Podcasts about synods

Synods without end. Sources: https://www.returntotradition.org Contact Me: Email: return2catholictradition@gmail.com Support My Work: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AnthonyStine SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.net/return-to-tradition Buy Me A Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AnthonyStine Physical Mail: Anthony Stine PO Box 3048 Shawnee, OK 74802 Follow me on the following social media: https://www.facebook.com/ReturnToCatholicTradition/ https://twitter.com/pontificatormax +JMJ+ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/anthony-stine/support

Synods without end. Sources: https://www.returntotradition.org Contact Me: Email: return2catholictradition@gmail.com Support My Work: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AnthonyStine SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.net/return-to-tradition Buy Me A Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AnthonyStine Physical Mail: Anthony Stine PO Box 3048 Shawnee, OK 74802 Follow me on the following social media: https://www.facebook.com/ReturnToCatholicTradition/ https://twitter.com/pontificatormax +JMJ+ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/anthony-stine/support

This week, author Eleanor Bourg Nicholson tells us about her new novel, Wake of Malice involving a Jesuit priest and the occult. Sean Pott of the Knights of Columbus tells us about their pilgrim icon, Billy has a question about Synods and we reconnect with singer/songwriter Jackie Minton who has a new album, Sagesse.

Send us a textThe REAL History of Nicaea You Never Knew.In an era of doctrinal confusion and church scandals, many believers are questioning the very foundation of Christian faith. Can the Nicene Creed offer clarity and stability?In this episode, we dive deep into the history and significance of the Nicene Creed, established at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., which has served as a cornerstone of Christian belief for centuries. We'll unpack its core affirmations about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, exploring how it provides a resilient framework for faith amid modern challenges.But why was the Council of Nicaea so pivotal? Is there biblical support for such councils, or do they risk adding human error to Scripture's sufficiency? Together, we'll examine biblical precedents, such as the early church gatherings in Acts 11 and 15, and look at how councils like Nicaea sought to safeguard Christian doctrine and address critical issues facing the church.From Constantine's political influence to Arius's divisive teachings, we'll trace how the debates and decisions of the Nicene bishops shaped the bedrock of Christian orthodoxy. Join us as we explore the timeless relevance of the Nicene Creed, discovering how it can strengthen and steady us through personal and collective crises of faith.✨Episode Sponsored by Logos Bible Software - The all new Logos is now easier to use and more accessible than ever with monthly plans starting at $9.99. Visit https://www.logos.com/remnant to get started for FREE with an exclusive extended free trial of up to 60-days!

After a bit of a hiatus in his weekly series on the Church Fathers Fr Joseph Hamilton is joined by Fr Toby in Rome to speak about synods in the life of the Church. Fr Joseph Hamilton is the Rector of the Domus Australia in Rome, and a priest of the Archdiocese of Sydney Australia. Prior to his appointment at Domus, he served as private secretary to George Cardinal Pell, until the Cardinal's untimely death. Fr Joseph completed his doctoral studies in Patristics at Christ Church, University of Oxford, and his license at the Patristic Institute “Augustinianum” in Rome. Prior to entering seminary he worked as an investment banker. Having left the economy of Mammon for that of Salvation, he studied at the Pontifical North American College. A native of Ireland, he is a keen but mediocre (his words) surfer, and enjoys reading and cooking. If you enjoyed this programme, please consider making a once off or monthly donation to Radio Maria England by visiting www.RadioMariaEngland.uk or calling 0300 302 1251 during office hours. It is only through the ongoing support of our listeners that we continue to be a Christian voice by your side.

Send us a textIf you have questions about the Bible, about the liturgy, the sermon, or Christianity in general you can email your question to questions@trinitygracesa.org.

Herb has been to 5 Synods, and he always stood out because of his bib overalls. Clay thought that it was an act. Herb's son wrote me and told me it definitely isn't an act. This is Herb. He's been a lifelong member of the CRC. He's traveled around some other places but lives in the house he was born in. He's been greatly blessed and he shares with me some of the story of his life and his views on the CRC.    Paul Vander Klay clips channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX0jIcadtoxELSwehCh5QTg Bridges of Meaning Discord https://discord.gg/H4sS2y4Q https://www.meetup.com/sacramento-estuary/ My Substack https://paulvanderklay.substack.com/ Estuary Hub Link https://www.estuaryhub.com/ If you want to schedule a one-on-one conversation check here. https://calendly.com/paulvanderklay/one2one There is a video version of this podcast on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/paulvanderklay To listen to this on ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/paul-vanderklays-podcast/id1394314333  If you need the RSS feed for your podcast player https://paulvanderklay.podbean.com/feed/  All Amazon links here are part of the Amazon Affiliate Program. Amazon pays me a small commission at no additional cost to you if you buy through one of the product links here. This is is one (free to you) way to support my videos.  https://paypal.me/paulvanderklay Blockchain backup on Lbry https://odysee.com/@paulvanderklay https://www.patreon.com/paulvanderklay Paul's Church Content at Living Stones Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh7bdktIALZ9Nq41oVCvW-A To support Paul's work by supporting his church give here. https://tithe.ly/give?c=2160640 https://www.livingstonescrc.com/give

Darin and George just got back from their respective annual denominational meetings; Darin from the ARP Synod & George from the PCA's General Assembly. Here they share reflections on those meetings in light of Church History and the Scriptures.

 @crcna  Saturday Evening - June 15 - Synod 2024 https://www.youtube.com/live/-DOzkM5c0Ew?si=aMh9i1cnEGSImBNE  Monday Morning - June 17 - Synod 2024 https://www.youtube.com/live/LabPJscbzO8?si=RjftcfRIjU1g6peW  Paul Vander Klay clips channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX0jIcadtoxELSwehCh5QTg Bridges of Meaning Discord https://discord.gg/JpHtVgXW https://www.meetup.com/sacramento-estuary/ My Substack https://paulvanderklay.substack.com/ Estuary Hub Link https://www.estuaryhub.com/ If you want to schedule a one-on-one conversation check here. https://calendly.com/paulvanderklay/one2one There is a video version of this podcast on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/paulvanderklay To listen to this on ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/paul-vanderklays-podcast/id1394314333  If you need the RSS feed for your podcast player https://paulvanderklay.podbean.com/feed/  All Amazon links here are part of the Amazon Affiliate Program. Amazon pays me a small commission at no additional cost to you if you buy through one of the product links here. This is is one (free to you) way to support my videos.  https://paypal.me/paulvanderklay Blockchain backup on Lbry https://odysee.com/@paulvanderklay https://www.patreon.com/paulvanderklay Paul's Church Content at Living Stones Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh7bdktIALZ9Nq41oVCvW-A To support Paul's work by supporting his church give here. https://tithe.ly/give?c=2160640  

