1. The Christian Church began in England: a. About 200 years after the apostles died; b. During the Norman Conquest of William the Conqueror; c. In the reign of Henry VIII; d. With American missionaries after World War II. 2. The Archbishop of Canterbury preaches in: a. Canterbury Church of England; b. Cathedral Anglican Church; c. Canterbury British Cathedral; d. Cathedral Church of Christ, Canterbury. 3. John Wycliffe of Oxford was: a. a reformer 200 years before Martin Luther; b. a great fan of Martin Luther; c. a notable opponent of Martin Luther; d. a Fulbright scholar … [Read more...]
Archives for 2012
FOLLOW ME (2)
There is a time to analyze, to study, to reflect. There is also a time to respond, to move, to act. Mark's Gospel is intended for the second occasion. It is 65-67 A.D. Nero is Emperor in Rome. He has just beheaded Paul and crucified Peter upside down. Now he is unleashing a wave of lethal persecution against Jesus' followers in the imperial capital. Some he ties to stakes, drenches in oil and burns as human torches. Others he dresses in animal skins and exposes to killer beasts. Others he crucifies. Jesus' followers remember the master's challenge: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him … [Read more...]
FOLLOW ME (1)
Most likely, the earliest Gospel was written by John Mark of Jerusalem, helper to both Peter and Paul. The time was probably A.D. 65-67 and the purpose was to inspire believers in Rome against whom Emperor Nero had unleashed a wave of horrific persecution after having executed the two apostles mentioned above (see Acts 12:12; 2 Tim. 4:11; 1 Pet. 5:13). Mark's is the only canonical Gospel with a title: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mark 1:1). Early church tradition says that Mark wrote what Peter preached. Peter himself hints at plans for something like that (2 … [Read more...]
GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING
That's what you give loved ones when you give books by Edward Fudge. Choose from the following (see pictures and descriptions at www.EdwardFudge.com/written ). GracEmail: Daily Answers to Life's Big Questions (HillCrest Publications) The Great Rescue: The Story of God's Amazing Grace (New Leaf Books) The Sound of His Voice: Discovering the Secrets of God's Guidance (New Leaf) Two Views of Hell, co-authored with Robert Peterson (InterVarsity Press) The Fire That Consumes (Paternoster Press edition). To order using major credit card for shipment anywhere, call toll-free (in U.S.) … [Read more...]
THANKSGIVING FOR FAMILY
It is Saturday afternoon, July 14, 2007. Sara Faye and I are at a Fudge family reunion hosted by my brother Benjamin and his wife Susan at their home in beautiful Upland, California. Nestled at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains in San Bernardino County, this little section of Planet Earth must make "San Gabriel" the archangel smile with pleasure. I can just imagine him rejoicing in its magnificence, even now after thousands of years of spoilage by human sin, trembling with delight in anticipation of its fulfillment in the new heavens and new earth. To my mind, Paradise connotes a … [Read more...]
OUR MORTAL MINUTES
We know in our heads that we cannot take life for granted because the Bible says so, but we learn it in our hearts through experience on the ground. During the past three days, I have received three reminders that our earthly life at its best is both fragile and brief. Two reminders took the form of emails, bringing word of friends who have received devastating diagnoses. The other was a phone call reporting the death of a relative. It is evidence of godly wisdom for us to pause at such news and to reflect with sober mind on the lessons it has to teach. The first word came as a prayer … [Read more...]
ALASKA ADVENTURE
Surely some of the grandest of God's creation yet unspoiled by the hand of man! That was Alaska's Inside Passage as we experienced it aboard and ashore from The Dawn Princess, sailing from picturesque Seattle, Washington on Saturday, August 26, 2006 and returning on Saturday, September 2. The cruise ship itself is a floating village 856 feet long, 13 stories high and home for a week to more than 2,000 passengers of all ages and stations in life hailing from six continents and islands of the seas. Yet for all the cosmopolitan diversity, it was a small world still. One day we chatted with a … [Read more...]
THROUGH A PERSONAL STORM (1)
It was Sunday, September 7 (2008) and the aftermath of Hurricane Hanna had blown through New York the night before. The afternoon sun shone brightly as the Caribbean Princess glided through New York Harbor, past the Statue of Liberty into the Atlantic Ocean. For a year we had anticipated this seven-day cruise with our friends Mark & Phyllis Whitt, to Halifax, Nova Scotia and back to New York, with stops at St. John (New Brunswick), Bar Harbor (Maine), Boston (Mass.) and Newport (R.I.) along the way. By midweek, I became increasingly short of breath but pressed on. After a severe asthma … [Read more...]
THROUGH A PERSONAL STORM (1)
As you know, Hurricane Ike unleashed its wrath on South Texas last week (September 2008), with disastrous consequences on states as far removed as Indiana and Ohio. The storm took precious lives, destroyed billions of dollars in property and still leaves millions of people without electrical or other basic services. So today I pray for every victim of Ike, and give thanks for protection of my own and others' homes, an undeserved mercy which has no rational explanation in view of losses suffered by many faithful servants of God. I also give thanks for deliverance through a personal storm … [Read more...]
WHEN A PET DIES
A gracEmail subscriber writes: "We are in the process of watching a family dog die, and I'm feeling rather inadequate to prepare my children for this inevitable event. Has God no further use for animals after life on earth? I would appreciate your thoughts." * * * I don't know any New Testament passage that clearly says animals will inhabit the Age to Come. However the prophet Isaiah includes animals in his portrayals of God's promised future (Isa. 11:6-9; 65:17, 25). The Apostle Paul also says that "creation itself" awaits its final redemption, which could easily include its animal … [Read more...]
