Barrel Aged Faith

15/02/2024

C.S. Lewis and some of the church fathers viewed hell as a 'mercy' of God. This is what St. Irenaeus says (disciple of St. Polycarp who was a disciple of the Apostle John): ""Wherefore also He drove him out of Paradise, and removed him far from the tree of life, not because He envied him the tree of life, as some venture to assert, but because He pitied him, [and did not desire] that he should continue a sinner for ever, nor that the sin which surrounded him should be immortal, and evil.” See my full video in the comments below.

13/02/2024

https://www.barrelagedfaith.com/p/an-evangelical-discovers-lent "I can still recall the first time that I saw a friend of mine return to campus at Taylor University with ashes on her forehead. Growing up Baptist, I didn’t know what had happened to her. As a Methodist she then began to explain to me the historic practices of Ash Wednesday, the 40 days of Lent, and fasting from something dear to you like desserts or movies. After our conversation, I looked further into the role of fasting in the Christian life and began to gradually give up favorite foods, deserts, and screen time during Lent as well." (Continue Reading)

The History of Christian Fasting (Part 1)

13/02/2024

"I can still recall the first time that I saw a friend of mine return to campus at Taylor University with ashes on her forehead. Growing up Baptist, I didn’t know what had happened to her. As a Methodist she then began to explain to me the historic practices of Ash Wednesday, the 40 days of Lent, and fasting from something dear to you like desserts or movies. After our conversation, I looked further into the role of fasting in the Christian life and began to gradually give up favorite foods, deserts, and screen time during Lent as well." Continue Reading... https://www.barrelagedfaith.com/p/an-evangelical-discovers-lent

12/02/2024

These monks just get it when it comes to ancient Christian fasting and how to transform your Lent this year!

The Norbertine Monks of St. Michael's Abbey recently released a video on Lent that was great! Kyle Kin...

09/02/2024

This is going to be a great read! (+Its 62 degrees today in Feb). Whoo-hoo! https://amzn.to/4bukbz9 (*affiliated link)

Tolkien Dogmatics: Theology through Mythology with the Maker of Middle-earth

08/02/2024

Office Hymn
Hymn: Lux Ecce Surgit Aurea

Lo! golden light rekindles day:
Let paling darkness steal away,
Which all too long o'erwhelmed our gaze
And led our steps by winding ways.

We pray Thee, rising Light serene,
E'en as Thyself our hearts make clean;
Let no deceit our lips defile,
Nor let our souls be vexed by guile.

O keep us, as the hours proceed,
From lying word and evil deed;
Our roving eyes from sin set free,
Our body from impurity.

For Thou dost from above survey
The converse of each fleeting day;
Thou dost foresee from morning light
Our every deed, until the night.

All laud to God the Father be,
All praise, eternal Son, to Thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To God the holy Paraclete.

01/02/2024

https://youtube.com/live/YIwOEu0iSpI?si=0bsXXBwOu9qg1fru Book Give Away! Subscribe & comment on my recent Youtube stream to be put into a drawing for Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick's book on St. Ignatius of Antioch called "Bearing God." Please share this post to get the word out. Thanks!

Book Give Away! Subscribe and comment in order to be entered into drawing over the next 10 days (Feb 10th). Feb 1st is the Feast Day of St. Ignatius of Antio...

30/01/2024

I address the concerns of transhumanism technologies (such as brain chips) from the perspective of C.S. Lewis in one of my latest videos: https://youtu.be/qZH1aIy3idg

26/01/2024

We leave up our Christmas tree until Feb 2nd which is called Candlemas. On this day, we celebrate Christ being brought to the Temple to St. Simeon who calls Him 'The Light of the Gentiles.' Traditionally, people will bring their candles from home to have them blessed by the priest. I just read of one church who has a really cool tradition "Preparing for Candlemas (February 2) – Leave Christmas trees in a pile behind the shed for our epic bonfire and bring candles to be blessed in a container labeled with your name." In the UK, Candlemas was traditionally the end of the Christmas season. (Keep in mind that it didn't actually begin until December 25th!) Advent comes before that =)

25/01/2024

Can a Christian believe in universalism or at least hold out some hope for it? I address this question and more in my latest article along with the views of C.S. Lewis and the church fathers!

