I have a confession to make…the Republican party lost my confidence, starting in 2020, and culminating in 2022. For various reasons, I do not see many leaders in the GOP, save a select few, that honestly reflect real conservative American values and policies. Furthermore, with the support of 39 Republicans in the House and 12 senators, the Respect for Marriage Act became law in December of 2022. This law stands as a threat to religious liberty and in opposition to... Read more
Welcome to part four of a look back at reader’s comments. I dedicate this article to all the atheist and non-religious readers of this blog. Most are excellent dialogue partners. As I stated before, atheist who honestly and sincerely pursue truth are closer to heaven than theists who care less about truth. This article takes the same form as the other three. Are Atheists Closer To Heaven Than Christians Who Could Not Care Less? Comment: I’m not sure if it’s... Read more
What constitutes the common good? Recently, a fellow Patheos blogger wrote about Christians and the common good. For the full article, please click here. In the article, the author stated the following: Christians are called to move out beyond their own private interests and concerns, to truly work for and promote the common good, both in their spiritual live, but also in their civic engagements. And, in doing so, they will find they are also protecting and promoting their own... Read more
Welcome to part three of a look back at reader’s comments. As I pick what comments to use, my readers continue to amaze me with their insight and knowledge on a variety of topics. This article takes the same form as the other two. Again, please enjoy more reader comments. Also included are my responses to those comments and further commentary, if needed. God bless! What Happens When the Existential Vacuum Stares Back at You? Comment: While I would agree... Read more
If you take time out of your busy day to read by blog—thank you! I dedicated this article to all my readers, whether you comment or not. If you have yet to comment, please feel free to do so at any time. I promise to do my best to reply in a timely manner. We all desire community, even the irreligious. If I provide a small slice of community here on the internet, what a blessing! Please enjoy more reader... Read more
I take great pleasure in writing for Patheos. Part of that pleasure come from engaging in spirited dialogue with my readers. I feel that if someone takes the time to read my articles and comment on what they read, I must return the compliment. In my opinion, the best learning comes through a dialectic or Socratic method. The Socratic method is a form of cooperative dialogue whereby participants make assertions about a particular topic, investigate those assertions with questions designed... Read more
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a piece requesting a civilized and open dialogue with progressive Christians (including Catholics). Of those who replied, sadly only one identified as a progressive Catholic. Not wanting to paint an inaccurate picture, I decided to give dialogue another chance. But in this article my focus is progressive Catholics only. So, here it goes… What Does the Catholic Life Look Like? In the previous piece, I asked the Christian life looks like. Here, my... Read more
I need to confess something… I’m a sinner. Not only am I a sinner, but I’m also in desperate need of God’s grace, God’s unmerited favor. Thankfully, my loving God does not leave me wallowing in my sin. God the Father sent God the Son to die for me for on the cross. God the Father and God the Son then sent God the Holy Spirit to empower and strengthen me through the sacraments. All the sacraments play an important... Read more
The Catholic Church is headed towards schism in Germany. With the German Synodal Path and universal Synod of Synodality, the Church appears on course to schism in Germany. The present course the Church finds herself on recalls the words of Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon, we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy. In this article, I evaluate of the current state... Read more
Do we strive to live in a pigsty or a palace? Do we desire to remain in our sins or seek holiness, which ultimately reflects our eternal home—heaven? A recent homily by Dominican Fr. Leon Pereira of Great Britain summarized (in less than ten minutes) the current state of many in the Church. Concerning the aversion to point out sin, Fr. Pereira states: It’s like being the prodigal in the pigsty hungering, looking, envying the pigs eating the pods. And... Read more
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