her·e·sy /ˈherəsē/ Belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine. Okay…so what is orthodox? or·tho·dox /ˈôrTHəˌdäks/ Conforming to what is generally or traditionally accepted as right or true; established and approved. — 1 — Questions of orthodoxy and heresy began to really occupy my mind several years back as I was beginning to investigate the claims of the Catholic Church. Essentially, I began…
Tag: truth
The Catholic Trilemma
— 1 — It is an odd thing to find yourself within a society as schizophrenic as ours. A society which worships at the altar of science while simultaneously denying the existence of absolute truth. A society with an intense craving for “spirituality” and yet one that dismisses out of hand anything that cannot be materially proven. Truth claims – especially…
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Everyone Follows a Pope
Everyone Follows a Pope In a previous post I answered the question, “Do you follow the Pope or Jesus?” If you haven’t read it yet, I would suggest taking a moment to do so now so that there is no confusion moving forward; but for those of you who don’t have the time, here’s a brief summary. When asked, “Do you…
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Why Ask Why?
I came across the following quote on a friends Facebook page earlier this week. “There is no answer to the question, ‘Why?’ If you need a reason, invent one that empowers you and begin living from there.” I am frankly unsure of whether this is a quote from my friend or from someone else – but it has stuck with me throughout…
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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…
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Authority, Scripture, and the Catholic Church
— 1 — Foundational Authority Ask any non-Catholic Christian about authority and you will probably get an answer similar to the following quote from pastor John Piper, “Submission to a pastor or a group of elders does not mean the pastor is infallible or the pastor is the ultimate authority. The Bible is the ultimate authority and infallible, not the…
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Why I’m Catholic ~ Conversion
Part 3: Conversion (This is part three of a three part series. For part one click here.) Even though I was raised being told that we couldn’t be certain about a great many things, I was also raised to believe that truth was absolute. If that seems like somewhat of a contradiction – well, it seemed that way to me as well.…
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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…
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Thoughts on Absolute Truth and Certainty in a Post-Modern Relativistic World
Is there a more perfect foil for amateur philosophers and theologians than Calvin? I grew up in a society and a culture which says, “Question everything and especially all authority. You can’t really know anything. There is no ultimate truth.” We’ve all been led to believe that there are no absolutes – that if you submit to any authority you…
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That Damnable Catholic “And”…
Growing up as a Protestant, I remember being frustrated when I encountered theological arguments that would look at two “diametrically opposed” positions in Scripture, and would essentially seek to pit one side of the issue against the other. A perfect example of this is the argument over divine election and predestination versus human free will and choice. I remember returning to…
