Podcasts for the New Year

I remember one time I was talking to a person about the Christian faith.  This person, for all intents and purposes, knew only the basics of its contents.  I mentioned how important it is to study and learn more about it.  She helplessly replied, "How?  No one ever told me how!"

One fairly straightforward way of doing this, of course, is to read the Bible alongside the Catechism.  But for people on the move - folks who don't have the time to study two large tomes - other options may be desired.

So perhaps for your New Year's resolution, you want to learn more about the Catholic faith.  Today I wanted to share my favorite podcasts.  Each day I put a few on my MP3 player to listen to on my way to work, and whenever I'm sitting at my computer.

Love the Sinner...

A friend of mine asked me to write something about love.  Not in the sense of “I love cookies”, but in the “loving your neighbor” type of way.

So I decided to talk about the old adage of "love the sinner, hate the sin".  Here goes.

Sin, Virtue, and God's Anger

I was teaching Bible study last week when a student asked, "Is [blank] a sin?"

I felt an odd sort of embarrassment in answering the question.  My mind produced an image of myself as a revivalist preacher - scaring the daylights out of impressionable people, waving my Bible at them, and commanding them to repent their wicked ways or incur the anger of God. 

And while I do want the little rascals to repent their wicked ways... it makes one ask: In favor of what? 

The God of the Small

One of the ladies I work with asked me to speak to her nephew, who is a professed Atheist.  At one point he said to me:

“This universe is absolutely huge.  Our solar system is only one of millions in the Milky Way.  The Milky Way is just one of millions of galaxies in the universe.  The planet earth is a tiny speck tucked away in a cold, dark void.  You are a speck on that speck.  And you believe that God notices you and thinks you are important?”

What Did the Early Church Believe Regarding the Holy Family?

Christmas time tends to get people focused on the Holy Family.  That is to say; Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.  The Nativity Narratives tell of their travails moving from Nazareth, to Bethlehem, to Egypt, and back.  But it doesn’t get too specific regarding what happened afterward.

One question that arises frequently today is whether Jesus had any biological brothers and sisters. The Catholic and Orthodox Churches famously say "no".  They hold that Mary remained a virgin throughout her whole life, rendering Jesus and only-child. 

Many arguments can be made regarding the clues left to us in the Bible.  But today I wanted to explore what the earliest Christians believed on the matter.  Did they believe Jesus had biological half-siblings, as is common today? 

So let’s dive in.

The Shock of the Nativity... and Kangaroos.

One of my students asked me recently, “I was working with a girl who said she thought the Eucharist was totally stupid. Like, she couldn’t possibly believe that it really is the flesh and blood of Christ.  How do I respond to that?”

“Is she a Christian?” I asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

I couldn’t help but laugh. 

Jehovah’s Witnesses at the Door - Part II

Today we'll finish what we started yesterday with a couple of historical questions. [LINK]  

[*As a bonus, due to their shared belief in the Great Apostasy, these two arguments work with Mormons as well.]

Jehovah’s Witnesses at the Door - Part 1

A few folks have asked me to address this, so here goes. 

Perhaps you’ve had the experience of opening up the door to two individuals carrying pamphlets from the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.  These two upstanding individuals are part of a quasi (but not really) Christian group known as the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Who are these folks?  What do they believe?  And how do we respond?  We'll look at three tactics one can take.

How did the Early Christians Worship? - Part 2

In the previous note [LINK] I asked two questions:  When did the earliest Christians worship?  What did they do when they gathered together?

I started with some Biblical evidence, but conceded that my conclusions could simply be the result of bias on my part.  So today we’ll look at three written works from the early Church in an attempt to flesh out the picture…

How did the Early Christians Worship? - Part 1

Today I wanted to ask some questions about Christian worship:  How did the early Christians worship?  Specifically, on what day did they gather?  What did they do when they gathered?  Those are the questions I want to explore today.

The Catholic Church and Homosexuality - Part I

About a year ago, one of the seniors at my Monday night discussion group pointed out that in 4 years she'd never heard a word at the larger OLMC Youth Ministry gatherings (on Thursdays) about the one issue she's asked about more than anything else at school: The Catholic Church's teaching on homosexuality.

And she was right. The Thursday night gatherings have covered everything under the sun, but has never ever said a word about the matter. Seeing as how THE thing their peers (and society as a whole) want to talk about, it seemed neglectful to let them twist in the wind while avoiding the controversy ourselves.

So I took up the task of wring a curriculum. And after nearly a year of work, we've finally begin a 3-part series on the matter. The first two presentations are my work. You can hear and see the first one on Youtube [ here ].

The Annunciation and the Dumbest Question Ever Asked

Many regard Christmas as the day the God became man.  But if you think about it, you’ll realize the Word had already been flesh for 9 months prior to His reception in Bethlehem.  The true epoch-making event occurred when a young girl said to an angel, “Let it be done to me according to your word.”

