{"id":5958,"date":"2023-08-22T16:49:26","date_gmt":"2023-08-22T16:49:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/?p=5958"},"modified":"2023-08-22T16:49:26","modified_gmt":"2023-08-22T16:49:26","slug":"christopher-columbus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/christopher-columbus\/","title":{"rendered":"Christopher Columbus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Click HERE for sermon audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Introduction<\/b><\/p>\n

This lecture was originally supposed to be about Columbus AND Cortez, but it turned into one lecture about Columbus, so we’ll get the specifics of Cortez next time. So this may seem a bit scattered brained and that\u2019s because it is, but I hope it is helpful to you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Christopher Columbus and Hernando Cortez are two legendary figures for their exploration and conquest of the New World who have both fallen under incredible scrutiny in our modern day. I won\u2019t spend as much time detailing the specific timelines of their lives and events as I will seeking to rescue them from modern disgrace. Of course I do not want to commit hagiography, painting them in a better light than is true, but I want to lay before you the parts of them that are lost and intentionally forgotten and slandered in our day. In many ways this portion of history and this lecture is a continuation of the era of the crusaders and my lecture thereon, as you will see. While Columbus and Cortez were not theologians or pastors who battled for the faith within the Church and her disputes, they were indeed men shaped by the church of their time, and their lives and actions reflect the reality and significance of the church in the world at the time. While the world we live in today is quite different from the world of Columbus and Cortez, we will find that it is not altogether different. The rich history of America owes much, particularly to Columbus, and there is more to learn from them today than we might think. While guiding us along their lives, I will do a significant amount of simply quoting them in their own words, to give them their voice which has been robbed from them by many modern historians who are biased against them and their Christian faith.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the outset let us note that Columbus and Cortez were Catholic Christians of their time. They were explorers who spent much of their lives away from Europe and the disputes of the church. Their faith reflects the time in which they lived which was right before and during the dawn of the reformation. As their lives were spent on the seas and in the New World, yet in a time without internet and instant communication it seems they were essentially unaware of the issues of the reformation as they began to happen and were not involved, so as to be for or against any particular reformational era. In fact Columbus died before the reformation began. As we will see in their own words, their faith is that of a simple, yet steadfast and unwaveringly sincere faith by what they were taught by the Church. Despite the distortions and abuses of the Catholic Church, Columbus and Cortez are just the type of men that I believe held a sincere faith in Jesus Christ in the time and context in which they lived. But since I am unable to judge their souls, I will let you decide what you think from their own lives and words.<\/span><\/p>\n

But I would ask you to do so, keeping in mind that these were not ivory tower theologians or pastors, but rough, masculine 15th century seaman, explorers, and conquerors in a rough and dangerous world – thus the polish may be found to be lacking. Thus is the case with many great heroes of a world gone by. All great men have flaws. And these men certainly would feel out of place in our P.C. world and time. But likewise, the men of today\u2019s modern world would not stand a chance in theirs. So God used them, knowing it would take great men of their time to accomplish the things that they did.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Columbus Life Overview<\/b><\/p>\n

So to cut to the chase, in 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Under the banner of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain he discovered the Caribbean islands and through many trials and tribulations, failures and successes, began to establish colonies for Spain in the New World. Columbus was born in 1451 and as a young man began his career as a sailor, engaging in sea battles against Muslim Barbary pirates.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1476, at the age of 25 he was aboard a ship that caught fire and sank in battle. While overboard he found a floating oar and miraculously made his way to shore and survived. From this moment on he began to see and believe that God\u2019s hand was upon him, preserving his life for something special. After this Columbus began a business and career as a map-maker during which time he began to have his vision for expedition across the sea.<\/span><\/p>\n

