News on Ecumenism between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church

Well, to finish off the year, I must say that there is some hope for ecumenism on the horizon on our planet. And, that is good news to finish off the year or perhaps to start the new one. An article from the Catholic News Agency just a couple of weeks ago gives us the heads up on the matter. The article is titled: Ecumenism with Orthodox is near to Pope's heart, cardinal says, and it is written by Kerri Lenartowick. The author says that Swiss Cardinal Kurt Koch told CNA on December 13^th that “I think the ecumenical issue and the ecumenical challenge is very close to his heart....” Moreover, It has been a few days, and I have no news on the matter, but from December 14^th through the 19th, Cardinal Koch was going to travel to Russia to meet with leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church. This sounds like good news with relevance to ecumenism. You can find the link to read the entire article just below. I hope you enjoy reading it. Blessings!

Ecumenism with Orthodox is near to Pope's heart, cardinal says :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)


Reference:

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/

Augustine's World - By Robert D. Kaplan | Foreign Policy

I wanted to share this article by Robert D. Kaplan on Foreign Policy Magazine with you the reader. I enjoyed reading it very much, and I feel that it gives a really good historical understanding to why ecumenism is so difficult. To make things brief, the link to the article is below, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Blessings!

Augustine's World - By Robert D. Kaplan | Foreign Policy

The Way in which Scriptures are Viewed is Most Likely the Reason Why There is No Unity Amongst Christians.

"Sola Scriptura" and the “Five solas” are fundamental doctrinal principles of the Protestant Reformation; however, it is very possible that they are the principles that are keeping many divided from other Christians. I was born into a Protestant denomination, and although I do not agree with all of what I call Post-Reformist Thought, I believe that perhaps “Sola Scriptura” is the most troubling when it comes to ecumenism. The Scriptures are indeed very important….

The Road to Emmaus is a post resurrection story found in the Gospel of Luke 24:13-32 in which Jesus spoke with two disciples: “[25] And he said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! [26] Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" [27] And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself (Bible, Revised Standard Version).” It is obvious that the Old Testament Scriptures played a significant role in how Jesus was able to communicate his point to Cleopas and the other disciple. So, Hebrew Scriptures were very important to Jesus. Moreover, St. Paul said in 2 Timothy 3: "[15] and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. [16] All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work himself (Bible, Revised Standard Version) ." Scriptures are fundamental and essential in and to the Christian Faith. However, we also need to know Church history and understand how the canon came about. I once heard a priest say that "the Bible is the word of God, but not necessarily the words of God." Now, if you disagree with this previous thought, I suggest that you do the historical research to make your defense, and ask yourself if the stance you are taking is completely and truthfully defendable. Moreover, making Scriptures the final authority in Christianity is very perplexing since the Church existed before the New Testament Canon we have today. But, please do not misunderstand me, the Scriptures are extremely important, but when placed on so high a pedestal, we probably turn the Scriptures into an Idol. Scriptures should have a high regard, but what I have noticed in the many years in which I have been a Christian is that many times they are misused and taken out of context to make a point in a sermon or a homily rather than having a simple reading or an exposition of them. Furthermore, many times the person delivering said sermon becomes the center of focus rather than the Word of God because of the mysterious revelation this person brings by taking Scriptures out of context. And then, to make things worse, we ultimately get a culture that almost worships these men. If you want a good example of what I mean, just turn on your TV set here in America and watch all the various Televangelists that are trying to get your attention. Now, if you think they are interested in worldwide Christian Unity, think again. I suggest you e-mail them and ask them that question, and I am sure you will find that most do not want to share the wealth in the business they are in. Now, if this has really become a business for them, I think that you should also question if this form of Christianity lines up with the teachings of Jesus, entirely. I do not want to pick on Televangelist alone because this type of preaching takes place in many Evangelical churches across America, or at least most of the ones I have attended which is also quite a few. To close and make this post brief, the issue is that Jesus said that the two most important commandments are to “love God, and love our neighbor as ourselves.” If these are the two most important commandments, than even the Scriptures alone do not come before them. Saint Francis is known for the quote: “Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words.” I think that there is a great deal of weight to this simple saying because to me it seems to line up with what Jesus taught. These days I wonder if we are actually moving away from “Sola Scriptura,” and more into how a preacher or what a preacher interprets from them rather than reading them and seeing what the Holy Spirit is saying to us. Do you really believe that Scriptures were written to divide us as Christians? I really doubt it, but many Christians go as far as thinking that because others do not understand Scriptures the way they do than they are probably not even Christians. I am sorry to burst your bubble, but if you think this way, I am here to tell you that Anglicans, Evangelicals, Coptic, Orthodox, Roman Catholics, and many more are all Christians whether we understand Scriptures the same or not. You may disagree, but that is your opinion. I suggest you start talking to some of these Christians you think are not real Christians, you may find that you are the one that is less of a Christian if your thinking does not line up with the teachings of Jesus more than theirs. The problem with ecumenism in Christianity is that there has always been more monologue than dialogue, to borrow an idea from my own father who sometimes does not completely agree with my thinking on Scriptures, but at least knows that he and I are both Christian. Finally, I hope this post opens your mind on the concept of ecumenism and how the Scriptures relate to it. Blessings and I hope you enjoyed reading.