Today I wanted to examine an often overlooked detail in that extraordinary exchange and explore its implications.

Do the Infancy Narratives Contradict?

Back in college, near Christmas break in 2007, Kari and I heard the worst sermon ever given.  The priest approached the pulpit and basically said, "You know, the infancy narratives contradict one another. Try not to take any of this too seriously. Let's all just act in a Christian manner by being nice to people."

Delightful.

But tis the season, and I thought I'd take on the question of whether the infancy narratives contradict one another.  So if Biblical chronology is your thing, I have a treat for you!

What is "The Authority Bomb?"

A couple years ago a friend asked me a question about the structure of the Catholic Church.  It went something like this:

Why do you need to listen to bishops and the pope?  Why can’t you just use the Scriptures to have an unmediated personal relationship with God?

Short Answer: Infant Baptism in the Bible?

Dear Apologist, How do I defend our practice of Baptizing infants from Scripture?

Do Our Ancestors Watch Over Us?

When someone dies, are they simply lost to us?  Are they absorbed into the Heavenly choir, never to think of us again?  Do they sink into a suspended animation, aware of nothing at all? 

Even for Christians who believe in the promise of eternal life, death can still have a cruel sting for those left behind on earth.  Our loved ones go on to a better place, but we are left with silence.

Short Answer: What Does the Catholic Church Teach Regarding How People are Saved?

Dear Apologist, What is the Catholic perspective on how a person is saved?

Short Answer: What is the Difference Between Divorce and Annulment?

Dear Apologist, what is the difference between divorce and annulment?

Did the Early Church Have a Pope - Part IV - The Later Witnesses

In the previous note I began showing testimony to the role of the successors of Peter in early antiquity.  Today I wanted to conclude with a survey of some witnesses in later antiquity.

Let’s dive in.

Did the Early Church Have a Pope - Part III - The Early Witnesses

In the previous note I surveyed the statements of the early Popes themselves.  Those quotes seemed to express the idea that they were the successors of Peter and had a special ministry to care for the entire Church. 

But I closed with a question; was this ministry recognized by others? 

Did the Early Church Have a Pope - Part II - The Stewards

In the previous note I attempted to resolve the issue of intractable disagreement between bishops.  Drawing on evidence from the Bible, I proposed that the solution was a unique gift of authority and protection given to Peter.  This authority would be passed down to his successors – who resided in Rome - so that there can always be a person to speak with finality on an issue. 

But does early Christian history reflect what I have proposed? 

Today I wanted to begin looking at some testimonial evidence from history.  Specifically, what did the early bishops of Rome say about their own ministry?

Did the Early Church Have a Pope - Part I - The Keybearer

In my previous note series I tried to show how the early Christian church was structured.  It began with Jesus ordaining the Apostles to teach and govern the Church in His name.  These Apostles then passed their doctrine and authority on to successors, called the “bishops”.  And on it goes.

But if this is all there was, I would argue it would still be an incomplete system for delivering of Christian unity and truth. 

What happens when these bishops come to a protracted disagreement over something they all feel is important to the faith?  What happens when factions grow within that college of bishops?

In order to preserve unity AND truth, what is need is a final decision-maker who serves as a living standard-bearer. 

How Was The Early Church Structured? - Part II

Last time I began by asking two questions.
 
1) What means did Jesus establish for the conveyance of the Christian faith? 
2) How was the early Church organized and governed?

I started with some Biblical evidence, but conceded I could have been twisting things out of context.  So today we look at testimonies from the people who were there.

How Was The Early Church Structured? - Part I

Today I wanted to continue looking at various aspects of the early Christian Church.  Specifically, let’s examine two interrelated questions: 

1) What means did Jesus establish for the conveyance of the Christian faith? 

2) How was the early Church structured?

We’ll begin by looking at the Biblical data.

Short Answer: The Popes and Slavery

Dear Apologist, Did the Popes approve of slavery during the colonial era?

"The Church is Full of Hypocrites"

“The Church would be great if we could just get rid of all the sinners.”

That sarcastic little quip comes from the mouth of Patrick Coffin, host of a popular Christian radio show.  It is meant to point out that the pews would be empty if such a task was undertaken.  There would be beautiful architecture, ornate stained glass windows, and nobody there. 

What did Jesus teach about Divorce?

A while ago I wrote a note about the way Christians ought to treat people with same-sex attractions.  I mentioned that if more Christians were willing to speak frankly about things like divorce, then homosexual acts would not be perceived as being a sin above all others.  

Well, today I’ll take my own advice and draft a sketch of a very tough issue.  What did Jesus teach about divorce?

How Old Was Jesus On Christmas?

