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Baptism: Valid and Invalid
BAPTISM: VALID AND INVALID The following information has been provided to the Office of Worship and Christian Initiation by Father Jerry Plotkowski, Judicial Vicar. It is our hope that it will help you in discerning the canonical status of your candidates. BAPTISM IN PROTESTANT RELIGIONS Most Protestant baptisms are recognized as valid baptisms. Some are not. It is very difficult to question the validity of a baptism because of an intention either on the part of the minister or on the part of the one being baptized. ADVENTISTS: Water baptism is by immersion with the Trinitarian formula. Valid. Baptism is given at the age of reason. A dedication ceremony is given to infants. The two ceremonies are separate. (Many Protestant religions have the dedication ceremony or other ceremony, which is not a baptism. If the church has the dedication ceremony, baptism is generally not conferred until the age of reason or until the approximate age of 13). AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL: Baptism with water by sprinkling, pouring, or dunking. Trinitarian form is used. Valid. There is an open door ceremony, which is not baptism. AMISH: This is coupled with Mennonites. No infant baptism. The rite of baptism seems valid. ANGLICAN: Valid baptism. APOSTOLIC CHURCH: An affirmative decision has been granted in one case involving "baptism" in the apostolic church. The minister baptized according to the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and not St. Matthew. The form used was: "We baptize you into the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive a gift of the Holy Ghost." No Trinitarian form was used. -
The Dark Age Church Period of Barbarian Invasions
Scholars Crossing History of Global Missions Center for Global Ministries 2009 The Dark Age Church Period of Barbarian Invasions Don Fanning Liberty University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgm_hist Recommended Citation Fanning, Don, "The Dark Age Church Period of Barbarian Invasions" (2009). History of Global Missions. 3. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgm_hist/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for Global Ministries at Scholars Crossing. It has been accepted for inclusion in History of Global Missions by an authorized administrator of Scholars Crossing. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Middle Ages 500-1000 1 3 The Dark Age Church Period of Barbarian Invasions AD 500—1000 Introduction With the endorsement of the Emperor and obligatory church membership for all Roman citizens across the empire, Roman Christianity continued to change the nature of the Church, in stead of visa versa. The humble beginnings were soon forgotten in the luxurious halls and civil power of the highest courts and assemblies of the known world. Who needs spiritual power when you can have civil power? The transition from being the persecuted to the persecutor, from the powerless to the powerful with Imperial and divine authority brought with it the inevitable seeds of corruption. Some say that Christianity won the known world in the first five centuries, but a closer look may reveal that the world had won Christianity as well, and that, in much less time. The year 476 usually marks the end of the Christian Roman Empire in the West. -
The Church Jesus Built
The Church Jesus Built Studies On The Church We Read About In The Bible This material is from Executable Outlines .com , a web site containing sermon outlines and Bible studies by Mark A. Copeland. Visit the web site to browse or download additional material for church or personal use. The outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God Be The Glory! Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2006 Mark A. Copeland The Church Jesus Built Table Of Contents Why Study The Church? 3 What Is The Church? 6 The Nature Of The Church (Universal) 9 The Nature Of The Church (Local) 11 The Authority Of The Church 14 Other Standards Of Authority 17 How To Establish Authority 20 Other Thoughts Related To Authority 23 The Organization Of The Church 26 Changes In Church Organization 29 The Nature Of Worship In The Church 32 The Elements Of Worship In The Church 36 The Work Of The Church 40 Innovations In The Work Of The Church 43 Identifying The Lord’s Church Today 48 Starting The Lord’s Church In Your Home 52 The Church Jesus Built 2 Mark A. Copeland The Church Jesus Built Why Study The Church? INTRODUCTION 1. In Mt 16:18 , we read where Jesus spoke of His church... a. In which He promises “I will build my church” b. In which not even the “gates of Hades” (i.e., death) shall prevail against it, either by trying to: 1) Prevent its establishment (death did not prevent Jesus from building His church) 2) Destroy the church (killing Christians does not destroy the church) 2. -
Episcopal Church Style Guide
