Avalon Chronicles #26: "Our Inheritance"
by Allen Clark allenbclark@aol.com
Web Site: www.combatfaith.com
Blog Spot: www.combatfaith.blogspot.com
Psalm 19 (NIV) 1: The heavens declare the glory of God
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
7: The law of the Lord is perfect
reviving the soul
8: The commands of the Lord are radiant
giving light to the eyes
Colossians 1 12: ...giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you
to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
What is your inheritance? One naturally thinks first about worldly goods. When family members die, wills grant inheritance to the beneficiaries, money, land, homes, possessions. These are material blessings. More important are the supernatural blessings, those of the soul and spirit. What is bequeathed falls into two categories, what in military terms is strategic and tactical.
Strategic inheritance is from God, the Creator of all. We inherit, enjoy, and occupy a universe, mysterious, far-flung, and mostly unfathomable, understood only through the lenses of powerful telescopes, satellite pictures and moon missions. Closer to home is the inheritance we have for our very daily existence, this planet on which we subsist due to its abundant provision. This entire universe, but, especially our own abode, earth, is a part of the strategic inheritance of our God in Heaven Who created it all in its magnificent glory, provision, and richness.
In the fields of earthly warfare, the generals, admirals, and politicians dictate and determine the course of the strategy against the enemy. The junior officers and senior non-commissioned officers carry it out area by area, sector by sector, geographic locale by geographic locale, village by village to prevail over the enemy.
Forces in nature (the material) are positive or negative as are the forces in our own personal lives. In the supernatural strategic realm our Lord battles His ages long adversary, the devil, Satan, thrown from the higher spiritual reaches due to his original wrongdoing of expression of pride by the overthrowing of God's preeminence and installment of himself in God's position. From wherever they emanate, Satan has his army arrayed in an order of battle against us individually in the tactical arena. His troops are his demonic spirits, ready to pounce on us when the drawbridge in the heart of our personal castles is lowered by unforgiven sin, unforgiveness of others who hurt us, harboring of anger and bitterness, and commission of what we would call the sins of words and deeds.
However, our Lord has bequeathed us an inheritance for our tactical challenges in the personal battlefields of our soul (our mind, emotions, and will). In the New Testament it is all there, all the ways to live in the light, a righteous, holy, and pure life of integrity full of and expressing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, kindness, and faith.
Our supernatural gift is both material in this grand earth on which we live and tactical on which we base our lives. This is our eternal inheritance. We can recognize it, receive it, and live our earthly lives in enjoyment of it so that upon our deaths we can reap the ultimate inheritance of living with God in Heaven, by, on earth, believing that God's Son, Jesus, sent to earth 2000 years ago, was Who He said He was.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Avalon Chronicles #25: "Lest We Forget"
Avalon Chronicles #25 "Lest We Forget"
by Allen Clark allenbclark@aol.com
Website: www.combatfaith.com Blog site: www.combatfaith.blogspot.com
Great Britai never forgets! The original purpose for our unforgettable visit to England in November 2013 was to participate in the Nov. 10, 2013 ceremonies in Norwich, England for Remembrance Day, Britain's national day when war deaths of their military and civilians are memorialized in country-wide events recalling the sacrifice especially of their military on far-flung foreign fields under fire.
We were invited to be the guests of retired Air Force Colonel Chuck Walker and his wife wife Dede (Casad), our Dallas friends. Col. Walker was born at the end of WWI and he has been blessed with a long life. As mentioned previously he had been the commander of the Association of the 2nd Air Division of the 8th Air Force which flew bombing missions over Nazi Germany during WWII. Norwich is ringed by fourteen airfields from which those missions were flown. Col. Walker personally flew thirty five of those missions in his B-24 "Liberator" bomber. An incredible percentage of those bombers did not return after each sortie over Germany. He had been invited for several years to represent the Americans who served at those bases. With the utmost gratitude for the service and sacrifice of our Americans in protecting the freedom of the English during the war, Norwich under the leadership of a group of dedicated Englishmen has established a Trust that oversees in their city's Millenium Library a Memorial Library in honor of the 2nd Air Division.
On Nov. 9th Andrew Hawker, the Vice Chairman of the Memorial Trust, toured us to Norwich places of worship. We were shown and held in our respectful arms the poppy wreath that Col. Walker would lay the next day at the city memorial in memory of the 6,881 Americans who flew from the Norwich bases and did not return. In addition 2,000 Americans became German Prisoners of War when their planes were shot down. When they did not return, their belongings in the quarters were immediately removed so as not to affect the morale of their fellow Army Air Corps members. There were 40-50 bombers with a crew of 10 each and 3000-4000 Americans at each base.
