This past weekend, a Calvinist explained to me that she left the Methodists after concluding that they weren’t a church, since they didn’t preach the pure word of God. To Catholic ears, this sort of claim can sound pretty strange, so I wanted to explain what Calvinists mean by this, and why it’s wrong. I.… Continue reading What Are the Marks of the True Church?
Tag: Church
Has the Papacy Evolved Over Time?
A reader e-mailed me to ask me to write about whether and how the papacy evolved over time. The short answer is that the papacy has evolved, and will continue to evolve, but that the bedrock principle of papal primacy is one that’s unchanging. To explain what I mean, let me start by pointing to the… Continue reading Has the Papacy Evolved Over Time?
St. John Chrysostom and St. Augustine on Matthew 16:18 and the Papacy
In yesterday’s post, I stated my intention to set the issue of whether or not Peter was the “Rock” in Matthew 16:18 aside to have a more fruitful discussion on Christ’s promises in that passage. It didn’t quite work out that way in the comments, which have almost all been about … whether or not Peter was… Continue reading St. John Chrysostom and St. Augustine on Matthew 16:18 and the Papacy
What Does it Mean that the Gates of Hell Won’t Prevail?
In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says to Simon: “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Lots of ink (and blood) has been spilled on the issue of Peter’s role as the Rock, and that’s… Continue reading What Does it Mean that the Gates of Hell Won’t Prevail?
Does the Council of Nicea Reject Women’s Ordination to the Diaconate?
In yesterday’s post, I said that Canon 19 of the First Council of Nicea “ended any controversy” over whether or not women could be sacramentally ordained to the diaconate. In the comments, a few people protested that the broader context of the canon made it seem that the problem wasn’t that the would-be ordained were… Continue reading Does the Council of Nicea Reject Women’s Ordination to the Diaconate?
A Personal Turning Point: Not Living by Bread Alone
During my sophomore year of college, back in 2005, one of my history essays was on liberation theology. In the early drafts, I was pro-liberation theology (as I understood it), and against some Cardinal named Ratzinger, who I’d heard terrible things about. Before the final draft of the paper, my position had changed nearly 180… Continue reading A Personal Turning Point: Not Living by Bread Alone
Sheep Without a Shepherd
If Scripture is as clear as Protestants claim it is, and we Christians are left with sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”) to determine the authentic content of the faith, why can no two groups of Protestants seem to agree what exactly our beliefs as Christians are supposed to be? In response to yesterday’s post, Drew (a… Continue reading Sheep Without a Shepherd
Power Cords and Apostolic Succession
Look at the picture below, and tell me which of the cords is the one powering the lamp: Obviously, it’s the middle one. You can know this because the lamp is on (you can see its light), and because you can see where the other two cords begin. You know this even though you can see… Continue reading Power Cords and Apostolic Succession
“Why Did Jesus Build His Own Church?” and Other Reflections on Matthew 16
This past Sunday’s readings were on the papacy. The First Reading was from Isaiah 22:19:23, in which the LORD to Shebna, master of the palace: “I will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station. On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him… Continue reading “Why Did Jesus Build His Own Church?” and Other Reflections on Matthew 16
Lying Our Way Through the Creed
Elizabeth Erazo, a Protestant well on her way into becoming either Orthodox or (if she can brave it) Catholic, made a great point about Creedal Protestantism: It’s a curious thing — a lot of well-informed Protestants will talk very much about how historical context is vital to properly understanding the Bible. This is so true,… Continue reading Lying Our Way Through the Creed