In this episode, we are continuing our discussion on Providence and the Protestant canon of Scripture. This week, we focus our attention on the criterion of the consistent reception of the books of Scripture as it applies to the Deuterocanonical books of the Old and New Testaments Testament.
In this episode we are continuing our discussion on Providence and the Protestant canon of Scripture. This week, we focus our attention on the criterion of the inspiration of Scripture as it applies to the Deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament.
In this episode, we are continuing our discussion of the question on Providence and the Protestant canon of Scripture. This week, we focus our attention on the history of the reception of the Deuterocanonical books of the Old and New Testaments.
What are some of the best tools for figuring out dates and places in Christian history? In this brief episode we talk about an important tool for the study of our Catholic faith, namely, the Atlas of Christian History, which was published by Dr. Tim Dowley. Church history is full of names, dates and places. read more…
Who Was Marcion? In this episode we discuss the work of Marcion of Pontus (fl. 140s AD). We note why Marcion of Pontus, a pivotal figure of second-century Christianity, played a key role in pushing Christian conversation around critical questions such as the canon of Scripture, Paul’s authority in the Church and the relationship read more…
What is an up to date and affordable resource for the study of the Catholic heritage? The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church has been for many years my go to resource when studying the vast history of the Christian tradition. read more…
Were the early Christians persecuted? In this episode, we begin our new series on martyrdom in the history of early Christianity. In this episode, we discuss the evidence provided by the Roman historian Tacitus. read more…
How important is tradition for Catholic interpretations of the Bible? In this episode, I provide my first response to a recent book written about the value of Reformation principles for the interpretation of the Bible. read more…
In the Second Vatican Council’s Unitatis Redintegratio (Restoration of Unity – The Decree on Ecumenism 21 Nov 1964), the Council fathers spoke of the shared heritage among all Christians. The Council fathers wrote as follows: “On the other hand, Catholics must gladly acknowledge and esteem the truly Christian endowments from our common heritage read more…
In general introductions to the history of the Bible or in books critical of Catholic Christianity, the claim is often made that the Council of Trent was the first ecumenical Council to canonize the Deuterocanonical books. This claim is made read more…
Recent sociological research done by Christian Smith indicates that a high percentage of teens from all US Christian denominations are quickly abandoning Christianity altogether. In a decades long study, Dr. Smith discovered that the religious faith of most US Christian teens is that of therapeutic, moralistic Deism. read more…
Augustine remains among the most well-known Fathers of the early Church. But, how did Augustine’s writings become known to a wider audience after his death? In this episode, we will explore how Augustine’s writings survived in to sixth century Italy through the work of Cassiodorus. Augustine had an initial audience among Italy’s Christians. read more…
One of the salient characteristics of recent criticisms of Pope Francis is the insistence that this awareness is only enjoyed by a few people. Recent English-speaking critics of Francis across the globe have argued that knowledge about Francis and his true agenda was only seen by a few vigilant Catholics since the beginning of his pontificate. As the months and weeks go by, read more…
Every Sunday, various Christian groups (Catholic, Orthodox and certain Protestants) recite a creed which encapsulates some of the central tenets of their faith. In this episode we talk about the practical benefits of reciting the creed on the Nicean-Constantinopolitan Creed or the Apostles’ Creed on a weekly basis. read more…
What did early Christians think about the Scriptures? In this episode, I reflect upon a comment left in class by my former instructor, the late Manlio Simonetti, who stated that in the early church, the Scriptures enjoyed a primacy of place in early Christian read more…
Why is counterargument important for discerning the truth? In this episode, we talk about the importance of critically evaluating not only the ideas of others, but also one’s own ideas. We encourage our audience to examine the various media they consume and ask themselves read more…
What did medieval theologians think about a diversity of theological ideas on the eve of the Reformation? In this episode, we will explore the phenomenon of theological pluralism on the eve of the Reformation. read more…
In the recent past, certain US and Canadian lay Catholics have taken to criticizing Pope Francis. Among their various and numerous criticisms, they often insert a personal testimony about their initial reaction to his election. They note that when they first saw him step out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, they immediately experienced some uncertainty. read more…
There are strong parallels in the ways current Catholic critics are evaluating the words and deeds of Pope Francis to the way earlier scholarship on the papacy evaluated the words and deeds of his predecessors. read more…
What did early Christians of the greater church think about the relationship between Scripture, tradition and the authority the church. In this episode, we argue that early Christians of the greater church believed that apostolic session was the glue connecting the early post-apostolic church to the apostles and ultimately to Christ. The teaching of apostolic succession states that the authority the apostles passes down to their legitimately appointed successors in the very churches they founded. read more…
Ambrose of Milan played a very important role in Augustine’s conversion. When Augustine met Ambrose, he was in a difficult position: he was no longer intellectually committed to Manicheism but he had not yet overcome some of the major philosophical and theological challenges which the movement had posed to him. read more…
How does one discern good from poor quality materials online or in printed materials? In this episode, we talk about the important roles that the gatekeepers, that is, acquisitions editors, play in ensuring the high-quality the materials they publish. We contrast the rigor of the peer review process read more…
Who was St. Cardinal Robert Bellarmine? In this episode, we take a look at the life and work of Cardinal Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) who was arguably the most learned Catholic theologian and apologist of the sixteenth century. read more…
How can Catholics become better students of the Catholic Heritage? In this episode, we discuss the importance of considering the genre of a document. Not all documents are the same. Authors in the Catholic heritage have composed letters, poems, theological treatises, read more…
A recent trend has emerged among certain lay Catholics with substantial online internet followings. In their social media feeds and various media productions, they are making various claims about Pope Francis and US Catholic bishops on the authority of their unnamed “sources.” read more…