The pope was invited to give a message to a group of Pentecostals (it seems to be directed to Kenneth Copeland Ministries and the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches). It speaks volumes that he was even asked to do so. In my view, he took good advantage of the opportunity. Here’s what he said: The… Continue reading The Pope to Pentecostals: Pray for Christian Unity!
Tag: apologetics
I’m on the Radio Monday and Saturday!
Thought I’d let you know that I’ll be on the radio twice in the next week: I’ll be on Son Rise Morning Show on Monday, 6:20 AM Central / 7:20 AM Eastern. You should be able to listen to it live here, and it should also be live on EWTN Radio. I’ll be talking about whether or… Continue reading I’m on the Radio Monday and Saturday!
Can Non-Catholics be Saved?
Twice this week, I’ve been asked about the Church’s teaching that there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. More specifically, I’ve been asked how that teaching can be rectified with the Church’s hope that those who die outside of Her visible bounds might yet be saved. I’ve answered this question in greater depth before,… Continue reading Can Non-Catholics be Saved?
Did Tertullian Deny the Real Presence?
In the comments to this post, a Protestant calling himself “meyu” claimed that there wasn’t any consensus in the early Church on the Real Presence. Since I’ve actually written on this subject before, I challenged him on this. After all, I’ve shown Church Fathers explicitly affirming the Real Presence in the first and second century,… Continue reading Did Tertullian Deny the Real Presence?
Did Luther Want to Start His Own Church?
Front page of Exsurge Domine,Pope Leo X’s bull calling Martin Luther to repent In a piece arguing that God is the Author of schism (contrast with Galatians 5:19-20, which condemns schismatics) the Orthodox Presbyterian Church elder Brad Winsted recites the now-standard Protestant claim that Luther didn’t really want to start his own church: One of the obvious… Continue reading Did Luther Want to Start His Own Church?
American Atheists, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Straw Man
The following is a guest post by my friend and classmate Brian Straus, a seminarian for the Diocese of Springfield/Cape Girardeau, in response to the following ad (and the surrounding controversy): An article from the Christian Post Wednesday called attention to a new billboard being raised in New Jersey that renounces prayer and pokes fun… Continue reading American Atheists, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Straw Man
The Fascinating Exorcism Case in USA Today
USA Today, of all places, is reporting on an exorcism case, originally reported in the Indianapolis Star. It’s remarkable for several reasons. First, because of the sheer number of eyewitnesses: the Star interviewed “police, DCS [Department of Child Services] personnel, psychologists, family members and a Catholic priest.” There are nearly 800 pages of official records… Continue reading The Fascinating Exorcism Case in USA Today
Three Major Arguments Against “Assurance of Salvation”
I am frequently asked by Protestants why we Catholics don’t teach “assurance of salvation,” the belief that those who are currently saved are guaranteed ultimate salvation, no matter what. Someone cannot be temporarily saved and ultimately damned. Calvinists and many Evangelicals affirm this doctrine (under different names: assurance of salvation, perseverance of the Saints, “Once Saved,… Continue reading Three Major Arguments Against “Assurance of Salvation”
Simon and Mary: Learning from the TWO Anointings of Christ
How much do you know about the anointing of Christ? Do you know about the leprous Pharisee? For that matter, did you know that there were actually two anointings? There were. The first one occurred early on in Jesus’ ministry, while the second took place in the week leading up to Good Friday. It appears… Continue reading Simon and Mary: Learning from the TWO Anointings of Christ
Finding Our Identity in Christ
Last week, I warned against being defined by your sexual orientation or history. This raises a central issue, going far beyond sexual orientation: how do we define ourselves? We live in a world with a wealth of competing identities, and it’s easy to define ourselves by something incidental, or at least, something non-central. For example, are… Continue reading Finding Our Identity in Christ