I recently got into a debate with a Protestant friend concerning the forgiveness of sins and how God, if He so chooses, can simply forgive sins by declaring it so. This rests on the fact that God, as all-powerful, can divinely decree all sins forgiven. We see Jesus use this power in His forgiveness of sins in the Gospels. This use of divine power eventually led (among other things) to His arrest and ultimate death on the cross. So, why... Read more
***Happy Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary! The more I study my past Protestantism and dialogue with current Protestants, the more I realize the main appeal of Protestantism is religious autonomy. Now, Protestants will disagree with this assessment. Please, allow me to explain myself. Below, I layout two views on authority, infallibility notwithstanding, that demonstrate the Protestant appeal for religious autonomy. In short, the Protestant view of authority requires the use of their own religious autonomy. Conversely,... Read more
I tend to read a lot. I read books and articles. Most of what I read concerns history, theology, and politics. Sometimes these topics are mixed and overlapping. Furthermore, I do not limit myself to just reading those with whom I agree. I often read others with whom I disagree. What I find troubling among some progressive Catholics I read is the identifying Catholic moral teachings (and those who discuss them) as merely engaging in the culture wars. For example,... Read more
In my previous article on justification, I shared the Catholic view as explained through the Council of Trent (1547). After analyzing justification, Trent moves on to the relationship between justification and sanctification, and the possibility of Christians losing their salvation. As with the other article, I quote Trent at length, provide hyperlinks to Scriptural support, and give a quick summary. Thank you. Chapter 10: The Increase of the Justification Received Having, therefore, been thus justified and made the friends and... Read more
Am I weird? Are you? Well, if you live a traditionally normal life, a life like vice presidential nominee JD Vance (and billions of others), you now find yourself in the realm of the weird. Yep! If you value family, and especially children, you are WEIRD. Some readers may find this difficult to understand, as family and children have represented the definition of societal normalcy since time immemorial. Now, your intellectual betters (who cannot seem to define the word woman)... Read more
In a recent article, I addressed the Protestant doctrine of faith alone, which many believe reflects the source of “doctrinal harmony.” In that article, I showed this position holds some issues, as some Protestants (Unitarians) accept faith alone AND reject the Trinity and Incarnation. To me, this appears as the epitome of disharmony—but I digress. For this article, I layout the Catholic doctrine of justification by faith as affirmed in the Sixth Session of the Council of Trent (1547). For... Read more
The selection of Senator JD Vance as Donald Trump’s vice presidential candidate on July 15th, 2024, caused fervor of interest in the thirty-nine year old Ohioan and author of Hillbilly Elegy (2016). Many on the Right see in Vance a smart and energetic supporter (and former critic) of the former president. Others, on the left, see a Yale educated white man who betrayed his working-class roots. Some, including Senator Chris Murphy, who see Vance as a dangerous proponent of white... Read more
Guest Contributor: Pilgrim “I rarely look away from the crowd. Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?” – President Donald Trump “Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening.” – President Donald Trump “One hand fired and another hand guided the bullet.” – Pope John Paul II “In the designs of Providence there are no mere coincidences.” – Pope John Paul II History... Read more
*** I wrote this before the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. The fearmongering rhetoric, like that with Project 2025, identifying Trump with Hitler, and an existential threat to democracy, are directly connected to the assassination attempt. Let’s stop the fearful rhetoric. Have you heard of the imminent threat posed by the implementation of Project 2025? If you support President Joe Biden and lament his disastrous debate performance, you most certainly have. The president, tanking in the polls, seeks to reset... Read more
In a recent article, I warned Protestants of the dangers of speaking for God in their endeavor to instruct others in “what the Bible (God) says.” Seeking feedback from my educated Protestant friends, I invited them to weigh in on my warning. As anticipated, most responded with an appeal to Scriptural clarity. One went a bit further in appealing to a “Christ-centered hermeneutic.” For what I gather, a “Christ-centered hermeneutic” requires prayer and humility in interpreting Scripture within one’s chosen... Read more
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