Responding to Universalism (& the Balthasar Option) with C.S. Lewis, the Church Fathers, & Sacred Scripture

20/01/2024

Can we become immortal apart from God? Listen to C.S. Lewis' warnings about transhumanism technologies in 'That Hideous Strength' https://youtu.be/qZH1aIy3idg

18/01/2024

FYI, C.S. Lewis' predictions in "That Hideous Strength" are coming to pass in 2024.

C.S. Lewis made alot of predictions in his fictional, space novel, 'That Hideous Strength' which are coming tr...

16/01/2024

There is a 'secular' church (Church of Perpetual Life) that will freeze your body in hopes that science one day will bring you back. "We refer to ourselves as Immortalists, not because we have defeated death, but because we believe that future technology will conquer disease and aging, as well as death itself. While we fully understand that this technology does not appear to be currently available, the impressive history of human problem solving and technological advancement gives us faith in its inevitability." "Our task is to make nature, the blind force of nature, into an instrument of universal resuscitation and to become a union of immortal beings." - Nikolai F. Fedorov ***This is basically the setting of "That Hideous Strength" by C.S. Lewis where the N.I.C.E. rule England with this scientific aim. FYI, it is basically another 'tower of babel' story. We can build the city of man without God.

Atheist churches or secular congregations like Sunday Assembly typically borrow some of the language and structure of religious organizations.

11/01/2024

Christian apologist, Dr. Gavin Ortlund, (who I highly respect) doesn't think St. John Chrysostom supports any form of purgation (purification) or delay in our afterlife journey. In my response video, I attempt to show that Chrysostom's statements seem to harmonize much more with his contemporaries in the Christian East than Ortlund's own views. I also discuss C.S. Lewis' statements that he makes in his book, A Grief Observed, in regards to his wife, Joy, who recently passed away when he wrote the book. You may disagree with the video, but I hope it helps you reflect, pray, study, and love God more. He doesn't leave us the way we are, but brings His good work in us to completion! (even if its uncomfortable & challenging at times).

Kyle King responds to Dr. Gavin Ortlund conce...

05/01/2024

Was Jesus afraid to die? If so, wouldn’t this compromise His divine nature? However, if he had no natural fears, can we say that Jesus was fully human? Here is how C.S. Lewis and St. John of Damascus handle this question:

C.S. Lewis & St. John Damascene Provide Fascinating Answers

03/01/2024

Interesting takes by C.S. Lewis & St. John Damascene on whether Christ experienced actual fear as he faced his own death.

Christians and theologians have been troubled with the question on whether Jesus was actually afraid to d...

03/01/2024

St. Ignatius of Antioch writes, "Let not those who seem worthy of credit, but teach strange doctrines, fill you with apprehension. Stand firm, as does an anvil which is beaten. It is the part of a noble athlete to be wounded, and yet to conquer. And especially, we ought to bear all things for the sake of God, that He also may bear with us. Become more zealous than what you are. Weigh carefully the times. Look for Him who is above all time, eternal and invisible…" (Letter to St. Polycarp, 107 AD)

03/01/2024

“A ‘liberal’ Christianity which considers itself free to alter the Faith whenever the Faith looks perplexing or repellent must be completely stagnant. Progress is made only into a resisting material… In fact, we must at all costs not move with the times. We serve One who said “Heaven and Earth shall move with the times, but my words shall not move with the times” - C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis & St. Ignatius of Antioch Warn Us About 'Upside-Down' Theology

01/01/2024

I've read a lot of great books this year, and I believe this was the best one published in 2023. I love reading biographies, and Tolkien's Faith really stands out as a book that is going to stand the test of time and inspire many to embrace the Lord of Tolkien. Not only is it very well researched for academic audiences, but it is beautifully written for a wide audience of readers. Congratulations Holly Ordway for writing the best book of 2023 (Barrel Awards)! See my video in the comments below.

30/12/2023

I've watched a lot of great interviews in 2023. This one was my favorite!

Kyle King reviews his favorite interview from 2023 hosted by Matt Fradd on with Dr. Ben Reinhard concern...