Columbus the Navigator and Admiral of the Sea<\/b><\/p>\n

Through his studies and learning as a map-maker, Columbus believed the earth was a globe and believed the best route to the orient was to sail around the globe, not around the southern tip of Africa. He read ancient geographers, the Bible, the apocryphal book of Esdras, Church Fathers, and other explorers like Marco Polo to come to these conclusions, though he greatly underestimated the size of the ocean and distance to the orient, and was obviously unaware of the continent between Europe and the Orient to the west.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Columbus was a very studied man in all things relating to his calling to the sea and geography. On one occasion in the New World his crew were in desperate need of help from the natives who were not cooperating. On this occasion Columbus concluded from his books that a solar eclipse was coming and used the threat of the eclipse to convince the natives that God would be angry at them if they didn’t help the Spaniards. Fortunately for Columbus, the book was accurate!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His Crusading Vision<\/b><\/p>\n

Columbus not only believed he could find a better route to the orient, but he also had other motivations that are often forgotten. Columbus was greatly influenced by the dying world of the crusades. Even up to his day there were still many battles between the Turks and the Europeans. Columbus still desired to see Jerusalem and the Holy Land freed from Islamic hands. Columbus believed that he himself would one day lead a crusade to the holy land. So in his navigation Columbus believed that he could sail around the globe and thus find another route to the holy land to flank the Muslims.<\/span><\/p>\n

Columbus\u2019 Christian Vision<\/b><\/p>\n

Many today simplify Columbus as seeking gold and glory and nothing else. But this simply does not take into account the facts of history and Columbus\u2019 own words and actions. Columbus\u2019 vision was a distinctly Christian vision.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some pieces of what Columbus wrote in his first letter to the King and Queen of Spain regarding his first voyage in which he set out for the indies. He begins the letter saying, \u201cIn the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ.\u201d Later in the letter Columbus writes of his mission, \u201cAnd your highnesses, as Catholic Christians and princes, devoted to the holy Christian faith and the propagators thereof, and enemies of the sect of Muhammad and of all idolatries and heresies, resolved to send me, Christopher Columbus, to the said regions of India, to see the said princes and peoples and lands and the disposition of them and of all, and the manner in which may be undertaken their conversion to our holy faith, and ordained that I should not go by land to the orient, but by the route of the occident, by which no one to this day knows for sure that anyone has gone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout his journal Columbus writes often about his goal of converting the natives. \u201cIn order that they might develop a friendly disposition toward us, because I knew that they were a people who could better be freed and converted to our Holy Faith by love than by force, gave to some of them red caps and to others glass beads, which they hung on their necks, and many other things that have slight value, in which they took much pleasure. They remained so much our friends that it was a marvel. I believe that they would easily be made Christians, because it seemed to me that they belonged to no religion.\u201d Again, \u201cI maintain, most Serene princes, that if they had access to devout religious persons knowing the language, they would all turn Christian, and so I hope in our Lord that your highnesses will do something about to with much care, in order to turn to the church so numerous a folk, and to convert them as you have destroyed those who would not seek to confess the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Columbus raised up a cross at the island of Hispaniola in the bay about which he writes, that it is, \u201cA sign that your highnesses hold the country for yours, and principally for a sign of Jesus Christ Our Lord, and honor of Christianity.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Life aboard Columbus\u2019 ship was structured by their religious faith. They began their voyage before setting sail by every sailor confessing their sins to a priest, receiving absolution, and then communion. Columbus then set the sails in the name of Jesus. As one author puts it, \u201cLife aboard the ship settled into a routine that was designed to impress upon the seaman his need for a right relationship with God. In this age of expressions like “drunk as a sailor\u201d or “cuss like a sailor,\u201d we would do well to remember the words of Samuel Elliott morrison, dean of Columbus Scholars: \u201cin the great days of sail, before man’s inventions and gadgets have given him false confidence in his power to conquer the ocean, seamen were the most religious of all workers on land or sea. The mariners\u2019 philosophy took from the 107th Psalm, “they that go down to the sea in ships and occupy their business in great waters; these men see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For at His word the stormy wind arises, which lifteth up the winds thereof\u2026\u201d As each day began, a young sailor sang out \u201cBlessed Be The Light of Day and The Holy cross, we say; and the Lord of verity and the holy trinity. Blessed be the immortal soul and the Lord who keeps it whole, blessed be the light of day and He who sends the night away.\u201d In good Catholic fashion the young sailor than recited the Pater Noster and Ave Maria and then added, \u201cGod give us good days, good voyage, good passage to the ship, sir captain and master in good company, so let there be, let there be a good voyage; many good days may God grant your graces, gentleman of the aftergard and gentleman forward.\u201d Time was measured by an hourglass that had to be turned every half hour. As the seamen turned the hourglass he sang out, \u201cblessed be the hour our Lord was born, St. Mary who bore him, and St. John who baptized him.” The day closed with the unison singing of the \u201csalve regina,” a hymn to the Virgin Mary, at sunset; and each sailor including Columbus had his own private devotions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

