Nino brought Christianity to Iberia (Georgia) back in the 300s and is regarded as “Equal to the Apostles” by the Orthodox Church.
In this series, I compare the story of Jesus’ nativity, as depicted on Christmas cards and in religious art, with what it says in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
Cosy images on Christmas cards contrast with Mary’s potentially scandalous and risky situation of being pregnant and unmarried. How scandalous was it?
The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem can’t have been easy for pregnant Mary. She can’t always have been as serene as depicted on Christmas cards, or as lonely.
Christmas cards often show the newborn Jesus surrounded by farm animals. Was this really the case? And what is the significance of the “manger” mentioned three times in Luke chapter 2?
Was Jesus born on the 25th of December at the time of the winter solstice? Or was he born at the time of Spring lambing or even during the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles?
Most religious art portrays Mary as serene, shy, and even sombre. Are they accurate portrayals? Does the Bible teach that Mary remained a virgin?
Who were the magi, the wise men from the east who worshipped the Christ child? The writings of Herodotus, Philo, and others shed light on their identity.
Since the Bible is God’s message to humanity, shouldn’t everyone be able to read and understand the “plain sense” of Bible?
Phoebe Palmer was the most influential woman in the American Methodist Church at a time when it was the largest Christian denomination in America. Her adult life was full of astonishing achievements in ministry.
The fact that only men were permitted to serve as priests in the Old Testament is sometimes used to argue that women cannot be church leaders. There are several significant shortcomings in this argument.
Apart from Jesus, more is written about the apostle Peter than any other figure in the Gospels. Peter was devoted to Jesus and transformed by God.
Catherine of Siena ministered to souls blighted by poverty, injustice, and disease. Her influence also reached the highest echelons of both civil and church politics in late medieval Italy.
The influence of the surrounding pagan culture meant that sexual immorality and false doctrines were real problems in the early church. The New Testament letter writers addressed these issues.
Here is some background information about the Roman colony of Philippi, the apostle Paul, and his letter to the Philippian church.
This introduction briefly highlights some of John’s objectives in writing his account of Jesus’ earthly ministry.
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© 2022 Marg Mowczko