Restitutio

While scrolling through Facebook, I came across Charles Mathewes’ Washington Post article, “White Christianity is in big trouble. And it’s its own biggest threat.”  At first reading, I was infuriated at what I felt were unfair criticisms, but after I thought about it, I realized what an opportunity this article presented.  It collects together no less than thirteen criticisms against Christianity.  In this episode Dan Fitzsimmons, Rose Rider, and I (Sean Finnegan) respond to the first seven, including: Our society’s war on Christmas bothers Christians A Christian baker refused to sell a cake for a gay wedding 80% of white evangelicals in Alabama voted for a pedophile We’re ignorant of history We’re ignorant of the current state of the world We’re ignorant about scientific knowledge We’re surprisingly ignorant about our own religion —— Links —— Read the original Washington Post article here Intro music: “Protofunk” by Kevin MacLeod.  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

Hear the winding tale of early Christian history in the Americas with a special focus on the thirteen colonies.  Right from the start the Americas were full of Christian diversity including Catholicism, the Church of England, Puritans, Baptists, and Quakers.  In this lecture you’ll see how this diversity led to an unprecedented level of religious tolerance and flourishing.  Other significant issues in this period include the horrors of the slave trade and the treatment of native Americans as well as the impressive success of the Great Awakening under the preaching of George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards. This is lecture 12 of a history of Christianity class called Five Hundred: From Martin Luther to Joel Osteen. All the notes are available here as a pdf. —— Notes —— Founding the Colonies Catholicism in the Americas Spanish claims included American west coast, Florida, and much territory in central and South America (Catholic) French claims included eastern Canada (Quebec) and the territory of Louisiana (Catholic) 1634 Catholics founded “Mary land” 1607 Virginia founded as first English Colony founded as joint effort by the Virginia Company to make money (Tobacco export) brought Church of England to New World Separatists founded New England 1620 Plymouth settled (from Brownists who were sojourning in Holland) 1630 Puritans establish Massachusetts Bay Colony fleeing from Archbishop Laud 1648 Cambridge Platform: Westminster Confession w/ congregational polity No religious freedom 1636 Harvard founded for training of Puritan ministers 1631 Roger Williams (1603?-1683) arrived 1639 Williams founds first Baptist church in RI 1681 William Penn founded Pennsylvania (Penn’s Forrest) he was a Quaker who tolerated all monotheists many people outside of England moved to Pennsylvania including Moravians, Lutherans, German Reformed, Amish   Immorality tobacco 1602 an English doctor wrote Chimney-Sweepers or a Warning for Tabacconists warning about health risks 1604 King James wrote a tract against tobacco 1617 Virginia exported 10 tons; 1622 30 tons; 1627 250 tons; 1639 1,500 tons; 1688 colonies exported 14,000 tons; 1771 52,000 tons rum 1667 Boston’s first distillery 1774 Mass had 63 distilleries, producing 2.7 million gallons of rum a year RI had more than 30 distilleries colonists preferred rum made in the West Indies so they sold it in Africa and to Indians Golden Triangle molasses bought in New England to make rum rum sold in Africa to purchase slaves slaves sold in West Indies to purchase molasses slavery 1619 first Africans came to VA as indentured servants (work for a set time to pay off travel debt) by 1680 racial slavery insanely inhumane conditions on slave trader ships Falconhridge: “The hardships and inconveniences suffered by the Negroes during the passage are scarcely to be enumerated or conceived. They are far more violently affected by seasickness than the Europeans.  It frequently terminates in death, especially among the women.The exclusion of fresh air is among the most intolerable.  Most ships have portholes for air.  But whenever the sea is rough and the rain heavy, it becomes necessary to shut these and every other conveyance by which air is admitted.  The fresh air being thus excluded, the Negroes’ quarters very s

Several significant sexual harassment cases have come to light in the last few months.  Now a whole range of behaviors have come under scrutiny as women (and some men) have felt emboldened to make public their experiences.  In this episode we even out our Off Script panel with one more female voice, Terri Crowder, to help us discuss this prevalent phenomenon from street corners to workplaces to churches.  After discussing sexual harassment in some detail, we bring relevant scriptures to light to provide a Christian response. —— Links —— More on the Christian work ethic here Also check out Off Script 31: Stewarding Our Bodies Check out the first part of episode 603 of This American Life to hear what happens when a woman confronts men after catcalling her. Intro music: “Protofunk” by Kevin MacLeod.  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

