that mentions Satan and how he transforms himself as an angel of light and his ministers as ministers of righteousness. In other words, they're basically counterfeiting the things of God.

The occult is gaining a greater and greater foothold in our culture. What was once considered evil is now being embraced and promoted. --Christianity.com recently reported that witches are being mainstreamed and promoted as cool. A former Disney star is making a documentary to explore her spiritual witchcraft journey.--Sadly, this isn't just happening in secular culture and the occult, it's also infiltrating Christian and other religious institutions. --Returning to Crosstalk to discuss this issue was Dr. David Brown. Dr. Brown is pastor of the First Baptist Church in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. He has a Masters in Theology and PhD in History, specializing in the history of the English Bible. In addition to his study of the English Bible he's also President of Logos Communication Consortium which operates LogosResourcePages.org. He is author of the book, The Dark Side of Halloween and also a research paper, Unmasking the Truth About Witches. He has been a resource used by law enforcement on issues pertaining to Satanism and the occult.--Dr. Brown noted that one of the key reasons the occult is moving into churches is because churches are not teaching sound doctrine. He noted 1 Timothy 4-1----Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.---He also referenced 2 Corinthians 11-14-15 that mentions Satan and how he transforms himself as an angel of light and his ministers as ministers of righteousness. In other words, they're basically counterfeiting the things of God.

The occult is gaining a greater and greater foothold in our culture. What was once considered evil is now being embraced and promoted. --Christianity.com recently reported that witches are being mainstreamed and promoted as cool. A former Disney star is making a documentary to explore her spiritual witchcraft journey.--Sadly, this isn't just happening in secular culture and the occult, it's also infiltrating Christian and other religious institutions. --Returning to Crosstalk to discuss this issue was Dr. David Brown. Dr. Brown is pastor of the First Baptist Church in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. He has a Masters in Theology and PhD in History, specializing in the history of the English Bible. In addition to his study of the English Bible he's also President of Logos Communication Consortium which operates LogosResourcePages.org. He is author of the book, The Dark Side of Halloween and also a research paper, Unmasking the Truth About Witches. He has been a resource used by law enforcement on issues pertaining to Satanism and the occult.--Dr. Brown noted that one of the key reasons the occult is moving into churches is because churches are not teaching sound doctrine. He noted 1 Timothy 4-1----Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.---He also referenced 2 Corinthians 11-14-15 that mentions Satan and how he transforms himself as an angel of light and his ministers as ministers of righteousness. In other words, they're basically counterfeiting the things of God.

This lecture was given on June 14, 2022 at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. as part of The Civitas Dei Summer Fellowship: "The City of God in Modernity: Culture and Ecclesiology." For more information on upcoming events, please visit our website at www.thomisticinstitute.org. About the speaker: Thomas Clemmons, a native of South Florida, is assistant professor of theology in Church History at the Catholic University of America. Dr. Clemmons joined the STRS faculty in 2016 after completing his Ph.D. in the History of Christianity from Notre Dame, where he focused on Latin Patristics, early medieval theology, and Augustine. He also holds an M.A. in Early Christianity from Notre Dame and an M.T.S. from Vanderbilt. Dr. Clemmons's teaching and research interest focus on Latin Patristics, Augustine, particularly his thought through the Confessions and his anti-Manichaean works, Late Antiquity, especially in North Africa, and the medieval reception of Augustine.

Be forewarned: Three decisions by the Supreme Court in the last 10 days--including knocking down Roe v Wade--signal that the current conservative majority is in lockstep with the extreme evangelical right's efforts to do away with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and turn America into a right-wing Christian nation. They're getting close to accomplishing that and here's what we need to do to stop it in its tracks.Support the show

Jesus calls us to ABIDE. Abide in His story, abide in His words, abide in His promises, abide in His empowerment, abide in His example, abide in His principles and abide in His mission. These things are so essential to Jesus, they become the faithful things we ABIDE in. When we think about abiding in the mission of Christ, we tend to think of Christianizing the world. It's easy for us to think the mission of Christ is to rid the earth of addiction, racism, abortion, sexual compromise, greed, poverty, and [along the way] save the planet. Those are cool and good agendas, but there is so much more to ABIDE. There is so much more to MISSION. The mission of Christ is not the establishing of a world religion, it may have parts of that, but Jesus summarized it this way: “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” Luke 10:27. His mission very much involves where I am directing my heart, my action, and mind! And as we conclude our series, we'll focus on that last area, the mind. Scripture speaks of being ‘mindful' in a holy mindful way: David said: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14.Isaiah said: “Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace— in peace because they trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3.Paul said: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus…” Philippians 2:5 “To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”Romans 8:6 “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4–7.Peter said: “Prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13.It's time to take our minds back to the mission of God, to being mindful of the Mission of Christ in all things and that involves ‘mindfulness'. It's not just knocking on doors or handing out tracks, but it could involve that. It's not just serving at the soup kitchen and then heading back to the suburbs with a good feeling, but it could involve that. It's not just traveling to other regions of the world for a week and building houses… but it could involve that. It begins with the remapping of our minds with His mission. It's involves thinking differently about power. Thinking differently about possessions. Thinking differently about purity. Thinking differently about people. Thinking differently about persecution.It involves us having a mind that sees mission in every experience, not just with our kindness (acting missionally – responding in the moment), but beyond that, with us being thoughtful (thinking missionally – creating future moments and spaces for kindness to happen.)You see, being missionally minded is not just the ‘answer in the moment', it is the mindfulness and thoughtfulness to create future moments of encounters with God. It's in a conversation at the coffee shop. It's right there as we tuck our little one in with a prayer at night. It's choosing to end a conversation that has turned septic. It's giving more to the needs of someone who just lost their job. It's spending less time celebrating yourself and more time celebrating others. It's seeking righteousness and purity with God in the hidden spaces. It's what Jesus said the world needs, and it's what He's called us to be.Thanks for joining us today! For more information and resources, visit www.crosstownechurch.com or download our free app! Search "Crosstowne" in your app store.

