Geneva’s Defenders Show True Colors

February 10, 2013 By Scott Eric Alt

I am in the painful process of reading Robert Zzzins’ book Romanism, and it would require the descriptive power of a Charles Dickens to express just how bad it is, how much a throwback to the wild histrionics of nineteenth-century anti-Catholic polemicists like Charles Spurgeon. The absurdly over-the-top subtitle of Mr. Zzzins’ book is “The Relentless Roman Catholic Assault on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” What Mr. Zzzins really means by that is, “The relentless Roman Catholic assault on the doctrine of justification by faith alone.” To which I say, “Amen.” Except: That’s not the Gospel. It's not in the four gospels nor even the passage from Romans where Reformed apologists claim to find it. [Read more] Read more

Quinquagesima: The Law of Love

February 10, 2013 By Scott Eric Alt

The entire history of God and man is written in that first couplet. St. Paul says that very thing when he tells the Galatians the the law “was added because of transgressions” (Gal. 3:19) It is only because we are sinners that we need the law; it “presuppose[s] a taint” — in this case, the taint of original sin. Paul continues: “If a law had been given which could make alive, then righteousness would indeed be by the law” (v. 21). In other words, the law can reveal to us our taint, but it can’t remove it. Only Christ can do that; “the law,” Paul concludes (in the KJV rendering), “was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ” (v. 24). God, who is love (1 John 4:8), fulfills the law (Rom. 10:4) and so removes our taint (Rom. 5:17). [Read more] Read more

Rhology Strains at a Gnat

February 6, 2013 By Scott Eric Alt

Catholics have been praying the Rosary in front of abortion mills for some time now, but to listen to Rhology tell it you’d think that the Catholic Church (or perhaps just its “older gentlemen”) has just discovered pro-life. I pray the Rosary outside these facilities, and I regularly see large groups of Catholics of every age group — men, women, children. To my knowledge, we’ve never been joined by a Protestant; though every Catholic I know would welcome their presence — and the presence of anyone else, for that matter, who’d like to join us. I’d be happy to have Rhology stand next to me; he could pray any prayer at all— the Lord’s prayer, spontaneous prayer, one of the Psalms. [Read more] Read more

John Bugay’s False Understanding of Infallibility

February 6, 2013 By Scott Eric Alt

In a recent post, John Bugay, the polemical rogue, begins with this strange question: “Over at Old Life, a commentater [sic] asked: ‘At what point are we free to conclude that a corrupt hierarchy points to a false church?’” Mr. Bugay finds the question very compelling. My response is simple: At what point are we free to conclude that a corrupt leadership points to a false country? If Mr. Bugay wants to be consistent, he should come out in support of political schism, otherwise known as secession. Mr. Bugay continues: “It is not as if the sex abuse scandal is the only corruption the hierarchy is involved in.” Which church are we talking about again? Remember Matthew 7:4 – 5. Total Depravity effects all of us. [Read more] Read more

Sexagesima: An Examination of Conscience

February 3, 2013 By Scott Eric Alt

Christina Rossetti invites us to contrast the paradise of Eden with the paradise to come in Christ. Earth, she understands, is not our real home, however "very good in days of old" and "lovely still." Here we have no continuing city. Earth is "a scale to step the sky." Rossetti calls us to detachment; she goes gently about the business of telling us to forgo the world and the things of the world. Something in the nursery-book style of her rhyme and meter only adds to how deeply her poems call us to a longing for a loveliness we can somehow remember despite knowing that we never experienced it for one day. Perhaps it is our longings more than our fears that will prompt us to seek the city to come. [Read more] Read more

The Apostles Are Also Theopneustos

January 31, 2013 By Scott Eric Alt

Dr.* James White and I would agree that the sense of the word theopneustos has to do with infallibility. Where we disagree is in its application. He — all Reformed apologists and theologians, in fact — apply it exclusively to Scripture; I — all Catholic apologists and theologians, in fact — apply it also to the Magisterium. The difference lies in our view of apostolic succession. For Dr.* White, it is all well and good to say that the apostles were gifted with the authority to write and to teach infallibly — he would not dispute that — but for him, the fact that revelation ended after the death of the last apostle means that there is no continuation of the charism of infallibility through apostolic succession. [Read more] Read more

Septuagesima: What Have I Withheld?

January 27, 2013 By Scott Eric Alt

Pummel your body and subdue it, Paul tells us. Get yourself under your own control. Do not perish — turning to Christina Rossetti’s language — for the lack of one step, one further toil, one word left unsaid. I am reminded when I read this poem: What have I held back from Christ? What have I left undone, saying, “maybe tomorrow”? What part of myself am I keeping for myself when I should give it to Christ? In what room of my soul have I shut the door to him with a sign that says “No entry”? But just one part of myself more, and the prize is won. It is fitting that the Church, in its traditional liturgy, would begin a period of preparation for Lent with sentiments such as these. [Read more] Read more

White Man’s Burden Redux

January 22, 2013 By Scott Eric Alt

From the start of his Dividing Line "rebuttal" to my earlier article "Questions for a Reformed Apologist" (here), Dr.* White and TurretinFan seemed perplexed in a way that, frankly, perpexed me. In this article, I attempt to help out the good Reformed Baptist bishop and apologist extraordinaire, who runs the very adept Alpha & Omega Sophistries. I also respond to Dr.* White's and TurretinFan's failed attempt on the Dividing Line to find sola scriptura in the Church Fathers and the Scriptures. Along the way, I review passages by Hippolytus, Basil, Athanasius (he was Catholic, Dr.* White), Irenaeus, and Origen; in addition to the tired old supposed proof texts 2 Timothy 3:16 and Matthew 15. [Read more] Read more

To Susan

January 17, 2013 By Scott Eric Alt

To Susan, a new convert, may you continue to carry joy in your heart. Some will try to lure you back with empty platitudes about the ruination of Rome. But you are right that constantly switching back and forth between the myriad Protestant menus will only, in the end, lead to “your heart’s frustration.” You have been given a gift, a gift that I sincerely wish every Christian had: the honest, innocent, and fervent desire to seek the truth and follow it wherever it leads you, whatever it means. That is so obvious from your beautiful comment. And trust me, Susan: A sincere and honest desire to seek and find the truth will never let you down. Christ wants your heart's joy. [Read more] Read more

Questions for a Reformed Apologist

January 15, 2013 By Scott Eric Alt

Who was the first person to articulate a defense of sola scriptura by speaking of it as a “normative condition” of the Church? Who first defined sola scriptura in these terms? Who was the first person to articulate the doctrine of sola scriptura itself — and I’m not talking about Church Fathers who use the Bible to prove a theological point, or who speak highly of the Scriptures. I’m talking about a Church Father who credibly and demonstrably speaks of the Scriptures in terms of exclusivity as a “sole rule of faith.” If sola scriptura is not to be found in the Bible, and it is not to be found in the Church Fathers, then how — outside of an appeal to tradition — is it to be defended? [Read more] Read more