Christian Biography

People worth knowing

Who do we study and Why?

What qualities does a person have to possess, or, what does a person have to do to make them worthy of being studied, made into a role model, or emulated?

Journal entry #1

Who in your community (define community as you wish) is a Christian whose faithful living you would like to emulate?

Give reasons why.

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(Of course, this question presupposes you know an inspiring Christian. If you really do not, give reasons why you don’t know such a person and state whether you will take steps to ensure you know one from here on out)

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*Remember all entries are to be 10 minutes worth of writing.

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St. Augustine 354-430 oR AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO

--Born in Thagaste, now modern day, Algeria, in

354.

--Parents: Patricius and Monica.

--Education: (primarily Christian) at Thagaste, Madaura and later to Carthage

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--at 16 (370), idleness and pagan seductions of the great city lead to a ‘son of his sin’ named Adeodatus

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-- at 19 (373), a love of philosophy developed through studying Cicero developed

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-- at 19, introduced to Manichean philosophy (Persian): dualism, faithlessness, scientific explanation through nature

--side stepping going into law, he shone as a ‘teacher of grammar’ at Thagaste and teacher of rhetoric in Carthage.

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--Despite his mother’s burden for his soul, he won prizes and praise for scholarly, exemplary talent. He was ambitious.

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--"They destroy everything and build up nothing": disillusionment with Manicheanism. (put on virtue but immoral, claim bible is false but offer no proof, quasi- science could not be answered by Faustus).

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--After 9 years, the blinding spell was broken.

--383, Augustine of Hippo travels to Rome, opens a school or Rhetoric (is disappointed), befriends a bishop and commits to hearing his preaching

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--It would take 3 more years of searching in the philosophy of Plato and neo-platonists and seeking pleasures, wealth, passions before he would devote himself to the True philosophy, that of Jesus Christ

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--His Mother, son’s Mother, and his Son

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--At 32, (386) baptised and mother dies (book 9), he travels back to Thagaste sells all he has and gives to the poor.

---391 becomes a bishop due to vox populi and remains in Hippo in that role until 430.

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--His passion/learning helped in him demonstrating the error of Manichaeism and other persecutions of the church, namely the Donatist schism, Pelagian controversy, and Arianism.

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-- He died at the age of 76 (430)

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--Augustine was canonized by popular recognition and recognized as a Doctor of the Church in 1303 by Pope Boniface VIII. His feast day is August 28. He is the patron saint of brewers, printers, theologians, sore eyes, and a number of cities and dioceses.

Works of st. Augustine

• Over 100 surviving works including apologetics, doctrine, sermons, letters, exegesis

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• Confessions: the conversion story and spiritual autobiography of an amazing man in the history of the Christian movement. He does not justify his wrong doings, or play victim. He takes responsibility in spite of feeling powerless to resist sin.

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• Retractions: a review of his earlier works which he wrote toward the end of his life.

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• The City of God: attempts to answer the charge that Rome had fallen in 410 because it had become Christian. “History is the story of two cities existing side-by-side: the City of God, built on love of God; and the earthly city built on love of self”

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“Throughout history, the two cities war against each

other, and versions of the early city rise and fall,

brought down by their own corruption and divine

Judgment”

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“In the end the city of God will be victorious. Rome’s

fall was due to its own shortcomings, the city of God

continues, unfazed by the fall of empires”

A last word...

“No one impacted christian theology in the latin-speaking world more than augustine. His writings on the trinity helped t0 define the doctrine for others. And for the next thousand years, no other theologian was so frequently quoted in western catholicism. Twelve hundred years after his death, even the leading protestant reformers were proud to call themselves “augustinians”.

Still Relevant?

Cartoon Version, anyone?

