St. Polycarp was one of the earliest church leaders after the death of the original twelve apostles, having been taught by St. John himself. He was the bishop of Smyrna in Asia Minor; one of the churches started by the Apostle Paul.
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With the upcoming Lord of the Rings TV series on the horizon and with it, hopefully, a resurgence of interest in fantasy, it might be time to revisit lesser known fantasies that were well-received yet have mostly faded into the background and melted into the shadows of these two greats.
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It’s common knowledge that Catholics believe that the Pope is the head of the Church. Today, let’s look at history – how did we get from Peter to Pope Francis?
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Colman of Lindisfarne was born in Ireland around 605AD. He first joined the monastery of Iona, then was moved to the monastery of Lindisfarne soon after its founding in 635. Eventually he became the abbot there, a position that also made him the bishop of Northumbria.
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There are few crimes more likely to drive a man
A man, a sensitive man, a thinking man
To existential despair
The art of oratory is little studied now, and so speeches are seldom about stating the facts and coming to a conclusion, but rather a matter of posturing and yelling and chanting. The ultimate failure to persuade is in the use of a bullhorn.
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Join us as we explore Fortitude, with sides of Patience, Perseverance, Courage and Hope! In addition to our author interview, book and media recommendations, and hymn, we have a Greek myth, personal stories, prayers, poetry, and puzzles, as well as our various views on faith, science, and the origins of the world in Controversy Corner. We can’t wait to hear what you think!
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#FaithfulFriday
Philip James “Jim” Elliot was born in Portland, Oregon in 1927 to two loving parents Clara and Fred. Fred was a traveling preacher with the Plymouth Brethren movement. From a young age, Jim professed Christ as his savior.
‘Twas the week after Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring. That would be me, the sleeping creature. Everyone else was stirring. Anyway, the sound of my cell phone going to town interrupted my slumber.
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Angels of God, oh glorious host /
Protect those who need you most /
Guide and teach us ever this day /
And keep all of our temptations at bay.
#FaithfulFriday
While little is known of Joseph’s life, we do know that he was a man of high moral character. He would have to be in order to be the foster father of our Lord, Jesus. The Gospels tell us…
The clip-clop of horse hooves filled the air as carriages trotted along on cobblestone streets littered with patches of slowly melting snow. Cab drivers were bundled up in layers of blankets while wisps of white clouds came out of their noses. Snow had begun falling, making everyone want to rush home to cozy fireplaces and familiar faces. Stalls lined this particular street with vendors calling out their wares.
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We bring our gifts to Mary’s fair-born Child: /
A pen, a broom, a book, a welding rod, /
A wrench, a mop, some papers neatly filed – /
Our daily labors offered up to God /
“Alright everybody, listen up!” an old tontu announced. “We only have ten days until Christmas! Time to get things moving faster if we want our two month break! We were able to finish on time for December sixth and thirteenth. Great job everyone!”
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Down the old logging road we hiked, hoping it might take us back to where we’d parked the truck. After a while of walking, I don’t know how long, a woman approached us walking down the muddy road. I would’ve thought this suspicious under different circumstances, but she enchanted me as soon as I looked into her clear blue eyes.
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This summer someone near and dear to me gave me one of those clever computerized watches to replace my classic (old) $8 Timex. Karen-the-Watch features a big screen onto which I can easily sweep dozens of different faces. I picked the one most like my minimalist (old) Timex…
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St. Birinus, sometimes called Birin or Berin was consecrated as a bishop and sent by Pope Honorius I to be a missionary to the people of Britain. He was successful in converting the pagan king of the West Saxons…
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Without a doubt, one of the finest hymn writers in Protestant Christianity, Isaac Watts was born in 1674, while his father was imprisoned for his nonconformist beliefs. Though often in ill health and clinically depressed, Isaac Watts inherited his father’s steadfast character; a trait which kept him strong through fierce criticism, church splits and other hardships.
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As soon as the moon’s rays touched our skin, we changed. Wolfish hair replaced bare human skin. We went down on all fours as claws supplanted nails. We howled into the star-studded sky, repeating the ritual that our ancestors had practiced since the days when Vikings ruled the seas. We were wolves.
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yet he always sought to keep the middle ground between the factions. He was fond of saying “In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity.”
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LogoSophia Magazine 