Introduction State recognition of homosexual civil unions (“gay marriages”) is now the law of the land, and the ongoing discussion has revealed that the views of various Christians on the issue are themselves varied. What I wish to look at here is not which one is correct (that has been, and is being, done ad nauseum), but rather…
Navigating the Tiber: How to Help Your Friends and Family Journey Toward the Catholic Faith Devin Rose’s follow-up to The Protestant’s Dilemma is titled Navigating the Tiber: How to Help Your Friends and Family Journey Toward the Catholic Faith. This time, Rose offers less of a polemic against Protestantism as a guide to helpfully engaging those who…
Introduction Do Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God? When this question is asked, it is important to understand not only what someone’s answer is, but what they mean by it. The sense in which a fundamentalist Christian answers the question may not be the same in which a philosophical Catholic answers it – and thus…
Introduction Many Christians point to 1 John 5:13 as being St. John the Apostle’s purpose for writing the epistle – namely, to assure believers of their final salvation based on their present belief. The verse reads, “I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in…
Introduction The books of First and Second Corinthians present an interesting dilemma for Christians. Both deal strongly with regaining / retaining unity within the body of Christ, yet in both letters we are also given principles of disunity – separation for the sake of the the body of Christ. This creates a tension that demands resolution.…
Introduction It’s rough gift hunting for Catholic dudes – especially those entering the Church who are still not used to Catholic Holy Hardware. Of course a rosary is a standard choice, but while there are lots of girlie-girl rosaries to choose from out there, few are manly enough for most guys to carry (much less use) without embarrassment. I think men have enough trouble…
Introduction It is not unusual to hear the complaint from Protestants that Catholics cannot prove their beliefs from Scripture. While it is admitted that Catholics do OK with the Trinity, deity of Christ, and obvious stuff like that, when it comes to Catholicism’s distinctive doctrines (e.g.,baptism, the Eucharist, Mary, the Pope, prayers to the saints,…
“The Noble Bereans were Catholic: Is ‘Bible-Only’ Christianity Biblical” is the 2015 print offering from Catholic blogger Patrick Vandapool. Vandapool specializes in dealing with criticisms leveled at Catholicism from the “Stone-Campbell churches of Christ (CofC) and other Restoration-leaning ecclesial communities” with which he was once associated. In this book, Vandapool challenges the idea that “Bible-Only” Christianity…
Introduction One of the most ridiculous anti-Catholic propaganda claims on the interwebs today is the charge that Satan is worshiped in the Catholic Mass. A quick web search on “Lucifer Worship in Catholic Mass” revealed that this silliness is ubiquitous online – and thus, incredibly, seems to warrant a response. Lucifer Worship? The Latin Mass referred to here is the Easter Exsultet, which one video…
Introduction “What do you tell your kids about Santa Claus?” This question can strike fear into the hearts of many Christians. The issue is that while most of us love Christmas, and many of us will even admit to enjoying “the whole Santa thing,” we do not wish to lie to our kids. It may…
Douglas Beaumont 