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# Called to Communion

Reformation meets Rome

## Sitemaps

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## Posts

- [A Response to Steven Nemes's "Why Remain Protestant?"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2021/11/a-response-to-steven-nemess-why-remain-protestant/) - Steven Nemes is a Protestant theologian and phenomenologist who teaches Latin at North Phoenix Prep, a Great Hearts Academy. He is also an adjunct professor at Grand Canyon University. He received his Ph.D. in Theology in 2021 from Fuller Theological Seminary. This fall Steven has uploaded two videos in which he argues that Protestants should
- [Ecclesial Consumerism](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/07/ecclesial-consumerism/) - In our contemporary culture, church-shopping has become entirely normal and even expected. Not only when moving to a new location, but if persons have some falling out with a pastor or other individual or family in their church, or even if their church-experience starts seeming dull or dry, they visit and try out other churches,
- [Ligon Duncan's "Did the Fathers Know the Gospel?"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/07/ligon-duncans-did-the-fathers-know-the-gospel/) - Dr. Ligon Duncan is an adjunct professor of theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi, and also the senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson. At this year's "Together for the Gospel" conference, held April 10-12 in Louisville, Kentucky, he gave a talk titled "Did the Fathers Know the Gospel?" Here I examine
- [The Harrowing of Hell](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/the-harrowing-of-hell/) - One week ago we celebrated Holy Saturday, the day between the death of Christ and His resurrection. What happened to the soul of Christ during that time? The Tradition answers this question in the line of the Apostles Creed: "He descended to hell," referring there not to the hell of the damned, but to what
- [Trent and the Gospel: A Reply to Tim Challies](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/05/trent-and-the-gospel-a-reply-to-tim-challies/) - On April 16, Tim Challies, a Reformed pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Ontario, and co-founder of Cruciform Press, published a post titled "The False Teachers: Pope Francis." That generated much discussion, as one might imagine. I responded to it in comment #335 of "Does the Bible Teach Sola Fide?" One of the criticisms
- [Lawrence Feingold on Purgatory](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/03/lawrence-feingold-on-purgatory/) - On February 25, 2015, Dr. Lawrence Feingold, Associate Professor of Philosophy & Theology at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in Saint Louis, Missouri, and author of The Natural Desire to See God According to St. Thomas and his Interpreters and the three volume series The Mystery of Israel and the Church gave a lecture titled "Purgatory" to the
- [What Therefore God Has Joined Together: Divorce and the Sacrament of Marriage](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/09/what-therefore-god-has-joined-together-divorce-and-the-sacrament-of-marriage/) - There are some ancient Christian doctrines that only the Catholic Church has retained. One such doctrine is her teaching on contraception, which was the unanimous teaching of the Church Fathers, and which all Christians shared for nineteen centuries until the Lambeth Conference of 1930. At that conference the Anglican Church decided to permit the use
- [Sola Scriptura: A Dialogue between Michael Horton and Bryan Cross](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/11/sola-scriptura-a-dialogue-between-michael-horton-and-bryan-cross/) - In February of this year Ryan Glomsrud, the Executive Editor of Modern Reformation, invited me to participate in a roundtable discussion on the subject of sola scriptura, with Michael Horton, editor-in-chief of Modern Reformation, a co-host of the White Horse Inn, and the J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary
- [The Bishops of History and the Catholic Faith: A Reply To Brandon Addison](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/06/the-bishops-of-history-and-the-catholic-faith-a-reply-to-brandon-addison/) - Was the early Church in Rome presbyterian or episcopal in polity? Here we argue for the latter.
- [Clark, Frame, and the Analogy of Painting a Magisterial Target Around One's Interpretive Arrow](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/01/clark-frame-and-the-analogy-of-painting-a-magisterial-target-around-ones-interpretive-arrow/) - Westminster Seminary professor R. Scott Clark (updated link) recently wrote a post titled "Should I buy it? (1)," in reference to John Frame's recently published systematic theology text. Frame is currently a professor of systematic theology and philosophy (updated link) at Reformed Theological Seminary Orlando. In his post Clark describes "two competing approaches to Reformed
- [Mary as Co-Redemptrix](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/11/mary-as-co-redemptrix/) - On this first day of Advent, we are reminded to anticipate Christ's second coming, as we prepare to celebrate His first coming. A woman heavy with Child will soon give birth to the King of kings. In doing so, she will begin another phase in her pilgrimage of faith, one which culminates at the cross,
- [A Catholic Reflection on the Meaning of Suffering](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/08/a-catholic-reflection-on-the-meaning-of-suffering/) - If God is all powerful, and truly seeks our good, then why does He allow bad things to happen to people? Why does God allow all the suffering we experience in this life, if He loves us and is all-powerful and all-knowing? What does the Catholic Church say about the meaning of suffering? Job and
- [The Doctrine of Merit: Feingold, Calvin, and the Church Fathers](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/11/the-doctrine-of-merit-feingold-calvin-and-the-church-fathers/) - It has been said that "the reformation was mainly a struggle against the doctrine of merit." Protestants such as Luther and Calvin denied the possibility of merit, whereas the Catholic Church at the Council of Trent taught that believers in a state of grace can merit eternal life, if they persevere in faith until death.
- [On Religious Liberty: An Objection Considered](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/10/on-religious-liberty-an-objection-considered/) - One common objection to the Catholic Church raised by some inquiring Protestants has to do with religious liberty. The objection I have in mind is the claim that the Catholic Church has contradicted her own doctrine on this subject by previously condemning religious liberty and then affirming religious liberty at the Second Vatican Council in
- [Christian Worship in the First Century](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/christian-worship-in-the-first-century/) - If you could travel in time and attend a Christian worship service in the first century, what would it be like? Would a Presbyterian feel at home? How about a Catholic? The following is a re-recording of a lecture I gave to a group in Charlotte, NC last year on the subject of "liturgy in
- [Lawrence Feingold on Sanctifying Grace and Actual Grace](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/11/lawrence-feingold-on-sanctifying-grace-and-actual-grace/) - Recently Professor Lawrence Feingold of Ave Maria University's Institute for Pastoral Theology and author of The Natural Desire to See God According to St. Thomas and his Interpreters and the three volume series The Mystery of Israel and the Church gave two lectures on the subject of sanctifying grace and actual grace, to the Association
- [Aquinas and Trent: Part 1](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/aquinas-and-trent-part-1/) - One of the most fundamental points of disagreement between Protestants and the Catholic Church, and one that presently keeps us divided, was the subject of the sixth session of the Council of Trent. This session addressed the doctrine of justification. Some Protestants believe that in this session the Catholic Church "anathematized the gospel" and formally
- [The Church Fathers on Baptismal Regeneration](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/the-church-fathers-on-baptismal-regeneration/) - According to PCA pastor Wes White, the doctrine of baptismal regeneration is "impossible in the Reformed system." (( See here and here and here. )) By noting this, he intends to show that we should reject the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. But if the evidence for the truth of the doctrine of baptismal regeneration is
- [Why John Calvin did not Recognize the Distinction Between Mortal and Venial Sin](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/11/why-john-calvin-did-not-recognize-the-distinction-between-mortal-and-venial-sin/) - Catholics and Protestants agree on many points regarding sin, but the Catholic Church makes a distinction generally not found in Protestant theologies: the distinction between mortal and venial sin. John Calvin rejected the distinction between mortal and venial sin, and Protestantism has largely followed Calvin on this point. Calvin rejected it because he did not
- [Doug Wilson Weighs in on the Eternal Fate of Faithful Catholics](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/05/wilsonvide/) - In an article titled "Doug Wilson says faithful Catholics will go to hell," David Meyer recently posted a video in which Doug Wilson, pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho responded to the question, "Will faithful Roman Catholics be in Heaven?" Update: The video was originally on the Canon Wired channel of Vimeo. That source
- [Mary's Immaculate Conception](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/marys-immaculate-conception/) - Today is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, in which we celebrate the conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who "from the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from
- [Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/12/solemnity-of-the-immaculate-conception/) - Today is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, in which we celebrate the conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who "from the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from
- [Beer and Barron](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/04/beer-and-barron/) - Reformed Christians have a special relationship with beer. I discovered this my junior year in college after spending my first two years at LSU exploring nearly every other Christian faith tradition on campus. The combination of rich fellowship, deep theological discussion, and high quality beer, while sitting outside on a Louisiana front porch on a humid
- [The <i>Tu Quoque</i>](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/the-tu-quoque/) - Neal and I offered a brief reply to the tu quoque objection in our article titled "Solo Scriptura, Sola Scriptura, and the Question of Interpretive Authority." Here I provide a more thorough reply to the tu quoque objection, and open a forum for discussion of the authority argument and the tu quoque objection. Christ Taking
- [Imputation and Paradigms: A Reply to Nicholas Batzig](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/08/imputation-and-paradigms-a-reply-to-nicholas-batzig/) - Nicholas Batzig is a graduate of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and pastor of New Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Richmond Hill, Georgia. Nicholas and Anna BatzigRecently he wrote an article titled "The Justification of Imputation," in which he provides an exegetical argument for the Protestant conception of justification by way of extra nos imputation. Imputation
- ["The Issue of Authority in Early Christianity"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/the-issue-of-authority-in-early-christianity/) - Dr. Kenneth Howell earned an M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary, an M.A. in Linguistics and Philosophy from the University of South Florida, a Ph.D. from Indiana University in Linguistics and the Philosophy of Science, and a second Ph.D. from Lancaster University (U.K.) in the History of Christianity and Science. He was a Presbyterian minister for
- [Trueman, Lent, and Reformed Catholicity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/02/trueman-lent-and-reformed-catholicity/) - In the Latin Rite liturgical calendar, this Wednesday (February 18) is Ash Wednesday, and marks the beginning of Lent, that forty-day period of fasting and abstinence in which we prepare for Easter. One intention for which we can fast and pray this Lent is the reunion of all Christians. Oddly enough, however, Lent is precisely
- [Indulgences, the Treasury of Merit and the Communion of Saints](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/01/indulgences-the-treasury-of-merit-and-the-communion-of-saints/) - What is the basis for the "treasury of merit" and indulgences? These can be explained in the following ten steps. The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs Fra Angelico (about 1423-24) (1) On Judgment Day, every man will be judged and recompensed for each of his thoughts, words, and deeds, whether good or evil.
