[all the information you need if the topic comes up and someone claims that these practices “aren’t biblical”; all verses RSV] 1. Saints in Heaven Are Aware of Earthly Events Hebrews 12:1 (“we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses”). Revelation 6:9-10: “I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne; they cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy... Read more
Seth Kasten (see his blog) is a member of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. This is one of a series of replies to his book, Against the Invocation of Saints: An Apology for the Protestant Doctrine of Prayer over and against the Doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Church (Royal Oak, Michigan: Scholastic Lutherans, 2023). I will be using RSV for Bible passages unless otherwise noted. Words from his book will be in blue. See other installments: Lutherans & Invocation #1 (Intro) [1-11-24] * Lutherans &... Read more
[see book and purchase information] [all passages RSV] * 1. St. Paul states that now we only “see in a mirror dimly” and ” know in part” (1 Cor 13:12), and that “eye has not seen” (1 Cor 2:9) what God has prepared for us. * 2. We shall “see his face” (Rev 22:4) and see Him “face to face” (1 Cor 13:12), and He will be our “light” (Rev 22:5). * 3. St. Paul was “caught up into Paradise”... Read more
Reply to Clueless Accusations That I Supposedly Think Popes Should Never be Criticized At All, & Make No Distinctions Whatsoever Concerning Papal Critics The recent Vatican document, Fiducia Supplicans has been the trigger for many thousands of loudmouthed Catholics to engage in constant verbal diarrhea against Pope Francis: the Holy Father, supreme head of the Church, Vicar of Christ, and successor to St. Peter. I have resolved to mostly avoid this entire topic, having defended Pope Francis for over ten... Read more
Necromancy; Can Saints Hear Us? Seth Kasten (see his blog) is a member of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. This is one of a series of replies to his book, Against the Invocation of Saints: An Apology for the Protestant Doctrine of Prayer over and against the Doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Church (Royal Oak, Michigan: Scholastic Lutherans, 2023). I will be using RSV for Bible passages unless otherwise noted. Words from his book will be in blue. See other installments: Lutherans & Invocation #1... Read more
Definitions of Prayer & Intercession; God Sharing His Glory; Views of St. Augustine & Many Other Church Fathers Seth Kasten (see his blog) is a member of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. This is one of a series of replies to his book, Against the Invocation of Saints: An Apology for the Protestant Doctrine of Prayer over and against the Doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Church (Royal Oak, Michigan: Scholastic Lutherans, 2023). I will be using RSV for Bible passages unless otherwise noted. Words... Read more
Seth Kasten (see his blog) is a member of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. This is one of a series of replies to his book, Against the Invocation of Saints: An Apology for the Protestant Doctrine of Prayer over and against the Doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Church (Royal Oak, Michigan: Scholastic Lutherans, 2023). I will be using RSV for Bible passages unless otherwise noted. Words from his book will be in blue. ***** See other installments: Lutherans & Invocation #2... Read more
François Turretin (1623-1687) was a Genevan-Italian Reformed scholastic theologian and renowned defender of the Calvinistic (Reformed) orthodoxy represented by the Synod of Dort, and was one of the authors of the Helvetic Consensus (1675). He is generally considered to be the best Calvinist apologist besides John Calvin himself. His Institutes of Elenctic Theology (three volumes, Geneva, 1679–1685) used the scholastic method. “Elenctic” means “refuting an argument by proving the falsehood of its conclusion.” Turretin contended against the conflicting Christian perspectives of Catholicism and Arminianism. It was a popular textbook; notably at Princeton Theological Seminary, until it was replaced by Charles Hodge‘s Systematic Theology in... Read more
I posted the article, “Moses, Science, and Water from Rocks” at Catholic365 (11-18-23). It was an excerpt from chapter 9 of my book, The Word Set in Stone: How Archaeology, Science, and History Back Up the Bible (Catholic Answers Press: 2023). In this portion of my book I contended that there is a verified natural explanation for water coming out of the rocks in the Sinai Peninsula, and that it need not necessarily have been miraculous. Readers may want to read that... Read more
This took place on the Atheist Discussion forum and was a one-on-one debate with “epronovost” (see the link). His words will be in blue. ***** None of the great miracles described in past religious and mythological text can be ascertained as real factual events. These religious and mythological texts are written decades if not centuries after the event they describe are most often from unknown author quoting unknown sources and not other intersubjective evidence can be provided as to what happened.... Read more
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