The Apostolic Fathers were a group of early Christian leaders and writers who lived in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries AD. They got their name because they had personal connections to the apostles of Jesus Christ or lived very soon after their time. The Apostolic Fathers are important because they provide a bridge between the apostles and later Christian leaders and thinkers. Some of the major Apostolic Fathers include Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna, Papias of Hierapolis, and the author(s) of the Didache. Here is a brief overview of each of these important Church…
Author: Erin Weitzman
The Mystery Religions The “mystery religions” were a group of ancient religious cults that existed around the Mediterranean region during the time of the Roman Empire. Some of the most well-known mystery religions included the cults of Isis, Mithras, Cybele, and Demeter. While each cult had its own set of beliefs and practices, they shared some common characteristics: Secrecy and Initiation Rites The most defining feature of the mystery religions was the fact that they required initiates to undergo complex initiation rituals in order to join the cult. These initiation rites were kept secret from outsiders, which is how the…
Lawyers play an important role in society by upholding justice, defending the rights of individuals, and helping navigate complex legal systems. The Bible does not directly discuss lawyers, as the modern conception of a lawyer did not exist at the time it was written. However, the Bible does speak to principles of justice, integrity, and advocacy that are relevant for thinking about the legal profession from a Christian perspective. Justice and the Legal System The Bible emphasizes the importance of justice and warns against perverting it with bribes or false testimony (Exodus 23:1-3, 6-8; Deuteronomy 16:18-20). God is said to…
The Scopes Monkey Trial, also known as The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes, was a famous trial in 1925 that debated whether evolution could be taught in public schools. The trial centered around John T. Scopes, a high school teacher who was accused of violating Tennessee’s Butler Act, which had made it unlawful to teach human evolution in any state-funded school. The trial gained widespread public attention as it pitted religious fundamentalism against scientific modernism and brought the debate over evolution into the public sphere. The roots of the trial began with the passage of the Butler Act…
The popular saying “everything happens for a reason” leaves many Christians wondering what the Bible actually teaches about this concept. At face value, it seems to suggest that all events, good or bad, are part of some grand divine plan. However, closer examination of Scripture reveals a more nuanced perspective. First, it’s important to distinguish between the notion of God’s sovereignty versus fatalism. The Bible clearly teaches that God is sovereign, meaning He is all-powerful and in control over everything that happens (Psalm 115:3, Isaiah 46:10). However, this does not mean God directly causes all events or that all things…
Superhero fiction, with its tales of powerful beings using their abilities to fight evil, has become immensely popular in recent decades. Movies, TV shows, video games, and comic books featuring superheroes regularly top the charts and pull in billions of dollars. Even Christians have become avid fans of superhero stories. But some believers wrestle with whether enjoying these fictional tales is acceptable for followers of Jesus. What does the Bible say about Christians being fans of superhero fiction? To begin, we should recognize that fictional stories themselves are not condemned in Scripture. Jesus frequently told fictional parables to teach spiritual…
The dispensation of human government refers to the period of time after the Flood in Genesis when God gave humans the responsibility to establish civil authority and govern themselves. This dispensation spans from the time after the Flood up until the establishment of the nation of Israel. After the Flood, God made a covenant with Noah and his sons, allowing them to repopulate the earth (Genesis 9:1). As part of this covenant, God instituted capital punishment for murder, stating that whoever sheds man’s blood shall have their blood shed by man (Genesis 9:6). This established the principle that humans should…
Self-image is how we see and think about ourselves. It is our inner perception and attitude toward who we are as individuals. The Bible has much to say about our self-image and highlights key principles that can lead to a healthy, God-centered self-view. We are created in God’s image The starting point for a biblical self-image is recognizing that human beings are made in the image and likeness of God. Genesis 1:26-27 tells us, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he…
The Bible warns about false apostles who preach a false gospel and lead people astray. The apostle Paul dealt with such false apostles in the early church, who desired to pervert the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-9). The Bible provides discernment on how to identify false apostles and protect against their deceptive teachings. Characteristics of False Apostles The Bible reveals key characteristics of false apostles that help discern them from true apostles of Christ: They preach a distorted gospel (Galatians 1:6-7) They disguise themselves as apostles of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:13) They seek personal gain and exploits believers (2 Corinthians…
The Bible does not provide much information about Joseph after Jesus’ birth. However, based on the few details that are mentioned, we can piece together a general timeline of Joseph’s life and where he likely was during Jesus’ adulthood. Joseph’s Presence in Jesus’ Early Years Joseph was present for Jesus’ birth and early childhood. He took Mary to Bethlehem when she was pregnant (Luke 2:4-5). After Jesus was born, Joseph brought him to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (Luke 2:22-24). Joseph also brought Jesus and Mary to Egypt to escape Herod’s decree to kill baby…