I have really struggled with how to present this piece, the wrapping up, for now, of my address toward the “rigorous skeptic.” This is my third rewrite. The first, the end of what I originally wrote the first night, seemed to stray from the point and lose coherence when I read it in the morning. …
Tag Archives: Christian
The Authority and Reliability of Paul: More historical thoughts on Early Christianity
[Continuing my thoughts from last night, about the historical reliability of early Christian testimonies, in particular the biblical texts, and the argument that the “orthodoxy” we see today only stemmed from this faction being the victor among many competing early sects. This is Part 2, and it nearly doubled in size from what I started …
“Rigorously skeptical”: Historical thoughts on the Christian faith
[This is a post that ballooned into about three posts when I sat down to write it. So I split it up, rather than giving you far more than anyone wants to read.] Once again, my plans for what I was going to write about today have been disrupted. I had a heated discussion with …
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The Rub with Protestant Theology: Why I teach what I teach
I’ve been mulling for the past hour or two, thinking of my new Christian friend and how she might take that last post, and I feel I should make a quick follow-up. Why do I gripe so much about Protestant theology? Is it because I think it’s all wrong and that believing it means one …
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Some questions about justification and righteousness
I am pretty busy with thesis research right now, and now packing for a move, so I thought I would try something different: some questions, asked particularly of Protestants, but really of anybody who would like to reply. This is not to stir up a contentious debate (though a friendly, academic discussion would be fine …
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One in Christ, but not a Visible Unity: A Thought on Christian Love and Reunification
In talking to a dear friend the other night, who is a new Christian, I realized that sometimes my complaints about Protestants and Protestant theology can be taken in the wrong spirit. (Sometimes I fear they’re made in the wrong spirit.) My friend was confused and worried that in my lashing out against “Protestants,” I …
Christ the King, and honor in worship
This Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ the King — properly “Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lord of the Universe” — the last Sunday of the liturgical year, before Advent begins it anew, when we celebrate Jesus’s Divine Kingship over all Creation. I had a brief thought this morning at Mass, in response to the criticisms …
Justification by faith alone, or what? What do Protestants think Catholics believe?
For Protestants, one of the cries of the Reformation, one of the staples of Protestant faith, is sola fide, justification by faith alone. Many Protestants, especially the Reformed, hold this point to be so crucial and integral to the message of the Gospel that they label any other view (that is, the Catholic or Orthodox …
The Sacrament of Confirmation and Protestants: Profession of Faith or Pentecostal Fire?
So I’ve written a bit introducing the Sacrament of Confirmation, what it is and what it means; I’ve explicated Confirmation as it appears in Scripture and in the early Fathers of the Church; now I’d like to explore a bit the meaning of Confirmation among our separated Protestant brethren. Since the practice of Confirmation in …
Una Misa en Español
This past Sunday I had the opportunity to attend a Mass in Spanish. I thought I would share a bit of my cultural reconnaissance. First, I know exceedingly little Spanish — a truly sad paucity, given that I took Spanish in school for two and half years (though that was now over ten years ago). …