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Review Terms

Exegesis: explanation or interpretation of Scripture

Doctrine: Set of beliefs taught by the church

Theologian (Theology): An expert in theology (study of the divine)

Dualism: Two opposing or contrasting aspects

Apologetics: Giving a defence of your belief or faith

Canonize: having authority

The Donatist schism: Clergy needs to be above reproach

Pelagian controversy: we can choose to be good or evil. Cross

Arianism: Christ is not equal to God

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John wesley 1703-1791

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Wesley chapel, England

The Methodist Church

• The largest Christian denomination, 30 mill. worldwide
• Grew out of the revival of religion led by John Wesley
• Stresses both personal and social morality
• Is Arminian in doctrine
• In the U.S. is episcopal (meaning Anglican) and has a bishop

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Arminian the doctrinal teachings of Jacobus Arminius or his followers, especially the doctrine that Christ died for all people and not only for the elect. (opposite to Calvinism)

Methodist Doctrine

Wesleyan theology:

• Belief in the sinfulness of man
• The holiness of God,
• The deity of Jesus Christ,
• The literal death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for the salvation of man.
• Belief in the inerrancy of Scripture is low among Methodists, although they affirm the authority of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16).

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Methodism Today

There are individual members and Methodist congregations who are more conservative

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but

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many are pragmatic, liberal, or politically correct:

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The church ordains women pastors,

supports abortion to some degree,

and there is a movement within the church to grant full communion to practicing homosexuals and even to ordain homosexual clergy.

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John Wesley

• Upbringing and Education
• Church of England
• Joined a society founded by his brother
• George Whitefield/ Calvinism/

Outdoor preaching (success)

• Methods or guidelines for spiritual revival: ‘Societies’-homes to ‘classes’ 11 to 1, m & f... violence towards ‘methodists’
• “The World is my parish”
• 1735 Anglican minister/missionary set for New England (Georgia): unsuccessful...use of laypeople

• Responsible for the Second Great Awakening (1790—1840)
• Wesley followers when he died:

294 preachers,

71,668 British members,

19 missionaries (5 in mission stations),

43,265 American members with 198 preachers.

Homework

Read Sermon #2 (while listening to this audio file)

Preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the university, on July 25, 1741.

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Compare/contrast today’s sermons with a sermon from 276 yrs ag0

Review Terms

Calvinism: teachings by John Calvin, predestination

Arminianism: grace is available to all

Methodist: founder is John Wesley, largest Christian demon., challenged Church of England, house small groups, social justice

Episcopal: American version of Anglican

Anglican: Church of England as opposed to Catholicism

Keys aspects of Sermon 2

“Sincerity, therefore, is necessarily implied in the being almost a Christian; a real design to serve God, a hearty desire to do his will.”

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“It is necessarily implied, that a man have a sincere view of pleasing God in all things; in all his conversation; in all his actions; in all he does or leaves undone.”

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“This design, if any man be almost a Christian, runs through the whole tenor of his life. This is the moving principle, both in his doing good, his abstaining from evil, and his using the ordinances of God.”

I was almost a Christian for a long time. I had a “hearty desire to do his will in all things”

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One may then ask:

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"What more than this is implied in the being altogether a Christian?"

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1. Love God (all desire and delight is in God, nothing of the world)
2. Love your neighbor as yourself (even your enemies)

3. Right and true Christian faith

(which also includes a sure trust that you are saved),

But here let no man deceive his own soul. "It is diligently to be noted, the faith which bringeth not forth repentance, and love, and all good works, is not that right living faith, but a dead and devilish one”

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Am I an almost Christian?

Have I even considered this fact?

Sermons:

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Apologetics ἀπολογία, speech in defence

Paul the Apostle

Augustine of Hippo

Thomas Aquinas

Blaise Pascal

G. K. Chesterton

C. S. Lewis

John Lennox

Lee Strobel

Ravi Zacharias 1946-present

HELPING THE THINKER BELIEVE.

HELPING THE BELIEVER THINK.