Although the focus of this class is on the history of Protestants of various stripes, it’s also important to realize that Catholicism changed a good deal during the last five hundred years.  In this lecture, you’ll get a brief sketch of the history of significant Catholic movements and doctrinal declarations during this period, including the inquisition, Council of Trent, the Jesuits, doctrines about Mary, the first and second Vatican Councils, and much more. This is lecture 11 of a history of Christianity class called Five Hundred: From Martin Luther to Joel Osteen. All the notes are available here as a pdf. —— Notes —— Initial Responses to Reformation Pope Leo X thought Reformation was just a drunken brawl among German monks 1541 Regensburg Colloquy   Inquisition started in 12th France to combat heresy of Cathars and Waldensians The 1578 handbook for inquisitors spelled out the purpose of inquisitorial penalties:”… for punishment does not take place primarily and per se for the correction and good of the person punished, but for the public good in order that others may become terrified and weaned away from the evils they would commit.” 1821 Inquisition abolished in Portugal; 1834 Inquisition outlawed in Spain 1908 Inquisition renamed to The Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office 1965 Inquisition renamed to The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF)   Council of Trent (1545-1563) response to Protestant movement Catholicism after Trent is called Tridentine Catholicism 7 sacraments, recognized Apocrypha as canon, Scripture and Tradition determine doctrine bishop as pastor of diocese rather than prince of the church: have to live in their diocese, preach regularly, inspect clergy to insure proper teaching, meet regularly at synods support of Baroque style of art, music, and architecture 1559 Index of Prohibited Books list had circulated since 1521 in Paris and Louvain 1966 Index of Prohibited Books abolished still to this day the word Imprimatur (let it be printed) is on approved Catholic books 2011 imprimatur first applied to iPhone app   Jesuits (Society of Jesus) Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) 1521 severely wounded by a cannon ball 1522 stayed in a cave for a while practicing severe asceticism 1523 pilgrimage to the holy land 1524 finished Spiritual Exercises (Ignatian Contemplation) returned to Spain and preached on street corners 1528 attended University of Paris and got master’s degree 1534 started Jesuits with 6 companions, taking solemn vows 1540 Society of Jesus approved by pope Rules of the Order: vows of poverty, chastity, obedience to pope, go anywhere in the world Rule 13 “That we may be altogether of the same mind and in conformity … if [the Church] shall have defined anything to be black which to our eyes appears to be white, we ought in like manner to pronounce it to be black.” Missionary Activity Francis Xavier (1506-1552) preached in India and had success in Japan Matteo Ricci (1522-1610) dressed as Confusion scholar, brought Christianity to China Robert Nobili (1577-1656) brought Christianity to Brahman caste in India Alexander de Rhodes (1591-1660) preached in Vietnam   Colonialism

Learn about the dissident groups in Britain in the 17th and 18th centuries, including the Puritans, Baptists, Quakers, and Unitarians. In addition, Sean Kelly presents a vignette of John Biddle’s life and influence. This is lecture 10 of a history of Christianity class called Five Hundred: From Martin Luther to Joel Osteen. All the notes are available here as a pdf. —— Notes —— Puritans Robert Browne (1550-1633) Treatise of Reformation without Tarrying for Any, and of the Wickedness of those Preachers which will not Reform…till the Magistrate Command and Compel Them Reformation needed to take place whether or not the king wanted it or not Congressionalist rather than Presbyterian A group of Dutch Brownists were the ones who came to the New World in 1620s   English Baptists Not related to continental Anabaptists Founded by John Smyth in 1609, an Englishman from Cambridge who fled to Amsterdam General [Arminian] vs. Particular [Calvinist] are two types of Baptists Reject role of the state in matters of conscience (church should be independent of the state) John Bunyan (1628-88), Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (1666) Wrote autobiography Grace Abounding to Chief of Sinners Pilgrim’s Progress (1678), second part appeared in 1684 Roger Williams (1603?-1683) brought Baptist faith to America   Quakers (“Society of Friends”) Founded by George Fox (1624-1691) “Inner Light” written in 1647: The word of God is not confined to the Bible but rather came directly to each person (inner light or inner voice) He rejected social distinctions, allowed women to preach Pacifists and egalitarians (worked against slavery in the US using underground railway) No sacraments at all b/c they were physical Total silence during meetings until someone is inspired to speak   British Unitarians John Biddle (1615-1662), the father of English Unitarianism brilliant man 1634 his anthology he published his translations from classics into English at university he “outran his instructors and became tutor to himself” (Protesters, 131) 1634 he went to Magdalen Hall at Oxford 1641 he was headmaster of the Crypt Grammar School in Gloucester immersed himself in Scripture for years knew entire NT by heart in English and most in Greek, though about Rev. 4 his memory got fuzzy claimed he never read Socinian literature before coming to his own opinions wrote a pamphlet, Twelve Arguments against the Deity of the Holy Spirit 1646 summoned to London’s parliament and imprisoned for 5 years 1648 Publishes two anti-Trinitarian documents A Confession of Faith Toughing the Holy Trinity According to Scripture The Testimonies of Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Novatianus, Theophilus, Origen. As Also of Arnobius, Lactanius, Easebius, Hilary and Brightman Concerning the One God and the Persons of the Holy Trinity 1652 Biddle released and remained in London where he found fellowship 1654 Biddle published his Twofold Catechism when Oliver Cromwell got in power Biddle was released returned to quiet active work in a church two months later he was imprisoned in Newgate prison remained at St Mary’s for 3 years

