Historical Survey: Chrysostom and the Origenist Controversy (IV)

John, later named Chrysostom (“Golden Mouth”), was born in Antioch during the reign of emperor Constans which fell in the years 340-350.  He was trained in rhetoric by the renowned pagan Libanios.  In 371 John was appointed as an official reader in the Antioch church by bishop Meletios and having soon thereafter learned of plans [...]

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Fruit in the Trees of Jesus’ Garden (II)

As was implied by the last post of this title the story of Jesus calling Zacchaeus from a tree symbolizes the fruit of the Kingdom being brought in.  The following passage only helps to confirm this symbolism:
And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, [...]

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Faith and Eucharist: Aquinas and Calvin In Harmony

I recently presented (in class) a study concerning the placement of Thomas Aquinas and John Calvin within Henri de Lubac’s historical scheme (in his Corpus Mysticum). I concluded that they were men of there times but that they both retained a strong ecclesiology.  I also concluded the following:  Neither Thomas nor Calvin believed Christ’s presence [...]

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Historical Survey: Chrysostom and the Origenist Controversy (III)

The contest between Theophilos and John Chrysostom which began at John’s ordination now came to its climax.  The Long Brothers and the eighty fellow Nitrian monks with them had arrived in Constantinople in 400 and immediately prostrated themselves before John, recounting all of the horrendous acts performed against them by Theophilos.  John took two important [...]

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Rejecting the King Is a Greater Sin

The author of 1 Samuel relays the story of Israel’s desire for a King like the nations:
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge [...]

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Aquinas: The Son Is the One Idea

Commenting on Colossians 1:16 Thomas says:
He [Paul] says that the Son is the first-born of every creature because he is generated or begotten as the principle of every creature. And so he says, for in him all things were created.  
With respect to this, we should note that the Platonists affirmed the existence of Ideas, and [...]

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Calvin’s Theology of Sacramental Efficacy In a Nutshell

Commenting on Ephesians 5:26 Calvin declares: 
When Paul says that we are washed by baptism, his meaning is, that God employs it for declaring to us that we are washed, and at the same time performs what it represents [...] Others again suppose that too much importance is given to the sign, by saying that baptism [...]

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I Guess I’m a Sacramental Calvinist

In the great American debate between John Williamson Nevin and Charles Hodge, the problem [of predestination and the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist] resurfaced as an inner-Reformed controversy. Hodge was a predestinarian Calvinist, Nevin a sacramental Calvinist, and their debate may make one wonder if it is possible to be both at once. [...]

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Aquinas on the Order of Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians

The order of this epistle is fitting in that, after the two epistles to the Corinthians, in the first of which it is a question of the sacraments of the Church, and in the second, of the ministers of these sacraments, there should necessarily follow the epistle to the Galatians, treating of the termination of [...]

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Christian Music: Real or Potential?

And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him. (1 Samuel 16:23) 
As one who was once enveloped in the scene of “Christian” music I can say it is usually baptized [...]

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