St. Anthony and the Monastics

Inside the cave: one contemplated one hand clapping, or the sound of rain before it falls, echoing... Our solitude is a place where the chaos can be made clearer, a place where the noise can soften. I think this is what St. Anthony was attempting to do when he stepped back into the vast desert....

325-451Heresies: Broken Mosaic Pieces

325-451Heresies: Answered by the Apostles Creed
The Early Catholic Church worked to safeguard the pure story of the cross.

First: The apostles kept the story alive, by careful observation and study of the Gospel Truth..

Second: Iraneous, Linus and other men codified the New Testament.They finally agreed on the twenty-seven books in the New Testament by 367.

Third: . The Apostles Creed was a big shield in preserving the Gospel Truth:

1. Answer to the Marcionites belief that a wicked God called Demiurge created the heaven and earth:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;

2. Answer to the Marcionites belief that Jesus was a seperate God, who remained hidden until out of pure Love He revealed himself in Christ:

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit,
and born of the Virgin Mary

3. Answersto the Mysteries and their belief that there is no historical signifigance to Christ.
He suffered under Pontious Pilate;
was crucified, and was buried.

He descended into hell.

The third day he rose again from the dead.

4. Answers to Montanism who believed there were future prophets who would be able to judge our world. The Montanisms stand in the way of the Biblical Fact that Jesus alone judges the quick:
He ascended into heaven,

and is seated on the the right hand of God the Father almighty.

From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

5. Answers to Novation belief that sins/relapses could not be repented of once baptized:
I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy Catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

6. Answers to the Gnostic and Marcionites separation of soul and body. They believed that the body was evil and bound the soul in a prison. The biblical truth is that our bodies are not evil in of themselves... they mean enough to be resurrected...
the resurrection of the body,


and the life everlasting. Amen.

The heresies were a threat because they could drive away the believer from the core truth of the gospel.

325-345 Into the Desert-St. Anthony

The red hills were witness as St. Anthony led himself from the world, into the desert. He gave up his privileged life for a life with Christ. The devil was angered and he brew illusions in attempt to thwart his journey: jackals, bears, and lions roared in front of Anthony's remote contemplative cave of solitude.

325-345: Mosaic of Truth

Which Christ do you have in mind when you pray to our holy LORD? Is it's Origen's God man? Is it Gregory of Nyssa's Christ the LOGOS? Or baby Jesus as defined by Mr. Ricky Bobby? Whom is Christ? Jesus to me is a gift that shapes broken down pieces into a priceless precious gift!!

350 Eureka! Fourth century theologians knew that one does not equal three

Greeks saw many Gods, Latinos saw a oneness of God with different faces. "Fairy Land is nothing but the sunny country of common sense." (Chesterton)

Holiness is like a twenty point buck, hard to bring down with a piece of string and a pencil. Eureka, "Fourth century theologians knew that one does not equal three."(79)

Created while listening to KEXP Seattle

325-345 Intermission: Of the Holy Spirit

Sorry this exceeds the 55 Words of a Regular Post...

John 16:14-15 The holy spirit takes what is Christs and Glorifies that truth to the Church. Guiding the Church along the correct path.

John 14:7 The Holy Spirit allows us to see the Divine Design.

Joel 2:28-32 The Holy Spirit has been given to all. The Spirit allows us to dream of a New Perfect Kingdom. The Youth will see how they will shape society. On all, that are in Christ, this includes male and female. No longer is the Spirit only with the highest priests.

The Spirit Restores the relationship that we had on the other side of Nod, in the Garden of Eden. A new relationship where we can "kibitz" with God Daily.

No longer do we need to wait for Yom Kippur, where God is open one day for conversation and repenting of our sinful ways. Now we have a relationship where we can till our weeds and repent daily. It amends the relationship with God by humbling us and exalting him.

Romans 8:1-27 The spirit frees you from the chains of slavery, and the road to death (Sheol or Hell). The spirit makes a change in man, a change that allows man to be one with His holiness. The spirit provides a way for man to fulfill the law, because instead of fulfilling the law out of obligation, we fulfill the law out of Spirit.

