The Scandalous Lesson of Old Testament Kings

Back in the Lent of 2012, my Lenten devotion was to read the Old Testament for a half hour every day.  The Old Testament can be troubling in many ways, but I found a few lessons in there which gave me great comfort.  Lessons which I’ve been reflecting on recently.

Today I’d like to share one of them.

What was in the 95 Theses, Anyway?

This year is 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's posting of the 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral - an act which many credit as the beginning of the Protestant movement.

But what were the 95 Theses?  What was Martin Luther protesting at point in his career?  Today I wanted to take a look at this most important document from the great man of history.

Looking East: Why Not Orthodoxy?

I recently asked a good friend what topic he'd like to see me address.  He asked:

"Why aren't you Orthodox?"

It is a very fair question. There are many “Cradle Catholics” who have never asked themselves why they –as adults - are Catholic and not anything else.  Is it just because I was raised this way?

At the same time, many Christians raised in Evangelicalism begin a hard journey when they read the writings of the ancient Christian church and find a world which looks startlingly like Catholicism and Orthodoxy.  For those who feel conscience-bound to enter that world, the decision between Catholicism and Orthodoxy often becomes a crucial fork in the road.

So why am I not Orthodox?  There are several avenues I could travel down.  But today I'd like to examine the one core reason.

Who Counts as a Christian?

The eleventh chapter of Acts records an important moment in Christian history:

"And in Antioch the disciples were first called 'Christians'." - Acts 11:26

To be a "Christian" means you are a member of Jesus' flock, a disciple of the Lord, and a member of the New Covenant in Christ.   Inversely, if someone tells you you’re NOT a Christian, you are being told that you’re none of those things.  So it's kind of a big deal.

I thought of that a few days ago I saw this video where some guy (with amazing hair) interviewed a Catholic nun.  He opened the talk by saying a survey of his audience revealed 84% of them considered Catholics to be Christians.  Of course, this means 16% either said “no” ... or weren't sure.

I could go on about the sad (and ironic) phenomenon of people thinking Catholics aren't Christians, but not today.  Today I wanted to ask a different question:

Who counts as a Christian anyway?  

And perhaps just as importantly:

Who decides?

Short Answer: What About Bad Popes?

Dear Apologist, How do I respond to questions about the bad Popes in our history?

One theme that runs through the whole Bible is that God does great works despite using very poor materials. This served as a sign that it was truly God at work.

Papal Infallibility and Paul's Rebuke

Pope Francis’ upcoming visit has me in the mood to write about Pope related stuff.  Today I wanted to talk about Papal Infallibility and the most common argument against it.

Let’s dive in!

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.

Long Answer: What is the Difference Between Catholics and "Protestants" ?

A few months ago during the high school Bible Study we had a guest come from another Christian congregation.  Late in the meeting she innocently asked one of the most complicated questions possible:  “What is the difference between Catholics and Protestants?”

Where does one begin?

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?

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. 

Short Answer: The Popes and Slavery

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