On the evening of Nov. 9th we watched on television a magnificently touching national Remembrance Day ceremony, attended by Queen Elizabeth, in Prince Albert Hall in London. The morning of Nov. 10th dawned cool and crisp covered by a cloudy sky. On the way to the ceremony at the square in front of City Hall I happened by a group of young soldiers forming for the parade. Never one to miss an opportunity to introduce myself to strangers, I approached the leader and proudly introduced myself as an American soldier who was in Vietnam. The leader proceeded to gather his people around me and I vigorously proclaimed, "I am an American soldier and (recalling Britain's contributions as our ally in Iraq and Afghanistan) I thank you for being such loyal allies of the U.S. in the cause of freedom and peace," and then remembering that they had fought us 200 years previously in the War of 1812, I added, "except in the War of 1812." As we walked away, my host Tony Harmer, commented that the young soldiers probably did not even know what was the War of 1812!
We viewed the parade and wreath-laying by many to include Col. Walker from the balcony of City Hall. The ceremony theme was "We will remember them." This they were doing again one year prior to the centennnial of the commencement in 1914 of the Great War (WWI). The solemn ceremony was most touching, preceded by a procession of military and veterans through a square and street lined with many citizens, young and old. Significantly, in contrast to the typically secularized ceremonies in the United States this ceremony included unabashedly Christian spiritual aspects. At exactly 11 AM after what was called the Last Post, there was a two minute period of total silence presided over by the Union Jack flag atop City Hall. Many poppy wreaths were laid, but we watched with especial interest and pride as Colonel Walker paced forward to lay his.
The somber silence of the just ended observance in front of the Memorial, inscribed simply "Our Glorious Dead," was suddenly broken by the bark of a dog. Pigeons flew over the square reflecting in their flight the symbolism of energy again to the quietude of the setting. The smell of bread baking wafted throught he air, indicative of the aliveness of the Norwich community only decades before decimated by German bombing raids wreaking their death and destruction upon the Norwich citizenry. Afterwards we attended a very poignant and touching religious service in the Norwich Cathedral.
A closing to Great Britain's Remembrance Day as well as our own annual Memorial Day is capsulized in these words:
When you go home
Tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow
We gave our today
WE MUST NEVER FORGET!
by Allen Clark allenbclark@aol.com
Website: www.combatfaith.com Blog site: www.combatfaith.blogspot.com
Great Britai never forgets! The original purpose for our unforgettable visit to England in November 2013 was to participate in the Nov. 10, 2013 ceremonies in Norwich, England for Remembrance Day, Britain's national day when war deaths of their military and civilians are memorialized in country-wide events recalling the sacrifice especially of their military on far-flung foreign fields under fire.
We were invited to be the guests of retired Air Force Colonel Chuck Walker and his wife wife Dede (Casad), our Dallas friends. Col. Walker was born at the end of WWI and he has been blessed with a long life. As mentioned previously he had been the commander of the Association of the 2nd Air Division of the 8th Air Force which flew bombing missions over Nazi Germany during WWII. Norwich is ringed by fourteen airfields from which those missions were flown. Col. Walker personally flew thirty five of those missions in his B-24 "Liberator" bomber. An incredible percentage of those bombers did not return after each sortie over Germany. He had been invited for several years to represent the Americans who served at those bases. With the utmost gratitude for the service and sacrifice of our Americans in protecting the freedom of the English during the war, Norwich under the leadership of a group of dedicated Englishmen has established a Trust that oversees in their city's Millenium Library a Memorial Library in honor of the 2nd Air Division.
On Nov. 9th Andrew Hawker, the Vice Chairman of the Memorial Trust, toured us to Norwich places of worship. We were shown and held in our respectful arms the poppy wreath that Col. Walker would lay the next day at the city memorial in memory of the 6,881 Americans who flew from the Norwich bases and did not return. In addition 2,000 Americans became German Prisoners of War when their planes were shot down. When they did not return, their belongings in the quarters were immediately removed so as not to affect the morale of their fellow Army Air Corps members. There were 40-50 bombers with a crew of 10 each and 3000-4000 Americans at each base.
On the evening of Nov. 9th we watched on television a magnificently touching national Remembrance Day ceremony, attended by Queen Elizabeth, in Prince Albert Hall in London. The morning of Nov. 10th dawned cool and crisp covered by a cloudy sky. On the way to the ceremony at the square in front of City Hall I happened by a group of young soldiers forming for the parade. Never one to miss an opportunity to introduce myself to strangers, I approached the leader and proudly introduced myself as an American soldier who was in Vietnam. The leader proceeded to gather his people around me and I vigorously proclaimed, "I am an American soldier and (recalling Britain's contributions as our ally in Iraq and Afghanistan) I thank you for being such loyal allies of the U.S. in the cause of freedom and peace," and then remembering that they had fought us 200 years previously in the War of 1812, I added, "except in the War of 1812." As we walked away, my host Tony Harmer, commented that the young soldiers probably did not even know what was the War of 1812!
We viewed the parade and wreath-laying by many to include Col. Walker from the balcony of City Hall. The ceremony theme was "We will remember them." This they were doing again one year prior to the centennnial of the commencement in 1914 of the Great War (WWI). The solemn ceremony was most touching, preceded by a procession of military and veterans through a square and street lined with many citizens, young and old. Significantly, in contrast to the typically secularized ceremonies in the United States this ceremony included unabashedly Christian spiritual aspects. At exactly 11 AM after what was called the Last Post, there was a two minute period of total silence presided over by the Union Jack flag atop City Hall. Many poppy wreaths were laid, but we watched with especial interest and pride as Colonel Walker paced forward to lay his.
