Theology Archives - Charles A. Sullivan

The Seven Pillars of the Charismatic Movement

March 6, 2019December 27, 2018

Seven pillars that any researcher on the Charismatic Movement must take into consideration.

The accelerated growth of the Charismatic movement throughout the world along with its political impact has brought them under more scrutiny within the general public.

Renewalists, that is Charismatics, Pentecostals, and Third Wavers (traditional churches influenced by Pentecostal mysticism) are now the most common expression found in most churches. Renewalism is the fastest growing segment of Christianity in the world. The focus on this article is specifically on the Charismatic movement whose growth is exploding faster than the contemporary Pentecostal one.

Christianity's Big Split from Judaism

July 8, 2020November 12, 2018

The reasons and impact of Christianity’s separation from its Jewish parent.

Christianity started as a grass-roots Jewish movement that had its origins in the Galilee and Jerusalem regions.

There were two reasons that this offspring of a Jewish parent split: the destruction of Jerusalem, and their excommunication by Rabban Gamaliel II. This separation was distinct by the time of the Bar Kokhba revolt.

One must keep in mind that the separation was a gradual one. There were amicable relations between the two parties for centuries—so close that it caused competing interests.

Is it the end of the world?

December 22, 2018September 19, 2017

Is this the moment we all have been waiting for?
This is a brief look into the end-of-the-world theology, its oral history, and a few thoughts along the way.

A History of the Rise and Influence of Rationalism in Europe

January 27, 2019May 6, 2017

The book A History of the Rise and Influence of Rationalism in Europe (2 vols., 1865) is a seminal piece of literature. This well written work helps to provide valuable insights for the modern reader with the backstory on the conversion of Europe from a mystical to a rational society.
This book was written by William Lecky, an Irish-Anglican historian and politician (1838–1903). He greatly succeeded in studying and narrating the complex and evolving web of rationalism, morals, miracles, the supernatural, Catholicism, and Protestantism into a systematic and comprehensive portrait.

The Struggle for Jewish Identity after the Destruction of the Temple

November 1, 2021May 2, 2016

How the Jewish community adapted their religious system after the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.
The loss put Judaism at a crossroads. The destruction meant an end to the sacrificial system – a concept central to Jewish life and faith. This forced the Jewish community to adapt.
The best exposition and solution to this problem is by one of modern Israel’s great scholars–Ephraim E. Urbach. He covered this in his great work, The Sages: Their Concepts and Beliefs.
For those new to the legacy and writings of Mr. Urbach, here is a brief description: he “was a distinguished scholar of Judaism. He is best known for his landmark works on rabbinic thought, The Sages, and for research on the Tosafot. He was an unsuccessful candidate to be President of Israel in 1973.”¹
Enclosed is his coverage on how the new Jewish identity had shifted from sacrifice to study and charity.

When the Database Becomes god

January 27, 2019March 3, 2016

A look into the ethics and economics of databases and algorithms. How technology has outpaced the social conscience and society needs to catch-up.
Electronic databases are necessary, and there is no way that we can revert to the days of a pen and paper society, but do we trust databases too much?
Everybody uses a database every day. The question is really how much. The answer is many times more than you think. They control how our lives are structured.

Emile’s Encounter with Christ

April 23, 2024November 11, 2015

Third Beach, Vancouver. Creative Commons License by Kyle Pearce

If Jesus walked on a Vancouver beach and saw Emile, what would His reaction be?

Emile is an odd man. No one can define him because his problem is different thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors. All of these have defied a medical, spiritual, or psychological solution.

History according to Pentecostals and Charismatics

December 23, 2018November 1, 2015

An overview of how Pentecostals and Charismatics view history. The following four points are gleaned from discussions and readings within these parties.

St. Paul's Final Hurrah

December 29, 2018September 7, 2015

Enrique Simonet, Painter, Decapitation of St. Paul — Enrique Simonet (1866-1927). The Beheading of Saint Paul

Paul was executed in 51 AD under the rule of Nero according to the third-century Christian author, Ammonius of Alexandria, and two other writers.

A deeper look into this text and a translation.

Ammonius was trying to dispel a misunderstanding of the Herod dynasty about the timelines of Christ and Paul. Both are interesting but the history he ascribes to Paul is especially intriguing. By doing so, he gave the above information.

Few know about Ammonius, and less about his writings. Ammonius lived in Alexandria and was a noted Biblical scholar.¹ Unfortunately, only remnants of his writings are available today.

An interesting person along with important historical texts. His persona beckons an English translation so that his contribution is more widely known. So, this is what the rest of this article intends to do.

The following translation has a little crossover of John Chrysostom and some influence by the eleventh century writer, Theophylacti of Bulgaria. It appears from a very informal look that most of this is penned by the hand of Ammonius.

Charismatics, Headaches and Healings

November 1, 2021August 15, 2015

A new framework is required to remedy an overemphasis on staged healing events in churches. A practice that hampers or even destroys the message of the Good News within the public realm.