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THIS MAN HAS SINCE BEEN DISGRACED. I LONGER OWN HIS WORKS DUE TO HIS BLATANT HYPOCRISY AND SEX MISCONDUCT BUT HIS WRITINGS REALLY HELPED MY FAITH PRIOR TO HIS FALL FROM GRACE.

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A coherent worldview must be able to satisfactorily answer four questions:

1. origin,
2. meaning of life,
3. morality and
4. destiny.

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The apologist must argue from three levels:

1. the theoretical, to line up the logic of the argument;
2. the arts, to illustrate;
3. and "kitchen table talk", to conclude and apply.

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Zacharias' style of apologetic focuses predominantly on Christianity's answers to life's great existential questions, with defense of God.

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Just Thinking with Ravi Zacharias

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http://rzim.org/just-thinking-broadcasts/

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C.S. Lewis 1898-1963

“The most reluctant convert in all of England”

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A Brief Biography

• Atheist
• Death: Mother & Joy (A Grief Observed)
• Oxford Professor: English Literature
• WWI & WWII: Mrs Moore, BBC
• Mere Christianity: 30 books, 30 languages, +100 million Narnia
• J.R.R Tolkien
• A sidecar to the Zoo

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Quiz #1

Terms and People up to today

Exegesis to Apologetics

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Augustine of Hippo

John Wesley

Ravi Z

C.S. Lewis

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Journal #2

What is your discipleship to Christ costing you? In other words, what do you abstain from doing (or make every effort to do) to be obedient to the Lord. Conversely, if this does not describe you, state why.

Eric Liddell: Chariots of Fire

Thomas Aquinas 1225-1274

• In his lifetime, Thomas’ expert opinion on theological and philosophical topics was sought by many, including at different times a king, a pope, and a countess.
• It is fair to say that, as a theologian, Thomas is one of the most important in the history of Western civilization, given the extent of his influence on the development of Roman Catholic theology since the 14th century.
• However, it also seems right to say—if only from the sheer influence of his work on countless philosophers and intellectuals in every century since the 13th, Thomas is one of the 10 most influential philosophers in the Western philosophical tradition.

One of greatest philosophers:

Top Eight REasons

8. There is extreme economy in the use of his words.

His Summa is simply a summary (more like an encyclopedia than a texbook).

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There are no digressions and few illustrations.

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Everything is ‘bottom line’.

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Such a style should appeal to us busy moderns.

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Seven

He was crucial for the medieval era.

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He fulfilled more than anyone else the essential medieval program of faith and reason, revelation and philosophy, the Biblical and classical works.

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In doing so, he held together for another century the medieval civilization’s intellectual soul, which was threatening to break up.

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Greatest philosopher for two thousand years between Aristotle and Descartes. 384-322 --- 1596-1650

Six

6. St. Thomas is the primary theological Doctor (Teacher) of the Church.

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During its proceedings, the Council of Trent (1545-1563) placed the Summa on the high altar second place only to the Bible.

Five

No philosopher since St Thomas has ever so successfully combined the two fundamental ideals of philosophical writing: clarity and profundity.

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Topics: God, man, life, death, good, evil

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English philosophers discussed linguistic questions and lacked depth.

European philosophers discussed fundamental issues and lacked clarity.

Four

Lovers of truth are also lovers of simplicity and clarity of style so as many people as possible can benefit from precious Truth.

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3 approaches:

Those who seem clear but later become more obscure

Those who seem obscure but later become more clear

Those who seem obscure and remain obscure.

Three

St. Thomas had theoretical AND practical wisdom.

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He was a master of metaphysics and technical terminology but was a practical man too.

Two

St Thomas was the master of common sense. He could sniff out the obviously right position amid a hundred wrong ones especially in ethics (the real test of a philosopher).

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He was as practical and plain as Artistotle, Confusius or your uncle.

One

He told the truth--the simple and unfashionable purpose of philosophy that is so often ‘nuanced’ or forgotten.

