Podcasts about diognetus

The Roman world couldn't figure Christians out. They weren't pagans, they weren't exactly Jews, and although they lived ordinary lives, there was something remarkably different about them. So, who were these early Christians, and what did they actually believe? In this episode, Tiffany Coker and Pastor Jeff Cranston discuss the Letter to Diognetus, one of the earliest Christian writings addressed to a nonbeliever. They discuss how the letter defended Christianity in the Roman world, challenged pagan idolatry, distinguished Christianity from Judaism, and described believers as ordinary people whose lives were transformed by their heavenly citizenship. Chapters:00:00 Introduction: Who Were the Early Christians?The Roman world struggled to categorize Christians because they weren't pagans or simply another Jewish group, yet their lives were noticeably different.03:00 Christianity in the Roman WorldBy approximately AD 130, Christianity had become distinct enough within Roman society that people were asking who Christians were and what they believed.04:15 What Is the Letter to Diognetus?This anonymous early Christian document was written to explain and defend Christianity to a pagan audience unfamiliar with the Bible.07:05 Three Questions About the Christian FaithThe writer addresses who Christians worship, why they demonstrate remarkable love, and why the Christian way of life appeared when it did.08:00 Defending Christianity Without Quoting ScriptureBecause Scripture held no authority for his pagan audience, the apologist appealed to reason, observation, and the lives of Christians.09:35 The Letter's Challenge to Pagan IdolatryThe writer exposes the irrationality of creating an idol with human hands and then worshiping it as a source of meaning and direction.13:35 How Christianity Differs From Jewish RitualismThe writer explains that Israel's sacrifices and covenant markers find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the ultimate sacrifice for sin.16:05 Christians as the Soul of the WorldThe writer compares Christians to the soul within the body, describing how faithful believers can serve as a conscience to the surrounding world.17:35 How Christian Living Challenges CultureGenerosity confronts greed, forgiveness challenges revenge, humility confronts pride, and love demonstrates that another way of life is possible.18:35 Final Thoughts and a Challenge to Read DiognetusTiffany and Pastor Jeff encourage listeners to read the Letter to Diognetus before returning for the second part of their discussion.“ Here's the question the letter to Diognetus forces us to consider: what are we becoming because of what we worship? Because worship always shapes the worshiper.”  – Pastor Jeff CranstonSources: Read the Letter to Diognetus: http://public-library.uk/ebooks/61/61.pdfBackground on the Letter to Diognetus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistle_to_Diognetus

What is the Letter to Diognetus? Who was the author of the Letter to Diognetus? To whom was the Letter to Diognetus written?

284 Intro Historical Theology: Why Church History MattersAfter the apostles died, the church did not disappear. It continued to preserve, defend, and pass down the truth once delivered to the saints. In this episode of Kitchen Table Theology, Pastor Jeff Cranston and Tiffany continue their historical theology series by introducing Clement of Rome, one of the earliest Apostolic Fathers. They explain why Clement matters, what his letter to the Corinthian church reveals about early Christian belief, and how his writings point believers back to Scripture, humility, unity, and justification by faith in Christ alone.00:55 What Is Historical Theology?Historical theology studies how Christian doctrine developed and was defended throughout church history.02:30 The Patristic PeriodAfter the death of the Apostle John, the church entered the patristic period, the era of the early church fathers.04:00 Who Were the Apostolic Fathers?The Apostolic Fathers include Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna, Papias of Hierapolis, and several key early Christian writings, including The Didache, The Epistle of Barnabas, The Shepherd of Hermas, and The Epistle to Diognetus. 06:15 What Does Orthodoxy Mean?Orthodoxy means right belief, helping Christians distinguish true biblical doctrine from error.07:30 Preserving Apostolic TeachingAfter the apostles died, the church did not disappear. Early Christian leaders helped preserve and defend the teachings handed down to them.11:00 Who Was Clement of Rome?Clement of Rome was an early bishop who lived near the end of the first century and wrote an important letter to the church at Corinth.18:15 Justification by Faith in the Early ChurchClement clearly taught that salvation is not earned by human effort, but received by faith in Christ.20:30 What Clement Teaches Us TodayClement reminds believers to be shaped by Scripture, pursue unity, and trust in Christ alone for salvation.“ Studying historical theology should make us steadier. Clement reminds us that faithful Christians anchor themselves in scripture. We pursue humility.” – Pastor Jeff Cranston

A letter arrives at the door of a Roman intellectual, and what it says about the people called "Christians" is unlike anything he's heard before. Written by an unknown hand sometime in the second or third century, the Epistle to Diognetus offers one of the most beautiful portraits of early Christian life to survive from the ancient world: a people who look like everyone else, yet live as though they belong to another world entirely. In this Season 3 finale, we unpack what this mysterious letter reveals about the early Church's identity, their unapologetic defense of the faith, and a vision of the gospel so wondrous the author could only call it "the sweet exchange." If you've ever wondered what it looked like to follow Christ when the whole Roman world thought you were a dangerous fool, this episode is for you.Join the ConversationHead over to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠private Facebook community⁠⁠⁠⁠, where listeners discuss episodes, grapple with historical questions, and share insights on how these ancient stories shape our faith today. It's a place for genuine conversation with fellow church history enthusiasts, from seasoned scholars to curious newcomers.Get Episodes & More in Your InboxSubscribe to the free ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack ⁠⁠⁠⁠and receive each podcast episode delivered directly to your email every week, complete with full transcripts. During off-weeks, you'll also receive a devotional blog post exploring spiritual themes connected to recent episodes—perfect for personal reflection or small group discussion.Buy Me a CoffeeWant to support the podcast with a one-time gift or ongoing contribution? Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can encourage this work in whatever way makes sense for you. Every contribution helps cover production costs and makes future episodes possible. For any other questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact Jared at thechurchhistoryproject@gmail.com

In this episode of FACTS, Dr. Stephen Boyce explores one of the most beautiful and overlooked writings of the early Church — the Epistle to Diognetus. Written in the second century, this anonymous apology offers a stunning portrait of early Christian identity before Constantine, before the great councils, and before Christianity held cultural influence.What did Christians actually believe about their place in the world?How did they explain themselves to pagan critics?And what does it mean that Christians are described as “the soul in the body” of the world?We'll examine the historical background of the letter, its theology, its apologetic strategy, and its powerful vision of Christians living as citizens of heaven while dwelling among the nations. Long before Christendom, this text shows us a faith that was confident, distinct, and radically countercultural.If you want to understand how the earliest Christians saw themselves — and what that means for the Church today — this episode is for you.#ChurchHistory #EarlyChristianity #EpistleToDiognetus #Patristics #Apologetics #FACTSPodcastIf you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7Link to the Letter: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0101.htm

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION “Christ pervades all Scripture, as salt all waters of the sea, as light the brightest day, as fragrance the garden of choice flowers.”~Henry Law (1797-1884), Cambridge-educated Dean of Gloucester in Christ is All “The righteousness of God is God's righteous initiative in putting sinners right with himself, by bestowing on them a righteousness which is not their own but his. The righteousness of God is God's just justification of the unjust, his righteous way of pronouncing the unrighteous righteous, in which he both demonstrates his righteousness and gives His righteousness to us.” ~John Stott (1921-2011), British Anglican pastor and theologian “The righteousness of God is not that by which God is righteous but that with which he clothes man when he justifies the ungodly”~ Augustine (354-430), North African church leader, explaining Paul's understanding of “righteousness” in the Letter to Romans (A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter) “God allowed his Son to suffer as if a condemned sinner, so that we might be delivered from the penalty of our sins. This is God's righteousness, that we are not justified by works…but by grace, in which case all our sin is removed.”~John Chrysostom (c. 347-407), Homilies on the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians “He Himself took on Him the burden of our iniquities, He gave His own Son as a ransom for us, the holy One for transgressors, the blameless One for the wicked, the righteous One for the unrighteous, the incorruptible One for the corruptible, the immortal One for them that are mortal. For what other thing was capable of covering our sins than His righteousness? By what other one was it possible that we, the wicked and ungodly, could be justified, than by the only Son of God? O sweet exchange! O unsearchable operation! O benefits surpassing all expectation! that the wickedness of many should be hid in a single righteous One, and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors!”~The Epistle to Diognetus (c. 150AD) 9:2-5. “The operation of the Church is entirely set up for the sinner; which creates much misunderstanding among the smug.” “Don't expect faith to clear things up for you. It is trust, not certainty.”~Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964), American authorSERMON PASSAGERomans 1:14-17 (ESV)Romans 1 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Romans 321 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 4 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.

