St. Uriel, mosaic in St John’s Church, Boreham (England) (1888) I’m teaming up with St. Michael Catholic Radio in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 102.9 FM, to do a twice-monthly Stump the Seminarian feature. Here’s the description: Have a question about the Catholic faith? Don’t know who to ask? St. Michael Catholic Radio is starting a new blog called… Continue reading Stump the Seminarian, Vol. 1: The Angel Uriel?
Author: Joe Heschmeyer
Is Religion Responsible for the World’s Violence?
Sébastien Mamerot, Second Battle of Ramla, from Les Passages d’Outremer (1475) Last week, a “gun-toting atheist” and self-proclaimed “anti-theist” killed three Muslims in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. There’s some question still about whether the killer was motivated by atheism or some other motivation. What there’s no question of is that much of the secular response was predictably… Continue reading Is Religion Responsible for the World’s Violence?
Happy Celibacy Awareness Day!
Valentine’s Day card from 1909 Happy St. Valentine’s Day, the one day a year in which all Americans, regardless of religion, build their lives around the Traditional Latin Mass calendar. For those of us using the Ordinary Form calendar, today is the Memorial of Saints Cyril and Methodius, not St. Valentine, a little something I like… Continue reading Happy Celibacy Awareness Day!
The Silver Lining: Fifty Shades Against Gender Neutrality
I’m thrilled to announce that First Things is carrying an article that I wrote on the popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey, now the best-selling book in British history. Here’s a teaser: If Fr. Smith, the titular character in the Bruce Marshall novel, is right that “the young man who rings the bell at the brothel… Continue reading The Silver Lining: Fifty Shades Against Gender Neutrality
Is St. John the Key to Settling the Justification Debate?
Anonymous, The Last Supper (17th c.) Are we saved by faith and works, or by faith alone? This question is, from a traditional Protestant perspective, the single biggest issue dividing Catholics and Protestants. R.C. Sproul has pointed out the historical importance of the question: Luther made his famous comment that the doctrine of justification by… Continue reading Is St. John the Key to Settling the Justification Debate?
Does God Hate Sinners?
Pompeo Batoni, Sacred Heart of Jesus (1767) Does God hate sinners? There’s a notorious Baptist group based out of Topeka, Kansas, that claims that He does: and specifically, that He hates homosexuals. They’re a radical fringe even amongst Baptist Calvinists, and other Calvinists have sought to distance themselves from them. But many of those doing… Continue reading Does God Hate Sinners?
The Problem of Beauty
Simon Vouet, Father Time Overcome by Love, Hope and Beauty (1627) A lot has been said about the “problem of pain.” Why, if God is both loving and all-powerful, is there still suffering in the world? The question is a challenge for Catholics, as for all theists. As believers, we have some sense of why a loving… Continue reading The Problem of Beauty
Casting Out Demons in the Name of Solomon: Jewish Exorcisms at the Time of Christ
Giotto, Exorcism of the Demons at Arezzo (detail) (1300) Exorcisms have been a part of Catholicism from the very beginning. When Jesus sends out the Twelve Apostles, “they went out and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them” (Mark 6:12-13). But… Continue reading Casting Out Demons in the Name of Solomon: Jewish Exorcisms at the Time of Christ
Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation?
Masaccio, Baptism of the Neophytes (1425) Do we need to be baptized to be saved? Catholics say yes, while acknowledging that certain cases exist in which water baptism is impossible, and a person is still saved, like the good thief on the cross. In other words, even if it’s possible that someone may be saved without… Continue reading Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation?
The Covenantal Case for Catholicism
One area in which Catholics and many Protestants agree is that covenant is key to Christianity. After all, Judaism and Christianity are frequently referred to as the “Old Covenant” and “New Covenant,” and the terms Old and New Testament are also tied to the covenant. Granted, we often disagree with how the covenants should be… Continue reading The Covenantal Case for Catholicism