Sorry, Protestants: Paul Is Team Catholic
In previous articles (here, here, here, and here), I’ve argued that the Bible supports the Catholic teaching that our interior state of holiness is a ground for our justification—what we might call “interior justification.” This stands in contrast to the view of some...
The Ballad of Blind Bartimaeus
The Gospels tell us that Jesus performed all kinds of miracles. But one category really stands out: healing the blind. Jesus’ healings of the blind aren’t just a random miracle category. In the Jewish worldview, the blind receiving sight was a sign of the Messianic...
The Bible Says Christians Can Drink
Conversations that Christians have about drinking alcoholic beverages usually revolve around Bible passages that never condemn drinking wine, but warn against abusing it. Examples include Isaiah 5:11, Amos 6:6, and Proverbs 20:1—just to name a few. And apologists have...
When NOT to Pray?
A common charge against the rosary is that it violates Jesus’ prohibition of “vain repetition” (Matt. 6:7, KJV). Catholics often answer this charge by pointing to the fact that Jesus isn’t condemning repetitious prayer as such, but mindless prayer—prayer that involves...
Catholics and Protestants Agree! Kind of . . .
Both Catholics and Protestants of the Reformed tradition actually agree on something pretty important: when we’re initially justified, we become a “new creation.” To back this up, both sides regularly point to two passages from St. Paul: 2 Corinthians 5:17—“Whoever is...
Did Martin Luther King Jr. Get it Right?
Martin Luther King Jr. is best known as a man of action. He didn’t merely write about injustice—he took to the streets, protesting racial “laws” that undermined the dignity of African-Americans. But unlike many current cultural protests we see today, King’s activism...
You’re Not Ungodly Anymore
he Catholic Church teaches that the grounds for our justification—a theological term that generally refers to a Christian being in a right relationship with God—is our interior state of holiness, which God brings about within us when we are initially saved. As the...
Firstborn Jesus’ Brothers and Sisters?
There’s no shortage of biblical objections when it comes to Mary’s perpetual virginity. A common one comes from Luke 2:7, where Luke writes, “And she gave birth to her first-born son [Gk. prōtotokos] and wrapped him in swaddling cloths.” Some Christians argue that the...
Yes, It’s Okay to Venerate the Saints
The Catholic Church has defined the essential difference between the honor we give to God through prayer and the honor we give to the saints. The Second Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (787) defined the “adoration” we give to God alone as latreia (Greek) or latria...
Mission Impossible: Baptism
The Church teaches that anyone can baptize in extraordinary circumstances (CCC 1256). Thus, grandparents often find themselves wondering if they are permitted to baptize their grandchild when his parent doesn’t want him baptized. And not just grandparents, but also...