A Christian's Road Home to Rome and Journey Onward
Last time, we examined how, in the usage of the New Testament authors, especially Paul and Luke, the churches of Christ were often referred to in the plural, not as a single body — giving rise to a common Protestant claim about the independence of the New Testament churches — yet how Paul’s frequent exhortations …
Continue reading “The New Testament Church: One Body in Christ”
In response to a question on Facebook, after I shared this article from Catholic Answers. I might say that “faith plus works” can be a valid but misleading generalization — but not “grace plus works” (even though the article does clumsily put those side by side). Catholics do (and the Council of Trent did) fully …
Continue reading “Why the Catholic Understanding of Justification Is Not “Faith Plus Works””
The beginning of a series: “How do I know the Catholic Church is the Church Jesus founded?” It is a commonplace of Catholic apologetics that we claim that “the Catholic Church is the Church Jesus founded.” On the other hand, opponents charge that the Catholic Church was in fact founded at some later date, often …
Continue reading “Were the churches of the New Testament independent of one another?”
How do you “get saved” as a Catholic? This is something I’ve had on the burner for a long time, and have started writing more than once before. Now my dearest reader asks the question and I’m motivated to come up with a concise response. “Getting saved,” in the parlance of Evangelical Protestants, refers to …
Hi, I’m back in school now and still trying to organize my time. I haven’t had much of a chance to sit down and write, especially not about any large subjects; but in today’s Mass readings, an idea hit me forcefully that I think I might be able to comment on quickly. This will be …
A common charge against the Catholic Church that I’ve heard from a number of opponents is against the fact that the Church obligates her children to attend Mass each Sunday and on other declared holy days of obligation, and especially against the fact that “it’s a mortal sin to miss Mass.” Supposedly this is an …
Continue reading “The Sunday Obligation: “Missing Mass is a Mortal Sin”?”
One of the most common and insistent tropes of the “Hebrew Roots” movement is the claim that the majority of Christians in the world are “saying Jesus’s name wrong” — that the name “Jesus” itself is improper, a Westernization and a corruption of the Messiah’s true name. The true name of our Lord, the proper …
Continue reading ““Saying Jesus’s Name Wrong”: A Fallacy of “Hebrew Roots””
No, I haven’t abandoned my blog. I just have way too much on my plate. I’m trying to get back into it, at the request of several dear friends. So I thought I would start with an update of where I am and what I’m up to. Back to school As you may know, I …
Folks, I’m still having some technical issues in getting my new blog platform situated. So here’s a litter of cute Cocker Spaniel puppies.
How now, Brown Cow? Sorry I’ve been silent for a few weeks. I’m still around. And one of the major projects I’ve been working on has been transferring my blog from WordPress.com to its new home on its very own shiny new site. Behold, the new LonelyPilgrim.com! If you’re reading by subscription, via RSS or …