Happy Pentecost Season!
Holy Trinity and Ecumenical Creeds Reflections: The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity and the use of Ecumenical Creeds have both been subjects of much debate and disagreement. This blog post will serve as an introduction to both of these topics and my goal is to address all three of the main Ecumenical Creeds, The Apostles' Creed, The Nicene Creed, and The Athanasian Creed, and why the are important in Christianity today and why they should be loved and cherished. Some people hate these Creeds and they feel, that we do not need to bothered with them. However, these people are indirectly hating the foundational Doctrines of Christianity and hating The Holy Bible, which these Creeds summarize.
What is the Holy Trinity? The Holy Trinity is the Christian God. The Holy Trinity is the One True and Holy God in Three Persons. Those Persons are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father and the Son have many Names, but I mostly call the Father "Yahweh" and the Son "Jesus." The Holy Spirit is also called the Comforter and the Heavenly Dove. The Holy Trinity is both the most simple and most complex God, Who has ever been worshipped.
What are the Three Ecumenical Creeds? The three Ecumenical Creeds are The Apostles' Creed, The Nicene Creed, and The Athanasian Creed. The Apostles' Creed is the shortage of the three Creeds and The Athanasian Creed is the longest of the three Creeds, but The Nicene Creed is in between them in length. All three of these Creeds are Biblical and they should not be hated by Christians, but radical Low-Church Protestantism continues to run ramped in America and both Arianism and the Oneness Heresy continue to be major heresies in America as well.
What is Low-Church Protestantism? Low-Church Protestantism is a very informal and non-liturgical form of Christianity present in most church bodies, which stresses good works, making a decision for Jesus, and not being Catholic. Sadly Low-Church Protestants throw out Biblical Doctrines of Baptismal Regeneration, Infant Baptism, and sometimes even the Holy Trinity. Radical Low-Church Protestants take good works, making a decision for Jesus, and not being Catholic to the extremes.
Arianism is the ancient heresy, which was started by Arius, who was the arch-heretic. Arius denied the Divinity of Jesus, the Divinity of Holy Spirit, and the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity. At the Council of Nicaea in the Holy City of Nicaea, the Roman Emperor Constantine called the Trinitarian pastors and bishops and the Arian pastors together to discuss the Christian Godhead. Sadly even though Emperor Constantine privately practiced both Christianity and Roman Paganism at the same time, he did publically abide by the discernment of the Trinitarian pastors and bishops and the vote, which took place at the Council of Nicaea. Basically Trinitarian pastors and bishops out-voted the Arian pastors and Constantine sided with the Trinitarian pastors and bishops over the Arian pastors.
The Oneness Heresy was started by Oneness Pentecostals, who combine Yahweh, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit into one Person. To Oneness Heretics, there is one God in one Person, but this is clearly not, what Holy Scripture teaches in either the Old Testament or New Testament. Both Arians and Oneness Heretics are outside of Salvation, because they deny this critically important Christian Doctrine. Their Baptisms are invalid, because they trust in a false God and not the true God to save them. Arians and Oneness Heretics deny, that Holy Trinity saves people in the waters of Holy Baptism.
Let us read the Holy Gospel according to St. John Chapter 17:6-19:
Jesus prayed to His Heavenly Father Yahweh: "17: 'I have manifested Thy Name unto the men, which Thou gavest me out of the world: Thine they were, and Thou Gavest them Me; and they have kept Thy Word. 7 Now they have known, that all things, whatsoever Thou hast given Me, are of Thee. 8 For I have given unto them the Words, Which Thou gavest Me; and they have received Them, and have known surely, that I came out from Thee, and they have believed, that Thou didst send Me. 9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine. 10 And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them. 11 And now I Am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep through Thine Own Name those, whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy Name: those, that Thou gavest Me, I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 And now come I to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have My Joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them Thy Word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I Am not of the world. 15 I pray not, that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I Am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through Thy Truth: Thy Word is Truth. 18 As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the Truth" (KJV 1611).
