Miscellaneous Illuminations

‘Samuel Sandmel coined the term “parallelomania” to describe the mythicist tendency “which first overdoes the supposed similarity in passages, and then proceeds to describe source and derivation as if implying literary connection . . .”401 As Craig notes, anyone advancing the copycat thesis: “has a burden of proof to bear . . . to show that the narratives are parallel and, moreover, that they are causally connected.”402 Failure to sustain this burden of proof led the academy to reject the History of Religions School of thought. Coyne et al. certainly don’t supply this deficit.’ Excerpt from chapter 2 in ‘Getting at Jesus’ (2019) by Peter S. Williams

In English https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XgiA2USNNgU&ra=m En español https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XgiA2USNNgU&ra=m

⬆️⬆️ The Most Reluctant Convert (2021) Excellent film on the life of C.S. Lewis, based on his book Surprised by Joy (1955) often described as his spiritual autobiography.

…”when it comes to assessing testimony concerning miracles, those who hold a worldview without room for miracles might take their worldview as reason for doubting such testimony. However, those who take this path should note that their objection to miracles isn’t grounded in any supposed lack of publically-available evidence, but in a philosophical perspective that should be held no more immune to critical assessment than any other.” Excerpt from chapter 1 in ‘Getting at Jesus’ (2019) by Peter S. Williams

'Does Satan really have free reign on earth? The Bible teaches that the whole world is in the kingdom of Satan and under his power. Those who live in the world are blinded by his lies and continually live under his power. In this sermon on Satan and the Christian from Ephesians 6:10–13, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones reminds that Christ Jesus has come into the world and by His death and resurrection has overthrown the devil. Those who are in the kingdom of God have been rescued from the power of Satan and transferred to the kingdom of God. Those who are of God can never fall again and become subject to the devil's power. This does not mean that the devil will not try to destroy the faith of Christians. He is a lion seeking to devour , but if Christians resist him, he will flee, for the power of Christ is greater than the devil. Christians live continually battling against the schemes of the Satan as he is opposed wholly to the kingdom of God and the church. However, Christians can now know that Christ will return and vanquish Satan once and for all. Christ will bring the kingdom of God to completion and destroy the kingdom of Satan. This hope should strengthen the church and Christians in their faith, love, and trust in Christ and in his gospel.' Description of Sermon #4195 The Christian and the Devil - a sermon on Satan and the Christian from Ephesians 6:10-13 preached by Welsh minister Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) on Jan. 8, 1961 https://www.mljtrust.org/sermon/the-christian-and-the-devil/

‘The earliest undisputed manuscript of a New Testament book is the John Rylands papyri (p52), dated from 117 to 138. This fragment of John's gospel survives from within a generation of composition. Since the book was composed in Asia Minor and this fragment was found in Egypt, some circulation time is demanded, surely placing composition of John within the first century. Whole books (Bodmer Papyri) are available from 200. Most of the New Testament, including all the gospels, is available in the Chester Beatty Papyri manuscript from 150 yeas after the New Testament was finished (ca. 250). No other book from the ancient world has as small a time gap between composition and earliest manuscript copies as the New Testament.’ Quoting from ‘The Dating of the New Testament’ by Norman Geisler https://www.bethinking.org/bible/the-dating-of-the-new-testament

‘Postmodernist philosophers claim that the quest for objective truth asserted through language is part of the discredited project of modernism, an over-confident approach to knowledge stemming from enlightenment rationalism.[5] Therefore, statements about scientific facts, religious claims or moral principles cannot refer to objective states of affairs. On the contrary, language is constructed through communities, and it cannot move beyond its own context and refer to realities outside itself. A thorough analysis of the postmodernist assault on truth would take us beyond the limits of this article,[6] but a basic critique of this notion of truth is that this view is self-refuting. If all language fails to describe objective conditions, due to its immersion in various cultures, then any language used to describe this universal immersion would be subject to the limitations of its context. And that would mean that any and all language fails to describe the universal limitations of all languages. This kind of statement, therefore, discredits itself. For all its protests about the illegitimacies of "metanarratives" (worldviews), postmodernism offers a metanarrative of its own – one that cannot be true given its own precepts.[7] Moreover, the notion that objective truth is unknowable entails that a relativistic and/or pragmatic view of truth be put in the place of a correspondence view. I contend that both of these views – that is, relativism and pragmatism – are logically defective and unworthy of belief.’ Quote from ‘What is Truth? (on the Nature and Importance of Truth Today)’ by Douglas Groothuis (2007) https://www.bethinking.org/truth/what-is-truth