In this talk, Eric Tadros explores the Christian calling to consecration, emphasizing that holiness is not about extraordinary accomplishments but about living as living sacrifices set apart for God. He examines key biblical passages, such as Romans 12 and 1 Peter, to explain what it means to offer spiritual sacrifices and to be a royal priesthood. Eric reflects on the implications of consecration in daily life, including self-denial, loving enemies, and balancing truth with mercy. He reads and discusses the early church's Letter to Diognetus, which describes Christians as distinct yet integrated in society, called to live holy lives that testify to their faith. The talk challenges viewers to assess how their lives would differ if God did not exist and encourages continual repentance and renewal of the mind as central to the life of holiness and consecration. Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhouston Follow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhouston Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhouston Visit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

Diognetus, a second-century pagan, noticed that followers of Christ “day by day increase more and more.” This was despite regular persecution they endured under the hand of the Romans. He asked a believer in Jesus why this was true. In a document we know as the “letter to Diognetus,” that early church father replied to him, “Do you not see that the more of them are punished, the greater becomes the number of the rest? This does not seem to be the work of man: this is the power of God.” As Jesus gave His final words to His disciples before ascending into heaven, they could little imagine the growth the church would experience in the coming centuries. He told them, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). This has become known as the Great Commission, but using this phrase to describe Jesus’ final words to His disciples can make it feel burdensome. In reality, this is what Jesus calls all those who follow Him to do: as we go about our day, make disciples. We don’t have to go to the ends of the earth; the message will travel wherever we carry it with us. Don’t be discouraged by the difficulties of the moment. Jesus also said, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (v. 20). We take Him with us everywhere we go.

I had the privilege of interviewing Randal Rauser on his book, "Jesus Loves Canaanites." 00:00 - My introduction06:15 - Randal Rauser's introduction12:20 - Epistemology and intuition18:45 - Selective invocation of intuition 26:15 - Is the inerrantist position subjective?34:00 - Historical confidence in the text39:15 - Reframing "errors"49:20 - Obscuring atrocities54:45 - Real world ramifications51:15 - Association with genocide adherents?A huge thanks to Seth White for the awesome music!Thanks to Palmtoptiger17 for the beautiful logo: https://www.instagram.com/palmtoptiger17/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thewayfourth/?modal=admin_todo_tourYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTd3KlRte86eG9U40ncZ4XA?view_as=subscriberInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theway4th/ Kingdom Outpost: https://kingdomoutpost.org/My Reading List Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21940220.J_G_ElliotPurity of Heart is to Will One Thing: https://www.religion-online.org/book/purity-of-heart-is-to-will-one-thing/Jesus Loves Canaanites: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57775991-jesus-loves-canaanites?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_14Abraham's Silence: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55782927-abraham-s-silence-the-binding-of-isaac-the-suffering-of-job-and-how-to?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=m85oPXHDad&rank=1Bauckham on Revelation: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/271806.The_Theology_of_the_Book_of_Revelation?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=h4FoopjtEl&rank=2Laying Down the Sword: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11254204-laying-down-the-sword?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=kYGPEpFHC0&rank=1Epistle to Diognetus: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0101.htm Tertullian's "On Patience": https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0325.htm The Patient Ferment of the Early Church: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26266696-the-patient-ferment-of-the-early-church?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=AJrAs82IA7&rank=1 Was the Destruction of the Canaanites Just?: https://clayjones.net/2015/03/canaanites/Is God a Moral Monster: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9612357-is-god-a-moral-monster-making-sense-of-the-old-testament-god?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_11 Thanks to our monthly supporters J Phillip Mast Laverne Miller Jesse Killion ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Deut. 28:15–19 Jer. 11:1–5 John 11:45–53 2 Cor. 5:16–21 Around the year A.D. 130, an early Christian wrote a letter to a skeptic named Diognetus, and he explained that the work of Jesus Christ for sinners like this: "O sweet exchange!" In this message, we see how God poured out His justice against His Son in order to show mercy and goodness to us.

Listen alongs as we continue through the book of Acts. Notes//Quotes: Acts 15:22-41 2 Timothy 2:22  “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer  Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action. Grace, you know, does not just have to do with forgiveness of sins alone. - Dallas Willard “They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonored, and yet in their very dishonor are glorified” Epistle to Diognetus (2nd Century) Matthew 23:1-12 The early church understood well the powers at work in the Roman Empire. There were many gods who ruled and oppressed its citizens. Among them were Aphrodite (goddess of sex), Hephaetus (god of technology), Mars (god of war), Ploutos (god of wealth), and Bacchus (god of pleasure). At the top of the ladder, and unifying them all, was political power, deified in the Caesar, and nourished by the Imperial theology and religious practice. The powers and gods were the forces that most determined and shaped their lives. The church understood the oppressive and intrusive influence of evil. They understood the comprehensive scope and spiritual power of these cosmic powers to tyrannize their lives. Perhaps we shake our heads at the primitive and childish worldview that could ever conceive of a world populated by powers. After all, science has liberated us from such nonsense. Yet when we see millions addicted to pornography, it seems the goddess of sex is not dead. When we see millions of lives trivialized and emptied of significance by addiction to technology, we observe that the god of technology still wields power. When we experience the seductive power of a consumer society that inflames us with a desire for the senseless consumption of goods and experiences, we must grant that the gods of wealth and pleasure are alive and well. And the billions of dollars spent annually on arms betray our enslavement to the gods of war and national security. Economic forces, political powers, sexual addiction, technological seduction: it seems we are helpless before these powers. All scientific attempts to control them have failed. - Mike Goheen “God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them.” Augustine

In this thought-provoking episode, host Jean Geran sits down with guest Gar Anderson to explore the concept of Christian citizenship through the lens of the early church. Drawing from Gar's recent lecture in Oshkosh, the conversation delves into how early Christians—most of whom lacked formal citizenship—navigated life under the Roman Empire. Rather than seeking political power, they transformed society through radical love, community care, and allegiance to Christ.Gar and Jean discuss:The historical context of citizenship in the Roman EmpireThe difference between patriotism and indifference in Christian political engagementJesus' teaching on rendering to Caesar and GodLessons from Paul's use of Roman citizenship to expose injusticePractical examples of loving one's neighbor in everyday life

Within the collection of Apostolic Fathers is the lesser-known work entitled The Epistle to Diognetus. This episode explores what this second-century AD letter has to say about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, particularly to see if the author was a trinitarian. We also explore the composite nature of this letter, noting that whoever wrote chapters 11-12 was probably a biblical unitarian. To view the video version of this episode, go here: https://youtu.be/GLqQWgHuS1A   Visit Amazon to buy your copy of The AI Critical New Testament: https://amzn.to/3VxO8r5   Visit Amazon to buy your copy of my book, Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John: https://amzn.to/4neRGdH  To support this podcast, donate here: https://www.paypal.me/10mintruthtalks   Episode notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SKO37OxGd3OOc2J7UTU9mpu-q8LI5nh_8mdKxrHPljg/edit?usp=sharing  Check out some of my videos on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@BiblicalUnitarianPodcast       Follow me on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/OneGodPodcast 

This episode explores how patience was a central virtue for the early church, and how it is the backbone of simplicity, if not Christianity itself. A huge thanks to Seth White for the awesome music!Thanks to Palmtoptiger17 for the beautiful logo: https://www.instagram.com/palmtoptiger17/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thewayfourth/?modal=admin_todo_tourYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTd3KlRte86eG9U40ncZ4XA?view_as=subscriberInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theway4th/ Kingdom Outpost: https://kingdomoutpost.org/My Reading List Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21940220.J_G_ElliotPurity of Heart is to Will One Thing: https://www.religion-online.org/book/purity-of-heart-is-to-will-one-thing/Technological Society (1954): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/274827.The_Technological_Society?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=fJv7L1JqiO&rank=1Propaganda (1962): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/274826.Propaganda?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=SZw25G5tFR&rank=1Technological Bluff (1988): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/274830.Technological_Bluff?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=4EzT1mT3jw&rank=1 Biggest Little Farm: https://www.biggestlittlefarmmovie.com/ Thanks to our monthly supporters Phillip Mast patrick H Laverne Miller Jesse Killion ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The episode dives deep into the debate around the Protestant doctrine of justification in relation to early Church teachings. We explore the writings of early Church Fathers, contrasting beliefs about faith and works, and question the continuity of Christ's established Church.• Examining Protestant views on justification • Key insights from early Church Fathers on faith and works • Clement's teachings on obedience and justification • The hierarchical structure of the early Church • Importance of a tangible Church in faith practices • Understanding the role of action in salvation • Insights from Ignatius of Antioch on church unity • Analyzing the Shepherd of Hermas and Epistle to Diognetus • Raising questions about the essence of faith todayThank you for journeying w/ the Saints with us!