The somber silence of the just ended observance in front of the Memorial, inscribed simply "Our Glorious Dead," was suddenly broken by the bark of a dog. Pigeons flew over the square reflecting in their flight the symbolism of energy again to the quietude of the setting. The smell of bread baking wafted throught he air, indicative of the aliveness of the Norwich community only decades before decimated by German bombing raids wreaking their death and destruction upon the Norwich citizenry. Afterwards we attended a very poignant and touching religious service in the Norwich Cathedral.
A closing to Great Britain's Remembrance Day as well as our own annual Memorial Day is capsulized in these words:
When you go home
Tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow
We gave our today
WE MUST NEVER FORGET!
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Avalon Chronicles #24-"England From the Romans to the Magna Carta"
Avalon Chronicles #24: "England From the Romans to the Magna Carta"
by Allen Clark allenbclark@aol.com
Website: www.combatfaith.com
Blog: www.combatfaith.blogspot.com
We recognized in England its incredible contribution to the history of Christianity and the roots of spiritual faith in the founding of our own country. The Christian Travelers Guide to Great Britain points out, "To forget our history is the first step to the abandonment of our faith, the triumph of secularism, the ascendancy of New Age spirituality and the rebirth of paganism."
In 410 AD the Romans departed England for the defense of Rome itself. The Saxon invasions began and the Saxons controlled most of Britain except for a few parts of Wales and Cumbria until the Normans came in 1066 from, where else, Normandy, the site of of the Allied invasion on June 6, 1944 of Fortress Europe held by the Germans. During the sixth century several Saxon kingdoms were prevalent, but Christianity through the upholding and preservation of the Scarlet Thread (knitting together the garment of salvation) maintained its solid influence and most Saxons eventually were converted to Christianity. In 793 the Saxons were invaded by pagan Viking raiders and this began almost 300 years of constant conflict and destructive raids. When the Danish attacked in East Anglia in 865, a Christian king, Alfred the Great, fought them fiercely. In 973 Edgar was crowned the first king of England in a ceremony in Bath.
In 1066 William, the Duke of Normandy, attacked Saxon England, initiating a deliberate policy of destroying Saxon culture by destroying churches and sacred shrines. Christian clergy were replaced by Normans. Eventually the basic English culture prevailed and the Normans were assimilated. In Scotland in the late 11th century the Scottish church came in to the Roman Catholic fold ending a long-time influence of Celtic Christianity.
England became a discovery, unknown to me previously, that the history of Great Britain was one of constant conflict between Celts, Druids, Romans, Saxons, Danes, Vikings, Normans, Welsh, French, and Scots. The ground of Great Britain has absorbed lakes of human blood. Much blood flowed due to religious strife and that condition was to be prevalent for several more centuries. It was not just pagans versus Christians, but unfortunately warring Roman Catholics and Protestants.
This beautiful planet of ours, created by our God, has been continuously scarred by the slashes of swords wielded by humans killing other humans. It began with Cain and Abel and has continued through the millenia even until the present day. The strife of the sword will continue until the Lord's second coming. What we must understand is the true enemy of humankind is not philosophy or religion or economics or national pride or boundaries, but God's adversary, the devil, Satan, thrown from the heavens in ages long past. That enemy directs himself through the captains and the kings of the earth. Only our King will be the final victor of all the ongoing tumults, tribulations, and turbulences. For, as the hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God," proclaims, For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe, ...The body they may kill: (but) God's truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever,...a bulwark never failing."
by Allen Clark allenbclark@aol.com
Website: www.combatfaith.com
Blog: www.combatfaith.blogspot.com
We recognized in England its incredible contribution to the history of Christianity and the roots of spiritual faith in the founding of our own country. The Christian Travelers Guide to Great Britain points out, "To forget our history is the first step to the abandonment of our faith, the triumph of secularism, the ascendancy of New Age spirituality and the rebirth of paganism."
In 410 AD the Romans departed England for the defense of Rome itself. The Saxon invasions began and the Saxons controlled most of Britain except for a few parts of Wales and Cumbria until the Normans came in 1066 from, where else, Normandy, the site of of the Allied invasion on June 6, 1944 of Fortress Europe held by the Germans. During the sixth century several Saxon kingdoms were prevalent, but Christianity through the upholding and preservation of the Scarlet Thread (knitting together the garment of salvation) maintained its solid influence and most Saxons eventually were converted to Christianity. In 793 the Saxons were invaded by pagan Viking raiders and this began almost 300 years of constant conflict and destructive raids. When the Danish attacked in East Anglia in 865, a Christian king, Alfred the Great, fought them fiercely. In 973 Edgar was crowned the first king of England in a ceremony in Bath.
In 1066 William, the Duke of Normandy, attacked Saxon England, initiating a deliberate policy of destroying Saxon culture by destroying churches and sacred shrines. Christian clergy were replaced by Normans. Eventually the basic English culture prevailed and the Normans were assimilated. In Scotland in the late 11th century the Scottish church came in to the Roman Catholic fold ending a long-time influence of Celtic Christianity.