Reference:

Bible, Revised Standard Version, http://quod.lib.umich.edu/r/rsv/browse.html

The Global Ecumenical Theological Institute

I, perhaps, should have posted something about the Global Ecumenical Theological Institute which is taking place right now in South Korea.  The Global Ecumenical Theological Institute lasts two weeks and is being sponsored by the World Council of Churches, and the purpose is to think about the current state of ecumenism and also justice and peace. One hundred and fifty theology students have been invited to participate. Below is the link to an article by Rich Barlow from Boston University about two of those who have been invited, I hope you enjoy reading it. Blessings!

Can Christians Play Well—with One Another? | BU Today | Boston University

Brief Thoughts on the Recent Church Bombing in Pakistan

Ecumenism promotes unity among the many religious groups and denominations of Christianity. Ecumenism exists, but the level of unity if weighed on a scale would perhaps not be as heavy as perceived. Recently, two suicide bombers blew themselves up inside an old Anglican church in Pakistan after a Sunday Mass. A friend on Facebook posted something about it, and in reality he questioned whether any of our ministers here in America had “preached about, mentioned or even prayed for the Christians terrorized in Pakistan. In fact, have the Christians being persecuted in Egypt been mentioned in your church in the last couple months? Please, diatribes. I'm just curious if churches are talking about their Christian brothers and sisters dying around the globe.”[1] My initial response to his comments was as follows: I think that you are making a very good point here in questioning this…. I personally feel that we need more ecumenism among all Christians. I sometimes feel and wonder if Baptists or Presbyterians think that Coptics or Orthodox, and Roman Catholics are their brothers and sisters and vice versa. We need more unity. I feel that most Christians are too obsessed with doctrines and dogma, and forget about "weightier matters of the law." The fact is that if this discussion was taking place, it was because many of us know that the reality is that the Church is nowhere near being one.

In the recent bombing it is clear that the enemies of Christianity are seemingly very united. In this specific case it was two radical Muslims, although mainstream Islam does not condone this type of violence there are radical factions that do. But, how is Christianity going to stand up to their enemies with its greatest weapon which is “loving our neighbor” if we do not show love and support for our own. Indeed, all Christians need to begin to consider if we indeed understand the prayer of Jesus in John 17: 21 which was: "I pray that they may all be one…."Abraham Lincoln use to say that he defeated his enemies by making them his friends. Christians need to first make friends with their own brothers and sisters, regardless of which group or denomination, so they can then reach out to other faiths in love and make them their friends also. This world would definitely be a better place to live if we all loved one another. Thank you for taking your time to read my post, and blessings to you! One quick note, if you did not even know anything about the recent bombing in Pakistan, below is a link that can inform you more about it.

Humanity Defeated Again in Pakistan, Over 80 Christians Killed · Global Voices

---

[1] Friend quoted from a Facebook post

Arango's Apologetics Page: An Absolute Right? on Enough Is Enough media

This post is only for the purpose of guiding you to the new post on my other blog, Arango's Apologetics Page. I really feel that this post is very important, and I did not want you to miss it, just in case you are not a reader of my other blog. Thank you for reading! The link to the post is below.


Arango's Apologetics Page: An Absolute Right? on Enough Is Enough media

Pray for Syria

Malula in Syria is probably one of the last places on Earth that Aramaic, the language of Jesus, is still spoken.The following recent news is very disturbing: "A militant with rebel group Jabhat al Nusra, an al Qaeda affiliate, blew himself up in a car bomb attack near a checkpoint of the Syrian army at the entrance of the Christian town of Malula (http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/generalnews/2013/09/04/Syria-NGO-Qaeda-militants-attack-Christian-loyalist-town_9244666.html)."

