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Catholicism - Articles
General Catholic Pillar Of Fire / Pillar Of Truth Anti-Catholic Whoppers How to Become a Catholic The Necessity of Being Catholic McBrien's 'Catholicism' (Bishops' doc.) "Doctrines of Demons"? "Are there any Catholic legal defense organizations to protect the civil and ecclesial rights of Catholics?" Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the Catholic Church Eastern Orthodoxy Exposing "Catholicism: Crisis of Faith" Great Heresies The Galileo Controversy What Catholic Means The Anti-Catholic Bible Catholic "Inventions" More "Inventions" The Inquisition The Sacraments Heresy The Great Heresies Albigenses (Cathars) Arianism Donatists Gallicanism Hussites Iconoclasm Joint Declaration on Christology Relations with Catholic Church Papacy Conversation with the "Hotmail" Fathers on Infallibility - Two intelligent Evangelical Baptists named (ironically) Athanasius of Alexandria and Gregory of Nyssa discuss the nature of authority, infallibility, the Church and Sola Scriptura with some prominent Internet Catholic apologists, my contributions are included Gallicanism The Papacy Papal Infallibility Peter And The Papacy Was Peter In Rome? The Primacy Of The Pope In The Church Who Is The Rock? "What is the story of Joan of Arc, and does it make a dent in infallibility?" "Is it true that the Greek Orthodox Church believes in infallibility, but not in the Catholic sense?" "Papal infallibility can't be true because Pope Zozimus pronounced Pelagius to be orthodox and later reversed himself. What do you have to say to that?" "Isn't it Christ, rather than Peter, who holds the key of David?" "Is it true that Pope Gregory I denied that the pope is the 'universal bishop' and taught that the Bishop of Rome has no authority over any other bishop?" "How can you say Peter had supreme authority when he referred to himself as only the 'fellow elder' (1 Pet. 5:1) of other Church leaders?" Apostolic Succession The Primacy of Peter Peter the Rock Peter in Rome Peter's Successors The Authority of the Pope (Part I) The Authority of the Pope (Part II) Was St. Peter Ever in Rome? Refuting a Persistent Protestant Prejudice - Why do many Evangelicals today continue to doubt Peter's presence in Rome? -- from the humorous "Bateman on Trial" series An Answer to James White on the Early Papacy From the brilliant apologist Mark Bonocore of Catholic Apologetics International, answers to ten questions on the early Papacy from James White (his protege Jason Engwer has engaged in an online debate with Mark on the Papacy, see below) An Email Debate on the Early Papacy: Mark Bonocore vs. Jason Engwer - Debates the proposition: "Was the Papacy established by Christ?" Jesus, Peter, and the Keys: James White's Objections Answered - some of the best Catholic replies to James White on the primacy of St. Peter and the Papacy, includes a critique by David Palm of White's review of Jesus, Peter and the Keys by Scott Butler et al (Queenship Publishing 1996), and Robert Sungenis and David Palm on the language of Matthew 16 Stumbling Upon This Rock: Steve Ray Answers Bill Webster - Stephen Ray, author of the excellent Upon This Rock, in a massive response demolishes anti-Catholic critic William Webster's "rebuttal" -- covers in great detail St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, Tertullian, Origen, St. Cyprian, St. Ambrose, much more -- appendix on Cardinal Newman, the Eastern Fathers, Vatican Council I and Unanimous Consent -- AWESOME! -- this is a link to the index of articles for Steve Ray's response Refutation of Webster's Fundamental Misunderstanding of Development of Doctrine - Dave Armstrong responds in detail to William Webster's recent anti-Papal article on his site Dialogue on Development of Doctrine and the Papacy - From an Email exchange with William Webster on development, Vatican Council I, and Leo XIII encyclical Satis Cognitum Pope Gregory the Great and the "Universal Bishop" Controversy - What did Pope Gregory I in his letters to John the Faster (Patriarch of Constantinople) mean by "universal bishop" ? Was he really denying his own papal authority? Debunks a popular anti-Catholic myth perpetuated by modern Evangelical apologists St. Augustine, Pelagianism, and the Holy See - From Studies on the Early Papacy by the superb patristic scholar Dom John Chapman, demonstrates the clear recognition of Papal primacy, authority and infallibility in the early Church, and discusses in great detail the history of the Pelagian heresy, the role of St. Augustine (the origin of the famous saying "Rome has spoken; the case is closed"), the African bishops, and the Popes (Innocent I and Zosimus) Pope Zosimus and Pelagianism - Part 2 of the above article from Fr. Chapman, discusses the history of the Pelagian heresy after Pope Innocent, answers the common non-Catholic objection that the controversy between Pope Zosimus and the African Bishops contradicts Papal infallibility St. Cyprian on the Church and the Papacy - More from Studies on the Early Papacy by Fr. Chapman, a study of Cyprian of Carthage in response to Anglican scholars (answers as well modern anti-Catholic Evangelicals like James White and William Webster who inconsistently use these old Anglican arguments) Church Authority "I think the Catholic claim to interpret the Bible infallibly is false. This is just what the Watchtower claims for