Restitutio

How do you deal with difficult people? Jesus teaches us that there’s nothing noteworthy about showing love to those who love us. Rather, he says we are to be like God who sends rain on the just and the wicked. He calls us to love annoying people, boring people, monopolizing people, vengeful people, shallow people, prideful people, and all other kinds of difficult people. We are not free to set our own artificial boundary on love, instead we must love without limits. Listen to this powerful message by Victor Gluckin, originally taught at Revive 2018.  This sermon will challenge you to strengthen your relationship with God since he alone can sustain you with his love so you can freely love those who don’t love you back. —— Links —— Listen to all the other messages from Revive 2018 Find out more about pastor Victor Gluckin at his church website or follow him on Twitter Browse other Restitutio episodes with Victor Gluckin 115 Don’t Put It on a Cart 79 Proud of Our God 66: What I’ve Been Saved From 24: Now Is Our Time To Speak Intro music: “District Four” by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

The 1800s was an exciting time for Christianity in America. At the same time that secularism and liberal Christianity made huge gains, several renewal movements occurred throughout the land, including the Second Great Awakening. In this episode you learn about the birth of the Protestant missionary movement with the Moravians and the Baptists, how the various Adventist denominations got their start, and last of all the most successful made-in-America religion–Mormonism. These thumbnail sketches will help you understand a number of groups that are still around today. This is lecture 14 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 —— Pietism (late 17th c. to 20th c.) Movement within Reformed and Lutheran countries (happened during Enlightenment) 1675 – Philipp Jakob Spener (1635-1705) published Pious Desires The earnest and thorough study of the Bible in private meetings Laity should share in the spiritual government of the Church Knowledge of Christianity must be attended by the practice A sympathetic and kindly treatment of Christians of other groups Universities should give more prominence to the devotional life Rather than pleasing rhetoric, preach to implant Christianity in the inner man Emphasized inner life and conversion Millennialism (Pietists had millennialist leanings) Continued baptizing infants but de-emphasized it in favor of conversion experience Halle in Saxony established as center of Pietism   Moravians (Unitas Fratrum) Descendants of the 15th Hussites; persecuted during 30 years war in Bohemia In late 17th c., they went to Poland; 18th c. they went to Saxony 1722 – Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf (1700-1760), a Pietist who attended school at Halle (godson to Spener) gave the Moravians land which became the community of Herrnhut 1731 – Some Moravians went to the coronation of the King of Denmark. 1732 – Johann Leonhard Dober (1706-1766) chose David Nitschmann (1695-1772) as his travelling companion; petitioned the Danish government for passage to St. Thomas in Virgin Islands Teaching them about God and how to read and write In less than a century, the Pietist Moravians sent 300 missionaries throughout the world and baptized some 3,000 converts. Moravian motto: “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; and in all things, love” Today, around 825,000 members worldwide (largest concentration is in Tanzania)   Modern Missions 1792 – William Carey (1761-1834) published An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens Used the best available geographic and ethnographic data to map and count the number of people who had never heard the gospel “It is inconsistent for ministers to please themselves with thoughts of a numerous auditory, cordial friends, a civilized country, legal protection, affluence, splendor, or even a competency. The flights, and hatred of men, and even pretended friends, gloomy prisons, and tortures, the society of barbarians of uncouth speech, miserable accommodations in wretched wildernesses, hunger, and thirst, nakedness, weariness, and painfulness, hard work, and but little worldly encouragement should rather be the objects of their expectation. Thus the apostles act

This is part two of our discussion about Charles Mathewes’ Washington Post article, “White Christianity is in big trouble. And it’s its own biggest threat.”  Check out part one here.  In this episode we consider gun control, immigration, the death penalty, and treatment of the poor in an effort to understand and respond to evangelicalism’s ongoing public relations problem.  Are “white evangelicals” as Mathewes puts it “a breathtakingly cruel bunch?” —— Links —— Read the original Washington Post article here Listen to part one of this discussion: Off Script 40: Roy Moore, Gay Wedding Cakes, and White Evangelicals Check out these Off Script episodes mentioned in this discussion: Off Script 38: Killing in War (A Christian View of Violence) Off Script 28: Seeking a Christian View on Refugees and Immigrants Off Script 37: Killing Criminals (A Christian View of Capital Punishment) Off Script 16: Christians Discussing Politics Intro music: “Protofunk” by Kevin MacLeod.  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.  

This lecture covers the two main types of criticisms leveled against Christianity during the Enlightenment period: biblical and philosophical.  In addition you’ll see how some Christians dug their heals in and worked hard to defend their faith while others gave ground but reinterpreted Christianity in a way that would not only survive the criticisms but also attract “cultured despisers.”  We’ll conclude with a brief sketch of unitarianism in America. This is lecture 13 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 Views of Biblical Inspiration “The Holy Spirit did not simply inspire the meaning or sense of the words contained in Scripture, which the prophets and apostles then set forth, expressed, and embellished with their own words by their own will.  The Holy Spirit supplied, inspired, and dictated the very words and each and every utterance to the writers.” –Johann Quenstedt (1623-1687)[1] “The Hebrew Original of the Old Testament…is, not only in its consonants, but in its vowels—ether the vowel points themselves, or at least the power of the points—not only in its matter, but in its words, inspired of God” –Helvetic Consensus (1675)[2]   In the 18th c., we have Deism and Pietism. In the 19th c., we have higher criticism and revivalism. In the 20th c., we have secularism and Pentecostalism.   Enlightenment[3] (1650-1890) Not an organized movement but widespread current of thought Critical of superstition, enthusiasm, fanaticism, and supernaturalism Philosophy is no longer the handmaiden of theology but an independent field Though in France the Enlightenment was anti-Christian, it was embraced by Christians in other places like England and Germany Three phases (according to Alister McGrath) Demonstrating the rational nature of Christian belief (John Locke’s The Reasonableness of Christianity) Could derive Christian beliefs from reason alone Reason sits in judgment over revelation 1751 French Encyclopédie: multi-volumes covering all human knowledge and written by atheist Denis Diderot (1713-1784) and the Philosophes   Deism (17th-18th centuries) Revelation, ritual, and traditional practices minimized or written off as superstitious Clergy criticized for Keeping people in bondage Monopolizing truth using their authority Freedom to inquire and religious toleration Essence of religion is morality expressed in universal principles Idea that all religions contained the same basic moral precepts 1738: Pope Clement XII denounced Deism Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) Cut miracles out of the gospels[4] Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)   Philosophical Criticisms of Christianity 1656 – Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) excommunicated from Talmud Torah congregation 1777 – Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion by David Hume (1711-1778) Only have knowledge of what we directly experience (empiricist) Cannot determine cause from effect (the world does not point to a creator) Miracles were made up, based on hearsay, or the result of ignora

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