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. In ancient Rome, Christians suffered persecution precisely because they did not find their hope and ultimate allegiance in the kingdoms of this world. They refused to say that the political realm of Rome was supreme, and that Caesar was “Lord”. To them, they had only one supreme political realm, the Kingdom of God, and only one Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. Because of this they were seen by many as a danger to civil order and therefore a threat to the state. However, nothing could have been further from the truth. It was precisely because these early Christians were anchored in an eternal political reality—their citizenship in heaven—that allowed them to engage in the kingdom of this world in such a non-divisive and redemptive manner. If you believe this world is all there is, and the political issues of the moment are make-or-break issues, then your political engagement will be desperate. And desperate people do desperately dumb things! You will be reactionary to your opponents, vindictive when attacked, cynical in the face of corruption, and hopeless in the face of setbacks. But if your hope goes beyond the kingdoms of this world, then you will be like the early Christians, who, though maligned as troublemakers, lit the path for a new way of engaging. Listen to this 2nd century tribute: “Christians are no different from the rest in their nationality, language or customs…. They fulfill all their duties as citizens, but they suffer as foreigners…. They obey all laws, but they live at a level higher than that required by the law. They love all, but all persecute them…. In a word, what the soul is in the body, that is what Christians are in the world.” (Epistle to Diognetus, c. A.D. 150) Could this describe you? Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”~ Acts 2:42-47 (NASB)

In an increasingly secular world, Christians are often pulled in two directions. Some urge us to retreat and build insular communities. Others call upon us to wage a culture war, harnessing the government to shore up Christian cultural power. Is there a better way? Stephen Presley, senior fellow for religion and public life at the Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy and associate professor of church history at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, argues that there is.  Today, Carl and Todd talk to Stephen about his new book, Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the Word like the Early Church, in which he points to the first few centuries AD to show us how the first Christians approached cultural engagement. Amid a pagan culture that regarded their faith with suspicion, early Christians founded a religious movement that transformed the ancient world. Though many of the challenges they faced were unique to that time, close comparisons can be drawn between the early church and modern culture. Some of the similarities have to do with the church in its relationship to the broader cultural world. I mean, you can't get out of the first three centuries of the church without recognizing that the church is embedded in a culture that is often set against them.  – Stephen Presley Listen as they discuss the parallels between the early church and today's cultural challenges, and consider how ancient Christian teachings can inform how we engage with the wider culture.   Thanks to the generosity of Eerdman's Publishing Company, we are pleased to offer three copies of Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the World like the Early Church to our listeners. Register here for the opportunity to win.   Show Notes: Stephen recommends five ancient texts for listeners interested in learning more about how the early church engaged the culture: On the Apostolic Preaching by Iraneaus Tertullian's Apologeticus On the True Doctrine by Celsus The Epistle to Diognetus (author unknown) The Christians as the Romans Saw Them by Robert Louis Wilken *Image: Saint Augustine Disputing with the Heretics, by Vergós Group, Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Public domain

“[Christians] dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified.”— Letter to Diognetus, 2nd Century 1 Peter 2:9-17

According to Rebecca McLaughlin, many of the beliefs of our contemporary culture can be summarized into a kind of “secular creed.” Though Christians will agree with some parts of this creed and disagree with others, it's important to note that many of the assumptions underlying this “statement of faith” are deeply rooted in Christian soil. So how did Jesus completely reshape the moral imagination of Western culture? Shane discusses this with Dr. McLaughlin, who is the author of numerous books including Confronting Christianity, and The Secular Creed.SHOW NOTESRelated BooksThe Secular Creed & Confronting Christianity, Rebecca McLaughlinDominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, Tom HollandThe Righteous Mind & The Anxious Generation, Jonathan HaidtChristianity & Liberalism, J. Gresham MachenThe Secularist Heresy, Harry BlamiresEarly Christian Writings, The Apostolic FathersRelated ArticlesHow Christianity Killed Infanticide, Rebecca McLaughlinAn Ancient Letter from a Soldier to His Wife (scroll to bottom right)The Epistle to Diognetus (see chapters 5 & 9).Pentecost Skewers Racism, Rebecca McLaughlinCan We Trust the Gospels: A Review, Rebecca McLaughlinLiberalism or Christianity?, J. Gresham MachenThe Tower of Babel & The Virtue of Doubt, Shane RosenthalRelated VideosThe Secular Creed, Rebecca McLaughlinChristianity is Returning, Tom Holland & Justin BrierleyHow St. Paul Changed the World, Tom Holland & N.T. WrightJesus Through the Eyes of Witnesses, Rebecca McLaughlinSexuality & Identity, Rebecca McLaughlin & Sam AllberryRelated PodcastsThe Gospel Creed, Humble Skeptic #9Same-Sex Attraction, Sam Allberry & Michael HortonIdentity in a Post-Christian Culture, Humble Skeptic #33The Woke Revolution, Humble Skeptic #34Navigating the Currents of Aggressive Secularism, Humble Skeptic #36Is Faith Irrational? & Is Faith Blind? Humble Skeptic #2 and #3Is Faith a Feeling? Humble Skeptic #4Upcoming Events CEDAR CITY, UTAHOn Wednesday, Sept. 18th, Shane will discuss the topic of his forthcoming book, Is Faith Blind? at the Festive Hall Conference Center in Cedar City, Utah. The event is free and dinner is provided. Doors open at 6:00 pm, and you can find the event page here.ST. LOUIS, MISSOURIOn Friday, Oct. 18th, Shane will be the keynote speaker at the ReThink315 fundraising dinner, which will take place at the Missouri Athletic Club in Des Peres. To purchase tickets for this event or for more info, click here.MILAN, ITALYOn Sunday, Oct. 13th, Shane will be speaking at Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia on the northwest side of Milan. For more info or directions, click here. HOUSTON, TEXASOn Friday & Saturday, Nov. 8-9, Shane will be participating in a panel discussion on the historicity of Jesus' resurrection, featuring Gary Habermas and others. This event will take place at the Lanier Theological Library.If you would like to invite Shane Rosenthal to speak at your event, send an email to: INFO at HUMBLESKEPTIC dot COM. Support This Podcast!Donations to The Humble Skeptic podcast are tax-deductible. To make a one-time donation or set up recurring monthly gifts, click here or use the QR code below. Another way to support this podcast is by upgrading to a paid subscription via Substack. Subscriptions begin at $5.95 per month or $59 per year, however, this option is not tax-deductible. Thanks for your support!If you haven't heard The Pilot Episode yet, be sure to fix that before Sept 3rd! Featuring an interview with a special guest whose name you just might recognize, this episode will revisit questions related to the location of The Executive Room. Get full access to The Humble Skeptic at www.humbleskeptic.com/subscribe

As I build an aggragate argument for open theism in the early church I thought I'd share a couple gems with you here. The first is from The Epistle to Diognetus. The second is from Irenaeus's "Against Heresies." Enjoy!   YOU can join future Surprising God conversations at SurprisingGod.com! Episode 26 YouTube Channel: Surprising God Dan's books: Confident Humility The Training of KX12 Send Questions To: Surprising God on X: @SurprisingGodFacebook: SurprisingGod Dan on X: @thatdankent

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. At the heart of Christianity is the notion we call “the Great Exchange”. What is the Great Exchange? It is the sweet and gracious reality that at the cross, Jesus Christ took our sins and gave us His righteousness. The sin was ours alone, but He took it. And the righteousness was His alone, but He freely gave it. Now, sadly, I have heard some contemporary theologians claim this notion is a late invention in the history of the church, only coming to prominence in the Reformation period and beyond. However, this is not historically accurate. The Great Exchange has always been the very heart and power of the church. One the greatest Christian writings of the mid 2nd century was The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus (c. 150 A.D.). Listen to this statement of Christ exchanging our sin for His righteousness:“He Himself took on Him the burden of our iniquities, He gave His own Son as a ransom for us, the holy One for the transgressors, the blameless One for the wicked, the righteous One for the unrighteous, the incorruptible One for the corruptible, the immortal One for them that are mortal. For what other thing was capable of covering our sins than His righteousness? By what other one was it possible that we, the wicked and ungodly, could be justified, than by the only Son of God? O sweet exchange! O unsearchable operation! O benefits surpassing all expectation! that the wickedness of many should be hid in a single righteous One, and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors!” As the Apostle Peter summed it up:“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Oh, sweet exchange! Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”~2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (ESV)

Devotional Time - Proverbs 27:6Truths from the Timeless Text - The Letter to DiognetusSound Words - Our Greatest FriendWalkin' & Talkin' in the Light - Before Some Will Hear It They Want To See ItJust A Minute - Abner GiftsHave A Bible Question - Does it really matter if we believe that the stories in the Old Testament are fables?