- [The Obscurity of Scripture](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2023/11/the-obscurity-of-scripture/) - Earlier this year, Called to Communion editor Casey Chalk published his second book, The Obscurity of Scripture, a critical assessment of the Protestant doctrine of perspicuity, a doctrine that was central to the story of Casey's reversion to the Catholic faith in 2010. The article below briefly summarizes the arguments contained in The Obscurity of
- [St. Thomas Aquinas on Penance](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/st-thomas-aquinas-on-penance/) - In 1273, the year before he died, St. Thomas Aquinas was in Naples working on the third part of his Summa Theologiae. Having just completed the section on the Eucharist, he was praying in front of the crucifix on the altar, before Matins, and caught up in mystical ecstasy in the presence of Christ. Three
- [Lawrence Feingold on God's Universal Salvific Will](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/11/lawrence-feingold-on-gods-universal-salvific-will/) - "It must therefore be firmly believed as a truth of Catholic faith that the universal salvific will of the One and Triune God is offered and accomplished once for all in the mystery of the incarnation, death, and resurrection of the Son of God." Those words were written by then Cardinal Ratzinger, in the Declaration
- [Loss and Gain](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/08/loss-and-gain/) - This is a guest article by John Thayer Jensen. John was born in California in 1942 and raised in a non-religious home. At a time of emotional collapse in his life, John was influenced by several Evangelical Christians, subsequently leading to his committing his life to Christ in 1969. He eventually made his way into
- [St. Clement of Rome: Soteriology and Ecclesiology](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/11/st-clement-of-rome-soteriology-and-ecclesiology/) - Today, November 23, is the memorial of St. Clement I, pope and martyr. St. Clement was the third bishop of Rome, after St. Peter. He is known to us mostly through his famous letter to the Church at Corinth. Here I present a brief summary of what we know from later Fathers about St. Clement,
- [Catholics and Reformed in Dialogue Conference](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2023/04/catholics-and-reformed-in-dialogue-conference/) - Event: Creation, Nature, and Grace: Catholics and Reformed in Dialogue Dates: 28 & 29 April 2023 Location: Angelicum, Aula Minor Schedule: Friday, 28 April 11:00 Welcome and Introduction 11:05 – 13:15 What is Creation and How Do We Know About It?– Simon Oliver (Durham University)– Mariusz Tabaczek, OP (Angelicum) 14:00-16:15 Original Righteousness, Nature and Grace before
- [Episode 4 - Faith & Reason](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/episode-4-faith-reason/) - Bryan Cross & Tim Troutman discuss the relationship between faith & reason.
- [Two Questions about Marriage and the Civil Law](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/05/two-questions-about-marriage-and-the-civil-law/) - Here I consider two questions. The first question is whether defending the legal recognition of marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman is imposing one's religious views on others. The second is whether Christians should seek through the political process to maintain or change civil laws. Nuptial Mass at the Saint Louis Cathedral
- [Protestant Objections to the Catholic Doctrines of Original Justice and Original Sin](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/10/protestant-objections-to-the-catholic-doctrines-of-original-justice-and-original-sin/) - What objections have various Protestant theologians raised to the Catholic doctrines of original justice and original sin, and what is the Catholic reply to these objections? Here I present some Protestant arguments against the Catholic doctrines of original justice and original sin, from Martin Luther, John Calvin, Francis Turretin, Charles Hodge, Gordon Clark, and Peter
- [Lawrence Feingold on Original Justice and Original Sin](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/10/lawrence-feingold-on-original-justice-and-original-sin/) - On September 28, the feast of the martyr St. Wenceslaus in the Catholic liturgical calendar, and also the feast of Rosh Hashanah in the Jewish calendar, Professor Lawrence Feingold of Ave Maria University's Institute for Pastoral Theology and author of The Natural Desire to See God According to St. Thomas and his Interpreters and the
- [Aquinas and Trent: Part 3](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/aquinas-and-trent-part-3/) - In this third post in this series, I examine what St. Thomas Aquinas says about the effects of sin, and in particular his discussion of the corruption of human nature by sin. Is human nature entirely corrupted by sin? If not, how can human nature be partly corrupted and partly uncorrupted by sin? What are
- [Open Forum](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2021/08/open-forum-2021/) - This is a forum for questions and answers pertaining to the purpose of Called To Communion, namely, resolving through good faith dialogue the disagreements that presently divide Protestants and Catholics, by together pursuing unity in the truth. These comments will be moderated to ensure they comply with our posting guidelines, so please read those guidelines
- [Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/solemnity-of-the-annunciation-of-the-lord/) - Today, March 25, we celebrate the central event in the whole of human history: the Incarnation of the Second Person of the most Holy Trinity, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, nine months before His nativity. On this day, God fulfilled the promise He had made in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:15) that
- ["First Mass since Reformation celebrated at Swiss Cathedral"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2022/03/first-mass-since-reformation-celebrated-at-swiss-cathedral/) - St. Pierre Cathedral in Geneva, Switzerland By Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Mar 10, 2022 / 12:00 pm "The first Catholic Mass in nearly 500 years was celebrated at a cathedral in Geneva, Switzerland, last week for the vigil of the First Sunday of Lent. The last Mass celebrated at St. Pierre Cathedral took place in
- [The Church Fathers on Transubstantiation](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/church-fathers-on-transubstantiation/) - This article is intended to be a resource showing the support for the doctrine of Transubstantiation in the Church fathers, and not a robust defense of the doctrine as defined by the Council of Trent. (( Such a defense will be written in the future on Called to Communion. )) The Church fathers did not
- [Ecclesial Deism](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/ecclesial-deism/) - Bryan Cross discusses Ecclesial Deism or the errors that arise when our ecclesiology is inadvertently informed by Deism.
- [The Chair of St. Peter](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/the-chair-of-st-peter/) - Today in the liturgical calendar we celebrate the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle. According to an ancient tradition, February 22 was the day Jesus changed Simon's name to Peter, and gave to him the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matt. 16:19) The Catholic Encyclopedia article on the chair of St.
