Church History

The Early Christian Writings

Posted: November 30, 2024

LIGHT FROM THE CHURCH FATHERS (95-325 AD), PART 1 The period of the early church, particularly the first three centuries (up to the Council of Nicaea, 325 AD), can be… Read More

Christianity’s Contributions to World Culture, by Paul Herrick

Posted: November 2, 2024

Oct 30 READ IN APP It is seldom noted today, but both [experimental science and modern mathematics] were born in Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries within institutions of… Read More

Armenia’s Oldest Church Discovered

Posted: October 22, 2024

Archaeologists uncover fourth-century church in Armenia’s ancient capital  Nathan Steinmeyer  October 21, 2024 A preliminary reconstruction shows the late antique church of Artaxata. Courtesy Armenian-German Artaxata Project. Excavators with the University of… Read More

When Politics Turn Hostile Toward Christianity / The Gospel of Peter

Posted: September 25, 2024

THE NEWSLETTER OF IBTM with Douglas Jacoby . 25 September 2024 Good morning from Lancashire! I flew in yesterday from Sri Lanka and the Far East. It’s good to be… Read More

Epistle of Barnabas / Joanna & the Zombies / Dinosaurs / Creation & Evolution Webinar

Posted: September 18, 2024

THE NEWSLETTER OF IBTM  with Douglas Jacoby . 18 Sept 2024 Good morning from the island nation of Sri Lanka! Due to mechanical problems with the aircraft from the UK,… Read More

Narcissists & Sociopaths / the Martyrdom of Ignatius

Posted: September 11, 2024

The Newsletter of IBTM with Douglas Jacoby . 11 September 2024 . Good morning! Do you like to travel? I do, and have been to lots of countries—but not Sri… Read More

Deconstruction & Reconstruction

Posted: September 4, 2024

THE NEWSLETTER OF IBTM With Douglas Jacoby . 4 September 2024 Good morning from Northern England! Do you enjoy the outdoors? One of our new favorite things to do is to head… Read More

Mutilated by Beasts / Light-hearted Limericks / Aramaic Bible?

Posted: August 28, 2024

THE NEWSLETTER OF IBTM with Douglas Jacoby. 28 August 2024 Good morning from Northern England. Psalm 118:24! Today’s offerings include a Q&A on the original Scriptures, another glimpse at the… Read More

“Becoming” a Disciple—Before Conversion or After? / Let Go?

Posted: August 21, 2024

The Newsletter of IBTM with Douglas Jacoby . 20 August 2024 Good morning from Northern England! We hope you are well, and enjoying the final weeks of summer (or winter,… Read More

Why John Owen and Richard Baxter Didn’t Like Each Other, by Tim Cooper

Posted: August 19, 2024

August 1, 2024 How People See Us When I first entered full-time pastoral ministry many years ago, there was someone in the congregation who, I’m sorry to say, I did… Read More

Antioch’s Silent Guardians (Bible History Daily)

Posted: August 15, 2024

How early Christians viewed the ancient city  Robert Edwards,  August 14, 2024 John Chrysostom on a gold medallion inlayed with enamel (10th–11th century). Photo in public domain, via Metropolitan Museum… Read More

Jesus Contradicted / Polycarp / Common Bible Study Mistakes

Posted: August 14, 2024

The Newsletter of IBTM with Douglas Jacoby . 14 August 2024 Good morning from Bare, England! It’s been an interesting (and very good) month. Seven days ago I attended a… Read More

1 Clement, Diognetus, and the Atlanta Braves

Posted: August 7, 2024

The newsletter of IBTM  with Douglas Jacoby . 7  August 2024 Good evening from Atlanta! I’m back from an excellent family visit to St. Augustine, FL and an encouraging friendship… Read More

I Was Hungry! (free book) / Early Christians series

Posted: July 31, 2024

The Newsletter of IBTM with Douglas Jacoby . 31 July 2024 Good morning from St Augustine, Florida. I’m staying a few days with my brother and his wife—and their new… Read More

Is Christianity Oppressive?

