April 2018

Q&A: How are Changes Made to the Nazarene Manual?

Changes are made in the Manual every four years at the General Assembly where district elected delegates discuss and evaluate resolutions that have been submitted to the general secretary’s office from districts and other groups. This is outlined in Manual par. 902.7. No resolutions are submitted by one individual alone.  Resolutions typically address perceived needs and ways to improve the work of the church.  They may clarify existing paragraphs or offer new ideas and procedures.

Q&A: How Are Legal Issues Handled in the Church of the Nazarene?

Q: How are legal issues handled in the Church of the Nazarene?

A: The structure of the Church of the Nazarene is such that most legal issues fall within the jurisdiction of the local church or the district. When we are made aware of a potential legal issue, the first step is to determine whether we even have the authority to address it. Most of the time we refer the matter to the local church or district to make sure they are aware of the situation.

Catholics and the Protestant Reformation

“Oh, really?” is a common reply I hear when I tell another Catholic that this October will mark the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. They respond as if it’s something they are supposed to know, don’t, and aren’t sure whether to feel out of the loop or just curious about why I would even mention it. For many of us Catholics, the anniversary is not even on the radar.

Arminianism, Calvinism, and Their Influence Upon John Wesley

Jacob Arminius (1559 – 1609) was a Dutch pastor and scholar who spent most of his career as a pastor in Amsterdam. He served as professor of theology at the University of Leiden for about 6 years before dying of tuberculosis in 1609.  His pastoral spirit and sensibilities cannot be overestimated and were clearly present throughout the entirety of his career, including his theological writings.