- [Lawrence Feingold: The Motives of Credibility For Faith](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/11/lawrence-feingold-the-motives-of-credibility-for-faith/) - On November 6, 2013, Dr. Lawrence Feingold, Associate Professor of Philosophy & Theology at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in Saint Louis, Missouri, and author of The Natural Desire to See God According to St. Thomas and his Interpreters and the three volume series The Mystery of Israel and the Church gave a lecture titled "The Motives of
- [A Thai Lesson in Ecumenism](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2021/11/a-thai-lesson-in-ecumenism/) - An earlier version of this article appears in the article “Jesus in Thailand” in Touchstone Magazine, and many elements also appear in Casey Chalk’s new book, The Persecuted: True Stories of Courageous Christians Living Their Faith in Muslim Lands (Sophia Institute Press). I confess I’m not one for exotic vacations. Before we were married, I
- [Augustine on Adam's Body and Christ's Body - Is Reformed Theology Truly Augustinian?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/02/augustine-on-adams-body-and-christs-body-is-reformed-theology-truly-augustinian/) - St. Augustine Here is a simple synopsis of God's original plan for Adam by Saint Augustine. Notice how Augustine views humanity as "between the angelic and bestial," since man consists of a immaterial, separable soul and a material body: Man, on the other hand, whose nature was to be a mean between the angelic and
- [Reformation Sunday 2011: How Would Protestants Know When to Return?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/10/reformation-sunday-2011-how-would-protestants-know-when-to-return/) - Imagine that the Occupy Wall Street protest continued for years, during which time the community of protesters divided into different factions, each with different beliefs, different demands, and different leaders. But the protests continued for so long that the protesters eventually built makeshift shanties and lived in them, and had children. These children grew up
- [On the Usefulness of Tradition: A Response to Recent Objections](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/02/on-the-usefulness-of-tradition-a-response-to-recent-objections/) - I have often heard Protestants object that the Catholic concept of Tradition is practically useless. There are usually two arguments for this position. First, Tradition allegedly reduces to "whatever the Magisterium says," in which case it is redundant. Alternately, the concept of Tradition is supposedly too vague to be serviceable. On this view, there is
- [Three Anglican Bishops Received into Full Communion with the Catholic Church in 2021](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2021/10/three-anglican-bishops-received-into-full-communion-with-the-catholic-church-in-2021/) - In 2021 three Anglican bishops have been received into full communion with the Catholic Church. On Pentecost (May 23), John Goddard, who had been the Anglican bishop of Burnley, was received into full communion with the Catholic Church. (( Church Times, August 6, 2021. )) On September 8, Jonathan Goodall, former Anglican bishop of Ebbsfleet,
- [Alister McGrath's Conversion on Justification](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2020/05/alister-mcgraths-conversion-on-justification/) - One of the most important objections raised here at Called To Communion against the Catholic doctrine of justification has been based in large part on the Protestant theologian Alister McGrath's work on the topic. That objection has now been undermined by McGrath's change of position. For Luther and Calvin, and from a Protestant point of
- [St. John Chrysostom on the Priesthood](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/09/st-john-chrysostom-on-the-priesthood/) - In the Latin Church, today is the memorial of St. John Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople and one of the thirty-three Doctors of the Church. He was born in Antioch around A.D. 347, and died on September 14, 407, in exile during a forced march. Today, in honor of St. Chrysostom, I wish to consider six
- [Pope Francis, Atheists, and the Evangelical Spirit](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/05/pope-francis-atheists-and-the-evangelical-spirit/) - Some interest has been generated in online news media by Pope Francis's recent homily in which he affirmed that atheists can accomplish some good in the created order, which provides a "meeting place" for them and religious believers. The Pope went on to say that atheists have been redeemed by Jesus Christ. I immediately took this
- [Essay Contest for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/essay-contest-for-the-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity/) - The Church Unity Octave (eight days), also called the "Week of prayer for Christian unity" begins on January 18. This will be the 102 annual week of prayer for Christian unity. January 18th was originally chosen as the first day of the Octave because it was one of the two feast days of the Chair
- [St. Optatus on Schism and the Bishop of Rome](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/06/st-optatus-on-schism-and-the-bishop-of-rome/) - June 4 is the feast of St. Optatus, a fourth-century bishop of Milevis, in Numidia, about ten miles from the Mediterranean Sea on the coast of northern Africa in what is now Algeria. He was a convert to the Catholic faith, and an African by birth, according to St. Jerome. He died around AD 385,
- [The <em>Commonitory</em> of St. Vincent of Lérins](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/05/the-commonitory-of-st-vincent-of-lerins/) - Yesterday (May 24) was the feast day of St. Vincent of Lérins, a soldier who became a monk at the monastery in Lérins, and wrote his famous Commonitory in AD 434, three years after the third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus, and seventeen years before the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon. Because Protestants generally accept both those
- [Pentecost, Babel, and the Ecumenical Imperative](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/pentecost-babel-and-the-ecumenical-imperative/) - "But as the old Confusion of tongues was laudable, when men who were of one language in wickedness and impiety, even as some now venture to be, were building the Tower; (Genesis 11:7) for by the confusion of their language the unity of their intention was broken up, and their undertaking destroyed; so much more
- [St. Thomas Aquinas on the Relation of Faith to the Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/02/st-thomas-aquinas-on-the-relation-of-faith-to-the-church/) - In the second part of the second part of his Summa Theologiae, St. Thomas Aquinas explains the seven virtues: the three theological virtues (i.e. faith, hope, and love), and the four cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance). In his section on the virtue of faith, St. Thomas says something quite shocking to modern ears.
- [The Man Who Showed Us Perelandra--A Short Tribute to C. S. Lewis](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/04/the-man-who-showed-us-perelandra-a-short-tribute-to-c-s-lewis/) - As a scholar, a writer, and a theologian, C. S. Lewis was very much a medieval man, for whom reality is both extravagant and sweetly ordered—firm and full but neither starched nor stifling. Lewis came to learn and then richly show that all good things are originally and eventually taken up in that which is their source
- [Catholic and Reformed Understandings of "He Descended into Hell"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/04/catholic-and-reformed-understandings-of-he-descended-into-hell/) - Why are the Catholic and Reformed positions different regarding the meaning of the line in the Apostles' Creed "He descended into hell," and how can we stake steps toward resolving this disagreement? To approach those questions I consider and briefly engage below the writings of R. Scott Clark and Rick Phillips on this subject, in
- [That There Be No Schisms Among You](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2020/07/that-there-be-no-schisms-among-you/) - I started this essay in 2013, and then put it on the back burner. But now in the midst of a global viral pandemic I decided to complete it. This sort of essay is unusual at Called To Communion because in it I intend to write primarily to my fellow US Catholics. However, the problem
- [The Last Road](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/the-last-road/) - This is not exactly a story, though it is partly autobiographical and partly allegorical, or perhaps just highly allusive. Mostly it is a farrago, which I must have written after reading something by Belloc. The whole thing is called "The Last Road." The Road The last road runs from there to here, straightly to this
- [St. Paul on Justification](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/04/st-paul-on-justification/) - Yesterday Professor Lawrence Feingold gave an outstanding lecture on "St. Paul on Justification." Listen to the lecture and the Q&A below: Lecture: Lecture Q&A: Q&A
- [The Gospel and the Meaning of Life](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/the-gospel-and-the-meaning-of-life/) - When I was a child the gospel seemed to be something that merely floated on top of my human existence. I did not perceive it as going to the very heart of my existence. I knew that I was mortal, and from the Bible I understood that when I died I would go either to
- [Nature, Grace, and Man's Supernatural End: Feingold, Kline, and Clark](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/09/nature-grace-and-mans-supernatural-end-feingold-kline-and-clark/) - On September 21, Professor Lawrence Feingold of Ave Maria University's Institute for Pastoral Theology and author of The Natural Desire to See God According to St. Thomas and his Interpreters gave a lecture titled "The Natural Desire to See God and Man's Supernatural End" to the Association of Hebrew Catholics. The audio recordings of the
- [Pope Francis on Unity in the Body of Christ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/06/pope-francis-on-unity-in-the-body-of-christ/) - On Wednesday, June 18, in his general audience Pope Francis spoke of the nature of the Church as the Body of Christ, and the importance of unity in the Body. Toward the end, he described meeting with an evangelical pastor that very morning, and praying together with him for unity. Dear brothers and sisters, good
- [The Papacy and the Catholic Act of Faith](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/02/the-papacy-and-the-catholic-act-of-faith/) - On Friday, April 22, 2005, I was sitting at my desk at Saint Louis University, trying to think of a good remaining reason not to be Catholic. I had been investigating the Catholic question intensely for over a year, and one by one I had been discovering that my objections were largely based on straw
- [Our Lady of Guadalupe](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/our-lady-of-guadalupe/) - In the decade following the arrival of Hernando Cortez and the Spanish Conquistadors in the New World in 1519, the Aztecs were highly resistant to Christianity. But in 1531 an amazing miracle took place, and the missionaries were soon overwhelmed with requests for catechesis and baptism. This miracle precipitated the greatest flood of conversions in
- [Virtue and Dialogue: Ecumenism and the Heart](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/06/virtue-and-dialogue-ecumenism-and-the-heart/) - A number of years ago, before I became Catholic, I received a phone call from a moderator of a private internet discussion group to which I had belonged for nine years, informing me that I was being removed from the group. The news was painful. Officially I was being removed because of my views, which