Posted: May 4, 2024

By Bobby Conway MAY 03, 2024 Unfortunately, there are overly zealous people out there who oppress others in the name of Christianity—though thankfully it’s not the norm. Sadly, people like… Read More

Christianity and the So-Called “Dark Ages”

Posted: March 14, 2024

Christianity and the So-Called “Dark Ages” By Melissa Cain Travis MAR 9 READ IN APP In his famous essay, “The Age of Reason,” American Founding Father and deist, Thomas Paine,… Read More

Christmas Origins: “The Man Who Came in from the Cold”

Posted: December 6, 2023

I wrote the following piece in the mid-1980s. The audio talk (14 mins) is based on the original paper. The Man Who Came in from the Cold I remember the… Read More

Unity in the Sub-Apostolic Church (Steve Staten)

Posted: October 15, 2023

Unity in the Sub-Apostolic Church WAS THERE UNITY IN THE SUB-APOSTOLIC CHURCH? AN INVESTIGATION OF THE TUNNEL PERIOD (~A.D. 62-150) Stephen Francis Staten Wheaton College, 1997 In this masters thesis… Read More

Hidden Origins of the Campbell Movement: Cooperating across denominational boundaries (James L. Gorman)

Posted: September 5, 2023

Article appearing in the newsletter of Common Grounds Unity, 19 Aug 2023, used by permission Origin stories deeply shape our identity, theology, and practice. The stories we tell ourselves about… Read More

Cordell Christian College | Resurrected Living

Posted: April 21, 2023

RESURRECTED LIVING “What are you going to do with your new resurrected life? This is the heroic question.” Richard Rohr Continue reading.

The Seven Sacraments

Posted: January 16, 2023

Note: The following was constructed from an 8-part series in our 2022 newsletter. Catholicism’s Seven Sacraments The Council of Trent (1545-1563) affirmed: “If anyone says that the sacraments… are not… Read More

History, Hermeneutics & Church Polity – Courtney A. Bailey

Posted: December 1, 2022

Here is my self-published thesis, available on Amazon at the following link: History, Hermeneutics & Church Polity in the International Churches of Christ in Jamaica amazon.com And at Barnes and… Read More

AIM UK & Ireland – next module this Saturday 3rd December

Posted: November 30, 2022

Hi everyone, Just in case you hadn’t heard, the next AIM UK & Ireland module is round the corner – this Saturday in fact. The sessions will be both in-person… Read More

Persecution & Martyrdom

Posted: November 23, 2022

This message (32 mins) covers the various ways in which Christians of the first few centuries were persecuted (slander, exile, confiscation, etc). Following is a study of persecution and martyrdom… Read More

From Five Fingers to Five Steps – Jack R. Reese

Posted: February 26, 2022

  From Five Fingers to Five Steps Written by Jack Reese – Excerpt from “At the Blue Hole,” Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, 2021. Reprinted with permission. Scott (Walter… Read More

Christian Unity—An Interview with Common Grounds

Posted: February 15, 2022

Listen to an interview with Common Grounds, a terrific ministry focused on unity within the Stone Campbell Movement. The theme: CHRISTIAN UNITY. Enjoy this important conversation by clicking here.

Q&A 1616—Santiago de Compostela

Posted: January 7, 2022

Do you think the remains of James the Just are in the church of St. James of Compostela (Santiago de Compostela) in Spain?  Reply from Joseph Harris (Augusta, GA):  No,… Read More

The Sinner’s Prayer (with updated reflections), by Stephen Staten

Posted: December 27, 2021

Introduction C.S. Lewis used the term ‘a great cataract of nonsense’ to describe how people use a modern idea to construe Bible theology. One such example, perhaps the best example,… Read More

Greetings from the Lands of St. Nicholas; Myra, Patara, St. Nicholas Island

Posted: December 15, 2021

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on… Read More

The Nature of Christian Unity: Historical Understandings of Churches of Christ

Posted: September 27, 2021

The Nature of Christian Unity: Historical Understandings of Churches of Christ Written by Douglas A. Foster, The below are excerpts from a paper presented at the Stone-Campbell Dialogue in June… Read More

The ancient Christian creed (4th century)

Posted: September 9, 2021

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only… Read More

Who are the Jehovah’s Witnesses?

