Author: Richard

  • Pentecostal Theology

    Richard

    Pentecostalism had its humble beginning in Topeka Kansas. In 1900, Charles Fox Parham started Bethel Bible School, of which he was the only teacher. A few years earlier, both Parham and his son had fallen ill. He refused all medical treatment and placed his faith in the Holy Spirit’s power of divine healing. At Bethel, he… Read more

  • Baptist Theology

    Richard

    There are an estimated 170 million people in the world who identify as Baptist. The defining belief of Baptists is that infants should not be baptized. Baptism requires the full immersion of a confessed believer. This is referred to as a believer’s baptism. Although the Anabaptist movement also rejected infant baptism, its influence on the… Read more

  • Anglican/Episcopal Theology

    Richard

    The Anglican denomination derives from the Church of England. Churches that began as part of the Church of England tend to be called Anglican and those that formed outside of the Church of England but held to the same doctrine and liturgy tend to be called Episcopal. Care must be taken to distinguish between a… Read more

  • Eastern Orthodox Theology

    Richard

    Eastern Orthodoxy begins with the understanding that the people and practices closest in time to Christ and early Christianity are the most reliable sources of correct theology and correct church practices. Eastern Orthodoxy therefore seeks to preserve these traditions and to not let them be corrupted by modern inventions. The importance of staying true to… Read more

  • The Existence of God – Moral Arguments

    Richard

    In my experience, ontological arguments are not very effective apologetic tools. Cosmological and design arguments are much better and tend to make people more open to the possibility that a personal creator God exists. Moral arguments seem to do the best in actually convincing people of a personal God that cares about the moral behavior… Read more

  • The Existence of God – Design Arguments

    Richard

    Design Arguments – General Design arguments for the existence of God are not logical deductions but inferences based on observation. Consider, for example, you are walking through a field and come across a pocket watch. You will automatically assume that the watch had an intelligent designer and maker due to the distinct characteristics of the watch… Read more

  • The Existence of God – Cosmological Arguments

    Richard

    Cosmological arguments are based on the observable fact that the universe exists rather than nothing existing. Why is there anything at all? And why is there something that exists that can ask the question of why anything exists? Is it possible that the universe is the total of all reality and requires nothing else, or it… Read more

  • The Existence of God – Ontological Argument

    Richard

    The ontological argument for the existence of God is the most famous and has been heavily analyzed and debated ever since its formulation by St. Anselm of Canterbury in the 11th century.[i] In its most common form, the ontological argument defines God as a being of which nothing greater can be conceived. Given this, there are two possibilities.… Read more

  • C.S. Lewis on Christ’s Atoning Work

    Richard

    C.S. Lewis considers the fact of the Atonement as central to Christianity but considers theories of the Atonement important only if they are personally helpful. Lewis writes, “The central Christian belief is that Christ’s death has somehow put us right with God and given us a fresh start. Theories about it are another matter … Theories about Christ’s… Read more

  • Christ’s Atoning Work

    Richard

    In Christianity, the Atonement refers to the redemptive effect of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. Through these works, Christ atoned for our sins, making it possible for unrighteous sinners to become positionally righteous in the eyes of God and to be adopted into His family. The words atone and atonement are portmanteaus of “at” and “one”… Read more