P topics
74 topics from this section.
Pacifism And Military Service
Early Christian writers did not all speak the same way about military service. Tertullian and Lactantius argue most strongly ag...
Early Christian topicPagan Gods
Early Christian writers usually said pagan gods were not real gods at all. Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, Irenaeus, Origen, Tertul...
Early Christian topicPagan Holidays
Early Christian writers mostly reject pagan festivals, idolatrous rites, and the customs tied to them, but the strongest witnes...
Early Christian topicPagan Oracles
Early Christian writers mostly said pagan oracles were not from the true God and should not be trusted. Justin Martyr, Athenago...
Early Christian topicPagan Poets
Early Christian writers usually treated pagan poets as useful but untrustworthy witnesses: they could preserve scraps of truth,...
Early Christian topicPagan Temples
Early Christian writers treated pagan temples as places tied to false worship, idols, demons, and dead men, and they urged beli...
Nave topicPalace
Palace gathers 17 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, S...
Nave topicPalm Tree
Palm Tree gathers 17 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references...
Nave topicPanic
Panic gathers 12 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, St...
Early Christian topicPapal Authority
Early Christian writings give real support for strong bishop leadership, but they do not give a single, clear picture of papal ...
Early Christian topicParadise And The Afterlife
Early Christian writers commonly described paradise as a real place of blessing for the righteous after death, but they did not...
Nave topicParan
Paran gathers 11 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, St...
Early Christian topicParents And Parenting
Early Christian writings teach that children should honor and obey their parents, and that parents should raise their children ...
Early Christian topicPartiality And Discrimination
Early Christians taught that showing favoritism was wrong and that judges, bishops, and ordinary believers should act with fair...
Early Christian topicPascha And Easter
Early Christian writers tied Pascha, or Easter, to Christ’s Passover and resurrection, not just to a spring holiday. Writers li...
Nave topicPashur
Pashur gathers 8 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, St...
Early Christian topicPatriotism And Heavenly Citizenship
Early Christian writers mostly taught that believers live in earthly countries but belong to a better homeland in heaven. Cypri...
Early Christian topicPatripassianism And The Trinity
Early Christian writings overwhelmingly rejected Sabellian and Patripassian ideas and taught that the Father, Son, and Holy Spi...
Nave topicPawn
Pawn gathers 10 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, Str...
Nave topicPearl
Pearl gathers 8 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, Str...
Nave topicPekah
Pekah gathers 8 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, Str...
Early Christian topicPenal Substitution And The Atonement
Early Christian writings strongly teach that Jesus’ blood, death, and sacrifice bring forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation, ...
Early Christian topicPenance
Early Christian writings teach that sinners should repent, confess, and bring forth changed lives, and that the Church should r...
Early Christian topicPentecost And The Holy Spirit
Early Christian writers taught that Pentecost was the day the risen Christ poured out the Holy Spirit on believers, fulfilling ...
Early Christian topicPeople With Disabilities
Early Christian writings strongly teach that disabled people should not be mocked or pushed aside, and that the church should c...
Early Christian topicPerfume And Christian Modesty
Early Christian writers generally urged women to keep modest dress and behavior and treated perfume, ointment, and jewelry with...
Nave topicPerizzites
Perizzites gathers 8 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references...
Nave topicPerjury
Perjury gathers 10 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, ...
Early Christian topicPersecution
Early Christian writers taught that persecution is normal for believers, that it comes from wicked human power and the devil’s ...
Early Christian topicPerseverance
Early Christian writings teach that believers must keep going in faith, prayer, and obedience until the end. Writers like Herma...
Nave topicPersia
Persia gathers 13 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, S...
Early Christian topicPersia And The Persians
Early Christian writers usually mention Persia in three main ways: as a real empire in biblical history, as the land ruled by C...
Early Christian topicPeter And Rome
Early Christian writings strongly link Peter with Rome and often place his martyrdom there, especially in Irenaeus, Clement of ...
Early Christian topicPeter The Apostle
Early Christian writings often call Peter the first or leading apostle and use his words in Acts and the Gospels as important t...
Nave topicPharez
Pharez gathers 11 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, S...
Nave topicPhenicia
Phenicia gathers 9 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, ...
Early Christian topicPhilip The Apostle
Early Christian writings treat Philip as one of Jesus’ chosen apostles and as a real worker in the church, not as a later legen...