England became a discovery, unknown to me previously, that the history of Great Britain was one of constant conflict between Celts, Druids, Romans, Saxons, Danes, Vikings, Normans, Welsh, French, and Scots. The ground of Great Britain has absorbed lakes of human blood. Much blood flowed due to religious strife and that condition was to be prevalent for several more centuries. It was not just pagans versus Christians, but unfortunately warring Roman Catholics and Protestants.
This beautiful planet of ours, created by our God, has been continuously scarred by the slashes of swords wielded by humans killing other humans. It began with Cain and Abel and has continued through the millenia even until the present day. The strife of the sword will continue until the Lord's second coming. What we must understand is the true enemy of humankind is not philosophy or religion or economics or national pride or boundaries, but God's adversary, the devil, Satan, thrown from the heavens in ages long past. That enemy directs himself through the captains and the kings of the earth. Only our King will be the final victor of all the ongoing tumults, tribulations, and turbulences. For, as the hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God," proclaims, For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe, ...The body they may kill: (but) God's truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever,...a bulwark never failing."
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Avalon Chronicles #23: "A Tribute to a Valiant Warrior and Gracious Gentleman"
Avalon Chronicles #23: "A Tribute to a Valiant Warrior and Gracious Gentleman"
Allen Clark Web Site: www.combatfaith.com
Blog Site: www.combatfaith.blogspot.com
Contact: allenbclark@aol.com
Regarding the messages emanating from Linda's and my Nov. 2013 visit to England it has been my intention to proceed chronologically and end with the one I will submit today. My pace is unhurried and it may be several months before I write them all. We were on our trip at all due to the invitation of retired Air Force Col. Chuck Walker, our friend in Dallas, married to Dede (formerly Casad). For a number of years Chuck has traveled to Norwich, England to participate in the meetings and commemorations of a trust which has been established in Norwich to honor the Americans of the Second Air Division of the Eighth Air Force who served in WWII at fourteen air bases in the vicinity of Norwich, which is northeast of London near the North Sea. The trust especially commemorates and honors the 6,881 American airmen who were killed flying missions against Germany from these bases. Colonel Walker flew 35 missions in B-24 bombers from these bases.
On our last day in London, where we had proceeded, after a marvelous trip to Norwich for Great Britain's Nov. 10, 2013 Remembrance Day, we were joined by Chuck and Dede and some English friends at a memorial service in the American Chapel of St. Paul's Cathedral, after which we went to dinner across the street at Strada Italian restaurant. The day we left Norwich I wrote, "From our new friendships and experiences we have derived on this visit to England a new sense of dignity, civility, use of language, sense of history, and continuity with our own United States of these ancient peoples. Especially we have acquired an unparalled appreciation of the commitment, dedication, valor, and sacrifice of our Army Air Force men and women who served from 1942-1945 in those bases around Norwich."
Upon our departure from the restaurant on that final night of Nov. 14, 2013 I continued in the spirit of the notes from days before by going to the end of the long table where we were seated to say some special personal words to Col. Walker. I had written these words, "This service (of the men of his unit) is exemplified in remarkable fashion in the embodiment of an extraordinary patriot, our host, Colonel Charles Walker. He does not consider himself a hero, but to this younger soldier of a later war, he stands tall in my eyes as a warrior who arose with his crew, heard a briefing, climbed aboard his B-24 Liberator bomber at his airfield at Tibenam, cruised down the runway 35 times to rain destruction on the enemy in Germany. He returned home to marry, raise two children, and contribute to the building of our great America along with the other members of his 'Greatest Generation.'" I continued, " We sons of today we salute you sons of an earlier day. You lit the paths in whose footsteps we would walk to continue to serve the cause of peace and freedom for those who would follow us."
Allen Clark Web Site: www.combatfaith.com
Blog Site: www.combatfaith.blogspot.com
Contact: allenbclark@aol.com
Regarding the messages emanating from Linda's and my Nov. 2013 visit to England it has been my intention to proceed chronologically and end with the one I will submit today. My pace is unhurried and it may be several months before I write them all. We were on our trip at all due to the invitation of retired Air Force Col. Chuck Walker, our friend in Dallas, married to Dede (formerly Casad). For a number of years Chuck has traveled to Norwich, England to participate in the meetings and commemorations of a trust which has been established in Norwich to honor the Americans of the Second Air Division of the Eighth Air Force who served in WWII at fourteen air bases in the vicinity of Norwich, which is northeast of London near the North Sea. The trust especially commemorates and honors the 6,881 American airmen who were killed flying missions against Germany from these bases. Colonel Walker flew 35 missions in B-24 bombers from these bases.
