The Victory of Joshua over the Amorites (1625-1626), by Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (11-10-07) *** This is how I have understood the matter, in my own apologetic reflection. Perhaps it will be helpful to others as well: * * * * * Because God is Creator He also has the prerogative to judge. This is analogous to our experience. Society takes it upon itself to judge the criminal and punish him if he supersedes the... Read more
Moses Appoints Joshua: illustration from Henry Davenport Northrop’s 1894 Treasures of the Bible [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] ***** I just finished last night a forthcoming article for National Catholic Register in which I argued for apostolic succession based on the joint authority in the Jerusalem council of elders (Gk., presbuteros = priest / pastor) and apostles. It was an expansion of one argument from a longer series of dialogues from yesterday. If they exercised more or less equal authority in such... Read more
Photo by “paterdarius” [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] *** (5-9-08) *** [all verses RSV] *** The Power of Priests to Bind and Loose (Impose Penance and Grant Absolution) Matthew 3:6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Matthew 18:18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (cf. Mt 16:19: to Peter alone) Mark 1:5 . .... Read more
+ The Catholic Role in Canonizing the Bible Christ Handing the Keys to St. Peter (1481-1482), by Pietro Perugino (1448-1523) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] ***** [This occurred on Baptist professor Jerry Walls’ Facebook page; the words of others will be in various colors] ***** Jerry Walls: “Guided by the Holy Spirit, we compiled the Bible.” –TV commercial for RCC Simplistic, self-serving hubris. *** Accurate, historical fact. Who else do you claim compiled the... Read more
Yours truly: c. March 1976: senior in high school, about a year before my evangelical conversion (and the longest hair ever seen in any of my photos!) ***** (7-27-11) *** Thank heavens for Google Search. I have almost 2600 papers on my blog. After thoroughly searching, I found all there is to find about my early life, on my website. To summarize, my life can be divided into four quite distinct periods: 1) Very nominal, ignorant, lax Methodist (United Methodist... Read more
(7-24-08) ***** This theme has come up several times. It is becoming almost a mantra: particularly in anti-Catholic Protestant and “traditionalist” Catholic circles (those two groups, oddly enough, often seem to have a great affinity in style, argument, and beliefs). Former Catholic Bill Cork recently enlisted it in a reply to my critique of his reasons for returning to Adventism (and I made a short reply). Anti-Catholic Steve Hays has tried (futilely) to make this case with regard to my... Read more
Photo by “markus53” [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] ***** (12-18-08; expanded on 1-4-17) ***** This was a question on the Coming Home Network forum (where I was moderator from 2007-2010): 2 Thessalonians 2:11 says that those who refuse to accept the love of the truth will be sent strong delusion from God. To what extent do we understand this? It is hard to say that God would be responsible for leading someone to delusion, but is it only because a... Read more
Image by JohnsonMartin [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] *** (1-17-09) ***** Orthodox, historic Catholic theology holds that God is outside of time (indeed, is the creator of time), and that He is immutable. Descriptions such as “jealousy” applied to God are usually held by orthodox theologians to be anthropomorphic (intended to make God more comprehensible to limited human beings, rather than being literally true). Here are some typical statements in this regard, by St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas: God’s... Read more
The Child Christ, by Emile Munier (1840-1895) [Flickr / CC BY 2.0 license] *** (4-8-11) ***** An inquiry was made about the following matters. I replied as best I could, utilizing some good commentaries and one excellent book on the various types of biblical literature and ancient Hebrew literary techniques. Bible passages are in RSV. * * * Matthew 16:28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son... Read more
The Taking of Constantinople: 1204, by Palma Giovane (1544-1628) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (1998) ***** With reluctance, sadness, and regret, Catholics must forthrightly address the issue of the sacking of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire (hence the center of Orthodoxy), in 1204 by the Latin Crusaders. Ideally, the numerous historical sins which members of both sides have committed – given the mutual acknowledgement of wrongdoing – should be left, for the sake of unity and good will,... Read more
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