MAILING CHECKS TO ME FOR BOOKS: I am now accepting checks through the mail for $15 for copies of each book: The Rising of The Moon Book 1: Changing Tides Part 1, The Rising of The Moon Book 1: Changing Tides Part 2, and The Rising of The Moon Book 2: Faith, Hope, and Love. $15 checks will cover the cost of each book and shipping. Please include a note with your on which books you want to buy off of me with your check. Checks may be written out to me, James O'Flannery, and mailed to James O'Flannery 1524 Crayton Avenue Lima, Ohio 45805. I also can meet up with you, if you live in the following Ohio communities, Lima, Cridersville, Vaughnsville, Fort Jennings, Columbus Grove, St. Marys, Delphos, and Ottoville, and sell you books directly.
Book Signing and Table Sale at The Pony Keg on the corner of 117 and Shawnee Road in Lima, Ohio Saturday July 11, 2020:
- Brad of The Pony Keg got back with me with the date and we agreed on Saturday July 11, 2020 from 11 AM to 5 PM for my book signing and table sale. I will be signing copies of my Christian Romance Novels The Rising of The Moon Book 1: Changing Tides Part 1, The Rising of The Moon Book 1: Changing Tides Part 2, and The Rising of The Moon Book 2: Faith, Hope, and Love and, if I still have copies of it by that time, then I will sign copies of my Greek and Roman Mythology book A Survey of Classical Mythology as well. I will sell face masks for $5 a piece. I will sell some used books. I will bring my Angel Statues to sell and I might have a few nice surprises for sale as well. The date is July 11, 2020 the time will be 11 AM to 5 PM. Fat Kid BBQ and/or another great food vendor will be outside selling food and I will be in the A/C, so come inside and cool off and get yourself, your friends, and family members some new and used books, face masks, and Angel Statues at The Pony Keg!
June 2020 Book Signings:
1. I'll be having a book signing at the Eastgate Hallmark Store near my favorite restaurant, China Buffet, in Lima, Ohio on Saturday June 27, 2020 from noon to 2 PM. (Face masks are optional for customers, but I, the manager, and the workers shall be wearing face masks out of respect for others.)
July 2020 Book Signings:
1. I'll be having a book signing at The Pony Keg on the corner of 117 and Shawnee Road on Saturday July 11, 2020 from 11 AM to 5 PM.
2. I'll be having a book at The Menagerie at 1178 Indiana Avenue in the St. Marys Business Complex in St. Marys, Ohio on Saturday July 18, 2020 from 11 AM to 5 PM.
August 2020 Book Signings: TBA
October 2020 Book Signing(s):
1. I'll be having a book signing at the Vaughnsville Craft and Vendor Show at the Vaughnsville Community Center in Vaughnsville on Saturday October 31, 2020 (Reformation Day) from 11 AM to 5 PM.
Vaughnsville Craft and Vendor Show: I will be hosting the 2020 Vaughnsville Craft and Vendor Show on Saturday October 31, 2020 from 11 AM to 5 PM at the Vaughnsville Community Center on State Route 12 in Vaughnsville, Ohio. I'm still looking for vendors to come and sell their merchandise. I'm pretty much open to anything family-friendly, legal, and clean, but homemade baked goods and craft items are preferred. Please see my "2020 Vaughnsville Craft and Vendor Show: Vendor Entry Form" blog post for more information:
https://ohioirishlutheranpress.com/blogs/news/vaughnsville-craft-and-vendor-show-vendor-entry-form
Stores Carrying My Books: My books, which I’ve written and published, are also available at the following stores: Brunner News Agency on Flanders Avenue in Lima, Ohio, Jen's Furniture and Collectibles on the corner of High Street and Chestnut Street in St. Marys, Ohio, The Menagerie at 1178 Indiana Avenue in the St. Marys Business Complex in St. Marys, Ohio, Readmore Hallmark Stores out at Eastgate Plaza and on Elm Street in Lima, Ohio, Wagner’s IGA Grocery Store in Minster, Ohio, and in the Shop section of my website ohioirishlutheranpress.com .
Thank you and Happy Pentecost and Holy Trinity Sunday!
James W. O’Flannery, President and Founder of Ohio Irish Lutheran Press (OIL Press)