- [The Holiness of the Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/10/the-holiness-of-the-church/) - Recently some Protestant participants in the dialogue here raised the objection that grave sins by Catholics seem to be incompatible with the Catholic claim that the Catholic Church is the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. If holiness is one of the four marks of the Catholic Church, how can the Catholic Church contain persons
- [How Are We Saved?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2019/09/how-are-we-saved/) - There is no question more important for the Christian than the question of how we are saved. But the Scripture answers this question in apparently various ways as does the Catholic Church from the beginning until now. Examples of answers from Scripture include: St. Peter giving the explicit answer, "repent and be baptized.." (Acts 2:38)Jesus
- [St. Ambrose on Sola Fide](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2019/09/st-ambrose-on-sola-fide/) - Introduction This brief post will show that St. Ambrose of Milan did not believe in salvation “by faith alone” as professed by the Reformers, condemned by the Council of Trent, and generally held by most Protestants today. There are two reasons I am focusing on St. Ambrose: 1. He is one of the few Church
- [St. John Chrysostom on Sola Fide](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2019/09/st-john-chrysostom-on-sola-fide/) - This post will answer the question, “Did St. John Chrysostom believe in justification by faith alone?” As in the previous post answering the same question of St. Ambrose, the answer will be in the negative. Before reading either this or that previous post, the reader should be familiar with the points I made in this
- [John Calvin on Dead Faith](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2019/09/john-calvin-on-dead-faith/) - The Reformed know and confess that faith without works is a dead faith, and it cannot save. But knowing and affirming this, they content themselves to dismiss the essential message of James chapter 2. For they say that dead faith is merely evidence that the faith was never faith at all. But this interpretation is
- [The Gift of Salvation](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/06/the-gift-of-salvation/) - Despite my objections to some of Dr. Leithart's recently expressed opinions about the Catholic Church vis-a-vis his own Reformed catholicity, I regularly visit his website for the purpose of gathering in the little jewels of wisdom scattered along his literary shore. I found a particularly striking gem this morning, which called to mind something that
- [Lawrence Feingold: Why Do We Need Sacraments?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/09/lawrence-feingold-why-do-we-need-sacraments/) - Last week the Association of Hebrew Catholics resumed its regular lecture series. The title of this Fall's series of lecture is "Sacraments: From the Old Covenant to the New." On September 19, Dr. Lawrence Feingold, Associate Professor of Philosophy & Theology at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, and author of The Natural Desire to
- [The "Catholics are Divided Too" Objection](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/11/the-catholics-are-divided-too-objection/) - When Protestants become Catholic, one reason they typically give for doing so is the prospect of attaining unity. They recognize both that the perpetual fragmentation between Protestant denominations cannot be the fulfillment of Christ's prayer in John 17 that His followers be one, and that this fragmentation is perpetually insoluble by way of sola scriptura
- [The Keys of the Kingdom and the Visible Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/09/the-keys-of-the-kingdom-and-the-visible-catholic-church/) - The idea that the Church is a spiritual communion, identified and unified by sharing the same faith and sacraments, while excellent as an affirmation, is inadequate as a definition of the Church that Christ founded, since this idea fails to account for the governmental and hierarchical principle of the Church, as symbolized by the keys
- [The Heroes of the New Covenant](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/the-heroes-of-the-new-covenant/) - Recently Juan Callejas wrote about the relics of St. John Bosco (Don Bosco) being brought on a tour of Guatemala. Juan described his own perplexity at the eagerness and excitement of Catholics upon the arrival of the saint's relics. ((These relics will be brought on a tour of the US and Canada this Fall; see
- [Evangelical Reunion in the Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/evangelical-reunion-in-the-catholic-church/) - The following essay is a guest contribution by Jeremy Tate. Jeremy is finishing a graduate degree at Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington D.C. this Spring. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church in America until he was received into full communion with the Catholic Church this past February. Few Reformed theologians have spoken as
- [St. Ignatius of Antioch on the Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/10/st-ignatius-of-antioch-on-the-church/) - Today is the memorial of St. Ignatius, the bishop of Antioch who was martyred in Rome around AD 107. What does St. Ignatius reveal to us about the Church? According to the early fourth century Church historian Eusebius, St. Ignatius was the second bishop of Antioch (from approximately AD 70 to 107) after Evodius, about
- [Aquinas and Trent: Part 2](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/aquinas-and-trent-part-2/) - Before I talk about the fifth session of the Council of Trent, I will do two things. First, I will offer a brief summary of Aquinas' teaching in his Summa Theologiae regarding the essence of original sin. Following that, I will give a short overview of what Aquinas says about the effects of sin. So
- [Does the Bible Teach Sola Fide?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/does-the-bible-teach-sola-fide/) - One primary impediment to the reconciliation of Protestants and Catholics concerns the doctrine of justification. Protestants endorse justification by faith alone (sola fide), while the Council of Trent condemned justification by faith alone. (Session 6, Canon 9) The question I ask here is this: Is there any Biblical evidence for "justification by faith alone"? St
- [One thing that I seek as Bishop of Rome is communion with the Orthodox Churches](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/11/one-thing-that-i-seek-as-bishop-of-rome-is-communion-with-the-orthodox-churches/) - Pope Francis today concluded a trip to Turkey where on Saturday, November 29, he participated in an ecumenical prayer in the Patriarchal Church of Saint George in Phanar, Turkey, with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. At the conclusion of this prayer, Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis each gave a brief address to one another. On Sunday,
- [We don't need no magisterium: A reply to <em>Christianity Today</em>'s Mark Galli](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/11/we-dont-need-no-magisterium-a-reply-to-christianity-todays-mark-galli/) - Mark Galli is the senior managing editor of Christianity Today. Two days ago he published an article titled "The Confidence of the Evangelical: Why the Spirit, not the magisterium, will lead us into all truth." Galli notes that a number of well-known Evangelicals have become Catholic, and acknowledges the attraction of the Catholic magisterium for
- [Casey Chalk Discusses TULIP on the Creedal Catholic Podcast](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2020/07/casey-chalk-discusses-total-depravity-on-the-creedal-catholic-podcast/) - CtC contributor Casey Chalk has been featured on the "Creedal Catholic" podcast in a five-part series on the Calvinist doctrinal acronym TULIP. He and Creedal Catholic host (and Protestant convert to Catholicism) Zac Crippen have discussed Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints. Here's the link. https://pod.link/1458179240
- [The Tradition and the Lexicon](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/02/the-tradition-and-the-lexicon/) - About a year and half ago, I came across an internet discussion between a number of Protestants and Catholics talking about what still divided them. I had arrived late to the discussion, and so I read through all the comments with a somewhat different perspective than a participant in the thick of it. The question
- [The Ascension and Man's Supernatural End](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/the-ascension-and-mans-supernatural-end/) - This past Sunday we celebrated the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, the day Jesus ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives. I was sitting in St. Clement of Rome parish church, attending the first mass offered by Fr. Eric Olson, who had been ordained a priest the previous day, listening to the
- [Sola Scriptura Redux: Matthew Barrett, Tradition, and Authority](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/11/sola-scriptura-redux-matthew-barrett-tradition-and-authority/) - I recently happened to read a post at the Gospel Coalition site titled "'Sola Scriptura' Radicalized and Abandoned" written by Matthew Barrett. Matthew received a Ph.D. in systematic theology from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and is presently an assistant professor of Christian studies at California Baptist University, (and apparently a Lakers fan). In his post
- [Some Thoughts Concerning Michael Horton's Three Recent Articles on Protestants Becoming Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/06/some-thoughts-concerning-michael-hortons-three-recent-articles-on-protestants-becoming-catholic/) - Michael Horton is the editor-in-chief of Modern Reformation, a co-host of the White Horse Inn, and the J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California. Recently he posted three articles responding to the phenomenon of Protestants, and especially Reformed Protestants, coming into full communion with the Catholic Church. In "Did
- [Angels trapped in stinkin' flesh](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/angels-trapped-in-stinkin-flesh/) - A recent post titled "Off-Duty Megachurches" on Christianity Today's blog, led me to Joe Johnson's Mega Churches gallery (at the gallery, click on "projects", and then click on "Mega Churches"). The photos almost made me feel sick. (What I say below assumes that the reader has looked at the photos.) Miraculous Mass Martini Simone (1312
- [Solo Scriptura, Sola Scriptura, and the Question of Interpretive Authority](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/11/solo-scriptura-sola-scriptura-and-the-question-of-interpretive-authority/) - According to Keith Mathison, over the last one hundred and fifty years Evangelicalism has replaced sola scriptura, according to which Scripture is the only infallible ecclesial authority, with solo scriptura, the notion that Scripture is the only ecclesial authority. The direct implication of solo scriptura is that each person is his own ultimate interpretive authority. Christus Pantocrator in the apsis of
- [Reformation Day 2012: Remembrance and Reconciliation](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/10/reformation-day-2012-remembrance-and-reconciliation/) - In the United States, the Reformed and Lutheran traditions celebrate tomorrow (October 28) as Reformation Sunday, in memory of Martin Luther's act of nailing his ninety-five theses to the door of the Wittenburg Church on October 31, 1517. The celebration is understandable because that event marks the beginning of the Reformation and of the resulting
- [Does the Devil Make You a Catholic?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2019/10/does-the-devil-make-you-a-catholic/) - Jeremy de Haan, who has written about his conversion here at Called to Communion, recently wrote an insightful blog post entitled, "Does the Devil Make You a Catholic?" I enjoyed the read and expect that some of our readers will as well. Here is an excerpt: So, on the one hand, my Reformed faith had
