apologetics – Page 39 – Shameless Popery

Ten Great Quotes from Pope Francis

Pope Francis is a gifted orator, and an effective evangelist, proclaiming the Gospel from the world’s largest pulpit. In the short time that he’s been pope, he’s had a lot to say. Today, I want to highly ten quotations from Pope Francis that you might have missed. These are taken from ten different occasions, on… Continue reading Ten Great Quotes from Pope Francis

The Catholic Church Against the Bible?

One of the most frequent criticisms of the Catholic Church is that She teaches Her members to trust Her, instead of the Sacred Scriptures: that the Bible and the Catholic Church sometimes disagree, and that Catholics are forced to choose the Church over the Bible. Other variations of this argument are that we take “the Church… Continue reading The Catholic Church Against the Bible?

The Time Machine Challenge

There are certain Church Fathers (mostly St. Augustine) that are loved by both Protestants and Catholics. And we Catholics are inclined to point out that these Church Fathers were Catholics then, and if they were roaming the earth these days, would be Catholics now. They were members of the Catholic Church, and they held to… Continue reading The Time Machine Challenge

Turning the Problem of Evil On Its Head

The existence of evil is one of the most powerful arguments against theism (and particularly Christianity): how can an all-powerful, all-loving God permit evil in His Creation? I think that there are two important responses to make to this. First, that Christianity can answer this problem. Second, this argument requires the existence of God, because… Continue reading Turning the Problem of Evil On Its Head

Ten Things I Learned in My First Year of Seminary

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind: classes ended, I had three papers and four finals, I went to Clear Creek Monastery for a few days, and four of our men were ordained deacons. As I make the transition from being in seminary to spending the summer at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, I wanted… Continue reading Ten Things I Learned in My First Year of Seminary

The Church, the Bible, and the Trinity of Divine Persons

Did you know that the word “person” comes to us through Catholic philosophy and theology? Theatrical masks of Comedy and Tragedy, Roman mosaic, (2nd c.). It’s true, although the word existed before Christianity in a different context. Etymologically, the word “person” originally comes from a Latin word meaning “sounding through” (personare), which referred to actors… Continue reading The Church, the Bible, and the Trinity of Divine Persons

Six Reasons to Reject “the Perspicuity of Scripture”

Near the root of what divides Protestantism from Catholicism is a question concerning the clarity (or, in technical parlance, the “perspicuity”) of Sacred Scripture. The Catholic view is that Scripture needs interpretation; the typical Protestant view is that Scripture is so clear that there are no ambiguities needing authoritative interpretation by the Church. Rembrandt, The Baptism… Continue reading Six Reasons to Reject “the Perspicuity of Scripture”

Jesus, Remember Me: The Good Thief and the Eucharist

At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the Eucharist, and called us to “Do this in remembrance of Me.” Here’s how St. Paul records the account : For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks,… Continue reading Jesus, Remember Me: The Good Thief and the Eucharist

Five Senses in which the Eucharist is the Host

Pope John XXIII elevating the Host Ever wonder why we refer to the Eucharistic species as “the Host”? The Latin hostia means “sacrifice,” and it is from this definition that the Eucharistic Host takes the name, as a reminder that in the Eucharist, Christ is the Sacrifice for our sins. But the Latin word hostia comes from hostis, which… Continue reading Five Senses in which the Eucharist is the Host