28/12/2023

Why Godzilla is the best film of 2023. Take note: 1) It was not made by Hollywood and it shows (contains no s*x scenes & almost no cursing) 2) Maintains classic story telling with well developed themes that we see in great books and films like Lord of the Rings. 3) Audiences have been greatly moved by it and are giving it a 10/10. I actually came out of the film loving my family more and wanting to help others heal from their guilt and shame. See my film review and spiritual reflection drawn from it here:

Best Film of 2023 Goes to "Godzilla Minus One" (The Barrel Awards)

27/12/2023

Here are all of my C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien related videos from 2023 in one place. Expect much more content on these two Christians & their understanding of Scripture, Theology, & Ancient Christianity in 2024!

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

24/12/2023

The new C.S. Lewis, Paul Kingsnorth, knocks it out of the park: "Our crumbling culture can be so hard to navigate. Religion can be hard to navigate too. But maybe Christmas can help us understand what it is, and what part of us it services. Religion is not, as atheists often assume and I once assumed too, a set of beliefs to be adhered to, or arguments to be made and defended. It is an experience to be immersed in. The orthopraxy reveals the orthodoxy. Fasting makes no sense until you fast. Praying is meaningless, even embarrassing, until you start to pray. If the Christian path is straight and narrow, we can do nothing but try to walk it, even if we keep falling off. God makes no sense until you start to talk to him. Then, strangely enough, all sorts of other things start to make sense too. It is hard, if not impossible to explain, and yet it is the simplest thing in the world. We have always done it. We always will."

Or: why the future is religious

23/12/2023

This film is 10/10 and is so much more than a Godzilla movie. It is a deeply human film and fantastic story telling. I actually think just about anyone would really enjoy this film plus there are deep Christian themes throughout. It is also very clean with no cursing or inappropriate scenes. It wasn't made by Hollywood and is revealing that major competitors are emerging on the world market. It is superior story telling and acting while being highly cinematic. See link below for my review. Contains very few spoilers.

22/12/2023

For those who watch my channel, you know it has much more of a Lewis, Tolkien, Chesterton, and Church Fathers approach to the contemporary world. I highly prize imaginative Christianity that is anchored in the orthodoxy and common sense of the Fathers and the Apostles. I do believe they would have challenging and prophetic words for those who are running the Church in Rome at the present moment. Thankfully, there are still some bishops in the Catholic Church who have a patristic, Orthodox mind and are responding correctly. As an example, here is the official response of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which I believe all bishops should follow if we are going to truly have a synodal church in the Orthodox sense. Pay close attention to point #4. Pope Benedict XVI also agreed on a number of occasions that we should return to the theological dictionary of the Fathers in order to restore the Church in the West. I couldn't agree more.

****"Translation provided by Deacon Philip Gilbert, Eparchy of Chicago; Patriarch Sviatoslav on the latest from Rome:

"Responding to the numerous appeals of bishops, clergy, monasticism, church movements and individual laymen of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church regarding the Declaration of the Dicastery of the Creed "Fiducia Supplicans" (December 18, 2023) on the pastoral meaning of blessings, after consultations with relevant experts and competent institutions, I would like to inform as follows:

1. The aforementioned Declaration interprets the pastoral meaning of blessings in the Latin Church, not in the Eastern Catholic Churches. It does not address questions of Catholic faith or morals, does not provide any precepts of the Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches, and does not mention Eastern Christians. Therefore, on the basis of canon. 1492 of the CCEO, this Declaration concerns purely the Latin Church and has no legal force for the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church.

2. The Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church is one of the Eastern Catholic Churches, therefore it has its own liturgical, theological, canonical and spiritual heritage, which all the faithful are obliged to observe and which they must cherish (CCEO, canons 39-41). The meaning of the concept of "blessing" in the UGCC and the Latin Church is different.

3. According to the liturgical practice of our Church, the blessing of a priest or bishop is a liturgical gesture that cannot be separated from the rest of the content of liturgical rites and reduced only to the circumstances and needs of private piety (Catechism of the UGCC "Christ is our Pascha", paragraphs 505-509) .

