(Originally Written July 27, 2010 in The Journal)
Read a bit from each of these every day and take notes.
6 Categories
1. Christian - Early Christian Writings
2. Philosophy - The History of Western Philosophy - Bertrand Russell
3. Classics - The Conquest of Gaul - Julius Caesar
4. History - Archeology & The Old Testament - Alfred J. Hoerth
5. Religion - Pocket Guide to World Religions - Winfried Corduan
6. Literature - Contemporary American Poetry
Notes on Early Christian Writings
Clement of Rome
-Strong Trinitarian Language
-Peace flows from obedience to God. Peace brings with it the healing of all human conditions
Notes on The History of Western Philosophy - Bertrand Russell
Philosophy is the product of two things:
1. Inherited religious and ethical conceptions
2. Scientific investigation
Philosophy lies somewhere between theology and science.
Showing posts with label Clement of Rome. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Clement of Rome. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Brief Notes on Clement of Rome (B)
(Originally Written June 1, 2008 in the Journal)
Why do I turn my back on you Lord? Why do I fall so easily to temptation? I am dedicated. I give my all, but I fall so easily to the temptations. Lord forgive me for my weakness. I do not know what to do. I give this to you. Teach me to be chaste and strong in you. I disgust myself we these ways. Lord forgive this wicked sinner and cleanse him from his vile nature.
Notes on Early Christian Writings
I Clement (continued)
Clement admonishes the Corinthians for removing the bishops and deacons of their church because they were appointed by the apostles or other wise men who were appointed by Christ who was appointed by God. Thus, all those appointed were appointed by God.
He says to them it was wrong to persecute righteous men because in the Scriptures, only the wicked persecute the righteous.
He admonishes them for quarreling and extols them to become united again.
We must seek to better the community of Christ before we better ourselves and if we come to be looked upon in high esteem we must be ever the more humble.
Without love, Christianity is impossible. The perfection of love is beyond words. Let us pray to be found faultless in love.
Let us pray for those who have fallen from grace that they may be given unselfishness to submit to the Lord.
Remind them that "happy is the man the Lord reproves...for though he inflicts pain, yet afterwards he makes whole again" (Early Christian Writings, 46).
We find mercy through his holy correction.
Make us clean oh Lord with the cleansing of thy truth.
Jesus Christ is the High Priest and the Guardian of our souls.
"It is a moral duty for us to bow the head and take our seat on the stool of submission" (Early Christian Writings, 49).
Why do I turn my back on you Lord? Why do I fall so easily to temptation? I am dedicated. I give my all, but I fall so easily to the temptations. Lord forgive me for my weakness. I do not know what to do. I give this to you. Teach me to be chaste and strong in you. I disgust myself we these ways. Lord forgive this wicked sinner and cleanse him from his vile nature.
Notes on Early Christian Writings
I Clement (continued)
Clement admonishes the Corinthians for removing the bishops and deacons of their church because they were appointed by the apostles or other wise men who were appointed by Christ who was appointed by God. Thus, all those appointed were appointed by God.
He says to them it was wrong to persecute righteous men because in the Scriptures, only the wicked persecute the righteous.
He admonishes them for quarreling and extols them to become united again.
We must seek to better the community of Christ before we better ourselves and if we come to be looked upon in high esteem we must be ever the more humble.
Without love, Christianity is impossible. The perfection of love is beyond words. Let us pray to be found faultless in love.
Let us pray for those who have fallen from grace that they may be given unselfishness to submit to the Lord.
Remind them that "happy is the man the Lord reproves...for though he inflicts pain, yet afterwards he makes whole again" (Early Christian Writings, 46).
We find mercy through his holy correction.
Make us clean oh Lord with the cleansing of thy truth.
Jesus Christ is the High Priest and the Guardian of our souls.
"It is a moral duty for us to bow the head and take our seat on the stool of submission" (Early Christian Writings, 49).
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Brief Notes on Clement of Rome (A)
(Originally Written May 31, 2008 in the Journal)
Praise the Lord for today because this is the day that the Lord has made. May all of heaven and earth proclaim your holy name and may your glory be acknowledged throughout all time! There is no God but the one true God, the God of Jacob! Praise the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Praise you for the beauty of the earth, the birds of the sky and the fish of the deep. Praise you for all things good and praise you for even the troubles that have befallen me because they have drawn me nearer to you.
