Free Republic

The Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) in Jordan, in cooperation with the heads of the Churches in Jordan, has decided to hold an annual celebration marking the Annunciation to Blessed Virgin MaryHis Majesty King Abdullah II addressed the 71st United Nations General Assembly on September 20, 2016. He said: “Jesus, whom we call ’Christ Messiah’, is named 25 times in the Qur’an. His mother Mary, called the ’best of all women in creation’, is named 35 times. And there is a chapter in the Qur’an called ‘Maryam’. The khawarej deliberately hide these truths about Islam in order to...

Excerpt from: The Ecclesiological Renovation of Vatican II by Archpriest Peter Heers "The basis for modern Catholic-Orthodox dialogue, the decree [on Ecumenism of Vatican II] established the principle of real, if imperfect, communion between Christians and their churches and communities." - by John Long, S.J. The idea of partial communion, so central to the new ecclesiology, is inconsistent with this understanding of the organic unity of the Church. Once again, in this regard as well, Vatican II was not a return to the patristic vision of the Church, but rather a further step away from it. As Metropolitan Kallistos Ware...

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert hosted a blasphemous segment with New Age Oprah that they called, “‘Oprah Winfrey gets some career advice from a slightly less famous figure: the Lord.” During the show, they openly mocked God and Jesus. As the show opens, Steven Colbert begins to introduce Oprah, but she interrupts before he can say her name. “We’re here with” Colbert begins, then Oprah blurts out, “God.” Colbert continues, “Miss Oprah Winfrey.” Being that there was a skit planned with a character “god” later in the segment, many would wipe this off, but with all the hype around...

In fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep - 1 Corinthians 15:1-58 From our conversion until we see God in glory, we are called to live by faith in the Lord, to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). This is not a call that is limited to only one area of life or to selected events. No, we are to walk by faith in every breath that we take, even our last breath as we pass into glory. In other words, just as we live by faith, we...

March 5, 2018 by Cassandra Fairbanks 167 CommentsIn the latest absurd news to come from liberal college campuses, a group of librarians at Simmons College in Boston have declared that saying “God bless you” when someone sneezes is Islamophobic.The group has created the Anti-Oppression Library Guide, which also dictates that saying “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Easter” is an act of “Islamomisic microaggression.” “Islamomisic Microaggressions are commonplace verbal or behavioral indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicates hostile, derogatory, or negative slights in relation to the beliefs and religious practices of Muslims,” the librarians argue. “They are structurally based and invoke...

Catholic Church sets out a vision for closer ties with Islam Cardinal Vincent Nichols planting a sapling at the Oxford Centre for Islamic StudiesHow can dialogue between faiths lead to a deeper spiritual understanding? Is there not always a danger that both sides will talk across each other without listening or just agree on the bare minimum they have in common? These questions were raised this week by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, when he made the first visit by the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Britain to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, the dazzling...

ROME - Making official what the Swiss government had already announced, the Vatican confirmed on Friday that Pope Francis will travel to Geneva, Switzerland, on June 21 to mark the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches in one of the traditional centers of the Protestant Reformation.“His Holiness has in mind to visit the World Council of Churches in Geneva on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of its foundation,” Vatican spokesman Greg Burke announced on Friday in the Vatican’s daily news bulletin.“The visit will take place Thursday, June 21, 2018,” Burke said. “The program of the trip will...

Has anyone done their doctorate in theology in the required four years or does it generally take longer? I'm thinking of doing my doctorate and am curious to know if there are some general tips or good practical advice to follow. I have heard that you are being rigorously trained and it requires a big commitment where other things in life are pushed aside as less important. I don't know how true any of this is. Thanks.

Starting on February 11th, 2017, the congregation of St. Matthew Trinity Lutheran Church in Hoboken, New Jersey began referring to their pastor as Peter. Peter, formerly Rose Beeson, was the center of a renaming ceremony Sunday that was led by Bishop Tracie Bartholomew of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The ceremony also coincided with the celebration known as Transfiguration Day for Lutherans.

