It might be mean to pick on them, since they’re seriously ill (spiritually, and hopefully not mentally), but this was too funny to pass up: “Womenpriests.org” has a webpage on women deacons, who they allege existed in history. What they’re (not subtly) trying to do is creep into the priesthood via the deaconate. The idea… Continue reading Unnamed Women Deacons We Know By Name!?
Tag: church structure
It’s A Poor Builder Who Blames His Instruments…
…while the Master Builder can build masterpieces with any set of tools. Or fools. In an ongoing discussion with one of my Calvinist friends a few weeks ago, he said, “I fear that the heirarchies of the Catholic church detract from the kingship of Christ, who I believe needs no prime minister and serves actively… Continue reading It’s A Poor Builder Who Blames His Instruments…
St. Francis De Sales on the Protestant Tower of Babel
St. Francis De Sales is a profound writer, whose Introduction to the Devout Life has been enjoyed by Catholics and non-Catholics alike. While it is specifically and unabashedly Catholic, the work’s broad themes — on the glory of God, our own sinfulness and insignificance, etc. — are powerful to almost any serious Christian. As Bishop… Continue reading St. Francis De Sales on the Protestant Tower of Babel
The Scottish Reformed on the “Marks of the Church”
Since we covered Calvin Friday, it’s only right to cover John Knox. Knox, along with five others, drafted the Scottish Confession of 1560. Like the other confessions we’ve examined so far, it’s Reformed, and much of the language tracks very closely with the previous two, particularly with the Confession of the English Congregation at Geneva… Continue reading The Scottish Reformed on the “Marks of the Church”
Calvin on the “Marks of the Church”
For the second Protestant Confession to examine, it seems sensible to go for the who’s who and what’s what of Reformed Christianity, Mr. John Calvin himself. He wrote the 1559 French Confession of Faith [.DOC], and there’s much in it to admire. To wit: XXV. Now as we enjoy Christ only through the gospel, we… Continue reading Calvin on the “Marks of the Church”
The English Reformed on the “Marks of the Church”
In my post on Wednesday, I identified as “one of the classic Reformed beliefs on the nature of the Church” the idea of a primarily-invisible Church which can be visibly identified only by subjectively divining 3 marks. Since this week, we’ve focused on Matthew 13 at Church, which talks at length about the Church as… Continue reading The English Reformed on the “Marks of the Church”
The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, pt. 2
The other passage from the thirteenth Chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel that we looked at this week was Matthew 13:31-35, which includes two succinct parables: Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of… Continue reading The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, pt. 2
Is There Salvation Outside the Catholic Church?
There’s going to be a lot of discussion on the visible v. invisible Church upcoming, I think. I’d like to look at a number of Protestant (particularly Reformed) Confessions, to see how they understand and identify the Church. But there’s something I need to make clear, which is how Catholics understand the phrase extra ecclesia… Continue reading Is There Salvation Outside the Catholic Church?
The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, Pt. 1
I.Anyone going to daily Mass recently (Friday, Monday, and yesterday) has heard a lot about “the Kingdom of Heaven” from Matthew 13. These Gospel passages are critically important for anyone trying to understand the Church that God Himself set up upon the Earth when He pitched His tent amongst us. Friday’s was this parable from… Continue reading The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, Pt. 1
Sort of my Grand View of Catholicism
A friend of mine was talking with me about the ecclesiology (particularly the differences in how it’s understood by Catholics and Eastern Orthodox), and said: “It seems that there is a tension here between a desire to establish and protect dogma, affirm unity, and preserve relations as a body catholic as much as possible but… Continue reading Sort of my Grand View of Catholicism