We now can keep our eyes on the prize, and keep our eyes away from carrion comfort. The spirit makes a path of peace even in a hard knocked life. You are made one with the LORD through the Spirit. We are made sons of God through the Spirit.

The Spirit helps the environment freeing it from the pollutions made by our Sins.

The Spirit forms our praying lives. We learn rightful prayer. We learn to pray for things that are not just beneficial to us, but are beneficial to all in Christ's Kingdom.


Written while listening to the Podcast:
Groove Electric

Books Referenced:
Douglas, J.D. and Merricl C. Tenney ed. The New International Dictionary of the Bible Besingstoke, Hants, U.K.: Zondervan, Corporation 1987.

Berkhoff, Louis Systematic Theology Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1932.

325-345 Intermission: Trinity Described

John 1:18,
Also look at John 16:14, 17:4, 17:5;

John 1:18,
Also look at John 16:14, 17:4, 17:5;
"The life of the Trinity is characterized not by self centerdness but by mutually self-giving love." (Keller, 214) The Father, Son and Holy Ghost share energy created by the synoptic response to each other. The Trinity Dances, creating an ever growing, ever expanding, ever knowing type of love. A loving gift to those who chose it.


Keller, Timothy (The Reason for God Belief in an Age of Skepticism) Dutton 2008

325: Nicean Creed Penned

Arius held that God was without beginning. But he viewed that the Son Christ, had a beginning and was not part of God. Arius's thinking was deemed extremely dangerous:
"Art, like morality, consists of drawing the line somewhere." - GK Chesterton ILN, 5/5/28 Bishops penned the Nicene Creed to establish a line between Orthodoxy and Heresy.

325: Artius Jingles Send an Uproar

By 410 Emperor Honorius said, "The Cantons should take steps to defend themselves (from Artius Jingles). His jingles were worse than Jingle Cats. Artius described Christ as the guitar hero, riding a white horse, saving the day in the name of God, and looking like Fabio. Bishop Alexander, would have nothing to do with this fabrication.

340 No More Road Construction in Britain

A moment ago there was only dirty wilderness, now there is a City of God.
What happens when a sub group becomes the dominant group? What Christian message is lost when Christianity is uʍop ǝpısdn ɹǝƃuoן ou? What happens when the one eyed martyrs now get to dine in the Emperors private chambers?

330 New Christian Capitol- Constantinople

Constantine was a divine tool to chip and destroy the faulty idols that were placed on Christ's thrown. Men of Bosporus found their idols had lied to them, had deceived them, driving them down and out amongst the bones.

But Seven Sleepers held to the truth of the Cross, and named a Christian Capitol Constantinople.

_______________________________________________
Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople

She'll be waiting in Istanbul

They Might be Giants - Istanbul not Constantinople

312-337 Christianity UberDog

Christianity gained traction under Constantine. Constantine shows us that God is bigger than an earthly kingdom. God is greater than any terror organization. God is greater than our sins...He will bring us out from our inner slavery, as he did in Mitzrayim, bringing us forth with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm.

Obermann Once More
by Matthew Arnold

"She broke her flutes, she stopp'd her sports,
Her artists could not please;
She tore her books, she shut her courts,
She fled her palaces;

"Lust of the eye and pride of life
She left it all behind,
And hurried, torn with inward strife,
The wilderness to find.

"Tears wash'd the trouble from her face!
She changed into a child!
'Mid weeds and wrecks she stood--a place
Of ruin--but she smiled!

"Oh, had I lived in that great day,
How had its glory new
Fill'd earth and heaven, and caught away
My ravish'd spirit too!

"No thoughts that to the world belong
Had stood against the wave
Of love which set so deep and strong
From Christ's then open grave.

312 Milvian Bridge:

A power cyclone kicked up old dust and dirt of Rome. Winds of change pressure dropped across the Mediterranean Sea. Constantine and his army advanced across the Alps. He desired authority to organize the Roman lines. Constantine turned to Christ, painting the cross on his shield and defeated Maxentius a real dirt bag from Italy.

