Does God Suffer?

December 3, 2023 By David Schloss

From its earliest formulations, Catholic theology has attributed the traits of immutability and impassibility to God’s nature. These traits, which build on ancient Greek philosophy, form much of what can be said about the nature of God. In this essay, I will explore what immutability and impassibility mean and why these traits have been attributed to God. Finally, I will address some of the problems that immutability and impassibility present regarding Catholic Christology and soteriology. Because the distance between the... Read more

Away From Anthropocentrism

November 26, 2023 By David Schloss

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The words of the Greek philosopher Protagoras can sum up the biblical and Catholic perspectives of human beings. “Man is the measure of all things.” (Although Catholicism would add the word created so that the statement would read that “Man is the measure of all created things [excepting angels]”). A biblical extension of this sentiment is found in Genesis. “God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis... Read more

The Dilemma Of Temptation

November 19, 2023 By David Schloss

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I do not think it an understatement to argue that temptation is a necessary (though not sufficient) condition for sin. If that is true, then one faces a dilemma. If God works all things for the good (Romans 8:28), and temptation is an efficient cause of sin, why does God allow us to be tempted? In this paper, I will explore the concept of temptation within the biblical framework and seek to explain the dilemma of temptation. As anyone familiar... Read more

Why Resurrection?

November 12, 2023 By David Schloss

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Among the world’s religions, Catholicism is unique for its profession in that God became a human being, died by crucifixion, and was resurrected. The reasons for these events are irrevocably connected to the salvation of the human race. God became man in the person of Jesus so as to reconcile God and man, to join what had been sundered by original sin. Jesus’s death was payment owed to God for the debt incurred by original sin. But what about the Resurrection?... Read more

The Threefold Significance Of The Eucharist

November 5, 2023 By David Schloss

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Among the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, the Eucharist stands as “The fount and apex of the whole Christian life” (Lumen Gentium, no. 11), for in this sacrament is the very body and blood of God incarnate. There are several ways in which this most unique and remarkable sacrament can be understood. These generally fall within the categories of thanksgiving (the English translation comes from the Greek word “eucharisteo,” which means to give thanks) or sacrifice. In this paper,... Read more

Did Mary Have A Choice?

October 29, 2023 By David Schloss

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The Immaculate Conception is one of the most controversial doctrines of the Church. Rejected by the various Protestant denominations, the teaching of the Immaculate Conception has been known to confuse even Catholics. While the objections and confusion range from the biblical basis of the Immaculate Conception to what exactly it refers to (it has nothing to do with the birth of Christ), the question I shall address in this paper is one regarding Mary and free will. I will begin... Read more

Why Was Jesus Baptized?

October 22, 2023 By David Schloss

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It has been said that humor is the coming together of two incongruous things. In that context, one of the more humorous events depicted in the Bible is the baptism of Jesus. After all, baptism is conducted, first and foremost, for the remission of original sin. If Jesus is indeed God, and God cannot sin, then the baptism of Jesus is undoubtedly the coming together of two incongruous things. Humor aside, the baptism of Jesus presents an interesting theological question.... Read more

Religious Orders Within Catholicism

October 15, 2023 By David Schloss

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Within the Catholic Church, there are some two-thousand-five hundred religious orders. The existence of these religious orders dates back to the early Church and can now be found throughout the globe. In this paper, I will give a basic overview of the orders with Catholicism and how these orders are created. First, however, I will endeavor to explain what exactly a Catholic religious order is. Within the Catholic Church, a religious order is generally defined as an organization of persons,... Read more

Be At Peace

October 8, 2023 By David Schloss

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“In His will, our peace.” – Dante Alighieri. Perhaps one of life’s most paradoxical aspects is the natural inclination for peace. Paradoxical because despite this human desire for peace, we inhabit a world filled with anger, hatred, and violence. In order to understand the reason for this incongruity between the desire for peace and a world riddled with discord, I will examine and contrast the two types of peace, one worldly and the other Godly. I will conclude by showing... Read more

Fear Of God

October 1, 2023 By David Schloss

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It is estimated that the word fear appears over five hundred times in the Bible. While many of the uses of the word are intended as encouragement against being afraid, the Bible also has much to say about fear in relation to God and the transcendent. In this paper, I will examine the relationship between fear and God. I will begin by discussing the two primary uses of the word fear in a biblical context and conclude by suggesting that... Read more