In addition to being Halloween, October 31st is “Reformation Day,” celebrating Martin Luther’s defiant act of nailing his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, on this day in 1517 (more on this soon). For the last two years, I’ve used the day to point out the unintentional ironies of Reformation… Continue reading Two More “Reformation Day” Ironies
Tag: apologetics
Establishing Absolute, Knowable Truth, in Three Easy Steps
Gorgias Gorgias the Nihilist, an ancient Greek philosopher, was said to have argued the following four points: Nothing exists; Even if something exists, nothing can be known about it; and Even if something can be known about it, knowledge about it can’t be communicated to others. Even if it can be communicated, it cannot be… Continue reading Establishing Absolute, Knowable Truth, in Three Easy Steps
Why Argue Against Non-Catholic Beliefs? Why Not Just Argue for Catholicism?
Why do I argue against Protestantism, Mormonism, Atheism, etc.? This question came up recently, in response to my last post. Instead of laying out the case for the Catholic interpretation of Matthew 16:18, it was an explanation of why the Protestant interpretation was wrong. On Facebook, a reader responded, “You should rename your blog from… Continue reading Why Argue Against Non-Catholic Beliefs? Why Not Just Argue for Catholicism?
Is “The Rock” of Matthew 16:18 St. Peter? Or His Confession of Faith?
One of the most hotly-contested passages in Catholic-Protestant dialogues is the “Upon This Rock” passage in Matthew 16:18. After the Apostle Simon confesses faith in Jesus as the Messiah (the Christ), Jesus says to him “And I tell you, you are Peter, [Petros] and on this rock [petra] I will build my church, and the… Continue reading Is “The Rock” of Matthew 16:18 St. Peter? Or His Confession of Faith?
Good Friday: A Superabundant Atonement (Part II)
This is Part II of guest blogger Matt Nagle’s response to Michael Taylor on the nature of the Atonement. You can find Part I here: —- III. Hell Hans Memling, Hell (1845) The real Achilles heel of penal substitution, however, is hell. Why? Well if hell is ultimately the just punishment that man deserves for sin,… Continue reading Good Friday: A Superabundant Atonement (Part II)
Good Friday: A Superabundant Atonement (Part I)
Guest author Matthew Nagle How does Christ’s death on the Cross save us from our sins?Several months ago, I wrote a piece arguing for the Catholic “satisfaction” understanding of the Atonement (in which Christ lovingly pays for our debt) and argued against the Calvinist “penal substitution” model (in which the Father pours out His wrath… Continue reading Good Friday: A Superabundant Atonement (Part I)
Just How Effective is Natural Family Planning, Anyway?
One of the major arguments surrounding natural family planning is on its effectiveness. Critics of NFP claim isn’t all that effective at family planning. In part, this misconception is due to two things: Charles Auguste Romain Lobbedez, Family Time (1876) that, despite its name, it There are a wide variety of practices thrown together under… Continue reading Just How Effective is Natural Family Planning, Anyway?
More Numerous Than the Hairs of My Head? A Reflection on Sin and Its Consequences
I. King David Julia Margaret Cameron, Study of King David (1866). The photograph depicts Sir Henry Taylor as David In Psalm 40:11-12, King David confesses that his sins are greater than the number of hairs on his head, as he cries out to God for help: Do not thou, O Lord, withhold thy mercy from… Continue reading More Numerous Than the Hairs of My Head? A Reflection on Sin and Its Consequences
How the NSA Wiretapping Scandal Reveals God’s Immanence and Transcendence
A while back, I was in an Eastern Orthodox church that had two large depictions of Jesus. The first was an enormous depiction on the ceiling, showing Christ in glory. The second was along the back wall, behind the altar: it was a depiction of the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child in her womb.… Continue reading How the NSA Wiretapping Scandal Reveals God’s Immanence and Transcendence
The Chicken-and-Egg Problem for Abortion
A chick beginning to hatch You’re likely familiar with the philosophical problem, “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” But I want to pose a different sort of chicken-or-egg question for those abortion supporters who claim things like “My Body, My Choice.” In the case of non-mammals like chickens, fertilized eggs develop outside of… Continue reading The Chicken-and-Egg Problem for Abortion