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.  

The Best Christian Song I've Heard...

A few months ago I added the KLOVE Christian music station to my presets.  I soon realized every single song is a theologically neutral, upbeat pop song about Jesus Christ.  This is fine at first, but after a while I found myself asking, “Is this all we’ve got?”

But... Are They "Persons"?

I once heard this amusing observation about the abortion debate:

The Pro-Life side is usually characterized as being religious.  And religious people – as everyone knows – hate the natural sciences.  “Pro-Choice” people tend to be secular.  And secular people – as everyone knows – love the natural sciences.

Now, the central question to abortion is the status of the thing growing inside the mother’s womb.  If that thing is a little human being, then you cannot do violence against it.  If it is a blob of amorphous tissue, then do whatever you want to it.

In regard to this question, the Pro-Life side is happy to appeal to the findings of the natural sciences.

“Here is an ultrasound,” says the pro-lifer, “Here are some medical journals on gestational development.   Here are some biology textbooks defining terms like ‘human’ and ‘life’ and ‘organism’.  Let me know if you have any questions!”

In the face of this question it is the supporters of abortion legality who suddenly put on a philosopher’s hat, furrows their collective brow, and ask:

“What is a human person anyway?  What does it mean to be a person? Can a child in the womb write poetry?  Can it do mathematics?  Does it feel emotions?”  

This philosophical rumination forms the basis of what I call the Argument for the Legality of Abortion from Personhood (AFLAFP).