100s AD.The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus is one of my favorite artifacts from the early church. Its author is unknown to us but thankfully, due to a single manuscript, we have the full text of this marvelous letter. In it we get a glimpse of a Christian's defense of Christian theology, description of their lifestyle, and a snapshot of issues of their day. Join in! We won't be reading it in its entirety but will be covering most of it. We are using Roberts-Donaldson's translation, and it can be found at this link:https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/diognetus-roberts.html

100s AD.The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus is one of my favorite artifacts from the early church. Its author is unknown to us but thankfully, due to a single manuscript, we have the full text of this marvelous letter. In it we get a glimpse of a Christian's defense of Christian theology, description of their lifestyle, and a snapshot of issues of their day. Join in! We won't be reading it in its entirety but will be covering most of it. We are using Roberts-Donaldson's translation, and it can be found at this link:https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/diognetus-roberts.html

On this special episode of FACTS, Dr. Boyce will explore the incarnation and the celebration of God becoming a man by multiple Church Fathers such as: Ignatius of Antioch, Irenaeus of Lyon, Justin Martyr, Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory Nazianzen, John Chrysostom, John of Damascus, Mathetes to Diognetus, Athanasius of Alexandria, Augustine of Hippo, and Ephrem the Syrian. Merry Christmas to all!

Benjamin and Jace Discuss the convictingly poetic Letter to Diognetus, and they discuss the question: Does being set-apart as Christians mean we need to isolate ourselves from culture? Thank you for listening to The Deep Waters Podcast. We Pray you had a wonderful thanksgiving wherever and with whoever you celebrated it with. Show Notes: @PrestonSprinkleRaw A Deep-Dive into the Book of Romans: Dr. N.T. Wright Letter to Diognetus: http://www.didache.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Epistle-to-Diognetus-Lake.pdf

Benjamin and Jace Discuss the convictingly poetic Letter to Diognetus, and they discuss the question: Does being set-apart as Christians mean we need to isolate ourselves from culture? Thank you for listening to The Deep Waters Podcast. We Pray you had a wonderful thanksgiving wherever and with whoever you celebrated it with. Show Notes: @PrestonSprinkleRaw A Deep-Dive into the Book of Romans: Dr. N.T. Wright Letter to Diognetus: http://www.didache.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Epistle-to-Diognetus-Lake.pdf

Benjamin and Jace Discuss the convictingly poetic Letter to Diognetus, and they discuss the question: Does being set-apart as Christians mean we need to isolate ourselves from culture? Thank you for listening to The Deep Waters Podcast. We Pray you had a wonderful thanksgiving wherever and with whoever you celebrated it with. Show Notes: @PrestonSprinkleRaw A Deep-Dive into the Book of Romans: Dr. N.T. Wright Letter to Diognetus: http://www.didache.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Epistle-to-Diognetus-Lake.pdf

We continue our last episode by asking whether or not lies, at least sometimes, work better than the truth. If God created a good world, does doing good always work?  A huge thanks to Seth White for the awesome music! Thanks to Palmtoptiger17 for the beautiful logo: https://www.instagram.com/palmtoptiger17/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thewayfourth/?modal=admin_todo_tour YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTd3KlRte86eG9U40ncZ4XA?view_as=subscriber Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theway4th/  Kingdom Outpost: https://kingdomoutpost.org/ My Reading List Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21940220.J_G_Elliot My Reading List Google Docs: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10h_yL0vO8-Ja_sxUJFclff11nwUONOG6/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103262818858083924733&rtpof=true&sd=true Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4VSvC0SJYwku2U0awRaNAu?si=3ad0b2fbed2e4864 Original Questions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SbhwIwGe14C2pgSSDR3pVNQG8oi_j2r1UUHjmW7JRS4/edit?usp=sharing The Hiding Place: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/561909.The_Hiding_Place?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_10 Tramp for the Lord: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/906560.Tramp_for_the_Lord?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_18 Letter to Diognetus: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/diognetus-roberts.html Article Version of this Episode: https://kingdomoutpost.org/eudaimonism-a-foundation-of-would/ Thanks to our monthly supporters Laverne Miller Jesse Killion ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“[A]ccording to the world, life is like a ladder. At the top of the ladder is success, and at the bottom of the ladder is failure. Apart from Christ, we all naturally see life through this lens.”~Katharine Roberts, director and founder of Verity Fellowship “And amid such uncertainty [about our self-identity], we typically turn to the wider world to settle the question of our significance. We seem beholden to affections of others to endure ourselves. Our ‘ego' or self-conception could be pictured as a leaking balloon, forever requiring the helium of external love to remain inflated, and ever vulnerable to the smallest pinpricks of neglect.”~Alain de Botton, Swiss-born philosopher and writer “Craving human affirmation is a no-win proposition. Those who don't receive it are miserable. Those who do receive it only want more.”~Shai Linne, native Philadelphian, recording artist, and author “To have a faith, therefore, or a trust in anything where God has not promised is plain idolatry and a worshipping of your own imagination instead of God.”~William Tyndale (c. 1494-1536), biblical scholar and linguist “He Himself took on Him the burden of our iniquities, He gave His own Son as a ransom for us, the holy One for the transgressors, the blameless One for the wicked, the righteous One for the unrighteous, the incorruptible One for the corruptible, the immortal One for them that are mortal. For what other thing was capable of covering our sins than His righteousness? By what other one was it possible that we, the wicked and ungodly, could be justified, than by the only Son of God? O sweet exchange! O unsearchable operation! O benefits surpassing all expectation! that the wickedness of many should be hid in a single righteous One, and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors!”~The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus (c. 150 A.D.) “Faith is like an empty, open hand stretched out toward God, with nothing to offer and everything to receive.”~John Calvin (1509-1564), Genevan reformerSERMON PASSAGEGalatians 2:11-21 (ESV) 1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. 11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

In AD 150, a letter to Diognetus claims that Christians deny the Greek gods, live in poverty, remain faithful in marriage, and welcome persecution. They respond to abuse with love. This is the church before the watching world. Or is it?The sermon today is titled "Naming The Gods." It is the first installment in our series "The Church Before The Watching World." The Scripture reading is from Romans 2:21-22 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on July 23, 2023. All lessons fit under one of 5 broad categories: Begin, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under SERVE: Announcing the Kingdom.Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.Footnotes (Sources and References Used In Today's Podcast):For Christians as atheists, see Everett Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993), pp. 556-61.Epistle to Diognetus (New Advent).For the stories of Nero, see Suetonius, Life of Nero.Christopher J. H. Wright, Here Are Your Gods: Faithful Discipleship in Idolatrous Times (Downers Grove: IVP, 2020).Christopher J. H. Wright, “Confronting Idols.” Sermon delivered at the third Lausanne congress on world evangelization, Cape Town, 2010. (My concluding lines either summarize or are inspired by the incredible crescendo of his speech, found between the 15 minute mark and the 20 minute mark).I'd love to connect with you!Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide and even kids notes on the sermon notes page.Follow me @nathanpguy (facebook/instagram/twitter)Subscribe to my email newsletter on substack.