On our last day in London, where we had proceeded, after a marvelous trip to Norwich for Great Britain's Nov. 10, 2013 Remembrance Day, we were joined by Chuck and Dede and some English friends at a memorial service in the American Chapel of St. Paul's Cathedral, after which we went to dinner across the street at Strada Italian restaurant. The day we left Norwich I wrote, "From our new friendships and experiences we have derived on this visit to England a new sense of dignity, civility, use of language, sense of history, and continuity with our own United States of these ancient peoples. Especially we have acquired an unparalled appreciation of the commitment, dedication, valor, and sacrifice of our Army Air Force men and women who served from 1942-1945 in those bases around Norwich."
Upon our departure from the restaurant on that final night of Nov. 14, 2013 I continued in the spirit of the notes from days before by going to the end of the long table where we were seated to say some special personal words to Col. Walker. I had written these words, "This service (of the men of his unit) is exemplified in remarkable fashion in the embodiment of an extraordinary patriot, our host, Colonel Charles Walker. He does not consider himself a hero, but to this younger soldier of a later war, he stands tall in my eyes as a warrior who arose with his crew, heard a briefing, climbed aboard his B-24 Liberator bomber at his airfield at Tibenam, cruised down the runway 35 times to rain destruction on the enemy in Germany. He returned home to marry, raise two children, and contribute to the building of our great America along with the other members of his 'Greatest Generation.'" I continued, " We sons of today we salute you sons of an earlier day. You lit the paths in whose footsteps we would walk to continue to serve the cause of peace and freedom for those who would follow us."
Monday, January 27, 2014
Avalon Chronicles #22-"The Way We Must Be"
Avalon Chronicles #22-"The Way We Must Be"
Allen's Website: www.combatfaith.com
Blog: www.combatfaith.blogspot.com
Contact: allenbclark@aol.com
When I was in elementary school I devoured a set of books with orange-colored covers about famous Americans. One of my favorites was about Robert E. Lee. He was a graduate of West Point, the eventual school of my undergraduate education, a member of my childhood denomination of Episcopalian, and in my mind a Christian gentleman worthy of emulation. Never have I not held him up as an example. Currently I am in the midst of reading a book titled Call of Duty The Sterling Nobility of Robert E. Lee by J. Steven Wilkins. It is a short and concise expression of a life well-lived by a consummate Christian gentleman and great military leader. Each chapter reflects a way to live one's life and very early this morning I began to read again, but was moved to reflect on a life to be well-lived and so here are my thoughts on such a life.
Without shame. Without guile. Unafraid in the light of the world. Not needing approval. Heeding counsel. Reading meritable material. Elevating oneself above the common levels of life. Not taking offense. Not needing a defense. Complimenting often. Critiquing candidly. Speaking softly, but heartedly. Thinking with the mind, feeling from the heart, acting with the Spirit. Caring for others before self. Seeking the higher purpose. Everything in moderation. Nothing in excess. Enriching reading. Allocating wisely one's time, it grows shorter each day. Knowing thyself. Striving to know others. Forgiving slights. Forgeting the fights. Believing in the Creator, not the created. Identifying with uplifted ideals. Fixing oneself before others. Preserving property. Protecting propriety. Holding high your head to the heavens. Lifting the lowly.
Freedom isn't free, you have to pay the price, you have to sacrifice for your liberty.
Know your Maker, what He wrote, how He lived, why He came, why He died, that He lives, whom He left, and go forth to follow Him. Never depart from God and He will not depart from you.
Allen's Website: www.combatfaith.com
Blog: www.combatfaith.blogspot.com
Contact: allenbclark@aol.com
When I was in elementary school I devoured a set of books with orange-colored covers about famous Americans. One of my favorites was about Robert E. Lee. He was a graduate of West Point, the eventual school of my undergraduate education, a member of my childhood denomination of Episcopalian, and in my mind a Christian gentleman worthy of emulation. Never have I not held him up as an example. Currently I am in the midst of reading a book titled Call of Duty The Sterling Nobility of Robert E. Lee by J. Steven Wilkins. It is a short and concise expression of a life well-lived by a consummate Christian gentleman and great military leader. Each chapter reflects a way to live one's life and very early this morning I began to read again, but was moved to reflect on a life to be well-lived and so here are my thoughts on such a life.
Without shame. Without guile. Unafraid in the light of the world. Not needing approval. Heeding counsel. Reading meritable material. Elevating oneself above the common levels of life. Not taking offense. Not needing a defense. Complimenting often. Critiquing candidly. Speaking softly, but heartedly. Thinking with the mind, feeling from the heart, acting with the Spirit. Caring for others before self. Seeking the higher purpose. Everything in moderation. Nothing in excess. Enriching reading. Allocating wisely one's time, it grows shorter each day. Knowing thyself. Striving to know others. Forgiving slights. Forgeting the fights. Believing in the Creator, not the created. Identifying with uplifted ideals. Fixing oneself before others. Preserving property. Protecting propriety. Holding high your head to the heavens. Lifting the lowly.
Freedom isn't free, you have to pay the price, you have to sacrifice for your liberty.