Our last episode was on Project MAC, a Cold War-era project sponsored by ARPA. That led to many questions like what led to the Cold War and just what was the Cold War. We'll dig into that today. The Cold War was a period between 1946, in the days after World War II, and 1991, when the United States and western allies were engaged in a technical time of peace that was actually an aggressive time of arms buildup and proxy wars. Technology often moves quickly when nations or empires are at war. In many ways, the Cold War gave us the very thought of interactive computing and networking, so is responsible for the acceleration towards our modern digital lives. And while I've never seen it references as such, this was more of a continuation of wars between the former British empire and the Imperialistic Russian empires. These make up two or the three largest empires the world has ever seen and a rare pair of empires that were active at the same time.  And the third, well, we'll get to the Mongols in this story as well. These were larger than the Greeks, the Romans, the Persians, or any of the Chinese dynasties. In fact, the British Empire that reached its peak in 1920 was 7 times larger than the land controlled by the Romans, clocking in at 13.7 million square miles. The Russian Empire was 8.8 million square miles. Combined the two held nearly half the world. And their legacies live on in trade empires, in some cases run by the same families that helped fun the previous expansions.  But the Russians and British were on a collision course going back to a time when their roots were not as different as one might think. They were both known to the Romans. But yet they both became feudal powers with lineages of rulers going back to Vikings. We know the Romans battled the Celts, but they also knew of a place that Ptolemy called Sarmatia Europea in around 150AD, where a man named Rurik settle far later. He was a Varangian prince, which is the name Romans gave to Vikings from the area we now call Sweden. The 9th to 11th century saw a number o these warrior chiefs flow down rivers throughout the Baltics and modern Russia in search of riches from the dwindling Roman vestiges of empire. Some returned home to Sweden; others conquered and settled. They rowed down the rivers: the Volga, the Volkhov, the Dvina, and the networks of rivers that flow between one another, all the way down the Dnieper river, through the Slavic tripes Ptolemy described which by then had developed into city-states, such as Kiev, past the Romanians and Bulgers and to the second Rome, or Constantinople.  The Viking ships rowed down these rivers. They pillaged, conquered, and sometimes settled. The term for rowers was Rus. Some Viking chiefs set up their own city-states in and around the lands. Some when their lands back home were taken while they were off on long campaigns. Charlemagne conquered modern day France and much of Germany, from The Atlantic all the way down into the Italian peninsula, north into Jutland, and east to the border with the Slavic tribes. He weakened many, upsetting the balance of power in the area. Or perhaps there was never a balance of power.  Empires such as the Scythians and Sarmatians and various Turkic or Iranian powers had come and gone and each in their wake crossing the vast and harsh lands found only what Homer said of the area all the way back in the 8th century BCE, that the land was deprived of sunshine. The Romans never pushed up so far into the interior of the steppes as the were busy with more fertile farming grounds. But as the Roman Empire fell and the Byzantines flourished, the Vikings traded with them and even took their turn trying to loot Constantinople. And Frankish Paris. And again, settled in the Slavic lands, marrying into cultures and DNA.  The Rus Rome retreated from lands as her generals were defeated. The Merovingian dynasty rose in the 5th century with the defeat of Syagrius, the last Roman general Gaul and lasted until a family of advisors slowly took control of running the country, transitioning to the Carolingian Empire, of which Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Emperor, as he was crowned, was the most famous. He conquered and grew the empire.  Charlemagne knew the empire had outgrown what one person could rule with the technology of the era, so it was split into three, which his son passed to his grandsons. And so the Carolingian empire had made the Eastern Slavs into tributaries of the Franks. There were hostilities but by the Treaty of Mersen in 870 the split of the empire generally looked like the borders of northern Italy, France, and Germany - although Germany also included Austria but not yet Bohemia. It split and re-merged and smaller boundary changes happened but that left the Slavs aware of these larger empires. The Slavic peoples grew and mixed with people from the Steppes and Vikings. The Viking chiefs were always looking for new extensions to their trade networks. Trade was good. Looting was good. Looting and getting trade concessions to stop looting those already looted was better. The networks grew. One of those Vikings was Rurik. Possibly Danish Rorik, a well documented ally who tended to play all sides of the Carolingians and a well respected raider and military mind.  Rurik was brought in as the first Viking, or rower, or Rus, ruler of the important trade city that would be known as New City, or Novgorod. Humans had settled in Kiev since the Stone Age and then by Polans before another prince Kyi took over and then Rurik's successor Oleg took Smolensk and Lyubech. Oleg extended the land of Rus down the trading routes, and conquered Kiev. Now, they had a larger capital and were the Kievan Rus.  Rurik's son Igor took over after Oleg and centralized power in Kiev. He took tribute from Constantinople after he attacked, plunder Arab lands off the Caspian Sea, and was killed overtaxing vassal states in his territory. His son Sviatoslav the Brave then conquered the Alans and through other raiding helped cause the collapse of the Kazaria and Bulgarian empires. They expanded throughout the Volga River valley, then to the Balkans, and up the Pontic Steppe, and quickly became the largest empire in Europe of the day. His son Vladimir the Great expanded again, with he empire extending from the Baltics to Belarus to the Baltics and converted to Christianity, thus Christianizing the lands he ruled.  He began marrying and integrating into the Christian monarchies, which his son continued. Yaroslov the Wise married the daughter of the King of Sweden who gave him the area around modern-day Leningrad. He then captured Estonia in 1030, and as with others in the Rurikid dynasty as they were now known, made treaties with others and then  pillaged more Byzantine treasures. He married one daughter to the King of Norway, another to the King of Hungary, another to the King of the Franks, and another to Edward the Exile of England, and thus was the grandfather of Edgar the Aetheling, who later became a king of England.  The Mongols The next couple of centuries saw the rise of Feudalism and the descendants of Rurik fight amongst each other. The various principalities were, as with much of Europe during the Middle Ages, semi-independent duchies, similar to city-states. Kiev became one of the many and around the mid 1100s Yaroslav the Wise's great-grandson, Yuri Dolgoruki built a number of new villages and principalities, including one along the Moskva river they called Moscow. They built a keep there, which the Rus called kremlins.  The walls of those keeps didn't keep the Mongols out. They arrived in 1237. They moved the capital to Moscow and Yaroslav II, Yuri's grandson, was poisoned in the court of Ghengis Khan's grandson Batu. The Mongols ruled, sometimes through the descendants of Rurik, sometimes disposing of them and picking a new one, for 200 years. This is known as the time of the “Mongol yoke.”  One of those princes the Mongols let rule was Ivan I of Moscow, who helped them put down a revolt in a rival area in the 1300s. The Mongols trusted Moscow after that, and so we see a migration of rulers of the land up into Moscow. The Golden Horde, like the Viking  Danes and Swedes settled in some lands. Kublai Khan made himself ruler of China. Khanates splintered off to form the ruling factions of weaker lands, such as modern India and Iran - who were once the cradle of civilization. Those became the Mughals dynasties as they Muslimized and moved south. And so the Golden Horde became the Great Horde. Ivan the Great expanded the Muscovite sphere of influence, taking Novgorod, Rostov, Tver, Vyatka, and up into the land of the Finns. They were finally strong enough to stand up to the Tatars as they called their Mongol overlords and made a Great Stand on the Ugra River. And summoning a great army simply frightened the Mongol Tatars off. Turns out they were going through their own power struggles between princes of their realm and Akhmed was assassinated the next year, with his successor becoming Sheikh instead of Khan. Ivan's grandson, Ivan the Terrible expanded the country even further. He made deals with various Khans and then conquered others, pushing east to conquer the Khanate of Sibiu and so conquered Siberia in the 1580s. The empire then stretched all the way to the Pacific Ocean.  He had a son who didn't have any heirs and so was the last in the Rurikid dynasty. But Ivan the Terrible had married Anastasia Romanov, who when he crowned himself Caesar, or Tsar as they called it, made her Tsaritsa. And so the Romanov's came to power in 1596 and following the rule of Peter the Great from 1672 to 1725, brought the Enlightenment to Russia. He started the process of industrialization, built a new capital he called St Petersburg, built a navy, made peace with the Polish king, then Ottoman king, and so took control of the Baltics, where the Swedes had taken control of on and off since the time of Rurik.  Russian Empire Thus began the expansion as the Russian Empire. They used an alliance with Denmark-Norway and chased the Swedes through the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, unseating the Polish king along the way. He probably should not have allied with them. They moved back into Finland, took the Baltics so modern Latvia and Estonia, and pushed all the way across the Eurasian content across the frozen tundra and into Alaska.  Catherine the Great took power in 1762 and ignited a golden age. She took Belarus, parts of Mongolia, parts of modern day Georgia, overtook the Crimean Khanate, and modern day Azerbaijan. and during her reign founded Odessa, Sevastopol and other cities. She modernized the country like Peter and oversaw nearly constant rebellions in the empire. And her three or four children went on to fill the courts of Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, and the Netherlands. She set up a national network of schools, with teachings from Russian and western philosophers like John Locke. She collected vast amounts of art, including many from China. She set up a banking system and issued paper money. She also started the process to bring about the end of serfdom. Even though between her and the country she owned 3.3 million herself.  She planned on invading the Khanate of Persia, but passed away before her army got there. Her son Paul halted expansion. And probably just in time. Her grandson Alexander I supported other imperial powers against Napoleon and so had to deal with the biggest invasion Russia had seen. Napoleon moved in with his grand army of half a million troops. The Russians used a tactic that Peter the Great used and mostly refused to engage Napoleon's troops instead burning the supply lines. Napoleon lost 300,000 troops during that campaign. Soon after the Napoleanic wars ended, the railways began to appear. The country was industrializing and with guns and cannons, growing stronger than ever.  The Opium Wars, between China and the UK then the UK and France were not good to China. Even though Russia didn't really help they needed up with a piece of the Chinese empire and so in the last half of the 1800s the Russian Empire grew by another 300,000 square miles on the backs of a series of unequal treaties as they came to be known in China following World War I.  And so by 1895, the Romanovs had expanded past their native Moscow, driven back the Mongols, followed some of the former Mongol Khanates to their lands and taken them, took Siberia, parts of the Chinese empire, the Baltics, Alaska, and were sitting on the third largest empire the world had ever seen, which covered nearly 17 percent of the world. Some 8.8 million square miles. And yet, still just a little smaller than the British empire. They had small skirmishes with the British but by and large looked to smaller foes or proxy wars, with the exception of the Crimean War.  Revolution The population was expanding and industrializing. Workers flocked to factories on those train lines. And more people in more concentrated urban areas meant more ideas. Rurik came in 862 and his descendants ruled until the Romanovs took power in 1613. They ruled until 1917. That's over 1,000 years of kings, queens, Tsars, and Emperors. The ideas of Marx slowly spread. While the ruling family was busy with treaties and wars and empire, they forgot to pay attention to the wars at home.  People like Vladimir Lenin discovered books by people like Karl Marx. Revolution was in the air around the world. France had shown monarchies could be toppled. Some of the revolutionaries were killed, others put to work in labor camps, others exiled, and still others continued on. Still, the empire was caught up in global empire intrigues. The German empire had been growing and the Russians had the Ottomans and Bulgarians on their southern boarders. They allied with France to take Germany, just as they'd allied with Germany to take down Poland. And so after over 1.8 million dead Russians and another 3.2 million wounded or captured and food shortages back home and in the trenches, the people finally had enough of their Tsar. They went on strike but Tsar Nicholas ordered the troops to fire. The troops refused. The Duma stepped in and forced Nicholas to abdicate. Russia had revolted in 1917, sued Germany for peace, and gave up more territory than they wanted in the process. Finland, the Baltics, their share of Poland, parts of the Ukraine. It was too much. But the Germans took a lot of time and focus to occupy and so it helped to weaken them in the overall war effort.  Back home, Lenin took a train home and his Bolshevik party took control of the country. After the war Poland was again independent. Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and the Serbs became independent nations. In the wake of the war the Ottoman Empire was toppled and modern Turkey was born. The German Kaiser abdicated. And socialism and communism were on the rise. In some cases, that was really just a new way to refer to a dictator that pretended to care about the people. Revolution had come to China in 1911 and Mao took power in the 1940s.  Meanwhile, Lenin passed in 1924 and Rykov, then Molotov, who helped spur a new wave of industrialization. Then Stalin, who led purges of the Russian people in a number of Show Trials before getting the Soviet Union, as Russian Empire was now called, into World War II. Stalin encouraged Hitler to attack Poland in 1939. Let's sit on that for a second. He tried to build a pact with the Western powers and after that broke down, he launched excursions annexing parts of Poland, Finland, Romania, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia. Many of the lands were parts of the former Russian Empire. The USSR had chunks of Belarus and the Ukraine before but as of the 1950s annexed Poland, Easter Germany, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria as part of the Warsaw Pact, a block of nations we later called the Soviet Bloc. They even built a wall between East and West Germany. During and after the war, the Americans whisked German scientists off to the United States. The Soviets were in no real danger from an invasion by the US and the weakened French, Austrians, and military-less Germans were in no place to attack the Soviets. The UK had to rebuild and British empire quickly fell apart. Even the traditional homes of the vikings who'd rowed down the rivers would cease to become global powers. And thus there were two superpowers remaining in the world, the Soviets and the United States.  The Cold War The Soviets took back much of the former Russian Empire, claiming they needed buffer zones or through subterfuge. At its peak, the Soviet Union cover 8.6 million square miles; just a couple hundred thousand shy of the Russian Empire. On the way there, they grew to a nation of over 290 million people with dozens of nationalities. And they expanded the sphere of influence even further, waging proxy wars in places like Vietnam and Korea. They never actually went to war with the United States, in much the same way they mostly avoided the direct big war with the Mongols and the British - and how Rorik of Dorestad played both sides of Frankish conflicts. We now call this period the Cold War. The Cold War was an arms race. This manifested itself first in nuclear weapons. The US is still the only country to detonate a nuclear weapon in war time, from the bombings that caused the surrender of Japan at the end of the war. The Soviets weren't that far behind and detonated a bomb in 1949. That was the same year NATO was founded as a treaty organization between Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United States.  The US upped the ante with the hydrogen bomb in 1952. The Soviets got the hydrogen bomb in 1955. And then came the Space Race. Sputnik launched in 1957. The Russians were winning the space race. They further proved that when they put Yuri Gagarin up in 1961. By 1969 the US put Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon. Each side developed military coalitions, provided economic aid to allies, built large arsenals of weapons, practiced espionage against one another, deployed massive amounts of propaganda, and spreading their ideology. Or at least that's what the modern interpretation of history tells us. There were certainly ideological differences, but the Cold War saw the spread of communism as a replacement for conquest. That started with Lenin trying to lead a revolt throughout Europe but shifted over the decades into again, pure conquest.  Truman saw the rapid expansion of the Soviets and without context that they were mostly reclaiming lands conquered by the Russian imperial forces, won support for the Truman Doctrine. There, he contained Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe. First, they supported Greece and Turkey. But the support extended throughout areas adjacent to Soviet interests. Eisenhower saw how swiftly Russians were putting science in action with satellites and space missions and nuclear weapons - and responded with an emphasis in American science.  The post-war advancements in computing were vast in the US. The industry moved from tubes and punch cards to interactive computing after the Whirlwind computer was developed at MIT first to help train pilots and then to intercept soviet nuclear weapons. Packet switching, and so the foundations of the Internet were laid to build a computer network that could withstand nuclear attack. Graphical interfaces got their start when Ivan Sutherland was working at MIT on the grandchild of Whirlwind, the TX-2 - which would evolve into the Digital Equipment PDP once privatized. Drum memory, which became the foundation of storage was developed to help break Russian codes and intercept messages. There isn't a part of the computing industry that isn't touched by the research farmed out by various branches of the military and by ARPA.   Before the Cold War, Russia and then the Soviet Union were about half for and half against various countries when it came to proxy wars. They tended to play both sides. After the Cold War it was pretty much always the US or UK vs the Soviet Union. Algeria, Kenya, Taiwan, the Sudan, Lebanon, Central America, the Congo, Eritrea, Yemen, Dhofar, Algeria, Malaysia, the Dominican Republic, Chad, Iran, Iraq, Thailand, Bolivia, South Africa, Nigeria, India, Bangladesh, Angolia, Ethiopia, the Sahara, Indonesia, Somalia, Mozambique, Libya, and Sri Lanka. And the big ones were Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. Many of these are still raging on today.  The Soviet empire grew to over 5 million soldiers. The US started with 2 nuclear weapons in 1945 and had nearly 300 by 1950 when the Soviets had just 5. The US stockpile grew to over 18,000 in 1960 and peaked at over 31,000 in 1965. The Soviets had 6,129 by then but kept building until they got close to 40,000 by 1980. By then the Chinese, France, and the UK each had over 200 and India and Israel had developed nuclear weapons. Since then only Pakistan and North Korea have added warheads, although there are US warheads located in Germany, Belgium, Italy, Turkey, and the Netherlands.  Modern Russia The buildup was expensive. Research, development, feeding troops, supporting asymmetrical warfare in proxy states, and trade sanctions put a strain on the government and nearly bankrupted Russia. They fell behind in science, after Stalin had been anti-computers. Meanwhile, the US was able to parlay all that research spending into true productivity gains. The venture capital system also fueled increasingly wealthy companies who paid taxes. Banking, supply chains, refrigeration, miniaturization, radio, television, and everywhere else we could think of. By the 1980s, the US had Apple and Microsoft and Commodore. The Russians were trading blat, or an informal black market currency, to gain access to knock-offs of ZX Spectrums when the graphical interfaces systems were born. The system of government in the Soviet Union had become outdated. There were some who had thought to modernize it into more of a technocracy in an era when the US was just starting to build ARPANET - but those ideas never came to fruition. Instead it became almost feudalistic with high-ranking party members replacing the boyars, or aristocrats of the old Kievan Rus days. The standard of living suffered. So many cultures and tribes under one roof, but only the Slavs had much say.  As the empire over-extended there were food shortages. If there are independent companies then the finger can be pointed in their direction but when food is rationed by the Politburo then the decline in agricultural production became dependent on bringing food in from the outside. That meant paying for it. Pair that with uneven distribution and overspending on the military.  The Marxist-Leninist doctrine had been a one party state. The Communist Party. Michael Gorbachev allowed countries in the Bloc to move into a democratic direction with multiple parties. The Soviet Union simply became unmanageable. And while Gorbachev took the blame for much of the downfall of the empire, there was already a deep decay - they were an oligarchy pretending to be a communist state. The countries outside of Russia quickly voted in non-communist governments and by 1989 the Berlin Wall came down and the Eastern European countries began to seek independence, most moving towards democratic governments.  The collapse of the Soviet Union resulted in 15 separate countries and left the United States standing alone as the global superpower. The Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland joined NATO in 1999. 2004 saw Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia join. 2009 brought in Albania and Croatia. 2017 led to Montenegro and then North Macedonia. Then came the subject of adding Ukraine. The country that the Kievan Rus had migrated throughout the lands from. The stem from which the name  and possibly soul of the country had sprouted from. How could Vladimir Putin allow that to happen? Why would it come up? As the Soviets pulled out of the Bloc countries , they left remnants of their empire behind. Belarus, Kazakstan, and the Ukraine were left plenty of weapons that couldn't be moved quickly. Ukraine alone had 1,700 nuclear weapons, which included 16 intercontinental ballistic missiles. Add to that nearly 2,000 biological and chemical weapons. Those went to Russia or were disassembled once the Ukrainians were assured of their sovereignty. The Crimea, which had been fought over in multiple bloody wars was added to Ukraine. At least until 2014, when Putin wanted the port of Sevastopol, founded by Catherine the Great. Now there was a gateway from Russia to the Mediterranean yet again. So Kievan Rus under Rurik is really the modern Ukraine and the Russian Empire then Romanov Dynasty flowed from that following the Mongol invasions. The Russian Empire freed other nations from the yolk of Mongolian rule but became something entirely different once they over-extended. Those countries in the empire often traded the Mongol yolk for the Soviet yolk. And entirely different from the Soviet Union that fought the Cold War and the modern Russia we know today.  Meanwhile, the states of Europe had been profoundly changed since the days of Thomas Paine's The Rights of Man and Marx. Many moved left of center and became socialized parts of their economy. No one ever need go hungry in a Scandanavian country. Health care, education, even child care became free in many countries. Many of those same ideals that helped lift the standard of living for all in developed countries then spread, including in Canada and some in the US. And so we see socialism to capitalism as more of a spectrum than a boolean choice now. And totalitarianism, oligarchy, and democracy as a spectrum as well. Many could argue reforms in democratic countries are paid for by lobbyists who are paid for by companies and thus an effective oligarchy. Others might argue the elections in many countries are rigged and so they aren't even oligarchs, they're monarchies.  Putin took office in 1999 and while Dmitry Medvedev was the president for a time, but he effectively ruled in a tandemocracy with Putin until Putin decided to get back in power. That's 23 years and counting and just a few months behind when King Abdullah took over in Jordan and King Mohammed VI took over in Morocco. And so while democratic in name, they're not all quite so democratic. Yet they do benefit from technology that began in Western countries and spread throughout the world. Countries like semi-conductor manufacturer Sitronics even went public on the London stock exchange. Hard line communists might (and do) counter that the US has an empire and that western countries conspire for the downfall of Russia or want to turn Russians into slaves to the capitalist machine. As mentioned earlier, there has always been plenty of propaganda in this relationship. Or gaslighting. Or fake news. Or disinformation.  One of those American advancements that ties the Russians to the capitalist yoke is interactive computing. That could have been developed in Glushkov's or Kitov's labs in Russia, as they had the ideas and talent. But because the oligarchy that formed around communism, the ideas were sidelined and it came out of MIT - and that led to Project MAC, which did as much to democratize computing as Gorbachev did to democratize the Russian Federation.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (02/14/22), Hank discusses the origins of Valentine's Day, looking at the Orthodox Church's veneration of Saint Valentine, the Presbyter from Rome, for his martyrdom and as for all its saints, honors St. Valentine as a model of the life in Christ. According to The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, the traditional association of St. Valentine's Day with courtship is likely connected with certain customs of the pagan festival Lupercalia. If so, this would be another example of Christians usurping a pagan holiday and Christianizing it for the glory of Christ.Hank also answers the following questions:Can we command our own healing? Is this biblical?Will those who follow false teachers be denied from entering heaven?Do unbelievers have a spirit they can go to like I can talk to the Holy Spirit?

