Things I've written you might enjoy.

Well, if you already read at least some of my blog it stands to reason that you might be interested in some of the longer pieces I've had occassion to write.  They're all already contained in individual blogs posts, but I figured it was time to make things easier and put all the links here on one post for any new readers.  Enjoy, use, cite if you're writing a paper for a high school or college class (which would be real cool, let me know if you do), think about what I've written, and then feel free to comment so I get some feedback.  Thanks.

A brief Theology derived from the Nicene Creed

This is just a short version of what a systematic Christian theology might look like when the Nicene Creed, the Church's oldest, most generally accepted creed, was used as the format.

 Christianity's Big Tent: The Ecumenism of I John

Christianity's Big Tent: Bibliography

This is an unpublished book that I wrote, 150 pages, about how we can define the Church through an analysis of I John.  The question of who is, and who is not, a Christian is answered on the basis of the teaching of I John.  The second link is the works cited page.

The Historicity of Asimov's Foundation Series

Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series is one of the best selling and most influential Science Fiction stories of all time.  It also has an interesting viewpoint on human nature and history.  That topic is explored in this paper that examines those aspects of the series from a Christian perspective.

The U.S.S. Platonic

The Platonic is a play that my wife Nicole and I wrote, directed, and starred in while she was working as a teacher at Saranac High School.  We began writing the play as friends and ended it as much more, it actually mirros the problems of the two primary characters whose friendship grows into something more.  A bit of art imitating life.  Feel free to enjoy its wacky humor, if you're thinking of directing a play, feel free to us it and let us know.

Relational Intimacy: Creation, the Fall, and Redemption

This is a paper I wrote about how intimacy between people was intended to be in God's original creation, how it was changed by the Fall, and how our redemption begins the process remedying it.

Young Goodman Brown: Analysis

Nathaniel Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown is a fascinating short story that is an allegory of the destruction of one man's faith.  This paper is an analysis of that story from a Christian viewpoint.  I recieved an "A" for it in college, and its the most viewed page on this blog, so I know that some of you may be tempted to cut/paste portions of it, or simply change the name, and pass it off as your own.  Rather than do that, simply use what I've written if it works for you and cite me as the source.  I was afterall, an English teacher for ten years.  

For those of you new to my blog...

I suppose there may be some people who view my blog who don't know who I am, for that a trip to the bio. page will suffice, but there may also be some who don't know that I have bunch of documents (a few essays, a play, some sermon videos, and one book) that I've written that are available to read/download/print to anyone who wants to utilize them. I wrote them for a variety of reasons, but if they can be any help to you at all in your personal spiritual walk or answer any of your questions, I'm glad to share my thoughts...The book is entitled, "Christianity's Big Tent" and focuses on the question of who is, and who is not, a Christian. How do we know the difference? What makes a church a Christian church? What's really important about the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, and what isn't crucial? These questions are addressed using the first letter of the Apostle John as the backdrop. Please feel free to direct anyone to the link who has questions about Ecumenism (the issue of churches getting along and cooperating), and don't hesitate to e-mail me with any questions at pastorpowell@hotmail.com.

Christianity's Big Tent

Christianity's Big Tent: Works Cited

An Analysis of Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown"

Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of America's great writers. His short story, "Young Goodman Brown" is a powerful analogy about the dangers of leaving our faith behind to dabble in sin. It also speaks to the need to refrain from placing our faith in our fellow Christians rather than in God. This paper is my analysis of how faith is portrayed by Hawthorne in the story.

Young Goodman Brown essay

The Dissenting Opinions in the Roe vs. Wade case

There are few decisions which have shaped America as profoundly for good or evil as the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision. The aftermath of that decision is still causing death and turmoil in our nation and has certainly damaged the Church in America (to the extent that we have become culpable in using abortion to solve our own sexual sins). Because this issue is so important, people should educate themselves so that they understand where we as a nation came from. In that light, the following links are the dissents of justices Rhenquist and White in the Roe case.

 Rhenquist's dissent

 White's dissent

How Creation, the Fall, and Redemption affect human relational intimacy

The Christian Worldview has a lot to say about the world we live in including an explanation of why our relationships are so strained, and what those relationships would have looked like before the Fall, and will look like after the Redemption that God has begun through Christ finds its fulfillment. This paper is a small attempt to discuss those issues in regards to human relationships.

Relational intimacy paper

The Play that Brought us Together

The writing of this play holds a special place in the memory of both Nicole and I. We began writing this play as friends, by the time we finished the play we were in love. The play has been performed at Saranac High School (the first production, with Nicole as Electra, myself as Rock) and also at Pewamo-Westphalia High School (thankfully, we didn't act in this one). It's a story about love forgotten that gets a second chance, and love delayed that finally takes the risk of coming to fruition.

The U.S.S. Platonic script

A Christian Worldview applied to Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series

The Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov is an amazing series of books that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good story. With Asimov, it's always more than a good story, Asimov's view of humanity and human history is clear throughout his writing. I wrote this paper as an analysis of Asimov's view of history within the Foundation Series. If you're a fan of Asimov, give it a read, if you're not a fan, get one of his books.

Asimov's Foundation Series analysis by a Christian Worldview paper

A Brief Theology Derived from the Nicene Creed

I put this document together in order to have a brief overview of Christian theology set within the framework of the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed was adopted in 381 A.D. and was accepted by virtually all of Christendom. We as a Church have splintered badly in the last 1700 years, but it is important to realize that the Church was able to overcome its differences and unite behind this powerful statement.

Read and enjoy,

An overview of theology derived from the Nicene Creed

Christianity's Big Tent: The Ecumenism of I John

I wrote this 150 page "book" to settle the questions in my mind about Ecumenism that falling in love with Nicole raised. I decided to use the framework of the letter of I John because the Apostle spends a lot of time answering the question, "Who is a Christian, and who isn't?" I had some hopes of finding a publisher, but I really just want it to help anyone who wants to read it. The book also touches on the topics of what is important to the core of Christianity, and answers questions about groups like Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. The book is in two parts, the book itself is one, the works cited pages is the other, please download them and enjoy. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

** Note, this book was revised and updated in 2006 and 2014.  Eventually, a revised introduction to include the portion of my life here in Franklin, PA will be written and an overall revision will take place as well.  Thank you. 4/4/14 **

Christianity's Big Tent 

 Christianity's Big Tent: Works Cited