St. Mary's Episcopal Church

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Meeting ID: 881 8397 3469
Password: 114067

 

​The first Epistle of St. Peter is a document both whose authorship and dating are contested in scholarly circles, with arguments both for and against the Holy Apostle Peter writing it personally or via a secretary with the date ranging from the mid- to late-first century CE. The letter is addressed to Christians in Asia Minor experiencing either social or official persecution, so it takes on an atmosphere of encouragement and building up of a battered community. It is also noteworthy for being the theological justification for the doctrine of Jesus' "Harrowing of Hell," that is, the destroying blow against the realm of the dead, as well as other doctrinal foundation statements given with practical applications. While some of its statements lend to controversy, it is still an important document encouraging steadfastness in the face of persecution and living in a world whose values are generally counter to those of the Kingdom of God.​