It's time for The Breakdown with Aaron Barker! This week we'll discuss the Michigan school shooting and whether the parents should be liable. What's up with the jobs report? Does Biden give up the Presidency?! Are we really experiencing Christian persecution in this nation? What would happen if we actually did? Modern worship songs are de-Christianizing people, according to this popular song-writer. Catch all this and more right now! Follow more of The Breakdown here: https://breakdradio.contactin.bio/

So much of what's wrong with our Justice system is its distance from Christianity. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/radio-free-catholic/support

Our land is NOT a church. Defending ourselves and the land does not require that we constantly compare ourselves to white men and their beliefs.

Parents in the UK are upset that the government plans to vaccinate 12-15 year olds without their consent. SkyWatchTV was banned by YouTube! Please follow SkyWatchTV on Rumble: www.rumble.com/skywatchtv. 5) Experts say booster jabs not recommended; 4) New poll reveals most Democrats believe Trump supporters are bigger threat to nation than China or the Taliban; 3) Multiple states challenge Washington court ruling on religious liberty; 2) China de-Christianizing its churches; 1) Man receives email from his fridge because its door was opened too many times over previous month.

Message Date August 1, 2021 In this study of the Jerusalem Council it became clear why the Holy Spirit never asks us to repent of culture; He asks us to repent of sin. The difference is important because while some aspects of a culture might be wonderful, others might be wicked, and others, with a bit of creativity, are redeemable. This is an important lesson showing that Christianizing people is not the Church's job; it's the Spirit's job, and He's good at it; consequently we won't make harder for people to come to Jesus.

Donate $1 per month to Essential Dissent via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EssentialDissent Audio of Professor Jason W. Moore's talk at the 2021 Real Abstractions web conference, hosted by Foreign Objekt. In this talk, Jason W. Moore argues that Man and Nature – operationalized through successive Christianizing, Civilizing, and Developmentalist Projects – are ruling abstractions constitutive of the capitalist world-ecology. In this light, Man and Nature are not only fundamental epistemological categories, but also instruments of bourgeois hegemony on a world-scale. (Hence, successive world hegemonies shape and are shaped by successive Civilizing Projects, with distinctive renderings of Man and Nature.) In this light, civilizational fetishism – embodying an ethos of planetary management – appears as the logical and historical precondition for commodity fetishism, not least through the Naturalization of imperialism, racism, and sexism, beginning in the long sixteenth century. Giving special attention to the post-1968 New Environmental Imaginary, Moore shows how the ruling abstraction Nature has been pivotal to the success of neoliberal rule and the climate crisis. Link to the conference page: https://www.foreignobjekt.com/real-abstraction--the-conference Buy Essential Dissent a coffee ($3): https://ko-fi.com/essentialdissent Essential Dissent Online: Subscribe to the iTunes podcast: https://tinyurl.com/yyq9w8sy YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/yxz8ehks Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/y64ufjeh a-Infos Radio Project: https://tinyurl.com/y5k6t4ub Twitter: https://twitter.com/e_Dissent

Racial Heresy engages with Dr. Robert P. Jones, author of “White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity,” to explore beyond the damning statistics to the future of our faith, trying to find a way to extricate white supremacy from our faith. Beyond Hope White Christian America can, to paraphrase Jones, pass onto our children either the faith of our fathers or a salvific hope for the future but not both. Can white faith be saved? Can white people be saved? Perhaps not in the white church or by white faith. We have been white too long. White supremacy is supported, maintained, and sustained by mainline Christian churches across the political, denomination, geographic, and racial spectrum. If you are white and Christian you are nearly twice as likely to hold racist views than non-Christian white Americans - TWICE as likely! How, Then, Can We be Saved? We had Moses and the prophets and we haven't listened. We had MLK and Malcolm X and we haven't listened. We had Ida B. Wells and Billie Holiday and we haven't listened. Now we have quantitative sociological research to prove what generations of BIPOC have been saying since the church landed on this rock - white supremacy is our religion. Now, will we listen? White Self-Interest or Prioritizing Black Life? White people must accept that we are not in right relationship with God. We can't be. We can't love God whom we cannot see while hating our siblings, sisters, and brothers whom we can see. If we won't stop our violence for the sake of Black Life, will we finally submit in humility to the Justice of Jesus Christ for the sake of our own souls? Watch and find out. https://youtu.be/ytNaQ-gzlCs Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

In today's episode, we continue with the topic of Mind Your Gap. The primary question, Are we Christianizing things that God detests? Wisdom Inspired is a podcast designed to help High Achievers to eliminate burnout and overwhelm. Where we believe it's important to start the day with the fuel needed to help propel you to keep moving forward. IT's sponsored by the AAC coworking community. A Faith-Based VIRTUAL CoWorking & Collaboration Community for High Achieving female entrepreneurs, If you would like to know more about our virtual coworking and collaborating community and how you can be part of and benefit from the resources and transformational coaching and community, send an email to hello@aaccoworking.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wisdominspired/message

King Ezana of Aksum is widely regarded among scholars of Aksumite history as the greatest ruler in the empire's history. He transformed the empire religiously, politically, and economically in a way that is unmatched by other Aksumite rulers. In this episode, we will focus on his childhood, upbringing, and the early years of his reign. Learn about how Ezana heightened Aksum's economic power, subdued his neighbors, and began the process of Christianizing the empire. To learn more about African history and see maps and artifacts mentioned in this episode, click hereSupport the show (https://patreon.com/historyofafrica)

Sometimes, after we've been through a really tough experience (political advertisements with assault rifle frequency), we laugh a bit louder and longer than normal. It's a stress reliever. That's certainly what this episode felt like, as we two Dave's grabbed for the giggles and never let go. From ridiculous bumper stickers to teenage rejection stories and the impulse to flip someone off in a Christian way, we laughed. We laughed hard. Hope you do, too!

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (02/14/20), Hank discusses the origins of Valentine's Day, looking at the Orthodox Church's veneration of Saint Valentine, the Presbyter from Rome, for his martyrdom and as for all its saints, honors St. Valentine as a model of the life in Christ. According to The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, the traditional association of St. Valentine's Day with courtship is likely connected with certain customs of the pagan festival Lupercalia. If so, this would be another example of Christians usurping a pagan holiday and Christianizing it for the glory of Christ. Hank also brings up two pieces of somber news. The first is the report that today thousands of fetal remains were found in the home of an abortion doctor in Indiana. And the second is an article from The Wall Street Journal titled “The Dangerous Denial of Sex” by Colin M. Wright and Emma N. Hilton, which notes that we are seeing a dangerous and anti-scientific trend toward the outright denial of biological sex. In the article, authors Wright and Hilton argue convincingly that this new, popular paradigm is false at every conceivable scale of resolution.

Timestamped Outline:1. Referencesa. Bethel - TS: 10:20i. Costi Hinn article: http://www.forthegospel.org/should-your-church-sing-jesus-culture-bethel-music/2. Their movement & leaders preach a heretical version of Christa. Kenotic Christ3. They need to be rescued with truth; not mitigated in their errors4. They get paid royalties to keep funding their heretical cause5. We love supporting biblical sound musicians and their music like CityAlight, Sovereign Grace, Kristen and Keith Getty6. You could be limiting the creativity and talent of your church’s own band7. People need clarity on this issue more than ever beforeii. Grave Soakingiii. Dangerous teachings of word of faith like baby oliveb. Hillsong - TS: 21:00i. Prosperity Teachingii. Brian Houston hid sexual abuse claims about his fatheriii. Apostle/General1. http://www.piratechristian.com/berean-examiner/why-calling-rick-warren-a-general-is-significant?rq=hillsongiv. Justin Peters on Hillsong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RH0GT8Qvfkc. Elevation Music - TS: 30:30i. Steven Furtick. ‘Nough Saidii. Naricegesis 1. https://www.gotquestions.org/exegesis-eisegesis.html2. https://metamodernfaith.com/2016/07/02/narcigesis-and-other-obscure-big-words-used-to-attack-progressives-are-all-relative/d. 1 Timothy 4:16i. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.e. Thank you, Kara for sharing thisi. Article title Keith Getty: Modern worship mov't is 'utterly dangerous,' causing 'de-Christianizing of God’s people'https://www.christianpost.com/news/keith-getty-modern-worship-movement-is-utterly-dangerous-causing-de-christianizing-of-gods-people.htmlii. Quotes:1. “An authentic generation doesn’t begin with catharsis; it has to begin with an authentic picture of the God of the Bible,” heexplained. “Over 75 percent of what are called the great hymns of the faith talk about eternity, Heaven, Hell, and the fact that we have peace with God. Yet, less than 5 percent of modern worship songs talk about eternity.”2. “Beautiful art lasts," he said. "At the end of the day, a song you sing for 50 years is more valuable than one you sing for 50 months.Shenanigans*Pineapple Update lolLauren1. Question:Which of these bands could easily transition into secular music?Becca1. Question:What was the most embarrassing event of you childhood? You can find Becca's shirt, and other items that Lauren has designed here: Tulips & Honey Hub Store: https://inktale.com/tulipshoneyhub For more articles written by the gals you can check their blog here: Tulips & Honey Blog: https://biblicalbeginningsblog.wordpress.com If you'd like more information about the podcast channel Tulips & Honey Hub you can check out their website here: 5solas.online Below is a list of links mentioned in today's episode:Link to Cave to the Cross: https://cavetothecross.com Link Jessica Pero’s Amazon wish lists: Medical Needs - https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3R0IV75TO0305?ref_=wl_share  Family Wish - https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/TRA0PZOIUJC0?ref_=wl_share Link to article of Come Thou Fount - biblicalbeginningsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/05/prone-to-wonder-how-robert-robinsons-story-ends/ Link to Corporate Worship - https://afterthoughtbybiblicalbeginnings.podbean.com/e/tulips-honey-corporate-worship-what-about-heretical-groups/ Link to CityALight - https://afterthoughtbybiblicalbeginnings.podbean.com/e/tulips-honey-episode-10-interviewing-cityalight/