In this sprint through British church history, you’ll learn about King Henry VIII and his staggering Act of Supremacy when he pulled the Church of England out of Catholicism and appointed himself the head of the church.  After Henry’s death, England swayed back and forth as Henry’s successors adopted Protestantism then Catholicism then Protestantism again.  Still none of this tumult compares to the chaos of the English Civil War a century later when a Protestant Parliament executed a too Catholic King Charles I for treason and initiated stringent Puritanical laws throughout the land.  You’ll also learn about the persistent and tenacious John Knox who was instrumental in bringing the Reformation to Scotland. This is lecture 9 of a history of Christianity class called Five Hundred: From Martin Luther to Joel Osteen. All the notes are available here as a pdf. —— Notes —— Henry VIII (1491-1547) Wives, Heirs Catherine of Aragon (m. 1503), mother of Mary Tudor The Great Issue: could not divorce her to marry mistress Ann Bolin 1534: Act of Supremacy (Henry declared “Supreme Head” of the church Ann Bolin (m. 1533), mother of Elizabeth Jane Seymour (m. 1536), mother of Edward Anne of Cleves (m. 1540) Catherine Howard (m. 1540) Catherine Parr (m. 1543) Religious Policies Ostensibly Catholic, apart from his great issue (Cardinal Wolsey) Dissolution of monasteries and shrines 200 hangings of people who resisted Henry’s royal assertions as head of the church Six Articles (1539) affirmed traditional Catholic understandings of Transubstantiation, no cup for laity during communion, chastity for clergy, private Masses, confession   William Tyndale (1495-1536) Languages: Greek, Latin, French, German, Spanish, Italian, English 1521 – ordained a Catholic priest 1522 – he was called before John Bell—chancellor of the diocese of Worcester but was released “We were better to be without God’s laws than the pope’s.” Master Tyndale, hearing this, full of godly zeal and not bearing that blasphemous saying, replied, “I defy the pope, and all his laws;” and added, “If God spared my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough to know more of the Scripture than thou doest.” 1523 – he went to Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall to ask permission to translate the Scriptures 1524 – he fled England to the continent possibly to study at Wittenberg (12 years a fugitive) 1525 – he finished the NT 1526 – the NT was printed in Worms and Antwerp 1526 – Tunstall had as many copies as he could find publicly burned 1529 – Cardinal Wolsey condemned Tyndale as a heretic 1530 – he finished the Torah (Gen-Deut) 1530 – he wrote The Practice of the Prelates, opposing Henry VIII’s divorce as unscriptural 1531 – he finished Jonah 1534 – a new edition of the NT published (thoroughly revised) 1535 – Henry Philips gained Tyndale’s trust and friendship and betrayed him to the authorities. Letter from Tyndale to overseer of the castle in September: “I believe, most excellent Sir, that you are not unacquainted with the decision reached concerning me. On which account, I beseech your lordship, even by the Lord Jesus, that if I am to pass the winter here, to urge upon the lord commissary, if he will deign, to send me from

