It was in reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the topic of its authority that I first realized something that gave me a jolt.
Remove not the ancient landmark which your fathers have set. (Prov. 22:28 RSV) Regarding the authorities of Scripture, Tradition and a teaching Church, there are a number of recurring themes throughout the
When I was a young man, I used to hear stories of the courage of Great Protestant Reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin. In my reformation heritage, the emphasis
Appearing only briefly in both the Old and New Testaments is a mysterious figure named Melchizedek. The identity of this first priest mentioned in the bible is as strange as
The following chapter is reprinted from Cardinal Gibbons famous book, “The Faith of Our Fathers” (TAN Books, Rockford, IL 61105) which sold over 1.4 million copies in the first forty
One of the great theological champions quoted by both Protestants and Catholics to bolster their perspective positions on the meaning of many theological issues is St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo.
“But I believe in the Real Presence!” said Doug, my Bible Christian friend, “Why do you Catholics refuse to admit me to communion?” “Whoa!” I said, “I’m delighted to hear
Both “transubstantiation” and “Eucharist” are big words foreign to the everyday language of everyday Americans. We may be more familiar with words like “Monosodium glutamate,” “euthanasia” or “inalienable rights,” but
I was not raised as a Catholic. In fact, the Christian tradition in which I grew up is, in many ways, at the opposite end of the theological spectrum from Catholicism. We had
Those of you who were pastors know from experience your need to steel yourself — to baton down the hatches and get the women and children below — whenever certain
Martin Luther stated the classic Protestant understanding of the perspicuity of Scripture in his own favorite (and arguably most important) writing, The Bondage of the Will.
According to sola Scriptura, any role Tradition, a Magisterium, Bible commentaries, or anything else may play in theology is simply to suggest interpretations and evidence to the believer as he makes his decision. Each individual Christian is thus put in the position of being his own theologian.