Hillsong Sponsoring Contemplative Alpha – Allows Catholic Mass at Conference ON FEBRUARY 15, 2018 BY MARK JEFFERIES In what appears to be a one of the latest atrocities in the ecumenical war against God’s church, Hillsong churches are partnering with Alpha – a contemplative program that originated in the heretical Anglican Holy Trinity Brompton – the church that was the European home of the ‘Holy Laughter’ heresies.

THE Church of England and the Methodist Church moved one step closer together last week. After a wide-ranging debate, the General Synod approved Mission and Ministry in Covenant, a report that proposes creating full interchangeability of ministers between the two Churches, moving towards full communion, if not full unity (News, 26 January). Although a number of concerns were raised on the floor of the Synod during the debate, the report was given overwhelming support, and in the vote received comfortably more than a two-thirds majority in each of the Houses: Bishops, Clergy, and Laity. As a prelude to the debate,...

Join Freepers throughout the world to pray for PRESIDENT TRUMP and VICE-PRESIDENT PENCE and for AMERICA: All Levels of Government, Family, Military, Business, Education, Churches, Health Care Systems and the Media. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. —1 John 5:14 Forum threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind. Please join us today to pray for the National Prayer Breakfast events being held for U.S. and international particpants in Washington, DC all day today.

World Evangelical Alliance explains why Italy, Spain, and Malta leaders shouldn’t fear that global group has fallen for the ‘Francis effect.’During last year’s 500th anniversary of the Reformation, many groups examined or asked: Is it over? The loudest “no” has come from the conservative Protestants closest to Rome. Last month, the national evangelical alliances of Italy, Spain, and Malta—all members of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA)—wrote an 8-page open letter charging their parent organization with “moving away from its historic position” of holding the line against Catholic and liberal Protestant theology. “In recent years we have sensed that the leadership...

As part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, tomorrow, Thursday 18th January, in the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Sarajevo, the cardinal of Sarajevo Vinko Puljic will officiate an ecumenical prayer in the presence of the Orthodox Metropolitan of the Bosnian capital, Hrizostom (the highest rank in the Orthodox Church of Bosnia Herzegovina, which is under the jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Church). The Orthodox leader will give the sermon. The prayer will also be attended by the Orthodox priests of Sarajevo. Catholics will reciprocate the visit on January 25th in the Orthodox Cathedral of the “Most Holy Mother...

The Church of England's ruling synod is set for a 'controversial' debate moving towards ending a 200-year-old schism with the Methodists. The two Churches split in the 18th century when John Wesley, a CofE cleric, reluctantly founded the breakaway movement after trying to reform Anglicanism. Proposals to bring the two closer together are likely to face strong opposition from some when the next stage in a two-year long process is debated by the CofE's ruling General Synod next month. The plans, if eventually implemented, would mean that ministers from one Church could practise in the other. 'Acceptance of the proposals...

Among the numerous ecumenical events that will take place in the margins of and during the next World Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (18-25 January), a particular sign of brotherhood and search for unity among believers will be the Catholic parish and the Protestant parish exchanging their “pulpits” on two occasions in Feldkirchen, Carinthia. Indeed, on Sunday, 14 January, Protestant Pastor Martin Müller will deliver his homily at the Catholic parish church of “Maria im Dorn” during Mass. And on Sunday, 25 February, the Catholic parish priest Wolfgang Gracher will preach a sermon to the Reformed faithful during the...

Guest Column; The Unbiblical Fight for Issues by Ray Vasser Ray Vasser is a friend, brother and Elder in our Church,Believers in Grace Fellowship. He has written on the "Social Justice" trap that many have fallen into, departing from the gospel in the name of fighting for racial equality. I offer you this column for your interest and comments-Bill RandlesI have pondered for some time as I watch our society plummet further into the power of the wicked one (1 John 5:19). I ask that readers please bear with my thoughts on this subject and consider the ramifications I am...

Civil rights were very much in the forefront in America during the 1960s and early 1970s. As the issue unfolded, I sometimes found myself under fire from both sides, extreme conservatives castigating me for doing too much and extreme liberals blaming me for not doing enough. In reality, both groups tended to stand aloof from our evangelistic Crusades, but those people who actively supported us understood very well our commitment to doing what we could through our evangelism to end the blight of racism. Early on, Dr. King and I spoke about his method of using non-violent demonstrations to bring...

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