Episcopal Church Style Guide The official name of the church is The Episcopal Church. When writing about the Episcopal Church, please follow these guidelines: * In the first reference, the full name of the church is preferred: The Episcopal Church. * When referring to church members, the term “Episcopalians” is preferred. We elect a Presiding Bishop, who is our chief pastor and primate of the church. Chosen by the House of Bishops from one of its members, the Presiding Bishop serves for nine years, or until normal retirement age, if that occurs first. In formal usage, he or she is known as “The Most Reverend”,” usually abbreviated to “The Most Rev.” His or her first name (or preferred forename) is always used, together with an initial if applicable (e.g., “The Most Rev. John A. Smith”, or “The Most Rev. A. John Smith”). All other bishops should be addressed as above, but using the form “The Rt. Rev.” Priests and deacons are referred to as “The Rev.” Our church is organized into dioceses, and there is at least one diocese in each state. However, some states have two or more dioceses. For example, we have a Diocese of New Jersey, but in the northern part of the state there is a Diocese of Newark. Likewise, there is a Diocese of Texas, but there are several other dioceses in that state. The Bishop with jurisdiction of a diocese is usually known as the “diocesan bishop”, and is sometimes known as the “Ordinary.” He or she may have other bishops to assist, who are referred to as “bishops suffragan” and are elected in the same way that bishops are, by representatives of the members of the diocese. -
Vital Congregations Revitalization Initiative
Presbyterian Mission Theology, Formation Vital Congregations Evangelism Revitalization Initiative y t i l a t i V l a n io t a g re g on C D of eve rks loping the 7 Ma Vital Congregations Revitalization Initiative Theology, Formation and Evangelism Office Presbyterian Mission Agency Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) re-vi-tal-i-za-tion / noun “ The act or an instance of bringing something back to life, public attention, or vigorous activity.” (Webster’s Dictionary) “The action of imbuing something with new life and vitality.” (OED) Synonyms: reanimation, rebirth, regeneration, rejuvenation, renewal, resurgence, resurrection, resuscitation, revival. Contents 1 Revitalization Vision Personal Hope Statements Revitalization Network 2 Overview of the 7 Marks of Vital Congregations 3 2-Year Revitalization Initiative • Guidelines for Presbyteries • Guidelines for Pastors and the People of God 4 Sample Revitalization Calendar 5 Revitalization Resources 6 Revitalization Facilitators 7 Addendum: • Extended Vision Statement • 7 Marks of Vital Congregations VISION SUMMARY Initiative tion za ali it ev R s n io t a g e r g n o C l a t i V 1 Revitalization Vision I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? ISAIAH 43:19 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 1 CORINTHIANS 3:16 See, the home of God is among mortals…See, I am making all things new. REVELATION 21: 3, 5 Vision: By the power of the Holy Spirit, and in authentic relationships with mid councils, we seek to equip, nurture, and support church leaders to empower their congregations to renew, recover, and live more fully into faithful discipleship to Jesus Christ. -
The Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture
The Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture The Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture The Word That Comes from God and Speaks of God for the Salvation of the World Pontifical Biblical Commission Translated by Thomas Esposito, OCist, and Stephen Gregg, OCist Reviewed by Fearghus O’Fearghail Foreword by Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller LITURGICAL PRESS Collegeville, Minnesota www.litpress.org This work was translated from the Italian, Inspirazione e Verità della Sacra Scrittura. La parola che viene da Dio e parla di Dio per salvare il mondo (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2014). Cover design by Jodi Hendrickson. Cover photo: Dreamstime. Excerpts from documents of the Second Vatican Council are from The Docu- ments of Vatican II, edited by Walter M. Abbott, SJ (New York: The America Press, 1966). Unless otherwise noted, Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. © 2014 by Pontifical Biblical Commission Published by Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, microfilm, microfiche, mechanical recording, photocopying, translation, or by any other means, known or yet unknown, for any purpose except brief quotations in reviews, without the previous written permission of Liturgical Press, Saint John’s Abbey, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, Minnesota 56321-7500. Printed in the United States of America. 123456789 Library of Congress Control Number: 2014937336 ISBN: 978-0-8146-4903-9 978-0-8146-4904-6 (ebook) Table of Contents Foreword xiii General Introduction xvii I. -