303 AD: Fire on the Water... Smoke in the Sky

303 AD was the worst of times for Christian Martyrs. Smoke burned the eyes of martyred bishops. The sky was filled with soot from the burning of bibles. The imperial sandstorm applied grit to the gears of Christian Community. Would Christianity become a wiped out bloodbath? Was there something that could stand up to the beastly Roman Empire?

284-305 AD: Diocletian divides Rome .

Diocletian pondered the state of Rome in a season of discontent. " it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, the Barbarians kept destruction a foot, the din of the people stifled Rome....How must I get rid of these muckrakers?"

Interlude: Charles Dickens and the Christian Cause

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
English novelist (1812 - 1870)

Interlude: Road Kill- How to Cook oPossum

from the 1964 Joy of Cooking
(This is a word by word translation, nothing was changed to make it seem more obtuse)

Trap possum and feed it on milk and cereals for 10 days before killing. Clean but do not skin. Treat as for a pig by immersing the un-skinned animal in water just below the boiling point. Test frequently by plucking at the hair, ...slips out readily, remove the possum from the water... Roast as for Pork...

202 - 254 : Origen's Response to Bible Reading...

Origen in (202-254) believed the bible should be interpreted in three ways:

1. Literal Sense.
2. Moral Application to the Soul.
3. Allegorical or Spiritual Sense.
   

In Practice Galatians 1:1-5

1. Literal Sense: Word by word
   

   Greeting

   1:1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers who are with me,

   To the churches of Galatia:

   3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

2. Moral Application to the Soul: But it is in vain for those who are not delivered from the present evil world by the sanctification of the spirit to expect that they are freed from its condemnation by the blood of Jesus. Matthew Henry pg 1134
   
3. Allegorical or Spiritual Sense: Do you think I speak this strongly in order to manipulate crowds? Or curry favor with God? Or get popular applause? If my goal was popularity I wouldn't bother being Christ's slave. (The Message pg 459)

"Straight Up No Chaser" Tertullian 185-254



Sitting in the coffee bar, Tertullian orders a Tripple Espresso.
"Do you want room for cream."
"Straight up no chaser!
ya know, nothing is difficult for God: but if in our assumptions we rashly make use of this judgment, we shall be able to invent any manner of thing concerning God. Straight up no sugar!"
Check out the Tertullian Project.

249-251 Caesar is LORD

"Now if empires were round like a well polished black tire, dady-o, we could spin it right round."
"Every wheel has a hub?"
"A hub yes, a center point that connects the various spokes, so to speak."
"Eureka,I know what we can do?"
"What?"
"Center the Empire on Caesar."
"Copacetic, yeah, Caesar is LORD!"

For more read:
Revelation 12:11 and 13
2 Cor 11:14
Matthew 7:15

Movie Quotes:

I find your Lack of Faith Disturbing:  Admiral Motti  could represent any unbeliever who attacks Christianity and its signs.   Motti wants visible evidence of faith, data tapes, a hidden fortress.  However, does he provide evidence that shows that their is no reason to believe.  Motti is quick to point what is wrong with the faithful but never examines evidence that shows reason not to believe.  

Darth Vader: The plans you refer to will soon be back in our hands.
Admiral Motti: Any attack made by the Rebels against this station would be a useless gesture, no matter what technical data they have obtained. This station is now the ultimate power in the universe. I suggest we use it.
Darth Vader: Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force.
Admiral Motti: Don't try to frighten us with your sorcerous ways, Lord Vader. Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, or given you clairvoyance enough to find the rebels' hidden fortress...
[Vader makes a pinching motion and Motti starts choking]
Darth Vader: I find your lack of faith disturbing.

Musical Interlude: "Times They are a Changin'

Come gather around people, wherever you roam
And admit that the waters around you have grown
And accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'

- Bob Dylan "Times they are a Changin'"

Agape Love Fest 65

"Agape Love Fest" read the sign. The secret society called Christianity was meeting for midnight mass. The Christian lips were sealed, while the whisperers' lips moved like breaking waves in a storm. Rumors startled the whispering mass, Christians were having an orgy. Cannibals ate off of the body and drank the blood of their LORD.

