Why Easter Moves: The Computus Controversy and the Synod of Whitby
Easter moves because a Nicene rule ties it to the moon, and rival tables for predicting that moon divided the church until Whitby in 664.
Church historyMovements and controversies
Selected published articles.
Articles in this collection
The Renaissance Made the Reformation Inevitable
The Reformation is often narrated as a sudden theological rupture, as though Martin Luther's protest in 1517 sprang from doctrine alone. The narrower truth is more interesting and more...
Church historyGnosticism: The Ancient Heresy That Co-Opted Christianity
Gnosticism was a pre-Christian mystical worldview that co-opted Christian language. Explore its emanation theology, the Demiurge, and how the apostle John confronted it.
Church historyWhy Vatican II Still Matters
Vatican II reshaped Catholicism and launched the ecumenical movement. A Protestant historical analysis of the Council's strategic shift, internal divide, and lasting impact.
Church historyThe Reformation and the Five Solas: What the Reformers Recovered
Discover the five solas of the Protestant Reformation: Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria. Learn what they mean and why they still matter.
Church historyHow Higher Criticism Sparked Liberalism and Fundamentalism
Higher criticism of the late 1800s questioned the Bible's authorship and reliability, fueling liberal theology and provoking the fundamentalist response through Spurgeon's Downgrade...
Church historyWhy Scotland Embraced the Reformation So Quickly
Scotland's rapid embrace of the Reformation was no accident. Celtic Christianity had planted deep instincts for local governance and scriptural authority that made John Knox's Reformed...
Church historyHow Celtic Christianity Preserved the Faith
When the Roman Empire fell and learning collapsed across Europe, Irish and Scottish monks preserved Scripture, copied classical literature, and re-evangelized the Continent.
Church historyThe Pre-Reformers: Forgotten Voices before Luther
Before Martin Luther, men like Peter Waldo, Peter de Bruys, John Wycliffe, and Jan Hus challenged the medieval church and called for biblical authority -- and paid dearly for it.
Church history