The book of Ecclesiastes gives us a clue for understanding the Church’s liturgical year, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.[i]” This verse reminds us that God created order and seasons with limits at the very heart of His creation, and that each of these seasons or times …
In the days of the Roman empire, when Christians were arrested and commanded to burn incense to the emperor or go to their death, countless Christians were thrown to the wild beasts. Brave young women like Perpetua and Felicity firmly believed that worship belonged to Jesus Christ alone, the one true living God and King, …
Should Christians Submit to Earthly Authorities? Read More »
Countless denominations cause many people today to associate Christianity with division and religious rivalry. The past lends some merit to this association. Back in the 16th and 17th century, Europe experienced severe religious conflict, one would even say warfare, between Protestants and Catholics. Back then denominational differences were a matter of life and death. This …
In a previous post, we answered the question: “Why Do We Celebrate the Lord’s Supper?” In this post, we want to answer the question: “How Do We Honor Christ in the Lord’s Supper?” In other words, how do we come to the Table of Christ (or not come to the Table) in a way that …
It’s one thing to be clueless. But have you ever known someone who was clueless about being clueless? Maybe she saw herself as a great cook, but anybody who tasted her food would strongly object. Maybe they figured they were the picture of health—despite what their friends (and doctors) kept saying about their diet and exercise (or …
Do you find history interesting? If you think history is all about memorizing dates, I doubt it. But, as many people have pointed out, maybe the best reason to study history is that it is so full of good stories. I studied ancient Greek in college, and if there’s one period of history that’s chock …
The Bible is a surprising book. When I first started reading it in high school, I regularly cocked an eyebrow at the things in it: stories of men and women doing shockingly ugly things— and of a God who loved them anyway. The Big Story of the Bible (and the thousands of smaller stories that …
What is a Creed? Everybody believes in something. As Burk Parsons points out in his short pamphlet “Why Do We Have Creeds?“, we use the words “I believe” to express our thoughts about nearly everything. At some point or another, they are found on the lips of every human being. The word “creed” is derived from …
(The reflections below were published in the Hickory Daily Record June 4, 2011 and also at http://corinthpastorbob.com/2011/06/loving-two-brides/ on the same date.) The entry is used here with permission from Rev. Dr. Bob Thompson of Corinth Reformed Church in Hickory, NC. Bob has posted on Red Door’s Blog before. Check out his last entry “When You …
