Doug’s Theological Thoughts

  • Saints of the Day – 2024-11-23

    Here are the Saints of the Day Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium, Gregory, Bishop of Agrigentum, Dionysios, Patriarch of Constantinople, Ischyrion, Bishop of Egypt, Afterfeast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple, Sisinios the Confessor Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium He lived about 340-394 AD. His biography can be found here. He is important for…

  • The Seven Great Ecumenical Councils

    It’s really the beauty of the Seven Ecumenical Councils. They took the Fathers and the Scriptures and reached the conclusions we have today in the Church. The Trinity, the Deity of Christ, the selection of the canon, rejection of iconoclasts, and many others. It was all based on the pattern from the first council in…

  • Lists of Apostles

    Similarities and Differences in the lists of the names of the Apostles Matthew and Mark have the same names, in a different order to each other, and with some different details. The Synoptic Gospels match for the most part, but Luke has a different name for one of the apostles compared to Matthew and Mark.  Matthew and…

  • Interesting Fifth Century Amulet

     An interesting fifth century object was found in Turkey. The object was interpreted by the Turkish archaeological authorities as King Solomon which Islam sees as Prophet Solomon. “The depiction of Prophet Solomon on this necklace surprised us and revealed the importance of the artifact for Anatolian archaeology,” said Çelikbaş. Anatolia is a region of Turkey.…

  • Saints for 2024-11-22

    The Saints for today: Archippus the Apostle, Philemon the Apostle & his wife, Apphia, Onesimos the Disciple of Paul (Today’s Epistle reading) Holy Martyr Cecilia and those with her, Afterfeast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple Kallistos Xanthopoulos, Patriarch of Constantinople Anthimos, President of Crete Righteous Jacob of Evia Archippus According to…

  • The Elect One

    There’s an Old Testament prophecy in the book of Isaiah that is a prophecy of the Messiah. Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. The Messiah is the Elect One. This theme…

  • Gospel Reading 2024-11-22

    LUKE 19:12-28 The Lord said this parable, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten pounds, and said to them, ‘Trade with these till I come.’ But his citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying, ‘We do not…

  • Epistle Reading 2024-11-22

    ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO PHILEMON 1:1-25 PAUL, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker, and Apphia our sister and Archippos our fellow soldier, and the church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God…

  • Web Resources on the Church Fathers and the Bible

    Helpful Study Resources This list should grow with time but here’s a start with the tools I’m using presently. Saints of the Day – Detailed accounts of the lives of the Saints of the Day CatenaBible – Click on a verse and see commentary from the Church Fathers on the verse BlueLetterBible – Useful for looking…

  • Philip the Evangelist was one of the Seven Deacons

    The Apostles in Jerusalem Selected Seven Deacons There are two Philips in the Book of Acts. One of them is Philip who is one of the 12 apostles. The other Philip was selected as one of the seven Deacons in Acts 6.  Act 6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen,…

  • Sola Fide

    “Orthodoxy abhors theological innovation and Luther did two things at the same time; he committed heresy by introducing a theological innovation and he committed schism by rejecting those who did not hold to sola fide, e.g., the early church fathers and the Orthodox Church.” “The issue here is not Pelagianism or Semi-Pelagianism.  The real issue…

  • Conditions for Salvation?

    How is someone saved? Luke 8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Mark 16:16 He that believeth…

  • Orthodox Apologetics Calvinism V. Arminianism

     

  • Cherry Picking the Fathers

    Great post on Evangelicals cherry picking of the Church Fathers: Does Theological Retrieval Work? Gavin Ortlund’s switch to the Baptist tradition based on his personal study is a good example of theology as a self-constructed project (See Ortlund 2013). Herein lies the methodological divide between Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy. In Orthodoxy, one receives the Faith…

  • Epistle Reading 2024-11-21

    Hebrews 9:1-7 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the…

  • Gospel Reading 2024-11-21

    Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be…

  • The Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians – Early Church Structure

    In Ignatius Chapter 8: He that is within the altar is pure, but he that is without is not pure; that is, he who does anything apart from the bishop, and presbytery, and deacons, such a man is not pure in his conscience.  The Letters of Ignatius are very early. Hisg seven epistles preserved under…

  • Sufficiency of Scripture?

    Missing Books? In Saint Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (called 1 Corinthians in our Bibles), Paul refers to a previous letter. This letter is no longer existent (as far as anyone knows). 1 Corinthians 5:9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people… Paul refers to a letter to…

  • Human Letters Were Written in Hearts Before Written Letters

    The Apostle Paul wrote this second letter to the Church at Corinth. Paul’s first visit to Corinth had previously occurred during his second missionary journey and lasted for almost two years (50-52 A.D.) ref: Paul’s Visits and Letters to Corinth. In the letter Paul describes the Church there are the product of his preaching.  2 Corinthians…

  • Gospel Reading 2024-11-20

    Luke 18:15-17;, 26-30   And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto…

  • Epistle Reading 2024-11-20

    Colossians 3:17-25, 4:1 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey…

  • Orthodoxy on Calvin and Calvinism

    The Orthodox Church produced the following document: The Confession of Patriarch Dositheos of Jerusalem (1672).  This Confession of Faith has been ratified by all of the autocephalous Churches (Jerusalem, Russia, and Georgia in 1672; Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and the Bulgarians under the EP at the Council of Constantinople in 1723. St. Justin Popovich and St.…

  • The Perspicuity of Scripture

    One of the more curious novelties of the Protestants is the notion of the “The Perspicuity of Scripture”.  One definition of this idea is found here: The doctrine of the clarity of Scripture (often called the “perspicuity of Scripture”) teaches that “the meanings of the text can be clear to the ordinary reader, that God uses…

  • Private Interpretation of Scripture

    Looking at this passage: 2 Peter 1:20-21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Protestant Understandings of this Passage Like most…

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