Know your Maker, what He wrote, how He lived, why He came, why He died, that He lives, whom He left, and go forth to follow Him. Never depart from God and He will not depart from you.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Avalon Chronicles #21-"Christianity and the Romans Part 3"
Avalon Chronicles #21-"Christianity and the Romans Part 3"
Allen's web site www.combatfaith.com blog: www.combatfaith.blogspot.com
In November 2013 Linda and I traveled in England to Bath, a city in southwest England. Bath was originally a Celtic settlement, which in 44 A.D. became a Roman outpost. In 60 A.D. the Romans built baths here which became celebrated and are a major tourist attraction today. They were originally established as a temple to the local Celtic god Sul and the Roman god Minerva and were founded as a major center of pagan culture. Of course, Rome at this time was a pagan empire and Christianity had to be practiced very carefully and surreptitiously due to the Romans terming it illegal. However, several sources point out that Joseph of Arimathea was indeed the founder of Christianity in England. Sabellius, AD 250, wrote, "Christianity was privately confessed elsewhere, but the first nation that proclaimed it as their religion and called it Christianity after the name of Christ, was Britain."
The Romans were violently opposed to the spread of Christianity, but converted Celts and Druids fought the Romans ferociously. Julius Caesar wrote even before Christianity existed, circa 54 BC in Gallic War (ch 1, sec1) of the British warriors, "They make the immortality of the soul the basis of all their teaching, holding it to be the principal incentive and reason for a virtuous life. Believing in the immortality of the soul they were careless of death." Many of us do not recognize the basics of our faith that our soul survives us!
The first Christian martyr in England was St. Alban, a Roman soldier, who had given shelter to a Christian priest in 251-253 AD and was converted to Christianity due to the priest's character. Becoming a Christian was a capital offense and he was executed.
The Cambridge Story, one of the wonderful resources we came across relates, "A particularly fascinating piece of evidence from the late 4th (century) for the prevalence of Christianity is a curse directed at a thief inscribed on a piece of lead and thrown in to the sacred spring of Solis Minerva in Bath. The curse states 'whether pagan or Christian,' presupposing a society where both commonly existed." Linda and I viewed some of these examples of pieces of lead with messages on display in the Roman baths.
One of the little-known facts of history is that the Roman Emperor Constantine, who lived from 272-337 AD was actually crowned as Roman emperor in York, England where he was serving as a Roman soldier and commander. His mother, Helena, was a Christian and this family heritage was a principal exposure for his eventual signing of the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, which allowed the legalization of Christianity throughout the empire. Christians could now worship Christ openly. Once sanctioned in the Roman empire Christianity was able to flourish. In the British Museum we viewed jewelry and tableware from the 4th century inscribed with Christian monograms, the Greek letters alpha and omega and the Chi Ro symbols, which were clear indicators of the Christian belief. English Christians sent St Patrick to Ireland as a missionary in 432 AD.
In the early 5th century, after Rome had fallen, the Angles, Saxons and Jutes, came storming in to England from across the North Sea and attacked England. They were intent on abolishing Christianity, but the roots of the original mision of Joseph of Arimathea survived with the Roman-British Celts in Cornwall and Wales in the West. The Catholic Church in Rome sent St. Augustine to England in 597 AD and he was greeted by Christians from St. Martin's Celtic Church in Canterbury.
There was obviously a previous strong presence of a basic Christianity practiced in England before St. Augustine and this mission began unobtrusively, but eventually there were clashes of these branches of Christianity that have persisted until modern times. We will attempt to document these clashes, many times very bloody in nature, through British history. We came away after our discovery of England's past times newly aware of the bloodshed and turmoil and suffering caused by the clashes in the name of "religion." Today we are very cognizant of the murders and persecutions of Christians all over the world by the members of the political branch of Islam, who demand adherence only to the requirements of their beliefs to the exclusion of all others. May we recognize the extraordinary blessing we have in the United States with the basics of our religious freedoms being safe.
Allen's web site www.combatfaith.com blog: www.combatfaith.blogspot.com
In November 2013 Linda and I traveled in England to Bath, a city in southwest England. Bath was originally a Celtic settlement, which in 44 A.D. became a Roman outpost. In 60 A.D. the Romans built baths here which became celebrated and are a major tourist attraction today. They were originally established as a temple to the local Celtic god Sul and the Roman god Minerva and were founded as a major center of pagan culture. Of course, Rome at this time was a pagan empire and Christianity had to be practiced very carefully and surreptitiously due to the Romans terming it illegal. However, several sources point out that Joseph of Arimathea was indeed the founder of Christianity in England. Sabellius, AD 250, wrote, "Christianity was privately confessed elsewhere, but the first nation that proclaimed it as their religion and called it Christianity after the name of Christ, was Britain."
The Romans were violently opposed to the spread of Christianity, but converted Celts and Druids fought the Romans ferociously. Julius Caesar wrote even before Christianity existed, circa 54 BC in Gallic War (ch 1, sec1) of the British warriors, "They make the immortality of the soul the basis of all their teaching, holding it to be the principal incentive and reason for a virtuous life. Believing in the immortality of the soul they were careless of death." Many of us do not recognize the basics of our faith that our soul survives us!
The first Christian martyr in England was St. Alban, a Roman soldier, who had given shelter to a Christian priest in 251-253 AD and was converted to Christianity due to the priest's character. Becoming a Christian was a capital offense and he was executed.
