Purpose
As one of my favorite theologians says, "I plan to present nothing new or original in these pages... I am dedicated to unoriginality."
Authentic Light is dedicated to spreading the historic Faith taught by Jesus of Nazareth and his Apostles. We see our mission as instructing all interested parties in the basics of Jesus' message as he taught it to his students and they handed it on to the Christian movement.
What Jesus set forth was radical, countercultural, even shocking. And it still is -- sometimes leading us to shy away from his teachings almost instinctively. Many of us prefer a tamed and domesticated version of his message, placing it in convenient containers and catchphrases that we are more comfortable with. Others who feel tales of miracles, resurrection, and a divine God-man are not appropriate to modern times excise or atomize large portions, rebuilding an acceptable Jesus.
Authentic Light rejects both approaches.
St. Paul proclaimed that the Gospel -- the "glad message" of and about Jesus of Nazareth -- was nothing less than "God's own power for salvation," (Letter to the Romans, chapter 1, verse 16, CEB). At Authentic Light we are content to turn that message loose in all its rugged glory and let it work.
Short History
Authentic Light is the successor of an earlier website called Followers of Jesus that was founded in 1999. It ceased operation in 2002 and the domain is now owned by another group but remnants can still be viewed here. In 2003 the Authentic Light domains were registered and over the following 3 1/2 years, rather slowly, the concept of the present website developed.
Since Easter 2007 Authentic Light has been "on the air," gradually adding essays and special features such as the audio Bible. In early 2010 we totally revamped the Authentic Light site design to make it more useful.
Who Writes This?
Authentic Light is mainly written and designed by J A Carter, a Christian teacher, writer, and IT guy who lives with his wife, children, and cat in Houston, Texas.