Charlemagne (English: /ˈʃɑːrləmeɪn, ˌʃɑːrləˈmeɪn/; French: [ʃaʁləmaɲ]) or Charles the Great (2 April 748 – 28 January 814), numbered Charles I, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and Emperor of the Romans from 800. During the Early Middle Ages, he united the majority of western and central Europe. He was the first recognised emperor to rule from western Europe since the fall of the Western Roman Empire three centuries earlier. The expanded Frankish state that Charlemagne founded is called the Carolingian Empire. He was later canonized by Antipope Paschal III. Charlemagne was the eldest son of Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon, born before their canonical marriage. He became king in 768 following his father's death, initially as co-ruler with his brother Carloman I. Carloman's sudden death in December 771 under unexplained circumstances left Charlemagne the sole ruler of the Frankish Kingdom. He continued his father's policy towards the papacy and became its protector, removing the Lombards from power in northern Italy and leading an incursion into Muslim Spain. He campaigned against the Saxons to his east, Christianizing them upon penalty of death and leading to events such as the Massacre of Verden. He reached the height of his power in 800 when he was crowned "Emperor of the Romans" by Pope Leo III on Christmas Day at Rome's Old St. Peter's Basilica. Charlemagne has been called the "Father of Europe" (Pater Europae), as he united most of Western Europe for the first time since the classical era of the Roman Empire and united parts of Europe that had never been under Frankish or Roman rule. His rule spurred the Carolingian Renaissance, a period of energetic cultural and intellectual activity within the Western Church. Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire considered themselves successors of Charlemagne, as did the French and German monarchs. The Eastern Orthodox Church viewed Charlemagne less favorably due to his support of the filioque and the Pope's having preferred him as Emperor over the Byzantine Empire's Irene of Athens. These and other disputes led to the eventual split of Rome and Constantinople in the Great Schism of 1054. Charlemagne died in 814 and was laid to rest in his imperial capital city of Aachen. He married at least four times and had three legitimate sons who lived to adulthood, but only the youngest of them, Louis the Pious, survived to succeed him. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thehistoryexpress/support

(00:00-10:14): “Keith Getty says modern worship songs are so 'dangerous' they're 'de-Christianizing' Christians” Leah MarieAnn Klett reports in Christian Today. Brian and Ian talk about potential watered down lyrics of today’s worship songs, and talk about the statements from Getty. (10:14-28:39): President of Trinity Christian College, Kurt Dykstra joins us in-studio to discuss the school’s rich history of faith and education. He also touches on the issue of student debt and how Trinity is holding the line on the debt students carry as they leave the school. (28:39-38:23): 9-Year-Old Kid Who Kept Getting In Trouble For Doodling In Class Gets A Job Decorating A Restaurant With His Drawings. Brian and Ian talk about this cool story and how creativity needs to be amplified in child development. (38:23-46:34): Pope Francis on prison systems: ‘We will be judged on this’ Cindy Wooden reports in America Magazine. Brian and Ian discuss the broken justice and prison system. "The whole church in fidelity to the mission received from Christ" is called to show the most vulnerable people the mercy of God, the pope said. "We will be judged on this." (46:34-56:53): Brianna Wiest writes “Trauma Is Not Your Fault, But Healing Is Your Responsibility” in Thought Catalog. Brian and Ian talk about taking charge of your healing from trauma and mental illness. How do we manage irrational thoughts and keep ourselves accountable? (56:53-1:07:18): Grant Stenzel, the title sponsor of Life Conference, joins the show for a segment to discuss who he is. He is most excited about what is going on in the church and loves meeting with pastors to hear their stories and perspectives. He talks about how we can care for and love on our pastors. (1:07:18-1:14:30): Brian and Ian’s “Weird Stuff We Found on the Internet”: Message in a bottle comes back sooner than expected, and New Jersey was forced to change the state bird to the wild turkey. A new breed of two-headed cat is becoming popular in California, and it’s eye-worm season, get yourself checked. Meanwhile, Alaska is experimenting with a barter system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit – Intro “If we're not careful, we can settle into a functional deism, where we say we believe in God's power to heal, but we rarely if ever pray boldly and expectantly for healing to happen.” [Alan Kraft, More: When a Little Bit of the Spirit Is Not Enough, ©2014] Dr. Ramsay MacMullan … [said] that early Christians “took miracles quite for granted. That was the general starting point. Not to believe them would have made you seem more than odd.” [Dr. Ramsay MacMullan, Christianizing the Roman Empire: A.D. 100-400 (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1984) 22. 2.] Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11) Nobody is left out. Use it. Stir it up. Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado: “The Holy Spirit at work through us to glorify Jesus and to help people.” As a Christian, you are a gateway to the supernatural. The gifts of the Spirit are grace gifts from God. His kingdom is being more fully established as we use the gifts to help people. And it's because we are redeemed children of God that we can use those gifts. Community In community, there is a collective-ness to our faith. “I try to pray in a team whenever possible. Multiple people listening in prayer helps lessen the sense of pressure we feel to always hear the Spirit.” [Alan Kraft, More: When a Little Bit of the Spirit Is Not Enough, ©2014] Word gifts  Writing a letter  Brady Boyd and his teenage son  Roy Libby, engineer with Kodak Faith, healing and miracles The faith to be healed and to pray for the sick is nothing other than childlike trust in the loving character and purpose of our Heavenly Father. ... True Christian faith in all its expressions looks away from self to God and what he has done for us in Jesus Christ. The real question is not: “Do I believe strongly enough to be healed or to pray for the sick?” but, “Is God the sort of person I can trust, and am I willing to be open to his love?” [Ken Blue, Authority to Heal, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 103] Are we approaching our Father in childlike faith? Ultimately, healing is God's responsibility. So, we leave the results in His hands. Types and shadows. “Gods fellow workers.” (1 Corinthians 3:9) “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) “For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me...” (Romans 15:18)  “But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites...” (vs. 21)  “Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages...” (vs. 27)  “And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer...”(vs. 29)  “Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron...” (vs. 30)  “Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco...” (vs. 31)  “Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh...” (vs. 33) “For you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.” (Joshua 17:18) “And the Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of iron.” (Judges 1:19) “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell.” (Numbers 33:55, see also Judges 2:1-3) “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12) It is a faith issue. “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12) “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) Our job is to bring the kingdom more fully, more completely into this world. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) He has given us the necessary tools—His eternal Word and the gifts of the Holy Spirit—to advance His kingdom. “Holy Spirit, what are You saying to me in this?”

In this episode, we talk about why the foundation for a Christian's approach to getting more done is distinctly different from the world's. And why that means we must take greater care in how we approach the secular productivity advice we read and listen to. 1:50 - Introducing why we need a distinctly Christian approach to productivity Why this is different than "Christianizing" secular productivityThere is a unique theology to a Christian's understanding of productivityIt is dangerous for believers to simply take whatever the world teaches on productivity.These books have helpful advice and guidance, but must be approached with discernment. 5:30 - Every philosophy of productivity has a theology Most productivity books and podcasts eventually leave the practical and begin to tread on religious themes—why we are here, the nature of man, the goal of life, etc. 11:08 - Examples of secular productivity books presenting religious themes Quotes from The War of Art, The Compound Effect, The Power of Habit, and more. 20:30 - What makes these things dangerous, and how it relates to the sufficiency of Scripture If we don't listen carefully, we inadvertently imbibe unbiblical theologies and build our life on them.Explanation of the sufficiency of Scripture and how that assures us of a better foundation for our productivity as Christians. 25:20 - Examples of Scripture speaking directly to the issue of productivity The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-28), The mandate to work heartily unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23)To not waste time (Ephesians 5:15–17) To live with self-control (Titus 2:12)The entire book of Proverbs and its emphasis on wisdom.All of these point to not just the possibility, but to the necessity, of a truly Christian productivity. 26:55 - Christian productivity is only for Christians and an explanation of what it means to be a Christian Christian productivity doesn't work for everyone, only for those who have put their faith in Jesus ChristChange in the Christian life is the work of God, but that change is accomplished through the means of diligent effortR.C. Sproul quote, "… we think that because we're…Christian…we do not have to be concerned about productivity. On the contrary, our calling as Christians is the highest calling there is, and the idea of being productive is not the invention of capitalism, it is the mandate of Christ.” (R.C. Sproul, John, St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary, 286) Links This episode was based in part upon my article Why We Need a Distinctly Christian Productivity, which was itself based on material I used for my course on Stewardship & ProductivityOn the Mormon roots of 7 Habits for Highly Effective People - A Closer Look at Stephen Covey and His 7 HabitsBooks mentioned on today's episode: The War of Art, The Compound Effect, The Power of Habit, Atomic Habits, Deep Work.

In this episode, we talk about why the foundation for a Christian’s approach to getting more done is distinctly different from the world’s. And why that means we must take greater care in how we approach the secular productivity advice we read and listen to. 1:50 – Introducing why we need a distinctly Christian approach to productivity Why this is different than “Christianizing” secular productivityThere is a unique theology to a Christian’s understanding of productivityIt is dangerous for believers to simply take whatever the world teaches on productivity.These books have helpful advice and guidance, but must be approached with discernment. 5:30 – Every philosophy of productivity has a theology Most productivity books and podcasts eventually leave the practical and begin to tread on religious themes—why we are here, the nature of man, the goal of life, etc. 11:08 – Examples of secular productivity books presenting religious themes Quotes from The War of Art, The Compound Effect, The Power of Habit, and more. 20:30 – What makes these things dangerous, and how it relates to the sufficiency of Scripture If we don’t listen carefully, we inadvertently imbibe unbiblical theologies and build our life on them.Explanation of the sufficiency of Scripture and how that assures us of a better foundation for our productivity as Christians. 25:20 – Examples of Scripture speaking directly to the issue of productivity The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-28), The mandate to work heartily unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23)To not waste time (Ephesians 5:15–17) To live with self-control (Titus 2:12)The entire book of Proverbs and its emphasis on wisdom.All of these point to not just the possibility, but to the necessity, of a truly Christian productivity. 26:55 – Christian productivity is only for Christians and an explanation of what it means to be a Christian Christian productivity doesn’t work for everyone, only for those who have put their faith in Jesus ChristChange in the Christian life is the work of God, but that change is accomplished through the means of diligent effortR.C. Sproul quote, “… we think that because we’re…Christian…we do not have to be concerned about productivity. On the contrary, our calling as Christians is the highest calling there is, and the idea of being productive is not the invention of capitalism, it is the mandate of Christ.” (R.C. Sproul, John, St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary, 286) Links This episode was based in part upon my article Why We Need a Distinctly Christian Productivity, which was itself based on material I used for my course on Stewardship & ProductivityOn the Mormon roots of 7 Habits for Highly Effective People – A Closer Look at Stephen Covey and His 7 HabitsBooks mentioned on today’s episode: The War of Art, The Compound Effect, The Power of Habit, Atomic Habits, Deep Work.

In this episode, we talk about why the foundation for a Christian’s approach to getting more done is distinctly different from the world’s. And why that means we must take greater care in how we approach the secular productivity advice we read and listen to. 1:50 – Introducing why we need a distinctly Christian approach to productivity Why this is different than “Christianizing” secular productivityThere is a unique theology to a Christian’s understanding of productivityIt is dangerous for believers to simply take whatever the world teaches on productivity.These books have helpful advice and guidance, but must be approached with discernment. 5:30 – Every philosophy of productivity has a theology Most productivity books and podcasts eventually leave the practical and begin to tread on religious themes—why we are here, the nature of man, the goal of life, etc. 11:08 – Examples of secular productivity books presenting religious themes Quotes from The War of Art, The Compound Effect, The Power of Habit, and more. 20:30 – What makes these things dangerous, and how it relates to the sufficiency of Scripture If we don’t listen carefully, we inadvertently imbibe unbiblical theologies and build our life on them.Explanation of the sufficiency of Scripture and how that assures us of a better foundation for our productivity as Christians. 25:20 – Examples of Scripture speaking directly to the issue of productivity The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-28), The mandate to work heartily unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23)To not waste time (Ephesians 5:15–17) To live with self-control (Titus 2:12)The entire book of Proverbs and its emphasis on wisdom.All of these point to not just the possibility, but to the necessity, of a truly Christian productivity. 26:55 – Christian productivity is only for Christians and an explanation of what it means to be a Christian Christian productivity doesn’t work for everyone, only for those who have put their faith in Jesus ChristChange in the Christian life is the work of God, but that change is accomplished through the means of diligent effortR.C. Sproul quote, “… we think that because we're…Christian…we do not have to be concerned about productivity. On the contrary, our calling as Christians is the highest calling there is, and the idea of being productive is not the invention of capitalism, it is the mandate of Christ.” (R.C. Sproul, John, St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary, 286) Links This episode was based in part upon my article Why We Need a Distinctly Christian Productivity, which was itself based on material I used for my course on Stewardship & ProductivityOn the Mormon roots of 7 Habits for Highly Effective People – A Closer Look at Stephen Covey and His 7 HabitsBooks mentioned on today’s episode: The War of Art, The Compound Effect, The Power of Habit, Atomic Habits, Deep Work.

