God Is God, You Are Not

Last updated on: February 10, 2026 at 8:40 am By Dennis Knapp

Who Am I to Judge (God)? Many today treat a non-judgmental attitude as a virtue. “Who am I to judge?” gets tossed around to cover a multitude of sins—or at least to grant leeway for excusing one’s own. Yet people rarely extend this restraint to God. In fact, many people judge God’s actions, especially in the Old Testament, and then use those judgments to justify atheism, agnosticism, or skepticism. Christians—particularly those who affirm Scriptural inerrancy—regularly hear objections like: “I could... Read more

Hard Texts: Catholics and the Violence of the Old Testament

Last updated on: February 6, 2026 at 4:04 pm By Dennis Knapp

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Guest writer: Pilgrim. Introduction: The Case of Amalek (1 Samuel 15) Few passages of Scripture trouble modern readers more than God’s command in 1 Samuel 15 to “utterly destroy” the Amalekites. The story of Amalek is not alone in raising these questions. There is also the Flood, Sodom, the laws on slavery, and the Imprecatory Psalms. But Amalek distils the problem sharply. A prophet is claiming that God commanded the destruction of non-combatants: “Now go and strike Amalek and devote... Read more

Avoiding the Temptation of Prophetic Political Seduction

Last updated on: January 31, 2026 at 4:26 pm By Dennis Knapp

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The prophet Samuel stood before King Saul, armed with prophetic authority and righteous indignation. The king, fresh from defeating the Amalekites, had disobeyed God’s command to “utterly destroy” them, instead saving the best spoils for himself under the pretext of offering them “for sacrifice.” Samuel now stood in position to declare God’s judgment on Saul and to strip him of the kingship of Israel, because “to obey is better than sacrifice.” The Lord later sent the prophet Nathan to the... Read more

The Danger of Enraged Imprudence

Last updated on: January 28, 2026 at 2:10 pm By Dennis Knapp

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Minneapolis currently stands at the center of political volatility. Tragic events no longer unfold; they detonate into whatever serves a chosen political narrative. Before truth can be established, sides demand either immediate condemnation or outright support. In such an environment, Christians face a real spiritual danger: the temptation to surrender prudence to passion. The Church never teaches that anger should supplant moral reasoning or that urgency absolves us from seeking truth. Her constant witness affirms that prudence governs justice, especially... Read more

The Seamless Garment: Is It Actually Catholic?

Last updated on: January 27, 2026 at 2:11 pm By Dennis Knapp

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Guest writer: Pilgrim. Introduction Recent discussions among Catholics have exposed a credibility problem rooted less in conclusions than in inconsistent moral reasoning. One form of this inconsistency is particularly damaging: selective urgency on prudential matters whilst being less vocal on intrinsic moral evils. The other is its inverse: urgency on intrinsic moral evils and the downplaying of prudential issues. This essay examines the theological framework often blamed for such confusion (the Seamless Garment) and asks whether it has been misunderstood... Read more

Cardinal Issue: Selective Urgency & Problematic Credibility

Last updated on: January 23, 2026 at 6:19 pm By Dennis Knapp

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Recently, three highly influential American cardinals released a joint statement titled Charting a Moral Vision of American Foreign Policy, calling out U.S. foreign policy. The statement rightly appeals to Catholic moral language and affirms the Church’s consistent and perennial teaching on war, peace, human dignity, and religious liberty. As a Catholic, I welcome it when Church leaders speak publicly in support of moral principles, even in the realm of prudential judgment. I reject nothing in the document itself. My... Read more

Memorandum from Below: Notes Toward a Successful Apostolate

Last updated on: January 22, 2026 at 11:18 am By Dennis Knapp

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Submitted anonymously. Slubgob, Under-Secretary for Ecclesiastical Affairs. I am permitted (with considerable hesitation from my uncle Screwtape) to outline the broad contours of our present strategy for the modern age. My uncle has made clear that this opportunity represents a chance to demonstrate that my time as headmaster of the Training College, which he insists “went to pieces” under my direction, has not rendered me entirely useless. I am grateful for his willingness to overlook my pedagogical shortcomings and employ... Read more

If Progressive Catholics Were Totally Honest…

Last updated on: January 18, 2026 at 5:23 pm By Dennis Knapp

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By Theo Pastoral I think the time has come for progressive Catholics to be totally honest about a few things. When I read progressive Catholic blogs and comment sections, I see fellow progressives constantly trying to play both sides—invoking nuance, appealing to “development,” and speaking in carefully padded language in order to remain in the good graces of Church authority. Frankly, I find this posture cowardly. Jesus taught us to let our “yes” be yes and our “no” be no.... Read more

Whose Power? Progressive Utopianism Or Christian Theodicy

Last updated on: January 15, 2026 at 8:43 am By Dennis Knapp

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In reading many progressive writers, one theme appears again and again: power. Power to restructure society. Power to regulate behavior. And power to remake the world. The promised end is always some version of a progressive utopia—where everyone recycles, healthcare and education are universally guaranteed (including unlimited access to abortion), and even the human footprint itself has been engineered into harmlessness. In this vision, power exists to master reality. It exists to control outcomes. It exists to bring the world... Read more

Two Parables, One Pattern: Mercy, Grace, and Transformation

Last updated on: January 14, 2026 at 5:48 pm By Dennis Knapp

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Guest writer: Pilgrim. He who created you without you, will not save you without you. (St Augustine) Introduction As a Catholic reading the Gospels, I find myself returning to two parables that reveal fundamental insights about God’s love and His grace. The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32) reveals the Father’s heart. He runs to meet us whilst we are still far off. He doesn’t wait for perfect contrition, doesn’t demand we clean ourselves up first, nor does He require a complete... Read more

What does the name "Elijah" mean?