Theology

Charles Finney

Charles Finney photo

Friend of Foe? The most successful advocate of Arminianism in America was not Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609), but Charles Finney (1792-1875). Because The Works of Arminius (Baker Book House, reprinted 1996) are highly intellectual and academic — bordering on the arcane, few people have (or will) read them. Arminius, a young boy when Calvin died,...

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Feminine Mystique

I grew up and was educated during the blossom of the feminine spirit. My years in seminary witnessed a vicious attack on everything masculine — including pronouns! Ordinary sentence structure was convoluted beyond common sense and the basic rules of English grammar collapsed in the wake. The gender of one’s pronouns trumped the value...

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Emergence

Fads have become the engines that drive culture in the 21st Century. Corporations chase fads in order to profit from them in various ways. Corporations also create fads as a means of marketing their products. The ideal marketing program is the establishment of a cult following such as Harley Davidson has done in the...

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Definitions

What do we do when the meaning of something is disputed? “…if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:3). Our world is currently in the midst of revolution, a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving. The news is filled with stories about how different things are...

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Congregationalism

A Brief History of Congregationalism ©1998 Phillip A. Ross Renewal is often the rekindling of a former glory, and the former success of Congregationalism was indeed great. Yet, history does not travel backwards. The majority of contemporary Congregational church members are not from Congregational backgrounds. Even so, most Congregationalists themselves do not know about...

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What Is A Christian?

What makes a person Christian? It sounds like a simple question, but it has been complicated by sin and history. Jesus’ first sermon set the standard — “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Clearly, Christians are repentant people. Repentance is the primary response to the gospel and includes the...

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What Is A Christian – Part 2

What Is A Christian – Part 2

Part 2 If you have not read Part 1, please do so first. It sounds like a simple question, but it has been complicated by sin and history. The first and most inclusive definition of a Christian is a person who has confessed Jesus Christ as Lord (John 11:25-27 — Do not neglect reading...

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Statement of Faith

This statement of faith is an effort to summarize and capsulize our understanding of the essential principles that Scripture teaches. So, it is more a function of the biblical narrative than of prooftexting. All such statements at some level will be inadequate to their mission. Thank God that salvation is not a matter of...

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Calvinism & Arminianism

Calvinism and Arminianism have offered rival biblical and theological interpretations for millennia. Both cannot be faithful to Scripture because they are mutually exclusive. It is our understanding that Calvinism trumps Arminianism in every measure as the more faithful interpretation of Scripture. The following chart sets out the fundamental differences. Arminianism Calvinism Free-Will or Human...

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Antithesis

1 Corinthians 2:1-16 Paul did not preach with lofty speech or persuasive words of wisdom. The focus of Paul’s preaching and testimony was not on the words he used, but on the content of the message he proclaimed. He wasn’t trying to craft a good speech or a compelling testimony. He wasn’t engaged in...

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Books

Peter's Vision CoverNew@

Peter's Vision of Christ's Purpose in First Peter by Phillip A. Ross, November 2011, 317 pages.

The True Mystery CoverNew@

The True Mystery of the Mystical Presence by John Nevin & Phillip A. Ross, October 2011, 355 pages.

Rock Mountain Creed Cover

Rock Mountain Creed — Jesus' Sermon on the Mount by Phillip A. Ross, 2010, 325 pages.

It's About Time Cover

Colossians — Christos Singularis by Phillip A. Ross, 2010, 263 pages.

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