Prayer Starter

 Sacraments Powerpoint In our study we see how man has taken the simplicity of the New Testament church and complicated it for man's own benefit.  Pagan and Greek influence, along with a strong coalition of Jews wanting to return Christianity to the Jewish ways, has taken the concept of the church into a complicated organization. Church leaders gave themselves power and the common Christian was led to believe they had to depend on priests and bishops to plead to God for their forgiveness. I Peter 2:9 is our key verse: B ut you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. God made all Christians priests in HIs New Covenant.

 Constante and the Church (or, as I like to say, How We got Easter ). Powerpoint of Lesson Slides Notes Interesting Reads on the Internet Unknown Author.  Roman Empire under Constantine Map . It is a quick read about the Roman Empire and his favorabilty of Christians.  Quick Historical Read on Easter (Warning: It takes a non-Christian view, but the history is consistent with what we know). Roman Empire Maps Mattox, F.W. 1955.  The Eternal Kingdom   (You may also purchase on Amazon). The Growth of Sects Mattox identifies a number of sects that arose in the middle of the second century (pp 111 ff ). Here is a short list for your research: Gnostics - various parts of the Roman world. Neoplatonism Manichaeism The Ebonites Monarchianism Donatists Millennialism Future Lessons April 28, 2024 - The Sacraments May 5, 2024 - The Popes Become Powerful May 12, 2024 -  The Protestant Reformation May 19, 2024 - The Restoration Movement May 26, 2024 - The Church in Bay C...

The Canonization of the Bible Who decided what books and letters would be included in the Bible?  Why are there 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament?   Who decided which letters and books should be included? Why are some letters left out? Today's Google Slide Lesson Note page Today's Powerpoint Lesson Interesting Short Articles  on the Subject: I am not endorsing any of these writers, but they provide some interesting research on the subject. Josh McDowell's Lasted Discussion Short Essayby Michael Kruger Bart D. Ehrman The Wikipedia article seems well balanced and research is not prejudice.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_apocrypha The Imaginative Conservative  - viewpoint from a modern day Catholic convert. Note: this guy is a bit messed up, but note he points out that the aprocophal books were to be rejected. Yet, he accepts them because later versions of Catholic councils accepted them. The Apocrypha Read more about Eus...

  Left: Engraving of Justin Martyr in André Thévet, “Les Vrais Pourtraits et Vies Hommes Illustres” (1584); right: A bearded Justin Martyr presenting an open book to a Roman emperor. Engraving by Jacques Callot; published by Israël Henriet (1632-1635). [Images: Wikipedia] April 7, 2024 "b y the second century A.D., the Christian religion had spread beyond its original Jewish context into a pagan world that very often misunderstood and hated it. Its circumstances were, in that respect, much like our own. Only worse, of course. For in those days, to become a Christian was to invite more than merely the contempt of the intelligentsia or mockery within the popular culture. It was to risk death at the hands of the state." (The Catholic World Report, April 4, 2024). Powerpoint Handout Summary of our studies Other Readings - related to our discussion, but not necessarily articles I endorse. Christian Apologetics in a Nutshell The Unapologetic Apologist: Five lessons from St. Justin ...