Today's guest is Catholic theologian and author of Witness to Hope: The Biography of John Paul II, George Weigel. Brett & George discuss George's thoughts and critiques on the Synod of Synodality & his writing process of his over 30 books. They also dive into the importance of leaders to be precise in the words they use, Catholic institutions being missionaries of the Church, the presence of “Catholic lite” (a term he coined in his book “Evangelical Catholic”) in the Church today, and a young Karol Wojtyla's role in Vatican II. It's an intriguing and well-rounded conversation with one of the most highly respected Catholics of our time. Connect with George: Website: https://www.georgeweigel.com/ EPPC Page: https://eppc.org/author/george_weigel/ First Things Page: https://www.firstthings.com/featured-author/george-weigel  Subscribe/Rate Never miss out on an episode by subscribing to the podcast on whatever platform you are listening on. Help other people find the show by sharing this episode on your social media. Thanks!   Connect with Brett: Website: https://brettpowell.org Twitter/X: @BrettPowellorg https://twitter.com/BrettPowellorg   Music "Southern Gothic" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Editing by ForteCatholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com)

The big item on the docket will be confessionality, but with the Same-Sex Marriage question settled confessionality gets a lot more complex. Conservative churches will want to attract other conservative evangelicals and there are potentially many confessional issues where they will not be policing for the sake of local church growth.   Paul Vander Klay clips channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX0jIcadtoxELSwehCh5QTg Bridges of Meaning Discord https://discord.gg/e6eWBydz https://www.meetup.com/sacramento-estuary/ My Substack https://paulvanderklay.substack.com/ Estuary Hub Link https://www.estuaryhub.com/ If you want to schedule a one-on-one conversation check here. https://calendly.com/paulvanderklay/one2one There is a video version of this podcast on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/paulvanderklay To listen to this on ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/paul-vanderklays-podcast/id1394314333  If you need the RSS feed for your podcast player https://paulvanderklay.podbean.com/feed/  All Amazon links here are part of the Amazon Affiliate Program. Amazon pays me a small commission at no additional cost to you if you buy through one of the product links here. This is is one (free to you) way to support my videos.  https://paypal.me/paulvanderklay Blockchain backup on Lbry https://odysee.com/@paulvanderklay https://www.patreon.com/paulvanderklay Paul's Church Content at Living Stones Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh7bdktIALZ9Nq41oVCvW-A To support Paul's work by supporting his church give here. https://tithe.ly/give?c=2160640  

