The WCG trinitarian influencer, who became a Greek Orthodox priest, Dr. K. J. Stavrinides, died
Dr. K. J. Stavrinides
(Photo from Facebook page)
The Facebook page of the Saint George The Great Martyr Orthodox Church posted the following:
In Memory of FATHER ALEXANDER STAVRINIDES 12/22/1934
8/24/2024Today, we gather to honor and celebrate the life of Father Alexander Stavrinides, who touched the hearts of everyone he encountered with his kindness, humor, and his unwavering dedication to our parish.
We are truly going to miss you. We have learned so many things from him. He has taught us to love and respect each other.You were God sent to us as a church. …
Father Alexander had many hidden talents as well. He not only was a priest, he was a musician. He knew how to play any instrument he did magic on the piano, but his favorite was his violin. Don’t let me forget about his singing. He had a beautiful voice when he sang and did Divine Liturgy.
Dr. K. J. Stavrinides holds graduate and postgraduate degrees from British and European universities in Theology, Philosophy, Classical Greek, and Latin.
He was Chairman of the Classics and Philosophy Department at Ambassador University in Texas, has lectured around the world on Modern Trinitarian Problems, given lectures at Pasadena City College and Citrus College, and, in the past twenty years, in the Graduate Department of Theology at Azusa Pacific University.
No, Orthodox church, he was NOT “God sent to us as a church.” That is a blasphemous statement.
Dr. K. J. Stavrinides had been a member of the old Worldwide Church of God.
After Herbert W. Armstrong died and the Tkach Administration was in place, he rose from being basically a little known teacher to being one who tried to persuade the membership to change and embrace the Greco-Roman trinity that was enforced by Emperor Theodosius.
I remember listening to a cassette of him trying to explain the Tkach Administration’s God is … booklet. He could not do it scripturally. His “explanation” was a factor in me realizing that the Tkach Administration was falling away into apostasy (related to the falling away, see also The Falling Away: The Bible and WCG Teachings).
It may be of interest to note that Dr. Stavrinides ended up teaching at Azusa Pacific University as that is where Joseph Tkach, Jr. ended up getting his Th.D.
It may also be interesting to note that Hank Hanegraaff, known as the Bible Answer Man, who was also one who assisted the new WCG to move into apostasy, became Greek Orthodox as well.
Having studied early church history, while the Greek Orthodox do retain a number of doctrines that the Roman Catholics lost (watch Eastern Orthodox 40+ Similar Beliefs to the CCOG), they also do not keep the original Christian faith. Dr. K. J. Stavrinides should have known that.
As far as the trinity goes, it was absolutely NOT a doctrine of the New Testament or early Christians.
Here is what one modern historian wrote about it:
Like other doctrines that became central to the faith, however, belief in the Trinity was a historical development, not a “given” from the early years of the faith. A. The basic notion of the Trinity is that there are three persons in the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These are all equally God and of the same substance, but despite the fact there are three persons, together, they compromise only one God, indivisible in nature. B. This doctrine does not appear to be a doctrine pronounced by the historical Jesus, Paul, or any other Christian writer during the first hundred years or so of Christianity. C. It cannot be found explicitly stated in the earliest Christian writings. The only passage of the New Testament that declares the doctrine (1 John 5:7-8) was not originally part of the text but was added by doctrinally astute scribes at a later date (it is not found in any Greek manuscripts until the 11th century) (Ehrman B. From Jesus to Constantine: A History of Early Christianity, Part 2. The Teaching Company, Chantilly (VA), 2004, p. 43).
Consider that from 370-380, Demophilus was the Patriarch of Constantinople (List of Patriarchs of Constantinople. Patriarchate of Constantinople, http://patriarchateofconstantinople.com/list-of-patriarchs.html accessed 07/21/21). Here is one 5th century report related to him:
About this time the Emperor Valens went to Antioch on the Orontes; while he was on his journey Eudoxius died, after having governed the churches of Constantinople during the space of eleven years. Demophilus was immediately ordained as his successor by the Arian bishops. The followers of the Nicene doctrines, believing that the course of events was in their power, elected Evagrius as their bishop. He had been ordained by Eustathius, who had formerly governed the church of Antioch in Syria, and who having been recalled from banishment by Jovian, lived in a private manner at Constantinople, and devoted himself to the instruction of those who held his sentiments, exhorting them to perseverance in their view of the Divine Being. (Sozomen. The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen: Comprising a History of the Church from A.D. 324 to A.D. 440 ; Translated from the Greek, with a Memoir of the Author ; Also The Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius, as Epitomised by Photius. Bohn, 1855, p. 264)
So, we see that the appointment of Demophilus was fairly normal, but that the trinitarian crowd elected Evagrius who was ordained by one who had been banished. They helped set the stage then, for the later removal of Demophilus.
Even the official website of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople once admitted that the arians/semi-semiarians ruled that “see” for at least “forty years” in the fourth century (Gregory I of Nazianzen 379-381. © 2010 The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. http://www.patriarchate.org/patriarchate/former-patriarchs/gregory-i-of-nazianzen viewed 04/17/10). Furthermore, it should be understood that there is no evidence that Constantinople had any “bishops” prior to the fourth century who were actually trinitarians.