The New York Times published an article by Robert F. Worth on April 22, 2008 titled: In Syrian Villages, the Language of Jesus Lives. This article is very informative with relevance to Malula. In the article Worth said: "Once a large population stretching across Syria, Turkey and Iraq, Aramaic-speaking Christians have slowly melted away, some fleeing westward, some converting to Islam (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/22/world/middleeast/22aramaic.html?_r=0)."

All I have to say to my readers is to please pray for Syria and all of its residents, so that they can soon have peace. Thank you and blessings to all!

References:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/22/world/middleeast/22aramaic.html?_r=0

http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/generalnews/2013/09/04/Syria-NGO-Qaeda-militants-attack-Christian-loyalist-town_9244666.html

Syria: NGO,al Qaeda militants attack Christian loyalist town - General news - ANSAMed.it

Canada and the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, or in other words, prayer for ecumenism is celebrated January 18^th through the 25^th, and prepared each year in a different country under the direction of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in Rome and the Geneva-based World Council of Churches’ Faith and Order Commission. The last time Canada was involved in the preparation was 106 years ago. This coming January, Canadians have written “the biblical reflections, prayer services and educational materials to be used worldwide.”

Read more about the details in an article written by Michael Swan in The Catholic Register that is titled: Canadian Prayers for Unity. The article can be found at the link below, I hope you enjoy reading it.

Canadian prayers for unity

References:

http://www.catholicregister.org/news/canada/item/16656-canadian-prayers-for-unity

www.councilofchurches.ca.

Cardinal speaks at Focolare centre on ecumenical legacy of Vatican II on Independent Catholic News

In this post I just wanted to share this article which is written about a Cardinal delivering a memorial lecture. Basically, the article looks at ecumenism from the perspective of Roman Catholic Cardinal, Cormac Murphy-O’Connor. The article by Noreen Lockhart makes the following statement at one point: 

"Over the 50 years since the Vatican Council, the ecumenical journey has known significant historic moments. Among these the Cardinal highlighted Pope John Paul II’s visit to Canterbury Cathedral in 1982 which he saw as "a beginning of new life, new hope". The Cardinal also cited the importance of Pope Francis’ recent meeting with Archbishop Justin Welby."

Please read the entirety of the article at the link below.

Cardinal speaks at Focolare centre on ecumenical legacy of Vatican II on Independent Catholic News

Reference:

http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=22917

The Reason for the Last Two Posts

The reason and reasoning behind the last two posts is perhaps to show the importance of the Apostolic Fathers in Church History. Now, more or less, as I have said before I believe that it is very significant to be clear about where Christianity comes from in history in order to know the strong foundation it has to build its future, ecumenically. Strong foundations as used in this previous thought can be the very earliest reason for Christianity’s existence. It is my belief that documentation is more than enough proof as to why Christianity should exist and why it exists. But, in the book I am writing with the same title as this blog, I wanted to show a transitional period that begins where the New Testament Canon ends without jumping 200 years to the Edict of Milan and the subsequent Ecumenical Councils, or perhaps even worse at the Reformation which is where perhaps many Protestants or Evangelicals I have known would prefer Church history would begin. Please, if you are my Protestant or Evangelical brother or sister, do not take the previous comment the wrong way, but sometimes growing up with an Evangelical background this was the feeling I got. It seems like the book of Acts ended and the Reformation began, and the period in between was the Dark Ages. Excuse me, but we have enough documentation to show it was not a dark age, altogether. Although, when I eventually cover the Crusades it will seem like the very darkest of ages, perhaps. Of course, some Christian denominations cover more of the entire spectrum of Christian history in their teachings or catechism, and I commend this very much. I hope you enjoyed my comments…blessings!

The Didache

The Didache is The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles...Didachē in Greek it means “teaching.” This document is dated by to the late first or early second century. Let’s just say it is from around the year 110. Some Church Fathers had it as part of the New Testament. It is indeed part of the writings of the Apostolic Fathers. I personally believe that it should be part of the New Testament Canon today, and I would place it right after the book of Acts, but that is just my opinion. This document is also the very first written catechism; therefore, it set the guidelines for the Church to grow and have structure. Perhaps because of our arrogance during many Church Councils, we have limited the writings that are very,very,  important...of course, this is just my opinion, and you are welcome to give your opinion as well. Below is a copy of the Didache in English:

“The Didache

The Lord's Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations.

