There are some other traits that we would look for if we were looking for an infallible authority. We’ve mentioned the need for it to be universal, but local and historic, but relevant. Another way of putting this is that the authority needs to be objective, but applicable to subjective needs. In other words, it must not be driven by subjective, sentimental or shifty trends and fashions. However, it must be able to be applied to the emotional, momentary and... Read more

Faced with the inevitableness of relativity without an agreed infallible authority, what are the traits of an infallible authority that we would look for? Notice how I am developing this argument: I am not talking at this point about the authority of the Pope or even the authority of the Catholic Church. Instead, I am trying to determine first the need for an infallible authority, and now the qualities such an authority might have. These qualities can be seen as... Read more

Some time ago an Anglican priest who reads this blog said that he disagreed with Catholicism because he could not go along with papal infallibility. He said an infallible authority other than the Bible simply wasn’t necessary. I thought it warranted a post on its own, but the more I thought about it, the more it seems that it warrants a series of posts on authority in the church. I hope those who are out there who read this blog... Read more

Anglicanism is tearing itself apart at the moment over two big issues: women’s ordination and homosexuality. Some of the Anglican groups continue to hold out against women’s ordination to the priesthood. The latest Anglican splinter group: ACNA (Anglican Church of North America) allows its members to ordain women priests, but will not have women bishops. They hold out against homosexuality. The issues of homosexuality and women’s ordination, however, are secondary to the real issue of authority, and the question of... Read more

Why did the Renaissance painters choose the theme of the Madonna with the child Jesus and the boy John the Baptist? I think because it is a charming and attractive theme in itself, but it is also a meditation on a deeper aspect of the mystery of the incarnation. Here we see the two boys and remember that the world’s redeemer and the prophet of all prophets were once little children. They were cousins and playmates, and it is a... Read more

The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is a new Anglican body which promises to be ‘united and faithful’. You can read more about their formation here. I must confess, I have lost track of all the different breakaway Anglican groups, all I know is that there are now about 120 of them, (A partial listing is here) and guess what…they all say they are ‘united and faithful.’ The big question is: united with whom and faithful to what? It... Read more