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Scripture and the Pope: Part 5
2008-06-05 20:13:00 Here is Part 5 in my debate with Amy on papal infallibility as it is found in Scripture. Also see Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4.Pax Christi,phatcatholic - - - - - - - - - -I apologize ahead of time that most my comments are not backed with Scripture at this point. I have made most of those already in previous posts. While I put little stock in my own opinions as compared to the authority of Scripture, I am responding to the best of my ability from a biblical worldview rather than by book, chapter and verse. I have prayed extensively about this, as I consider truth claims no light matter that can be made without great accountability. (To whom much has been given, much is required.)I do think that the lack of Scriptural support is a deficiency in your argumentation. I mean no offense in this at all, but many of your arguments seem to come from your own ideas of what you would like a verse to mean instead of what the context, the original languages, other Scripture passages, and biblical schola...
Crosswalking Catholicism
2008-05-16 18:47:00 You all may be familiar with a Protestant website called Crosswalk. Many people, including myself, use their "Bible Study Tools" for Scripture study because they include various translations of Scripture, along with a wide variety of commentaries, concordances, dictionaries, encyclopedias, lexicons, and other reference works. It really is an amazingly helful website.At any rate, I noticed today an article on their homepage entitled, "Why Do Catholics Have a Pope?", by Sarah Jennings (Crosswalk.com Family Editor). Of course, that sparked my interest, so I gave it a read. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that it was THE most accurate explanation of the papacy by a Protestant that I had ever read! What a relief!!Honestly, I expected the usual misunderstandings: Catholics worship the pope, the pope thinks he is Jesus on earth, the pope replaces Jesus as head of the Church, everything the pope says is inspired by the Holy Spirit, the pope can do no wrong, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah. T...
Scripture and the Pope: Part 4
2008-05-15 19:48:00 Here is Part 4 in my debate with Amy on papal infallibility as it is found in Scripture. Also see Parts 1, 2, and 3.Pax Christi,phatcatholic- - - - - - - - - -Somewhere between ?Pope? and utter nonsense, is my view of name changes in the Bible. Jesus does not deliver the name change at this point, only makes reference to it. As if he said, ?Peter, just like your name means Rock, upon the Rock of what you just said (You are the Son of God) I will build my kingdom.? Kind of like, ?Amy (cute girl in the profile pic), Just like your name means beloved, so this smart, Phatcatholic guy loves you.?I disagree with you here and I think I can prove why, but I also don't think it's necessary. We may be going on a tangent in debating what or who "this rock" is. My understanding is that the identity of the rock confirms Peter's primacy among the apostles and the unique leadership position that Jesus gave to Peter. But, we're not debating that. Instead, we are debating whether or not Peter (a...
Scripture and the Pope: Part 3
2008-05-04 15:00:00 Here is Part 3 in my debate with Amy on the authority and infallibility of Peter (and his successors) as it is found in Scripture. Also see Parts 1 and 2.Pax Christi,phatcatholic - - - - - - - - - -Though my digestion of your post is incomplete, and I have no hope of addressing everything you have written, I will do my best to reply. My reply is very incomplete. Thank you, in advance, for putting up with the length of this.The length doesn't bother me at all. I try to be as concise as possible, but sometimes you just have to write a lot in order to defend a position, and I'm okay with that.Some of your post matches up with what I have learned my entire life in studying the Bible.Some things you have written, I hold as truth, the first of them being that,?All things pale in comparison to Jesus.?Second, I also agree with your view that people?s names hold great importance.Good to know.Thirdly, your point on keys and authority pointing back to the Davidic kingdom ("Among these was a ...
Scripture and the Pope: Part 2
2008-05-02 05:59:00 Here is Part 2 in my debate with Amy on the authority of the pope and the Scriptural witness to this authority. Also see Part 1.Pax Christi,phatcatholic - - - - - - - - - -Thank you for engaging me in this discussion. I know you are busy. I have been praying for you and the cute girl in your profile pic.Thank you!! That means a great deal to me. We certainly need your prayers. You'll be happy to know that my fiancee's name is Amy too!...to the fact that we are both Switchfoot fans, there can be no debate on this.Great!Again we have a point where no contention can be made: The Bible is authoritative because it has been inspired by God (God-breathed). (2 Tim. 3:16, 17)Good to know.Now I have a question: 1)How do you know for sure: "his words are protected from error by a charism of the Holy Spirit given to the Successor of St. Peter."Can you direct me to scripture that supports this?Well, as I'm sure you know, the foundational passage is Mt 16:13-20, where we find a truly amazing c...
