What did the early Christians believe? Did they believe that God really has a material palace in the sky and that He received His Son in a decorated state chair placed a little to the right of His own? — or did they not? The answer is that the alternative we are offering them was probably never present to their minds at all. As soon as it was present, we know quite well which side of the fence they came... Read more
[purchase my apologetics notes only, from this bestselling work, for only $2.99] ***** This is a response to a tag in an article written by Catholic journalist Jay McNally. It had to do with the early Internet, and how journalists have fared in the Internet Age. Jay seems to imply that I am a journalist, which I deny. I’m an apologist. Apples and oranges. Anyway, I had thoughts about it that I wrote on his page and now share here.... Read more
Jose Molina (words in blue) asked: Dave, can I ask you a question? How are you able to do what you do? By God’s grace! “God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). I love this work, because God put that desire in me. This is what I am here on this earth to do. Everyone has a vocation. They just have to be willing to discover it and to... Read more
This is from my book, The Catholic Verses (Sophia Institute Press, 2004, pp. 63-68). ***** James 2:24:“You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (cf. 1:22, 2:14, 17, 20, 22, 26). Catholics believe in an organic relationship between faith and works. Far from being intractably opposed to one another, they are in fact inseparable. Faith is necessary to produce truly good works, and works in turn are the evidence of a true faith. This... Read more
This took place in the combox of my blog post, “Catholic Sex & Heterodoxy Scandals: Long-Term Causes.” “HematitePersuasion” is an atheist. His words will be in blue. *** Do you believe, then, that the various abuses with then RCC are a modern phenomena? That this sort of abuse and coverup was absent, pre-Vatican II? Looking at the pattern of abuse suggests to me that not only was it endemic, but the opportunity to abuse was engineered into Church culture (presumably by... Read more
[the following is from my book, The One-Minute Apologist (Sophia Institute Press, 2007; available for as low as $2.99 in several e-book formats] ***** How could true Christianity pollute the teachings of Jesus with pagan images, rituals, and ideas? THE ONE-MINUTE APOLOGIST SAYS: Truth is truth wherever it is found. The Catholic Church, following St. Paul’s example, makes use of existing practices to spread Christ’s message. All of God’s creation is good. An act or practice (not including those that are immoral,... Read more
[the following is from my book, The One-Minute Apologist (Sophia Institute Press, 2007; available for as low as $2.99 in several e-book formats] ***** The individual with his Bible has all that’s necessary to be saved. He doesn’t need a church or “tradition.” THE ONE-MINUTE APOLOGIST SAYS: The Bible does not teach this doctrine. And the history of Protestantism, with its many doctrinal divisions, argues strongly against it. How could a perspicuous Bible lead so many believers to so many... Read more
A Presbyterian woman commented on the Coming Home Network forum (her words will be in blue, and those of a second in green): Why is the Catholic Church the subject of such hatred from other Christians? I’ve noticed that except for the hard-core fundamentalists who suspect (and shun) anyone outside their own congregations, most Christians will give other denominations the benefit of the doubt, even if they know nothing about what those other denominations teach. I as an evangelical Presbyterian... Read more
“BWL” attends a Lutheran church. His words will be in blue. * * * * * The argument you are making is that sola Scriptura doesn’t work because of the divisions among those who claim to adhere to it and the absence of any way (and especially any authority) to end said divisions. But churches who deny sola Scriptura and claim to adhere to Tradition are also in the same boat. First of all, let everyone note what was done... Read more
A lot more people than just Pope Francis are implicated in lack of action to stop these scandals, and I dare say that that includes the four previous popes as well (saints or no). I think a good case can be made now that the traditionalist (not reactionary) complaint that too little was and is being done about heterodoxy and dissenters (and abusers, as it were) in the Church was correct, and that we should have cleaned house long ago.... Read more
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