Christ's words in John 6 could have a merely spiritual meaning. The manna in the desert was physical bread, and the Jews ate it, and they died. Christ, however---figuratively; by way of analogy---is the “bread” through which one has eternal life. That’s how Mr. X understands Him. But it is not how those who first heard Christ understood Him, when He said that he is “living bread” “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they said And one can understand their distress. Read more
Of late, the anonymous blogger, five-pointer, and crack theologian TurretinFan has been struggling with the concept of metaphor as it applies to John 6. He argues that the expression “this cup is my blood” should be a clear sign that the passage is not meant to be taken literally. For not even Roman Catholics will say that the cup itself is Christ’s blood. Obviously Christ is speaking metaphorically here. The poor man apparently needs the help of an English teacher. Read more
It is a reflection of how badly addicted we have become to outrage porn that anyone at all was piqued at what Ben Seewald had to say on Facebook about Catholicism. I read the excerpts in the press; later, I read the full post. I wasn’t outraged. I was bored. They certainly were no great reflection on the originality of Mr. Seewald, but they shouldn’t have been. He’s nineteen. He’s repeating what he has heard elsewhere: likely, from his pastor, his parents, and his friends. Read more
Before she published her major new essay on Pope Francis this past Sunday, I had never heard of Anna March. I confess it to my shame. Here is one of the great writers of our generation, who has penned a full seven articles now for Salon. Her titles alone convey the range and depth of her vision: “My Bad Sex Wasn’t Rape”; “My Shazam Boobs.” This truly is a voice for the ages. Thus Ms. March is the very person for Salon to go to for an exposé of the pope’s hypocrisy. Read more
It is an old and tried tactic of the anti-Catholic apologist to take a Church Father and make believe that he is a Protestant. The Amazing Mr. X seems to be on a mission of late to find sola scriptura in every last verse of the Bible. Dr.* White finds the merest use of the word “Scripture” and cries, “Aha! sola!” Only Mr. John Bugay, has both honesty and audacity shattering enough to look upon such a spectacle, cry “I give up,” and yet claim victory in the same breath. Read more
Abp. Sartain's A Journey to the Heart of Jesus is practical advice for everyday living as a Christian. Fr. Hater's Common Sense Catechesis is a review of how the faith has been taught since Vatican II, with advice for the future. Finally, Fr. Pacwa's Mary: Virgin, Mother, and Queen is a rich resource of biblical scholarship for Catholics defending their faith, Protestants who find Mary a stumbling block, Bible study groups, or anyone who wants to understand Mary better. Read more
Do Reformed folk no longer believe in the plenary inspiration of Scripture? Loraine Boettner himself was clear that to deny the plenary inspiration of Scripture was heresy. Once deny that, Boettner says, and there is “no consistent stopping place.” The very words of Scripture themselves are God-breathed! So what does Pr. Ken Temple mean when he says that the “language” of the New Testament, carried over from the Old, in reference to the sacrificial priesthood, was a “big mistake”? Read more
On April 30, Cardinal Müller rebuked the Wyrd Sisters of the LCWR. In the weeks since, the liberal media has lashed itself into a pitch of outrage at their imaginary folk hero, Pope Fuzzy Francis. The man of their dreams, whose words made them swoon, has taken off the happy clown nose and become Pennywise. From the bite of their comical rhetoric, one might be tempted to think that the scales are falling from their eyes and the truth will fully dawn on them. Read more
You will have to trust me on this. The difficulty in writing a review of David Vermont's debut novel is that I cannot give away what makes it most worth reading. That would be a spoiler. But all this book's true power is in its climax. I almost wonder I did not figure it out myself---that I did not see it coming. There is a glaring hint in the book. (I won't tell you where it is.) What I will tell you is that The Last Confession of the Vampire Judas Iscariot is one of the most interesting blends of literary genre that I have read in some time. It is part vampire story. It is part historical novel. It is part narrative of the wandering Jew. It is part novel of ideas. It is part narrative of spiritual redemption. Its strength, in mixing all these genres, is that it also avoids all their clichés. [Read more] Read more
Fr. Larry Richards, known for teaching Catholic men how to be men and Catholics, has come out with a study Bible specifically for men who want to live their faith more fully. If you belong to a men’s group at your parish, or if you just want to search more deeply for the holiness to which God has called you as a man, while making an analytical study of the Bible, this is the one you must own. I like a Bible that has exegetical heft, as this one does. Read more
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