catholic apologetics Archives

Faith Check 1 – The Keys of the Kingdom

Keys of the Kingdom

Many of our separated brothers and sisters ask where we find a “pope” in the Bible. One example is in St. Matthew 16, where Jesus says to Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.”¹

In the ancient world, kingdoms would have a leader underneath the king who was responsible for the administration of the government—we might call them the prime ministers. We find an example of this in Isaiah 22,² when God declares that Shebna, the Prime Minister of Israel, will be deposed for his sins and replaced by Eliakim, whom God says will be a father to Israel and will carry the key of the house of David—“what he opens none shall shut; and what he shuts none shall open.”

When Jesus gave Peter the keys in Matthew 16, the apostles already understood their significance. Peter was to be their leader, the prime minister that will shepherd Christ’s Church. “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”³

What a gift we have in Pope Benedict, who still carries the keys today.

1 – Mt. 16:19

2 – see Is. 22: 20-25

3 – Mt. 16:19

Faith Check 19 – Contraception vs. Natural Family Planning (NFP)

Contraception vs. Natural Family Planning (NFP)

The question is often asked why the Church is against birth control if it allows natural family planning to avoid pregnancy?

The Catholic teaching that it is a sin to use contraception is nothing new but is the perennial teaching of Judeo-Christian morality. Only in the 1930s did any Christians begin teaching that contraception could be morally acceptable.¹

The sexual union between husband and wife is a renewal of the wedding vows, which say that “I love you, freely, totally, faithfully, and fruitfully.” To come together sexually while deliberately sterilizing the act goes against the intrinsic meaning of intercourse. It says, “I love you, but not your fertility.”

When a couple has discerned that there are serious reasons to avoid a pregnancy, there is nothing sinful about periodic abstinence during the fertile times of the month. Intercourse remains a renewal of the marriage vows, a total gift of self that is open to the authentic, life-giving meaning of sex.

Divorce rates among couples using natural family planning are almost non-existent because they grow in self-control and respect for one another’s bodies, which leads to healthier relationships and even more passionate intimacy.

1 – Protestant acceptance of contraception first began at the Church of England’s Lambeth Conference in 1930.

IP#109 Fr. Robert Barron – Catholicism on Inside the Pages

Fr. Robert Barron’s “Catholicism: a journey to the heart of the faith” is wonderful. A beautiful exploration of the Roman Catholic faith and it’s gift to the world and to culture.

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From randomhouse.com

What is the Catholicism? A 2,000 living tradition? A worldview? A way of life? A relationship? A mystery? In Catholicism Father Robert Barron examines all these questions and more, seeking to capture the body, heart and mind of the Catholic faith.
Starting from the essential foundation of Jesus Christ’s incarnation, life, and teaching, Father Barron moves through the defining elements of Catholicism – from sacraments, worship, and prayer, to Mary, the Apostles, and Saints, to grace, salvation, heaven, and hell – using his distinct and dynamic grasp of art, literature, architecture, personal stories, Scripture, theology, philosophy, and history to present the Church to the world.
Paired with his documentary film series of the same title, Catholicism is an intimate journey, capturing “The Catholic Thing” in all its depth and beauty. Eclectic, unique, and inspiring, Father Barron brings the faith to life for a new generation, in a style that is both faithful to timeless truths, while simultaneously speaking in the language of contemporary life.

Find out more about the book Fr. Barron’s website : wordonfire.org

IP#79 Fr. Dwight Longenecker – More Christianity on Inside the Pages

Fr. Dwight Longenecker is Catholic priest and writer who has experienced an interesting journey of faith. Born into a Evanglical Christian family in Pennsylvania, graduate from fundamentalist Bob Jones University in Florida, and he would later become an Anglican priest serving as a curate, a chaplain at Cambridge, and a country parson. Then, in 1995, he and his wife and family were received into the Roman Catholic Church. He spent the next ten years working as a freelance Catholic writer, contributing to over twenty-five magazines, papers and journals in Britain, Ireland and the USA.

Fr. Longenecker has expanded and revised his book “More Christianity: where he invites the readers to move from “Mere Christianity” to “More Christianity” in the Roman Catholic faith. Filled with every major aspect of our Catholic faith, Fr. Longenecker book serves, not only as resource to help Evangelicals to understand the Catholic faith, but also is excellent for Catholics who wish to deepen their own knowledge of the faith we profess.

Visit Fr. Longenecker’s blog “Standing on My Head” to learn more about this and other books, as well as so much more

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IP#61 Mark Brumley – The Handbook of Catholic Apologetics on Inside the Pages

Mark Brumley is one of the masters of today’s Catholic apologetics, so if he recommends a book to help us convey the faith to others, we should take note! “The Handbook of Catholic Apologetics: Reasoned Answers to Questions of Faith” is a fantastic resource for any and all who wish to communicate the faith more clearly. It’s also for those who desire to deepen and grow in their own understanding of Catholic faith. Mark does a great job in this interview talking about some of those teachings, as well as, addressing today’s current issues.