I received an email with this question: In brief, I am wondering how you can reconcile Pope Boniface VIII’s dogmatic definition in Unam Sanctam (“…we define that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff”) with Lumen Gentium’s clear affirmation that salvation is possible for those who are ignorant of the need to be in communion with the Pope and thus never join the Roman Catholic Church. I am familiar with the... Read more

Of course. A good Catholic is engaged in his faith intellectually, emotionally and physically. This article for Aleteia discusses the difference between legitimate questioning of our faith and doubting and disbelieving. It’s the difference between a doubt and a difficulty. A difficulty is an honest question. It is faith that is seeking understanding. Doubt is no faith that rejects any understanding and does not believe there can be an answer. A difficulty in the faith occurs when a person is... Read more

Before I was ordained I started a business training/personal development company and used to do work in prisons and schools as well as in management training. We would often talk about belief systems and I would say that everyone believed in something. One prisoner said, “Not me. I don’t believe in anything.” My reply was, “You have just stated what you believe in.” What I mean by belief system is that everyone operates with a certain set of assumptions which they... Read more

Now we will see the backlash. Europeans will begin to scapegoat all Muslims. The hatred lying just beneath the surface will erupt. Mosques will be targeted and attacks on innocent Muslims will simmer then explode. So the ancient, mindless cycle of victims, violence and vengeance will begin. This is the way of the world from the beginning. This is the structure of violence from the day Cain killed his brother Abel. This is the violence and vengeance at the heart... Read more

Not knowing about agnosticism is like saying, ‘Deja vu? Haven’t I met you somehwere before?’ When you think about it agnosticism is really a no man’s land. It is a country you pass through, a stage on a journey, and never a destination. The human heart hates a vacuum, and the emptiness of agnosticism cannot last forever. In conversation with the resident theologian recently three types of agnosticism emerged from the fog of our minds: There is a healthy type... Read more

The New York Times reports here on the growing anti Islamic feeling across Europe. The French, Germans, Dutch and British are finally waking up to the fact that Islam is a dominant force in their society. The Europeans are beginning to feel threatened and it is the European underclass who are most threatened and least ashamed to admit their feelings. Be prepared for increasing violence against Muslims, the rise of right wing anti-immigrant political movements and outright hatred and resistance to... Read more

Imaginative Conservative publishes my short review of Shawshank Redemption here The Shawshank Redemption is an excellent example of how positive themes properly permeate a work of art. Art should never be didactic or preachy. The themes should never be up front and “inyerface.” Instead the theme is communicated most powerfully by being deeply embedded in the characters, plot, and conflict of the story. In this way the truth is embodied within the story in such a way that the truth cannot be stated... Read more

Today being the proper feast of the Epiphany, when we celebrate the three wise men who followed the star to worship baby Jesus at Bethlehem, I’ve been reading various interpretations of the events. Some folks say, “This is all about the light of Christ coming to the Gentiles.” A progressive New Testament scholar says there’s no historical basis in the stories, but they mean the light of Christ is available to everyone. Just sort of “Look within your heart of... Read more

What’s the pope up to? I think he’s choosing his soldiers for battle. The pope’s announcement on Sunday of fifteen new cardinals is monumental in several ways, and it indicates the way he sees the church and the world and the work that the church has to do in this new century. Firstly, out of the fifteen choices none are from North America, five are from Europe and ten from the developing world. Here’s the list: Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Prefect of... Read more

I once had a conversation with one of my fellow Anglican priests at our Diocesan Clergy Conference. Simon was a very nice English guy, diffident, intelligent and self effacing with a good sense of humor. He had received a typical mainstream, liberal education and was an Anglican priest of the broad church, progressive opinion. After a couple of drinks at the bar I said, “Tell me. Straight up. I’m interested. What is it you actually believe?” He was embarrassed. In England... Read more