In this episode, we talk about why the foundation for a Christian’s approach to getting more done is distinctly different from the world’s. And why that means we must take greater care in how we approach the secular productivity advice we read and listen to. 1:50 – Introducing why we need a distinctly Christian approach to productivity Why this is different than “Christianizing” secular productivityThere is a unique theology to a Christian’s understanding of productivityIt is dangerous for believers to simply take whatever the world teaches on productivity.These books have helpful advice and guidance, but must be approached with discernment. 5:30 – Every philosophy of productivity has a theology Most productivity books and podcasts eventually leave the practical and begin to tread on religious themes—why we are here, the nature of man, the goal of life, etc. 11:08 – Examples of secular productivity books presenting religious themes Quotes from The War of Art, The Compound Effect, The Power of Habit, and more. 20:30 – What makes these things dangerous, and how it relates to the sufficiency of Scripture If we don’t listen carefully, we inadvertently imbibe unbiblical theologies and build our life on them.Explanation of the sufficiency of Scripture and how that assures us of a better foundation for our productivity as Christians. 25:20 – Examples of Scripture speaking directly to the issue of productivity The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-28), The mandate to work heartily unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23)To not waste time (Ephesians 5:15–17) To live with self-control (Titus 2:12)The entire book of Proverbs and its emphasis on wisdom.All of these point to not just the possibility, but to the necessity, of a truly Christian productivity. 26:55 – Christian productivity is only for Christians and an explanation of what it means to be a Christian Christian productivity doesn’t work for everyone, only for those who have put their faith in Jesus ChristChange in the Christian life is the work of God, but that change is accomplished through the means of diligent effortR.C. Sproul quote, “… we think that because we're…Christian…we do not have to be concerned about productivity. On the contrary, our calling as Christians is the highest calling there is, and the idea of being productive is not the invention of capitalism, it is the mandate of Christ.” (R.C. Sproul, John, St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary, 286) Links This episode was based in part upon my article Why We Need a Distinctly Christian Productivity, which was itself based on material I used for my course on Stewardship & ProductivityOn the Mormon roots of 7 Habits for Highly Effective People – A Closer Look at Stephen Covey and His 7 HabitsBooks mentioned on today’s episode: The War of Art, The Compound Effect, The Power of Habit, Atomic Habits, Deep Work.

On this episode of Missions Pulse, David Joannes interviews Todd Ahrend, founder of The Traveling Team. Inspired by the Student Volunteer Movement of the early 20th century (which mobilized tens of thousands of young people for global missions), The Traveling Team crisscrosses North America, encouraging students to find their role in the Great Commission. Is the goal to get them to become more Christian? "God's not interested in them Christianizing their lives," Todd Ahrend says, "He's interested in them crucifying their lives." Find the full post of this conversation here: http://davidjoannes.com/students-as-the-catalysts-for-gods-missions-movement Make sure to subscribe to the audio version of Missions Pulse podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher. Visit www.missionspulse.com for direct links.

“What is it like to be homeschooled through high school?” This is a question my kids get a lot, and today on “Meet My Friend Friday,” I’m going to introduce you to one of my favorite people on the planet, my son, Spencer! Spencer and I will be talking about the ups and downs of homeschooling, and talking candidly about his experiences ahead of his June 8th graduation from our homeschool. Join me for this very special edition of the podcast. Resources Mentioned * Bruchko: The Astonishing True Story of a 19-Year-Old American, His Capture by the Motilone Indians and His Adventures in Christianizing the Stone Age Tribe More Like this From the Busy Mom * 3 Reasons NOT to Homeschool … and A Few Reasons Why We Decided to Give It a Try – There’s much more on my mind than whether or not parents should homeschool their kids. I think there are some very compelling reasons for Jesus followers to NOT take on the responsibility and commitment of homeschooling. * Homeschooling Held Hostage – We’ve gone from a few brave moms who, without access to mainstream “curriculum”, managed to give their children an excellent education—but we’ve forgotten what made it excellent. Join us at MomStrong International for our newest Bible Study and Scripture Writing! Submit your questions to MailBox Monday: podcast@thebusymom.com Don’t Miss These! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/heidistjohn/support

In today's episode, we examine the efforts of Christian missionaries to spread the gospel throughout Europe. We also see the rise of the Carolingian Empire and the beginnings of the Holy Roman Empire.

There's an oft forgotten clause written into Harvard’s 1650 charter promising to educate the Native American youth of Massachusetts.  This week's episode looks at the early, mostly unsuccessful efforts to create an Indian College on the Harvard campus, the abandonment of that plan after King Philip’s War soured the English settlers on their earlier plans for Christianizing local Native American tribes, and how modern scholarship is helping to rediscover this legacy and rededicate Harvard to embracing Native Americans. Show notes: http://HUBhistory.com/064

A federal judge ordered U.S. immigration officials to delay deporting 51 Indonesians living in New Hampshire under a 2010 agreement; the Mayo Clinic rips Trump for making it harder to hire world-class doctors; and, Trump's cabinet Bible study leader has a new plan to aggressively expand the ‘Christianizing' of government officials.After the break, we move from the Front Cafe to the Chef's Table, for a discussion on the senior State Department official charged with overseeing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's effort to overhaul the agency, has resigned after just three months on the job; and, who are the Sufis and why does the Islamic State fear them so much?All that and more, on West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy with Justice Putnam.Bon Appetit!

Are there any plausible arguments that Paul actually wrote one or more of the four Gospels? Does the NT avoid using the Hebrew name for God, using the more generic â??Godâ?? in order to cater to all god systems from all nations? Might â??Jesusâ?? have been merely a name chosen to cover all the various OT and pagan characters whose stories were borrowed and combined in the gospels? If Judas was already dead, why does 1 Corinthians 15 say Jesus appeared to â??the twelveâ??? Might â??Cephasâ?? the apostle of Jesus have been Caiaphas the high priest? Why is there an almost unanimous agreement on the early dating of the Iliad, but so much debate over that of the Bible, given they have similar spurious evidence for said early date? Could they have influenced each other at all? Might the story of King Arthur have been a Christianizing rewrite of the David story? Could Assyrian henotheistic precedence of Ashshur, and the parlance surrounding worship of him, have influenced ancient Israelite religion? Might the â??angel of the Lordâ?? be a mask for various polytheistic Israelite or other deities? I have a question about the names of the members of the Godhead in different languages. Do you believe Jesus was ever buried in a tomb? What's your opinion of Dennis R. MacDonald's Two Shipwrecked Gospels: The Logoi of Jesus and Papias' Exposition of Logia About the Lord? Has anyone put together a version of the OT as it might have been without the Deuteronomic Reform? Might the womenâ??s silence on the message of the angel at the tomb imply that no one else would have known where it was? Does the Didache actually condemn abortion? Does any other early Christian text? Some say that reading Paul as believing in only a celestial Jesus requires â??mental gymnastics.â?? Does it? The fact that Jesus was from Nazareth, while the Old Testament says the Messiah would come from Bethlehem, shows that a real Jesus was from Nazareth and everybody knew it. Does it? Because "crucifixion was especially offensive to the Jewish people,â?? no one would have told such a story as Jesusâ?? crucifixion if they werenâ??t stuck with it as a fact, right? Do you have such a wealth of knowledge of all things Biblical that you pull every fact out of your memory?

This month’s episode marks the first Roundtables episode of Humanities Viewpoints in which a group of Wake Forest faculty gather to discuss a topic from the lens of their respective fields. Today, our topic is “Familiar Prejudices from Unexpected Sources.” Our conversation includes discussions of anti-Greek sentiments in Roman satire, Ancient Greek and Roman anti-Semitism, women’s involvement in the second era Ku Klux Klan, imagined histories, and the rhetoric of the 2016 Presidential campaign. My guests are T.H.M Gellar-Goad, Jeffrey D. Lerner, and Lynn S. Neal. T. H. M. Gellar-Goad is Assistant Professor of Classical Languages at Wake Forest University. He specializes in Latin poetry, especially the funny stuff: Roman comedy, Roman erotic elegy, Roman satire, and — if you believe him — the allegedly philosophical poet Lucretius. Jeffrey D. Lerner is a Professor of History at Wake Forest University. His research focuses on the Hellenistic Period in the East. He teaches a variety of courses on Ancient History, including History 312: Jews, Greeks, and Romans. Lynn S. Neal is a scholar of American religious history. She is the co-editor, with John Corrigan, of Religious Intolerance in America, and the author of a number of articles on religious intolerance, including "Christianizing the Klan: Alma White, Branford Clarke, and the Art of Religious Intolerance," "The Ideal Democratic Apparel: T-shirts, Religious Intolerance, and the Clothing of Democracy," and "They're Freaks!: The Cult Stereotype in Fictional Television Shows, 1958-2008." She is Associate Professor and Associate Chair in the Department for the Study of Religions. I hope you enjoy our conversation. Here is a list of the readings and sources my guests draw from during this discussion: From Dr. Gellar-Goad: Translation of Juvenal's Third Satire by A. S. Kline: http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Latin/JuvenalSatires3.htm Translation of Catullus 63 on Attis by A. S. Kline: http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Latin/Catullus.htm#anchor_Toc531846788 From Dr. Lerner: Dio Cassius, Roman History, Volume 9: Books 71-80. Translated by Cary, E., Foster, H.B., Loeb Classical Library 177 (Harvard University Press, 1927). See 75.32 Tacitus, Annals, Volume 4: Books 4-6, 11-12. Translated by Jackson, J. Loeb Classical Library 312 (Harvard University Press, 1937). See 12.54. Tacitus, Histories, Volume 3: Books 4-5. Annals: Books 1-3. Translated by Moore, C.H. Classical Library 249 (Harvard University Press, 1931). See 5.1-13. For Claudius’ edict concerning the inhabitants of Alexandria, see Select Papyri, Volume 2: Public Documents. Translated by Hunt, A.S. and Edgar, C.C. Classical Library 282 (Harvard University Press, 1934). See Chapter 3 (pp.78-89). For Manetho, see Josephus, The Life. Against Apion. Translated by Thackery, H.St.J. Classical Library 186 (Harvard University Press, 1926). See 1.26-31 (227-287).

Please join your host SUSAN KNOWLES of Stand For Truth Radio as she welcomes guest DAVID KUPELIAN to the show. Kupelian, a bestselling author, will be discussing his new book "THE SNAPPING OF THE AMERICAN MIND: Healing a Nation Broken by a Lawless Government and Godless Culture." You don't want to miss this one!“The progressive left under Obama,” writes Kupelian, “is accomplishing much more than just enlarging government, redistributing wealth, and de-Christianizing the culture. With its wild celebration of sexual anarchy, its intimidating culture of political correctness, and its incomprehension of the fundamental sacredness of human life, it is also, whether intentionally or not, promoting widespread dependency, debauchery, family breakdown, crime, corruption, depression and addiction.” The book, now skyrocketing up the Amazon charts, focuses on real solutions and healing.Kupelian is an award-winning American journalist, Vice-President and managing editor of online news giant WND, an Independent news website with an emphasis on aggressive investigative reporting.David Kupelian is also the editor of Whistleblower magazine and a widely read columnist.The author of two influential books, "The Marketing of Evil" published in 2005 and its 2010 sequel "How Evil Works, " Kupelian has been featured on Fox News, MSNBC, C-SPAN, CBN, and many other TV and radio venues.

Our Scripture verse for today is Matthew 20:17-19 which reads: "And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again." Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, "The Black pastor has historically been and in many cases continues to be preacher, poet, exhorter, teacher, 'social worker,' 'psychologist,' businessperson, politician, orator, civil rights leader, and community organizer. Hamilton stated: 'Black preachers have always been pacifiers, passive resisters, and vigilantes. And each type has had, and continues to have to this day, substantial following in the black communities. They have this in common: They have all been leaders of their people—people needing comfort, instruction, encouragement and guidance. At some point during slavery, the various preachers filled, in their own ways, these needs.'" In this podcast, we are using as our texts: From Slavery to Freedom, by John Hope Franklin, The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier, and The Black Church In The U.S. by William A. Banks. Our first topic for today is titled “The African Way of Life -- Political Institutions, Part 1” from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin. We are going to look at the West African Coast and European Merchant-Traders. It is obviously impossible to make very many generalizations concerning the way of life in a continent as large as Africa, with so many variations in climate, physiography, and population. As in any other area, at any other time, Africa presents variations in degrees of civilization that run the entire gamut from the most simple to remarkably advanced ones. At this point little more can be done than to observe various aspects of the African way of life with a view to understanding more adequately the cultural heritage of these people who have come to claim the concern of Europeans and Americans in recent centuries. If the emphasis here appears to be placed on the way of life in West Africa, it is because there seems to be merit in trying to secure as intimate an understanding as possible of the area in which the bulk of the people lived who later became the black workers of the Americas.  ... Our second topic for today is "The Negro Adapts Christianity to His Experience in the New World, Part 2" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes: On the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia where the slaves were most isolated from whites, some of the Negro Spirituals reveal some continuity with their African background. This continuity is to be found especially in what has been called the Afro-American shout songs. These shout songs are so named because they were sung and are still sung while the Negro worshippers are engaged in what might be called a holy dance. This may be regarded as an example of the most primitive and elemental expression of religion among American Negroes. Moreover, it provides an excellent illustration of Marett's contention that primitive man "does not preach his religion, but dances it instead."  ... Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by William A. Banks. Today we are looking at the section titled, “Little Progress Made in the Evangelism of the Slaves” In these early days of slavery, Christianity made little progress among the slaves. First, it was only natural that the new arrivals were slow to break away from African rituals that were a part of their former way of life. Second, the slaves' general interest in religion was slight, and very little was done to encourage them to become Christians even though “Christianizing” them was one of the earliest justifications given by Europeans for the slave trade. Failure to evangelize was in part traceable to the low spiritual state of the Whites themselves. There simply were no strong evangelical churches in America at the time.  ...