You may be the only Bible our neighbors ever read. You know and I know “there is no way to love Christ and not love his church.” But they don't know that. We want people to love Christ. What Christ are they seeing in you and me? Christians are called to live “a life that needs God's love to explain itself.” So be winsome to win some.The sermon today is titled "Having Favor With All." It is the twelfth installment in our "Community" Series. The Scripture reading is from Acts 2:47 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on July 9, 2023. All lessons fit under one of 5 broad categories: Begin, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under DISCOVER: A New Community.Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.Footnotes (Sources and References Used In Today's Podcast):Beauty is a $1 Billion industry. Josh Howard, "The Ultimate List of Beauty Industry Stats (2023)," March 23, 2023. For direct stats, see, for example, here.Stories told at the door about Christians. Rubel Shelly & John York, The Jesus Community: A Theology of Relational Faith (Siloam Springs, AR: Leafwood, 2004), p. 21.Rating Christians. Pew Center Research Report. "How Americans Feel About Religious Groups." July 16, 2014.3% of young outsiders. David Kinnamn and Gabe Lyons, UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity...and Why It Matters (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2007), pp. 24-25. Found in Philip Yancey, Vanishing Grace (2014).[Athenagoras], Epistle to Diognetus, in Early Christian Writings (London: Penguin, 1968), pp. 244-45.J. W. McGarvey, New Commentary on Acts of the Apostles (repr., Gospel Light Publishing Co., 1950), p. 49.I'd love to connect with you!Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide and even kids notes on the sermon notes page.Follow me @nathanpguy (facebook/instagram/twitter)Subscribe to my email newsletter on substack.