Chapter 1. The Two Ways; The First Commandment

There are two ways, one of life and one of death; but a great difference between the two ways. The way of life, then, is this: First, you shall love God who made you; second, your neighbour as yourself; and all things whatsoever you would should not occur to you, do not also do to another. And of these sayings the teaching is this: Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for those who persecute you. For what reward is there, if you love those who love you? Do not also the Gentiles do the same? But love those who hate you, and you shall not have an enemy. Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts. If someone gives you a blow upon your right cheek, turn to him the other also, and you shall be perfect. If someone impresses you for one mile, go with him two. If someone takes away your cloak, give him also your coat. If someone takes from you what is yours, ask it not back, for indeed you are not able. Give to every one that asks you, and ask it not back; for the Father wills that to all should be given of our own blessings (free gifts). Happy is he that gives according to the commandment; for he is guiltless. Woe to him that receives; for if one having need receives, he is guiltless; but he that receives not having need, shall pay the penalty, why he received and for what, and, coming into straits (confinement), he shall be examined concerning the things which he has done, and he shall not escape thence until he pay back the last farthing. Matthew 5:26 But also now concerning this, it has been said, Let your alms sweat in your hands, until you know to whom you should give.

Chapter 2. The Second Commandment: Gross Sin Forbidden

And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, Exodus 20:13-14 you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit
fornication, you shall not steal, Exodus 20:15 you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is begotten. You shall not covet the things of your neighbour, Exodus 20:17 you shall not forswear yourself, Matthew 5:34 you shall not bear false witness, Exodus 20:16 you shall not speak evil, you shall bear no grudge. You shall not be double-minded nor double-tongued; for to be double-tongued is a snare of death. Your speech shall not be false, nor empty, but fulfilled by deed. You shall not be covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed, nor haughty. You shall not take evil counsel against your neighbour. You shall not hate any man; but some you shall reprove, and concerning some you shall pray, and some you shall love more than your own life.

Chapter 3. Other Sins Forbidden

My child, flee from every evil thing, and from every likeness of it. Be not prone to anger, for anger leads the way to murder; neither jealous, nor quarrelsome, nor of hot temper; for out of all these murders are engendered. My child, be not a lustful one; for lust leads the way to fornication; neither a filthy talker, nor of lofty eye; for out of all these adulteries are engendered. My child, be not an observer of omens, since it leads the way to idolatry; neither an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a purifier, nor be willing to took at these things; for out of all these idolatry is engendered. My child, be not a liar, since a lie leads the way to theft; neither money-loving, nor vainglorious, for out of all these thefts are engendered. My child, be not a murmurer, since it leads the way to blasphemy; neither self-willed nor evil-minded, for out of all these blasphemies are engendered. But be meek, since the meek shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 Be long-suffering and pitiful and guileless and gentle and good and always trembling at the words which you have heard. You shall not exalt yourself, Luke 18:14 nor give over-confidence to your soul. Your soul shall not be joined with lofty ones, but with just and lowly ones shall it have its intercourse. The workings that befall you receive as good, knowing that apart from God nothing comes to pass.

Chapter 4. Various Precepts

My child, him that speaks to you the word of God remember night and day; and you shall honour him as the Lord; for in the place whence lordly rule is uttered, there is the Lord. And you shall seek out day by day the faces of the saints, in order that you may rest upon their words. You shall not long for division, but shall bring those who contend to peace. You shall judge righteously, you shall not respect persons in reproving for transgressions. You shall not be undecided whether it shall be or no. Be not a stretcher forth of the hands to receive and a drawer of them back to give. If you have anything, through your hands you shall give ransom for your sins. You shall not hesitate to give, nor murmur when you give; for you shall know who is the good repayer of the hire. You shall not turn away from him that is in want, but you shall share all things with your brother, and shall not say that they are your own; for if you are partakers in that which is immortal, how much more in things which are mortal? You shall not remove your hand from your son or from your daughter, but from their youth shall teach them the fear of God. Ephesians 6:4 You shall not enjoin anything in your bitterness upon your bondman or maidservant, who hope in the same God, lest ever they shall fear not God who is over both; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1 for he comes not to call according to the outward appearance, but unto them
whom the Spirit has prepared. And you bondmen shall be subject to your masters as to a type of God, in modesty and fear. Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22 You shall hate all hypocrisy and everything which is not pleasing to the Lord. Forsake in no way the commandments of the Lord; but you shall keep what you have received, neither adding thereto nor taking away therefrom . Deuteronomy 12:32 In the church you shall acknowledge your transgressions, and you shall not come near for your prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of life.

