• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Wyatt Graham

Faith | Books | Culture

Christ Will Build His Church, But Which Church Is His?

January 29, 2018 by wagraham 3 Comments

Image of Christ from the Hagia Sophia

In the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus promises to build his church. He says, “So, then, I speak to you because you are Peter. And upon this rock, I will build my church (ἐκκλησίαν) and the gates of hades will not over power it (αὐτῆς)” (Matthew 16:18).

The word “church” and the pronoun “it” above are in the singular. In other words, Jesus says that he will build the church, the one church.

His promise leads us to ask an important question: Which church is he building?

Is he building the Baptist church, the Presbyterian church, the Roman Catholic church, the Orthodox church, or any of the other denominations? [Read more…] about Christ Will Build His Church, But Which Church Is His?

Filed Under: Theology

Yes, But Is Penal Substitution True?

January 27, 2018 by wagraham 2 Comments

Image of Christ from the Hagia Sophia

In recent years, many have argued that Penal Substitution is not true. They argue that God could not possibly expend his wrath on the Son of God in our place; he could not stand condemned for us and for our salvation. For them it’s simply not true.

Whenever I hear arguments against penal substitution, they interest me. I want to gain a closer look at the truth, and so I am open to listening to others. But whatever the argument is (and however good it sounds), we always need to step back and ask: Yes, but is it true?

Or better: Yes, but is penal substitution true?

Whatever you think or feel about the doctrine, we must ask: does the Bible teach it? Even if it abhors or scares us.

We must be relentlessly biblical.

And you know what. When we come to understand and to accept the Bible’s message, the abhorrence and fear melts away. You come to see that God is beautiful and that whatever he does is beautiful, good, and right. [Read more…] about Yes, But Is Penal Substitution True?

Filed Under: Theology Tagged With: Atonement, Penal Substitution

That Time Piux IX Sanctioned the (Legal) Kidnapping of a Child

January 24, 2018 by wagraham Leave a Comment

On June 23rd 1858, the papal police arrived at the Mortara residence to take into custody a child named, Edgardo Mortara. Why? Because five years prior, he had been secretly baptized by a Christian nanny, named Anni Morisi. So, they took him. And the Pope Piux IX himself treated Edgardo as his child.

The child was catholic and his parents were Jewish. For Roman Catholics, this was insufferable because the child was catholic because of his baptism; of course, Edgardo nor his parents had any idea that he was Roman Catholic. Romanus Cessario explains, “Except for the solicitude of Blessed Pope Pius IX, the Mortara child may never have learned of his baptism.” One wonders if Roman Catholics have missed something in their doctrine of baptism! [Read more…] about That Time Piux IX Sanctioned the (Legal) Kidnapping of a Child

Filed Under: Culture

The Chanting of Father Seraphim

January 23, 2018 by wagraham 2 Comments

Father Seraphim is an Assyrian christian living in Georgia. A former martial artist and one who was part of a Ukraine security force, Father Seraphim later committed his life to Christ, taking up the robes of a monk and ministering in a small village. That village, Kenda, hosts 2,000 Assyrians who speak Aramaic, the language that many believe Jesus spoke.

What makes Father Seraphim interesting is that he chants in Aramaic.

And in so doing, he lets hear a language that is 2500 years old. More than that, his scriptural chants allow us to hear what it might have sounded like when Jesus read and quoted the Bible.

Pope Francis visited Georgia in 2016, and the Syrian Orthodox church greeted him with a chant of Psalm 53, led by Father Seraphim. It is worth a listen for the above mentioned reasons but also because it is done so well.

The Embassy of Georgia in Lithuania hosts the video on their YouTube site. Since the page belongs to the Embassy of Georgia, I believe that they hold the copyright to host the video. Click here to see it.

Filed Under: Culture

Biblical Authors Cite Sources in Their Writings

January 16, 2018 by wagraham Leave a Comment

Numerous books

Sometimes we think of the Bible as if it were a book that fell from heaven to earth. But, while the Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit, regular humans (who were prophets) wrote it. And they cited sources in their writings in similar ways that we do.

Once we realize this, it helps us to read the Bible in the way that God and its authors intended it to be read. The Bible is both historical and theological. Authors wrote books of the Bible within real historical times, and God inspired it to speak beyond those events in history.

Let’s take a look at the Bible itself to explain how this worked. [Read more…] about Biblical Authors Cite Sources in Their Writings

Filed Under: Theology

Coptic Christians Construct the Perhaps Largest Cathedral in the Middle East But Will ISIL Attack It?

January 15, 2018 by wagraham Leave a Comment

Blurred street view of Cairo

The president of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, fulfilled a promise to Coptic Christians by constructing a cathedral in Egypt’s new administrative city. Jacob Wirtschafter and Mina Nader report that “The biggest church in the Middle East opens Saturday [January 6, 2018], a landmark date in the 2,000-year-old history of Egypt’s Coptic Christians.”

Hamza Hendawi notes, “The new cathedral can house up to 9,000 worshippers and is touted as the largest in the Middle East.” And worshippers gathered there for the nativity liturgy on January 7th, 2018. Even the president, Mr. el-Sisi attended to give a speech:

The jubilant spirit congeniality contrasts sharply with the threat of ISIL against Coptic Christians. [Read more…] about Coptic Christians Construct the Perhaps Largest Cathedral in the Middle East But Will ISIL Attack It?

Filed Under: Culture Tagged With: Coptic Christianity

  • « Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • …
  • Page 23
  • Page 24
  • Page 25
  • Page 26
  • Page 27
  • …
  • Page 40
  • Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Author Bio

Wyatt is the Executive Director of The Gospel Coalition Canada. He enjoys his family and writing. You'll generally find him hiding away somewhere with his nose in a book. Twitter: @wagraham; Instagram: wyattagraham. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Follow The Blog

Receive updates each time an article posts.

Categories

  • Books (46)
  • Culture (41)
  • Hermeneutics (13)
  • Life (49)
  • Theology (105)

Copyright © 2019 · Genesis Sample on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in