I was thinking on the words of Rob Bell in Velvet Elvis. He talked of faith like a trampoline vs. faith like a wall. When you have faith like a trampoline then doctrine is the springs that propel you upwards toward God. When you have faith like a wall each doctrine fits in a certain place and if you remove one, the wall starts to crumble. He talked of a man who said if you deny the literal seven day creation you deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This seems false and destructive. But, I believe doctrine is vital to Christianity.
To deny the literalism of creation is not to deny the resurrection of Christ. But to deny the validity of any passage of the Bible is to reject the Word of God. You cannot deny any part of the Bible as valid and be Christian. A passage may be taken as poetic or figurative or literal, but it is valid always. You cannot make piecemeal of the Scriptures. Doctrine is man's interpretation of Scriptures and thus, fallible, where the Scriptures are not. But the Lord has endowed us with reason and we must make proper use of it.
Thank you Lord for today! I picked up the Penguin Classics Early Christian Writings today and will be reading it in conjunction with Bible readings.
Notes on Early Christian Writings
Clement of Rome
Clement seems to have been the fourth bishop of Rome, following Peter, Linus and Anencletus. The date of Clement's epistle to the Corinthians seems to have been written around 96 A.D. The letter shows Clement's extensive knowledge of the Scriptures, which as a Gentile, meant the Septuagint. He also shows a strong familiarity of the books that became the New Testament. He writes of harmony and draws also on Stoic Philosophy. While he combines the Hebrew Scriptures with Stoic philosophy, he subordinates Stoic Philosophy to Christian vision. Clement also uses strong Trinitarian language, much stronger than found in the New Testament.
1 Clement
Clement praises the Corinthian church for how they used to act. "Always you were ready for any deed of goodness...whatever you did was done in fear of God" (Early Christian Writings, 24).
The Clement extols them for having fallen back to their evil ways. They have traded folly for wisdom. "All have fallen back into the horrid sin of envy - the sin that brought death into the world" (Early Christian Writings, 24).
He encourages them to turn from envy and follow the examples of Peter and Paul. He reminds them that many of the elect have been tormented by envy and had to fight it unto their very deaths. He warns them that envy has ruined marriages and overthrown cities and nations. He tells them to turn from envy and reflect on the preciousness of the Blood of Christ, which is an outpouring of salvation and has opened grace of repentance to mankind.
The Lord always opens up the chance for man to repent. It is never too late.
The Lord never forsakes those who place their hope in Him, but puts pain and penalty on those who rebel against Him.
He calls on them to be humble and show forgiveness.
"Christ belongs to the lowly of heart" (Early Christian Writings, 29).
He tells them that humility is always found in the great men of God: in Elisha, in Elijah, in Job, in Ezekiel, in David and even in Christ, all of whom had reason to be proud.
He encourages them to aim to achieve the tranquility of which we were made to be in. He states even nature operates in harmony with itself: night and day, the seasons. These fulfill God's plans for them.
He tells them to respect those who God has set over them. He says to teach the children in Christian thought.
He reminds them that mercy will be shown to those who set their hopes on the Lord.
He warns them not to doubt the resurrection because there is evidence of the resurrection all around them.
He tells them that, "untruth is the only thing that is impossible to God" (Early Christian Writings, 34).
He reminds them that there is nothing that the Lord does not see or hear.
He calls on the Corinthians to give up everything that is opposed to God because they are God's chosen portion.
He reminds them that God rewards faith and that they are justified by faith.
He tells us that though we are justified by faith we ought to strive to good works because the Lord himself delights in working.
The Lord has mad man in His own image and blessed him, commanding man to increase and multiply.
We must put forth all our effort into the work of righteousness.
We must wait in patience for the Lord and He will bestow the greatness and beauty of His gifts upon us.
Men who do things that are detestable are held in detestation by the Lord. Not only this, but men who consent to these things are held in detestation.