64 AD -200 AD Roman Healing thru Aesculapius

Rome was sick, drinking liquid elixirs, and praying to idols. Sacred dogs licked salty wounds off serpentine patients. If you wanted to get well, pray to Aesculapius, the Roman God of healing. Roman Christians had a health crisis on their minds; either Jesus' healing powers, or get a prescription filled by Doctor Aesculapius.

Iranaeus d. 202 AD - Recapitulation on the Golf Course:

RECAPITULATION

God takes from his golf-bag a dimpled ball labeled Adams. He swings his driver awkwardly. The ball spins off, miserably landing in a lake.
God tells his Cady, "Mulligan?!"

Then, he stands backwards. He swings his driver, hitting a tree, ricocheting into the middle of the fairway.




"Which ball was that?"


God replies, "Jesus Christ!"

Okay this is heretical in a number of ways, first of first God never does make a mistake.  To say he needed a Mulligan was my lack of understanding of Christianity.   I like the story though.  But it is a sign that I have grown in my involvement with the Word of God.   Thank you LORD for bearing with me as I am blind with out your Spirit.

150 AD: North African Celius Critiques us Womyn

Celius chortled, at the Christian Line propagating along the amphitheater:
"Far from us, say the Christians be any man possessed of any culture or wisdom or judgment; their aim is to convince only worthless and contemptible people, idiots, slaves, poor women and children... These are the only ones whom they manage to turn into believers." (Shelley 47)

66-200 AD: North Africa and Carthage

Christianity was an urban movement, the villages were inhospitable. Christians feared the "Wild God Country". Argus kept his gaze against advancing Christians; guarding Apis' bulls from propagation. While, Isis alluringly tanned in the golden emmer fields; she stared admiringly at her looking-glass. She kept her naked body warm by the eternal flames of Phoroneus's fires.

66 - 200 AD: Go West (Africa)

Africa's time was a loop. You could set your watch, the Nile floods, every ten years. Africans clung mightily to the backbones of their Gods, high in Kilimanjaro, hoping to keep them pleased. African women circumnavigated Scarabs, seven times for fertile wombs. And then the Christians came and bent that Circle into a propagandizing line.

Journal Prompt-

Trinity Lakeland suggests using this guide in helping us in our our daily bible reading. I hope one finds it useful in growing up in Christ.

Community Bible Reading: Journal Prompt; Courtesy of Trinity Presbyterian

One Prayer
“Jesus, I want to see You, fall in love with You, and becomeYou to others.”

One Word
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication

Adore and worship God for who He is, what He has done, is doing, or will
do to save you
Confession: Ask God to forgive you for who you are, what you’ve done, are doing, or
want to do
Thanksgiving: Express the gratitude you feel toward Jesus for who He is, what He has
done, is doing, or will do to save you
Supplication: Ask the Spirit of Jesus to make you like Him on some specific way, so that
others can see the love of Jesus in you.
Enjoy the journal guide, this does not follow the rule of 55.. so relax... I know... Thanks Gregorio Roth

Route 66 Go West: Antioch

Paul was murdered by Rome. Jerusalem's Temple was no more but a wall. Sails were opened moving North-Westward. Antioch had become the New Christian Capitol.

(The hustling) rustling just to feast
(I know I'm) ready to leave too

(Go west) life is peaceful there
(Go west) there, in the open air

(Go west) This is what we're gonna do...

Pet Shop Boys- Go West

65 AD Attack Ad on the Jerusalem Gift

Gentiles, Pagans, Goyim, borught into our temple?
They are not circumcised onto the law?
Fact is, They don't wash their hands!!!
Fact is, They neglect circumcision!!!
Fact is, They have never tasted Grandma's Kugel?
Fact: They have red hair....
What's going on with the Jerusalem Gift?
Accepting the gift is pollution to our temple.