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“The study of philosophy is not the study of what men have opined, but of what is the truth.”

St. Thomas is perhaps most famous for his so-called five ways of attempting to demonstrate the existence of God.

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These five short arguments constitute only an introduction to a rigorous project in natural theology—theology that is properly philosophical and so does not make use of appeals to religious authority.

topics

The Summa is composed of three major parts with topics on:

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• The existence of God (and His nature)
• Creation (including the world, angels and man)
• Man's purpose
• Christ (who is the way of man back to God)
• The Sacraments

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The Summa (or summarized debate)

Summa Theologica is divided into four parts

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Each Part is divided into Treatises (on creation, on man, on law)

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Each Treatise is divided into ‘questions’ (general issues on the topic)

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Each question is divided into ‘articles’ (thought unit of the summa).

I.e. whether God exists, whether sorrow is the same as pain.

Our Study: Does God Exist?

Objection 1

The existence of God is self-evident.

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Objection 2

Things are self evident as soon as we understand the word.

Therefore, as soon as someone understands the word God, He is

self-evident.

Therefore ‘God exists’ is self-evident.

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Objection 3

Truth is self-evident. God is truth. Therefore God exists.

On the Contrary…

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Just because you can think it doesn't mean it exists: The fool has said in his heart there is no God”. Therefore, ‘God exists’ is not self evident.

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Instead, a statement is self evident only as best as it can be demonstrated: Man is an animal. The subject is the same as the predicate. Therefore ‘ God exists’ IS self-evident because the subject is the same as the predicate.

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HOWEVER, because we don't know the essence of God we cannot say He is self evident.

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Reply to Objections

Reply to Objection 1

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To know that God exists generally and in a confused way is implanted in us by nature.

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God is man’s greatest happiness.

Man naturally wants to be happy, therefore, happiness must naturally be known to him.

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We can know a man is approaching, without knowing it's Peter who is approaching.

Reply to Objection 2

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Not everyone who hears the word ‘God’ understands it to mean that which nothing greater can be thought.

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Even if he understands the concept mentally, it doesn't mean he understands it as an actual fact.

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Therefore, not everybody will see ‘God exists’ as a self-evident statement.

Reply to Objection 3

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The existence of truth in general is self-evident…

But the existence of a ‘First Truth’ is not self-evident.

Article 3 Whether it can be demonstrated that God exists.

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Objection 1

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God cannot be demonstrated.

Only scientific things can be demonstrated.

God involves faith which cannot be demonstrated.

Therefore, it cannot be demonstrated that God exists.

Objection 2

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We cannot know God’s essence and, therefore, cannot prove He exists.

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Objection 3

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If we could demonstrate He exists, it would only be by what He effects. However, His effects are only a portion of Him, they are finite, but He is infinite.

Therefore, we cannot prove He exists.

On the contrary

The invisible things of Him are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. Romans 1:20

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You can demonstrate both by cause AND effect.

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Therefore, God can be demonstrated by the effects that are known to us.

Reply to objections

Reply to Objection 1

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A man can accept something which in itself can be scientifically proven. Even if he doesn't understand it, he can accept it on faith.

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Reply to Objection 2 & 3

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Even if we don't know God’s essence, we can still know Him from His effects. We just won't know Him perfectly.

Article 3: whether god exists

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Objection 1

God is described as infinite goodness. Evil exists, therefore, God doesn't exist.

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Objection 2

Everything in the world can be explained, either by nature or human will. Therefore, God doesn't exist.

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On the contrary, God says “I am who I am” and He can be proved in 5 ways:

1. Everything moves but there was a first mover who caused all movement.

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• Every cause has an effect but there was a first efficient cause.

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• Nothing can't produce something and, conversely, something can't bring itself about.

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• Things are more or less in relation to something else. Something must cause a being’s goodness.

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• We do things for an end result which shows intelligence. Intelligence comes from God.

