Free Republic

The religious left of this country seems to delight in mocking the laws of the Old Testament and in making fun of anyone who thinks that these laws should be regarded as part of the inspired word of God. It's amazing how often their sneering attempts at humor simply ignore long-established Christian ideas on how to study the Old Testament and how to apply it to our lives. Jesus and the apostles themselves emphasized the importance of the Hebrew scriptures. Jesus told his followers that he hadn't come to destroy the law or the prophets but to fulfill them. The...

A bit of exegesis from Christopher CookA little preamble for context purposes: I LOVE discussing theology, but I don't get to do it often, because I am so steeped in politics all the time. I don't represent a denomination or an agenda, and I'm certainly not a scholar. This is just a bit of exploration, the kind I really enjoy but rarely get to do. Let's see...maybe I can come up with a little accidental percipience on the subject of Matthew 7:16. "You will know them by their fruits." It seems to me that the production of fruit is, in...

The Nature of Fallen Humanity This chapter explores whether the Wesleyan concept of prevenient grace can be supported from the Scriptures. Before examining this question, I want to emphasize that there is a significant area of common ground between Wesleyans and Calvinists. The disagreements that we have in some areas can cause us to overlook the extent to which we agree on major doctrines. In one arena of theology, namely, anthropology, the harmony between Wesleyans and Calvinists is of the utmost importance and our harmony in this area should be celebrated. Both camps acknowledge that fallen human beings are born...

An online guide to the Latin Low Mass has been added to the Angelqueen site. Using a variety of sources, the Mass has been divided into sections with narrative explanation, illustration, history and background. The Latin is side by side with the English exegesis/translation. There are also sections on the altar setup,  the vestments, and the furnishings and equipment with photos and descriptions. You can start at the intro and click through the entire mass by hitting the "next" link on each page. Or use the table of contents to find various sections.One reason it was put together was to...

HELPFOR BIBLE STUDENTSbyDaniel J. Phillips, M.Div.  Part Two: The Science of Bible ReadingThe Bible is inspired, but it is not magic. Merely pointing our eyes at its pages is a good start. Many never get this far. But it is only a start! We must also use our God-given minds if we are to gain anything from the Bible. Scripture will not miraculously "zap" its meaning into our passive little brains, all by itself.Hear Paul’s counsel to Timothy: "Think about what I am saying; for the Lord will give you understanding in all things" (2 Timothy 2:7). Paul does not...