4. According to the traditions of the Byzantine rite, the concept of "blessing" means approval, permission or even an order regarding a certain type of actions, prayer and ascetic practices, in particular certain types of fasting and prayer. It is obvious that the blessing from the priest always has an evangelistic and catechetical dimension, therefore it cannot in any way contradict the teaching of the Catholic Church about the family as a faithful, indissoluble and fruitful union of love between a man and a woman, which our Lord Jesus Christ raised to the dignity of the Holy Sacraments of Marriage. Pastoral promptness prompts us to avoid ambiguous gestures, statements and concepts that would distort or distort the word of God and the teachings of the Church.

The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
† SVIATOSLAV

21/12/2023

In 1946, C.S Lewis published an essay in Strand Magazine titled, “A Christmas Sermon for Pagans.” This sermon had largely been lost to the public and never made it into any of Lewis’ collections. Stephanie Derrick, while preparing to do research for her PhD at the University of Stirling, discovered this Christmas Sermon in 2017 along with another essay in the archives for Strand Magazine. Although this sermon can be found on some blogs and podcasts, it has still gone under the radar for most people today. For this reason, I am very excited to not only read this sermon aloud to you (Part 1, about 9 minutes long) but also to offer my own commentary on it (Part 2, about 11 minutes long). His sermon has much in common with his other works but particularly, "The Abolition of Man," as well as, "That Hideous Strength." Not only do I view Lewis’ sermon as insightful and wise but also prophetic as we approach 2024. Enjoy!

Unpacking "A Christmas Sermon for Pagans" Recently Discovered in 2017

21/12/2023

Why did C.S. Lewis make a case for paganism in his little known Christmas sermon? I explain why in part 2:

In Part 1, Kyle King reads C.S. Lewis' sermon aloud that was originally published in 1946 in Strand Magazine. In Part 2, ...

19/12/2023

"Root of Jesse, which standest
for an ensign of the people, at
whom kings shall shut their mouths,
unto whom the Gentiles shall seek:
Come and deliver us, and tarry not."
Antiphon for December 19th

(Picture taken by me at Cope Environmental Center, Centerville, Indiana in 2015; white pine sapling growing from mossy fallen tree)

18/12/2023

C.S. Lewis' Christmas Sermon for Pagans: "There are three kinds of people in the world. 1) Those who are sick and don't know it: the post-Christians. 2) Those who are sick and know it: the pagans. 3) Those who have found the cure." See comments below for full sermon read aloud by me

18/12/2023

"The doctrine of deification (Latin) or theosis (Greek) states that God made humans originally in order to participate in His divine nature. In other words, human nature is not complete without God’s own Spirit breathing life into us, and His power energizing us! Listen to St. Paul’s words in Philippians 2:12-13:

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for God is energizing in you, both to will and to energize for His good pleasure.”

God not only wanted Adam and Eve to cultivate His Creation and spread out into families and societies (See Genesis 1 & 2), but also to spiritually ascend into His own Divine Life. This divine plan was hijacked unfortunately by the Evil One, but thankfully has been restored through the Incarnation of Christ Jesus, our Lord, and made available to us through the sacramental life (in prayer, worship, baptism, communion, confession, etc.) St. Ireneaus of Lyons (a student of St. Polycarp who was mentored by the Apostle John) writes,

“He became what we are, so that we might become what He is.”

In Scripture, the word for God, Elohim, is sometimes used in the plural form in order to refer to angels and humans (Read Psalm 8:5 or Psalm 82: 6, “You [plural] are elohim”). This can confuse some students of Scripture. Isn’t there only one, true God who deserves our worship? Absolutely! There is only one Creator Who is uncreated. Everyone else is simply a creature who has come from His spoken Word. However, some creatures were made divine by God such as angels and humans and have the capacity to participate in His own Divine Nature. 2 Peter 1:3-4 states,

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness… that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature.”

Many of the Church Fathers will state, “God became a man in order to make men gods,” but perhaps a better way to translate this phrase into modern English would be: “Divinity became man in order to make men divine.” This translation helps the English speaker avoid being tempted by false ideologies such as pantheism, which states, “The universe is God,” or various heresies such as Mormonism, which states that “Jesus was a man who became God.”

Exploring the Doctrine of Deification (or Theosis) in Light of Christmas