Stephen Hall

Well, there's nothing more to tell really. But, having regard to your moniker, I thought you might appreciate my favourite piece of stained glass: · _{13 minutes ago}

Stephen Hall: I was finishing some graduate studies in England. When I arrived there I was an atheist. During my studies, I was introduced to the works of CS Lewis, and I read almost all his apologetics over a period of about 2 years. So I guess I was primed. Then, I had a few days to kill before returning home to Australia, so I visited Greece to see the cradle of our civilisation. On my second day I walked into a small Orthodox church building in Athens. I saw a Virgin-and-Child icon in one corner which appeared to be the main artwork in the church, so I walked over to have a look. After a few seconds looking at it, I began to cry, and I just couldn't stop for about 15 minutes. A priest came over to see if I was alright, but  I think he guessed what was going on and left me alone. I came out of that church a believing Christian.

So, an Ulster Protestant and an Orthodox icon paved the way for my conversion to the Catholic faith.

Stephen Hall: Too much in the way of car chases and fisticuffs. Not enough effort directed at having a tight and credible plot. Kirk's kumbaya speech to the assembled star fleet was incongruous and gratingly Hollywood liberal.

On the other hand, it did not take itself too seriously and the humour was refreshing.

Nice to see a tribble.

B/B+ · _{21 minutes ago}

Pseudodionysius

It took his leg down a peg.

#PegLegChrisNeedsANewPirateShip

#PilatesOfTheCaribbean· _{May 16, 2013 at 5:52pm}

Edited on May 16, 2013 at 5:52pm

Jeff

This is true of the Church of Rome but not of the Church. The Orthodox have never had a hierarchy like that of Rome.

Half of Catholic christians are not organized like a Roman army. They practice the traditional teachings of the church: each bishop is equal to every other.They are in apostolic succession and practice in the full authority of the traditions of the Church.

There is no single, temporal head of the Church as the Patriarch of the West, the Bishop of Rome, claims. The Patriarch of Constantinople is a spokesman for the  autocephalous churches, and he is primate of one of them. He is elected for his penitence, piety, and prudence. He is not supreme but primary.

Not all Catholics are Roman. The Church is not the Latin church. ·

Red Feline

Christianity was a sect, or even a cult, of Judaism until the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (306-337) made it the dominant religion of the Roman Empire.

The organization of the Church of Rome is based on the hierarchical system of the Roman Army. As in the army, it is ruled from the top down, and everyone is expected to be obedient without question.  · _{4 hours ago}