Parchment & Pen Blog

Mr. Patton, I have been a believer for quite sometime – since I was eight. It’s a miracle, however, that I believe at all. I grew up in a Oneness Pentecostal home that was very legalistic and rigid. Since then I have changed a great deal in regard to my beliefs. I very much believe [...]

Join C. Michael Patton and Tim Kimberley as they discuss why God is not as emperically evident as we sometimes desire.

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What is the witness of the Spirit spoken of by Paul in Romans 8? This is something that I have not come to a definite conclusion on both exegetically or personally. Bare naked thoughts bring to mind some sort of subjective feeling that the Holy Spirit gives to all believers. Maybe a sort-of voice inside you [...]

How can Protestants justify their belief in sola fide (salvation by faith alone) when it does not seem to be existent prior to the sixteenth century? How do Catholics explain their belief in the Assumption of Mary when it was not dogmatized until the twentieth century? How do Orthodox justify their under-developed and often unbiblical beliefs concerning the atonement?  During the recording of Theology [...]

Well, this is quite a question. Are you orthodox or a heretic? Let me offer you my thoughts and then open this up for some discussion. The term orthodox can be defined in a few ways: 1. Historic Christian Orthodoxy: This refers to the sine qua non (the “without which not”) of Christian belief. This belief is [...]

What does it mean to use the Lord’s name in vain? This is a question that might seem self-evident to most people in western society. Whether you are religious or not, you would not even hesitate with your answer, “It means to say G-D.” I am sure that there are more people that can answer this [...]

Theology Unplugged Broadcast #63  Question/Answers Segment: The unnecessary assumption of the Bible’s uniqueness in comparison to other ancient sources; Emerging dialogue: does it get anything accomplished?

One prominent objection that people often raise about the Christian faith concerns the radical idea of

I have heard this since I was a very young Christian. It seemed somewhat reasonable as it was explained to me by pastors in sermons and Christians as they explained the seriousness of sin. The claim goes something like this: All sin is so bad that even the smallest of sins deserves eternal punishment in [...]

This is a question that I was asked and thought I would share with the blog world. Outside of the Roman Catholic Church official bull (Humanae Vitae) prohibiting birth control, there is no official position that the church has taken with regards to this issue. While Roman Catholics believe that taking birth control can be a [...]

How is one to define sin? If you think about it too long, it can easily become difficult to define. Pastors, theologians, and exegetes often bring up the philosophical and theological distinctions and nuances of sin. From mortal sins to venial sins. From sins of omission to sins of commission. Not only this, but we often distinguish between imputed sin, [...]