62 AD - Richmen Hold Onto their Gold: James 5:1-6

"Don't rain every time de pig squeal!"

"Come now! Rich-men weep, howling, crying, after their golden robes..."

"Pigs dunno w'at a pen's fer, blunderin' fer der tempory tresur,"

"Their corrosion will be evidence against them, It eats their ...flesh."

"Watch out w'en you'er gittin all you want. Fattenin' hogs aint in luck."
The Southern Plantation Proverbs that answer James 5:1-6 come from:

Botkin, B.A. A Treasury of Southern Folklore New York: Bonanza Books, 1980.

Acts 20:19 If Paul was a Member of NWA

Life in the streets is just a head game
Pagans only want you to stay down
Labeling me a flesh eater,
driving me out!

Why do I call myself a Christian you ask
Because my mouth is dirt monkey nasty
Christ deliver us from a deadly adversaries...
Yo! I'll be a Christian for Life.

Thunder Dome- Acts 19:13-16

Echoed.... Ephesians feared Zeus crying tears of a harlequin,

throwing thunder like children throwing blocks...

One could smell the phosphorescence of a huge bonfire... alighting the air...
Jews gathered their spells and casted them into the growing fire.
Fired up, glowing, Godly Turbines churned up the Old Greek Ways with out notice or regard.

Beware: The Interloper Gospel

**** The Merriam Webster Dictionary Defines Interloper as one that intrudes in a place or sphere of activity****

Granter of All Wishes: Give me what I want or I won't go! Quick Exchanges: Interlopers want quick gospels. Feeling Good: Interlopers sing happy songs about you! Marketing: Do not offend the world. The world has our money-bags. Interloper's views lead to Heresy. Franchising: Interlopers branch their churches out. American Idol: We become self centered Gods.
Are You Glorifying the LORD or YOUR COMMUNITY or Yourself? Allow the Interloper In You to Be Weeded Out.

52 AD: nArrowed Debate-Part Two

(Book of Acts 19)

Echo answered Echo, and the tumult swelled, into a buzz-saw of bitter meditations.

Paul with sweat on his brow taught the gospel in the heat of the day.

Echos fell in love of their own reflection.

The Sheppard Drones were infuriated by the repetition.

Ephesians wanted to tear the Christians and Jews into little pieces.

52 AD: nArrowed Debate-Part One;

nArrowed Debate Part One
(Book of Acts 19)

"By this Craft we have our Wealth!
This Paul is a lecherous provocateur; teaching that Gods are not made by man!
Are we to dethrone Diana*? Diana is the great protector of Children." charged Demetris the Silversmith.

The Whirlpool of sinister ministers eddied:
"LONG LIVE OUR GODDESS DIANA... GREAT IS DIANA OF THE EPHESIANS."

*Diana is also called Artemis

.

49 AD: Whispers Whisper in West Corinth

Whisperers dried voices; like wind in dry grass, were ready to burst into flame. They whispered meaningless words amongst themselves.

They prayed in their Corinthian Synagogues for an answer to the Christian Pests.

They sent Petitions to Rome

Rome sent the letters back, return to sender.

Christianity burst forth onto the world, burning-up with fever.

Whispering Whispers Awoke

The whisperers gathered at dawn, awaiting the event. A small troubled man stood in front of them, on a stony windswept mount.

He cleared his throat and spoke, "To an unknown God. Good News, he brought me to the banquet house.... and his banner over me is Love."

Whispering worshipers awoke; they  walked away quietly.

Hungry Goats Cue Up

They have turned the world inside out, they disturb our peace, Rome will hate us more." Religious Leaders.

"Come and fetch us out, they are ravenous Goat eating up our Widows Children, the homeless man's bench, shattering our fragile shalom." Paul

Paul stood still amongst the salivating hungry goats, awaiting the time, prepared for action.

What is Polycarp 55?

The blog uses 55 Word Stories to tell the History of the Church. I hope it serves to be educational as well as fun. I welcome you to check in daily except Sunday. I ask that you read and critique as you will. Welcome!
I hope you enjoy this site.
Gregorio Roth