Auto de Fe in the Plaza Mayor of Madrid (1683), by Francisco Rizi (1614-1685) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (2-21-06) *** The Inquisition was the thing that troubled me most about the Catholic Church before I converted, and it still troubles me in a moral sense (but not from the standpoint that it disproves Catholic claims). I now understand much better, I think, why these things occurred, and what the Church has learned in the subsequent centuries. It goes back... Read more
[public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (10-13-05) *** Source: . . . a collection of news reports of ministers sexually abusing children We would be naïve and dishonest were we to say this is a Roman Catholic problem and has nothing to do with us because we have married and female priests in our church. Sin and abusive behavior know no ecclesial or other boundaries.” Rt. Rev. William Persell, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, Good Friday Sermon, 2002.... Read more
What Does It Mean? Dialogue with a Lutheran The Prophet Elijah Fed by a Raven (1619-1630), by Gaspar de Crayer (1584-1669) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (6-8-05) *** This post arose from a thread at the Lutheran blog, Here We Stand, entitled What The Church Does Not Teach. I made some posts in the comments section. The discussion was about the communion of saints and invocation of saints. Thus, during its course, several negative appraisals of the practice of... Read more
Pope St. John Paul II in Rome in 1980 [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] ***** (4-2-05) *** I’m at a loss for words (and many others can say what I would like to express far better than I can), so I’ll be brief. Pope John Paul II was, I believe, the greatest and most influential man of the 20th century. I think he will in due course be canonized, declared “the Great” (like Popes Leo and Gregory), and also a... Read more
Image by Peggy_Marco (9-27-12) [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] *** (2-19-05) *** [Joe’s words will be in green. His online nickname is “jcecil3”] * * * * * Catholics are not believers in sola scriptura. We believe that the Word is revealed through Sacred Scripture AND Sacred Tradition. . . . At given points in history, a formulation of a thought becomes so clear and apparent to the body of Christ that an infallible definition is made. The infallible dogma... Read more
. . . and Denigration of the Reliability of Holy Scripture Photo by Gerd Altman [Pexels / CC0 public domain] *** (11 January 2000) *** The following is a satirical treatment of certain liberal theological tendencies in Christology and the study of Holy Scripture — somewhat in the style of C. S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters. In other words, what I write in the first section, I don’t really believe. It is the opposite of the theology of the Catholic Church... Read more
Philipp Melanchthon, engraving (1526) by Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (7-9-04) * * * * * [I have incorporated some remarks I originally made in the comments, and removed a supposed remark by Calvin which could not be verified.] Accustomed as we are to hearing about the Catholic Church and Galileo, it isn’t often realized or recognized that classical “Reformational” Protestantism, generally speaking, was out and out hostile to the burgeoning scientific discoveries and endeavors of its time.... Read more
Martin Luther, 31 December 1525 (age 42), by Lucas Cranach the Elder [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** [Note: this was written in 1992. I’ve learned tons of things about Martin Luther since that time; even in just the last few years, as I continue to do further research and reading. In several cases, I have changed my opinion on particular elements of his beliefs and behavior. Thus, I wouldn’t express several things in this article the way I did then, and... Read more
The Last Judgment, by Hans Memling (c. 1433-1494) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (7 June 2002: from prior papers) *** It is quite morally reasonable to assume that God would give every person enough knowledge and revelation of Himself, thus ample opportunity, to repent. Romans 1:18-32 and 2:12-16 would seem to make that clear. Romans 1:20 is a general statement, applying to all people. In other words all people know there is a God, through creation (cf. Job 12:7-9;... Read more
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