Is the Pope the "Antichrist" of the Bible?

Pope Francis will be visiting the United States in September for a conference on family life.  Mentions of the Pope in current events tend to elicit strong reactions from certain segments of Christian culture in America.

One of those reactions is the claim that the Pope (or the Papacy in general) is the “Antichrist”.  This might strike the average person as being a bizarre, fringe opinion of a few screaming lunatics.  And it is true, thankfully, that this belief is becoming less common.

The Letter to Philemon and Slavery

A while ago I saw a video of writer Dan Savage addressing a gathering of young journalists.  His topic was the bullying of people with same-sex attraction.  However, his presentation included a chilling example of bullying in which he lambasted the Christians in the room, mocking them as they left in tears.

He made two claims.  The first was that the only commandment Christians believed carried over from the Old Testament was those against homosexual acts.  I wrote about that topic here.  The other claim was that the New Testament endorses slavery, particularly the book of Philemon.

Here is what Savage said:

“Paul doesn't say, 'Christians don't own people.'  Paul talks about how Christians own people.”

On that basis he says the Bible cannot be trusted as a moral guide.  So… does it?

The Catholic Church and Suicide

Depression and suicide come into the news periodically - particularly when a famous person ends his life.  A recent example was the late Robin Williams. 

These instances point us back to our own lives.  One fact I cannot get accustomed while in high school youth ministry is the staggering number of kids who have battled depression and suicide.  It seems to be everywhere.

I'm no expert on the psychology of suicide or depression, but perhaps there is one thing I can usefully shed some light on.  Today I wanted to examine what the Catholic Church teaches regarding suicide.

If Jesus Was a Myth...

CS Lewis famously asserted his "Trillemma" argument regarding the identity of Jesus of Nazareth.  It proposes that a man who claims to be God can be one of three things; God, a wicked liar, or a complete madman.  This is usually called the alliterative “Lord, Liar, Lunatic Trillemma”.

There is a fourth option which CS Lewis dismissed based on his knowledge of literature.  Namely, that New Testament is either partly or entirely mythological.  This option is often labeled, "Legend".  It proposes that the Apostles (or other early Christians) embellished Jesus' story with claims to divinity or completely fabricated the man wholesale.

The Catholic Church and Evolution

A while ago there was a high-profile debate between Kevin Ham and Bill Nye (the science guy).  This was seen by many as a clash between two diametrically opposed worldviews:  The world of science and the world of Christian faith.

Today I wanted to discuss why this dichotomy is thought to exist and where the Catholic Church stands on it.

How Was Jesus a Melchizedek Priest?

The major theme of the letter to the Hebrews is the interaction between the sacrifices of the Mosaic Law and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.  One of the key assertions in that letter is that Jesus is not a Levitical priest - that is, a priest according to the Law of Moses - but a priest after the order of Melchizedek.

The letter says:

"We have this as a steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." - Hebrews 6:19-20

What does that mean?  That's what we'll examine today.

How to NOT do Historical Exegesis

I recently ran across a fella whose background included sub-optimal experiences with his Catholic family.  It left him being very jaded toward the Catholic Church - particularly the idea of hierarchical leadership.  

I pointed out that church leadership was found (and commended) in the Bible.  One good example would be in the letter to the Hebrews:

"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you." - Hebrews 13:17

He replied by telling me to keep in mind the sin of the Nicolaitans.  What is that, you ask?  Good question.  I didn't know either.