Posted: March 24, 2021

I. FOUNDING In the wake of the Second Great Awakening, many sects emerged in 19th century America. A combination of religious liberty and a strong spirit of individualism fostered numerous… Read More

“COC & ICOC: The Rift and the Repair – Revisited”

Posted: March 18, 2021

Join us for a conversation. Common Grounds Unity presents this conversation with Dr. Nick Zola & Dr. Douglas Jacoby on Saturday, March 20. Details on the flyer. Zoom meeting link… Read More

This Day in History: St. Patrick Dies

Posted: March 17, 2021

On March 17, 461 A.D., Saint Patrick, Christian missionary, bishop and apostle of Ireland, dies at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland. Today he is honored with the annual holiday of St. Patrick’s Day. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/saint-patrick-dies

Patrons, Prophets, and Preachers, by Rob Kranz

Posted: August 31, 2020

Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on Stepping into the Jordan Patrons, Prophets, and Preachers by Rob Kranz One of the advantages of teaching is that I always… Read More

Interview with Douglas Foster: Alexander Campbell Biography

Posted: August 17, 2020

Our DNA: An Interview With Douglas A. Foster I grew in Michigan, in a county with roughly 500 lakes. I spent a good portion of my childhood, barefoot with friends,… Read More

Church History Insights – Christian Ray interviews Daryl Reed

Posted: July 27, 2020

Daryl Reed is the Lead Minister of DC Regional Christian Church in the Washington DC area. We had an enlightening conversation about Church History and Race. Daryl is a third… Read More

The divided legacy of Alexander Campbell

Posted: July 8, 2020

Critical biography examines the ‘gifted but flawed’ leader of the American Restoration Movement. By John Mark Hicks When Alexander Campbell died in 1866, he left his legacy in a divided… Read More

A Life of Alexander Campbell – Douglas A. Foster

Posted: June 15, 2020

  Recently, my wife and I took the “Emotionally Healthy Relationships” course developed by Peter and Geri Scazzero. During one session we did a genogram. A genogram maps out a… Read More

A Dream Worth Resurrecting, by Ben Brewster

Posted: May 30, 2020

  A Dream Worth Resurrecting: by Ben Brewster Ben Brewster wrote the below for Common Grounds in 2018. His book “Torn Asunder” is a must-read! The below is a re-post…. Read More

Restoration or Reformation?, John Teal

Posted: May 2, 2020

  Yesterday, I received an email from a friend who shared a copy of “The Stone-Campbell Reformation: Its Roots and Ideals” from July 1994 with an article by Leroy Garrett…. Read More

How Churches of Christ responded when the 1918 ‘Spanish flu’ killed millions

Posted: March 22, 2020

Many congregations canceled services, and some Christians focused on feeding and nursing the poor. By John Mark Hicks NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville saw its first case of the “Spanish flu” in… Read More

Delving into the history of black churches

Posted: February 18, 2020

Delving into the history of black churches | The Christian Chronicle Edward J. Robinson’s newest book, “Hard-Fighting Soldiers: A History of African American Churches of Christ,” takes its title from… Read More

Are You an American Church? (London, 1986)

Posted: February 10, 2020

The article I wrote back in 1986 about the origins of the Churches of Christ in the U.K. May be of some interest to some readers.  