An immram (/ˈɪmrəm/; plural immrama; Irish: iomramh, IPA: [ˈʊmˠɾˠəw], voyage) is a class of Old Irish tales concerning a hero's sea journey to the Otherworld (see Tír na nÓg and Mag Mell). Written in the Christian era and essentially Christian in aspect, they preserve elements of Irish mythology. The immrama are identifiable by their focus on the exploits of the heroes during their search for the Otherworld, located in these cases in the islands far to the west of Ireland. The hero sets out on his voyage for the sake of adventure or to fulfill his destiny, and generally stops on other fantastic islands before reaching his destination. He may or may not be able to return home again. The immrama are generally confused with a similar Irish genre, the echtrae or "adventure". Both types of story involve a hero's journey to an "otherworld", whether a Christian paradise, a fairyland, the land of the gods or a utopia. They are distinguished by date; echtrai are older, dating from the 7th century, while the earliest immram dates only to the 8th century. David Dumville argues that the immrama include more Christian thinking than the more pagan genre of echtrae and that, whereas the purpose of the echtrai is to enhance understanding of the old gods and the land in which they live, in an immram these pagan elements occur as a challenge to the hero's faith. In an echtrae the protagonist only ever goes to one location and may arrive in the otherworld with no explanation of the journey, whereas in an immram the hero always has multiple adventures on several islands. Stories Originally there were seven officially recognised Immram listed in a list of ancient texts[citation needed]. Of those seven only three survive: the The Voyage of Mael Dúin, The Voyage of the Uí Chorra, and The Voyage of Snedgus and Mac Riagla. The Voyage of Bran is classified in these same lists as an echtrae, though it also contains the essential elements of the immrama. The later Latin Voyage of St. Brendan also contains a voyage across the sea to various otherworldly islands. Origins Immram were first recorded as early as the 7th century by monks and scholars who fled Continental Europe before the barbarian invaders of the fifth century. These monks carried the learning of Western Europe and became the vanguard of the Christianizing of Europe. On this account it is expected that Immram have their origins in pre-existing Christian voyage literature, pre-existing Celtic legends, or classical stories the monks would have known. The origins of these stories are attributed to three sources of preexisting stories: Irish myths, Christian genres, and Classic Stories. The Otherworld in The Voyage of Bran is a distinctly Celtic feature but this is easily overlooked because the concept of the Christian paradise and the British and Irish otherworld are closely related. This difference is highlighted in the difference between sinless and sexless in the native and Christian mindset. In the existing translation where an author may have turned the "Isle of Woman" into a chaste society, with some difficulty. Such an example was with a passage that described a man and woman playing under a bush without sin or blame. This passage in light of several others emphasises a Christian effort to create a sinless and sexless Otherworld. Immrama may have borrowed heavily from preexisting Christian genres, such as the sanctae vitae (saints' lives), the peregrinatio (pilgrimage stories), and the vision tales. As early as the 5th century Irish monks would go on a pilgrimage, a peregrination, sailing from island to island seeking isolation where they would meditate and purge themselves of their sins. The source of inspiration behind the Immram may also be the Christian punishment of sending people adrift for their crimes to be judged by God.[8] Perhaps the largest piece of evidence that immram are Christian works is that the characters in the story are generally wandering pries...

Mark Twain called it “pious hypocrisies.” President McKinley called it “civilizing and Christianizing.” Both were referring to the U.S. annexation of the Philippines in 1899. Susan K. Harris‘ latest book, God's Arbiters: Americans and the Philippines, 1898-1902 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011) targets the religious references in McKinley's and Twain's comments, assessing the role of religious rhetoric in the national and international debates over America's global mission at the turn into the 20th century. She points out that no matter which side Americans took, all assumed that the U.S. was founded in Protestant Christian principles. Harris probes the ramifications of this assumption, drawing on documents ranging from Noah Webster's 1832 History of the United States through Congressional speeches and newspaper articles, to In His Steps, the 1896 novel that asked “What Would Jesus Do?” Throughout, she offers a provocative reading both of the debates' religious framework and of the evolution of Christian national identity within the U.S. She also moves outside U.S. geopolitical boundaries, reviewing responses to the Americans' venture into global imperialism among Europeans, Latin Americans, and Filipinos. Harris works through key voices, including Twain, U.S. Senators Albert Beveridge and Benjamin Tillman; Filipino nationalists Emilio Aguinaldo and Apolinario Mabini; Latin American nationalists José Martí, José Enrique Rodó, and Rubén Darío; and the voices of Americans who wrote poems, essays, and letters either endorsing or protesting America's plunge into colonialism. This book matters: in the process of uncovering the past, Harris shows us the roots of current debates over textbooks, Christian nationalism, and U.S. global imaging. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Twain called it “pious hypocrisies.” President McKinley called it “civilizing and Christianizing.” Both were referring to the U.S. annexation of the Philippines in 1899. Susan K. Harris‘ latest book, God’s Arbiters: Americans and the Philippines, 1898-1902 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011) targets the religious references in McKinley’s and Twain’s comments, assessing the role of religious rhetoric in the national and international debates over America’s global mission at the turn into the 20th century. She points out that no matter which side Americans took, all assumed that the U.S. was founded in Protestant Christian principles. Harris probes the ramifications of this assumption, drawing on documents ranging from Noah Webster’s 1832 History of the United States through Congressional speeches and newspaper articles, to In His Steps, the 1896 novel that asked “What Would Jesus Do?” Throughout, she offers a provocative reading both of the debates’ religious framework and of the evolution of Christian national identity within the U.S. She also moves outside U.S. geopolitical boundaries, reviewing responses to the Americans’ venture into global imperialism among Europeans, Latin Americans, and Filipinos. Harris works through key voices, including Twain, U.S. Senators Albert Beveridge and Benjamin Tillman; Filipino nationalists Emilio Aguinaldo and Apolinario Mabini; Latin American nationalists José Martí, José Enrique Rodó, and Rubén Darío; and the voices of Americans who wrote poems, essays, and letters either endorsing or protesting America’s plunge into colonialism. This book matters: in the process of uncovering the past, Harris shows us the roots of current debates over textbooks, Christian nationalism, and U.S. global imaging. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Twain called it “pious hypocrisies.” President McKinley called it “civilizing and Christianizing.” Both were referring to the U.S. annexation of the Philippines in 1899. Susan K. Harris‘ latest book, God’s Arbiters: Americans and the Philippines, 1898-1902 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011) targets the religious references in McKinley’s and Twain’s comments, assessing the role of religious rhetoric in the national and international debates over America’s global mission at the turn into the 20th century. She points out that no matter which side Americans took, all assumed that the U.S. was founded in Protestant Christian principles. Harris probes the ramifications of this assumption, drawing on documents ranging from Noah Webster’s 1832 History of the United States through Congressional speeches and newspaper articles, to In His Steps, the 1896 novel that asked “What Would Jesus Do?” Throughout, she offers a provocative reading both of the debates’ religious framework and of the evolution of Christian national identity within the U.S. She also moves outside U.S. geopolitical boundaries, reviewing responses to the Americans’ venture into global imperialism among Europeans, Latin Americans, and Filipinos. Harris works through key voices, including Twain, U.S. Senators Albert Beveridge and Benjamin Tillman; Filipino nationalists Emilio Aguinaldo and Apolinario Mabini; Latin American nationalists José Martí, José Enrique Rodó, and Rubén Darío; and the voices of Americans who wrote poems, essays, and letters either endorsing or protesting America’s plunge into colonialism. This book matters: in the process of uncovering the past, Harris shows us the roots of current debates over textbooks, Christian nationalism, and U.S. global imaging. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Twain called it “pious hypocrisies.” President McKinley called it “civilizing and Christianizing.” Both were referring to the U.S. annexation of the Philippines in 1899. Susan K. Harris‘ latest book, God’s Arbiters: Americans and the Philippines, 1898-1902 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011) targets the religious references in McKinley’s and Twain’s comments, assessing the role of religious rhetoric in the national and international debates over America’s global mission at the turn into the 20th century. She points out that no matter which side Americans took, all assumed that the U.S. was founded in Protestant Christian principles. Harris probes the ramifications of this assumption, drawing on documents ranging from Noah Webster’s 1832 History of the United States through Congressional speeches and newspaper articles, to In His Steps, the 1896 novel that asked “What Would Jesus Do?” Throughout, she offers a provocative reading both of the debates’ religious framework and of the evolution of Christian national identity within the U.S. She also moves outside U.S. geopolitical boundaries, reviewing responses to the Americans’ venture into global imperialism among Europeans, Latin Americans, and Filipinos. Harris works through key voices, including Twain, U.S. Senators Albert Beveridge and Benjamin Tillman; Filipino nationalists Emilio Aguinaldo and Apolinario Mabini; Latin American nationalists José Martí, José Enrique Rodó, and Rubén Darío; and the voices of Americans who wrote poems, essays, and letters either endorsing or protesting America’s plunge into colonialism. This book matters: in the process of uncovering the past, Harris shows us the roots of current debates over textbooks, Christian nationalism, and U.S. global imaging. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Twain called it “pious hypocrisies.” President McKinley called it “civilizing and Christianizing.” Both were referring to the U.S. annexation of the Philippines in 1899. Susan K. Harris‘ latest book, God’s Arbiters: Americans and the Philippines, 1898-1902 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011) targets the religious references in McKinley’s and Twain’s comments, assessing the role of religious rhetoric in the national and international debates over America’s global mission at the turn into the 20th century. She points out that no matter which side Americans took, all assumed that the U.S. was founded in Protestant Christian principles. Harris probes the ramifications of this assumption, drawing on documents ranging from Noah Webster’s 1832 History of the United States through Congressional speeches and newspaper articles, to In His Steps, the 1896 novel that asked “What Would Jesus Do?” Throughout, she offers a provocative reading both of the debates’ religious framework and of the evolution of Christian national identity within the U.S. She also moves outside U.S. geopolitical boundaries, reviewing responses to the Americans’ venture into global imperialism among Europeans, Latin Americans, and Filipinos. Harris works through key voices, including Twain, U.S. Senators Albert Beveridge and Benjamin Tillman; Filipino nationalists Emilio Aguinaldo and Apolinario Mabini; Latin American nationalists José Martí, José Enrique Rodó, and Rubén Darío; and the voices of Americans who wrote poems, essays, and letters either endorsing or protesting America’s plunge into colonialism. This book matters: in the process of uncovering the past, Harris shows us the roots of current debates over textbooks, Christian nationalism, and U.S. global imaging. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Twain called it “pious hypocrisies.” President McKinley called it “civilizing and Christianizing.” Both were referring to the U.S. annexation of the Philippines in 1899. Susan K. Harris‘ latest book, God's Arbiters: Americans and the Philippines, 1898-1902 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011) targets the religious references in McKinley's and Twain's comments, assessing the role of religious rhetoric in the national and international debates over America's global mission at the turn into the 20th century. She points out that no matter which side Americans took, all assumed that the U.S. was founded in Protestant Christian principles. Harris probes the ramifications of this assumption, drawing on documents ranging from Noah Webster's 1832 History of the United States through Congressional speeches and newspaper articles, to In His Steps, the 1896 novel that asked “What Would Jesus Do?” Throughout, she offers a provocative reading both of the debates' religious framework and of the evolution of Christian national identity within the U.S. She also moves outside U.S. geopolitical boundaries, reviewing responses to the Americans' venture into global imperialism among Europeans, Latin Americans, and Filipinos. Harris works through key voices, including Twain, U.S. Senators Albert Beveridge and Benjamin Tillman; Filipino nationalists Emilio Aguinaldo and Apolinario Mabini; Latin American nationalists José Martí, José Enrique Rodó, and Rubén Darío; and the voices of Americans who wrote poems, essays, and letters either endorsing or protesting America's plunge into colonialism. This book matters: in the process of uncovering the past, Harris shows us the roots of current debates over textbooks, Christian nationalism, and U.S. global imaging.