Praise the Lord for today because this is the day that the Lord has made. May all of heaven and earth proclaim your holy name and may your glory be acknowledged throughout all time! There is no God but the one true God, the God of Jacob! Praise the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Praise you for the beauty of the earth, the birds of the sky and the fish of the deep. Praise you for all things good and praise you for even the troubles that have befallen me because they have drawn me nearer to you.
I was thinking on the words of Rob Bell in Velvet Elvis. He talked of faith like a trampoline vs. faith like a wall. When you have faith like a trampoline then doctrine is the springs that propel you upwards toward God. When you have faith like a wall each doctrine fits in a certain place and if you remove one, the wall starts to crumble. He talked of a man who said if you deny the literal seven day creation you deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This seems false and destructive. But, I believe doctrine is vital to Christianity.
To deny the literalism of creation is not to deny the resurrection of Christ. But to deny the validity of any passage of the Bible is to reject the Word of God. You cannot deny any part of the Bible as valid and be Christian. A passage may be taken as poetic or figurative or literal, but it is valid always. You cannot make piecemeal of the Scriptures. Doctrine is man's interpretation of Scriptures and thus, fallible, where the Scriptures are not. But the Lord has endowed us with reason and we must make proper use of it.
Thank you Lord for today! I picked up the Penguin Classics Early Christian Writings today and will be reading it in conjunction with Bible readings.
Notes on Early Christian Writings
Clement of Rome
Clement seems to have been the fourth bishop of Rome, following Peter, Linus and Anencletus. The date of Clement's epistle to the Corinthians seems to have been written around 96 A.D. The letter shows Clement's extensive knowledge of the Scriptures, which as a Gentile, meant the Septuagint. He also shows a strong familiarity of the books that became the New Testament. He writes of harmony and draws also on Stoic Philosophy. While he combines the Hebrew Scriptures with Stoic philosophy, he subordinates Stoic Philosophy to Christian vision. Clement also uses strong Trinitarian language, much stronger than found in the New Testament.
1 Clement
Clement praises the Corinthian church for how they used to act. "Always you were ready for any deed of goodness...whatever you did was done in fear of God" (Early Christian Writings, 24).
The Clement extols them for having fallen back to their evil ways. They have traded folly for wisdom. "All have fallen back into the horrid sin of envy - the sin that brought death into the world" (Early Christian Writings, 24).
He encourages them to turn from envy and follow the examples of Peter and Paul. He reminds them that many of the elect have been tormented by envy and had to fight it unto their very deaths. He warns them that envy has ruined marriages and overthrown cities and nations. He tells them to turn from envy and reflect on the preciousness of the Blood of Christ, which is an outpouring of salvation and has opened grace of repentance to mankind.
The Lord always opens up the chance for man to repent. It is never too late.
The Lord never forsakes those who place their hope in Him, but puts pain and penalty on those who rebel against Him.
He calls on them to be humble and show forgiveness.
"Christ belongs to the lowly of heart" (Early Christian Writings, 29).
He tells them that humility is always found in the great men of God: in Elisha, in Elijah, in Job, in Ezekiel, in David and even in Christ, all of whom had reason to be proud.
He encourages them to aim to achieve the tranquility of which we were made to be in. He states even nature operates in harmony with itself: night and day, the seasons. These fulfill God's plans for them.
He tells them to respect those who God has set over them. He says to teach the children in Christian thought.
He reminds them that mercy will be shown to those who set their hopes on the Lord.
He warns them not to doubt the resurrection because there is evidence of the resurrection all around them.
He tells them that, "untruth is the only thing that is impossible to God" (Early Christian Writings, 34).
He reminds them that there is nothing that the Lord does not see or hear.
He calls on the Corinthians to give up everything that is opposed to God because they are God's chosen portion.
He reminds them that God rewards faith and that they are justified by faith.
He tells us that though we are justified by faith we ought to strive to good works because the Lord himself delights in working.
The Lord has mad man in His own image and blessed him, commanding man to increase and multiply.
We must put forth all our effort into the work of righteousness.
We must wait in patience for the Lord and He will bestow the greatness and beauty of His gifts upon us.
Men who do things that are detestable are held in detestation by the Lord. Not only this, but men who consent to these things are held in detestation.
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