About the Templeton Project

The Templeton Committee met for the first time on October 21, 2015.  Pastor Michael Tavella had received a $5000 grant from the John Templeton Foundation through the auspices of Earl Whipple, a staff member of the organization and a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.  The grant will be used to develop a manual for churches and individual Christians on how we should conduct ourselves when in conversation with atheists and others who do not attend Church (the “nones”), either one on one or in a public forum.  The biblical basis for the project is I Peter 3:  15b-16.  The proposal includes field testing the manual in church adult classes and then holding at least one public forum in which Christians and non-Christians  dialogue with one another. These conversations will constitute a Christian defense of the faith (ἀπολογία, apologia, English-apology) and a witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Saint Justin Martyr, Apologist for the Faith (Redux)

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This article is yet another revision of the last in a series about the early Christian apologists. Justin, a philosopher and Christian from Flavia Neopolis in Palestine, addresses an apology on behalf of the Christian community to the emperor, Antoninus Pius, and his son, Verisimus.  He begins by stating that…
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The Serpent at the Tree

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We continue our series on the telling of stories to evoke the imagination for Christ. The serpent in the Garden of Eden, described as the most crafty beast of the field, is able to talk. We do know that the serpent does not move around on its belly until God…
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Defense and Invitation

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In his book Mere Apologetics Alister McGrath makes a distinction between invitation and defense.  Evangelism and apologetics are related to one another, but not the same.  Apology is defense, where in public or private, we explain the articles of the Christian faith and answer questions of those who are challenging or inquiring…
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A Pillar of Salt

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Lot, Abraham’s nephew, lived with his wife and daughters in the city of Sodom, a notoriously evil place.  God decided to destroy the city, telling Lot of his intentions. through two visiting angels. The men of the city threatened the angels by demanding that they come out of the house…
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The Beatific Vision

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“Abandon hope all who enter here.”  These words are found at hell’s gate in Dante’s Inferno.  But, at the end of the Commedia these words are written by the poet: “l’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle, The Love which moves the sun and the other stars”–a reference to God. …
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God’s Light and Our Light

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In Matthew 4:16, the gospel writer quotes a passage from the prophet Isaiah.  “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light . . .” (Isaiah 9:1ff ESV)  Jesus had gone to dwell in Capernaum on what was the territory of the Israelite tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali,…
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Halloween and All Hallows

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Driving around town I’ve noticed the enthusiasm for Halloween.  The decorations are elaborate and “scary.”  Why such an interest in this holiday? Halloween goes back to Celtic new year (Samhain, pronounced sow-win).    On the eve of the new year, as darkness becomes pre-eminent, it was believed among the Celts…
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Praise, Creed, and Apologetics

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I’ve been reading The Creedal Imperative by Carl Trueman. There’s a little Trueman and a little Tavella in the following words.   It has inspired me to write a few lines about the relationship between praise, creed, and apologetics and guided me in what to say. A number of hymns are found…
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Dante–Life’s Journey

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Midway upon the journey of our life I found myself within a forest dark, For the straight-forward pathway had been lost. Ah me! how hard a thing it is to say What was this forest savage, rough, and stern, Which in the very thought renews the fear. (Inferno, Dante Alighieri,…
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