Chapter 5. The Way of Death

And the way of death is this: First of all it is evil and full of curse: murders, adulteries, lusts, fornications, thefts, idolatries, magic arts, witchcrafts, rapines, falsewitnessings, hypocrisies, double-heartedness, deceit, haughtiness, depravity, self-will, greediness, filthy talking, jealousy, over-confidence, loftiness, boastfulness; persecutors of the good, hatingtruth, loving a lie, not knowing a reward for righteousness, not cleaving to good nor to righteous judgment, watching not for that which is good, but for that which is evil; from whom meekness and endurance are far, loving vanities, pursuing requital, not pitying a poor man, not labouring for the afflicted, not knowing Him that made them, murderers of children, destroyers of the handiwork of God, turning away from him that is in want, afflicting him that is distressed, advocates of the rich, lawless judges of the poor, utter sinners. Be delivered, children, from all these.

Chapter 6. Against False Teachers, and Food Offered to Idols

See that no one cause you to err from this way of the Teaching, since apart from God it teaches you. For if you are able to bear all the yoke of the Lord, you will be perfect; but if you are not able, what you are able that do. And concerning food, bear what you are able; but against that which is sacrificed to idols be exceedingly on your guard; for it is the service of dead gods.

Chapter 7. Concerning Baptism

And concerning baptism, baptize this way: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19 in living water. But if you have not living water, baptize into other water; and if you can not in cold, in warm. But if you have not either, pour out water thrice upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit. But before the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whatever others can; but you shall order the baptized to fast one or two days before.

Chapter 8. Concerning Fasting and Prayer (the Lord's Prayer)

But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites; Matthew 6:16 for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week; but fast on the fourth day and the Preparation (Friday). Neither pray as the hypocrites; but as the Lord commanded in His Gospel, thus pray: Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us today our daily (needful) bread, and forgive us our debt as we also forgive our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (or, evil); for Yours is the power and the glory for ever. Thrice in the day thus pray.

Chapter 9. The Thanksgiving (Eucharist)

Now concerning the Thanksgiving (Eucharist), thus give thanks. First, concerning the cup: We thank you, our Father, for the holy vine of David Your servant, which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory for ever. And concerning the broken bread: We thank You, our Father, for the life and knowledge which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory for ever. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let Your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Your kingdom; for Yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever. But let no one eat or drink of your Thanksgiving (Eucharist), but they who have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, Give not that which is holy to the dogs. Matthew 7:6

Chapter 10. Prayer After Communion

But after you are filled, thus give thanks: We thank You, holy Father, for Your holy name which You caused to tabernacle in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality, which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory for ever. You, Master almighty, created all things for Your name's sake; You gave food and drink to men for enjoyment, that they might give thanks to You; but to us You freely gave spiritual food and drink and life eternal through Your Servant. Before all things we thank You that You are mighty; to You be the glory for ever. Remember, Lord, Your Church, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in Your love, and gather it from the four winds, sanctified for Your kingdom which You have prepared for it; for Yours is the power and the glory for ever. Let grace come, and let this world pass away. Hosanna to the God (Son) of David! If any one is holy, let him come; if any one is not so, let him repent. Maran atha. Amen. But permit the prophets to make Thanksgiving as much as they desire.

Chapter 11. Concerning Teachers, Apostles, and Prophets

Whosoever, therefore, comes and teaches you all these things that have been said before, receive him. But if the teacher himself turn and teach another doctrine to the destruction of this, hear him not; but if he teach so as to increase righteousness and the knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord. But concerning the apostles and prophets, according to the decree of the Gospel, thus do. Let every apostle that comes to you be received as the Lord. But he shall not remain except one day; but if there be need, also the next; but if he remain three days, he is a false prophet. And when the apostle goes away, let him take nothing but bread until he lodges; but if he ask money, he is a false prophet. And every prophet that speaks in the Spirit you shall neither try nor judge; for every sin shall be forgiven, but this sin shall not be forgiven. But not every one that speaks in the Spirit is a prophet; but only if he hold the ways of the Lord. Therefore from their ways shall
the false prophet and the prophet be known. And every prophet who orders a meal in the Spirit eats not from it, except indeed he be a false prophet; and every prophet who teaches the truth, if he do not what he teaches, is a false prophet. And every prophet, provedtrue, working unto the mystery of the Church in the world, yet not teaching others to do what he himself does, shall not be judged among you, for with God he has his judgment; for so did also the ancient prophets. But whoever says in the Spirit, Give me money, or something else, you shall not listen to him; but if he says to you to give for others' sake who are in need, let no one judge him.

