Tag: doctrine

Reading Within Tradition

Reading Within Tradition

Definitive Interpretations? Years ago, when studying various interpretations related to St. John’s Revelation, I came across the following quote on the website of the Orthodox Church in America: “The Orthodox Church does not accept the notion that everyone can properly interpret the Bible as he or she wants. Some Protestant bodies believe in this, but Orthodoxy does not. We say…

A Tale of Two Synods…

I have a difficult enough time defending my own words and actions. It’s a new and disconcerting experience for me to be asked to defend the words, writings, and actions of the entire Church Catholic. Nevertheless, I find that often times well meaning friends and family outside of the Catholic Church will ask me to attempt to explain the Pope’s latest interview, or, in…

AFFL #001 Welcome to the Show! (And Purgatory)

In our first ever podcast we introduce ourselves, share a little bit about our faith and our family, and discuss C.S. Lewis’s book The Great Divorce.  We talk about the Catholic doctrine of purgatory and take a look at what the Catechism has to say about it.  Send us your feedback at podcast@afaith-fulllife.com and let us know what you think!! The…

What Infallibility Doesn’t Mean

When I was a Protestant, I honestly believed that I understood what Catholics meant when they said that the Pope was infallible. Turns out I didn’t understand at all. Since becoming Catholic, I have probably fielded more questions regarding this dogma of the Church than any other. Having been on both sides of the issue, I can say with confidence, Most people have no idea…

Sola Scriptura – Logically Flawed

In a previous post I covered reasons why the doctrine of sola Scriptura was anachronistic – i.e. a belief that couldn’t fit within a chronological history of the Church prior to the time of the Reformation. In this post, I would like to look briefly at why I also feel that the doctrine is logically flawed. There are many orthodox Christian doctrines…

Why I’m Catholic ~ Catholicism and the Reformation

Part 2: Catholicism and the Reformation (This is part two of a three part series.  For part one click here.) Before moving on I should probably note that I’ve always been fairly anti-Catholic. As I said before, growing up I was raised in a context that was dubious about whether or not Catholics were even saved and I was even exposed…

Why I'm Catholic - Context

Why I’m Catholic ~ Context

Your Starting Point Doesn’t Always Determine Your Conclusion… Part 1: Context A pastor friend who had heard of my conversion to Catholicism cautioned me that, “Your starting point always determines your conclusion.”  Often this is a maxim that I would wholeheartedly agree with. I too have recognized that frequently a faulty conclusion is indeed the result of an erroneous starting point. This certainly seems to…