By Ian Wilson (G) One of the most beloved saints of the church was born sometime in the third century AD to wealthy parents in the town of Patara in Asian Minor (modern Turkey). Nicholas’ devout parents raised him the nature and admonition of the Lord, and due to their influence, the young Nicholas dedicated […]
Read More
Though he was the forgotten preacher of the First Great Awakening, Henry Muhlenberg left an indelible mark on the Lutheran Church of the United States
Read More
By Ian Wilson John Bosco was perhaps one of the more eccentric saints of the Catholic Church, though can one truly be a saint without being a bit odd? As a young lad in Sardinia (Italy), Bosco saw a performance by a circus troupe and was instantly obsessed. He began training himself in acrobatics and […]
Read More
The 23rd Pope of Rome was born sometime in the third century, AD – no one knows exactly when. Little is known of the details of his life prior to his papacy other than he was born in the city of Rome to ethnically Greek parents. From a young age, he was drawn by God […]
Read More
By Ian Wilson (G) To begin to interpret the Bible, we must first read and understand it on it’s own terms. We cannot bring our modern, Westernized sensibilities to the text. We cannot bring to the text a meaning which the authors did not intend. We cannot bring modern, textual criticism to the text, the way we […]
Read MoreBy Ian Wilson (G) The most prolific writer of the New Testament was probably born sometime around 4 BC to a devout Jewish family in Tarsus, present-day Turkey. His story is one of redemption and the incredible grace of God. Nothing is known of his formative years, other than he was trained by Gamaliel, one […]
Read MoreBy Ian Wilson I frequently see this sentiment expressed that we, as Christians, should “follow Jesus, not just the Bible” or that we should “unhitch ourselves from the Old Testament” or even that we “follow Jesus, not Paul”. In Roman Catholic or Orthodox circles, I hear it expressed as “Jesus established a church, not a […]
Read MoreBy Ian Wilson (G) Born in 1615, Richard Baxter lived in a tumultuous time in British history. In a time when it might have been easy to be an extremist, Baxter always sought to seek peace, and hold the middle ground between the warring factions. He was fond of saying “In necessary things, unity; in […]
Read MoreBy Ian Wilson (G) Not much is known about the childhood of the Belgian Protestant Reformer, Guy de Bres. He was born in the year 1522, in the Belgian town of Hainaut. While nothing is known of his father’s profession, he was apparently prosperous enough to afford to send Guy to university, where he first […]
Read Morephoto by Jan Kopriva on Unsplashed As I’m sure we all know by now, Adam and Eve did not continue on in perfection and bliss forever; they fell. What (or who) caused them to fall? Why did they eat from the tree? And who exactly was the Serpent? Now the serpent was more subtle than […]
Read More(Image by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash) Ian Wilson (G) It’s easy to get hung up on the details of Genesis while missing the deeper meaning – that our God is a God of order. He is a God who places everything in it’s proper place, who sets a limit for the season and calls the […]
Read More
By Ian Wilson … Born in 954 in Somerset, England, Aelfheah had everything – a noble family, wealth, food, drink, servants – yet none of those things had affected him so much as knowing and drawing nearer to God. Much to his family’s dismay, Aelfheah entered the monastery, where he was respected for his austerity and extreme piety.
Read More
By Ian Wilson … In her youth, Juliana had quickly learned Latin and memorized the works of St. Augustine and St. Bernard of Clairvaux, devoting herself to theological study; an unusual pursuit for a woman in her time. At the young age of 13, Juliana was welcomed into the order.
Read More
By Ian Wilson … St. David’s life can be summed up by his last words: “Be joyful, keep the faith, do the little things you have seen me do”.
Read More
By Ian Wilson … There have been many hymn writers in the history of the Christian Church, but few have been as influential on church music as Reginald Heber. Heber was born on April 21st, 1783, to a wealthy and educated family, who were able to afford to give Reginald a good education. He was something of a child prodigy, translating Latin classics to English at only seven years old.
Read More
By Ian Wilson … The Lutheran Church’s first systematic theologian was born on February 16th, 1497, in Bretten, Germany. He was given the name Philip Schwarzerdt, but at the urging of his uncle, Johann Reuchlin, he changed it to the Greek name, Melanchthon, to reflect his status as a scholar.
Read More
By Ian Wilson … The wicked minister Ulpian had the saintly lady arrested and brought to the temple of Apollo, attempting to force her to sacrifice to the false god. Instead, Tatiana prayed, and the idol of Apollo shattered with a terrible noise. Some witnesses claimed they saw a shadowy being fleeing from the statue.
Read More
by Ian Wilson … A brilliant theologian and defender of the Russian Orthodox church, Archbishop Hilarion was born Vladimir Alexievich Troitsky around the year 1885 in the Russian village of Lipitsa. He was born into a family of clergy and theologians, and followed in his father’s footsteps.
Read More
Faithful Friday: Martin Luther by Ian Wilson … Perhaps the most controversial figure in Western Christianity, Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Saxony. His father had become prosperous in the copper industry, and made enough to give young Martin a good education.
Read More
Join us as we explore the Pursuit of Happiness! What does it mean and where can it be found? Plus our first nonfiction author interview, a new Evermore story, and the fifth installment of Knights of Adonai. Don’t forget to check out the photo contest, Scripture Search, book & media recommendations, and Bible trivia!
Read More
LogoSophia Magazine 