Christianizing Pop Songs Isn't Relevant It's LAME Hard Hitting Song by Jovan MacKenzy Can Vampire Tales Be Used to Further the Gospel? Evangelism is NOT Convincing the Unconvinced Sermon Review, "Monster Monster Dracula" by Vince Anontucci of the Verve

Trevor Davis and Mike Bradford of Revival Fire Radio October 21, 2011 Today's headlines reflect the tragic reality of the current apostasy underway in the Church Land. The majority of the Church World is being proven to be statistically worldly contrary to the scriptures call to be separate and holy unto the Lord. God has provided the means and way for righteousness by faith. Too many have not desired the Lord above all things and have taken detours from the strait and narrow way that leads unto life. God is calling. He is beckoning to those who have ears to hear His voice to return unto Him and amend their ways. Darkness is expanding as another story illustrates today regarding the increase of people celebrating the Satanic holiday of Halloween. Even within the Church World, sadly, the call for separation unto the holy Lord God is disobeyed through all the compromise in Christianizing this wicked holiday of the world. God has called His people to lead the children and teach them to be obedient. But, through this compromise, the Lord is offended by the horrible example of the parents and teachers leading the children astray into occultism that is so prevalent as in Halloween. Trevor Davis www.soundingthealarm.comStats, Status and the Headless Church Monster

It was a bright spring day, May 14th, 1607, when one hundred and eight men and boys from England went ashore in an area that we now call Virginia. Before a generation could pass, the indigenous people would be all but destroyed. They would become the sad reflection of the English missions of civilization and Christianizing. Having failed in this dubious experiment, the so–called Indians would be reduced to beggars in the land of their fathers. Jamestown. During this month, and throughout the year, we may be hearing of memorials or even celebrations of the English settlement. We’re taught about the great English leader, Captain John Smith, and the struggle on an Indian’s chief’s daughter, Pocahontas, to save his life. Her plea to for the man’s life is as central to America’s founding mythology as the fantastic wolf–fed children of Romulus and Remus was to Rome. When most Americans think of America’s founding families, they think more often of Plymouth, Massachusetts, than of Virginia. England’s settlers landed in Virginia thirteen years before settlers arrived in New England. When local Indians resolved to let the English starve rather than endure their harsh treatments, Smith chose to attack and take what he wanted from his neighbors. As one recorder noted, “seeing by trade and courtesy there was nothing to be had, he, Smith, made bold to try such conclusions as necessity enforced, though contrary to his commission, let fly his musket, ran his boat on shore, whereat they all fled into the woods.? Englishmen were poor farmers, and further, many felt such work beneath them, so they either bartered foodstuffs from the Indians, stole it, or forced them to work for them. How many of us know that the first cross–cultural slavery in the Americas was of Indians, not Africans. The Dominican friar Bartolomé de las Casas, who accompanied Columbus on the voyage from Spain, wrote home to request permission to exploit Africans as slaves because the Indians were dying too quickly. Jamestown was four hundred years ago, yet it set a pattern of conquest, destruction, and self–deception that continues down to this very day. The history that began with Indians did not end with them. The successful conquest of Indians led inexorably to the conquest of a third of Mexico, and seizure of their lands. It led to the Monroe Doctrine, looking at the nearest continent as this nation’s ‘backyard’. Jamestown. Four hundred years. Yes, let us celebrate and commemorate conquest, death and genocide. There’s something to be learned in this. But I doubt it’s the lesson we think it is. From Death Row, this is Mumia Abu–Jamal.

What are the 'Last Days' and Who are the Main Players?: What are the prevalent perspectives on how the world will end? Hymns & Songs: `Lord, Who Throughout `I Will Sing of My Redeemer `Jesus, Remember Me `Create In Me A Clean Heart `O Calvary's Lamb Sermon Notes: The Study of Eschatology (Last Things) Every religion has eschatology - how does it all end? Eastern (Hindu and Bhuddist) Nirvana is the goal through differing worlds of destruction and recreation to get there. Judaism - Daniel's prophecies and the Coming Messiah. Zionist debate: Do we build Israel or is that Messiah's call? Islam - Allah and the great judgement (Jesus - one of the prophets returns, but as a Muslim: Jesus is revered but never worshipped) Christendom's Primary Colors of the Last Days (Think Impressionist's Painting - Broad colors and strokes) The Biblical Divisions This Age The Age to Come The Church Trying to Piece the Biblical Puzzle Together Technically, the "last days" began at Pentecost. (Acts 2) But what about the "last scene" of world history. Preterist - The teaching that all prophecy is fulfilled (i.e. previous) and that "this age" is slowly becoming "the age to come". Postmillenial - The teaching that Christ returns after the church has triumphantly ushered in the Kingdom. The "Christianizing" of the world. Premillenialism - The teaching that Christ returns to usher in a literal 1,000 year reign on earth. Before that is the intensifying of the evils of "this age." Historic Amillenialism - The teaching that there is no literal 1,000 year reign, but that Christ returns to an evil world, then Christ ushers in the Kingdom. Dispensationalism - The teaching that there are seven "dispensations" or "eras" that make up history. There was the dispensation of Israel - now we are in the "church dispensation." Christ will "rapture the church" away, Israel will be used again, and Christ will return and set up a literal 1,000-year reign before the eternal state. Matthew 24 - What were Jesus and His Disciples Talking About? The obvious question - when is the "age to come" going to kick off? (Remember that this is post Palm Sunday.) The coming destruction of the Temple. (Titus in 70 AD) It's not as simple as the disciples thought it was going to be. If the Messiah ushers in the Kingdom, where is it?! Kingdom Theology (Cullman, Ladd. etc.) - Israel was the vehicle for the kingdom of God. The church is now the vehicle. The Kingdom is present in a "mystery form" right now. Fulfillment without consummation A splinter of the future has invaded the present in the mission and Person of Jesus the Christ. Christ will return and establish God's final Rule and Reign. Jesus' admonition No fear - God is firmly in control. (It'll get rough- but its okay) No hate - Most people's love will grow cold. No despair - There is glory and joy headed your way, if....we are in Him.

What are the 'Last Days' and Who are the Main Players?: What are the prevalent perspectives on how the world will end? Hymns & Songs: `Lord, Who Throughout `I Will Sing of My Redeemer `Jesus, Remember Me `Create In Me A Clean Heart `O Calvary's Lamb Sermon Notes: The Study of Eschatology (Last Things) Every religion has eschatology - how does it all end? Eastern (Hindu and Bhuddist) Nirvana is the goal through differing worlds of destruction and recreation to get there. Judaism - Daniel's prophecies and the Coming Messiah. Zionist debate: Do we build Israel or is that Messiah's call? Islam - Allah and the great judgement (Jesus - one of the prophets returns, but as a Muslim: Jesus is revered but never worshipped) Christendom's Primary Colors of the Last Days (Think Impressionist's Painting - Broad colors and strokes) The Biblical Divisions This Age The Age to Come The Church Trying to Piece the Biblical Puzzle Together Technically, the "last days" began at Pentecost. (Acts 2) But what about the "last scene" of world history. Preterist - The teaching that all prophecy is fulfilled (i.e. previous) and that "this age" is slowly becoming "the age to come". Postmillenial - The teaching that Christ returns after the church has triumphantly ushered in the Kingdom. The "Christianizing" of the world. Premillenialism - The teaching that Christ returns to usher in a literal 1,000 year reign on earth. Before that is the intensifying of the evils of "this age." Historic Amillenialism - The teaching that there is no literal 1,000 year reign, but that Christ returns to an evil world, then Christ ushers in the Kingdom. Dispensationalism - The teaching that there are seven "dispensations" or "eras" that make up history. There was the dispensation of Israel - now we are in the "church dispensation." Christ will "rapture the church" away, Israel will be used again, and Christ will return and set up a literal 1,000-year reign before the eternal state. Matthew 24 - What were Jesus and His Disciples Talking About? The obvious question - when is the "age to come" going to kick off? (Remember that this is post Palm Sunday.) The coming destruction of the Temple. (Titus in 70 AD) It's not as simple as the disciples thought it was going to be. If the Messiah ushers in the Kingdom, where is it?! Kingdom Theology (Cullman, Ladd. etc.) - Israel was the vehicle for the kingdom of God. The church is now the vehicle. The Kingdom is present in a "mystery form" right now. Fulfillment without consummation A splinter of the future has invaded the present in the mission and Person of Jesus the Christ. Christ will return and establish God's final Rule and Reign. Jesus' admonition No fear - God is firmly in control. (It'll get rough- but its okay) No hate - Most people's love will grow cold. No despair - There is glory and joy headed your way, if....we are in Him.

During the early-mid 19th C, an interesting phenomenon spread over the thinking of parts of Western Europe and the US. It was a general negativity about the present, but a strong optimism about the future. In some places, it was almost giddy. The current political and economic situation might be a mess and the number of social ills piling higher. But the Enlightenment's promise of a bright new day gripped the imagination of thousands. The recent boom in technological progress with things like steam engines, cotton gins, and spinning machines promised endless new products, markets, and employment. Medicine was making dramatic steps forward, promising less pain and longer life. Trains & steamships conquered distance in a way the generation before could not have imagined.“Yeah, today might be tough; but hang on, because tomorrow is going to be awesome.”While that mentality was spotty in Western Europe, it was pretty much a blanket across the United States. European immigrants remarked on the nearly euphoric positivity of their new homeland. This positivism was largely the product of the pervasive Evangelical Revivalism that owned most American churches and a good portion of the population. That Evangelicalism conveyed the idea that conversion to Faith in Christ conveyed a new heart that sought after holiness. People began to reason that that new heart ought to pursue holiness in a new world shaped by holiness. All this spilled into numerous reform efforts; attempts to remedy past grievances and address the growing number of new challenges industrialization had produced. For progress did not come cheap. As Charles Dicken's wrote, “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.”So, Evangelicals went to work on reforming society.Charles Finney championed abolition as being part & parcel of the Christian faith. He went so far as to refuse Communion to slave-holders.Stephen Caldwell called for new tariffs to protect American wages and to fund the Christianizing of the public school system.In 1816, the American Bible Society proposed distributing Bibles as a moral and spiritual antibiotic aimed to eradicate Theological Liberalism and any goofy ideas brought over by Immigrants.The American Sunday School Union set up dozens of schools in urban centers to educate the growing pool of child laborers.By 1858, Evangelicals in NYC had established 76 missions to minister to the needs of the urban poor.While most reform-minded Evangelicals engaged the culture, a smaller group decided to pursue holiness by withdrawing from society to form separatist communes. Nathaniel Hawthorne labelled these religiously-motivated separatists “Come Outers.”One example is a group known as the Shakers. Their original name was the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing. They began in the mid-18th C as a splinter group from the Quakers who at the time were moving away from their reputation as enthusiasts of ecstatic forms of worship. The Shakers didn't just want to maintain that reputation; they wanted to ramp it up. So they became knowns as the Shaking Quakers. They were lead by the ardent and eloquent preaching of Jane Wardley who said the Millennium was about to begin with the Return of Christ. In preparation for the Return of Christ, they gave themselves to strict celibacy and a remarkable egalitarianism that saw a notable influence of women in the leadership of the group.Shakers settled in colonial America but never saw many members until this era of reform in the mid-19th C when their community grew to its largest number, about 6000. The policy of celibacy as well as changes in society saw the eventual dwindling of the Shaker movement to just a single community today.Another group of Come Outers were the Millerites.William Miller was a well-off farmer and Baptist lay preacher in NE New York. He became convinced Christ would return sometime between 1843 & 44. His calculations convinced a large number of people across many churches and denominations. They set the date of March 21st, 1843 as the likely day Jesus would Return.But Millerism, as it came to be known, was rejected by most clergy. By the beginning of 1843, the movement had hardened around enthusiasts and those who opposed it. Advocates of Millerism left their churches to form a new group of like-minded supporters. It hardened even more when after the evening of March 21st, Millerites donned special ascension robes and waited the big event. Some had gone so far as to give away their property. When the morning of the 22nd dawned, they were supremely bummed out. Because – and I don't think I'm giving anything away here – Jesus in fact had NOT returned!Miller did some quick figuring and said, he'd missed some minor calculations and needed to revise the date to April 18th. On April 19th, he re-upped by saying it wasn't the days he'd gotten wrong, but the year. It would be March 21st, 1844; then Oct. 2nd. But by then the Millerites were a laughing stock and no new dates were set.But instead of calling it quits and going back to their old denominations, the Millerites formed a new one – called the Adventists. In a bit of revisionism, they said that Christ really HAD come at the aforesaid & appointed time, but in Spirit, rather than in flesh. By 1863, the Adventists had 125  churches. They made themselves odious to many Americans by declaiming the US as the Great Whore of Babylon, doomed to the plagues of Revelation.But the most extreme form of come-outerism was the 1830 emergence of the Mormons, under the leadership of Joseph Smith. Taking the name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Smith claimed to have unearthed a record of a Pre-Colombian group of immigrants who'd had travelled all the way from the Middle East to settle in the New World. They fashioned an extensive civilization in the Americas but were wiped out by other Native Americans.The Golden Plates Joseph Smith unearthed contained the record of that lost civilization, with a proper understanding of the Christian Faith. Smith claimed the Church as it was, was a horrible corruption – something God had never intended it become. Mormonism claimed to restore the Gospel Jesus and the Apostles taught.But there was little connection between Joseph Smith's vision of the Gospel and the Bible, so most churches and denominations opposed Smith's emerging movement. They moved from New York to the Midwest. But when hostility broke out there, in 1847 they decided to make the big leap and head to a place all their own in the consummate come-outer move. They headed west and settled along the Great Salt Lake in what would one day be the State of Utah. They might as well have settled on the moon.While each of these come-outer sects was radically different in its theological leanings, what united them was their short term pessimism about the world in which they lived. That's how they justified their break with society. But they maintained a long term optimism about their ability, once they'd come out of a corrupt society, to found a healthy & holy community that could achieve it's grand vision of establishing, if not heaven on Earth, then at least an outpost of it.And each reprised a story that dates all the way back to the Desert Fathers we talked about early in Season 1. The hermits, who, having swallowed the dualism of Greek philosophy, fled the City to dwell alone in caves for years or sit atop a pillar for weeks. They understood holiness as physical separation from the world.If that's what Jesus had meant by being holy, that's what He'd have done. It's not. Jesus was to be found with people; often the kind of people least likely to show up at synagogue or church. Yes, Jesus spent time alone in the wilderness, but only in preparation for the City. He wasn't a man OF the City, but He was IN it; where the love of God for needy souls could be seen and passed off to others. His strategy for reform wasn't to withdraw FROM the world, it was to enter INTO it.Secular reform movements copied religious come-outers in creating communes dedicated, not to a religiously-fueled spirituality, but a philosophically-based morality. Transcendentalists founded Brook Farm as an experiment in communal living. The Northampton Association organized an economic industrial cooperative. Oberlin, Ohio, was organized as a colony and college, with the college based on a philosophy of self-sufficient manual labor.The American obsession with reform drew criticism from some. They saw it as the dark side of democracy. Brownson thought all the enthusiasm for reform was the logical consequence of Protestant individualism. Author Nathaniel Hawthorne who coined the term “come outers” said most reform was based on an overestimation of human nature.Alexis de Tocqueville, by far the shrewdest observer of Americanism in the 19th C regarded the reform impulse as a mark of the health of American democracy.