I explore the wayward church in regard to its handling of the AIDS crisis and the gay community.0:00 - Introduction/Preliminaries12:15 - LGBTQ History29:10 - Church History33:00 - The Wayward Church39:45 - Conversion Therapy and Objectification48:15 - Medical Propaganda51:00 - Rage Against the Deus Ex Machina A huge thanks to Seth White for the awesome music! Thanks to Palmtoptiger17 for the beautiful logo: https://www.instagram.com/palmtoptiger17/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thewayfourth/?modal=admin_todo_tour YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTd3KlRte86eG9U40ncZ4XA?view_as=subscriber Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theway4th/  Kingdom Outpost: https://kingdomoutpost.org/ My Reading List Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21940220.J_G_Elliot Propaganda Season Outline: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xa4MhYMAg2Ohc5Nvya4g9MHxXWlxo6haT2Nj8Hlws8M/edit?usp=sharing  Episode Outline/Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PYqPQbfzDHZJ4p9NnoL2_ztKXYrSJFltxyMaYiIq9ME/edit?usp=sharing  Manipulating the Masses: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/53232641 Ted Karpf Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV-kmP1Gv3E  Josephus Daniels: https://blogs.lib.unc.edu/ncm/2016/10/27/30619/ Atascadero's Dachau for Queers: https://www.kqed.org/news/11917624/how-a-young-gay-man-survived-one-of-the-darkest-eras-in-california-queer-history  Alfred Kinsey's Report: https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/alfred-kinsey-a-brief-summary-and-critique/  Stonewall: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98480.Stonewall Mattachine Society: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattachine_Society Reagan on AIDS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAzDn7tE1lU Lester Kinsloving: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/lester-kinsolving-episcopal-priest-and-pesky-white-house-questioner-dies-at-90/2018/12/08/5f5eff46-fb02-11e8-8d64-4e79db33382f_story.html Patient Zero: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JamdVea2_wE Patient Zero Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34524753-patient-zero-and-the-making-of-the-aids-epidemic  After the Wrath of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV-kmP1Gv3E Transorbital Lobotomy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b39DW7KiNJU Kruse's "One Nation Under God:" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22928900-one-nation-under-god?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=xTnb5Q8AkG&rank=1 Radio Free Dixie: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/448669.Radio_Free_Dixie?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=CXUK3NRvRb&rank=1  King's Chapel and King's Court: https://www.religion-online.org/article/the-kings-chapel-and-the-kings-court/  Epistle to Diognetus: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0101.htm Episode - Christians are the Soul of the World: https://thefourthway.transistor.fm/episodes/draft-christians-are-the-soul-of-the-world  Early Church and Plagues: https://banneroftruth.org/us/resources/articles/2020/plagues-throughout-christian-history-and-some-christian-responses/  Hannah Nation Interview: https://thefourthway.transistor.fm/episodes/115-s7e12-interview-hanna-nation-what-wang-yi-can-teach-us  Lead Like it Matters to God: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55272502-lead-like-it-matters-to-god?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=pvzBS1KlbZ&rank=4 Still Time to Care: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56097388-still-time-to-care?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=cdRk7I37L4&rank=1  Yarhouse's "Homosexuality and the Christian": https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8646554-homosexuality-and-the-christian?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=8ZI2PjR8QR&rank=3  Augustine's "On Lying": https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21112707-on-lying?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=PHkSipGCOi&rank=1 Thanks to our monthly supporters Laverne Miller Jesse Killion Michael de Nijs ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Are we under the Law of Moses (Mosaic Law/Sinai Covenant/Old Covenant) today? There is so much confusion amongst followers of Jesus as to what from the Old Testament In this podcast, we will look at Acts 11:1-18 where Peter explains what happened with Cornelius and a group of Gentiles in Acts 10. We will also look at Acts 15 where under the Holy Spirit's inspiration, we learn exactly what God required of Gentile believers. We will also see that as the 1st century progressed there was in fact a shift from the Old Covenant (Mosaic/Sinai) to the New Covenant as there was no longer any way for Jews to carry out the requirements of "the Law" that was given to Moses because there was no longer a Jewish Temple. Jesus FULFILLED the Law and the Old Covenant was deemed "obsolete".Summary of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)GENTILES DO NOT HAVE TO KEEP THE MOSAIC LAW – ceremonial, civic, dietaryNO SEXUAL IMMORALITY (moral law) – fornication, adultery, homosexuality, etc. NO CIRCUMCISION (from Abrahamic Covenant)NO DETAILED DIETARY LAWS (only blood, strangled animal meat, meat sacrificed to idols)NO SABBATH OBSERVANCE COMMANDED (ceremonial)NO FESTIVALS COMMANDEDWhat LAW are we commanded to obey today? The Law of Christ – His Teachings and His Apostles“If you love me, you will keep/obey MY commandments” – John 14:15(9 of the 10 commandments repeated in the New Testament – the MORAL LAW)Confusion about Biblical CovenantsHow many are there?  Who were they made with? Who did they apply to?  What were/are the conditions?Which still apply TODAY?  Which commandments are we supposed to obey?What commandments/regulations/ordinances are “perpetual”? (“everlasting”/ “forever”) Were any commandments “temporary”?Seventh-Day Adventists / Messianic Judaism (*for Jewish background)(Some) Word of Faith Prosperity Teachers – blessings, curses?Hebrew Roots / Torah Observant – “Lawlessness”?Biblical Covenants - Are there 4? 5? 6?Adamic (?) / Noahic / Abrahamic / Mosaic/Sinai (Old Covenant) / Davidic / New Covenant 1. Noahic – WHO? all mankind (Gen 8-9) / SIGN? Rainbow2. Abrahamic – WHO? Abraham and his Seed (Gen 12, 15, 17, 22) / SIGN? Circumcision3. Mosaic (Old) – WHO? Nation of Israel (Exodus 19-40, Deuteronomy) / SIGN? Sabbath4. Davidic – WHO? David & his Son (2 Sam. 7, 1 Kgs. 2 & 9, Ps 2, 89) / SIGN? Throne5. New Covenant – WHO? Jews & Gentiles (Jer. 31:31-34, Ez. 36) / SIGN? BaptismJeremiah 31:31-34 - 31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”Prophesied in the Testaments of the PatriarchsTestament of Reuben - “Therefore, I command you to obey Levi, because he will know the law of the Lord, and will create ordinances for judgment and sacrifice for all Israel until the time of Messiah… We will worship his Seed, because He will die for us in wars visible and invisible and will be among you an everlasting king.” Testament of Levi - “After the Lord punishes them (corrupt priests), He will raise up to the priesthood a new Priest, to whom all the words of the Lord will be revealed…there will none succeed Him for all generations, even forever. In His priesthood the Gentiles will be multiplied in knowledge on the earth and enlightened through the grace of the Lord. In His priesthood all sin will come to an end,…He will open the gates of paradise, and will remove the threatening sword against Adam. He will give to His saints to eat from the tree of life, and the Spirit of holiness will be on them. Belial will be bound by Him, and He will give power to His children to tread upon the evil spirits. Testament of Benjamin - ‘In you will be fulfilled the prophecy of heaven concerning the Lamb of God, even the Savior of the world. He will be delivered up spotless for transgressors. He will be sinless, yet put to death for ungodly men in the blood of the Covenant, for the salvation of the Gentiles and of Israel. He will destroy Belial [Satan], and them that serve him.'”Old Covenant vs. New Covenant - Relevant New Testament PassagesHebrews 8:6-13 - 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. 8 For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” 13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.  When? Death/Resurrection? AD70? Book of Galatians – Abrahamic & Mosaic Covenants FULFILLED in Christ. Good news? NO MORE CIRCUMCISION! Gal. 4:9-11 - 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years! 11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.Colossians 2:14, 16-17 - 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. …16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.Old Covenant vs. New Covenant - The Church in the 2nd Century ADFor this reason, four principal covenants were given to the human race: The first was under Adam, prior to the deluge. The second was the one after the deluge, under Noah. The third was the giving of the Law under Moses. The fourth is that which renovates man, and sums up all things in itself by means of the Gospel.  Irenaeus (AD 180)God thus shows that the ancient covenant [Mosaic] is temporary only, when He indicates its change. Also, when He promises that it will be followed by an eternal one [New Covenant].  Tertullian (AD 207)The epistle that we also allow to be the most decisive against Judaism, is that in which the apostle instructs the Galatians. For we fully admit the abolition of the ancient Law. We hold that it actually proceeds from the dispensation of the Creator. ...Christ marks the period of the separation when He says, “The Law and the Prophets were until John.” [Lk. 16:16] He thus made the Baptist the boundary between the two dispensations of the old things that were then terminating and the new things that were then beginning.  Tertullian (AD 207)The Old Covenant ENDED (was abolished) with Christ & the Destruction of the Temple (AD 70)i.e. NO MORE - Circumcision, Dietary laws, ceremonial laws, civil laws, the Sabbath, the blessings & cursesWhat about Christians who are still keeping the 7th Day Sabbath (Saturday)?Exodus 31:12-17 - Sabbath Commandment in Old Testament12 And the Lord said to Moses, 13 “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. 14 You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. 16 Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. 17 It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.'”All 10 Commandments are re-affirmed in the New Testament except for one? Sabbath (Saturday) or Sunday in the New Testament?+ Jesus ROSE from the dead on Sunday+ 1st Two Sundays after the Crucifixion - On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. - John 20:19-20 + A week later disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” - John 20:26-28 + Continued to meet on Sundays - On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. - Acts 20:7+ Evidence from the Church at Corinth - 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. - 1 Cor. 16:2NO EVIDENCE in the New Testament that Christians (even Jewish background ones) were having their worship on Saturdays!Sabbath (Saturday) or Sunday - What did the Church do in the 2nd & 3rd Centuries? + ...no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's Day [Sunday].  Ignatius (AD 105)+ Their scrupulosity concerning meats, and their superstition as respects the Sabbaths, and their boasting about circumcision, and their fancies about fasting and the new moons...are utterly ridiculous and unworthy of notice. ...And to speak falsely of God, as if He forbade us to do what is good on the Sabbath-days—how is this not ungodly?  Letter to Diognetus (c. 125-200) + Is there any other matter, my [Jewish] friends, in which we Christians are blamed, than this: that we do not live after the Law...and do not observe Sabbaths as you do?  Justin Martyr (AD 160)+ There was no need of circumcision before Abraham. Nor was there need of the observance of Sabbaths, or of feasts and sacrifices, before Moses. Accordingly, there is no more need of them now.  Justin Martyr (AD 160)+ We do not follow the Jews in their peculiarities in regard to food nor in their sacred days.  Tertullian (AD 197)+  … the observance of the Sabbath is demonstrated to have been temporary.  Tertullian (AD 197)+  For concerning [the Jews Sabbath], Christ himself, the Lord of the Sabbath, says by His prophets that “His soul hates.” In His body, He [Christ] abolished this Sabbath.  Victorinus (AD 280)Early Christian Practice Summary+ Considered the Mosaic law as having been abolished/ended (AD 70?)+ therefore, NOT following the Mosaic Law+ ...NO Sabbath observance – considered “temporary”+ Worshipping/gathering on Sundays - (Not a 4th Century pagan 'change')+ NOT following the dietary laws, festivals, fasts (Christians shifted to Wednesdays & Fridays)+ not circumcisingWhich Covenant is for the Jewish people today??? THE NEW COVENANT!!!  Jer. 31:31, 33 -  I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah… this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daysIs Sabbath observance for Gentile Believers today? NO. Why? (a summary) “…the Old Testament regulations governing Sabbath observances are ceremonial, not moral, aspects of the law. As such, they are no longer in force, but have passed away along with the sacrificial system, the Levitical priesthood, and all other aspects of Moses' law that prefigured Christ.”In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul explicitly refers to the Sabbath as a shadow of Christ, which is no longer binding since the substance (Christ) has come. It is quite clear in those verses that the weekly Sabbath is in view. The phrase "a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day" refers to the annual, monthly, and weekly holy days of the Jewish calendar (cf. 1 Chronicles 23:31; 2 Chronicles 2:4; 31:3; Ezekiel 45:17; Hosea 2:11). If Paul were referring to special ceremonial dates of rest in that passage, why would he have used the word "Sabbath?" He had already mentioned the ceremonial dates when he spoke of festivals and new moons.The Sabbath was the sign to Israel of the Mosaic Covenant (Ex. 31:16-17; Ez. 20:12; Neh. 9:14). Since we are now under the New Covenant (Heb. 8), we are no longer required to observe the sign of the Mosaic Covenant.The New Testament never commands Christians to observe the Sabbath.Early church worship service in the New Testament: the church met on the 1st day of the week (Acts 20:7).Nowhere in the Old Testament are the Gentile nations commanded to observe the Sabbath or condemned for failing to do so. That is certainly strange if Sabbath observance were meant to be an eternal moral principle.There is no evidence in the Bible of anyone keeping the Sabbath before the time of Moses, nor are there any commands in the Bible to keep the Sabbath before the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai.When the Apostles met at the Jerusalem council (Acts 15), they did not impose Sabbath keeping on the Gentile believers.The apostle Paul warned the Gentiles about many different sins in his epistles, but breaking the Sabbath was never one of them.In Galatians 4:10-11, Paul rebukes the Galatians for thinking God expected them to observe special days (including the Sabbath).In Romans 14:5, Paul forbids those who observe the Sabbath (these were no doubt Jewish believers) to condemn those who do not (Gentile believers).The early church fathers, from Ignatius to Augustine, taught that the Old Testament Sabbath had been abolished and that the first day of the week (Sunday) was the day when Christians should meet for worship (contrary to the claim seventh-day sabbatarians who claim that Sunday worship was not instituted until the 4th century).Sunday has not replaced Saturday as the Sabbath. Rather the Lord's Day is a time when believers gather to commemorate His resurrection, which occurred on the first day of the week. Every day to the believer is one of Sabbath rest, since we have ceased from our spiritual labor and are resting in the salvation of the Lord (Hebrews 4:9-11).Additional Podcasts about “Hebrew Roots”Since there is a growing influence in certain Christian circles advocating that all Christians (including Gentile/Non-Jewish background) are to be following the Law of Moses (including Sabbath observance, Tithing, Old Testament Dietary laws and even observing Jewish feast days), this is a relevant topic. I will include several good podcasts that I've listened to on this topic. These questions were settled in the 1st century and followed by the Christians who succeeded them. Mike Winger – Hebrew RootsPart 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR7xTYhXEbo&t=1s Part 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vhn6Mn9jESo Part 3 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI5wiDTHpgE&t=3998s Part 4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2leBGyp9RgRemnant Radio – A Kosher Response to Hebrew Roots - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZX_K-EHBew 

