A reminder to all that this is offered up as a Calvinist/Reformed Caucus thread. In keeping with the guidelines posted by the Religion Moderator, Catholics/Orthodox/non-Reformed Protestants are welcome to post comments, but as guests in our house. Restraint from attacks would be appreciated. This thread is posted to inform, support and defend the historic and Biblical background of the Protestant Reformation.
My Protestant brothers and I are so unappreciated.
*Sniff*
Had enough of the Catholic/Orthodox Caucus threads with the Fathers, eh? LOL!
That's an excellent article, Alex. I can't find a thing in it I disagree with from a patristics standpoint. I particularly liked this (which will come as no surprise):
"What is theoria?
It's a spiritual meaning, inherent in the literal framework of the text, which takes the reader to higher plane of contemplation. Eastern Orthodox folks are very familiar with this way of reading the Bible."
Theoria is a little discussed subject in the West.
And this bears repeating:
"Finally, we will surround our reading with prayer. Prayer was the sine qua non of the Fathers in understanding Scripture."
Early Christian writings:
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/
**The Protestants...agreed basically with Roman Catholics. Both confessed the Trinity and the two natures of Christ. And if we ask where these accepted doctrines came from—they came from **
Bingo! Thanks for posting this!
An excellent article. I know Calvin often refers to Chrysostom but I haven't read much by him. He's on my list.
People should read the fathers. They give a lot of insight as to their thought process. Sometimes they get a bit wacky but there are great truths as well.
For the benefit of those unfamiliar with Calvin and the other reformers, it would be interesting and beneficial to show the comparatives between the writings of the Early Church Fathers and the Reformers, much like I did on the ECF threads. Thanks.
This is why a brother in Christ of mine, a conservative Baptist type once told me of his attitudes towards Protestants from Anglicans to Presbyterians "...the past churches would split out of denominations because they were hearing things that were against the word of God. Sometimes they would keep ideas and just reform them. The hooks left in the jaw of the protestant churches in their reform are the very same hooks that are drawing them back to the RCC[and Orthodox church]... They [mainline Protestants] cannot understand us because they were never of us. Anabaptist were on the outside of the RCC while the RCC is their mother. It is no wonder they understand her."