The Cambridge Story, one of the wonderful resources we came across relates, "A particularly fascinating piece of evidence from the late 4th (century) for the prevalence of Christianity is a curse directed at a thief inscribed on a piece of lead and thrown in to the sacred spring of Solis Minerva in Bath. The curse states 'whether pagan or Christian,' presupposing a society where both commonly existed." Linda and I viewed some of these examples of pieces of lead with messages on display in the Roman baths.
One of the little-known facts of history is that the Roman Emperor Constantine, who lived from 272-337 AD was actually crowned as Roman emperor in York, England where he was serving as a Roman soldier and commander. His mother, Helena, was a Christian and this family heritage was a principal exposure for his eventual signing of the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, which allowed the legalization of Christianity throughout the empire. Christians could now worship Christ openly. Once sanctioned in the Roman empire Christianity was able to flourish. In the British Museum we viewed jewelry and tableware from the 4th century inscribed with Christian monograms, the Greek letters alpha and omega and the Chi Ro symbols, which were clear indicators of the Christian belief. English Christians sent St Patrick to Ireland as a missionary in 432 AD.
In the early 5th century, after Rome had fallen, the Angles, Saxons and Jutes, came storming in to England from across the North Sea and attacked England. They were intent on abolishing Christianity, but the roots of the original mision of Joseph of Arimathea survived with the Roman-British Celts in Cornwall and Wales in the West. The Catholic Church in Rome sent St. Augustine to England in 597 AD and he was greeted by Christians from St. Martin's Celtic Church in Canterbury.
There was obviously a previous strong presence of a basic Christianity practiced in England before St. Augustine and this mission began unobtrusively, but eventually there were clashes of these branches of Christianity that have persisted until modern times. We will attempt to document these clashes, many times very bloody in nature, through British history. We came away after our discovery of England's past times newly aware of the bloodshed and turmoil and suffering caused by the clashes in the name of "religion." Today we are very cognizant of the murders and persecutions of Christians all over the world by the members of the political branch of Islam, who demand adherence only to the requirements of their beliefs to the exclusion of all others. May we recognize the extraordinary blessing we have in the United States with the basics of our religious freedoms being safe.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Avalon Chronicles #20-"A Not So Merry Christmas in Bastogne 1944"
"A Not So Merry Christmas in Bastogne 1944"
Two weeks ago our area had a sleet and ice storm and Linda and I were without power, heat, or telephone for 54 hours. The temperature in the house was 50 degrees at one reading. It was handled with four sweaters and several comforters at night. For some reason the past few days I began to recall the event I organized on January 31, 2001 at my Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center when twelve veterans of the Battle of the Bulge were our guests for what we termed a Veterans Forum. I heard their recollections of the fighting in the terrible winter of 1944-1945 after Dec. 16, 1944 when the Germans made their final last ditch effort to attack west to drive to the port of Antwerp, Belgium. At this Christmas 69 years later I recalled their stories and pondered, as my heat is now on, the sky is sunny, and I, with most people in my circles, will enjoy our turkey and pumpkin pies, snug and warm in our homes, what it was like for those heroic Americans who stood against the enemy onslaught protecting us in the cause of freedom against Nazism.
There were three stories I collected to relate in this Chronicle so that, we in our comfort may ever be aware of those who came before us and, who, on this very day, stand against the forces of evil on far away battlegrounds.
Private First Class Eduardo A. Peniche was a member of the 101st Airborne's 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment thrust in to the battle at fabled Bastogne. He had related his story later to his father who said, "How sad and dreadful to experience savage fighting on the day of our Lord." Private Peniche recollected, "...(they were) clinginging to our foxholes in the frozen ground...The attack was on, it was Christmas Day already, lying face down in the bottom of my foxhole, I remembered praying both in English and Spanish. At 0300 the Germans attacked wearing their snow suits." He continued, "To me personally, this was a defining moment of my life as a soldier and as an American, to see well-disciplined courageous fellow soldiers well-motivated to follow orders under the most hellish of circumstances yet, without hesitation, at that very trying moment everyone seemed to know what had to be done and they DID IT...The enemy attack ended in failure...There were also, of course, American casualties, in grotesque forms the death froze in eternity." His battalion was relieved Dec. 26th by the 4th Armored Division of General Patton's Third Army. He also said, "I had my first white Christmas in that small Belgian town, and there were enough lights to last me a life time." He was wounded on Jan. 3, 1945. He died on Aug. 16, 2008 after an illustrious career as an educator at Lone Star College-Kingwood, Texas.
A retired Sergeant Major once was interviewed on a blog and had this to say, "Oh, Lord, it was so cold. On Christmas Day they brought turkey stew to us on the front line. We had to go back from our fighting positions, one at a time, to go get our chow. It was so cold, by the time you'd get back to your fox hole, the turkey stew was frozen in your canteen cup. I have never been so cold in my life, before or after."