In this episode, the dogs talk about what it means to sacramentalize all things. They discuss the tendency to separate “holy” things from seemingly unholy things (1:30) and the opposing belief that all things are restored in Christ (4:00). Mike brings up his experience serving at Life Teen retreats (9:55), Rob shares what was so impactful about visiting the Martin home in France (11:20), and Connor tells about a recent trip to the doctor (13:10). They all discuss being freed, as priests, to focus on loving people, not just trying to save them (21:30). Also, they reminisce about that time Mike got scabies (28:25). Quotes: “Life with God is not an obligation, but it's really a gift.” (Mike, 9:10) “The retreat actually is reality; what we want to do is integrate the rest of your life into that relationship, into that experience.” (Mike, 10:30) “Every room in their home was clearly about being together.” (Rob about the Martin home, 12:15) “I want to bring Christ into that world. That’s what the invitation is, bring all of that suffering into Jesus. Even that is not outside of his power and grace.” (Mike, 20:40) “I just get to love people. That's my whole job.” (Mike, 21:00) “Jesus says ‘behold I make all things new’, not ‘behold I make new things’.” (Connor quoting Schmemann, 22:05) “Nothing is wasted. It's all ingredients somehow in this ultimate project of joy.” (Connor, 23:20) “He has assumed all of our humanity and now we donate our humanity to him to become transfigured and glorified.” (Connor, 23:36) “I'm not on to save people, I'm on to love people.” (Rob quoting Mike, 25:29) “The Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body.” (letter to Diognetus, 35:10) “My prerogative is to treat everyone with equal love and equal dignity.” (Mike, 38:20) Media Mentions: Ned Schneebly School of Rock (2003) C.S. Lewis’ Perelandra Jean Corbon’s The Wellspring of Worship Corinthians Genesis Revelation Romans Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47 Diognetus’ letter When you Wish Upon a Star Dumb and Dumber (1994) References: Alexander Schmemann Jack Black Bishop Robert Barron Life Teen Georgia Alençon, France St. Thérèse of Lisieux  Sts. Zelie and Louis Martin Madison Street Chicago Chicago “L” Port-au-Prince, Haiti Missionaries of Charity El Salvador Nicaragua Narcotics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous Cardinal Francis George All American Chapel Jiminy Cricket Gepetto Fort Bragg Glossary: “Instaurare omnia in Christo.” (To restore all things to Christ.) “Creatio ex nihilo.” (Creation out of nothing) Follow us on instagram @threedogsnorth Contact us at threedogsnorth@gmail.com

In this episode, the dogs talk about what it means to sacramentalize all things. They discuss the tendency to separate "holy" things from seemingly unholy things (1:30) and the opposing belief that all things are restored in Christ (4:00). Mike brings up his experience serving at Life Teen retreats (9:55), Rob shares what was so impactful about visiting the Martin home in France (11:20), and Connor tells about a recent trip to the doctor (13:10). They all discuss being freed, as priests, to focus on loving people, not just trying to save them (21:30). Also, they reminisce about that time Mike got scabies (28:25). Quotes: “Life with God is not an obligation, but it's really a gift.” (Mike, 9:10) “The retreat actually is reality; what we want to do is integrate the rest of your life into that relationship, into that experience.” (Mike, 10:30) “Every room in their home was clearly about being together.” (Rob about the Martin home, 12:15) “I want to bring Christ into that world. That's what the invitation is, bring all of that suffering into Jesus. Even that is not outside of his power and grace.” (Mike, 20:40) “I just get to love people. That's my whole job.” (Mike, 21:00) “Jesus says 'behold I make all things new', not 'behold I make new things'.” (Connor quoting Schmemann, 22:05) "Nothing is wasted. It's all ingredients somehow in this ultimate project of joy.” (Connor, 23:20) “He has assumed all of our humanity and now we donate our humanity to him to become transfigured and glorified.” (Connor, 23:36) “I'm not on to save people, I'm on to love people.” (Rob quoting Mike, 25:29) "The Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body." (letter to Diognetus, 35:10) “My prerogative is to treat everyone with equal love and equal dignity.” (Mike, 38:20) Media Mentions: Ned SchneeblySchool of Rock (2003)C.S. Lewis' PerelandraJean Corbon's The Wellspring of WorshipCorinthiansGenesisRevelationRomansActs of the Apostles 2:42-47Diognetus' letterWhen you Wish Upon a StarDumb and Dumber (1994) References: Alexander SchmemannJack BlackBishop Robert BarronLife TeenGeorgiaAlençon, FranceSt. Thérèse of Lisieux Sts. Zelie and Louis MartinMadison Street ChicagoChicago "L"Port-au-Prince, HaitiMissionaries of CharityEl SalvadorNicaraguaNarcotics AnonymousAlcoholics AnonymousCardinal Francis GeorgeAll American ChapelJiminy CricketGepettoFort Bragg Glossary: "Instaurare omnia in Christo." (To restore all things to Christ.)"Creatio ex nihilo." (Creation out of nothing) Follow us on instagram @threedogsnorth Contact us at threedogsnorth@gmail.com

Did the early church distinguish themselves from the Roman culture on the basis of food choice, dress attire, or entertainment? Or did they seek to distinguish themselves in a more meaningful way as it relates to the Gospel? In this episode, Dr. Stephen Boyce will explore the second-century Epistle to Diognetus to demonstrate the conduct of the Christians in the early church and how it impacted their culture. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stephen623/support

Jon Laansma is Gerald F. Hawthorne Professor of New Testament Greek and Exegesis in the Classical Languages program at Wheaton College. He regularly teaches Greek 101-102 along with upper-division Greek rapid reading courses that translate whole books of the NT and Church Fathers. One such class reads through all of Luke-Acts. Another pairs several Pauline letters with letters of Ignatius and Polycarp, as well as a few chapters from the Epistle to Diognetus. A third iteration pairs books from the General Epistles of the NT with Martyrdom of Polycarp, Didache, and other non-NT selections. The Classical Languages program as a whole offers similar opportunities for Hebrew, Latin, and Classical Greek texts.

This is part 6 of the Early Church History class. In the latter half of the second century, two kinds of Christians arose to defend the faith. On the one hand, apologists wrote defenses of Christianity directed at the Roman government. They responded to rumors, arguing that Christians were decent people who should be shown toleration. On the other hand, heresy hunters (or heresiologists) began to combat Christian groups that diverged significantly from apostolic Christianity, such as the Gnostics, Valentinians, and Marcionites. Today we'll briefly overview this fascinating period of Christianity when persuasion not coercion was the means to defeat one's opponents. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43mIuUVqCK0&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2lk3B0I7Pa77hfwKJm1SRI&index=6 —— Links —— More Restitutio resources on Christian history More classes here Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here —— Notes —— Apologists (Defenders) of the 2nd C. - Quadratus (130?)- Aristo of Pella (c. 140?)- Aristides (c. 145)- Miltiades (c. 160-180?)- Justin Martyr (d. 165)- Athenagoras (c. 170-180)- Melito of Sardis (c. 170-180?)- Appolinaris of Hierapolis (170-180)- Tatian (d. 180?)- Theophilus of Antioch (c. 180-185)- Epistle of Diognetus (150-225) Quadratus of Athens (130) - addressed book to Hadrian (r. 117-138)- claimed to know people healed by Jesus Epistle of Diognetus (150-225) - author ideas: Hippolytus, Aristides, Pantaenus- common criticisms are that Christians are incestuous b/c we call each other brother and sister, cannibals b/c we eat body and blood of Jesus, atheists b/c we didn't believe in the gods, politically subversive b/c we didn't honor the emperor by offering incense to his statue- Diog. 5.1-17 provides an excellent example of an effective apologist Justin Martyr (100-165) - Stoic -> Peripatetic -> Pythagorean -> Platonist -> Christian- founded a school in Rome- claimed Greek philosophers accessed truth of the Logos, thus Christianity is not a novel religion- Justin addressed his case to the Roman emperor and his sons and the senate and the Roman people (First Apology 1.1-2)- Dialogue with Trypho employed the idea of heresy as defined by a key belief—resurrection (see chapter 80) Heresy Hunters - Justin (140-160)- Irenaeus (180-199)- Tertullian (200-213)- Hippolytus (200-230)- Eusebius (324)- Epiphanius (374-377)- Theodoret (452-453) Standard Arguments - too complicated- trace beliefs to heresiarch- unnatural interpretation of scripture- can't trace beliefs back to the apostles- perverted truth leads to perverted morals- new generations recycle old heresies Irenaeus of Lyons (130-202)- Argued against Valentinus, Marcus, Ptolemaeus, Saturninus, Basilides, Carpocrates, Cerinthus, Ebionites, Nicolaitans, Cerdo, Marcion, Tatian, the Encratites, Orphites, Sethians, Cainites, and others- Against Heresies (aka. The Refutation and Overthrow of Falsely Called Gnosis) intended to equip church leaders to protect their unsuspecting flock from getting tricked into believing any forms of Gnosticism Review - Apologists focused on defending Christianity against outsiders by writing to the Roman authorities and laying out a case for toleration.- Justin Martyr taught that Christianity had continuity with Greek philosophers who also accessed the Logos.- Heresy hunters (heresiologists) defended Christianity against insiders who had differing beliefs from theirs.- Christians fought heresy by using key beliefs they knew their opponents couldn't affirm and by labelling them.- Justin and Irenaeus emphasized resurrection and an ultimate kingdom on earth to exclude those who held varieties of Gnostic beliefs.