They first set sail on August 3rd 1492, and first spotted land on October 12th (which is now Columbus Day). There were several islands they first visited and the names which Columbus gave them reflect his Christian vision. As Columbus writes in his letter to the king and queen, \u201cTo the first island which I found I gave the name San Salvador (which means holy savior), in recognition of His Heavenly majesty, who marvelously have given all this.\u201d Columbus claimed these islands for Christendom and for Spain, erecting a cross thereon \u201cas a token of Jesus Christ Our Lord.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Columbus returned to Spain and went on several more voyages back to the Caribbean throughout his career – 4 voyages total. On a voyage that set sail in 1498 one author writes this, \u201cHaving announced that the first new land he discovered on this voyage would be named after the Trinity, Columbus considered it a sign from God when the first land he saw took the form of three peaks. Lying off the coast of Venezuela, the island of the Three Peaks still bears the name Trinidad. Behind Trinidad he saw Venezuela and became the first European in recorded history to see the continent of South America. He called this land Gracia (The isle of Grace), and he believed it might be near the Garden of Eden. When he arrived at Hispaniola, he wrote to the King and Queen: \u201cHoly Scripture testifies that the Lord created the Earthly paradise, and planted in it the tree of life, and that a fountain issued from it, which is the source of the four chief rivers of the world. I do not find, and have never found, any Latin or Greek work which gives the precise terrestrial position of the Earthly paradise, nor have I seen it marked, by any reliable authority, on any map of the world. Some Pagan writers tried to show by argument that it was in the Fortunate Islands, which are the Canaries, Saint Isidore, Bede, Strabo, the Master of Historia Scholastica, St. Ambrose, Duns Scotus, and all the reliable theologians are agreed that the Earthly Paradise is in the east. I return to my discussion at the land of Gracia and of the river and lake I found there, which latter is so large that it could more correctly be called a sea than a lake, for a lake is a place where there is water, and if it is large it is called a sea, as we speak the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. I say that if this River does not come from the Earthly paradise, then it must come from an immense land in the south, about which we as yet know nothing. But I am quite convinced in my own mind that the Earthly Paradise is where I have said, and I rely on the arguments and authorities I have cited above.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So as you can see Columbus was a bit off on some things and you will find that throughout his writing. But it is completely understandable due to the shocking discoveries that were made and the amazement at the things he saw. Columbus even believed that he had found Solomon\u2019s gold mines, which is fascinating, and he is not the only person to believe this.<\/span><\/p>\n

Objections: Enslavement of Carribs<\/b><\/p>\n

One of the major criticisms Columbus receives today of course is that he was a mean colonizing enslaver of the Carib people. This of course comes from people who have no idea what the world was like in Columbus\u2019 day, what the Carib people were like, and who believe that they are the only moral compass for all of human history. What was Columbus\u2019 relationship with the natives really like? First we must note the obvious that Columbus did not simply arrive in the Caribbean and begin enslaving people. His goal was to make it to the orient and thus was not expecting to find a totally new people and place. Upon arrival he treated the natives with great kindness, commanding his men to treat them justly. Many of the natives were struck with awe at the sight of a white man which they had never seen before. They engaged in all kinds of trade with each other. The natives were amazed at the glass the Spaniards had and would trade gold for pieces of glass. But Columbus was upset that they did not realize the value of what they were doing and would give them far more goods than they asked for for their gold, and he restricted his men from taking advantage of them. But as Columbus visited each of these islands, he began to hear stories of a certain Carib tribe who were cannibals. Columbus at first could not believe it. But he heard more and more disturbing stories and eventually came into contact with them for himself, nearly losing some men to them. This cannibalistic tribe terrorized the islands. The cannibals would go to an island and remain there until they dwindled down nearly the entire population of the island by cannibalizing them and then move on to the next. It was this specific tribe which Columbus and his men came into conflict with and whom they enslaved. Slavery was of course a very normal part of the world at the time. It was accepted that often the losers of war would become slaves of the victors. The native people rejoiced and saw Columbs and his men as saving them from the cannibals. Columbus easily could have justified slaughtering all the cannibals, but instead he mercifully enslaved them so that he might train them in Christian morality and civility.<\/span><\/p>\n