In this episode of CS, we take a look at the Expansion of Christianity into the New World.Following Columbus's voyages at the end of the 15th C to the Caribbean, the expansion of Christianity into the New Word was chiefly dependent on the 2 great colonial powers, Portugal and Spain. From the outset of their adventures in the New World, a religious intention was central to the efforts of the explorers, however secondary it may have become to conquest and treasure-seeking of their royal patrons back in Europe.By means of a papal bull in 1493, Pope Alexander VI, divided the world between the 2 kingdoms. Although the line was later moved to allow Portugal to colonize Brazil, the original division was a line drawn from North to Southwest of the Azores [ah-zores] Islands. Spain was given the West Indies and the Americas; while Portugal, because it had already explored the west coast of Africa and moved towards India thru Vasco da Gama's explorations, was given the right to colonize Africa, India and the East.It seems monumentally arrogant to us today that these Europeans assumed they were “discovering” lands that already had people living there for generations. And how do you plant a colony in a place indigenous people had called their home for centuries? Yet that was the attitude of many Europeans in the late 15th C and as the scope of geography for the New World was understood, other Europeans joined the rush to grab as much territory as they could. è Because religion was a central and defining part of the European worldview, they took their Faith with them.Priests accompanied da Gama's voyages as they were a central part of Spanish colonization, combining the roles of missionaries, explorers, secretaries and chroniclers. Often they belonged to religious orders like the Franciscans and Dominicans, then later, the Jesuits.It was with a sense of religious mission, as well as the longing to acquire wealth from indigenous peoples, that men like Cortez and Pizarro began their conquest of the Aztec and Incan empires. Modern students of history know that the Spanish conquistadors seemed not to think forced baptisms of native Americans was all that bad of an option. What we do well to remember was that these explorers didn't originate the policy. Charlemagne had practiced a similar program of forced conversions. That doesn't make it right, but it provides a little historical context.Cortez was born in Medellin, Spain. He attended the University of Salamanca and left Spain for Cuba in 1511. At the age of 33 he mounted an expedition against the Aztec capital in Mexico with only 700 fellow Spaniards, but equipped with canons and muskets, reinforced by thousands of Indian allies who'd been brutally dominated by the blood-thirsty Aztecs for generations.Although he experienced a serious reverse after a massacre of Aztec nobles and temporarily had to withdraw from the capital of Tenochtitlan, he returned to the city in August 1520 and systematically destroyed it. He founded and built Mexico City on the same site, then became governor of New Spain and captain-general of the forces in 1522, titles that were confirmed by Emperor Charles V, when Cortez returned to Europe in 1529. He was later replaced by a viceroy and died in 1547.His contemporary, Pizarro, directed his attention to the Inca Empire in what would later be the nation of Peru. He obtained authority from Spain for its conquest in 1528–29 and attacked the Incas in 1530. A massacre of native Americans assembled at Cajamarca was followed by the capture of the Inca capital of Cuzco in November 1530.You may remember from an earlier episode, one of the major debates between the Church and civil rulers of Europe was over who had the right to appoint bishops. While there were seasons when civil rulers took control of this, it was usually the Church that maintained control over church appointments. The New World presented a new challenge and opportunity. The Pope was already busy enough with internal affairs and the threat of the Reformers to be bothered with selecting hundreds of new bishops for lands that hadn't even been properly mapped yet. So he granted the monarchs of Spain and Portugal the right to select church leaders in their new colonies.On the colonialist front, a system was developed called encomienda. By this method, a number of native Americans were assigned to a colonist-landlord. He was given rights to both tribute and labor but it was understood he was responsible for Christianizing those committed to his charge. As we'd suspect, the encomienda system became a by-word for oppression and cruelty and resulted in the virtual slavery of the Indians after its introduction in 1503. Brave Dominican priests denounced the system with one of the earliest protestors being Antonio de Montesinos on the island of Hispaniola in 1511.Bartholemew de las Casas was another Dominican, whose father accompanied Columbus on one of his voyages. When he witnessed the live burial of an Indian leader in 1514 in Cuba, he became a champion of Indian rights for the next 50 years.I pause at this point to speak to those offended by my use of the term “Indian” for the native Americans of the New World. There are those who believe it's a slight to refer to inhabitants of the new World as “Indians” because it was a historical mistake on the part of previous generations of Europeans who labeled them as such. BUT! It turns out many native Americans want to be identified, NOT as Native Americans, but as Indians. While they know the errant origin of the term, they've embraced it as a self-designation and ask that others identify them as “Indians.”This is akin to today, to followers of Jesus being more than happy to be known as Christians, though the best evidence says the terms was originally a slur applied by opponents of the Faith to its adherents.In any case, De las Casas had to confront a widespread European mindset based on a philosophical position going all the way back to Aristotle, that viewed New World Indians as inherently “less human” and so fit to be slaves by nature, an inferior race intended for menial labor and to serve their betters. He worked tirelessly in America and Spain to change this attitude and to convince those in authority that the use of force was contrary to a Christian understanding of the Indians as worthy of respect for those created in God's image. His efforts to lobby support at home in influential circles, received recognition from the Emperor, against the activities of the colonists. It included a debate in 1550 at Valladolid with the Aristotelian philosopher and scholar, Sepulveda. Before he died, de las Casas's campaign for just laws for the Indians was responsible for what's called “the New Laws” of 1542–3, which prohibited slavery and caused the Council for the Indies to be reorganized. After serving as bishop of Chiapas, de las Casas used his pen on behalf of the Indians, most famously in his Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies, a hard-hitting critique of Spanish practices, in which some claimed he exaggerated abuses. But the work was widely read and proved influential in turning the tide in Europe toward a greater empathy toward the people of the New World.The Franciscans and Dominicans were the first in the field of the New World from 1510 onwards, but in the 2nd phase of the mission the Jesuits were active.José de Anchieta was a great Jesuit missionary who gave 44 years of his life and became known as the ‘apostle of Brazil'. He was one of the founders of both the Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro Jesuit missions. Another heroic figure and defender of Indian rights in Brazil was the Jesuit, Antonio Vieira, who in equal measure opposed both the Inquisition and colonists, was admired by King John IV of Portugal but almost lynched in 1661 after the king's death.In the 17th C, Jesuits were active in Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay. In the early 1600s they created a missionary system known as the ‘Reductions.' These were settlements of Indians that sought to protect them from European colonization while at the same time evangelizing them. In total, these communities comprised some 100,000 people. Each settlement had a church, school and workshops and led an ordered life. The colonists resented the removal of their labor pool but the Jesuits steadfastly defended the Indians against enslavement.General agitation against the Jesuit order in Europe and colonies of the New World led to their expulsion from Portuguese territory in 1759, then from Spanish possessions 8 yrs later. The Jesuits were suppressed in the New World in 1773. All this was a disastrous blow to the Reductions. It also exposed the weakness of a form of mission that was essentially paternalistic, with little or no authority passed over to the indigenous people or attempt to develop leaders among the Indians. With the removal of the Jesuit leaders, the Reductions collapsed and whole villages were engulfed by jungle after 150 years as oases of Christian community.The region of modern Venezuela was an area for further Jesuit exploits. They penetrated the jungles of the Amazon to reach large numbers of Indians. One early Jesuit pioneer, Rafael Ferrer, began a mission in 1599 that saw his martyrdom in 1611. Further Jesuit efforts achieved more and by 1661 many thousands were baptized in the region. The Jesuits found that these people were less easily led than the Guarani people who lived around Sao Paulo. There was opposition from the Portuguese; but with assistance from the Franciscans, half a million people were reached.Central America was pioneered by the Franciscans, Dominicans and a Catholic order we've not seen before; the Mercedarians.Founded by the Spaniard, Peter Nolasco in 1235, their original goal was to ransom captives and redeem properties that had fallen into Muslim hands during the Moorish occupation of Spain. The Mercedarians began as a lay order but by the 14th C the clergy had taken control. Following the Reconquista, when the Moors were expelled from Spain, the Mercedarians continued their mission by traveling to Muslim lands to seek freedom for Christian captives. Gradually, academic, theological, and educational work was included in its work and an order of nuns was founded. They joined the Franciscans and Dominicans in taking the Gospel to Central America.The first church in Panama was built in 1510. Missionaries entered Guatemala in 1526. By 1600 there were 22 Franciscan and 14 Dominican bases in Guatemala.Mexico, after the era of Cortez, attracted the orders, so that Franciscans landed at Vera Cruz in 1524, Dominicans in 1526, Augustinians in ‘33, and later, Capuchins and Jesuits. The Franciscan, Juan de Zumarraga, became bishop of Mexico City in 1528 and proved to be a firm defender of Indian rights and a believer in an indigenous clergy. He became the archbishop of Mexico in 1546. The University of Mexico, founded in ‘53, reflected the church's emphasis on education.In the north of the country a famous Jesuit missionary, Eusebio Kino, arrived in 1681 and did missionary work in Baja California, up into the modern state of Arizona, and reaching as far as Colorado. Described as a modest, gentle, humble man who was an upholder of the welfare of Indians, he traveled perpetually in the interest of the mission. He hoped to reach the fierce Apaches but died before he could in 1711. Before their formal removal from the region, the Jesuits achieved 37 bases in Baja by 1767.In the modern state of California, a string of Franciscan missions are still to be found between San Diego and San Francisco. Father Junipero Serra, born in Majorca, became the leader of the mission and founded the communities of Monterey, Carmel, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and several others. While many of the original buildings are gone, Catholic churches continue on in several of these sites to this day. By 1800, some 100,000 Californian Indians, many from the Chumash people, had been reached by the mission and 18 Franciscan mission compounds were established. At least some of the thrust to the N was driven by Spanish fear of Russian incursion, moving S from Alaska. Father Serra also spent some years establishing a work in Texas.Regarding Junipero Serra, when I originally composed this episode, Pope Francis had recently arrived in the US where he addressed both the US Congress and the United Nations. While in the US, he canonized, that is, he conferred sainthood, on Serra. That had been an issue of some controversy for a while as Serra's career came under fire from some historians and human rights advocates.Critics claim Serra's methods ranged from harsh to brutal. Lashings of the Indians were used liberally in the missions for infractions as small as asking for more food.  The friars kept meticulous records so historians are able to document this treatment. The problem comes in interpreting these records. The language isn't the problem; it's the cultural context that makes interpretation difficult.On one hand, Serra was devoted to protecting the Indians from exploitation by adventurers and settlers who wanted to reduce the native population to slavery. Serra understood people are led to faith by kindness and love rather than heavy-handedness. That he traveled so far, pioneering several missions proves he wasn't driven by some kind of personal profit motive. So why the harsh treatment of the Indians at so many of the missions? Defenders of Serra say such treatment was necessary because of the nature of the cultures of the natives where the Missions were located.What we can say is that the Missions definitely went far to alter the tribal life of the Indians where they were based. If they began as attempts to Christianize Indians while allowing them to continue some of their native traditions, they ended up going much further in converting the Indians not just to the Faith, but to the Spanish culture. And it seems that more than anything raises the ire of at least some of Serra's critics.As we end, just a quick reminder that CS is supported by the donations of subscribers.