Scripture Reading: Acts 6:1-7 1 Now in those days, when the disciples were growing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the twelve called the whole group of the disciples together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables. 3 But carefully select from among you, brothers, seven men who are well-attested, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this necessary task. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 The proposal pleased the entire group, so they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism from Antioch. 6 They stood these men before the apostles, who prayed and placed their hands on them. 7 The word of God continued to spread, the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.Major ThemesToday we read a short text, but I want to slow down for two reasons. First, this text introduces an important new group of people who serve as a bridge on the journey to sharing the gospel with all the world. Second, this text is often described as the appointment of the church's first seven deacons. I want to take that idea, whether accurate or not, as a springboard to discuss church government more broadly. I think this is an important topic as new or prospective Christians assess which church they would like to visit or join.Hebrews and HellenistsChapter 6 broadens the stage of the church's story. Up to this point, the narrative has centered exclusively on Israeli Jews—Jews who lived in Israel, spoke the Israeli language (which was no longer Hebrew but Aramaic), and followed the Israeli customs. These are the “native Hebraic Jews,” as the NET translation puts it, or, literally, “Hebrews.”In chapter 6, we meet a different kind of Jew—the “Greek-speaking Jew”—or, literally, the “Hellenist.” The NET translation avoids using that word not because it is inaccurate but because “this descriptive term is largely unknown to the modern English reader.”However, the phrase “Greek-speaking Jew” can be misleading. Taken too literally, one may conclude that the key difference, perhaps the only difference, between the two Jewish groups is their first language. The translators seem to share my concern since they add a few explanatory notes. First, they point out that, “The translation ‘Greek-speaking Jews' attempts to convey something of who these were, but it was more than a matter of language spoken; it involved a degree of adoption of Greek culture as well.” They add, “The Greek-speaking Jews were the Hellenists, Jews who to a greater or lesser extent had adopted Greek thought, customs, and lifestyle, as well as the Greek language. The city of Alexandria in Egypt was a focal point for them, but they were scattered throughout the Roman Empire.”Many earlier scholars focused on a supposed theological divide between Hebrews and Hellenists. The claim was that Hellenists had lesser regard for or perhaps even opposed the temple and temple worship. The trend today, as evidenced by the NET notes, is to view the groups as linguistically and to some extent culturally distinct. The Hebrews spoke primarily Aramaic and in varying measures Greek; the Hellenists were primarily Greek speakers. Hellenists were probably Diaspora immigrants or their descendants in Jerusalem. (The term Diaspora refers to the dispersion of the Jewish people beyond Israel.)Notice that the term Hellenist does not mean “Gentile.” For context, the verb “hellenize” was often used in contrast to “barbarize” and hence meant speaking correct Greek. Greeks spread their language and culture together. Consequently, the title Hellenist probably included a certain Greek disposition, education, and support for Greek culture.However, we must also recall that Jews in the Diaspora—that is, in the Greek and Roman world—did not abandon their Jewish customs. So, we should not conclude that Hellenists adopted all Greek customs and beliefs, particularly those opposed to Judaism. Moreover, Jews who cared enough to relocate to their homeland probably had high regard for Jewish customs. (Archaeological evidence suggests that many Diaspora Jews did settle in Jerusalem, perhaps to spend their final days there.)Racism?The interaction of two ethnic groups predictably leads to problems. I use the term ethnicity not to denote race—both groups were made up of Jews—but, as Oxford Dictionary puts it, to denote groups “made up of people who share a common cultural background.” The neglect of the Hellenist widows leads to charges of favoritism or, at worst, discrimination. This is the first reported internal schism in the church (as long as one does not count the episode with Ananias and Sapphira, which was more of an infiltration than an internal schism).In the ancient world—Israel included—widows were truly marginalized. They were often unable to inherit property, purchase land, or work outside the home. In other words, the system left them destitute, which also left them dependent on the resources of relatives and charity. Due to war, the number of widows was great (by one study, a third of all women in the Roman empire). Their need could overwhelm a community.Notice that the problem between Hebrews and Hellenists is prefaced with the good news that “the disciples were growing in numbers.” Growth presents challenges; the church is not an exception to the rule. And, if the last 20 years of multiculturalism in the West have taught us anything, cross-cultural growth is even more challenging. (This is only an observation, not an argument that the church should not expand cross-culturally.)The apostles were among the Hebrews and supervised the distribution of food (4:35). So, the widows' complaint was aimed not only at the church in general but, at least by implication, at the apostles in particular. Should we assume ill will on the part of the apostles? Not really. Given the rapid spread of their fame in the city and explosive rise in church membership, surely they were unable to offer detailed attention to the ministry of charity. Their very success pressed them beyond their abilities.But, how could the apostles overlook the Hellenist widows unintentionally? Although unlikely, food for the poor may have been distributed through a public dole. (In the Roman world, the grain dole was the system by which the government provided subsidized or free grain to the Roman population. Much like welfare today, eligible citizens would be entered into a registry. Then they would receive grain stored by the government.) Immigrants might have had less knowledge of and access to the dole. However, the more likely case is that charity was distributed through private means and synagogues. In that case, Hellenists may have had fewer connections to local families distributing the food. In either case, Hellenists may have had a disproportionate number of widows since many Hellenists moved to Israel once advanced in age. (So, perhaps there were more unprovided Hellenist widows simply because there were more Hellenist widows.) Finally, as I explained above, local widows may have had family to care for them, making them less dependent on charity.The SolutionFaced with the widows' charge, how do the apostles respond? They recognize their limitations and their explicit calling. They realize that they must prioritize the “word of God” and leave the distribution of food to someone else. This is a clear example of delegation of duties in the context of ministry. It is also an example of prioritizing the message over charity when the two are mutually exclusive. Jesus had already exemplified both of these points.After Jesus called the twelve together, he gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 9:1-2The next morning Jesus departed and went to a deserted place. Yet the crowds were seeking him, and they came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them. But Jesus said to them, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, for that is what I was sent to do.” So he continued to preach in the synagogues of Judea. Luke 4:42-44Even if a solution is clear in principle, it is not always clear in practice. To whom should the apostles delegate the important duty of handling and distributing church property? We will discuss the character requirement of the new leaders in a minute, but we must notice that (probably) all of them belong to the offended minority. We can surmise their Hellenist ethnicity from their names and the bit of information provided about a couple of them. I know that the church's “affirmative action” in Acts 6 is sure to be viewed extremely negatively (or extremely positively, depending on one's political persuasion) in our modern-day culture; but, if we can leave that aside for a minute, consider the strategy's efficacy. To address the complaint that Hellenists are being subjected to discrimination in the distribution of food, Hellenist are put in charge of the food distribution. The claim of favoritism is resoundingly defeated. (Notice the apostles did not require the church to select Hellenists. Presumably, the church as a whole thought that this course of action was appropriate.)Nonetheless, the new leaders are not merely affirmative-action hires. The apostles define basic qualifications for service: good reputation; full of the Spirit and wisdom. They invite the church as a whole to choose representatives who meet these qualifications.In the ancient world, qualifications for leadership were common, including to hold civic offices. Being of good reputation, or as our passage puts it, “favorably attested,” was essential in Greco-Roman politics. The new leaders must also be “full of the Spirit.” This probably indicates a continuous state rather than a mere occasion of being “filled with the Spirit” (although the two senses of the phrase are not mutually exclusive).In the list of qualifications for leadership, the Spirit is linked to wisdom (“full of the Spirit and wisdom”). As we discussed during our study of John, Jewish literature often linked and sometimes equated the Spirit of God with wisdom. Consider, for example:You are to speak to all who are specially skilled, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, so that they may make Aaron's garments to set him apart to minister as my priest. Exodus 28:3For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things. For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, . . . Wisdom 7:24-26Part of the requisite wisdom would undoubtedly be knowledge of how to manage funds.12 and 7As we discussed at the beginning of our Acts study, the number of apostles is important. Twelve was the number of Jewish tribes; the twelve apostles represent the remnant of Israel carrying on the faith. What about the number seven? Is there a reason that seven people were selected as leaders of the Jerusalem church?Several ancient cultures, including the Jewish people, used the number seven symbolically, particularly for groups of leaders. The number 70 (or seventy-something) appears frequently as well. For example, in Luke 10:1, Jesus appoints 72 men to preach the good news from town to town. But most importantly, there is a particular Old Testament story that connects with Acts 6. The fact that seven leaders are appointed in response to a complaint by the people of God harkens back to Numbers 11.When the people complained, it displeased the Lord. When the Lord heard it, his anger burned, and so the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outer parts of the camp. When the people cried to Moses, he prayed to the Lord, and the fire died out. So he called the name of that place Taberah because there the fire of the Lord burned among them.Now the mixed multitude who were among them craved more desirable foods, and so the Israelites wept again and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we used to eat freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now we are dried up, and there is nothing at all before us except this manna!” . . .Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and when the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, Moses was also displeased. And Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you afflicted your servant? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of this entire people on me? Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms, as a foster father bears a nursing child,' to the land that you swore to their fathers? From where shall I get meat to give to this entire people, for they cry to me, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat!' I am not able to bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy for me! But if you are going to deal with me like this, then kill me immediately. If I have found favor in your sight then do not let me see my trouble.”The Lord said to Moses, “Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know are elders of the people and officials over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting; let them take their position there with you. Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take part of the Spirit that is on you, and will put it on them, and they will bear some of the burden of the people with you, so that you do not bear it all by yourself. Numbers 11:1-16However, we should also consider the possibility that the apostles meant nothing by the number seven. Perhaps they were simply being practical. Consider the study note in the NET Bible:Seven. Jewish town councils often had seven members (Josephus, Ant. 4.18.14 [4.214])In other words, the apostles needed a ruling council and ruling councils generally had seven members. This would be like if we started a company today and appointed a president, a secretary, and a treasurer. Why three officers? Why call them president, secretary, and treasurer? Because that is “how it's done.” We would intend no deeper meaning. Deacons for Them, Deacons for Us? Wait, Deacons?A question churches have wrestled to answer for two thousand years is what constitutes proper church government—or, as is referred to in theological terms, church polity. Central to the discussion of church polity is determining which church “offices” (if any) are ordained by Scripture. Recall my example above in which I mentioned three corporate offices: president, secretary, and treasurer. One can hardly discuss which duties belong to the secretary and which belong to the treasurer until one determines that a company should have a secretary and a treasurer. In the church context, there are three potential offices: bishop, elder (or pastor, or presbyter), and deacon (or servant). (Sometimes a fourth office is considered, that of pastor or teacher from the Greek words poimen and didaskalos. Let's ignore that for now, but I will mention it again at the end of our discussion.) Each of these offices comes from a distinct Greek term. Here is a brief rundown of these terms that I adapted from this handy article.Episkopos. This word episkopos (from which we get Episcopal) is used a total of 5 times in the New Testament, always in reference to someone who has authority to lead in ministry. It is usually translated “overseer” or “bishop.”Presbuteros. The word presbuteros occurs 72 times in the New Testament, and it has a range of meanings. The majority of the time (57 times) it is translated "elder" and means a position of leadership in the church, like a pastor or other member of church leadership. It differs from episkopos in that it also assumes the quality of old age. In fact, the word presbuteros is also translated at times to mean “older man” (10 times) and even once as “older woman.”Diakonos. The word diakonos means “one who serves in ministry” or more generally, “servant.” The word appears 29 times in the New Testament. Of those 29 times, it is translated (by the NASB) as “deacon” three times, as “minister” seven times, and as “servant” 19 times.The most controversial of the three offices is the first: bishop. Bishops are generally understood to be overseers of several pastors (i.e., presbuteros). They are regional leaders. Yet, many Christian denominations believe that each congregation is governmentally independent so there can be no such thing as a leader of multiple congregations. An example of a denomination that recognizes bishops (episkopos) as distinct and superior in rank to elders (presbuteros) is the Catholic church. An example of a denomination that does not recognize bishops is Baptist churches. The main argument made by churches that do not recognize bishops is that the terms episkopos and presbuteros are synonyms—not distinct church offices.You might be wondering: how can Christian churches disagree about something like this? Surely the text of scripture is crystal clear. Alas, languages are tricky and Greek is no exception. Consider Acts 6. Is it a good biblical foundation for the church office of deacon (diakonos)?In Acts 6, the word diakonos does not appear. In verses 1 and 4, a related but different noun appears (diakonia), translated as “distribution” and “ministry” respectively. The verb cognate of diakonos appears in verse 2. It is translated as “to wait” (as in, “to wait on tables”). Yet, one cannot simply assume that the verb points to its noun cognate. In other words, the text may only be referring to the act of service and not to some special office. For example, consider the noun “server” and the verb “to serve” in English. The noun can refer to a particular office (e.g., a restaurant server) while the verb rarely points to such office. (If I say, “I served food at home,” I am not implying that I hold the office of “server” at home.) However, this has not stopped many Christian thinkers, including ancient thinkers such as Irenaeus, Pseudo-Tertullian, Cyprian, and others, from applying this passage to the diaconate.Of course, one could use Acts 6 to argue for a certain church office apart from linguistic evidence. Undoubtedly, the apostles gave the new seven leader some kind of authority in the church. But without the linguistic component to connects Acts 6 with other passages that mention the word diakonos, one has a harder time arguing for a universal church office. Moreover, even the noun form of diakonos most often refers not to a church leader but to servants in other ministry contexts (Christ as minister (Rom 15:8), Paul as minister (2 Cor 11:23; Eph 3:7; Col 1:23, 25), Paul and colleagues (1 Cor 3:5; 2 Cor 3:6; 6:4), Paul's fellow ministers of the gospel (Rom 16:1; Eph 6:21; Col 1:7; 4:7; 1 Tim 4:6)).Where am I headed with this extensive discussion? In regard to Acts 6 particularly, I think the text clearly shows that a church may find itself in need of people to assist with different matters, and the church is right to recognize and appoint such helpers. However, I do not think that Acts 6, at least on its own, can be used to argue for some special, universal church office. In regard to the broader discussion of church polity, I am trying to show that church polity is a difficult topic. Scriptural passages are sometimes used to argue beyond what the text truly conveys. Furthermore, even when arguing in good faith, churches may reasonably reach different conclusions.With that in mind, I would like to explore some of the different ways that churches organize and govern themselves. Before we do that, let's discuss the last two noteworthy points in today's text.Democracy?How are the seven leaders selected? We are not really told, but we are given two important details. The selection was made by the “group.” And, the group “chose” the leaders. The latter fact means that the group did not cast lots or employ another form of chance to identify the leaders. So, how did the “group” make the selection? As modern readers, we assume a democratic vote was taken. That could be the case, but it is by no means a necessary implication of the text. For example, perhaps the elders (i.e., older men) made the choice. As with the discussion of deacons above, Acts 6 allows for only modest conclusions. On one hand, the apostles did not lord their authority over the congregation and left the leadership decision up to the group. On the other hand, we are not told that the church should be organized democratically. In this passage, there is simply not enough data to surmise a non-hierarchical, democratic church government or, for that matter, its opposite. (Perhaps one could reach some of those conclusions by taking the whole counsel of scripture. I am obviously not denying that.)Laying HandsThe people chose the leaders, but the apostles commissioned them by praying and “lay[ing] hands on them.” This recalls the Old Testament scene in Numbers 27.Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range, and see the land I have given to the Israelites. When you have seen it, you will be gathered to your ancestors, as Aaron your brother was gathered to his ancestors. . . .Then Moses spoke to the Lord: “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all humankind, appoint a man over the community, who will go out before them, and who will come in before them, and who will lead them out, and who will bring them in, so that the community of the Lord may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.”The Lord replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; set him before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community, and commission him publicly. Then you must delegate some of your authority to him, so that the whole community of the Israelites will be obedient. . . .So Moses did as the Lord commanded him; he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community. He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the Lord commanded, by the authority of Moses. Numbers 27:12-22Laying of hands is a form of commissioning, but it also evokes patriarchal blessings and empowerment. After the fall of Jerusalem, Rabbis used laying of hands to ordain their pupils. Unsurprisingly, churches use it today to ordain pastors, priests, bishops, and sometimes deacons. The fullest examples of laying of hands in the New Testament are found in two letters written by Paul.Command and teach these things. Let no one look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in your speech, conduct, love, faithfulness, and purity. Until I come, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the spiritual gift you have, given to you and confirmed by prophetic words when the elders laid hands on you. 1 Timothy 4:11-14(As the NET notes explain, the last phrase in the verses quoted above can be translated more literally as, “with the imposition of the hands of the presbytery,” i.e., the council of elders.)Because of this I remind you to rekindle God's gift that you possess through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, a prisoner for his sake, but by God's power accept your share of suffering for the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:6-8Notice that inducting members into a position of authority by laying of hands requires there to be someone already in leadership. Otherwise, there would be nobody to perform the laying of hands. This raises a no small question. Is church leadership only valid if it is conveyed by a prior church leader. Must there be a line of succession from Jesus, to the apostles, to whomever the apostles appointed to lead, all the way to your local pastor? As you might imagine, this idea is debated, but (rather surprisingly) most denominations agree that some kind of succession is necessary. I say “some kind” of succession because there is less agreement as to what succession really entails.Modern Denominations' PolityAs I mentioned at the beginning, I want to end today's session on a practical note. I imagine that some of this Bible study's participants may be considering which church to join. One of the questions that seems unfathomable from the outside is how churches are organized. Who is really in charge? How are churches connected, if at all? Below I include a summary of churches' polities adapted from a Gospel Coalition article. This summary is not great, but I will discuss more details during our live session.Eastern Orthodox: Bishops, following in the succession of the apostles, appoint male priests (also known as elders or presbyters) to pastor the people. Deacons serve the material needs of the congregation and play a key role in liturgical life. Synods (teams of bishops) lead the church, not a single bishop or pope.Catholic: Authority rests with the bishops who follow in the succession of the apostles. Bishops are helped by male priests (also known as elders or presbyters) to pastor the people. Deacons serve the material needs of the congregation. The pope, the bishop of Rome, is the key human authority over the church, who is infallible when speaking ex cathedra (from the full seat of authority on issues of faith or morals).Anglican: Anglicanism resembles Catholicism in organizational structure, with an archbishop presiding over other bishops, who preside over priests and deacons in local congregations. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and symbolic head, as a first among equals.Lutheranism: Lutheran Churches can vary between a more episcopal form of government and a more congregational form of government. Lutheran churches in America tend to be more congregational, though with some authority given to synods at different levels.Presbyterian: Local congregations are governed by teams of elders (teaching and ruling elders), who take part in a larger assembly of elders (presbyteries), which take part in an even larger assembly (synod or a general assembly).Methodism: The Methodist system follows the polity of connexionalism, which teaches the importance of connection among believers at various levels. Methodism uses conferences at different levels composed of both elected laypeople and ordained ministers to govern the needs and concerns of local churches up through the entire denomination.Baptist: Baptist churches believe that Christ is the head of the church and that Christ guides every local church through the Spirit living within the members of each church. While Baptists may voluntarily join associations, each individual church is autonomous. Most Baptist churches are congregation-ruled, but some are led by single pastors while others are led by a plurality of elders, selected by church members.Evangelical Free Church: Evangelical Free churches follow a congregational model of church governance.Church of Christ: Churches of Christ are independent congregations with elders, deacons, and ministers leading the congregation. Ministers are understood to serve under the oversight of the elders. While the presence of a long-term professional minister has sometimes created significant de facto ministerial authority"and led to conflict between the minister and the elders, the eldership has remained the ultimate locus of authority in the congregation.Pentecostal: Pentecostal churches are congregationalists. They may be independent congregations or local congregations that associate with other like-minded churches (“cooperative fellowships”). Generally, the congregation selects a minister and a board of deacons. Some Pentecostal churches are adopting an “eldership model” vesting some of the congregation's authority on a group of elders.Non-Denominational Churches: Non-denominational churches will be congregational since they have no commitment to any specific denomination.

