This article is the second of a series on the doctrine of nonresistance, which is based on Jesus’ command to do no violence. More specifically, nonresistance is the view that even when striving for justice, Christians, unlike earthly governments, must only employ methods other than violence. This doctrine was so named by the Anabaptists, but …
In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), Jesus introduced a surprising teaching, one that is so unlike our natural human impulses that Christians have mostly ceased to follow it. Though Jesus taught against violence, and though the pre-Constantinian church continued to teach Jesus’ command, few Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, or Protestants consider Jesus’ command …
This article is the final post in a series about the veneration of images. If the arguments in my previous articles are correct, then Scripture, archaeology, and the early church all coincide to demonstrate that before Constantine, the veneration of images was not a legitimate Christian practice. However, might it be possible that we could …
Could the Veneration of Icons Be a Legitimate Change? Read More »
This article is the fifth (and last) in a series in which I evaluate the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox practice of iconodulia—veneration of images. In previous articles, I looked at the evidence predating 313, when Constantine began to favor Christianity. This article will discuss the evidence that comes after. Here are the posts in …
Did Saints Like John Chrysostom Venerate Icons? How Did It Arise? Read More »
This is part of a series in which I respond to the claim that the veneration of icons is a Christian practice. This article contains responses to what I consider the less consequential arguments for the veneration of icons. Here are the posts in this series: Introduction Since I intend this article series to be …
This post addresses the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic practice of venerating icons. It examines the textual evidence from the first centuries of Christianity to see whether or not the veneration of images was considered a legitimate practice. The purpose of this post is not polemics but to do apologetics and honest historical inquiry. So …
This article is the third in a series where I show that before 313, and probably for some time after, the veneration of images was not a legitimate Christian practice. In this post, I will examine the Scriptures to see what light they can show on the subject. Here is an overview of all the …
This post is the second post in a series on whether the early Christians venerated images. In the other posts, I argue that before 313, the veneration of images was not a legitimate Christian practice. In this post, I will examine pre-Constantinian images found in archaeology and whether they provide evidence for or against the …
Archaeology & Icon Veneration | From Before Constantine? Read More »
The Roman Catholic Church claims to be the one and only apostolic church, and so does the Eastern Orthodox Church. In this series of articles, I’ll show that neither church’s claim can be true. One way of addressing their claims is to focus on their reasons why they believe they have apostolic authority, which I’ve …
Icons | The Orthodox Church Has Changed the Apostolic Faith Read More »
When we try to discover the historic faith through early sources, we look for areas of consensus among early Christians. Typically, those beliefs are the ones we should also share. Not, of course, because the pre-Nicene church was infallible, but because we want to live the original Christian faith, and they can help us understand …
