That’s a good starting place to talk about the relationship between the Bible and Tradition… and the way in which the Bible is itself a Tradition. Catholics and Protestants often talk past one another on this topic. Protestants tend to hear “custom or rule,” whereas Catholics mean “something passed on.” And it’s too bad, because you simply can’t have Christianity without Tradition.
Tag: tradition
Jewish Purgatory
Are Catholics right to pray for the dead, and to believe that such prayers can help to release souls from Purgatory? Many Christians are unaware that these doctrines are Jewish in origin, and that the Jewish practice of praying for the dead continues on to this day. Even fewer are aware that this practice of prayer is tied to a tradition of temporary purgatorial fires after death.
No, the Bible Isn’t the Fullness of Revelation. Jesus is.
The debate over sola Scriptura is often framed as a question of whether the fullness of revelation is Scripture or Scripture plus Tradition. But the Bible points us to the fullness of revelation, and it doesn’t look like this: Vincent Van Gogh, Still Life with Bible (1885) Rather, the fullness of revelation looks more like… Continue reading No, the Bible Isn’t the Fullness of Revelation. Jesus is.
Reason #10 to Reject the Reformation: The Grand Finale
Today, we arrive at the last of St. Edmund Campion’s Ten Reasons to reject the Reformation, and it’s a doozy. It turns out, he spent many of the prior nine reasons crescendoing towards this last one, and the result is epic: a sort of cosmic vision of the Catholic Church and the Reformation, with (in… Continue reading Reason #10 to Reject the Reformation: The Grand Finale
Pope Victor and the Second-Century Papacy
Pope St. Victor I In October, I wrote about a fascinating conflict in the first-century church of Corinth. When a dispute broke out within their church, they wrote to Rome. Pope Clement wrote back, issued some orders, and resolved the dispute. Under any circumstances, this would be interesting, because it shows the way that papal… Continue reading Pope Victor and the Second-Century Papacy
Reason #6 to Reject the Reformation: Patristic Scriptural Exegesis
Caspar Schwenckfeld Catholic beliefs are often rejected by “Bible-only” Protestants on the grounds that they are “extra-Scriptural Traditions.” This accusation typically misses the mark: on teachings like the priesthood, or the Eucharist, or regenerative baptism, it’s not that the Church is deriving these views from a source other than Scripture. It’s that she sees support… Continue reading Reason #6 to Reject the Reformation: Patristic Scriptural Exegesis
Sedevacantism is Impossible: How We Can Know Francis is Pope
In recent days, there’s been a nasty dustup between several prominent Catholic bloggers. The argument was ostensibly about “tone,” and it quickly devolved into a lot of bruised egos, and personal attacks on other Catholics for making personal attacks. It was an ugly spectacle, and I’ve stayed well clear of it. Pope Francis But while… Continue reading Sedevacantism is Impossible: How We Can Know Francis is Pope
What the Canonization of John XXIII and John Paul II Means for SSPX and Traditionalists
Two days ago, on Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope Francis canonized Popes John XXIII and John Paul II. For most of us Catholics, this was a time of great rejoicing. But it was not so for everyone. Critics of JPII at both extremes of the ideological spectrum (so to speak) denounced his canonization. Both his canonization,… Continue reading What the Canonization of John XXIII and John Paul II Means for SSPX and Traditionalists
How Do We Know Jesus Wasn’t Married?
An LDS couple I’m friends with asked me recently about the so-called Gospel of Philip, and specifically, about its claim that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene. Let’s address the reliability of the “Gospel of Philip” first, and then the broader question: how do we know that Jesus wasn’t married? The So-Called Gospel of Philip… Continue reading How Do We Know Jesus Wasn’t Married?
Save John Paul the Great Academy!
I get a fair number of requests asking me to spread the word about various causes. Even though most of them seem like good causes, it’s not very feasible (or a good use of the blog) to reduce it to advertising for every worthy cause that needs money. But I am making a partial exception… Continue reading Save John Paul the Great Academy!