Racism: Twisted reasoning

Posted: January 7, 2020

Douglas Jacoby,  Washington DC (1993) (recommended by Russ Ewell, San Francisco) Prejudice is ugly and widespread, knowing no borders. Yet even more detestable is the use of biblical authority to justify… Read More

TheHistoricFaith.com by Sattler College and Scroll Publishing

Posted: June 17, 2019

  We are excited to introduce you to  TheHistoricFaith.com . The Historic Faith is the result of a partnership between Sattler College and Scroll Publishing. This project seeks to promote the precepts… Read More

COC & ICOC: The Rift & The Repair-Audio & Notes

Posted: May 9, 2019

Two classes given by Douglas Jacoby & Nick Zola at “The Harbor” Pepperdine Bible Lectures, on May 3, 2019. The two audio lessons are followed by the Powerpoint presentation with… Read More

The Luther Legend, by Marilynne Robinson

Posted: December 29, 2018

Martin Luther shattered Christendom and transformed the West, making the modern world possible and inevitable. This is the consensus among historians, whether they see this sixteenth-century monk as an epochal… Read More

Q&A 1542 – John boiled in oil?

Posted: December 7, 2018

At my church this morning it was preached that the apostle John survived being boiled in oil before he was exiled on Patmos. Is this true? It is certainly true… Read More

Download Bercot classes (1 Dec 2018)

Posted: December 1, 2018

EARLY CHURCH HISTORY WITH DAVID BERCOT Saturday, December 1, 2018 Download the PowerPoint from https://www.athensinstitute.org This will be available to all paying students until midnight 2 Dec ET only.

PRIESTHOOD OF THE BELIEVER, by Bob Koivisto

Posted: September 24, 2018

Jesus spoke out often about the very things which lead to a misguided understanding of God’s revealed truth in the Scriptures. Those influences are ignorance, apathy, religion, tradition and open… Read More

91 Key Dates in Church History

Posted: September 13, 2018

Some Key Dates in Church History

Brother Lawrence

Posted: April 25, 2018

Introduction We may be tempted to conceive of Christian history as a vast wasteland stretching from the post-apostolic period till fairly modern times; yet this is not quite accurate. Even… Read More

The Staurogram

Posted: March 27, 2018

The earliest images of Jesus on the cross How and when did Christians start to depict images of Jesus on the cross? Some believe the early church avoided images of… Read More

Jesus and the Cross

Posted: March 27, 2018

How the cross became Christianity’s most popular symbol Throughout the world, images of the cross adorn the walls and steeples of churches. For some Christians, the cross is part of their daily… Read More

Tomb of Christ

Posted: November 29, 2017

The archaeological exhibit on the tomb of Christ is on display at the National Geographic Museum through August, 2018. Click here. Articles: click here.

Review of Terry Whalin’s Billy Graham: A Biography of America’s Greatest Evangelist

Posted: November 4, 2017

When I was a teenager, I remember how my heart was moved by Billy Graham’s Peace with God. The simple way in which Graham is able to express profound truths has enabled him to connect with… Read More

An online trove of Biblical manuscripts

Posted: September 26, 2017

An extraordinary collection of 68 New Testament and other Biblical manuscripts dating from the fourth to the twentieth centuries has been digitized and made available for study online. Continue reading… Read More

Q&A 1505 – What was the Inquisition? (Torture, witches, Galileo… and lessons for today)

Posted: September 10, 2017

What exactly was the Inquisition? (If you prefer to listen to my reply, click on the arrow for the podcast, The Inquisition (20 min). If you want to save and… Read More

Q&A 1497 – What were the Crusades, and why does it matter?

Posted: June 30, 2017

Our church is initiating a “Crusade” to take our city for Christ. This makes we wonder, what about the Crusades in the Middle Ages. What were they? As a Christian… Read More

Why I Am Not an Evangelical (or am I?), by Douglas Jacoby

Posted: June 21, 2017

To listen to the third podcast in the series on Christian identity, Why I Am Not an Evangelical—or Am I? (32 min), click on the arrow. To download and listen… Read More

Why I Am Not a Fundamentalist, by Douglas Jacoby

Posted: June 14, 2017

To hear the podcast (44 mins), Why I Am Not a Fundamentalist, click on the play arrow. To download and listen to it later, right click here and then on ‘save link as’… Read More

Why I Am Not a Protestant, by Douglas Jacoby

Posted: June 7, 2017

To hear the podcast (54 mins) titled Why I Am Not a Protestant, click on the arrow. To download and listen to it later, right click here and then on ‘save… Read More

Bercot lessons at YouTube

Posted: November 3, 2016

Listen to David Bercot’s lessons (Scroll Publishing) through its YouTube channel. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL6qGDn7Nnd84-UgURpw8Dw Description Welcome to the Scroll Publishing YouTube channel. We are a small publisher of Christian books… Read More

Background to the Sinner’s Prayer, by David Platt

Posted: July 2, 2016

Click here to read this article. See also Steve Staten’s article on the Sinner’s Prayer here.

Alexander Campbell Documentary

Posted: November 25, 2015

This presentation (2:40:00), hosted By David Kenney, covers the life and influence of Alexander Campbell, probably the most influential leader in the Stone-Campbell Movement, better known as the Restoration Movement…. Read More

Lessons from the Protestant Reformation

Posted: November 8, 2015

Here are the links for the major classes given in the 2015 Biblical Study Tour. The theme was “Finding God When the Church is Adrift,” and the teaching took place in… Read More

The Great Ptolemaic Smackdown

Posted: September 10, 2015

My next door neighbor, enjoying the recent articles on evolution in which I reference the slowness of the academic world to accept heliocentricity (earth orbiting sun), sent these links. The… Read More

America’s Changing Religious Landscape

Posted: May 12, 2015

http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/

7 Startling Facts: An Up Close Look at Church Attendance in America

Posted: February 2, 2015

Click for a most illuminating study.

The Lord’s Supper: from Table to Altar

Posted: August 13, 2014

Your Ex Still Wants You The following podcast, the title of which is inspired by Lipscomb scholar John Mark Hicks’ recent work, examines the evolution of the “supper” from actual… Read More

Christ Through the Ages, 27: 500 Years of Alternative Christs (Reformation onward)

Posted: January 27, 2014

To download, right click on the link and click “Save Link As” or “Save target As” – Download Podcast In this final lesson in the sub-series on Christ as understood… Read More

Christ Through the Ages, 26: The Later Middle Ages

Posted: January 26, 2014

When you listen to Christ Through the Ages lesson 26 (19 minutes), you’ll learn how the changes that occurred from the 2nd to 4th centuries (our last podcast) accelerate in… Read More

Christ Through the Ages, 25: The Early Middle Ages

Posted: January 25, 2014

To download, right click on the link and click “Save Link As” or “Save target As” – Download Podcast The 25th podcast in this series (21 minutes) is entitled Christ… Read More

Christ Through the Ages, 24: Christ in the Apostolic Age

Posted: January 24, 2014

Beginning with this podcast, we turn our attention to perceptions of Christ as he was preached throughout the course of church history. Lesson 24, Christ in Church History: The Apostolic… Read More

The Restoration Hermeneutic & Fractures of the Church (Ron Petter)

Posted: July 31, 2013

Click here to download the .pdf file. Ron Petter is a respected Canadian evangelist and teacher in Hamilton, Ontario. Ron is working on his PhD at McMaster Divinity College, (www.macdiv.ca)… Read More

Linguistic Insight: Christmas & Santa Claus

Posted: July 31, 2013

The Origin of the word Christmas The modern word Christmas comes from the Old English Cristes mæsse, or Christ’s mass. In Medieval Catholicism, this was the Mass. The word mass… Read More

EASTER

Posted: July 31, 2013

Did you know that there are two dates for Easter? One follows the Jewish Passover and is lunar, the other determined by solar calculation. This disagreement dates back to at… Read More

Restoration Movement Website

Posted: July 31, 2013

You may be interested in this website, which seeks to promote common ground among Restoration Movement churches.http://www.restorationunity.com/   

Receiving Christ

Posted: April 16, 2013

Here is a study of the popular evangelical doctrine of Receiving Christ (22 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target… Read More

Paul’s grave claimed found by the Vatican

Posted: December 19, 2006

The tomb of Paul was discovered just outside the old city walls of Rome, in the area of the Church of St Paul Outside the Walls. Excavation of the grave… Read More

The Stone-Campbell Journal

Posted: November 9, 2006

There’s a great resource on the Stone-Campbell Movement. Visit the website of the Stone-Campbell Journal.

