In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And in time, in the course of creation, he created both man and woman who, as with the rest, were created in perfection. The reason why I know that this is so is because the word of God tells me that God had created them in his own image, and so they had to be just exactly as intended and designed. In fact the record states that God saw what he had created and said that it was “very good.”

Best-selling Author Will ‘Prove’ God’s Existence - ABC to Air LIVE Atheist Debate with Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort

After ABC ran a story in January about hundreds of atheists videotaping themselves blaspheming the Holy Spirit, best-selling author Ray Comfort contacted the network and offered to prove God’s existence, absolutely, scientifically, without mentioning the Bible or faith.

Part 4 – Claudians

Octavian was succeeded by Tiberius Claudius Nero, who eventually was legally granted to be his “adopted” son. He was also Livia’s lover. Tiberias reigned from 17 to 37. He was Caesar during the beginning of the church (Luke 3:1). He too assumed and was later granted the title Augustus.

Senseless killings and media overkill…

What can be said about the Virginia Tech massacre? Very little. What should be said? Even less. The lives of 32 innocents, chosen randomly and without purpose, are extinguished most brutally by a deeply disturbed gunman. With an event such as this, consisting of nothing but suffering and tragedy, the only important questions are those of theodicy, of divine justice. –syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer.

The Beginnings of the Empire

What follows in this and the next three essays is a short biography of most of the Roman emperors up through the time of the emperor Constantine the Great. The hope is that the information may be useful to the student of the New Testament.

Holy Hilarity

The first Sunday after Easter is known as “Good Humor Sunday,” an ancient custom that originated with the Greeks (of course) and is still celebrated in some Christian churches.

The Four Kingdoms

The first of the four mentioned kingdoms in Daniel 2 is Chaldea. The Chaldean empire (also known as the Babylonian empire) first subdued Assyria, then Egypt, and beginning in BC 587, the Southern Kingdom of Israel (known as Judah - while the countryside was known as Judea).

With this essay begins a series on Rome and its emperors through the first quarter of the fourth century.

Part 1 - Introduction