Because it is so foreign to our world, we often forget just how vile cannibalism really is. Let us not forget these are vile murderers who pervert even the laws of nature in their murdering and have no restraint in destroying and mutilating the image of God. These were not friendly people at all. They were evil, dangerous, and demonic. Here is how one of Columbus\u2019 men, his chief physician, describes them, \u201cWe inquired of the women who were prisoners of the inhabitants what sort of people these islanders were and they replied, \u201cCaribs.\u201d As soon as they learned that we abhor such kind of people because of their evil practice of eating human flesh, they felt delighted. They told us the Carib men use them with such cruelty as would scarcely be believed; and that they eat the children which they bear them, only bringing up those whom they have by their native wives. Such of their male enemies as they can take away alive they bring here to their homes to make a feast of them and those who are killed in battle they eat up after the fighting is over. They declare that the flesh of man is so good to eat that nothing can compare with it in the world; and this is quite evident, for of the human bones we found in the houses, everything that could be gnawed had already been gnawed so that nothing remained but what was too hard to eat; in one of the houses we found a man’s neck cooking in a pot. In their wars on the inhabitants of the neighboring islands these people captured as many of the women as they can, especially those who are young and handsome and keep them as body servants and concubines; and so great a number do they carry off that in 50 houses we entered no man was found but all were women. Of that large number of captive females more than 20 handsome women came away voluntarily with us. When the Caribs take away boys as prisoners of war they remove their organs, fatten them until they grow up and then, when they wish to make a great feast, they kill and eat them, for they say the flesh of women and youngsters is not good to eat. Three boys thus mutilated came fleeing to us when we visited the houses.\u201d These Caribs are also described as being all sodomites as well, which I will not describe here.<\/span><\/p>\n

So in the eyes of Columbus and his men, when you commit such atrocities, you forfeit your freedom and lose the right to autonomy and self-government. I believe Columbus was justified in enslaving them and would have been justified in destroying them in battle if he had so chosen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Columbus\u2019 Legacy<\/b><\/p>\n

Columbus returned to Spain from his last voyage in November of 1504. He was ill and set his affairs in order. On May 20 1506, He was surrounded by some of his most loyal captains and by his brother Diego, and sons Diego and Ferdinand, he received the Lord’s Supper in the last rites. Then he passed away, his last words being, \u201cinto thy hand, Lord, I commend my spirit.” He was buried in Seville, in Spain, and King Ferdinand had an Epitaph placed on his tomb which read, \u201cTo Castile and Leon, Columbus gave a new world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In the Western Hemisphere more cities, parks, rivers, and landmarks are named after Columbus than any other person.<\/span><\/p>\n

Columbus certainly had his flaws and sins. Yet he was a man of great skill and ability. He studied God\u2019s word and believed it. He rightly believed the Christian faith and European Christendom was better than pagan cannibalism, God used him to spread the gospel and largely eradicate cannibalism in the Caribbean. I have not spent time explaining just how incredible the feat of sailing across the Atlantic was. But just know that it was and that it took a distinctly Christian courage and vision to see it through, despite all the setbacks and challenges Columbus faced. His life was in danger many times, but the Lord brought him back home to die there, to be buried and honored.<\/span><\/p>\n