Did you know that Christianity spread to Asia in the first century?  At one time the Church of the East was bigger than the Roman Catholic Church.  Although often overlooked, this part of the world is critical to our understanding Christianity in the last five hundred years.  Our guest lecturer, Matthew Elton, guides us through an enlightening and helpful survey of the history of Asian Christianity. This is lecture 8 of a history of Christianity class called Five Hundred: From Martin Luther to Joel Osteen. All the notes are available here as a pdf. —— Notes —— Early Christianity (1st Century) Christianity spreads in Arabia, Persia, India.   Nestorian Schism (431) Nestorius was bishop of Constantinople (present day Istanbul, Turkey). Disagreement over unity vs. separation of human and divine natures in Christ. Disagreement over title of Mary: theotokos (“God-bearer”) vs. Christotokos (“Christ-bearer”). Nestorius accused of heresy, excommunicated, and exiled to Egypt. 17 other bishops also excommunicated. Nestorian view of Christ accepted by Church of the East (Nestorian Church).   The Church of the East (~431 to Present) Also called the Nestorian Church. Split from the western church as a result of the Nestorian Schism. Main power base was in Persia (present day Iran). Spread east into India, Nepal, Mongolia, China. Height of power c. 700-1000. During this time it was the largest and possibly most populous church in the world, more powerful than the Catholic church. Islam founded by Muhammad in early 7th Church of the East collapses under Muslim persecution and war, almost extinct by 1500. Survives today in very small “Assyrian Church of the East” in U.S. and groups active in Iraq, Syria, etc.   Early Christianity in China (7th Century) Aluoben was a Nestorian Christian from Persia. Led the first mission to China in 635. Emperor Tang Taizong calls Christianity “religion of light,” commands that it be spread throughout China. Oldest church in China is in Xi’an, dates to 640, still standing today. Nestorian Monument erected in 781 to celebrate Chinese Christianity. “Jesus Sutras”: Early Chinese Christian texts discovered in a cave in Dunhuang. Recently translated into English. Persecution in later dynasties diminished Christianity in China.   Christianity in Japan: Francis Xavier (active 1541-1552) Jesuit missionary from Portugal. Wins converts in Africa, India, Indonesia. Meets Anjiro, an exiled samurai, in Indonesia. Travels to Japan with Anjiro aboard a pirate ship. Third European to go to Japan, and first to learn Japanese. Preached in Japan 3 years but won few converts due to cultural barriers. Christianity in Japan grew rapidly c. 1550-1600.   The Tokugawa Shogunate (1600-1868) Shoguns (warlords) ruled Japan for almost 300 years. They hated foreigners and persecuted Christians. February 5, 1597: 26 Christians crucified in Nagasaki. 1632: 55 Christians crucified.   The Meiji Restoration (1868) Emperor Meiji restores the rule of the emperor. Modernizes Japan with western technology. Establishes a democratically elected parliament (Diet of

Have you ever thought about what it must have been like for Adam and Eve have that conversation after the Fall, after they had become ashamed of what they had done and they had to come to grips with the new reality.  In this stunning piece of poetry, written by Preston and Jackie Perry, we see the two of them embodying Adam and Eve in a very intense exchange where they blame each other and then come to an understanding and resolution of this issue.  I found this piece to be at once melodic and beautiful, but also deep and profound. —— Transcript —— Eve: So I guess it was convenient for you to turn your back on the woman who held your spine. Adam: Woman – you were brought fourth from my side- created to support me like the gravity stricken moon does to brisk breath of nightfall- but when fear clawed its way into my heart when he called my name in the garden you shrunk and hid your shameful body- Both: Where were you? Eve: When the prince of night found his way to your star, you watched him lie… I watched you sit and set like sun you morning of a man. You can’t even see the nightmare you have become. Adam: I was there, standing in the distance having a conversation with my backbone. I wanted to stop you but you let that evil reptile with eyes slow dancing with deceit and tongue swift as breeze woo you dumb to think we could be wise as the God who thought the galaxies into existence. Eve: Adam, I thought he was my friend, letting me in on secrets God pinky promised the leaves not to tell. He pointed me to the tree, told me of what I was missing and as my faith in his lies led me to stare, I watched death become gorgeous. Adam: But God is beautiful. Eve: Adam, my tongue became sight. The fruit looked too good not to- Both: Taste Adam: -and see that God is Good Eve: God is thief. He kept us from the one thing he knew would turn our minds deity. Adam: No God is wise, Eve cant you see? In our feast for knowledge we have become fools, searching for wisdom in a mere branch we forgot about the God who had the power to grow us from dust with no roots. His mind is wide as sky and we were free as clouds, but now the silent hum of shame echoes the land–the eerie chill of fathers curse crawls across our conscience and the very river we bathe our naked souls in is damned because of you.  What have you done? Eve: Do not blame me for murder and name yourself victim as if we are not both ghosts with skin. Both: You left me for dead. Did you forget the sixth day when God made you? Eve: From dust. Adam: But he made you from me for me! While sleeping he carved you from my caged bones beautiful, but you with your pride of dis-positioned switched positions and tried to lead, took heed to a snake without consulting me first. You didn’t respect me! Eve: He gave you authority. He made you the head of us but you became neck. I can still see the apple stuck in your throat, Adam. Swallow your pride. You were supposed to lead me, yet I am to blame? Your wife, your Eve, the one who is now shame once beauty the moment you saw her breath. Maybe, I should noose a ribbon around my neck, make a skirt of wrapping paper, stuff my natural naked chest with leaves. Maybe then these bones will be enough gift for you again, this flesh enough body for you to bathe in. The day you removed God from your soul. Emptied your nest of his glory is the day you begged me to take his place. Fill your voids, become this image of perfection to satisfy your insecurities. Both: God forbid. Eve: -Our sons grow up treating their sisters like cemeteries. Stacking their bodies and bones in one closet to wear as one flesh every time they want to feel alive. Adam: Eve please understand that you further prove my point. That prideful o

