The Mystery of Lawlessness in Western Culture-Part I, explores the roots and rise of lawlessness within the Christian church as it is defined and described by the biblical authors, i.e. J-sus, the apostles Paul and John. Part II follows their predictions through the book of Revelation by tracing the record of prediction and fulfillment from the 1st century A.D. to the present day with consequences reaching far into the distant future for society and culture.
It is Friday, August 1, 2008 at 3:37 P.M. when defense Attorney Joe González walks into a Eagle Pass courtroom and finds District Judge Galaviz lying on the floor, surrounded by his bailiff , attorneys, and others. Judge Galaviz is dead of a massive heart attack. When Kevin Helms, the head of a prestigious law firm, calls González into his office the next day, he reveals that a large briefcase filled with fifty bundles of five thousand dollars each had been left in Judge Galaviz's chambers a few days before his death in a botched attempt to bribe him. The FBI is now involved and Helms wants González to assume the duties of the now vacated bench in an effort to catch whoever wanted Judge Galaviz's attention. A reluctant González finally agrees and must endure the criticism of those who do not think he is qualified to take over the bench while simultaneously becoming embroiled in drug trafficking and other issues taking place on the Texas/Mexico border. America and Mexico must work together to prevent a disaster to both countries while González faces an epidemic of violence, political conflicts, and religious beliefs, all while focusing on just one goal to stay alive.
(Ecc. 1:9) The thing that has been it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be; and there is no new thing under the sun. History constantly repeats itself, thereby becoming the pathway into the future. The things that have passed shall pass by again. (Lk. 21:28) Prophecy is written as both a warning and as a preparation. Mankind does not learn the hard lessons from repetitive history. (Mt. 24:48) All these things that the world is currently witnessing are the beginning of birth pains, indicating that birth is imminent. (2 Thess. 2:78) The revelation of the Mystery of Iniquity is soon to come. The Greek word for iniquity is anomia, which can be translated as illegality, violation of the law, or lawlessness. Iniquity, or lawlessness, was already at work during Pauls day, is presently at work in our day, and will be manifested in its fullness, one future day. The Mystery of Iniquity is in reference to the wicked one yet to come, who will be empowered, controlled, and inhabited by Satan. (Rev. 13:2). This is the totality of evil expressed and revealed through the union of one man with one demonic spirit. (Mt. 24:12) Because iniquity abounds, the love of many will grow cold and calloused, as the end time draws near, causing a massive increase in violence, brutality, murder, and hatred.
The epistles of the New Testament provide insight into the realities of the life of the early church, guidance for those called to lead the church, and comfort in the face of theological questions. The Protestant Reformers of the sixteenth century also found wisdom and guidance in these letters. In this RCS volume, Lee Gatiss and Bradley Green guide readers through a diversity of early modern commentary on the New Testament epistles.
A highly insightful study of three major movements in Roman Catholic theology over the past thirty years. This fascinating work of theological scholarship offers an exceptionally broad scope and powerfully unifying theme. Gaspar Martinez first offers penetrating interpretations of three major contemporary theologians working on three continents, in quite dissimilar historical, cultural, social, and economic situations. Then he goes on to illustrate how Johannes Metz, Gustavo GutiTrrez, and David Tracy each had a tensive ongoing relationship to the mid-twentieth century theologians and movements that formed them-Karl Rahner, nouvelle theologie, and Bernard Lonergan, respectively. Martinez brilliantly contextualizes each of these thinkers. In broad strokes, he sketches postwar Germany, postcolonial Peru, and the American century and shows how each man was formed by his era. He also examines the lines of influence and relationship between these theologians and some of their nontheological contemporaries: Metz and Adorno, Bloch, and Benjamin; GutiTrrez and Paulo Freire, JosT Carlos Mariategui, and the novelist JosT Marfa Arguedas; and Tracy and thinkers from Eliade and Ricoeur to Gadamer and Derrida.Martinez convincingly illustrates how each of these theologians in recent years has focused more directly on the mystery of God, entailing greater emphasis on spirituality and mysticism, with the consequence that the more properly theological their theologies have become the more they have become negative theologies.