- [The Catholic Feminine Part IV - Mary & the Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2019/08/the-catholic-feminine-part-iv-mary-the-church/) - This is the fourth and final essay of a series exploring the feminine principle or dimension of Catholic Christianity. In this final part, I will explore the motherly role of Mary and the Church in the Catholic life. The previous parts were: Part 1 - The Good MotherPart 2 - Philosophy Part 3 - Sex
- [The Catholic Feminine Part III - Sex and Virtue](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2019/08/the-catholic-feminine-part-iii-sex-and-virtue/) - This is the third essay in a four part series on the Catholic feminine. Part one can be found here and part two can be found here. In this part, perhaps the most abstract of the three, I will be reflecting on various aspects of the feminine principle by observing how women actually are in
- [The Catholic Feminine Part II - Philosophy](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2019/08/the-catholic-feminine-part-ii-philosophy/) - In this second part of our four-part series on the Christian feminine, I will explore the proper role of philosophy in relation to theology. I will also define certain terms that I have been using, thereby increasing our philosophical precision. This will enable us to contrast the proper philosophical Christian tradition against philosophical errors both
- [The Catholic Feminine Part I - The Good Mother](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2019/08/the-catholic-feminine-part-i-the-good-mother/) - This is the first of a four-part series examining the feminine “dimension” of the Christian faith. This series is not meant to be argumentative. It should be understood more as reflective in character, although I'm sure there will be plenty to argue about. In this first part I will outline and contrast two archetypes: The
- [Classical Theism](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2019/04/classical-theism/) - Followers of Called to Communion may be interested in an excellent podcast titled, "The Classical Theism Podcast" hosted by John DeRosa. DeRosa explores topics of philosophy and apologetics from within the Catholic intellectual tradition. From his About Page: We explore topics related to defending Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. We emphasize 3 pillars of the Catholic Christian
- [The Shaping of Biblical Criticism: A Catholic Perspective on Historical Criticism](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/11/the-shaping-of-biblical-criticism-a-catholic-perspective-on-historical-criticism/) - Reformed Protestantism and Catholicism share common ground in their centuries-long interaction, and often battle, with the historical-critical method of Scriptural interpretation. Protestants and Catholics alike have often viewed this method as a direct threat to the historical and theological integrity of the Biblical texts. Many other Protestants and Catholics have alternatively embraced historical criticism to
- [Is Catholic-Orthodox Unity in Sight?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/is-catholic-orthodox-unity-in-sight/) - In an interview today in Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper, Archbishop Paolo Pezzi said the miracle of reunification “is possible, indeed it has never been so close.” The archbishop added that Catholic-Orthodox reunification, the end of the historic schism that has divided them for a millennium, and spiritual communion between the two churches “could happen
- [Betancourt: Rome IS the True Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/betancourt-rome-is-the-true-church/) - Norman Geisler's co-author of Is Rome the True Church? (Crossway Books, 2008), Joshua Betancourt, has converted to Catholicism! This has been confirmed by Doug Beaumont, a friend of Mr. Betancourt's. Read the whole story here.
- [Pope Hopes for Unity With SSPX](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/pope-hopes-for-unity-with-sspx/) - In an address to members Plenary Assembly of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at noon on Friday Pope Benedict XVI spoke of the unity he wishes to see in the Catholic Church. He expressed his hope for "full communion" with the Society of St. Pius X and the adherence of Anglicans "to
- [Fr. Murray Hopes for Full Communion With SSPX](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/02/canon-lawyer-hopes-sspx/) - Fr. Gerald Murray, a canon lawyer and pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church in New York City explained to CNA this week that the current discussions between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) “hold great promise for progress.” Read the full story here.
- [Australian Anglicans Seek Union With Rome](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/02/australian-anglicans-seek-union-with-rome/) - Three months after Pope Benedict issued the apostolic constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus, which makes provision for Anglicans seeking corporate union with the Catholic Church, the members of an organization of Australian Anglo-Catholic group have voted to seek full communion with the Holy See. Read the full story here.
- [Anglicans in America Reunite With the Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/anglicans-in-america-reunite-with-the-catholic-church/) - Breaking news as the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church in America has formally requested to enter the Catholic Church. All 99 parishes and cathedrals! Read the full story here.
- [Cardinal Levada: Union With Church Goal of Ecumenism](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/cardinal-levada-union-with-church-goal-of-ecumenism/) - In a lengthy address delivered in Canada on March 6, Cardinal William Levada, prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, stated that the reception of communities of Anglicans into the Catholic Church is consistent with Anglican-Catholic ecumenical dialogue because “union with the Catholic Church is the goal of ecumenism.” Read the whole
- [Canadian Anglicans Request Union With Rome](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/canadian-anglicans-union-rome/) - Describing the apostolic constitution as a “most welcome, gracious, and generous response” to their 2007 petition, the leaders of the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada have requested “that the Apostolic Constitution be implemented in Canada; that we may establish an interim Governing Council of three priests (or bishops); and that this Council be given the
- [Kyivan Patriarch: Unity With Greek Catholics Possible](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/kyivan-patriarch-unity-with-greek-catholics-possible/) - According to the patriarch, today "good relations have been established between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church." He noted that there are quite powerful forces in the Greek Catholic environment which would like to unite with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Read the whole story here.
- [Catholics & Orthodox Hold Ecumenical Meeting in Atlanta](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/catholics-orthodox-hold-ecumenical-meeting-in-atlanta/) - The Archdiocese of Atlanta has announced an Orthodox-Catholic ecumenical gathering commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord at Holy Spirit Church on Tuesday, April 27, at 7 p.m. This gathering, hosted by the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta, will emphasize the themes of the Resurrection/Pascha and religious freedom. Archbishop Wilton D.
- [Pope to Have Lunch With Orthodox Leader](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/pope-to-have-lunch-with-orthodox-leader/) - The schedule for Benedict XVI’s June 4-6 trip to the island of Cyprus has been confirmed, including a lunch with Orthodox Archbishop Chrysostom II. Read the whole story here.
- [Cardinal: Dialogue With SSPX Must be on Vatican's Terms](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/cardinal-dialogue-with-sspx-must-be-on-vaticans-terms/) - Vatican talks with a controversial splinter group have been difficult and the ultra-traditionalist Catholics will have to make concessions if an accord is to be reached, a senior Vatican cardinal said on Wednesday. Read the whole story here.
- [Eastern Orthodox Metropolitan: It's Time to Step Towards Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/eastern-orthodox-metropolitan-its-time-to-step-towards-unity/) - The time is now for the Orthodox and Catholic Churches to take a step toward unity, and for Benedict XVI and the Orthodox patriarch of Moscow to meet, says the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus. Read the whole story here.
- [Anglicans in UK Request Union With Rome](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/anglicans-in-uk-request-union-with-rome/) - It looks like the first moves towards establishing an ordinariate in the United Kingdom have been made by the Traditional Anglican Communion in this country. According to Anglo-Catholic, the group–which is small in Britain– has made a formal request to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Read the full story here.
- [Pope: Ecumenism is Obligatory](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/01/pope-ecumenism-is-obligatory/) - True Christian unity, the Pope continued, “cannot be realized only at the level of organizational structures,” but must be forged among the faithful, “confessing the one faith, celebrating divine worship in common, and keeping the fraternal harmony of the family of God.” Read the full story here.
- [Belarus: Catholics/Orthodox Celebrate Christian Unity Week](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/01/belarus-catholicsorthodox-celebrate-christian-unity-week/) - Catholic leaders in Belarus celebrated the annual week dedicated to Christian unity by gathering and breaking bread with local heads of Orthodox, Lutheran and other other Christian denominations. Read the full post here.
- [Catholic-Orthodox Conference Discusses Steps to Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/catholic-orthodox-conference-discusses-steps-to-unity/) - This conference was held on Saturday, Feb 5, 2011 at St. Paul's Orthodox Church in Irvine, CA. Speakers included Fr. Ronald Roberson, Associate Director of Ecumenical Affairs for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Fr. Thomas Fitzgerald, the Dean of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. Also in attendance were Metropolitan Gerasimos
- [Archbishop Hilarion on Christian Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/archbishop-hilarion-on-christian-unity/) - There’s been encouraging — sometimes tantalizing — news in recent years about the growing potential for Catholic-Orthodox unification. Pope Benedict XVI is said to be viewed more favorably by the Orthodox than his predecessor. The Catholic Archbishop of Moscow exclaimed in 2009 that unity with the Orthodox could be achieved “within months.” And the North
- [Spanish Catholics & Anglicans Issue Joint Statement on Baptism](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/spanish-catholics-anglicans-issue-joint-statement-on-baptism/) - MADRID, Spain, FEB. 23, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Anglicans and Catholics in Spain have made official a mutual recognition of the validity of baptism in both confessions. Bishop Adolfo González Montes of Almeria, president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference's ecumenical relations department, and Episcopal Bishop Carlos López Lozano signed Tuesday a joint declaration on baptism. Read the
- [Anglo-Lutherans to Enter Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/anglo-lutherans-to-enter-catholic-church/) - Read the whole story here.