Church History: Baptismal theology in the past 2 centuries

Posted: July 28, 2006

Link to Restoration Quarterly Article:  LINK

Bible versions – by Toney Mulhollan

Posted: July 5, 2006

In 1588, a Catholic priest, William Weston, a critic of the Puritans and their movement described for his readers a large gathering of them which he observed at Ely, England:… Read More

Alexander Campbell on War

Posted: May 17, 2006

To read his views, download AlexanderCampbellonWar.pdf (59 KB).

Complete Set of Patristic Writers Online

Posted: May 4, 2006

http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/

Church History: 381 AD. Rome’s Official Religion

Posted: February 28, 2006

381 AD. This is the date that Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Earlier in the same (fourth) century, it had become legal, but from this date… Read More

Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement

Posted: January 30, 2006

Here’s a useful volume on the Stone-Campbell Movement — from which sprang the Churches of Christ, Christian Churches, and Disciples of Christ.  Click here

Christian Classics

Posted: January 9, 2006

Check out this website: Christian Classics.

Church History Century by Century

Posted: December 4, 2005

This is the “handout” to accompany the church history powerpoint presentation made in Lagos, Nigeria (2005). In addition, the 7 lessons of church history are: 1. No clergy/laity distinction! 2…. Read More

Archaeologists Unveil Ancient Church Site

Posted: November 10, 2005

Check out this story if you haven’t seen it already. Link

AIM Session VII Report: Chuck Lucas Speaks

Posted: September 5, 2005

22-27 August 2005 we conducted AIM Session VII, with units on Church History (10 hours), World Religions (10 hours), and Campus Ministry (5 hours). Students converged from Georgia, California, Colorado,… Read More

Catacombs

Posted: July 22, 2005

The Roman catacombs are intricate labyrinths of burial chambers that were built roughly between the third and fifth century A.D. They are considered among the most important relics of early… Read More

The Anatomy of a Hybrid

Posted: June 25, 2005

An extremely thought provoking book, one that students of church history will be sure to want to read, is Leonard Verduin’s THE ANATOMY OF A HYBRID: A STUDY IN CHURCH-STATE… Read More

Instrumental Music: A Live Issue

Posted: September 24, 2003

“Instrumental Music: A Live Issue’ was written by Douglas Jacoby in 1993. It discusses what the Bible says about the use of instrumental music — an issue for the Restoration… Read More

Martin Luther and the Reformation, by James Greig

Posted: September 1, 2003

Here is a paper on the life and ministry of Martin Luther. It is written by James Greig: pdf file.

Oxford and the English Martyrs, by James Greig

Posted: August 5, 2003

The following are excerpts from Foxe’s Book of Martyrs (published Ambassador, complete), first published Basle 1559. John Foxe studied at Oxford and was ordained by Nicholas Ridley in 1550. He… Read More

Gnosticism, by Andrew Kitchen

Posted: July 17, 2003

The word “gnosticism” comes from gnosis, Greek for “knowledge.” Esoteric or secret knowledge is meant. The Gnostics believed that only an elite few enjoyed special enlightenment. The Gnostic view of… Read More

Campbell Bible Study

Posted: July 17, 2003

Campbell Study MILLENNIAL HARBINGER, NEW SERIES. VOLUME III.—–NUMBER I. ================================================================= B E T H A N Y, VA. JANUARY, 1839. ================================================================= BIBLE READING NOTHING is more talked about amongst professors, and nothing… Read More

Freemasonry and Discipleship

Posted: July 17, 2003

Introduction In the twelve years I have been a Christian I have had the privilege of studying the Bible with five men who were active Freemasons. I know that throughout… Read More