WHAT IS TRUE? continued
In the prior post we explored how one’s worldview and scripture have influenced Christianity’s belief in orthodoxy. We continue this analysis by exploring how tradition, reason, emotion, and moral results have influenced this quest and shaped a balanced approach in Christianity’s search for truth. (. . . more)
The Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed replaced the dominate Logos centered Christian theology that placed Jesus as an intermediary between humans and God and subordinated the Son to the Father. Historical Context Before we discuss the Nicene Creed we need to set the stage for the controversy leading up to the 1st Council of Nicaea that created the Nicene Creed. Sadly, power-politics played a major role in the early Church. The major metropolitan areas of Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, and Antioch rivaled for supremacy. In particular, the two major schools located in Alexandria and Antioch engaged in sustained and intense rivalry for centuries. The Christian school of Alexandria tapped into a long legacy of learning based in that city. During the 3rd...Period III – Modern Christianity
1 – Witches and the Supernatural (pending) 2 – The Enlightenment (pending) 3 – Age of Reason (pending) 4 – Deism (pending) 5 – Congregationalist (pending) 6 – Baptists (pending) 7 – Quakers (pending) 8 – Moravians and other groups (pending) 9 – Pietism (pending) 10 – The First Great Awakening (pending) 11 – Religion and Revolution (pending) 12 – Methodists and the holiness movement (pending) 13 – The Second Great Awakening (pending) 14 – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (pending) 15 – Seventh-Day Adventist &...Period II – The Reformation
1 – Life in the Middle-Ages (pending) 2 – The Crusades (pending) 3 – The Black Death (pending) 4 – Papal Schism and Counciliorism (pending) 5 – Indulgences, Church Finances & Politics (pending) 6 – Early Reformer Wyclif & Hus (pending) 7 – The Renaissance and Christian Humanism (pending) 8 – Martin Luther and the 95 Theses (pending) 9 – Luther’s Theology of Law and Gospel (pending) 10 – The Sacraments and Priesthood of All Believers (pending) 11 – Reformed Theology – Zwingli & Calvin (pending) 12 – Lutheran Theology verses Reformed...The Greco-Roman World
Judaism gave birth to Christianity in a Greco-Roman world where Christianity’s Jewish roots merged with the Roman imperial culture and Greek philosophical ideas to mold Christianity into the institution it became in the early Church and through the Middle-Ages. Some of this Greco-Roman influence can be seen in the following ways: Plato’s philosophy greatly influenced the early Christian debate regarding the nature of God, Aristotle’s philosophy was the basis for much of the scholastic movement in the Church during the late Middle-Ages, Pilgrimages to Greek oracles paved the way to monasticism, and The Roman magisterial structure influenced the Church organization. You may recall the comical father of the bride in the movie “Big Fat...CLEARSTONE PUBLISHING:
Amora is a sweeping action-adventure and a moving examination of spirituality and faith based on the true story of the noblewoman who inspired Justin Martyr’s petition to the Roman Senate.
The story follows Leo, a stern Patrician, who finds his life turned upside down after he betrays his Christian wife and her slave to die in the arena. Meanwhile, the slave’s fiancé seeks revenge, and Leo’s crippled son struggles with the loss of his mother as he pursues a budding romance.
Praise from Reviewers:
"This is a powerful story that will, unquestionably, resonate with people of faith, but has enough universal appeal to find a home with crossover readers as well."
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"The core concept of the novel feels like Christian forgiveness on a collision course with revenge."
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"The ideas of vengeance and forgiveness as two sides of a coin is a really compelling underlying motif for this novel."
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"I loved the inexorable pull of vengeance and betrayal pulling on all the characters. Knowing that the merciless hand of fate is moving towards Leo, creates the kind of delicious tension that drives stories in this genre."
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"We watch these characters struggle in different ways but all of them find their way to the same place at the end. I liked seeing the tension throughout the book as these moments of fate and decision wound together."
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"The novel does a great job zooming out for the big picture but also being able to really focus in on intimate human details and moments with these characters."
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"The blending of several distinct and quite separate storylines come together very well and provide an emotionally satisfying end to the book."
E-book now available for preorders.
Publication date: Sept. 10, 2020