itself." "If the Church has the power to interpret the Bible, why doesn't it just issue an inspired, infallible commentary on the whole Bible and be done with it?" My Journey out of the Lefebvre Schism By Pete Vere , JCL/M (Canon Law) If you’re a Catholic who’s faithful to the Church’s teaching Magisterium, you’ve probably met up with followers of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre’s 1988 schism, known as the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). They’re filled with devotion to the Blessed Mother, extremely conservative with regard to most moral issues afflicting the Western world today, and quite reverent before the Blessed Sacrament during their old Latin liturgies. In short, on the surface, adherents to Archbishop Lefebvre’s schism appear to be devout Catholics. The Authority of the Church and the Deposit of Faith The Church's Magisterium The Most Insidious Error Bernard Harring Richard McBrien Mary & Other Saints Prayer and the Saints Immaculate Conception and Assumption The Rosary FAQ about Mary Saint Worship? The Key to Understanding Mary Mary's Virginity and the Talmud Jerome's Against Helividius "What is the answer to a friend who says we are worshiping the Babylonian goddess Ishtar when we honor Mary? He uses Jeremiah 44 as proof because we call Mary the Queen of heaven." "The bible says the sins of the fathers are visited on their children down to the fourth generation. How do you square this with Mary's Immaculate Conception, given she had a sinful human father?" "A speaker on the 'Bible Answer Man' radio program denied Mary's perpetual virginity. He claimed that James, called one of the brothers of the Lord in Matthew 13:55, was one of Mary's 'other' sons. He insisted that it was a different James who was the son of Mary the wife of Cleophas--this Mary stood at the foot of the cross (John 19:25)." "As the 'ark of the new covenant,' isn't Mary worshiped by Catholics in the same way that the old ark of the covenant was worshiped by Israel?" "Aren't the images of Mary with the baby Jesus taken from pagan representations of goddesses with children? If not, how do you explain the fact that so many cultures have woman-with-child images in their religion?" "When did the custom of canonizing saints start, and is it true that canonizations are infallible?" The Communion of Saints Luther on Mary Mary: The Mother of God Mary, the Mother of Jesus Mary: Ever Virgin Mary: Full of Grace Praying to the Saints The Perpetual Virginity of our Lady A defense of the Catholic belief in the Blessed Virgin Mary, examines the biblical texts and historical views including the original Protestant Reformers, Protestant scholars, and the Church Fathers on perpetual virginity and Mother of God (Theotokos), from an early discussion in PhileoNet theology Communion of the Saints Dulia Angels, Evil Spirits, and the Soul "Does the Catholic Church believe in the devil?" "Do we become angels when we die?" "Do non-Christians have guardian angels?" "Are angels personal beings?" "I thought that a person's soul and his spirit are the same thing, but Paul sometimes seems to distinguish them. What is going on in these cases?" Apparitions and Private Revelations Apparitions & Visions "What should my attitude be toward the various Marian apparitions?" "A woman in my prayer group claims that the Marian apparitions must be from God because 'the devil would never do anything which would draw people closer to God'." "What can you tell me about the book Poem of the Man-God?" Private Revelation Purgatory & Hell Purgatory - a short explanation Purgatory How to Explain Purgatory to Protestants "Is it true that Jews believe in purgatory?" The Existence of Purgatory The Hell There Is! Baptism Infant Baptism Baptism: Immersion Only? "A friend of mine was baptized a Catholic as an infant, then rebaptized when her family became Baptists. What does rebaptism do, if anything?" "Someone said that in an emergency a person desiring baptism could be baptized with soda, juice, or even urine. Is this true?" `Children of God' Baptismal Grace Born Again in Baptism Are Catholics Born Again? The Necessity of Baptism Baptizing Babies Trinitarian Baptism Eucharist and Holy Mass The Eucharist - A short explanation The Eucharist Is there a New Mass?(papal doc.) Why Was the Mass Changed?(papal doc.) Introduction to the Lefebvrist schism "If we eat only the accidents (appearances), how do we eat Christ, who said unless we eat his flesh and drink his blood (substances), we will not have life?" "When I read John 6 it seems obvious to me that Jesus was speaking of 'eating his flesh and drinking his blood' in a purely symbolic way." "How can Catholics say Christ does not die again on the altar when the Council of Trent states that he is immolated in the Mass?" "Does the Catholic Church accept other theologies of the Eucharist besides transubstantiation?" "I know of a priest who, during the consecration, used to say 'This is our bread of life' instead of 'This is my body.' Was this valid? What if the priest makes only minor variations in the words? How much must be there for the consecration to be valid?" "What is the Eucharistic 'sacrifice'? And when Jesus said, 'Do this in memory of me,' what was 'this'?" "Why do Catholics kneel at Mass?" "Are lay people now allowed to give homilies?" "At Mass, are the people supposed to say the Per Ipsum ('Through him, with him, in him . . .') along