In this episode, John and Fr. Stephen navigate through the intricate world of synods and synodality, focusing on the need to seek understanding and truth over the desire to be "right". This enlightening encounter emphasizes prayer, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the evolving nature of the Church, while upholding the importance of the deposit of faith. Father Stephen  imparts his insights on the role of priests and bishops in promoting the gospel, stressing the importance of respectful dialogue and open-mindedness. As he deals with the subject of differing beliefs and the associated emotional reactions, he sheds light on the essence of the Church's teachings: to spread the mercy, love, and compassion of Jesus Christ.The conversation then shifts to the heart of dialogue within the Church and its mission. Drawing inspiration from the story of the woman at the well, they emphasize Jesus' approach of understanding and compassion. The discussion highlights the role of the Holy Spirit, especially during uncertain times, and delves into the significance of belief, faith, and the art of effective communication. The conversation concludes with a focus on unity, open-mindedness, and the pursuit of truth. Together, they unravel the importance of love, education, and remaining open to the opinions of others while upholding the integrity of our faith. Tune in to this enlightening episode and embark on a spiritual journey with us.Have something you'd love to hear Fr. Stephen and John talk about? Email us at myfriendthefriar@gmail.com or click here!

The Israel / Gaza conflict generates all sorts of political and religious opinions in recent times, with many Christian leaders (including the Archbishop of Canterbury) seeming to follow the popular left-wing consensus of calling for an immediate ceasefire. Whilst this might seem the obvious course of action, is it really the best option? Whilst all wars bring tragedy, are all wars avoidable? When does peacekeeping maintain conflict in other ways? And how does this "ceasefire" approach to conflict mirror the recent events of the Anglican Synod as it pushes through its controversial plans to bless same-sex relationships? What are the consequences of churches “surrendering” churches to the cultural Zeitgeist? And how might Christians prepare themselves for when they find they can bear the compromises in their denomination no longer? **** Pod of the Gaps is a listener supported podcast! If you enjoy the show, please help cover our costs — neither Andy nor Aaron is paid to do the show, it's a labour of love. Your support helps cover our hosting costs, books, and the occasional coffee! If you enjoy our mix of wit and wisdom, please help us keep the show going and support us for a small amount at https://www.patreon.com/wkop **** NOTES * Allison, C. FitzSimons, "The Cruelty of Heresy: An Affirmation of Christian Orthodoxy" (London: SPCK, 1994) * https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/britain-should-back-a-ceasefire/ * https://thatgoodfight.substack.com/p/but-we-both-believe-the-bible

The Synod on Synodality is done so Lindsay Sant, Caroline Knight, and Lino Saubolle discuss the synod's Letter to the People of God and reflect on what it means for them. Plus Caroline shares exciting science news about asteroids. The post Synods and Space Rocks appeared first on StarQuest Media.

As the current session of the synod on synodality draws to a close, Fr Stan and Sr Chantal in this episode answer the question on the deliberative and consultative functions of the Synod of Bishops. They invite Catholics to pray for the synod in a special way during this final week. There is the need for the faithful to lower their expectations about changes in the Church's teaching because no synod has the power to change the doctrines of the Catholic Church since these are revealed truths. Synods can help the Church and her members under the leadership of the Pope and all the bishops in communion with him to discover the treasures of the Catholic faith, as well as to understand the mysteries and doctrines as revealed truths. A synod can also help to interpret these mysteries anew and pastorally guide the faithful on living their Christian faith with greater fidelity and commitment in obedience to God who through Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit has revealed these unchanging truths of faith and morality to the Church. 

The band is back together for episode 400! Watch out for Gerson therapy, confusing Synods and of course, this week's news: UK: Phones in schools POLAND: End of the PiS party reign(?) BELGIUM: Catholic University of Leuven stops UFO ‘conference' SWITZERLAND: Another tumor ‘treated naturally' UK: ‘Relaxed' climate change policies in the UK, but also elsewhere UK: University of Exeter offers degree in Magic and the occult The Reichsbürger movement get (another!) Really Wrong Award for creating fake Jewish communities to get government funding and hide their terrible agenda. Then we have the Word of the Week, in which we try to take the confusion out of the word ‘Synod'. Enjoy! Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; Pontus Pokes The Pope; News; Really Wrong; Word Of The Week; Quote And Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes

The Synod on Synods has begun in Rome and Lindsay Sant and Lino Saubolle get us up to speed on what it's all about and share a preview of the meeting from synod delegate Australian Bishop Shane MacKinlay. Plus dinosaur extinction, Star Trek, and tennis. The post The Synod Begins appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Today, Fr. Mitch Pacwa talks to Teresa about Synods.

Today, Fr. Mitch Pacwa talks to Teresa about Synods.

• Fr. Mitch Pacwa talks to Teresa about Synods.