A huge thanks to Seth White for the awesome music! Thanks to Palmtoptiger17 for the beautiful logo: https://www.instagram.com/palmtoptiger17/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thewayfourth/?modal=admin_todo_tour YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTd3KlRte86eG9U40ncZ4XA?view_as=subscriber Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theway4th/  Kingdom Outpost: https://kingdomoutpost.org/ My Reading List Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21940220.J_G_Elliot My Reading List Google Docs: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10h_yL0vO8-Ja_sxUJFclff11nwUONOG6/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103262818858083924733&rtpof=true&sd=true Article: https://www.dckreider.com/blog-theological-musings/political-rebirth-and-the-kingdom-of-god Letter to Diognetus: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0101.htm Terraform: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55276654-terraform?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=jjfEvfF7Xq&rank=2 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Fr Daniel has Fr Joseph Lucas on Every Thought Captive to discuss his articles outlining his "Mathetian Option" inspired by the Epistle to Diognetus. Interested in issues around engagement with the broader world as an Orthodox Christian? Tune in!

Fr Daniel has Fr Joseph Lucas on Every Thought Captive to discuss his articles outlining his "Mathetian Option" inspired by the Epistle to Diognetus. Interested in issues around engagement with the broader world as an Orthodox Christian? Tune in!

Fr Daniel has Fr Joseph Lucas on Every Thought Captive to discuss his articles outlining his "Mathetian Option" inspired by the Epistle to Diognetus. Interested in issues around engagement with the broader world as an Orthodox Christian? Tune in!

Fr Daniel has Fr Joseph Lucas on Every Thought Captive to discuss his articles outlining his "Mathetian Option" inspired by the Epistle to Diognetus. Interested in issues around engagement with the broader world as an Orthodox Christian? Tune in!

We continued our reading of step three on Exile. As with so many things said within the Ladder of Divine Ascent, the words of Saint John are jarring. It is not because John seeks to be abrasive or provocative; rather he is presenting us with the Gospel through the lens of the monastic vocation. It is God who embraced exile in the greatest sense through the incarnation. Christ, out of love for the Father  and His will and out of love for us, exiles himself into the depths of humanity and of our sin in order to raise us to new life. Our exile is simply a response to this great gift of love and sacrifice on our behalf. We freely choose to exile ourselves from the things that pulls away from fulfilling the will of God or loving Him unconditionally not because of any hatred for the world or the things of the world. It is the desire for God that guides and shapes our ascetical life and our spiritual disciplines. Outside of the love of God they lack meaning. They are to be a response of humble gratitude for what God has given to us. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:15:53 Cindy Moran: I have no audio   00:22:06 Anthony: I think I finally get your admonishment to read things in context. He can't be talking about withdrawing from a family like St. Basil's 3 generations living in harmony family life and monastic life.   00:34:10 Rachel: Like the ghetto in Sacramento. lol   00:34:29 B K-LEB: this teaching is too hard............   00:34:35 Erick chastain: moved to texas   00:34:45 Erick chastain: God's country   00:34:45 Daniel Allen: I would add that it starts at home with the family   00:34:53 Bonnie Lewis: Wait a minute.  I   00:35:06 Bonnie Lewis: I'm in Texas   00:35:12 Edward Kleinguetl: Welcome to Texas.  I live in Houston, although moving to Toronto in six weeks.   00:36:04 Daniel Allen: Can't flee to a place and expect everything to be somehow better. There isn't a real chance to run to something if you don't have it with you first. Like St Seraphim of Sarov, acquire the spirit of peace.   00:37:19 Erick chastain: thanks deacon Ed!   00:37:42 Erick chastain: agreed Daniel.   00:38:21 Joseph Caro: I wonder if this fleeing into the desert (in the literal, monkish, sense) is becoming increasingly next to impossible for our current western civilization without first a radical severance from cell phones, internet, Facebook, etc. And I am wondering if even the secondary more modest type of detachment can be fully done without first tempering our use of media, internet, etc.. . I don't know though, just my first impression.   00:38:21 Erick chastain: I moved to Texas to work at a catholic university and live near the daily latin mass.   00:38:59 Anthony: Joseph - so much data DOES impede contemplation.   00:39:20 B K-LEB: i agree with you Joseph the internet is an endless void   00:39:36 Edward Kleinguetl: Amen!   00:39:58 Carol Nypaver:

This week Fr. Michael uses the Letter to Diognetus (chapters 5 and 6) as a jumping off point for our episode this week, inspired by  Deacon Michael Hyatt's episode on this same topic. Fr. Michael talks about the paradox of being in the world but not of it.References:40 Days with the Church FathersChrist the Bridegroom Monastery's Typikon St Mary of Jesus Crucified - she was canonized a saint May 17, 2015Orthodoxy by G.K. ChestertonPoustinia by Catherine DohertyMother Natalia and Father Michael's presentation on God with Us OnlineFollow and Contact Us!Follow us on Instagram and FacebookWe're on YouTube!Join our Goodreads GroupFr. Michael's TwitterChrist the Bridegroom MonasteryOur WebsiteOur NonprofitSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/whatgodisnot)

In a world where self-identifying as a Christ-follower draws criticism, exclusion, and persecution, it's important for us to remember the words of our Lord. He said we are salt and we are light. But, what does it mean to be salty and shining? In this message, my hope is that you'll be challenged to stick with Jesus even when others pressure you to conform to new ways of thinking and living. Today is your day. You are who God has in your home, your neighborhood, and your workplace. Be salt. Be light. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts https://youtu.be/4z20Ou6qzkI Matthew 5:10-12 Jesus fully expected that his followers would suffer persecution. The world reviles, persecutes, and utters evil against us because of righteousness' sake and because of our association with Jesus. We do not seek negative attention, but when it comes, we can take comfort knowing that the world persecuted the prophets before us in much the same way. What's more, Jesus tells us to “rejoice and be glad” since our reward is great. Matthew 5:13 Based on the concern for losing its taste, we can conclude that Jesus' point here is that his follows should retain their distinctive salty flavor. We should not blend in with the world too well. Swapping out Christ's teachings for the world's fads and whims results in a comprised Christianity that is as useful as flavorless salt. We need not seek to be weird in the eyes of the world but instead endeavor to follow Jesus' teachings, and let the chips fall where they may. Matthew 5:14 Unlike monasteries and hidden communes, Christ's followers have an important role to play as the lights of the world. God's ultimate goal for His city on a hill is to draw all nations to Himself (Isaiah 2:2-4; 42:6; 49:6; 60:1-3, 18-22). We seek to embody God's future Kingdom in the present by how we live now, both individually and communally. As the city on the hill, our goal is to attract and invite. Matthew 5:15-16 A light exists to illuminate. Putting a lamp under a basket doesn't make any sense. Likewise, we cannot limit our faith to the privacy of our homes and churches. We also have an illuminating, prophetic, public role to play, just like Jesus did. Our goal is for others to see our good deeds so that they give glory to God. In the end, God will wipe away our tears and remove our reproach (Isaiah 25:6-9). —— Links —— Read the article that goes with this message here To join Salt & Light Study Night via Zoom, visit their facebook page or email them here For more about the teachings of Jesus see Podcast 30: Rabbi Jesus and Podcast 78: The Insidious Dangers of Self-Righteousness See more episodes on Christian living Support Restitutio by donating here or designate Restitutio as your charity of choice for Amazon purchases Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow us on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here.

When asked what's wrong with the Church, commentators from Pope Francis to Russell Shaw will blame an elusive beast named “clericalism.” But what is clericalism, and where did it come from? In this episode we track the beast to its birthplace, the Church of the fourth century. Our native guides are Augustine, John Chrysostom, and others—who offer us good counsel for defeating it in our own time. LINKS Anonymous, The Epistle to Diognetus https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0101.htm Minucius Felix, Octavius https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0410.htm Joseph Carola, S.J., Augustine of Hippo: The Role of the Laity in Ecclesial Reconciliation https://www.amazon.com/Augustine-Hippo-Ecclesial-Reconciliation-Gregoriana/dp/8878390232/ Mike Aquilina's website https://fathersofthechurch.com Mike Aquilina's books https://catholicbooksdirect.com/writer/mike-aquilina/ Theme music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed http://www.ccwatershed.org Donate today! https://www.catholicculture.org/users/donate/audio