Is abortion a religious issue?  That depends on who you ask.  Ironically, it is often the religious pro-lifers who are more likely to say this isn’t a religious issue.  Take for instance Jimmy Akin, a famous Christian apologist and writer who produced this video.

However, today I wanted to address the issue from the standpoint of the Christian scriptures.  Is there anything the Bible that tells us how God regards babies in the womb?

Judge Not...

Recently I’ve seen the following picture pop up in a few places:

 Aside from the problematic nature of putting vulgar words into the mouth of Christ, this picture typifies one of the most common and least examined non-sequiters in our culture; the conflation of judging actions and judging people.  Today I’d like to examine that piece of modern wisdom.

The Basics of Purgatory

Today I wanted to talk about Purgatory.  What is it?  Is it in the Bible?

Short Answer: The Church and Just War

Dear Apologist, What does the Church teach about the justifiability of war?

Mary, Mother of the Baptized

I once had a chimney contractor over to my house to fix the fireplace.  As it turned out, she also wanted to talk about Jesus.  We had a great conversation… until I asked her a question that made her visibly uncomfortable.  I asked if she’d given thought to the role Mary (the mother of Jesus) plays in the Christian life. 

I’d barely gotten the question out before she suddenly had to leave. 

That experience stuck with me.  It was my introduction to the fact that Jesus’ mom is a very divisive figure outside the Catholic bubble.  So today I want to examine the question I naively asked the chimney lady…  

What is the relationship between Jesus’ mother and Jesus’ disciples? 

Hail, Queen Mary

If you examine Catholic and Orthodox piety, you'll notice a crazy amount of attention given to Mary, the mother of Jesus.  They (we) regard her as the mother of all Christians and as a queen. 

For many this can seem a bit odd.  The Bible presents her as a blessed woman, a holy woman... but a queen?  Is that supported in the text of Scripture?

That's what I wanted to look at today. 

Why do People Go to Hell?

One of the first things people learn about the Christian faith is the two eternal destinations: Heaven and Hell.  

The basic formula we learn is that good people go to Heaven - where everyone lives on fluffy clouds and plays harps.  Bad people, on the other hand, will go to Hell - where they will undergo an eternity of fiery punishment. 

The concept of Hell can be very confusing.  Most of us don’t want to see harm come to other people – even those we dislike.  The idea of condemning a person to an eternity of misery and torment seems a bit… psychotic.  Yet, Christianity posits that our infinitely good, infinitely loving, and infinitely merciful God is prepared to do just that.

So… what’s that about?  How could a loving God do that to someone?

Why Listen to Saint Paul?

I was recently talking to a fella about some Bible topics. I mentioned a few things from the writings of Saint Paul and he replied, (paraphrasing):

“I don’t go by what Paul said.  Paul was an invasive influence in the early church and his philosophy contradicts was Jesus taught.  I only go by what Jesus said.”

And then, curiously, I ran into this same idea a few more times.  So today I wanted to take on this “Jesus only” ethic and answer the question of why should we listen to Paul.

Can Christians Consume Crayfish?

A few weeks ago I ran across an online post called, "11 Things the Bible Bans, But You Do Anyway". It was a fascinating list that included things like tattoos, eating shellfish, and trimming one’s sideburns.  A formidable list!  And indeed, all of those prohibitions can be found in the pages of Scripture.  But the post invites a question…

 What does it mean when someone says “the Bible forbids” something? 

Answering the Violinist Argument:

I’ve been answering pro-life questions since I arrived at the position in high school.  Most questions boil down to dissecting slogans, resolving tough ethical dilemmas, and identifying red herrings.  Answering an actual argument in favor of the ethicalness of abortion is a very rare thing.

Today I want to talk about one attempt to do that.  It is called the  Violinist Argument.

A Reflection on the Side of Christ

Today I wanted to examine an occurrence found in the crucifixion account of Saint John: 

“Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the Sabbath.  The Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down. 

So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.”  - John 19:31-34

I want to examine three significant meanings of this event:

What Constitutes Christian Persecution?

In recent months the persecution of Christians worldwide has become more publicly known. 

There are some who would even say there is persecution of Christians in the United States.  Those claims are largely laughed off as the self-righteous equivocations of pampered Christians bemoaning the loss of cultural dominance. 

But could there be any validity to those assertions?  What exactly constitutes persecution? 

Welcome!

Welcome to the ACTS Apologist Blog.  My name is Steven O'Keefe.  I'm a Catholic layman with a passion for writing short, efficient explanations of the Christian faith. 

By trade I'm a mechanical engineer, but I volunteer as a high school youth minister and amateur apologist for my local parish.  I plan to post regular essays of roughly 700 words, augmented by short weekly snippets of 300 words. 

Topics will include current events, philosophy, theology, history, and Biblical exegesis.  Thanks for stopping by.