In considering Columbus and his legacy, I will leave you with this thought from one Christian historian. \u201cIt is objected: \u2018Columbus forced Christianity and Western Culture on the Native Americans.\u2019 Answer: \u2018This is true – and millions of people are in heaven today as a result.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Like Christopher, may we see it is our life mission to bring Christ to the nations.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Click HERE for sermon audio Introduction This lecture was originally supposed to be about Columbus AND Cortez, but it turned into one lecture about Columbus, so we’ll get the specifics of Cortez next time. So this may seem a bit scattered brained and that\u2019s because it is, but I hope it is helpful to you. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":685,"featured_media":5961,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[1895,281,1896,1898,611,678,699,867,1897,1365],"class_list":{"0":"post-5958","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-church-history","8":"tag-christopher","9":"tag-church","10":"tag-columbus","11":"tag-exploration","12":"tag-history","13":"tag-jenkins","14":"tag-joshua","15":"tag-new","16":"tag-spain","17":"tag-world","18":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/08\/MOSHED-2023-8-22-11-48-42.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3790,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-wicked-borrow-but-do-not-repay\/","url_meta":{"origin":5958,"position":0},"title":"The Wicked Borrow but Do Not Repay","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"June 26, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Our dearest Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez is\u00a0in the news\u00a0for another outrageous proposal. Along with Bernie Sanders, Ilhan Omar, and others, Cortez wants to cancel student loan debt and make college \"free\" for all. Cortez made no bones about, she herself has skin in the game with student loans she wants cancelled. It\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/06\/aoc.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/06\/aoc.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/06\/aoc.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6389,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/john-knox\/","url_meta":{"origin":5958,"position":1},"title":"John Knox","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"April 9, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Click HERE for sermon audio Lecture on John Knox.","rel":"","context":"In "Church History"","block_context":{"text":"Church History","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/church-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/04\/R-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/04\/R-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/04\/R-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/04\/R-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5024,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/70ad\/","url_meta":{"origin":5958,"position":2},"title":"70AD","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"June 13, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"In this lecture I teach on Josephus and the Jewish War for Hope Baptist Church's church history class. My notes were not manuscripted so all you get is the audio. I also wrote and drew things on a white board while teaching, so sorry you don't get to see that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Church History"","block_context":{"text":"Church History","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/church-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/06\/MOSHED-2022-6-13-15-17-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/06\/MOSHED-2022-6-13-15-17-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/06\/MOSHED-2022-6-13-15-17-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/06\/MOSHED-2022-6-13-15-17-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/06\/MOSHED-2022-6-13-15-17-2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6001,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/hernan-cortez\/","url_meta":{"origin":5958,"position":3},"title":"Hernan Cortez","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"September 18, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Click HERE for sermon audio \u00a0 The Horrors of the Aztec empire At this point, we must take a moment to consider the Aztecs and their religion. It was a religion the likes of which the Spaniards had never seen, for it was a religion of incredible amounts of human\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Church History"","block_context":{"text":"Church History","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/church-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/09\/signal-2023-09-03-111244_002.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/09\/signal-2023-09-03-111244_002.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/09\/signal-2023-09-03-111244_002.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/09\/signal-2023-09-03-111244_002.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4965,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/why-history-matters\/","url_meta":{"origin":5958,"position":4},"title":"Why History Matters","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"April 25, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Introduction Why Church history? Why history? Why does what happened 1,500 years ago, or 500 years ago, or 50 years matter to us today? Who cares? What\u2019s the point? These are questions and thoughts that many modern evangelicals really think. Maybe some of you kind of feel the same way\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Church History"","block_context":{"text":"Church History","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/church-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/04\/130327102635-alfred-the-great.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/04\/130327102635-alfred-the-great.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/04\/130327102635-alfred-the-great.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/04\/130327102635-alfred-the-great.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4357,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/christianity-as-religion\/","url_meta":{"origin":5958,"position":5},"title":"Christianity as Religion","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"February 22, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Christianity is in fact a religion. Indeed it is the one true religion. The effort to trade in the timeless structure and order of the Church for \"it's just a relationship\" goo is part to blame for where we are. You can't build civilizations on goo. You need a firm\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Church History"","block_context":{"text":"Church History","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/church-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/02\/churchbuilding.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/02\/churchbuilding.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/02\/churchbuilding.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/02\/churchbuilding.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5958","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/685"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5958"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5958\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5961"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5958"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}