There are times where we seek out opportunities to evangelize for the faith, but sometimes, the opportunity comes to us. When this happens, it’s not always pleasant. A couple months ago, for example, I was on a flight next to a guy who spent nearly the entire time telling me how rotten the Catholic Church… Continue reading Five Ways to Defend the Faith Against Unexpected Attacks
Tag: ECFs
St. Augustine on Our Separated Christian Brethren
In Tuesday’s Office of Readings, St. Augustine offered one of the most beautiful Scriptural meditations on how we should approach those Christians who refuse to be in Communion with us, including those who regard us as less than Christian. I immediately thought of both the sedevacantist Catholics who claim we’re Modernist heretics, the fundamentalist Protestants… Continue reading St. Augustine on Our Separated Christian Brethren
Defending the Deuterocanon, Book by Book (Part II)
On Tuesday, we explored why we Catholics have Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, and a longer version of Esther in our Bibles. Today, we’ll discuss why we have the other Deuterocanonical books: Sirach, Baruch, 1st and 2nd Maccabees, and the longer version of Daniel. V. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) The Book was Probably Referenced by Jesus Christ: Sirach 27:6… Continue reading Defending the Deuterocanon, Book by Book (Part II)
Defending the Deuterocanon, Book by Book (Part I)
Much has been said, here and elsewhere, on why Catholics have 73 Books in our Bibles, instead of the mere 66 that our Protestant brethren have, or why we have longer versions of Daniel and Esther than Protestants. The Books in question, the Deuterocanon, are often defended as a group, as I did against arguments… Continue reading Defending the Deuterocanon, Book by Book (Part I)
Where Do Unbaptized Babies Go When They Die?
The question of where unbaptized infants go after death is one that has vexed the Church for centuries. Some of Her greatest Saints have disagreed on this issue: St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, for example, came to different conclusions. And every possible answer is fraught with problems. If we say that the unborn and unbaptized… Continue reading Where Do Unbaptized Babies Go When They Die?
Why Memorized Prayer?
One of the questions asked in response to the live Shameless Popery series was “What is the Catholic response to Protestant/Fundamentalist ‘push back’ regarding memorized prayer?” This is a question that’s been tackled before on this blog, but I wanted to address it from a different angle. Last time, the focus was on the fact that… Continue reading Why Memorized Prayer?
Did Augustine Deny that the Catholic Church Gave Us the Scriptures?
A Reformed blogger, TurretinFan, rejects the authority of the early Ecumenical Councils, and suggests that every dispute needs to be resolved through Scripture, which is allegedly independent of the Catholic Church, the property of all. He cites to this passage from St. Augustine for support, which he suggests shows that Augustine “sounded exactly like a Sola Scriptura… Continue reading Did Augustine Deny that the Catholic Church Gave Us the Scriptures?
Luther and Calvin v. Augustine and Justin Martyr on Free Will
One of the core tenets of Calvinism is the belief that there’s no such thing as free will, particularly in regards to matters of salvation. What strikes me about this doctrine is that I’m not sure anyone really believes it. I realize that sounds odd, but consider: even those, like Luther and Calvin, who claim… Continue reading Luther and Calvin v. Augustine and Justin Martyr on Free Will
Does John 6:63 Refute the Real Presence?
Early Christian depiction of the Eucharist from the C A couple of my Evangelical friends were recently talking with me about John 6 and the Eucharist. If you haven’t read it recently, you should. In it, Jesus states repeatedly, and in no uncertain terms, that He is the Bread of Life, that our eternal salvation… Continue reading Does John 6:63 Refute the Real Presence?
Who Was St. Mark? The Story of a Soul.
Today is the Feast of St. Mark, celebrating one of the four Gospel writers. What do we know about him from the Bible? Matthias Stom,The Evangelists Saint Mark and Saint Luke (detail) (1635) The place we hear the most about him is in the Book of Acts. St. Luke generally refers to him in Acts as “John,… Continue reading Who Was St. Mark? The Story of a Soul.