- [Vatican Delegate Urges Anglicans to Pursue Unity With Rome](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/vatican-delegate-urges-anglicans-to-pursue-unity-with-rome/) - Auxiliary Bishop Peter Elliott of Melbourne, a former Anglican who now serves as the Holy See’s delegate for the Australian ordinariate, is urging Anglo-Catholics to “lay down [their] weapons” and seek full communion with the Holy See. Read the whole story here.
- [Barth/Aquinas Conference - "An Unofficial Protestant-Catholic Dialogue" to be held in June](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/barthaquinas-conference-an-unofficial-protestant-catholic-dialogue-to-be-held-in-june/) - Thomas Aquinas and Karl Barth: An Unofficial Protestant-Catholic Dialogue • June 19-22, 2011 @ Princeton Theological Seminary Lectures: Divine Being: Robert Jenson • Richard Schenk Trinity: Guy Mansini, OSB • Bruce McCormack Christology: Keith Johnson • Thomas Joseph White, OP Grace and Justification: Amy Marga • Joseph Wawrykow Divine and Human Action: Holly Taylor Coolman
- [600 Anglicans Prepare to Enter Church on Easter](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/600-anglicans-prepare-to-enter-church-on-easter/) - Some 600 members of the Church of England are preparing to be received into the Catholic Church this Easter as members of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. Read the rest of the story here.
- [CDF to Decide on US Anglican Ordinariate](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/cdf-us-anglican-ordinariate/) - A priest of the Archdiocese of Washington has told a Pennsylvania newspaper that the decision over whether to establish a personal ordinariate of former Anglicans in the United States is now in the hands of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Read the whole story here.
- [Catholic-Anglican Dialogue Focuses on Common Ground & Divergences](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/catholic-anglican-dialogue-focuses-on-common-ground-divergences/) - WASHINGTON—The sixty-sixth meeting of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Theological Consultation in the United States (ARC-USA) took place at the Washington Retreat House in Washington, October 26 and 27. Bishop Thomas Breidenthal of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio and Bishop Ronald P. Herzog of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana, co-chaired the meeting. It marked
- [Another Anglican Parish to Join Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/another-anglican-parish-to-join-catholic-church/) - Fr Grieves said: “The majority of people want to take advantage of this. “This is growing every week. Every week we see more people coming forward.” St James the Great, in Albert Hill, Darlington, has been an Anglo-Catholic church for more than 100 years. Read the whole story here.
- [4,700 to Become Catholic in England; Twenty Percent are Former Anglicans](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/4700-to-become-catholic-in-england-twenty-percent-are-former-anglicans/) - London, England, Mar 15, 2011 / 08:57 pm (CNA).- About 900 prospective members of the new ordinariate, including 61 former Anglican clergy, prepared for their reception into the Catholic Church in England and Wales over the weekend. Read the rest of the story here.
- [Catholic Church to Welcome Record Numbers in England](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/catholic-church-to-welcome-record-numbers-in-england/) - A record number of people in England and Wales will be received into the Catholic Church in Holy Week and Easter. Over 4,700 people took part in Rite of Election ceremonies in dioceses around England and Wales last weekend, marking a bumper year of new faithful, both catechumens and candidates for reception. The number was
- [Vatican: Patriarch Kirill and Pope Benedict Will Eventually Meet](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/vatican-patriarch-kirill-and-pope-benedict-will-eventually-meet/) - Moscow, March 18, Interfax -Meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia is not actual for the both sides, the Vatican says. "The meeting is not in the agenda. Both the Holy Father and His Holiness wish this meeting took place, but it should be thoroughly prepared," Cardinal Kurt Koch,
- [The Recent Rise in Lutheran Conversions](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/the-recent-rise-in-lutheran-conversions/) - Over the past several years, an increasing number of Lutheran theologians have joined the Church’s ranks, some of whom now teach at Catholic colleges and universities. They include, but are not limited to: Paul Quist (2005), Richard Ballard (2006), Paul Abbe (2006), Thomas McMichael, Mickey Mattox, David Fagerberg, Bruce Marshall, Reinhard Hutter, Philip Max Johnson,
- [Russian Orthodox Official Lauds Improved Catholic-Orthodox Relations](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/russian-orthodox-official-lauds-improved-catholic-orthodox-relations/) - Calling for a “strategic alliance” in which Catholic and Orthodox believers act as “allies,” the Russian Orthodox Church’s chief ecumenical officer lauded the “real positive results in normalization of Orthodox-Catholic relations in recent years.” Read the whole story here.
- [Metropolitan Hilarion Calls for Strategic Alliance With Rome](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/metropolitan-hilarion-calls-for-strategic-alliance-with-rome/) - The Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church should accept each other not as rivals, but first and foremost as allies, working to protect the rights of Christians, said “the Lavrov of the Church”, head of the ROC’s Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, while speaking at the International Christian Congress
- [Russian Orthodox Church Ready for Dialogue With UGCC](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/russian-orthodox-church-ready-for-dialogue-with-ugcc/) - In his congratulation Metropolitan Hilarion expressed the hope that the Russian Orthodox and Ukrainian Catholic Churches can "gradually resolve acute and painful problems that accumulated over the years to the [better] welfare and prosperity of the Ukrainian people," stating that "the Moscow Patriarchate is ready to develop constructive discussions with the [Ukrainian] Catholic Church ...
- [Anglicanorum Coetibus Conference, Roundup](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/04/anglicanorum-coetibus-conference-roundup/) - At a recent conference in Calgary, Alberta, Fr. Aidan Nichols OP discussed Pope Benedict XVI's ecumenical vision that led to the Apostolic Constitution, Anglicanorum coetibus. Fr. Nichols also addressed the liturgical dimension of the new Constitution, which invites groups of Anglicans to corporately enter into full communion with the Catholic Church, bringing their distinctive patrimony
- [Heaven on Earth? Conference at Regent College](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/04/heaven-on-earth-conference-at-regent-college/) - Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, will host a conference dedicated to the recent trend of theological or spiritual reading of Sacred Scripture. The conference will run 16-17 September 2011. Presenters include notable Protestant scholars Kevin Vanhoozer, Peter Leithart, Hans Boersma, and Iain Provan, as well as Catholic scholars Brian Daley, SJ, R. R. Reno,
- [Ukrainian Catholic Leader Hopes for Unity With Orthodox](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/05/ukrainian-catholic-leader-hopes-for-unity-with-orthodox/) - In an interview with Vatican Radio, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who was elected head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on March 25, discussed his hopes for Christian unity with the Orthodox, Read more here.
- [New Ordinariate Possible for Toronto](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/06/new-ordinariate-possible-for-toronto/) - Archbishop Thomas Colllins of Toronto plans to set up an ordinariate for Anglicans who wish to enter the Catholic Church, and hopes to have the first parish operating by the end of this year. Read the whole story here.
- [54 Anglican Clergy to be Received into the Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/06/54-anglican-clergy-to-be-received-as-catholics/) - The first of a series of ordinations are set to take place, which will see former Anglican clergy defect from the Church of England and become Roman Catholic priests, on Saturday. Read the whole story here.
- [MD Episcopal Parish to Enter Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/06/md-episcopal-parish-to-enter-catholic-church/) - The small congregation of St. Luke’s Episcopal parish in Bladensburg, Maryland will join the Catholic Church through the Anglican ordinariate structure created by Pope Benedict XVI. Read the whole story here.
- [US Ordinariate Could Welcome 100 Priests, 2,000 Laypersons](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/06/us-ordinariate-could-welcome-100-priests-2000-laypersons/) - As many as 100 U.S. Anglican priests and 2,000 laypeople could be the first members of a U.S. personal ordinariate for former Anglicans who want to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church, Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington reported to his fellow bishops June 15. Read the whole story here.
- [Six Texas Episcopalian Parishes to be Received into Full Communion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/07/six-texas-episcopalian-parishes-to-be-received-into-full-communion/) - After Maryland, Texas. A few days after news of the return to full communion with the Catholic Church by an entire Episcopalian community (Anglican of the States) of Saint Luke, in Bladenburg (Maryland), a new “transition” takes place: This time it's in Texas, where six Anglican parishes "Made in the USA" are going to embrace
- [Russian Cleric Joins Vatican Ceremony](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/07/russian-cleric-joins-vatican-ceremony/) - [A] Russian report notes that Father Anthony Sevryuk, the rector of the Orthodox church of St. Catherine in Rome, was present at this year's celebration. His presence may be taken as further indication of a warming trend in the sometimes-troubled relations between the Vatican and the Moscow Patriarchate. Read the whole story here.