We're honored to welcome back Bishop Athanasius Schneider of Kazakhstan to continue our week-long critique of the upcoming Synod of Synodality. How is the current form of "synodality" undermining the nature and the purpose of the Church?   Show Notes Credo - Sophia Institute Press A New “Synodal Church” Undermines the Catholic Church “Suffocated by Meetings” - Bishop Schneider on Synodality Prominent CoE convert warns of synodal dangers - The Irish Catholic INSTRUMENTUM LABORIS Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Listen to Fr. McTeigue's Preaching! | Herald of the Gospel Sermons Podcast on Spotify Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

Today's Topics: 1) On Synods and Sedevacantism 2) Is the Real Problem with the Novus Ordo that it is simply "Too Long?" https://catholicreview.org/cardinal-dolan-are-sunday-masses-just-too-long/ 3) Gospel for the 18th Sunday after Pentecost (Matt. 9.1-8); Origin of the Rosary 4) Origin of the Rosary (cont.)

Make a one-time or recurring donation on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donor Box profile here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us in the mission of introducing Reformed Theology across the world! Interested in further study of the Bible? Join us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Logos Bible Software⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Are you interested in a rigorous and Reformed seminary education? Call Westminster Seminary California at 888-480-8474 or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.wscal.edu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Please help support the show on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon Page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Welcome to our series on the Westminster Confession of Faith! Today, we go through Chapter 31, Of Synods and Councils. Want to follow along week-to-week? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Westminster Confession of Faith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Have Feedback or Questions? Email us at: guiltgracepod@gmail.com Find us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@guiltgracepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@guiltgracepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch the video on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guilt Grace Gratitude Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please rate and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you use! Looking for a Reformed Church? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠North American Presbyterian & Reformed Churches --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gggpodcast/support

We welcome back Fr. Bill Watson S.J. of the Sacred Story Institute to discuss synodality, discernment, and the Church in Germany. How are we to find and maintain our peace in the midst of troubling headlines?   Show Notes Will the Synod on Synodality Change Church Moral Teaching? - Ask Fr. Bill #128 Sacred Story Institute Synod.va INSTRUMENTUM LABORIS LCWR members discuss stark reality of future leadership in religious life | National Catholic Reporter Doomscrolling Past Christ - Crisis Magazine Confessing Your Whole Life (Fr. Bill Watson, S.J.) 4/20/23 Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discusses the Pillar of Advocacy in Called to the Joy of Love. Advocacy in the public square seeks to advance the truths of the human person, of marriage, and of the family enlightened by faith, reason, and two-thousand years of human experience.The USCCB document Called to the Joy of Love is the national pastoral framework for marriage and family life ministry, which came out in 2021 and is inspired by Pope Francis' 2016 encyclical Amoris Laetitiaaddressing the pastoral care of families, following the Synods on the Family in 2014 and 2015. Called to the Joy of Love is meant for the marriage and family life directors in dioceses and is focused on the reality of family life today and how the Church can assist those who are to be married, those who are married, and those who are growing their family. The four pillars of this document are: prayer and relationship with Christ, formation, accompaniment, and advocacy within the public square. Notes:Listen to the first installment in the Called to the Joy of Love miniseries here. Listen to the second installment here on prayer and relationship with Christ. Listen to the third installment here on prayerful formation for marriage. Listen to the fourth installment here on accompaniment through marriage preparation. Listen to the fifth installment here on accompanying married couples in the early years of marriage. Listen to the sixth installment here on accompanying married couples through times of crisis. Listen to the seventh installment about accompanying couples who are separated or divorced Listen to the eighth installment about accompanying parents as they raise children. Listen to the ninth installment about accompanying couples who experience infertility. Listen to the tenth installment about single adults. Listen to the eleventh installment on accompanying widows and widowers. Listen to the twelfth installment on grandparents. Listen to the thirteenth insallment on complex or difficult situations.  View Catholic Apostolate Center resources on Marriage and Family Life Here. Read Called to the Joy of Love here. ReadAmoris Laetitia by Pope Francis here. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotifyFr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

With Kent wrapped up, and while I'm working on the next part of the podcast, I wanted to do another patron request episode. I have been asked to talk a bit about good books and resources for studying Anglo-Saxon history. This episode will be more free form than others, I just going to go through what for me are some of my go to resources. Some of these are academic books, so when they are likely to be expensive I will say so and I will try to suggest good alternatives where possible.  Resources recommended in this episode: -       A Guide to Old English by B. Mitchell and F. C. Robinson -       http://www.oldenglishaerobics.net/ -       https://www.memrise.com/ -       English Historical Documents: Volume 1: c.500–1042, edited by D. Whitelock -       Councils and Synods: with other documents relating to the English Church, vol. I, part I: A.D. 871–1066, edited by D. Whitelock, M. Brett and C. N. L. Brooke. -       The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles by M. Swanton -       Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People (Oxford Medieval Texts), transl. and ed. B. Colgrave and R. A. B. Mynors -       The Complete Old English Poems (The Middle Ages Series), transl. C. Williamson -       https://oldenglishpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu/ -       The Anglo Saxon Literature Handbook by M. C Amodio -       Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary by J. R. R. Tolkien -       https://esawyer.lib.cam.ac.uk/about/index.html -       The Anglo-Saxons, ed. J. Campbell -       The Anglo-Saxon World by N. J. Higham and M. Ryan -       The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginnings of England by M. Morris -       The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England, ed. M. Lapidge, J. Blair, S. Keynes, and D. Scragg -       The Church in Anglo-Saxon Society by J. Blair -       The Coming of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England by H. Mayr-Harting -       Signals of Belief in Early England: Anglo-Saxon Paganism Revisited, ed. M. Carver, A. Sanmark, and S. Semple -       Alfred the Great: War, Kingship and Culture in Anglo-Saxon England by R. Ables -       Alfred the Great: Asser's Life of King Alfred and Other Contemporary Sources, transl. S. Keynes and M. Lapidge -       Aethelstan: The First King of England by S. Foot -       Aethelred the Unready by L. Roach -       Edward the Confessor: Last of the Royal Blood by T. Licence Credits - Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening Social Media -  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/anglosaxonengland Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Anglo-Saxon-England-Podcast-110529958048053 Twitter: https://twitter.com/EnglandAnglo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anglosaxonenglandpodcast/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzyGUvYZCstptNQeWTwfQuA  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discusses accompanying couples and families who experience complex or difficult situations: from addiction and violence to accompanying military families as in Called to the Joy of Love. The Church may not have the expertise in these issues, so it is important to refer families to professionals. The USCCB document Called to the Joy of Love is the national pastoral framework for marriage and family life ministry, which came out in 2021 and is inspired by Pope Francis' 2016 encyclical Amoris Laetitiaaddressing the pastoral care of families, following the Synods on the Family in 2014 and 2015.Called to the Joy of Love is meant for the marriage and family life directors in dioceses and is focused on the reality of family life today and how the Church can assist those who are to be married, those who are married, and those who are growing their family. The four pillars of this document are: prayer and relationship with Christ, formation, accompaniment, and advocacy within the public square.Listen to the first installment in the Called to the Joy of Love miniseries here.Listen to the second installment here on prayer and relationship with Christ.Listen to the third installment here on prayerful formation for marriage.Listen to the fourth installment here on accompaniment through marriage preparation.Listen to the fifth installment here on accompanying married couples in the early years of marriage.Listen to the sixth installment here on accompanying married couples through times of crisis.Listen to the seventh installment about accompanying couples who are separated or divorcedListen to the eighth installment about accompanying parents as they raise children.Listen to the ninth installment about accompanying couples who experience infertility.Listen to the tenth installment about single adults.Listen to the eleventh installment on accompanying widows and widowers.Listen to the twelfth installment on grandparents.  View Catholic Apostolate Center resources on Marriage and Family Life Here.Read Called to the Joy of Love here.Read Amoris Laetitia by Pope Francis here. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discusses the need to accompany grandparents and the elderly as a vital link between generations as in Called to the Joy of Love. This is particularly relevant as the Feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus, is on July 26th and the World Day for Grandparents and Elderly, established by Pope Francis, is the Fourth Sunday of July, this year it is on July 30th. The USCCB document Called to the Joy of Love is the national pastoral framework for marriage and family life ministry, which came out in 2021 and is inspired by Pope Francis' 2016 encyclical Amoris Laetitiaaddressing the pastoral care of families, following the Synods on the Family in 2014 and 2015. Called to the Joy of Love is meant for the marriage and family life directors in dioceses and is focused on the reality of family life today and how the Church can assist those who are to be married, those who are married, and those who are growing their family. The four pillars of this document are: prayer and relationship with Christ, formation, accompaniment, and advocacy within the public square.Listen to the first installment in the Called to the Joy of Love miniseries here.Listen to the second installment here on prayer and relationship with Christ.Listen to the third installment here on prayerful formation for marriage.Listen to the fourth installment here on accompaniment through marriage preparation.Listen to the fifth installment here on accompanying married couples in the early years of marriage.Listen to the sixth installment here on accompanying married couples through times of crisis.Listen to the seventh installment about accompanying couples who are separated or divorcedListen to the eighth installment about accompanying parents as they raise children.Listen to the ninth installment about accompanying couples who experience infertility.Listen to the tenth installment about single adults.Listen to the eleventh installment on accompanying widows and widowers. View Catholic Apostolate Center resources on Marriage and Family Life Here.Read Called to the Joy of Love here.Read Amoris Laetitia by Pope Francis here. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