Scripture and the Pope: Part 1
2008-04-30 19:19:00 What follows is Part 1 in what I think will be a very fruitful dialogue with Amy, who owns a blog called "The Way I Say." I happened upon her blog because I was looking for a poem about redemption for a presentation on that topic and she just happened to have exactly what I needed. Since then she has made some very helpful comments on my blog and I look forward to our dialogue together.That said, here is her first post to me:First of all, do you like switchfoot, because that is a most important matter to clear up?Do you give as much authority to the Pope's words as you do to scripture?I definitely like Switchfoot! I hope that's ok :DAs for your second question, I don't want to give a simple "Yes" or "No" answer because I'm afraid it might imply things I don't intend. I will say that, when the pope speaks as the Successor of St. Peter, in his role of feeding and tending God's people, on a matter of faith and morals that is to be binding on the whole Church, then his words requi...
In Memoriam
2008-04-03 02:09:00 In honor of Pope John Paul II on this, the third anniversary of his death, I present the following poems: In Memoriam: The Beginning by Alfred Loyd Tennyson and Fulfillment--Apocalypsis (from the second panel of his Roman Triptych) by Pope John Paul II.Karol Wojtyla, requiescat in pace. - - - - - -In Memoriamby Alfred Lord TennysonThe BeginningSTRONG Son of God, immortal Love,Whom we, that have not seen thy face,By faith, and faith alone, embrace,Believing where we cannot prove;Thine are these orbs of light and shade;Thou madest Life in man and brute;Thou madest Death; and lo, thy footIs on the skull which thou hast made.Thou wilt not leave us in the dust:Thou madest man, he knows not why,He thinks he was not made to die;And thou hast made him: thou art just.Thou seemest human and divine,The highest, holiest manhood, thou:Our wills are ours, we know not how;Our wills are ours, to make them thine.Our little systems have their day;They have their day and cease to be:They are but broke...
Church Authority and the Papacy
2008-01-25 21:04:00 Were the Nicolaitans Quasi-Catholic?The Magisterium: Guardians of TruthAre There Apostles Today?Is Scripture Self-Interpreting?:Parts One -- Two -- ThreePeter, the Married PopeExpositing Some Answers: On the Authority of Peter, Parts One -- Two -- Three -- FourWhy Is the Pope So Special?Infallibility and the History of the ChurchThe Apostle to the Jews as the Bishop of Rome: Parts One and TwoOn Infallibility and Choosing the Successor of PeterDebate with "HeadzUp" on the Biblical Proof for the Authority of the PapacyProtestant Scholars on Mt 16:16-19Peter at the Jerusalem Council and Other Points Related to His Authority
Brief Response to Kelly, or An Overview of Living by the Spirit
2007-12-05 07:40:00 Deus Caritas Est (25 Dec 2005) Spe Salvi (30 Nov 2007) I’m acting as secretary for the Vatican. See, I hate to read long articles while sitting at my computer screen. So I try to print them out if I can. The Vatican’s website didn’t have a very printable version of the ...
New Hymn to Mary?
2007-12-02 09:26:00 Now I really can’t wait to read the new encyclical from Pope Benedict XVI. Apparently, there is a new hymn to Mary: At the conclusion of his encyclical released today, Pope Benedict honored Mary as our model of hope and asked for her intercession in showing us the way to the Father. Using a title for Mary used for ...
Pope Benedict Releases New Encyclical
2007-12-02 09:21:00 The pope has released a new encyclical entitled Spe Salvi, which is a theological reflection upon hope. Here is the summary (another one here) from Catholic News Agency. I am going to read the entire document and comment as soon as I get time. For now, the Pope’s introduction interests me: According to the Christian faith, ...