- [Episcopal parish in Bladensburg enters Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/10/episcopal-parish-in-bladensburg-enters-catholic-church/) - The Rev. Mark Lewis awoke early on the last morning of his life as an Anglican priest and dressed in a suit and tie instead of his usual priestly regalia. That’s different, he thought, for the first of many times on a day when so much was different for St. Luke’s, the small Episcopal church
- [US Anglicans Will Have Ordinariate in January](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/12/us-anglicans-will-have-ordinariate-in-january/) - BALTIMORE, Maryland, NOV. 15, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Anglicans in the United States who seek full communion with the Catholic Church will have an ordinariate on Jan. 1. Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, D.C., announced this today during the fall plenary meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in Baltimore. Read the whole
- [SSPX Response to Preamble Surprises Vatican](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/12/sspx-response-to-preamble-surprises-vatican/) - Last week the SSPX submitted a response to the “Doctrinal Preamble” that was presented to the traditionalist group in September as the possible basis for a reconciliation with the Holy See. The document allowed for some amendment or clarification, but the Vatican made it clear that the SSPX would be expected to accept the essence
- [Hundreds of Anglicans Expected to Become Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/12/hundreds-of-anglicans-expected-to-become-catholic/) - At least 20 clergy and several hundred of their parishioners are already lined up to join the Ordinariate, the new structure set up by the Pope a year ago that allows them to remain some of their Anglican heritage while entering into full communion with the Holy See. But many more members of the Anglo-Catholic
- [Doors Open for Anglicans to Re-Join the Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/12/doors-open-for-anglicans-to-re-join-the-church/) - New Year’s Day ushers in a new era for Roman Catholics and members of the Anglican Church who will have the opportunity to enter into “corporate reunion” with the Holy See. Read the whole story here.
- [Baltimore Episcopal Parish to Join Ordinariate](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/baltimore-episcopal-parish-to-join-ordinariate/) - Cardinal-designate Edwin F. O’Brien, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, announced Jan. 19 that Mount Calvary Church, a Baltimore parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, will be received into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church through the newly created Anglican Ordinariate for the United States Read the whole story here.
- [Update on the Anglican Ordinariates](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/05/update-on-the-anglican-ordinariates/) - Rocco Palmo of Whispers in the Loggia recently posted some up-to-date information on the continuing formation of the Anglican Ordinariates, which are canonical structures within the Roman Catholic Church for Anglicans who wish to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church while retaining distinctive elements of their Anglican heritage. Don't miss the video (towards
- [Wheaton Joins Catholic Schools in Opposing HHS Mandate](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/07/wheaton-joins-catholic-schools-in-opposing-hhs-mandate/) - The Wall Street Journal has published an op-ed jointly written by the president of Wheaton College, Philip Ryken, and the president of the Catholic University of America, John Garvey. They explain why Wheaton has decided to join the over forty Catholic dioceses, colleges, and other groups in opposing the violations of the constitutional right to
- [PBS: Episcopal-to-Catholic Converts](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/08/pbs-episcopal-to-catholic-converts/) - Watch Episcopal-to-Catholic Converts on PBS.
- [Anglican Cathedral in Orlando Becomes Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/09/anglican-cathedral-in-orlando-becomes-catholic/) - On her blog "Seasons of Grace," Kathy Schiffer reports: "It’s been five years in the making, and this morning the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Orlando, Florida will become Catholic...." For more information, please see the entire post.
- [Anglicans Becoming Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/12/anglicans-becoming-catholic/) - Earlier this year, Bishop Richard Gagnon of the Diocese of Victoria in British Columbia, received into the Catholic Church the members of the Fellowship of Blessed John Henry Newman, formed by members of the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada who were seeking full communion with the Catholic Church under the terms of the Apostolic Constitution
- ["Bartholomew is Seeking to Reinvigorate Dialogue With Roman Catholics"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/12/bartholomew-is-seeking-to-reinvigorate-dialogue-with-roman-catholics/) - A recent article points to a renewed effort on the part of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople to seek unity between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The article begins with the following: His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I CONSTANTINOPLE – Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is attempting to inaugurate a new path
- [Catholic Church and Four Reformed Denominations Agree to Recognize the Validity of Each Other's Baptisms](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/01/catholic-church-and-four-reformed-denominations-agree-to-recognize-the-validity-of-each-others-baptisms/) - Last night, in Austin, Texas, representatives of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Christian Reformed Church in North America, the Reformed Church in America, and the United Church of Christ signed a document titled "These Living Waters: Common Agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Baptism." News reports concerning this event
- [Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Attend Pope Francis's Inaugural Mass](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/03/ecumenical-patriarch-bartholomew-to-attend-pope-franciss-inaugural-mass/) - As reported by AsiaNews.it: The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I will attend Pope Francis's inaugural Mass. The Ecumenical Patriarchate Press Office informed AsiaNews about the decision, noting that this is the first time such an event occurs since the Catholic-Orthodox split in 1054, an important sign for Christian unity. The ecumenical patriarch will be accompanied by
- ["After Five Centuries of Division, Catholics and Lutherans Consider Their Common Heritage"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/08/after-five-centuries-of-division-catholics-and-lutherans-consider-their-common-heritage/) - A new joint document has been released in advance of the 500th anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation. by CHARLOTTE HAYS 08/21/2013 WASHINGTON — Although Martin Luther likely simply sent his Ninety-Five Theses — his harsh critique of contemporary Catholicism — to the local archbishop instead of dramatically nailing them to the church
- [Pope Francis Apologizes to Pentecostals](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/07/pope-francis-apologizes-to-pentecostals/) - Pope Francis and Giovanni TraettinoOn Monday, July 28, Pope Francis traveled to Caserta, Italy, and in an historical event met with nearly 350 Pentecostal Christians, among whom was the Rev. Giovanni Traettino, a friend of Pope Francis's from his days as Cardinal Bergoglio. News stories about this visit can be found here and here. After
- [Michael Horton on Terrence Malick's "Tree of Life"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/06/michael-horton-on-terrence-malicks-tree-of-life/) - Recently Michael Horton reviewed Terrence Malick's film The Tree of Life. Michael is the editor-in-chief of Modern Reformation, co-host of the White Horse Inn radio program, the J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California, and one of the most well-known and well-respected Reformed figures today. For this reason, when
- [Predestination: John Calvin vs. Thomas Aquinas](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/predestination-john-calvin-vs-thomas-aquinas/) - In his third book of the Institutes of the Christian Religion (chs. 21-24), Calvin articulates his developed doctrine of predestination and reprobation. In chapter 21 in particular, Calvin denies that God's prescience ("foreknowledge") is the cause of predestination. Thomas Aquinas makes a similar argument in Summa theologiae I, q. 23, a. 5. First, Thomas refutes
- [Branches or Schisms?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/branches-or-schisms/) - What is the difference between a branch and a schism? Many Christians speak of the present plurality of denominations as 'branches.' That term makes the present state of disunity among Christians seem quite acceptable. The Scripture prohibits schisms. ((See section II.B of "Christ Founded a Visible Church.")) But if there is no principled difference between
- [St. Cyprian on the Unity of the Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/09/st-cyprian-on-the-unity-of-the-church/) - Today is the memorial of St. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage in North Africa, from about AD 249 until his martrydom on September 14, 258 under the Emperor Valerian. St. Cyprian of Carthage When he was a young man, Cyprian was converted from paganism to the Catholic faith by an elderly priest named Caecilianus, who died
- [Episode 6 - Ecclesial Deism](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/episode-6-ecclesial-deism/) - A podcast by Bryan Cross and Tom Riello on Ecclesial Deism.