Early Christian topicPhilo And Jewish Philosophy
Early Christian writers were split on philosophy: some, like Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Gregory Thaumatu...
Early Christian topicPhilosophers And Philosophy
Early Christian writers mostly treated philosophy with caution, and many warned that human wisdom can mislead if it is not unde...
Early Christian topicPhilosophy And Christian Truth
Early Christian writers had a split view of philosophy: some used it as a helper for finding truth, while others warned that it...
Nave topicPhinehas
Phinehas gathers 11 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references,...
Nave topicPilate, Pontius
Pilate, Pontius gathers 14 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-refe...
Nave topicPillow
Pillow gathers 8 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, St...
Early Christian topicPlato And Greek Philosophy
Early Christian writers did not all say the same thing about Plato and Greek philosophy. Clement of Alexandria and some others ...
Torrey topicPloughing
Ploughing gathers 15 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references...
Early Christian topicPolitics And The Kingdom Of God
Early Christians usually said Christ’s kingdom was not an earthly political kingdom, but a heavenly reign that believers should...
Early Christian topicPolygamy And Marriage
Early Christian writers mostly treated marriage as honorable but limited it to one spouse at a time, and several also argued ag...
Nave topicPomegranate
Pomegranate gathers 11 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-referenc...
Early Christian topicPontifex Maximus And Roman Religion
Early Christian writers used Roman priestly language and often attacked Roman religion, but this does not give a clear, direct ...
Early Christian topicPontius Pilate
Early Christian writers consistently said Jesus was tried, condemned, and crucified under Pontius Pilate. Ignatius, Justin Mart...
Torrey topicPools And Ponds
Pools And Ponds gathers 17 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-refe...
Early Christian topicPornography And Lust
Early Christian writings clearly treat lust as a serious sin and connect it with fornication, adultery in the heart, and the ne...
Nave topicPorters
Porters gathers 9 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, S...
Nave topicPost
Post gathers 8 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, Stro...
Early Christian topicPrayer
Early Christians taught that prayer should be constant, thankful, and offered for other people as well as oneself. Ignatius, Po...
Early Christian topicPrayer Language
Early Christian writings teach that prayer should be sincere, focused, and offered in the Spirit, not as empty babbling. Clemen...
Early Christian topicPraying To Saints
Early Christian writings clearly teach praying with and for the saints, but they do not clearly support praying to departed sai...
Early Christian topicPredestination
Early Christian writings do not give one single, simple answer about predestination. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Theophilus, Tatia...
Early Christian topicPresbyters
Early Christian writings treat presbyters as recognized church leaders who were appointed, honored, and expected to govern in o...
Early Christian topicPrevenient Grace
Early Christian writers do speak of grace as something God gives before and apart from human merit, but they do not all use the...
Early Christian topicPride And Humility
Early Christian writers taught that pride is dangerous and humility is the right way for believers to live. Clement of Rome, Ig...
Nave topicPriscilla
Priscilla gathers 8 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references,...
Nave topicPrison
Prison gathers 36 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, S...
Nave topicProclamation
Proclamation gathers 11 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-referen...
Early Christian topicProcreation And Marriage
Early Christian writers usually taught that marriage is honorable and that sex belongs inside marriage, with children as the no...
Early Christian topicProphecy
Early Christian writers taught that prophecy was a real gift from the Holy Spirit, not a human trick or a paid performance. Jus...
Nave topicProphetesses
Prophetesses gathers 12 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-referen...
Early Christian topicProsperity And Riches
Early Christian writings mostly treat riches as dangerous when they pull the heart away from God, but they do not say money is ...
Nave topicPruning
Pruning gathers 8 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references, S...
Early Christian topicPublic Baths
Early Christian writers usually treated public baths as a moral risk, especially when men and women bathed together or when the...
Early Christian topicPublic Office
Early Christian writers did not all treat public office the same way. Origen clearly said Christians declined public offices so...
Torrey topicPublicans
Publicans gathers 16 Scripture references and 4 study links for studying this topic with the THF Bible reader, cross-references...
Early Christian topicPurgatory And Prayers For The Dead
Early Christian writings do support prayers for the dead, memorial prayer for departed believers, and the idea that the dead ar...
Early Christian topicPythagoras And Greek Philosophy
Early Christian writers often treated Pythagoras and Greek philosophy as partly true but incomplete, and at times as a source o...