Chapter 12. Reception of Christians

But let every one that comes in the name of the Lord be received, and afterward you shall prove and know him; for you shall have understanding right and left. If he who comes is a wayfarer, assist him as far as you are able; but he shall not remain with you, except for two or three days, if need be. But if he wills to abide with you, being an artisan, let him work and eat; 2 Thessalonians 3:10 but if he has no trade, according to your understanding see to it that, as a Christian, he shall not live with you idle. But if he wills not to do, he is a Christ-monger. Watch that you keep aloof from such.

Chapter 13. Support of Prophets

But every true prophet that wills to abide among you is worthy of his support. So also a true teacher is himself worthy, as the workman, of his support. Matthew 10:10; cf. Luke 10:7 Every first-fruit, therefore, of the products of wine-press and threshing-floor, of oxen and of sheep, you shall take and give to the prophets, for they are your high priests. But if you have not a prophet, give it to the poor. If you make a batch of dough, take the first-fruit and give according to the commandment. So also when you open a jar of wine or of oil, take the first-fruit and give it to the prophets; and of money (silver) and clothing and every possession, take the first-fruit, as it may seem good to you, and give according to the commandment.

Chapter 14. Christian Assembly on the Lord's Day

But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations.

Chapter 15. Bishops and Deacons; Christian Reproof

Therefore, appoint for yourselves bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men meek, and not lovers of money, 1 Timothy 3:4 and truthful and proven; for they also render to you the service of prophets and teachers. Despise them not therefore, for they are your honoured ones, together with the prophets and teachers. And reprove one another, not in anger, but in peace, as you have
it in the Gospel; Matthew 18:15-17 but to every one that acts amiss against another, let no one speak, nor let him hear anything from you until he repents. But your prayers and alms and all your deeds so do, as you have it in the Gospel of our Lord.

Chapter 16. Watchfulness; The Coming of the Lord

Watch for your life's sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ready, for you know not the hour in which our Lord comes. Matthew 24:42 But often shall you come together, seeking the things which are befitting to your souls: for the whole time of your faith will not profit you, if you be not made perfect in the last time. For in the last days false prophets and corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate; Matthew 24:11-12 for when lawlessness increases, they shall hate and persecute and betray one another, Matthew 24:10 and then shall appear the world-deceiver as the Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands, and he shall do iniquitous things which have never yet come to pass since the beginning. Then shall the creation of men come into the fire of trial, and many shall be made to stumble and shall perish; but they that endure in their faith shall be saved from under the curse itself. And then shall appear the signs of the truth; first, the sign of an outspreading in heaven; then the sign of the sound of the trumpet; and the third, the resurrection of the dead; yet not of all, but as it is said: The Lord shall come and all His saints with Him. Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.”


In closing, I hope you have enjoyed reading the document, and I hope you agree with me that it is extremely important.



References:

http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0714.htm

Arango's Apologetics Page: The Didache

The Apostolic Fathers

"'Apostolic Fathers' is the name given to a certain number of writers or writings (several of which are anonymous) dating from the end of the first or from the first half of the second century. The name has been selected because the authors are supposed to have known the Apostles and also because their works represent a teaching derived immediately, or almost immediately, from the Apostles. These writings are, indeed, a continuation of the Gospels and of Apostolic literature (http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/tixeront/section1-1.html#polycarp.)"

 A Handbook of Patrology by J. Tixeront

Reference:

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/tixeront/section1-1.html#polycarp

allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Archbishop of Canterbury Confers St Augustine Award On Idowu-Fearon

Congratulations to the Bishop of Kaduna Diocese, Anglican Communion, the Most Rev. Josiah Idowu-Fearon!

allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Archbishop of Canterbury Confers St Augustine Award On Idowu-Fearon

Shifts in Worldviews

I was basically born into a family that was Southern Baptist. Considering that I was born in Havana, Cuba, this first statement is perhaps not expected from a typical Cuban, but I know that I am not alone on this one. I came to the United States as a child on a Freedom Flight back in 1971. I lived for a while in New Jersey, and then in Atlanta, Georgia. Sometime around the mid seventies, my immediate family shifted from Southern Baptist to perhaps what could be called Evangelical Charismatic. Sometime after this, we moved to Texas, and then we repeated each of those states all over again over the years, until eventually we found ourselves in South Florida where I still reside, and could say is very close to my birthplace. From the time we first became so called Charismatic/Evangelical we attended mostly Non-Denominational or Inter-Denominational congregations and served in them as well. Religion or Faith have always been at the center of my immediate family's value system, and I am sure many of our close friends could elaborate on this and support the fact with much evidence. So, it is from this worldview or perhaps former worldview that I approach the topic of ecumenism.