Zooming out, this episode casts a wide net to summarize how the movement started by Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin affected Europe over the next century. We’ll see how the Reformation took root in Germany, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands while simultaneously failing to find fertile ground in France, especially among those in power. Lastly, we’ll consider the Thirty Year’s War (1618-1648) and how this brutal conflict fundamentally changed the way religion and politics related henceforth. This is lecture 8 of a history of Christianity class called Five Hundred: From Martin Luther to Joel Osteen. All the notes are available here as a pdf. —— Notes —— Germany Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560): systematic theologian of Lutheran movement 1521 – Diet of Worms: edict outlawed Luther and followers 1526 – Diet of Speyer suspended the edict of Worms 1529 – Diet of Speyer re-enacted the edict of Worms 1530 – Diet of Augsburg Lutherans presented Augsburg Confession[1] (written by Melanchthon) Johann Eck prepared a confutation against the Augsburg Confession Charles demanded Lutherans sign this refutation 1531 – Schmalkaldic League 1532 – Emperor called a truce at Nuremberg that lasted a decade 1546-7 – First Schmalkaldic War 1552 – Second Schmalkaldic War 1555 – Peace of Augsburg Cuius regio, eius religio: whose region, his religion   Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark) All of Scandavia ultimately became Lutheran during the 16th Monarchs converted to the faith 1527 – Gustav Vasa (1496-1560), king of Sweden split with Rome King took possession of all church property Subjected clergy to civil law Declared all churches to preach “the pure Word of God”   Netherlands Anabaptist movement was popular Spanish government (Philip II) harshly persecuted Protestants in the Netherlands 1560s – Dutch Reformed Church dominated   France French Protestants were called Huguenots Francis I (r. 1515-1547) initially was tolerant, owing to humanist tendencies until 1534 1534: Affair of the Placards stirred Catholics against Protestants 1562-1698: French Wars of Religion were civil wars “The parish pulpits of Paris taught hatred of heretics and suspicion of those—including the magistracy and monarchy—who allowed their continuing existence. Catholic preachers goaded people into a frenzy of fear and hatred of the religious and moral depravity of the ‘Deformed’ that would undermine royal efforts for toleration and produce deadly fruit. …For over the next 30 years Huguenots and Catholics murdered and assassinated each other with increasing barbarity.”[2] 1572: St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre Marriage between Marguerite of Valois and Henry of Navarre brought many prominent people into Paris August 24th King Charles IX (1550-1574) had gates of Paris locked “The streets were covered with dead bodies, the rivers stained, the doors and gates of the palace bespattered with blood. Wagon loads of corpses, men, women, girls, even infants, were thrown into the Seine, while streams of blood ran in many quarters of the city…One little girl was bathed in the blood of her butchered fa

Have you ever noticed that pastors tend to get called to bigger churches over time, usually with better pay.  However, after fifteen years of serving at a church in rural South Carolina, Pastor Alan Cain heard God calling him to move to a smaller church that was having financial difficulty.  Although he took some convincing, Cain moved his wife and children up to Ohio and began serving at the Lawrenceville Church of God.  Over the past thirteen years, they’ve gone from 30 people in attendance on a typical Sunday to 175!  In this interview I ask Cain what his secret is.  The answer he gives may surprise you. —— Links —— Check out Alan Cain’s sermons on his church YouTube channel Visit the Lawrenceville Church of God  website Intro music: “District Four” by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.