Reading the Old Testament History Again... and Again
Reading the Old Testament History Again... and Again 2011 Ryan Center Conference Taylor Worley, PhD Assistant Professor of Christian Thought & Tradition 1 Why re-read OT history? 2 Why re-read OT history? There’s so much more to discover there. It’s the key to reading the New Testament better. There’s transformation to pursue. 3 In both the domains of nature and faith, you will find the most excellent things are the deepest hidden. Erasmus, The Sages, 1515 4 “Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’” Luke 24:44 5 God wishes to move the will rather than the mind. Perfect clarity would help the mind and harm the will. Humble their pride. Blaise Pascal, Pensées, 1669 6 Familiar Approaches: Humanize the story to moralize the characters. Analyze the story to principalize the result. Allegorize the story to abstract its meaning. 7 Genesis 22: A Case Study 8 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. -
Proverbs 8 and the Place of Christ in the Trinity
Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 17/1 (Spring 2006): 33–54. Article copyright © 2006 by Richard M. Davidson. Proverbs 8 and the Place of Christ in the Trinity Richard M. Davidson Andrews University Introduction: Issues The history of the interpretation of Proverbs 8 embraces an astonish- ing array of ancient and modern perspectives on this passage, ranging from the Christological debates of the early Christian centuries to the almost universal rejection of Christological interpretations in recent dec- ades. In this study I survey the gamut of interpretations, revisit the possi- bility of a Christocentric interpretation in light of recent exegetical in- sights into the passage, and explore potential implications for under- standing the place of Christ in the Trinity. This is not intended to consti- tute a comprehensive exegesis of Prov 8; rather, I build upon previous exegetical studies and suggest a theological synthesis that favors a Chris- tological reading of the text. A number of interrelated issues have surfaced from this preliminary research. I will deal with six: (1) the interpretation of “Wisdom” in Prov 8, in light of the history of research; (2) the identity of “Wisdom” in Prov 8, in light of the meaning and referent of the word }aœmo®n (traditionally translated “mastercraftsman”) in v. 30; (3) the significance of the “birth/begetting” and “installment” language in Prov 8; (4) the signifi- cance of the “mediator” language of vv. 30–31; (5) the significance of the language of “play” in vv. 30–31; and (6) the relative status between “Wisdom” and Yahweh in Prov 8. -
Jesus and the Gospel in the Old Testament Edited By
“Our hope and prayer is that these expositions will prove not only clarifying but humbling, enriching, and edifying, as well as incentives to keep preaching and teaching Old Testament texts.” D. A. Carson THE BIBLE’S STORY LINE IS GRAND IN ITS SWEEP, beautiful in its form, and unified in its message. However, many of us still struggle both to understand and to best communicate how the Old and New Testaments fit together, especially in relation to the person and work of Jesus Christ. Eight prominent evangelical pastors and scholars demonstrate what it looks like to preach Christ from the Old Testament in this collection of expositions of various Old Testament texts: ALBERT MOHLER — Studying the Scriptures and Finding Jesus (John 5:31–47) TIM KELLER — Getting Out (Exodus 14) ALISTAIR BEGG — From a Foreigner to King Jesus (Ruth) JAMES MACDONALD — When You Don’t Know What to Do (Psalm 25) CONRAD MBEWE — The Righteous Branch (Jeremiah 23:1–8) MATT CHANDLER — Youth (Ecclesiastes 11:9–12:8) MIKE BULLMORE — God’s Great Heart of Love toward His Own (Zephaniah) D. A. CARSON — Getting Excited about Melchizedek (Psalm 110) From the experience of the Israelites during the exodus, to the cryptic words about Melchizedek in the Psalms, here are 8 helpful examples of successful approaches to preaching the gospel from the Old Testament by some of the most skilled expositors of our day. Jesus and the Gospel in the D. A. Carson (PhD, Cambridge University) is research professor of New old testament Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where he has taught since 1978. -
Heart of Anglicanism Week #1