Still relevant?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1906-1945

An introduction to Bonhoeffer

The cost of Discipleship:

(a one minute intro)

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Read ch.1 and 2 of The

Cost of Discipleship.

Write 5 summative points

For each chapter.

Journal #3

We are at the half-way point of this module.

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Write a 10 minute ‘check in’ entry.

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How are you finding the selection of people and layout of class time?

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What have you learned that has interested you and how would you change this course if you could?

FAnny CRosby 1820-1915

• “America’s beloved composer of gospel songs”
• 6 weeks old: developed an eye infection
• 10 years: memorized 4 books of OT and 4 Gospels
• NYC: IB, composer of poems--superintendent--pride (3 months)--phrenologist---(read the bumps) “here is a poet, give here every advantage she can have!”
• 1844, 1851, 1858 published 3 books of hymns:m$2/per--$10/per
• Over 8000 in 51 yrs
• “I never undertake a hymn without first asking the good Lord to be my inspiration in the the work that I am about to do.”

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Brief Biography

Two well- known hymns

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Ravi Zacharias on suffering and what it can do for us...

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8:10- 11:30

Elisabeth Elliot 1926-2015

• Born to missionary parents
• 1953 married Jim Elliot
• Auca tribe of Ecuador
• Jim and 4 other missionaries had a friendly meeting

with this tribe but later were speared to death.

• With a 10 month old, Elisabeth continued working with the Indian tribes and alongside the women.
• Stayed two additional years
• Returned to America to publish books (20) and speak publicly
• Bi-monthly Newsletters 1982-2003
• Radio broadcasts 2001-2014 http://www.haventoday.ca/series/through-gates-of-splendor/

Tonight’s homework:

You are to read her first ever newsletter. Please just read the first article about contexts and also read the second last newsletter. The first article in that one is about restlessness and worry.

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http://www.elisabethelliot.org/newsletters2/nov.dec.1982.pdf

http://www.elisabethelliot.org/newsletters/2003-09-10.pdf

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Tonight you are to write a newsletter of 500 words (max )on a topic of your choosing. It should be something that can help, edify, teach, or bless your peers. Be sure to use at least one quote (from the Bible and other famous writers). You can use an anecdotal story like contexts does, if you wish. It does not need to be in newsletter format. Submit tomorrow.

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Martin Luther 1483-1546

Monk Transform not

Tonsure create many new

Augustine Church Splinted churches

>Lutheran

>Reformed/

Calvinist >Others

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1. Sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”): The Bible alone is our highest authority.
2. Sola Fide (“faith alone”): We are saved through faith alone in Jesus Christ.
3. Sola Gratia (“grace alone”): We are saved by the grace of God alone.
4. Solus Christus (“Christ alone”): Jesus Christ alone is our Lord, Savior, and King.
5. Soli Deo Gloria (“to the glory of God alone”): We live for the glory of God alone.

PROTESTant REFORMation 1517

• Scholarly, intellectual debate: goes outside of church walls.
• Clerical greed (indulgences= almost all 95 thesis critique this)
• New theology of Grace: based on spiritual not intellectual understanding
• Comes from frustration with and inability to satisfaction from late medieval practices.
• Printing press: Gutenberg-- a means to prepare the grounds for this reform movement to take off 1440
• 1 work published in 1516; by 1520 300 editions printed
• 95 thesis: most widely published author in Europe since invention of printing press --------> burned at the stake

• Pamphlets on both sides of the debate followed after, but Luther’s stood alone for some time.
• German peasant uprising (largest European war preceeding French Revolution)
• Religion and Politics: separate?
• Religious conviction...religious tolerance of 16th and 17th c ….division of church and state in US constitution (no religious majority, thus institutionalized religious freedom)
• What do we have today from Martin Luther:

Debate, rational thinking (modern philosophy, The Enlightenment of the 17th c, a secular West/ separation of church and state, religious tolerance

Quiz #2

Terms and People up to today

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Eric Liddell

Thomas Aquinas

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Fanny Crosby

Elisabeth Elliot

Martin Luther

Billy Graham 1918 (99 y.o.)

