Author: Joe Heschmeyer

6 Biblical Reasons to Pray to Angels

Should you pray to angels? Does the Bible have anything to say about this practice? And if so, does it permit it or condemn it? I should clarify at the outset that by “praying,” I don’t mean “worshiping” them. All Christians are in agreement that worshiping angels is contrary to Scripture, and Revelation 19:9-10 and… Continue reading 6 Biblical Reasons to Pray to Angels

Can All Christians Agree to a “Mere Christianity”?

Martin Luther, illustration from Die Gartenlaube (1883) Martin Luther and many of the original Protestant Reformers believed that “the all-clear Scriptures of God” were so clear that “if many things still remain abstruse to many, this does not arise from obscurity in the Scriptures, but from their own blindness or want of understanding, who do not… Continue reading Can All Christians Agree to a “Mere Christianity”?

9 Ways To Restore All Things in Christ

Pope St. Pius X The world looks pretty frightening for the Church these days. Christians are being martyred around the world, whether it be by Communists in China or by Islamic radicals in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Western society is becoming ever more anti-religious, and the Church is facing increasing threats by secularists in many… Continue reading 9 Ways To Restore All Things in Christ

The Early Church and the Virgin Mary: St. Gregory the Wonder-Worker

St. Gregory the Wonder-Worker (14th c. icon) In honor of the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, I thought I would share with you a glimpse into how the early Church viewed Mary. In particular, I want to share excerpts from a homily delivered by one of the great Saints of the early Church, St.… Continue reading The Early Church and the Virgin Mary: St. Gregory the Wonder-Worker

Did the Catholic Church Try to Suppress the Bible?

Shortly before I left for Rome, I ran into a group of Baptists preaching on the street corner. I went over to greet them, because I know from experience how tough public evangelization can be. I was wearing a Roman collar, so they were quick to hand me a tract claiming that Catholics aren’t Christians.… Continue reading Did the Catholic Church Try to Suppress the Bible?

Obama the Traditionalist: What Catholics Can Learn from President Obama

Jonathan Capehart has written a great short piece discussing a recent town hall with President Obama involving the slur “acting white,” often used to denigrate academically-interested African-Americans (as if intelligence and education are the sole province of a single race). Both Capehart and Obama thoughtfully repudiate the notion that there is tension between “being black”… Continue reading Obama the Traditionalist: What Catholics Can Learn from President Obama

Rome and Relics

For the next few weeks, I’m going to be doing Italian immersion in Assisi, and so I will be monitoring the blog rarely, if at all. In the meantime, I wanted to talk about one of the really striking parts about being a Catholic in Rome: there are relics everywhere. This allows for something amazing… Continue reading Rome and Relics

Demons, Playing Cards, and Telescopes

Atheistic materialism is the belief that matter is all there is: not only does God not exist, this theory argues, but there’s no spiritual realm. From a Christian perspective, this position can seem baffling: how do these atheists account for all of the evidence of miracles, or conversely, demonic possession? One answer is that they… Continue reading Demons, Playing Cards, and Telescopes