I have a Bachelor’s in Public Administration, an MBA, and most recently I acquired an MA in Theological Studies. The MA in Theological Studies is obviously where I draw the interest in ecumenism, but it is also realistic to understand that I do not come from a culture with another Christian worldview such as Coptic or Roman Catholic; therefore, perhaps my former worldview somehow sifts through my way of approaching ecumenical thought and the book I have been working on, Unifying the Faith. Of course, I can identify with the two denominations I just mentioned based on historical knowledge of them and current status. Perhaps, part of my goal is to have Christians from my former worldview identify with those of other views, such as Orthodox or Anglican, so they can identify with how we are connected in one way or another to all Christians. Yes, we are connected in the fact that at least we are all believers in Christ.

The reality is that most groups and denominations we have today did not exist, say 600 years ago, and many emerged after the Reformation. Moreover, if one goes back further in time, schisms and disagreements during early Ecumenical Councils severed the ties within the original Sees of the Church. The truth is that from the very beginning there was disunity or else why do you think that Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:4 “For when one says, ‘I belong to Paul’, and another, ‘I belong to Apol'los,’ are you not merely men (RSV Bible)?” Obviously, some Christians in Corinth liked Paul better, and some liked Apol'los better, and this is clearly disunity in one way or another or else they would have liked them both equally. Now, the question is why the difference in choices? Well, Paul said: “are you not being merely men,” or in the original language Paul said: being “sarkikos” which is carnal or pertaining to the flesh. Why are we so divided today as Christians? I would say it is perhaps the old “sarkikos.” How do we solve this problem? We perhaps have to shift our worldviews and seek and desire the interests of all believers equally, and mostly seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In these first few post I am and will be trying to simply introduce and lay a foundation to the many other ideas that will follow in subsequent posts which will broaden and expand the topic since I do have some chapters of my book manuscript completed or partially completed. However, I am sure that from time to time it will seem like we are on a time machine moving back and forward, and maybe even back to the future, although we haven’t been there yet, but we can definitely make an attempt at shaping it. Blessings!


Reference:

RSV Bible

The World Council of Churches

 What is the World Council of Churches?

"The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the scriptures, and therefore seek to fulfil together their common calling to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

It is a community of churches on the way to visible unity in one faith and one eucharistic fellowship, expressed in worship and in common life in Christ. It seeks to advance towards this unity, as Jesus prayed for his followers, "so that the world may believe." (John 17:21)(http://www.oikoumene.org/en/about-us)."


World Council of Churches — World Council of Churches



Reference:
http://www.oikoumene.org/en/about-us

Praying for Others is a Great Way to Practice Ecumenism

A good way to start practicing ecumenism with other Christians is by simply praying for them. I will be praying for many of my brothers and sisters around the world. May I suggest praying for the following two men: Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi), brother of Antiochian Patriarch, John X, and for the Syriac Archbishop Youhanna (Ibrahim). Both of these men were kidnapped in Syria while on a humanitarian mission back in April. Please pray for their release. You can also write the US Congress with relevance to the matter. The link for contacting the US Congress and more details on the story can be found at the website below.



US Congress Prepares Letter to Prioritize Release of Abducted Archbishops | Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese

Harnessing the power of faith in a divided world | Tony Blair Faith Foundation

I just wanted to share this new post by Tony Blair titled: Harnessing the power of faith in a divided world. I hope you enjoy reading it. Blessings!

Harnessing the power of faith in a divided world | Tony Blair Faith Foundation

Thoughts on My Previous Post

I suppose that my previous post is an oversimplification of Church history and how we got to where we are at this point in time, but it is my opinion that the Reformation did not create unity, but instead laid a foundation for the same scenario to repeat itself over and over again. What I mean by same scenario repeating itself is that based on perhaps the idea of “sola scriptura,” it seems that anytime someone comes up with a new interpretation of what they perceive the Scriptures mean in some out of context view which they decided it grants them the excuse of separating from their group or denomination to start a new one based on their new doctrine. And, this new doctrine when compared to the beliefs of the Early Church Fathers, who were closer to our roots, does not even line up. A good example of what I am trying to say is “Dispensationalist” theology. Moreover, based on this theology many have interpreted ideas like the “Millennium Era” from prophetic Scriptures to mean whatever they decided it means. Therefore, many people like Hal Lindsey, and such have sold millions of books like The Late, Great Planet Earth which many have taken to be literal in meaning when these ideas only go back into less than 200 years of Church history, and are mostly ideas of Darby and Scofield which may be partially true, but not complete truths since the only one that knows the future fully is God. My point is that based on things we cannot even prove, we have created disunity and everyone knows that divided we fall and united we stand. Now, I wouldn't get too worried folks because “unity is not uniformity,” to borrow a line from Ken Howard's book, Paradoxy: Creating Christian Community Between Us and Them. I actually recommend this book to everyone, especially all Christian leaders. I am not going to give a book review on it at this time, and besides any good and great thing I can say about it would probably not give this fascinating literary work the credit it deserves in achieving its purpose, and this itself is an understatement. At any rate, if you seem to think and feel that what I am saying agrees with your thought process lets join forces and start working on the unity of all Christians together for the good of all of humanity, living things, and our planet.