By the Numbers

• 20th c
• crusades 1947-2005
• Hour of Decision 1950-1954
• Integration (revivals and crusades)
• 215 million in 185 countries
• 2.2 billion
• Preached Gospel to more people than any other person in history of Christianity
• Gallup's list: 60 times
• 12 consecutive presidents *$27 million
• 60 years “My Advice” *33 *awards and honours!!

Other details

In the 50s

• Tent crusades in dt L.A.: 3 -> 7
• BGEA for policies and order
• London crusade: 12 weeks
• MSG crusade: 16 weeks (national press coverage)
• World Wide Pictures

2005, last crusade to 230, 000

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Awards:

Knighted, Religious broadcasting HoF, Pres. Medal of Freedom, Congressional Gold Medal, Gospel HoF,

A Verse for Everywhere

"But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14

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The Billy Graham Rule:

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Favorite Verse:

A Peek into A BG Crusade

The Modesto Manifesto

1. To Not be Greedy for Money

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• To be completely faithful to their spouses

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• To support local churches

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• To be truthful in their advertising and reporting

The World Was Ready...but why?

“Why Billy Graham” (an excerpt) pages 15-22

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Billy Graham’s popularity was unprecedented and no other pastor in modern history has surpassed him in evangelical reach. Why? What was it about the man and the times that he lived in that made his ‘John 3:16’ message so welcomed for so many?

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Write a paragraph response.

Journal #4

Only 6 percent of British adults are practicing Christians, a new survey commissioned by the Church of England has found, defining the term as those who read the Bible, pray, and attend church on a regular basis.

What is more, 71 percent of young people aged 18–24 said they follow no religion.

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What happened between then and now?

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To read full article click here

Corrie Ten Boom 1892- 1983

The hiding place

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A Museum

I didn’t have faith, I had Jesus

HavenToday.org HavenToday.org

19:45 minute mark 10:00 minute mark

HavenToday.org

8:00 minute mark

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For class discussion: take 5 or so minutes.

• How strong is your faith?
• How much do you love your neighbor (through actions)?
• How will you live out your faith when the government would have you live contrary to it?

Final Journal Entry: Living Apologetically

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Corrie ten Boom did it by hiding Jews and was willing to be imprisoned for it because her faith challenged her to go against the government.

As we will see, Lennox Lewis publically debates atheists so that those listening may hear and respond to the Gospel.

Over the course of this module we have learned of many more people who have lived lives of witness.

We are all called to live Apologetically (defend the faith).

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How have you been inspired to do this through this module or over the course of your high school life? How do you do this (do you)? Give examples. Hand journals in by Friday

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John Lennox 1943-Present

“Either human intelligence ultimately owes its origin to mindless matter; or there is a Creator. It is strange that some people claim that it is their intelligence that leads them to prefer the first to the second.’

Irish professor of mathematics, philosopher of science, apologist

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Website

Debate Questions: Thesis 4 and 5

Fourth Thesis: Christianity is Dangerous

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1. Lennox points out that Christ explicitly prohibited his follower from imposing truth by means of violence. But if Christians have not always followed this prohibition, is Dawkins’ argument still valid? Why or why not?

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Fifth Thesis: No One Needs God to be Moral

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1. Do you agree with Dawkins that it is “ignoble” to do what is good and avoid what is evil because you believe the Creator God is pleased/ displeased with such behavior? Why or why not?

Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892

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https://www.spurgeon.org/

Victorian Period 1837-1902

“Perhaps one of the highest

compliments anyone could pay

a preacher would be to say

that he preaches like

Spurgeon.”

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“His name appears in almost

every book that relates to

the religious scene in Victorian P.

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Charles Spurgeon, 7:45