I very much enjoyed this debate with Father Patrick Ramsey on whether the Orthodox Church is the only true church. Here it is, if you haven’t seen it yet. Thanks to John for hosting. You can see my debate review below as well. Thanks to all of you who prayed for my during my preparation.
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I’m excited to be teaching an online cohort on arguments for Christianity. We will dive deep into 6 topics, with a view to real conversations and the pressing questions of our culture. Lots of time for interaction. This will be fun! You’re invited to join us!
6 Responses
Excellent debate. There is one passage of Scripture that kept coming to mind as I listened. I didn’t hear it mentioned, but I think it is pertinent and worth noting.
Mark 9:39, “John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone else driving out demons in Your name and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus replied, “For no one who performs a miracle in my name can turn around and speak evil of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”
super relevant passage! It came up in the Q+A. I am preaching on this text in a few weeks because I’ve been thinking a lot about it. Thanks Carlos.
Very informative! I never knew that the Orthodox Church was so exclusive in regards to the other Christian groups such as the Catholics and Protestants even if those within those two groups affirm a lot of the same major doctrines. This reminds me of when I joined a fully Reformed Church. Within some Reformed Churches, there tends to be this vain attempt at purifying the Church in different ways because of the theological liberalism which is so prevalent out there amongst the Christian Churches in general. I was raised Roman Catholic, and to hear that the Orthodox have a more stringent view as far as their claim of being the only true Church over against Catholicism is startling. Gavin, thanks for all your hard work.
Thanks! Glad you found it useful!
Hi Gavin, I’d like to say thanks for all you’re doing. Your videos have been incredibly informative, and your genuine dialogs with members of other Christian traditions have been fantastic to watch. I am a Protestant who grew up non-denominational, and recently my in-laws converted to Oriental Orthodoxy. It’s been an incredibly intense time for me of seeking out what is true and how we are to worship God in spirit and in truth.
I have a concern with an argument you made in the debate with Father Patrick that I would be thrilled if you could address. It was the argument that, basically, what is the place of the majority of people who call themselves Christians who are outside of the Eastern Church. You said you’ve seen lives turned around and lots of good come out of it. My concern with that argument is that Jesus said that many would come to Him saying, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we do all these things in Your name…?”, and He would say “Depart from Me, for I never knew you…” That passage seems to me to support the more narrow Orthodox view.
Thanks again for all you do!
My son has become a catechumen recently. I worry that he is being lured in by the claims of the EOC and not asking the right questions. I pray that the wisdom from the Holy Spirit would speak to his heart and give me wisdom as he and I talk out the issues.