Miraculous holiness
- Written by Jonathan Clatworthy Jonathan Clatworthy
- Published: 24 July 2013 24 July 2013
- Hits: 313 313
According to the early Christian Clement of Alexandria (Stromata 3.59.3), the second century Gnostic theologian Valentinus taught that Jesus did not evacuate any of his food. Because of his supreme self control, the food did not decay inside him.
The idea reflects two themes common among the Gnostics of those times: the self-control more often associated with sexual abstinence, and the debates about how human Jesus was.
Are churches about belonging or believing?
- Written by Jonathan Clatworthy Jonathan Clatworthy
- Published: 11 July 2013 11 July 2013
- Hits: 299 299
Christian teaching has often emphasisted the importance of getting our beliefs right.
It began with the early Church’s claims about Jesus, and was accentuated in the sixteenth century Reformation debates. Modern religions generally define themselves by what they believe and what they do. On the other hand sociologists have pointed out the importance of belonging, regardless of the believing.