A vivid definition of the Catholic Church is attributed to the literary giant James Joyce: Catholic means “here comes everybody.” Never in recent history has that felt more accurate than during the current Synod on Synodality. Lots of AMDG listeners have been active in the synod, participating in this global process of spiritual conversation and consultation. The synod comprises several stages, from the listening sessions in local churches all the way to the upcoming gatherings of the Synod of Bishops in Rome in October 2023 and 2024. For the first time ever, about 20% of the voting members of the synod will be made up of lay women and men. And last week, the General Secretariat of the Synod in Rome published a 60-page document called the “Instrumentum Laboris,” which will be the basis of the work of the Synod fathers and mothers when they gather. Unlike previous Synods, this Instrumentum Laboris is not a document to be amended and approved, but a series of questions on key topics related to communion, mission and participation in the church. The document itself is an incarnation of synodality, which makes space for all participants to be heard. One of the Synod team members who collaborated on this working document is Professor Anna Rowlands, today's guest. Anna holds the St. Hilda Chair in Catholic Social Thought and Practice at Durham University in the United Kingdom. She is a political theologian who works at the intersection of political and social theory and Christian theology. Anna is the author of an acclaimed book on Catholic Social Teaching titled “Towards a Politics of Communion: Catholic Social Teaching in Dark Times,” which was published in 2021. Anna is one of the few people on Earth who have read pretty much every word submitted to Rome from the church all over the world, so she brings an incredible wealth of experience and a truly global perspective to the conversation. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked her how the working document was shaped and for her take on the key themes that animate it. It is fascinating to hear what most surprised her as she took in such a enormous volume of testimony from every continent. We hope Anna's reflections will be a useful introduction for you and that you'll have the chance to read and pray with the working document, maybe even in spiritual conversation with people in your own local community. Read the working document: https://www.synod.va/en/news/instrumentum-laboris-a-document-of-the-whole-church.html Learn more about Professor Rowlands: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/anna-rowlands/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

Rev. Dr. Lawrence Rast, Jr, President of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, joins Andy and Sarah for our History of Lutheranism in America series to talk about how churches began to organize into large synods, how language played a role in the development of these synods, challenges these Lutherans faced, and two important characters in this story: C.F.W. Walther and Martin Stephan. Find all three episodes in this series at kfuo.org/tag/history-of-lutheranism-in-america.

In this week's edition of the Restless Natives bonus edition: a fishy jacket, synods and salt are the snack of Martin's childhood, a pair of red raw thighs, a proposition for a live in a bingo club, and a mistaken understanding of 'teetotal'. Make sure you subscribe and leave a 5 star review! If you'd like to share the times you've been a resourceful rascal, or want to get in touch, send an email to Hello@RestlessNativesPodcast.comPlease review Global's Privacy Policy: https://global.com/legal/privacy-po

Prayer on Behalf of the Synod Around the globe, numerous dioceses have organized Synods to engage both religious leaders and the laity in discussions on various topics. These Synods also take place at a national level. Later this year, Bishops, priests, and members of the laity will gather in Rome to deliberate upon the outcomes of these Synods. Consequently, the Bishops have requested prayers, specifically at Marian Shrines. In response to this appeal, a special prayer has been formulated to seek the protection and guidance of Our Lady over these Synods. To gain further insight, you can listen to a seven-minute audio clip. The initial segment, approximately three minutes long, offers a detailed explanation, while the second half features the recitation of the prayer. If you wish to follow along with the prayer, the QoAH's website / post has the text.

