Saint Cosmas of Aetolia is considered one of the great missionaries of the Orthodox Church. Much like Saint Paul, he traveled a great distance to proclaim the Gospel. He established schools and reinvigorated the Orthodox faithful of Greece who had endured several centuries of Ottoman occupation.
Costa was his given name and he was born in 1714 in the village of Mega Dendron in the mountainous region of Aetolia. <?>
At age 20, he worked as a grammar teacher under the guidance of Archdeacon Ananias Dervisanos. Young Costa lived much like a monk in the world and after a number of years he was drawn to Mouth Athos. He first studied theology at the Athonias Academy near Vatopedi Monastery. # years later he joined the brotherhood at Philotheou Monastery and was tonsured a monk, given the name Cosmas, and was later ordained a priest. He later described Philotheou as the place where he wept over his sins.
Cosmas was a zealous ascetic and lived a life of prayer and stillness. He was greatly enriched through the study of scripture and the church fathers. He spoke often about the necessity of scripture:
“The existence of many churches neither preserves nor strengthens our faith to the proper extent and in the proper manner, if those who believe in God are not enlightened by the Old and the New Testament.” After seventeen years at Philotheou, Cosmas felt called to follow the path of Apostolic preaching. He sympathized with the plight of the Christians under Ottoman
Taught at the Catechetical School of Alexandria. A convert to Christianity, he was an educated man
“While it is true that we have no right to force out personal opinions on others, we do have a responsibility to encourage fellow believers to be faithful to God’s truths, which are presented in Scripture.”
Likewise, Clovis beseeched the “Christ God” for assistance as his army faltered in battle with the Alamanni, “…war broke out against the Alamanni and in this conflict he was forced by necessity to accept what [the existence and supremacy of the living god and his son Jesus Christ over the pagan gods] he had refused of his own free will” (Gregory of Tours, The History of the Franks, Bk. II, Ch.30). Furthermore, they both converted or devoted themselves to the Christian god following thereafter, apparently as a result of their military victories and, in the case of Clovis, due to the influence of his wife Clotild. However, Gregory of Tours’ portrayal of Gundobad’s conversion is similar to that of Clovis and Constantine, but it has different aspects and, possibly, subsequent consequences.
Machen stated that the New Testament books “are regarded by all serious historians as genuine products of the first Christian generation.” (PAGE 18) The statement merely could be false without Machen’s willingness to terminate as un-serious all historians who ignore the validity and authority of the New Testament. The argument of the New Testament authenticity is still conflicted between in liberalism and typical denominations. A weakness in Machen’s argument on Doctrine was while Machen indicates that the New testament could be understood through the perspective of the “primitive Jerusalem church” (PAGE 22), no supportive agreement was found what the primitive church looked
Textual-“The Faith, in that wild frontier, is like a buried treasure; they guard it, but they do not know how to use it to their soul’s salvation. A word, a prayer, a service, is all that is needed to set free these souls in bondage. I confess I am covetous of that mission. I desire to be the man who restores these lost children to God.” (p. 207).
His love for them and his desire to see the church as a whole restored took precedence over his own personal feelings. He knew that if he came to oversee the resolution of the problem, it might intensify the situation. If he didn’t address the situation and it remained unresolved, there could and would be greater sorrow in the future. Paul knew that writing a letter to the Corinthian Church might bring them pain, but this would be for their good rather than their harm.
“Resume the powers of their faith and arouse in themselves a fierce determination to overcome the machinations of the devil, and to try fully to restore Holy Church, cruelly weakened by the wicked, to its honorable status as of old.”
It seems strange that so little is known biographically about one of the most important figures in Christian history, but this only serves to add to the mystery and grandeur surrounding the Apostle Paul of Tarsus. Much, however, is known of the time after his conversion to Christ and what he did to contribute to Christianity in this period, and it is this that leaves a greater legacy than the simple facts of his life. The contributions that he made towards the cause of Christ and the spreading and formation of Christianity are what he is perennially remembered for.
Three of Paul’s most important journeys in his lifetime took place in 44, 48 and 55 CE. Geographically, this spread Christianity across the Mediterranean into modern day countries such as Cyprus, Turkey, Greece and Italy. He travelled tens of thousands of
The Apostle Paul (formerly Saul) is responsible for the spread of Christianity throughout the areas of Asia Minor and Greece. Through his 3 mission trips to the region Paul created a base of support for the Christian faith and implemented a support strategy for future growth. The time period for his journeys was 45 AD – 58 AD. The story of Paul is interesting from the perspective that the man best known as the author of most of the New Testament started out as a devout Jew and despised the Christian faith. After his conversion he made it his life’s work to spread the Christian message throughout the world. To this end, Paul made several mission trips to the area of Asia Minor and Greece.
There has also been a decline in spiritual enrichment in churches to its followers which has allowed new religions and new age innovations to come up. Christians convert to these religions trying to look for spiritual enrichment and fulfillment. “Christian knowledge is being challenged with scientific and worldly knowledge. There is no longer the idea of one truth, one correct body of knowledge,” (Bruce, 1996). In a world based on facts, Christians are continually looking for facts of God’s existence and they forget that faith believes in the unseen.
Paul visited Ephesus on his first missionary journey, on the way from Greece to Syria. After his third missionary journey, he stayed there and pastored the Ephesian church for 3 years (Easton, np). “Though Paul was not the first to bring Christianity to Ephesus, for Jews had long lived there, he was the first to make progress against the worship of Diana” (Orr, np). Because of his strong ties to the church, Paul cared deeply about the faith of the believers there (Macarthur, np).
Those who would attack the Church and reject its gospel must direct their arrows at the most crucial truth claim of the New Testament
The late Alexander of Alexandria did many things that influence Christianity. Alexander of Alexandria birth is not known but he left our world to meet God, on April 17, 326. He faced persecutions from Roman Leaders. He was our 19th pope. During his time, on Earth, he helped our leaders decide on the date, for Easter. This is a very important event that takes place yearly. He also had an important role in the actions concerning Meletius of Lycopolis. His predictor Achillas, allowed Arius to return to the Church. Achillas also gave Arius the oldest church in Alexandria. Another contribution to Christianity that he made, was when he mentored his successor, Athanasius of Alexandria. Alexander of Alexandria was an influential person that impacted
the formation of early Christendom. Born in Caesarea around 260c.e., he was mentored by Pamphilus,