Infallibly Defined?On Two Lists out of Four
2007-11-24 05:27:00 In my previous post, I examined the verses that appeared on all four of Steve Ray’s lists of infallibly defined verses according to the Roman Catholic Church. In this post, I will take a quick look at two verses which appear on two of the lists, Matthew 16:16-19 and Matthew 26:26-28 et. al. with ...
Were the Nicolaitans Quasi-Catholic?
2007-10-17 02:32:00 There are two verses in the second chapter of the book of Revelation that fundamentalist Protestants like to twist into a condemnation of Catholicism. These verses are the only two references in Scripture to a group called the Nicolaitans:Rev 2:6 Yet this you have, you hate the works of the Nicola'itans, which I also hate.Rev 2:14-15 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice immorality. 15 So you also have some who hold the teaching of the Nicola'itans.From a study of the etymology of the name of the group ("Nicolaitan" probably means "victory over the people") and influenced by their own antipathy towards a hierarchical structure in the Church, these fundamentalists are somehow, through an amazing exercise in twisted logic, able to conclude that Jesus, in revealing to John what he did in these two passages, ...
The Magisterium: Guardians of Truth
2007-10-12 04:42:00 Here is a second question from "Lady Mo" on the role of the Magisterium in the interpretation of Scripture, and the role of the Bible in the lives of lay Catholics. Paul's command to Timothy goes out to the entire teaching office of the Church. Praise God that in Her, God's inspired Word finds safekeeping.Pax Christi,phatcatholic- - - - - - - - - -I understand you need time to answer my first question. Lately, I have not been on the board as much, so, I thought while I am here, I can get in all the questions and comments I have now. So, take your time...I will be back periodically to check in on your responses.I thank God for your questions. Please feel free to ask me as many as you want. I would much rather answer questions then get into long, drawn-out debates with people, but it seems that nowadays people are more interested in refuting me than with trying to understand me.Ok, to my understanding it was once held, or still is, that bishops are the only individuals who are able ...
Are There "Apostles" Today?
2007-10-03 01:08:00 Most Catholics probably don't realize this, but there are many preachers in the Protestant community who actually take on the title of "Apostle", or "Prophet", or even "Apostle and Prophet." So, you may see a sign that says, "Apostle So-and-So will be preaching at the Sunday service," or hear in conversation with Protestants, "Prophet So-and-So is my favorite preacher." But, are there really "Apostles" and "Prophets" today?"caleb4life" from the HCR forum asked a question about this as it pertains specifically to Apostles, and it gave me the opportunity to do an interesting Bible study on a subject I had never really thought much about before. What resulted was a worthwhile exchange, which you will see below.Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ....ora pro nobis.Pax Christi,phatcatholic - - - - - - - - - -Are their true Apostles today?It depends on what you mean by "apostle." In the strict sense, an apostle is someone who followed Jesus Christ during his life time, was made privy to his s...
Is Scripture Self-Interpreting?: Part 3
2007-09-07 19:50:00 Last month, I posted a 2-part debate on whether or not Scripture is self-interpreting, which lead into a discussion of the role of the Church in interpreting Scripture. Well, I just realized today that I never posted Part 3 in the debate, so I figured I might as well post it now. There's not a whole lot to it, but I guess it still works to round-out the views I expressed in my two earlier posts. See also Part 1 and Part 2.Pax Christi,phatcatholic - - - - - -My response above will be my response to what you said concerning one overarching interpreter. Given the re-contextualizing of the Biblical text which speaks in new ways to the reader by the dynamics of different times, places, and spirit of the age, having a situated interpreter interpreting within the confines of his own time and space is inadequate.Was that for me? If so, then you may have misunderstood what I said.The Church is not stuck in the past. It is developing and growing every day, just like the rest of the world. It...
Peter, the Married Pope
2007-09-04 21:08:00 What follows is a short exchange I had on Peter's marriage and the implications (if any) of this for his role as the first "pope", so to speak. I'm responding to two different people here, but I don't feel like designating a color for each one. Since it's not a debate per se, I don't think it's all that important to know who said what. But, if you are really curious, you can just read the thread here.Pax Christi,phatcatholic - - - - - - - - - -My pastor talked about Peter's character this past Sunday and I noticed that Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law in Luke 4:38-39. It showed that Peter had a wife. Was it because he wasn't assigned as a pope yet and was merely a disciple at that point in time?Quite simply, Peter had a wife b/c he got married before Jesus chose him to be one of His apostles. However, we have reason to believe that once Peter decided to follow Christ, he gave up relations with his wife. In Matthew, we read:Mt 19:27-29 (KJV) Then answered Peter and said un...