THE HEART OF ANGLICANISM #1 What Exactly Is an Anglican? Rev. Carl B. Smith II, Ph.D. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ANGLICAN? ANGLICANISM IS… HISTORICAL IN ORIGIN • First Century Origin: Christ and Apostles (Apostolic) • Claims to Apostolicity (1st Century): RCC & Orthodox • Protestants → through RCC (end up being anti-RCC) • Church of England – Anglican Uniqueness • Tradition – Joseph of Arimathea; Roman Soldiers; Celtic Church; Augustine of Canterbury; Synod of Whitby (664), Separated from Rome by Henry VIII (1534; Reformation) • A Fourth Branch of Christianity? BRANCHES OF CHRISTIAN CHURCH GENERALLY UNIFIED UNTIL SCHISM OF 1054 Eastern Church: Orthodox Western Church: Catholic Patriarch of Constantinople Reformation Divisions (1517) • Greek Orthodox 1. Roman Catholic Church • Russian Orthodox 2. Protestant Churches • Coptic Church 3. Church of England/ • American Orthodox Anglican Communion (Vatican II Document) NAME CHANGES THROUGH TIME • Roman Catholic until Reformation (1534) • Church of England until Revolutionary War (1785) • In America: The (Protestant) Episcopal Church • Break 2009: Anglican Church in North America • Founded as province of global Anglican Communion • Recognized by Primates of Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (African, Asian, So. American) TWO PRIMARY SOURCES OF ACNA A NEW SENSE OF VIA MEDIA ACNA ANGLICANISM IS… DENOMINATIONAL IN DISTINCTIVES Certain features set Anglicanism apart from other branches of Christianity and denominations (e.g., currency): • Book of Common Prayer • 39 Articles of Religion (Elizabethan Settlement; Via Media) • GAFCON Jerusalem Declaration of 2008 (vs. TEC) • Provincial archbishops – w/ A. of Canterbury (first…) • Episcopal oversight – support and accountability ANGLICANISM IS… EPISCOPAL IN GOVERNANCE • Spiritual Authority – Regional & Pastoral • Provides Support & Accountability • Apostolic Succession? Continuity through history • NT 2-fold order: bishop/elder/pastor & deacons • Ignatius of Antioch (d. -
Is Believing in Christ Enough? Q & a About Salvation & Works How Do
Is Believing in Christ Enough? Q & A about Salvation & Works WHAT IS THE PROPER RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL? Question from June 24, 2012 message: We base most everything on John 3:16 and call people to believe. But today's message seems to take that all away. How are any of us to know if we “hate” our families enough, or “love” Jesus just enough? Are we forgiven and accepted by Christ dying or not? We lead new believers to think that is enough when there is clearly so much more. How is anyone to know for sure they are going to heaven? Your sermon was great, and people need to know this, but it creates a hole in one's heart. It creates doubt. How can anyone ever measure up? How do we ever have peace? When I read what Jesus says I find it hard to believe that anyone can ever reach this heavenly goal. Thanks for putting it out there. ANSWER FROM PASTOR TONY These are very good questions, and I appreciate your heart and struggle. You need to remember that all sermons that I preach have a context. This Sunday's sermon had the context of confronting easy believism and casual, cultural Christianity. So my emphasis was more on a person's commitment rather than Christ’s work on the cross. There are other messages that I have preached that emphasize the grace of God and not falling into legalism. I did a message the Sunday following Easter, April 15, 2012, where I emphasized the grace of Christ in a person's relationship. -
A Study of Paul's Interpretation of the Old Testament with Particular Reference to His Use of Isaiah in the Letter to the Romans James A
Digital Commons @ George Fox University Western Evangelical Seminary Theses Western Evangelical Seminary 5-1-1959 A Study of Paul's Interpretation of the Old Testament with Particular Reference to His Use of Isaiah in the Letter to the Romans James A. Field Recommended Citation Field, James A., "A Study of Paul's Interpretation of the Old Testament with Particular Reference to His Use of Isaiah in the Letter to the Romans" (1959). Western Evangelical Seminary Theses. 134. http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/wes_theses/134 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Western Evangelical Seminary at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Western Evangelical Seminary Theses by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. APPROVED BY l'fajor Professor: ~~ • ..,e ~~ I Co-operat.ive Reader: ~ f. w~ Professor of Thesis Form: Gby~ A STUDY OF PAUL'S INTERPRETATIOl~ OF THE OLD TESTAHENT WITH PARTICULAR REFER.E.'NCE ro HIS USE OF ISAIAH IN THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS by James A. Field A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Western Evangelical Seminary In Partial Fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Bachelor of Divinity Portland 22, Oregon May, 1959 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. DIJTRODUCTION., • • • • • • • • .. .. • • • • • • • • • . l A. Statement of the Problem. • • • • • • • • • ••••• l B. Statement of the Pu~pose.. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 4 c. Justification for the Study • • • • • • • • ••••• 4 D. Limitations of the Study. • • • • • • • • • ••••• 5 E. Statement of Procedure. • • • • • • • • • • • • ••• 6 II. HISTORICAL SURVEY OF LITERATURE ON THE l'iiDi'l TESTA1<IENT USE OF THE OLD 'l'ESTAl1ENT • • • • • • • • • • 7 A.