Truth is so obscured nowadays, and lies so well established, that unless we love the truth, we shall never recognize it. Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

Common and Special Grace - Sermon #4193 A sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13 preached by Welsh minister Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) Dec. 11, 1960 https://www.mljtrust.org/sermon/common-and-special-grace/

SERMON #4020 - Heard. Believed. Trusted. A sermon on Ephesians 1:11-14 preached by Welsh minister Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) on Feb. 27, 1955 https://mljtrust.org/sermon/heard-believed-trusted/

A group of three sermons by Welsh minister Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) on the subject of evil spiritual powers and manifestations thereof Sermon #4190 Spiritism A Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13 preached Nov. 20, 1960 https://www.mljtrust.org/sermon/spiritism/ Sermon #4191 Spiritism and the Christian A Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13 preached Nov. 27, 1960 https://www.mljtrust.org/sermon/spiritism-and-the-christian/ Sermon #4192 Demon Possession A Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13 preached Dec. 4, 1960 https://www.mljtrust.org/sermon/demon-possession/

‘Ask ten people what a church is, and you may receive ten different answers. Some will point to a stone building with a tower. Others will think of a denomination, a charitable organisation, or a weekly religious meeting. But what did Jesus Christ establish? What did the apostles call a church?’ Quote from the article by POOYAN MEHRSHAHI published JULY 18, 2026 https://pooyanmehrshahi.substack.com/p/what-is-a-local-church

‘Author and producer David Cayley, who for three decades made radio documentaries for CBC Radio’s Ideas, goes back to the CBC’s roots to examine how it lost its way and to ask searching questions about the nature of media and the “public” in the twenty-first century. He calls for a bold new vision—a CBC that transcends its recent past and rebuilds as a unifying force, championing curiosity, dialogue, and a pluralistic Canadian identity.’ “The CBC: How Canada's Public Broadcaster Lost Its Voice (and How To Get it Back)” (published 16.9.25) by David Cayley https://sutherlandhousebooks.com/product/the-cbc/

For the wealth and depth of the 'Ideas' programmes that he wrote, crafted and delivered for CBC and archived on his own website (with transcripts); for his books - in particular, 'The Rivers North of the Future': The Testament of Ivan Illich as told by David Cayley' and 'Plastic Words' (his English translation of the book by Uwe Pörksen); for his interview with Paris Interview for Critical Thinking Voices in April 2020 (PICT Voices #5: David Cayley, Revisiting Ivan Illich); for his generous willingness to engage in dialogue via email, I give thanks to God for the life of David Cayley (1946 - 2026).

‘The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!’ From the gospel according to Matthew chapter 6, verses 22 and 23 https://www.kingjamesbible.me/Matthew-Chapter-6/ Commentaries on these verses https://www.kingjamesbible.me/Matthew-6-22_meaning/ and https://www.kingjamesbible.me/Matthew-6-23_meaning/

“A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.” Proverbs 18:2 Commentaries on the verse https://www.kingjamesbible.me/Proverbs-18-2_meaning/

‘Corría el año 57 d.C., cuando tuvo lugar el arresto de un judío peculiar en la ciudad de Jerusalén. El detenido fue llevado ante el tribuno que mandaba la guarnición romana acuartelada en la torre Antonia. Inicialmente, el romano pensó que el personaje en cuestión era un egipcio que había intentado recientemente llevar a cabo un golpe de fuerza. Sin embargo, no tardó en sospechar que se había equivocado cuando lo escuchó hablar en griego. Procedió entonces a preguntarle quién era. La respuesta fue directa: «Soy judío, de Tarso de Cilicia, ciudadano de una ciudad de no escasa importancia» (Hech. 21:39). El hombre que acababa de responder así era ciertamente judío, pero también ciudadano romano, nacido en Tarso. A la historia iba a pasar, precisamente, como Pablo de Tarso y tiene una enorme lógica la vinculación de su nombre con la ciudad en la que había nacido.’ Cito del capítulo I: 'DE TARSO, EN CILICIA' de ‘Apóstol para las naciones: La vida y los tiempos de Pablo de Tarso' (2021) por César Vidal https://www.goodreads.com/es/book/show/56940471-ap-stol-para-las-naciones

“Mejor es encontrarse con una osa a la cual han robado sus cachorros, Que con un fatuo en su necedad.” Proverbios 17:12 https://www.biblia.es/biblia-buscar-libros-1.php?libro=proverbios&capitulo=17&version=rv60

“He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.” Proverbs 17:9 Commentaries on this verse https://www.kingjamesbible.me/Proverbs-17-9_meaning/