This is part 12 of the Early Church History class. Today we begin a two part series on the Christological controversies of the fourth century. Our focus for this episode is the conflict between Alexander, bishop of Alexandria, and his presbyter, Arius. You may be surprised to learn that Arius was not some youthful outsider spouting off obvious heresy. Rather than depending on what modern historians and biased apologists say, we'll depend on ancient historians and the surviving letters from Arius, Alexander, and Constantine to reconstruct what really happened. You may be surprised what we find. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BFihtpvP2o&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2lk3B0I7Pa77hfwKJm1SRI&index=12 Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts —— Links —— See other episodes and posts about Arius More Restitutio resources on Christian history See other 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 —— Bishop Alexander of Alexandria (bishop from 313-326) Authoritarian bishop (in the steps of Demetrius 80 years prior) Called together a meeting of clergy wherein “with perhaps too philosophical minuteness”[1], he explained the unity of the Father and the Son. Arius of Libya (260-336) Presbyter of ancient Baucalis Church in Alexandria Austere, ascetic, older man Highly intelligent and an expert logician Objected to Alexander's teaching about the unity of the Father and the Son, thinking it sounded like Sabellianism Investigation Alexander held two rounds of debates among clergy in which Arius participated. Alexander found both sides convincing but ended up siding with the eternal Son position. Alexander held a council of bishops and requested Arius to sign a confession of faith. Arius denied; Alexander excommunicated him 89 others left with Arius. Letter Wars Alexander wrote letters to other bishops against Arius. Alexander wrote an encyclical against Arius. Arius wrote letters looking for support. Eusebius of Nicomedia and Eusebius of Caesarea had Arius write a conciliatory letter to Alexander. Constantine wrote Alexander a letter which requested him to make peace with Arius. Arius' Theology Word/Son is first created being (before the ages) He is superior to all other created beings and objects. “There was when he was not.” God begat/created Christ out of nothing. Arius' Thalia[2]“According to the faith of the chosen ones of God, the knowledgeable children of God, the holy orthodox ones who have received the Spirit of the holy God, I have learnt these things from those who share wisdom, smart people, taught of God and wise in every way; in the steps of these I have come, I going along with them, I, the well-known, who have suffered much for the glory of God, who have learnt wisdom from God, and I know knowledge.”[3] “God then himself is in essence ineffable to all. He alone has neither equal nor like, none comparable in glory; We call him Unbegotten because of the one in nature begotten; We raise hymns to him as Unbegun because of him who has a beginning. We adore him as eternal because of the one born in time. The Unbegun appointed the Son to be Beginning of things begotten, and bore him as his own Son, in this case giving birth. He has nothing proper to God in his essential property, for neither is he equal nor yet consubstantial with him.”[4] Escalation 321 - Council in Bythinia (Eusebius of Nicomedia) 322 - Council in Alexandria (Alexander) 324 - Council in Alexandria (Hosius) 325 - Council in Antioch (Hosius) 325 - Council in Nicea (Constantine) Review Bishop Alexander of Alexandria began teaching that the Son of God was eternal. Presbyter Arius objected, teaching instead that because the Son of God was begotten, there was a time when he was not. After multiple debates, Alexander held a council and insisted Arius sign his confession or face excommunication. Arius refused. When Alexander ejected Arius from the churches in Alexandria, 89 others left with him, including clergy. Eusebius of Nicomedia and Eusebius of Caesarea tried to convince Alexander to reinstate Arius. Alexander wrote letters to bishops around the world, warning them not to accept Arius or those who believed like him. Although both Alexander and Arius were subordinationists, Alexander believed God was only greater than his Son in that he was unbegun, though both were eternal. Arius believed God's begetting of the Son was a creative act, though the Son was still supreme over every other creature. Arius did not invent the idea that the Son had a beginning, but his distinctive insistence that the Son was made from nothing (instead of from God) was new. Alexander's heavy-handed tactics polarized churches on this issue, resulting in emperor Constantine's involvement. [1] Socrates, Ecclesiastical History 1.5-6. [2] Thalia means abundance in Greek. [3] Beginning paragraph of Thalia cited from Athanasius, Orationes contra Arianos 1.5-6 in R. P. C. Hanson, The Search for a Christian Doctrine of God (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007), 12. [4] Athanasius, On the Synods of Arminium and Seleucia 15, trans. Stuart Hall in A New Eusebius, ed. J. Stevenson, rev. ed. (London: SPCK, 2013), 374-5.

In anticipation of Palm Sunday and Holy Week, P. Tara and John Fong discuss tools of spiritual vitality in times of change.John Fong is a Hybrid Church Growth Communications Consultant. A Synod of NE Innovation grant recipient, he is currently working with presbyteries and churches in three Synods. John uses church growth case studies, focuses on creating result/data-proven programs that help churches increase exposure, engagement, enhance overall communication, hybrid authenticity, and help churches grow. John is also a husband and father to three beautiful children, and is a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Lewiston, NY.Email - Johnchoufong@gmail.com Facebook me - @AskJohnFong Support the showWhen in Western New York, please join Pastor Tara in worship at First Presbyterian Church of Jamestown NY on Sundays at 10:30 am.

Lushes Part 2 and Cadaver Synods! Airheads this week, Trae dives deeper into the depths of drunken debauchery (narratively speaking) by covering some of history's most legendary fancy sots. Then the fellers discuss trash drinks and gettin trash drunk before Professor shares a truly wild lesson having to do with a whole buncha Popes, one of whom is dead, if not quite finished. It'll make sense later.  Thanks for listening, and remember, you can watch the show over at WatchPOA.com  Be sure to check out Patreon.com/TraeCrowder for bonus stuff from Trae!  And go to PartTimeFunnyMan.com for Corey's bonus essays, podcasts, videos, and more! This episode is brought to you by: SAVEWITHCONRAD.com - Make your financial dreams a reality. Visit  SaveWithConrad.com BETTERHELP - Discover your potential with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/POA today to get 10% off your first month. ROCKET MONEY - Take control of your subscriptions! Rocket Money identifies your subscriptions to help you stop paying for things you no longer need. Your concierge is there when you need them to cancel unwanted subscriptions, so you don't have to! Visit RocketMoney.com/POA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To make up for a lost Sunday School class recording, Brad is joined by PCA pastor Ryan Biese to work through Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 31, Of Synods and Councils. We examine the basics of presbyterian church government and make some contemporary applications. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/tqbHeMfNBZg?feature=share

In this conversation, co-hosts Miles Smith (Anglican), and D. G. Hart (Presbyterian) lean heavily on Korey Maas (Lutheran) to make sense of the dust up in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod over a new edition of Luther's Large Catechism. It comes from Concordia Publishing House and includes essays on various theological and moral topics. Some in the LCMS have detected the fingerprints of progressive politics (or worse) in some of the essays even while others regard those critics as leaning too far to the Right. This controversy relates to Presbyterians and Reformed Protestants (discussed in a previous episode) at their General Assemblies and Synods last summer potentially reflecting the nation's political climate more than they imagine. These incidents raise questions about the ability of confessional Protestants to escape some of the moral assumptions that drive so many of the contemporary partisan divides. If, for instance, even the deepest die-hard fans of Penn State football could not resist the rush to judgment in the Jerry Sandusky scandal (listen to this podcast to get up to speed), how well do Protestants, even with the good bones of Reformation-era confessions and functioning church polities, escape the most popular interpretations of news events and national politics? This episode's sponsor is Anthony Milton's recent book, England's Second Reformation: The Battle for the Church of England, 1625-1662. Follow us @IVMiles and @oldlife. Korey Maas remains unfollowable.