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Church History
- Chapter 75: Christian Art — Literature
- Chapter 74: Heretical Baptism
- Chapter 73: Infant Baptism
- Chapter 72: Catechetical Instruction and Confirmation
- Chapter 71: The Doctrine of Baptism
- Chapter 70: The Celebration of Baptism
- Chapter 69: The Doctrine of the Eucharist
- Chapter 68: Celebration of the Eucharist
- Chapter 67: Division of Divine Service and the Disciplina Arcani
- Chapter 65: The Order of Public Worship
Historical Periods
Category Archives: 1. Apostolic Era (30-100 AD)
Chapter 70: The Celebration of Baptism
In the sacred drama of early Christianity, baptism emerged not merely as a ritual of initiation, but as a luminous threshold between death and life, ignorance and wisdom, sin and redemption. With profound solemnity and theological richness, the early Church adorned this sacrament with layered symbolism, apostolic tradition, and growing liturgical beauty—each generation shaping the rite with reverence for the past and expectancy for the future.
Sources and Archaeological Witness… Read more
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Chapter 102: Concluding Reflections – Faith and Criticism
Faith and criticism, too often cast as adversaries, are in fact kindred instruments in the search for divine truth—each shaped by the same Creator who authored both reason and revelation. Rather than enemies, they are the twin wings of the soul’s ascent, complementing and challenging one another in the great cathedral of sacred inquiry.
Faith and Reason: Partners, Not Rivals
There is no intrinsic discord between faith and criticism, any… Read more
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Chapter 101: The Apocalypse
With thunderous cadence and celestial awe, the Book of Revelation stands as the grand finale of the Christian Scriptures—a sublime tapestry of vision, judgment, and hope. Radiant with the majesty of the Alpha and the Omega, it gazes backward to the prophets of old while leaning forward into the consummation of all things. Misunderstood and misused, yet indispensable and incomparable, it is the crown jewel of biblical prophecy and the… Read more
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Chapter 100: The Epistle to the Hebrews
Rising like a priestly psalm from the sacred silence of anonymity, the Epistle to the Hebrews enters the canon with royal dignity and prophetic fire. It bears no apostolic signature, yet speaks with apostolic authority; it identifies no earthly author, yet it exalts the eternal Author and Finisher of faith. Rooted in Jewish symbolism and soaring with Christological majesty, this epistle reveals the finality of the gospel through the lens… Read more
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Chapter 99: The Pastoral Epistles
As twilight descends upon the apostolic age, the three Pastoral Epistles—two to Timothy and one to Titus—offer a final benediction from the great Apostle Paul. These letters, tender and authoritative, unveil the maturation of early Christianity, charting its journey from primitive charisma to structured community, from the fervor of first love to the responsibility of enduring order. They are not mere administrative handbooks; they are Paul’s parting voice, exhorting the… Read more
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Chapter 98: The Epistle to Philemon
Exquisitely brief yet ethically profound, the Epistle to Philemon offers a living portrait of Christian gentleness, social transformation, and apostolic love. This personal letter, penned by Paul on behalf of a runaway slave, reveals how the Gospel undermines oppressive institutions not through revolt but through the patient power of redemptive love. A model of tact and tenderness, it testifies that in Christ, every social barrier is dismantled and every soul… Read more
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Chapter 97: The Epistle to the Philippians
Glowing with unfeigned affection, radiant with joy even from the gloom of imprisonment, and anchored in the majesty of Christ’s self-emptying love, the Epistle to the Philippians is among the most personal and lyrical of Paul’s writings. Born of the deep spiritual bond between the apostle and a faithful congregation, it transcends adversity with serene triumph, offering timeless testimony to the Christian life as a journey of cheerful perseverance, gracious… Read more
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Chapter 96: Colossians and Ephesians Compared and Vindicated
Like twin summits rising from the same spiritual mountain range, the Epistles to the Colossians and to the Ephesians reflect distinct yet interwoven revelations of Christ and His church—one illuminating the divine fullness that dwells in Christ, the other portraying the church as the vessel of that fullness. Written side by side, they offer a dual symphony of truth: Colossians confronts emergent heresies with bold theological precision, while Ephesians ascends… Read more
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Chapter 95: The Epistle to the Ephesians
With unparalleled grandeur and contemplative depth, the Epistle to the Ephesians unveils the church as the eternal dwelling place of God, the radiant bride of Christ, and the very fullness of Him who fills all in all. It is not merely an apostolic letter but a theological symphony—an ode of celestial proportions celebrating the mystery of divine union, the majesty of redemption, and the transformative beauty of the Spirit’s indwelling… Read more
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Chapter 94: The Epistle to the Colossians
Against the backdrop of Phrygia’s mysticism and syncretism, Paul composed a letter of profound Christological clarity—a theological bulwark against the rising tide of early Gnostic speculation. In Colossians, the apostle confronts false spiritual hierarchies and ascetic legalism not with polemics, but by exalting Christ as the fullness of deity, the sovereign over all creation, and the sole mediator between God and man.
The Churches in the Lycus Valley
In the… Read more
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