Who do people say that I am?

Three of the Gospels in the New Testament contain the story in which Jesus asked his disciples the question: “who do people say that I am?” This account in the Gospel of Matthew 16:13-17 reads as follows:

"16:13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
16:14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
16:15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16:16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
16:17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”

In truth the question becomes more direct when Jesus asks his disciples:"but who do you say that I am?" Peter gave the right answer which was "you are the Christ, the Son of the living God." The Scriptures seem to provide an answer to the question, and if we fast-forward two millennium, and we look around it seems that many are still giving an answer to this question of “who do men say that I am?”

When one looks at the entire Christian community today, one sees many groups with many different names. Anyone with a bit of knowledge in church history is aware of what has basically transpired over the past two thousand years which has resulted in this current status. The beginning of Church history is found in the book of Acts, but this Church has evolved into something completely different, today. Why do these differences exist today? Theology, Theology....

In the world today there is a multitude of Christian denominations and groups, and perhaps this would not be so if on October 31st, 1517, a man named Martin Luther would not have posted Ninety-five Theses on the door of a church in Germany. Luther began a Reformation which was perhaps very similar to a revolution, and that Reformation began a change in ecclesiastical theological thought that has only incremented and diversified the Christian religion and its believers until the present day. The Reformation, indeed, eventually caused a transformation in the world, and also in the very institution whose alleged corrupt influence Luther protested. If you don't agree with this thought, just remember Vatican II, and its purpose. So, we arrive at the present day, and we know that there are more than 2 billion Christians. About, half of the foregoing are Roman Catholics (Western Church). In all fairness, the Reformation took place in the Western Church because the Eastern Church never divided in the same way. The Eastern Church simply split from the Western back in 1054, and has not really had a type of a schism like the Reformation within its members. In fact, most of the groups that have divided come from the Post-Reformation era and more recent period of Christianity whose members in a sense really come out of the Roman Catholic Church, although not directly. There is much history to mention, but the fact is that there is no real unity. So, "who do men say that I am" may be an easy question to answer in a historical context, but in a theological context, today, we have many opinions that will not compromise because somehow most think that they have the absolute answer or truth.



Reference:

ESV Bible

Note: I will probably be using many Scripture Translations on this blog.

Why I decided to Start this Blog

I am actually on a mini-vacation with my wife in Nantucket as I write this, but I just wanted to share some thoughts on why I decided to start this blog. Unifying the Faith is really the title of a book on ecumenism that I have been working on for a little over two years or maybe three, now. I am still less than half way done from completing it because of the little time that I have been able to dedicate to it due to other things in my life that have kept me busy. Regardless, I decided to share some of these ideas from that writing project by creating this blog because I believe that sharing these thoughts is important. Moreover, I firmly believe in the cause for creating ecumenism more than just simply writing about it as a great idea. I have been spending time reading other authors that have written with relevance to the subject, some of which I did not know before, but realized they were leaning towards the same cause and now I have been able to interact with some in places such as social media. It may be really cool if perhaps in the near future we can all network in working together towards this same cause and goal. I am aware that other organizations such as the World Council of Churches have been working on the cause for many decades, but I am sure that they would also agree that there is always room for more unity in our world and less of the opposite. I have been even thinking of creating a non-profit global community or organization called Faith United that would work on ecumenism among all Christians, as well as interacting with other Faiths that share these views. I actually see Faith United promoting ecumenical conferences alongside other organizations sometime in the very near future. So, if any of you readers and friends feels that this is a cause you may be interested in promoting, I think we should start interacting to see how we can make this a reality. Anyhow, I hope everyone is having a wonderful week, and my prayers are with those experiencing hardships and difficulties. Blessings!