Jack T. Pryor, M.D. wrote in Dec. 1972 his recollections as a physician at Bastogne. "The patients who had head, chest, and abdominal wounds could only face certain slow death since there was no chance of surgical procedures....." He went to the airborne area and to a riding hall where he saw, "...the unbelievable! There on the dirt riding floor were six hundred paratroop litter cases."
The Germans conducted continued bombing and strafing raids on Christmas Day.
On January 17, 1945 the most spectacular battle of World War II was over. More than 19,000 Americans were killed and 15,000 were captured. The Americans held their own and repulsed the German attack and went on to victory.
General Courtney Hodges, Commanding General of First Army, once watched as his troops came by with tears in his eyes, "I wish everyone could see them."
There are few of our men from WWII that we can see anymore, but their names are written large in the annals of American history and I, for one, will remember them this Christmas and always. I am wiping away my tears as I conclude this writing.
On our recent trip to England in the Salisbury Cathedral the following is inscribed on a wall titled The Burma Campaign 1941-1945: "When you go home tell them of us and say that for your tomorrow we gave our today." On Christmas Day 2013 look upon your children and grandchildren and remember our warriors who have not returned to the joys we will have with our families.
Allen's previous Chronicles are available at www.combatfaith.blogspot.com
His web site is www.combatfaith.com allenbclark@aol.com
Two weeks ago our area had a sleet and ice storm and Linda and I were without power, heat, or telephone for 54 hours. The temperature in the house was 50 degrees at one reading. It was handled with four sweaters and several comforters at night. For some reason the past few days I began to recall the event I organized on January 31, 2001 at my Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center when twelve veterans of the Battle of the Bulge were our guests for what we termed a Veterans Forum. I heard their recollections of the fighting in the terrible winter of 1944-1945 after Dec. 16, 1944 when the Germans made their final last ditch effort to attack west to drive to the port of Antwerp, Belgium. At this Christmas 69 years later I recalled their stories and pondered, as my heat is now on, the sky is sunny, and I, with most people in my circles, will enjoy our turkey and pumpkin pies, snug and warm in our homes, what it was like for those heroic Americans who stood against the enemy onslaught protecting us in the cause of freedom against Nazism.
There were three stories I collected to relate in this Chronicle so that, we in our comfort may ever be aware of those who came before us and, who, on this very day, stand against the forces of evil on far away battlegrounds.
Private First Class Eduardo A. Peniche was a member of the 101st Airborne's 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment thrust in to the battle at fabled Bastogne. He had related his story later to his father who said, "How sad and dreadful to experience savage fighting on the day of our Lord." Private Peniche recollected, "...(they were) clinginging to our foxholes in the frozen ground...The attack was on, it was Christmas Day already, lying face down in the bottom of my foxhole, I remembered praying both in English and Spanish. At 0300 the Germans attacked wearing their snow suits." He continued, "To me personally, this was a defining moment of my life as a soldier and as an American, to see well-disciplined courageous fellow soldiers well-motivated to follow orders under the most hellish of circumstances yet, without hesitation, at that very trying moment everyone seemed to know what had to be done and they DID IT...The enemy attack ended in failure...There were also, of course, American casualties, in grotesque forms the death froze in eternity." His battalion was relieved Dec. 26th by the 4th Armored Division of General Patton's Third Army. He also said, "I had my first white Christmas in that small Belgian town, and there were enough lights to last me a life time." He was wounded on Jan. 3, 1945. He died on Aug. 16, 2008 after an illustrious career as an educator at Lone Star College-Kingwood, Texas.
A retired Sergeant Major once was interviewed on a blog and had this to say, "Oh, Lord, it was so cold. On Christmas Day they brought turkey stew to us on the front line. We had to go back from our fighting positions, one at a time, to go get our chow. It was so cold, by the time you'd get back to your fox hole, the turkey stew was frozen in your canteen cup. I have never been so cold in my life, before or after."
Jack T. Pryor, M.D. wrote in Dec. 1972 his recollections as a physician at Bastogne. "The patients who had head, chest, and abdominal wounds could only face certain slow death since there was no chance of surgical procedures....." He went to the airborne area and to a riding hall where he saw, "...the unbelievable! There on the dirt riding floor were six hundred paratroop litter cases."
The Germans conducted continued bombing and strafing raids on Christmas Day.
On January 17, 1945 the most spectacular battle of World War II was over. More than 19,000 Americans were killed and 15,000 were captured. The Americans held their own and repulsed the German attack and went on to victory.
General Courtney Hodges, Commanding General of First Army, once watched as his troops came by with tears in his eyes, "I wish everyone could see them."
There are few of our men from WWII that we can see anymore, but their names are written large in the annals of American history and I, for one, will remember them this Christmas and always. I am wiping away my tears as I conclude this writing.
On our recent trip to England in the Salisbury Cathedral the following is inscribed on a wall titled The Burma Campaign 1941-1945: "When you go home tell them of us and say that for your tomorrow we gave our today." On Christmas Day 2013 look upon your children and grandchildren and remember our warriors who have not returned to the joys we will have with our families.
Allen's previous Chronicles are available at www.combatfaith.blogspot.com
His web site is www.combatfaith.com allenbclark@aol.com
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