"It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us," the apostles declared at the conclusion of their council described in Acts 15. This apostolic council was the first of many councils to come as Christians sought to discern the will of God in the midst of historic challenges. The faithful continued to struggle to express their new apostolic faith in new words, new languages, new places and new times. Many issues--the interaction of science and faith, divinity and humanity, Church and State--continue to be pertinent today. This book tells the story of these struggles from the days of the New Testament to the fall of the city of Constantinople in AD 1453. It focuses on the Christian community in the eastern Mediterranean which became known as the Byzantine Empire. Each chapter examines the personalities and theologies entwined at the heart of conflicts that shaped the medieval world as well as the modern cultures of Greece, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
For two years, Philip Gambone traveled the length and breadth of the United States, talking candidly with LGBTQ people about their lives. In addition to interviews from David Sedaris, George Takei, Barney Frank, and Tammy Baldwin, Travels in a Gay Nation brings us lesser-known voices a retired Naval officer, a transgender scholar and drag king, a Princeton philosopher, two opera sopranos who happen to be lovers, an indie rock musician, the founder of a gay frat house, and a pair of Vermont garden designers. In this age when contemporary gay America is still coming under attack, Gambone captures the humanity of each individual. For some, their identity as a sexual minority is crucial to their life s work; for others, it has been less so, perhaps even irrelevant. But, whether splashy or quiet, center-stage or behind the scenes, Gambone s subjects have managed despite facing ignorance, fear, hatred, intolerance, injustice, violence, ridicule, or just plain indifference to construct passionate, inspiring lives. Finalist, Foreword Magazine s Anthology of the Year Outstanding Book in the High School Category, selected by the American Association of School Libraries Best Book in Special Interest Category, selected by the Public Library Association "
All my books can be read online free at wayneodonnell.com. “Freely you have received, freely give” (Mt. 10:8). God uniquely created women for special ministries to the Lord, their families, their churches, and society. These ministries include submission, modesty, quietness, affection, and chastity. Such services women render to the Lord are like the precious ointment Mary of Bethany poured on the head and feet of Jesus. Women have performed some of the greatest spiritual works of all time. Only a woman believed Jesus when he said he was going to die, and anointed him for his burial (Mt. 26:12-13). And only a woman was given the privilege, of not merely of being the first to see Jesus after his resurrection, but of seeing him even before he ascended to the Father (Jn. 20:16-18). The first section of this book covers the Headcovering of 1 Corinthians 11, a church meeting observance, like the Lord’s Supper in the same chapter, that God gave the church through the apostles to keep the church different from the world in regards to authority structures and gender roles, during this age of apostacy and rebellion when “the mystery of lawlessness is already at work,” 2 Thess. 2:7. The second section is about the the Song of Solomon, God’s engagement, marriage, and lovemaking manual, that he gave us in the Bible because marriage and love-making are so important to him, our creator. The Song of Solomon is the only book in the Bible written entirely from a woman’s perspective, including even her thoughts by inspiration of the Spirit of God, though it was written by her husband. I present her story in the form of a play, adding a few comments, but mostly just helping the reader understand each scene and who is speaking. The third section is about the one-flesh union and its implications for chastity, adultery, polygamy, divorce, and remarriage. Egalitarianism has made people misunderstand the one-flesh union, the Biblical definition of adultery, and polygamy; which has made people misinterpret Jesus’ statements about divorce and remarriage; which has resulted in untold amounts of suffering over the centuries. A recurring theme of this book is that modern, egalitarian Bible teachers will bear the responsibility for the harm they do by letting their culture determine their interpretation of the Bible, instead of letting the Bible determine their evaluation of their culture. This book covers some difficult topics. I recommend considering other interpretations of the passages I dealt with, as long as they’re based on the details of the text itself, and not imposed on the text by the interpreter because of his culture. This book is intended to be both practical and polemical; for women, laymen, and theologians; and as a contribution to the battle of loving patriarchy against the increasing egalitarianism in modern societies which does so much harm to women. I think you’ll see from these chapters, that I strongly believe in “giving HONOR unto [woman], as unto the weaker vessel,” 1 Pet. 3:7. I also try to interpret the Bible according to “the law of kindness,” Prov. 31:26.
All my books can be read online free at WayneODonnell.com. “Freely you have received, freely give” (Mt. 10:8). This booklet is included in and comprises a section of my book “The Special Ministries of Women: Pro-Headcovering, Pro-Remarriage in 1 Corinthians 11, Song of Solomon, and Jesus' Teaching on Divorce.” This booklet is about the one-flesh union and its implications for chastity, adultery, polygamy, divorce, and remarriage. Our modern egalitarian culture has caused people to misunderstand the Biblical definition of adultery and Jesus’ teaching about divorce and remarriage; which has resulted in untold amounts of suffering over the centuries. Most modern Bible teachers let their culture determine their interpretation of the Bible, instead of letting the Bible determine their evaluation of our culture. Men that teach divorces are invalid if they’re made for invalid reasons, teach exactly the opposite of what the Bible teaches. The Bible says “She may go and be another man’s wife” (Deut. 24:1-2), but they say she can’t go and be another man’s wife. The Bible says “to avoid fornication let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband,” but they say most divorced people can’t ever have a husband or wife. The Bible says, “If they can’t contain, let them marry,” but they say don’t let them marry. The Bible says “marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled” (Heb. 13:4), but they say marriage is not honorable and undefiled for most people who remarry. The ‘invalid divorce’ teachers cause the same kind of harm as those that “depart from the faith, ... forbidding to marry” (1 Tim. 4:3), because they forbid the use of God’s provision for avoiding fornication.