with the priest?" "In the Latin Mass, which is the correct translation for 'pro multis': 'for many' or 'for all'?" "Are little children required to go to Mass on Sunday?" The Body of Christ Who Can Receive the Eucharist? The Real Presence The Mass The Sacrifice of the Mass Confession The Forgiveness of Sins Indulgences: How They Work Doing Penance Myths About Indulgences A Primer on Indulgences "Why do Catholics say that the power to forgive sins has been given only to priests?" "Is it true that the sacraments of forgiveness might soon be administered by deacons and laymen?" Confession Confirmation Confirmation Confirmation Annointing of the Sick "Is it true that deacons will soon be allowed to anoint the sick?" Anointing of the Sick Holy Matrimony "What does Jesus mean in Matthew 19:9 when he forbids divorce and remarriage on all grounds 'except for unchastity'?" "When a Catholic marries a non-Catholic, does the non-Catholic have to promise to raise their children in the Catholic faith?" "What is the Pauline Privilege, and how does it differ from an annulment?" "Are non-Catholic marriages valid in the eyes of the Catholic Church? What if a Catholic marries a non-Catholic?" Birth Control Contraception Divorce & Remarriage Contraception: Fatal to the Faith Holy Orders Celibacy of the Clergy Celibacy And The Priesthood The Priesthood Debate The Office of New Testament Priest Anglican Orders (Papal doc.) "Why do Catholics cling so tightly to the tradition of apostolic succession when there's no biblical support for it?" "The New Testament mentions only bishops, preists, and deacons. So how can the Catholic Church justify its office of 'priest'?" "What is laicization?" "The Bible says that Timothy was ordained by priests. Doesn't that contradict Catholic teaching that only a bishop can confer Holy Orders?" Bishop, Priest, Deacon Calling Priests "Father" Women and the Priesthood Celibacy isn't the problem (Card. O'Connor) Sacramentals/Holy Objects Relics "Is there any biblical basis for the Catholic use of holy water?" "What about the claim that the brown scapular is the 'assurance of salvation'?" The Sacramentals Talks on the Sacramentals (Long) Born Again: Baptism in the Early Fathers - Proof that the earliest Christians unanimously held a Catholic view of the Sacrament of Baptism, as even Protestant scholars admit This is My Body: Eucharist in the Early Fathers - Proof that the earliest Christians unanimously held a Catholic view of the Holy Eucharist as to Real Presence and Sacrifice, covers the biblical evidence and the major Fathers and early ecclesiastical writers before St. Augustine (ante 400 AD) Reply to Evangelical Critics of the Eucharist and the Fathers - After reading the above, you can check out my reply to prominent Evangelical/Fundamentalist Protestant critics of the Eucharist, such as Norm Geisler/Ralph MacKenzie Roman Catholics and Evangelicals, and others such as James White, William Webster, Eric Svendsen Tertullian, St. Cyprian, Origen, and St. Clement of Alexandria on the Eucharist - Analysis of Tertullian and Cyprian (some claim they held purely "symbolical" views), and Origen and Clement of Alexandria (who used more allegorical methods of biblical interpretation), response to an anti-Catholic of FidoNet (David Goforth) who relies heavily on Philip Schaff St. Augustine on the Eucharist Examination of the complex view of this great Father and Saint on the Holy Eucharist as to Real Presence and Sacrifice, more of my response to David Goforth, many statements from Protestant scholars Philip Schaff, JND Kelly, and Darwell Stone to demonstrate the clear Catholic view of Augustine The Last Things Are You Pre, Mid, or Post ? The Structure of Revelation The Flow of Time in Revelation "What is nirvana, and how does it compare with the Christian idea of heaven?" Hunt-ing the Whore of Babylon The Whore of Babylon Resurrection of the Body The Antichrist Antichrist Revelation (book of) Eschatology General (Last) Judgment Gog and Magog Miscellaneous Catholic Beliefs Dogmatic Facts Dogma Can Dogma Develop? Call No Man Father? The Bible and Spiritual Fatherhood - An explanation of this oft-used verse (Matthew 23:9) against calling our priests "Father", lists the main biblical texts for spiritual fatherhood Ash Wednesday (FAQ) Lent (FAQ) St. Patrick's Confession "Do sacraments work even if not understood by the one receiving them?" "Can you offer any biblical justification for the Church's former teaching that it's sinful to eat meat on Fridays?" Scripture and Tradition: The Rule of Faith in Patristic Thought - An excellent collection of quotations from the Church Fathers compiled by Joe Gallegos showing the true Rule of Faith in the ancient Church -- refutes modern Evangelical critics such as William Webster and James White who try to argue otherwise. The Apologetics Zone - You unlock this door with the key of Peter. Beyond it is another dimension — a dimension of faith, a dimension of intellect, a dimension of Spirit. You’re moving into a land of both Spirit and Light, of things and ideas. You’ve just crossed over into . . . the Apologetics Zone. "What do the letters 'IHS' stand for?" "Who was Felix Culpa?" "What are the criteria used in naming a church a basilica?" Good Friday Devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Doctrinal Foundation of Devotion to the SacredHeart of Jesus

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