Latest articles byDr. Zachary Porcu
What is paedobaptism? A Christian scholar explains
Paedobaptism is the more technical or older way of referring to the baptism of infants. “Paedo” or “Pedo” come from the Greek pais (πάις), which means “child.” However, because “pedo” in modern slang has come to be a shorthand ...
The Shulamite: Bride of Solomon and Allegorical Woman
The word “Shulamite” (also spelled “Shulammite”) is only used once in the Bible, in the Song of Solomon, chapter 6, verse 13. What does it mean? It’s at least a reference to the bride of Solomon, but the nature of the title is ...
Christian Mythology: Criticism, Genre, Truth
“Christian mythology” is a broad term that gets used in a few different ways. Some people (atheists and skeptics, primarily) try to use it in a derogatory way to suggest that the stories in the Bible are fictional. In the same ...
Who was Phanuel? Archangel or Father of Anna?
Phanuel the angel is not mentioned in the Bible. This figure comes from the Book of Enoch, where he belongs to the ranks of the good angels who serve the God of gods. Those good angels are opposed to the fallen Watchers, a grou...
What is wrong with reformed theology? By a Christian PhD
Reformed theology is a broad religious system with many different elements. Its theology is organized around the absolute sovereignty of God—the idea that God is in total, complete control of everything. In grappling with this ...
Maher-Shala-Hash-Baz, the Son of the Prophet Isaiah
The book of Isaiah features a long name: Maher-Shala-Hash-Baz. It is often considered the longest name in the Bible, though that depends on how you count. It first occurs in Isaiah 8:1: “Moreover the Lord said to me, ‘Take a la...
Plant of Fertility and Magic: Are mandrakes in the Bible?
The mandrake is mentioned in two places in the Bible: in an episode between Rachel and Leah concerning fertility, and in the Song of Solomon. The Song of Solomon, also known as the Song of Songs or the Canticle of Canticles, is...
The First Friday Devotion and the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The devotion was started by Margaret Mary Alacoque. She was a Catholic nun and mystic who received private visions of Jesus for two years, in which he revealed to her the practice of devotion to the sacred heart of Jesus. One m...