If God Didn’t Exist, What Would You Do?

Antonello da Messina, Mary of the Annunciation (detail) (1475) If you could “get away with” any sin or sins that you wanted, what would you do? That is, imagine that God could somehow be distracted, that you didn’t have to worry about sin offending Him or being punished. Or alternatively, imagine that God didn’t exist:… Continue reading If God Didn’t Exist, What Would You Do?

Is Marian Devotion Dangerous?

Scripture prophesies and prescribes Marian devotion, and a careful reading of the New and Old Testament together shows that Mary is given a pride of place rarely (if ever) found in Protestant denominations.  But that is not the end of the story.  Protestants examining this evidence will sometimes be intellectually convinced, but will encounter a… Continue reading Is Marian Devotion Dangerous?

Was the Immaculate Conception Imposed on Catholics in 1854?

Earlier this month, I responded to a number of objections about Mary’s sinlessness raised by a non-denominational reader. That same reader responded, via e-mail. One of his arguments against the Immaculate Conception goes like this: Francisco de Zurbarán,Immaculate Conception (1635) Does it concern you that your statement was based on a dogma, the Immaculate Conception,… Continue reading Was the Immaculate Conception Imposed on Catholics in 1854?

Are the Immaculate Conception and Assumption Post-Reformation Innovations?

Diego Velazquez, Immaculate Conception (1618) An Anglican reader with a love for Mary described her concerns about the doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption: I appreciate that Mariology grounds our understanding of Christ’s human nature, and that without her assent the incarnation could not have happened. We should call her blessed.  Out of obedience… Continue reading Are the Immaculate Conception and Assumption Post-Reformation Innovations?

The Immaculate Conception

Today is the Feast on which we celebrate Mary’s conception without stain of original sin.  In my post on the subject from last year, I answered three common points of confusion: Does this mean that Mary had no free will? This doesn’t mean that Mary was without free will. On the contrary, we think that… Continue reading The Immaculate Conception

St. Clement, Sola Scriptura, and Mary

After a post I wrote about sola Scriptura, John Armstrong suggested that I read The Shape of Sola Scriptura by Keith Mathison. The book is written by a creedal Protestant – that is, he believes in sola Scriptura, but believes that any interpretation of the Bible which falls outside of the historic Creeds is wrong.… Continue reading St. Clement, Sola Scriptura, and Mary

Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception!

I went to the vigil Mass last night, and Fr. Belli was fantastic in explaining what the Immaculate Conception is, and why we celebrate it. I don’t have much time today, so let me just say that it’s the feast celebrating the conception of Mary without Original Sin. The reason that we believe that God… Continue reading Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception!