The Thirteen Station: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi. [We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.]R. Quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum. [Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.] Pope John Paul II From the Gospel according to Mark. 15:42-43, 46 And when evening had come, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected… Continue reading The Thirteen Station: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross

Women of the Bible and Holy Week

Salomon de Bray, Jael, Deborah and Barak (1635)(If you don’t know what the tent peg is for, read Judges 4-5) Sarah at A Beaten Copper Lamp of Deplorable Design, has a post on “Girl-Power Bible Movies,” in which she writes reviews of four different films about Old Testament heroines Ruth and Esther. I haven’t seen… Continue reading Women of the Bible and Holy Week

Are We to Take the Bible “Literally”?

Dr. Peter Enns, an Evangelical blogger and Affiliate Processor of Biblical Studies at Eastern University, has started an interesting conversation on the appropriate way to analyze and understand Genesis 1-3 specifically, and the Bible more generally.  I wanted to wade into this controversy, because I think Enns shows us the need for solid Biblical hermeneutics, and in… Continue reading Are We to Take the Bible “Literally”?

The Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi. [We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.]R. Quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum. [Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.] Pope John Paul II From the Gospel according to Mark. 15:33-34, 37, 39 And when the sixth hour had come there was… Continue reading The Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross

The Eleventh Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi. [We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.]R. Quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum. [Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.] Pope John Paul II From the Gospel according to Mark. 15:25-27 And it was the third hour, when they crucified him. And… Continue reading The Eleventh Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

How the Summa Theologica Might Address a Zombie Uprising

Filippino Lippi, Triumph of St. Thomas Aquinas over the Heretics (detail) (1490) If you’ve ever skimmed through St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica, a few thoughts have probably crossed your mind. First, “this is a masterpiece!” followed quickly by, “…but why is there no section dealing with a zombie uprising?” Don’t get me wrong. The Summa… Continue reading How the Summa Theologica Might Address a Zombie Uprising

The Tenth Station: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi. [We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.]R. Quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum. [Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.] Pope John Paul II From the Gospel according to Mark. 15:24 The soldiers divided his garments among them, casting lots for them,… Continue reading The Tenth Station: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments

The Ninth Station: Jesus Falls for the Third Time

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi. [We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.]R. Quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum. [Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.] Pope John Paul II From the Book of Lamentations. 3:27-32 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in… Continue reading The Ninth Station: Jesus Falls for the Third Time

Does Water Baptism Save?

An Evangelical blogger and prison chaplain named Jeremy Myers wrote a post called “Don’t Get Baptized. Cut Your Hair!” His argument was that since Baptism was only symbolic, we should substitute for a symbol that we find more meaningful, like cutting our hair, or changing our names. From a Christian perspective, this is some of… Continue reading Does Water Baptism Save?

Did the Greek Old Testament Include the Catholic Deuterocanon?

Fragment of the LXX A reader e-mailed to ask about the use of the Septuagint (or LXX), the Greek version of the Old Testament used by the Jews at the time of Christ, and by the early Christians.  This reader had encountered Protestants claiming that while the early Church used the LXX, this didn’t include the Deuterocanon.… Continue reading Did the Greek Old Testament Include the Catholic Deuterocanon?