COGwriter is Bob Thiel, Ph.D. I maintain a popular personal website at www.cogwriter.com that reports on news, prophecy, and doctrinal matters of interest to those who believe the Bible. I also function as the Pastor/Overseer for the Continuing Church of God.
What Does COGwriter Mean?
COGwriter is an abbreviation for Church of God (COG) writer. The term Church of God is used here to include those Sabbatarian (sabbath-keeping) churches that are faithful to apostolic Christianity (most generally, but not exclusively, those who had some type of affiliation with the pre-1986 Worldwide Church of God, and/or hold similar beliefs).
What is Your Academic and Religious Background?
Born last century, I was baptized as an infant and at age 10 was confirmed as a Roman Catholic. I also attended Catholic school for a time. Later, as a high school junior and senior, I studied Latin and took college preparation courses.
After reading the Bible as an early teen, it quickly became apparent to me that the Church of Rome no longer seemed to practice original biblical Christianity (it made/agreed to many compromises and changes as is documented in the article Which is the Faithful: the Church of Rome or the Continuing Church of God?). So, I began to attend Salem Bible Church (SBC) for a couple of years, but while also studying Worldwide Church of God (WCG) literature. After further Bible study, and after having a meeting with the pastor of SBC who then admitted that SBC did teach certain non-biblical positions, I began to attend the Worldwide Church of God--I have kept the same faith ever since (even though the group that last had that name has not)--and remain part of the genuine Church of God. I consider myself a committed Christian that needs to follow the Apostle Jude's admonition to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3).
A major reason that I became part of the Church of God is that in addition to proving all things from the Bible, I truly believe that since "God is love" (1 John 4:16) that He has a plan of salvation that will ultimately result in everyone being called and nearly every one who ever lived being saved. Two must read, free online, books to demonstrate the truth of those doctrines are Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differs from Protestantism and Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation.
I have always considered that Jesus was Lord, God, and Savior, even when my understandings were somewhat different than I now hold. And have striven to always be a part of the true apostolic church.
After high school I attended Allan Hancock College where I majored in Liberal Arts, including taking classes in writing, religion, data processing, and philosophy. I also have a bachelor of science degree in accounting (University of LaVerne, 1980) and a master of science degree in (information) systems management (University of Southern California, 1982). I have completed, at the graduate and undergraduate levels, many classes in finance and economics. In addition, even though they were incomplete (e.g. the materials did not teach much is in the What Does Rome Actually Teach About Early Church History? or Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome articles as two of the schools tended towards ecumenism), I have studied graduate level Early Church History from Fuller Theological Seminary and other schools in and out of the USA. By studying, listening to numerous hours of lectures, and after a lot of writing, in 2008 was granted a foreign Th.D. in early Christianity (Calvin Graduate School of Theology/CGST, which ceased using that name shortly afterwords). A doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree was earned from the Union Institute and University (1993) where I studied various biological sciences and research methodologies. I also have other degrees/training, and have studied theology, both formally and informally. For example, in late 2017, I also completed a course from Dallas Theological Seminary as part of my research for a book I was writing on the Bible. Informal studies and research have continued. More information on my education can be found at the post: Banned, Ambassador Watch, Living University, and my Ph.D. and Th.D.
After the death of Herbert W. Armstrong in 1986, the new leaders of the Worldwide Church of God began to slowly make changes to doctrines and practices (a related article of interest might be Did You Know What the First Changes the Tkach Administration Made?), while denying that they were doing anything other than making certain clarifications.
After the 'new' Worldwide Church of God wrote back to me in 1995 and told me no longer to rely on the Bible for doctrine, but to rely more on opinions of scholars, I decided that it could no longer be practicing "the faith that was once for all delivered for the saints" (Jude 3). A couple of years before me, its longest time evangelist had left for the same basic reasons and I began to attend the Global Church of God, which essentially became the Living Church of God after a managerial coup within GCG. As the result of providing doctrinal and prophetic assistance to the Living Church of God, its then top leader appointed me as an advisor to the evangelists there on matters of doctrine and prophecy in the Summer of 2005.
For more about information visit: https://www.cogwriter.com/cogwriter.htm