Emperor Theodosius, a pagan who supposedly converted, declared the trinity to be the official policy of his empire in 380 A.D. That late declaration also supports the view that trinitarianism was not an original catholic belief.
The current Nicene creed, that was adopted at the 381 Council of Constantinople which was convened by Emperor Theodosius, met resistance before acceptance.
Theodosius removed Demophilus from being the Patriarch of Constantinople because he would NOT accept the Emperor’s trinitarian Nicene Creed. The 5th century Greco-Roman historian Socrates Scholasticus wrote:
When the emperor found the Church in this state, he began to consider by what means he could make peace, effect a union, and enlarge the Churches. Immediately therefore he intimated his desire to Demophilus, who presided over the Arian party, and inquired whether he was willing to assent to the Nicene creed, and thus reunite the people, and establish concord. Upon Demophilus’s declining to accede to this proposal, the emperor said to him, “Since you reject peace and unanimity, I order you to quit the churches.”
Which when Demophilus heard, weighing with himself the difficulty of contending against superior power, he convoked his followers in the church, and, standing in the midst of them, thus spoke: “Brethren, it is written in the Gospel.’ If they persecute you in one city, flee ye into another. ‘ ‘ Since therefore the emperor excludes us from the churches, take notice that we will henceforth hold our assemblies without the city. (Socrates Scholasticus, pp. 265-266)
Therefore, consider that: 1) trinitarianism was not the position of the patriarchy of Constantinople, 2) Arian meant Semi-Arian above (and this happens in other writings), 3) an emperor removed the patriarch Demophilus for not endorsing the Nicene Creed, and 4) that political considerations, not theological, looks to have been the reason to push trinitarianism.
And although it is shocking to some, the early faithful clearly held what has been called a binitarian or semi-Arian view of the Godhead (see also Binitarianism: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning).
People such as Dr. Stavrinides would have known the history.
The Rheims New Testament of 1582 (an English translation from the Latin) states:
3 … contend for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3).
16 Take heed to thyself and to doctrine: be earnest in them (1 Timothy 4:16)
The Eastern Orthodox Bible states:
3 … fight hard for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 3)
16 Watch yourself and your teaching. Continue in these things! (1 Timothy 4:16)
If Protestants really believed in sola Scriptura and Greco-Roman Catholics accepted the original faith, none of them would be trinitarians, keep Sunday, be militaristic, eat unclean animals, keep Christmas, etc.
The original apostles practiced what has been called Judeo-Christianity. Dr. Stavrinides should have known that and taught that–instead he went the way of the world.
Once the original apostles were gone (all of which died in the first century, with the possibility that John lived until the start of the second century), who was supposed to continue to contend for the original faith and be earnest in that doctrine?
Why, the true saints of course! The real Christians who practiced and held to the original faith (cf. Revelation 14:12).
Specifically, at first, the real saints of the 1st century, some of which lived into the 2nd century. And then others born later.
Theological scholars realize that “everyone in the first generation of Christianity was Jewish Christian” (Reed AY. Jewish-Christianity and the History of Judaism. J.C.B. Mohr Verlag, 2018, p. XXII)—they held to the original faith.
Consider also, that biblical warnings are given to NOT depart from the original faith. Not from a specific organization.
The Apostle John also confirmed that former point about those who failed to continue in what he taught (1 John 2:19) and that latter point when he wrote about a church group that started out as true that ended up not willing to accept him or other true believers (3 John 9-10). John pointed out that although they claimed to represent the original organization and they claimed that organization still existed, they did not continue with the original faith.
Further consider who will be with Jesus when He returns:
14 … they that are with him are called, and elect, and faithful. (Revelation 17:14c, DRB)
14 … those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful. (Revelation 17:14c, OSB)
It is those who truly hold to the original faith that are called, chosen, and faithful.
Sadly, Dr. Stavrinides, Hank Hanegraaff, Joseph Tkach, Jr. and many thousands who had at least some affiliation with the old Worldwide Church of God fell away from being faithful.
Do not follow their poor legacy.
Those interested in studying this doctrine in more detail, should consider looking at the following documented items:
The Falling Away: The Bible and WCG Teachings Who is 2 Thessalonians 2:3 referring to? Are there multiple falling aways? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: La Apostasía: Enseñanzas de la Biblia y de la WCG. There are also two YouTube videos on the subject that you can watch The Falling Away Part 1: From the Bible and Church History and The Falling Away Part 2: Positions Presented by Others.
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are? Here is a link to a related sermon: Eastern Orthodox 40+ Similar Beliefs to the CCOG.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it? For a related sermon, watch: Trinity: Fundamental to Christianity or Something Else? Here is an old, by somewhat related, article in the Spanish language LA DOCTRINA DE LA TRINIDAD. A brief video is also available: Three trinitarian scriptures?
Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?
Binitarianism: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning This is a longer article than the Binitarian View article, and has a little more information on binitarianism, and less about unitarianism. A related sermon is also available: Binitarian view of the Godhead.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L Histoire Continue de l Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
Valentinus: The Gnostic Trinitarian Heretic He apparently was the first Christ-professing heretic to come up with the idea of three hypostases.
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