"Exposit"-ing Some Answers
2007-08-29 21:30:00 After my last post, "The Expositor" responded with some interesting questions. I'm wondering if they might be traps, since they sound a lot like the common arguments that people make against Peter, but dressed up to look like a question. Perhaps he's hoping that I'll answer something incorrectly so that he can drop a verse on me. Who knows. Stay tuned to see how this develops....Pax Christi,phatcatholic - - - - - - - - - -Did Peter take on the trait of infallibility one this "true and proper" jurisdiction was conferred upon him?I don't think there's a teaching on this, so I don't really know for sure, but I'd imagine that Peter was given the charism of infallibility either: when the Father revealed to him that Jesus was "the Christ, the Son of the Living God" (Mt 16:16-17),when Jesus changed Peter's name and declared that He would build His Church on him (Mt 16:18), orwhen Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Mt 16:19).Basically, I'd say it happened some time...
Luke and John in Defense of Peter
2007-08-29 14:58:00 Since I haven't heard from "The Expositor" yet regarding my defense of Peter and the papacy from Mt 16 and Isa 22, I thought I would go ahead and bring in a few other passages commonly used in this debate.First, we read from John:Jn 21:15-19 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." 16 A second time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." 17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stre...
The Authority of Peter in Mt 16
2007-08-27 19:59:00 The primary passage in support of the authority of Peter (and of subsequent popes) is Mat 16:18-19. Here is the passage, in context:Mt 16:13-20 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare'a Philip'pi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?" 14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli'jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to...
Peter, the First Pope?
2007-08-27 19:21:00 While I was away on vacation, "The Expositor" created a thread in the HCR forum seeking a defense of the authority of Peter. Of course, I am happy to oblige. What follows is my response to a few comments made by him and "RJ" in that thread. Other people chimed in as well, but these two more directly address the topic at hand. "The Expositor" will be in gray/silver. "RJ" will be in blue.In my next post I will provide a preliminary Biblical defense of Peter and the papacy.Pax Christi,phatcatholic - - - - - - - - - -phatcatholic,Do you believe that if a person denies that Peter was the first pope, they are accursed?What about all succeeding Popes? If we deny the primacy of the Pope and deny that he has full jurisdiction over the whole church, are we accursed?Well, first of all, the Church never damns people to hell. That's not what anathemas are. An anathema means that a person has separated himself from the Church on a particular point of dogma. The result is excommunication. However...
Why Is the Pope So Special?
2007-07-18 17:07:00 "Crossover" asked the following question in the HCR forum:I guess I shouldnt say this because its a question and andwer thread, but elders are very biblical. but what you said does bring up a question, what makes you think the pope is holy (manifestly perfect)...or are you just using that in the context as in we are all made holy to God?"Holy Father" and "Your Holiness" are formal greetings for the pope. These are the traditional ways of referring to him. Granted, not every pope in the history of the Church has lived up to the title, but the vast majority of them have, and our present pope definitely has. Regardless, the greeting is used not so much because the pope deserves it but because he holds a position in the Church that demands respect. Just like we respect the position of a judge in our judicial system by greeting him as "Your Honor," we greet the pope by saying "Holy Father" or "Your Holiness."The pope in particular, in virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders he has receive...
Rock of the Church Handout
2007-07-02 17:50:00 I uploaded a new file to the "My Files" Box at the bottom of my sidebar. It's a handout on Mt 16:16-19 and how a wealth of Protestant biblical scholarship affirms the various claims that Catholics make about the passage. Note that each quote is from a different Protestant scholar. I did this to show the broad range of scholarship on this topic.I think it turned out pretty good. Feel free to use it however you wish, as long as you don't take credit for it. For more examples of Protestant biblical scholarship on Mt 16:16-19, go here. For more on Peter as the Rock of the Church, go here.Pax Christi,phatcatholic |
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