There is a peculiar quality about Scripture that often escapes modern readers. We tend to think in terms of chapters, arguments, or theological systems. The Bible, however, frequently compresses entire spiritual worlds into a single line. One such line appears in Micah: It is only one verse, in one chapter, in one prophetic book and […]
Judgement, Repentance, Restoration: The Bible’s Core Pattern Read More »
Introduction The Everlasting Man is G.K. Chesterton’s attempt to show that two things in history are far stranger than modern people tend to admit: the sudden appearance of man as a symbolic, meaning-seeking creature, and the appearance of Christ as a figure who refuses to fit into any normal category of myth, philosophy, or politics. Rather
Why Chesterton’s Everlasting Man Still Matters Read More »
The third century witnessed one of the most significant theological controversies in the early Church, a dispute that would fundamentally shape Christian understanding of God’s nature for centuries to come. Sabellianism, also known as Modalism or modalistic monarchianism, emerged as a serious challenge to orthodox Christian teaching about the relationship between the Father, Son, and
Sabellianism: The Modalist Controversy and the Church’s Understanding of the Trinity Read More »
The second and third centuries of the Christian era witnessed a succession of theological controversies that would shape the doctrinal foundations of the Catholic faith for all subsequent ages. Among these early disputes, Adoptionism stands as one of the most significant challenges to orthodox Christology. This heresy, which asserted that Jesus Christ was born as
Adoptionism: The Early Church’s Battle for the Divine Sonship of Christ Read More »
The story of Donatism starts with something recognisable: a church split over purity. Fourth-century North Africa saw Christian communities tear themselves apart over a question that still surfaces today. If your priest or bishop has sinned badly, maybe even betrayed Christ, can they still administer valid sacraments? The Donatists said no. The wider Church, especially
When Holiness Became a Weapon: The Donatist Controversy Read More »
Introduction The second century presented the nascent Christian church with numerous theological challenges, yet few proved as consequential as the teachings of Marcion of Sinope. This wealthy shipowner turned religious teacher arrived in Rome around 140 AD with ideas that would shake the foundations of Christian orthodoxy and force the church to clarify its core
Marcionism and the Early Church Response Read More »
I. Introduction: Manichaeism – A Universal Religion of Cosmic Despair Manichaeism represents one of the most intellectually sophisticated and historically impactful challenges to the nascent Catholic faith. Founded in the third century AD by the Parthian Iranian prophet Mani (c. 216–274) in the Sasanian Empire, it quickly established itself as a major world religion. While
The Ghost of Mani: Why the Ancient Heresy of Dualism Still Haunts Catholic Thought Read More »
Walk into the mind of an ancient Babylonian, and you will find a universe not unlike the mythological stage of a Greek tragedy: gods at war, gods begetting other gods, gods enslaving men. The heavens and the earth themselves were often imagined as the leftovers of some cosmic butcher shop, the dismembered carcass of a
The Story That Shook the Ancient World Read More »
There are few things more instructive than watching an honest man be perfectly wrong. I had occasion to observe this curious phenomenon during what should have been an unremarkable game of pool. My friend, and he is both friend and honest man, stood over the final shot, the black ball between him and victory. My
The Invisible Foul: A Pool Table Parable on Spiritual Blindness Read More »
In that strange and sobering tale from the First Book of Samuel, the Ark of the Covenant is returned to the Israelites after wreaking havoc among the Philistines. It had crushed Dagon, the god of grain and thunder, in his own temple—first knocking him face-down before the Ark, then shattering his head and hands on
Grasping at God: Why We Must Let Go and Let Grace In Read More »