- [Called To Communion's Ten Year Anniversary](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2019/03/called-to-communions-ten-year-anniversary/) - Called To Communion's first essay was posted on Ash Wednesday in 2009. So today on this Ash Wednesday we give thanks to God for ten years, and ask for His continued grace for sanctity and gifts for service. Over these ten years we each have taken on other responsibilities, especially in our local parishes, our
- [The Justice of Worship](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2019/01/the-justice-of-worship/) - This year’s theme for the International Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is “Justice, and Only Justice, You Shall Pursue,” and the biblical text from which the theme comes is Deuteronomy 16:11-20. "Rejoice before the Lord your God — you and your sons and your daughters, your male and female slaves, the Levites resident in
- [Jeremy Tate on the Journey Home](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2018/08/jeremy-tate-on-the-journey-home/) - Jeremy Tate, a graduate from Reformed Theological Seminary, was recently on The Journey Home with Marcus Grodi. Jeremy spent seven years as a member of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) before converting to the Catholic Church in 2010. Jeremy lives in Annapolis with his wife and four kids and currently serves as President of
- [Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/08/solemnity-of-the-assumption-of-the-virgin-mary-into-heaven/) - Today, August 15, is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven. On this day, the universal Church celebrates what took place at the end of our Blessed Mother's earthly life. "The Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and
- [On Denying the Gospel for the Sake of God’s Glory](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2018/07/on-denying-the-gospel-for-the-sake-of-gods-glory/) - This is a guest post by Jeremy de Haan. Jeremy was born and raised in the Canadian Reformed Churches. He received a Master of Divinity degree from the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary in Hamilton, Ontario in 2016, and with his family was received into full communion with the Catholic Church at Easter, 2017. He tells
- [Catholic and Reformed Conceptions of the Atonement](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/catholic-and-reformed-conceptions-of-the-atonement/) - As we enter into the three most sacred days of the liturgical year, when Christ entered into His Passion and death, it may be helpful to consider the difference between the Reformed and Catholic conceptions of Christ's Passion and Atonement. Crucifixion Duccio di Buoninsegna (1308-11) Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Siena The Reformed conception of the
- [New Book on Marriage from David Anders](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2018/06/new-book-on-marriage-from-david-anders/) - Becoming Catholic transformed my experience of marriage. For a description, please see the videos below. Link to the Book Here And Here
- [Lawrence Feingold on Sufficient and Efficacious Grace](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/12/lawrence-feingold-on-sufficient-and-efficacious-grace/) - On November 30, Professor Lawrence Feingold of Ave Maria University's Institute for Pastoral Theology and author of The Natural Desire to See God According to St. Thomas and his Interpreters and the three volume series The Mystery of Israel and the Church gave a lecture titled "Sufficient and Efficacious Grace" to the Association of Hebrew
- [Lawrence Feingold: A Catholic Understanding of Predestination and Perseverance](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/11/lawrence-feingold-on-predestinatio/) - Over the last three months, Professor Lawrence Feingold of Ave Maria University's Institute for Pastoral Theology and author of The Natural Desire to See God According to St. Thomas and his Interpreters and the three volume series The Mystery of Israel and the Church has been giving a series of lectures to the Association of
- [Happy Byzantine Liturgical New Year!](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/09/happy-byzantine-liturgical-new-year/) - Our first article at Called to Communion called attention to the sanctification of time in the Reformed tradition; namely, the observance of the first day of the week, Sunday, as the Christian Sabbath. Although there are some differences between Catholics and Reformed Protestants concerning the meaning and observance of the Lord's Day, there is general
- [A Response to Scott Clark and Robert Godfrey on "The Lure of Rome"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/a-response-to-scott-clark-and-robert-godfrey-on-the-lure-of-rome/) - Not that long ago, Scott Clark and Robert Godfrey, professors at Westminster Seminary California, posted a podcast in which they discuss the question of why some Evangelical Christians, including some Calvinists, convert to the Catholic Church. It is hard to pass up the chance to hear someone else's reaction to one's own story, so I tuned
- [Inspiration and Infallibility](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/infallibility-and-inspiration/) - These thoughts are prompted by some comments made over at Green Baggins, which is hands down the best blog name that I have ever seen. The topic is also related to the ongoing discussion under Neal Judisch's post, Calvin on 'Self-Authentication.' The question at hand is whether or not the Catholic Church’s claim to infallibility is
- [Sacramentalism](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/sacramentalism/) - Sacramentalism is a soteriological position according to which the Christian sacraments are intrinsically efficacious means of grace. It is primarily, though not exclusively, by means of the sacraments that the covenant-making, covenant-keeping God accomplishes his salvific purpose of uniting all things in Christ (Ephesians 1:7-10). The sacramentalist affirms that God extends saving grace to mortal
- [King David’s Clean-Heart Gospel Passion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2018/01/king-davids-clean-heart-gospel-passion/) - This is a guest post by Jeremy de Haan. Jeremy was born and raised in the Canadian Reformed Churches. He received a Master of Divinity degree from the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary in Hamilton, Ontario in 2016, and with his family was received into full communion with the Catholic Church at Easter, 2017. He tells
- [A Return To The "Infinite Regress" Objection](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2017/11/a-return-to-the-infinite-regress-objection/) - Several months ago an elder from my old Presbyterian church (P.C.A.) and I had an email exchange that hovered around the competing paradigms of authority between Catholicism and Reformed Protestantism. The Catholic paradigm is one in which the Magisterium is the authoritative interpreter of Scripture. According to Reformed Protestantism, in contrast, Scripture is both sufficient
- [A Review of Fr. Thomas Joseph White's <em>The Light of Christ</em>](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2017/11/review-of-fr-thomas-joseph-whites-the-light-of-christ/) - A friend of mine attending the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) — a Catholic adult Sunday school of sorts for those interested in learning more about Catholic doctrine and practice — asked me if I were to recommend one book for him what would it be? I told him this was a daunting,
- [Racial Reconciliation and the Most Segregated Hour](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2017/08/racial-reconciliation-and-the-most-segregated-hour/) - My daily commute in St. Louis, Missouri used to take me down a three mile stretch of north Grand Avenue from I-70 to Saint Louis University in Midtown St. Louis. Each time I would drive that stretch, I would count the number of churches on either side of the road. I would count them because
- [Recommending Mary: A Review of <em>Marian Veneration</em> by Francis Cardinal Arinze](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2017/10/recommending-mary-a-review-of-marian-veneration-by-francis-cardinal-arinze/) - For Protestants interested in better understanding the subject of Mary and Marian devotion in Catholic faith and practice, there are many good books, including several that have been published within the last ten years. (( I recommend specifically David Mills’ Discovering Mary and Tim Staples’ Behold Your Mother, which I will mention in a little
- [Michael Horton on Schism as Heresy](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/10/michael-horton-on-schism-as-heresy/) - Michael Horton Michael Horton is the editor-in-chief of Modern Reformation, co-host of the White Horse Inn radio program, and the J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California. Recently on the White Horse Inn blog Michael Horton wrote about the nature of schism. He wrote a post titled "Have Denominations
- [Bryan Cross on The Journey Home (2017)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2017/08/bryan-cross-on-the-journey-home-2017/) - In 2011 I received an invitation from the folks at The Journey Home to come tell my story, but at the time I had to decline the invitation because of other responsibilities. This summer I was re-invited, and was traveling through Ohio anyway, so I stopped in Zanesville and sat down with Marcus Grodi, a
- [Wilson vs. Hitchens: A Catholic Perspective](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/wilson-vs-hitchens-a-catholic-perspective/) - I just finished teaching Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics this semester. This is the tenth year I have taught it, and every time I teach it, I more deeply appreciate its truth and importance. One reason for its importance can be found in the Wilson-Hitchens video that I discuss below. Twenty years ago, I believed what is
- [Lawrence Feingold on the Sacrament of Holy Orders and the Ministerial Priesthood](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/02/lawrence-feingold-on-the-sacrament-of-holy-orders-and-the-ministerial-priesthood/) - Dr. Lawrence Feingold Two weeks ago, Lawrence Feingold of the Institute for Pastoral Studies at Ave Maria University, presented a teaching on the Catholic doctrine of the Sacrament of Holy Orders and the ministerial priesthood, at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. The audio of this teaching is available below, in two parts, each about
- [Christ Founded a Visible Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/christ-founded-a-visible-church/) - One of the most fundamental differences between the Protestant and Catholic ecclesial paradigms concerns the nature of the Church that Christ founded. According to the predominant Protestant paradigm, the Church itself is a spiritual, invisible entity, though some of its members, namely, all those believers still living in this present life, are visible, because they
- [Lawrence Feingold on Freedom of the Will](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/04/lawrence-feingold-on-freedom-of-the-will/) - Two days ago, Professor Lawrence Feingold of Ave Maria University's Institute for Pastoral Theology and author of The Natural Desire to See God According to St. Thomas and his Interpreters gave a lecture titled "The Freedom of the Will" to the Association of Hebrew Catholics. The audio recordings of the lecture and of the following
- [Finding a Shared Colonial History: A Review of Kevin Starr's <em>Continental Ambitions</em>](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2017/06/finding-a-shared-colonial-history-a-review-of-kevin-starrs-continental-ambitions/) - In approaching American history, there is a tendency among Protestants and Catholics to view the social, political, and religious narrative of our country (and continent) through only the lens of one’s own faith community. In my own former Presbyterian church (PCA), I remember cookouts on the fourth of July during which a leaflet would be
- [Welcoming One of Our Own](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/welcoming-one-of-our-own/) - On behalf of everyone at Called to Communion, I'd like to officially welcome Tom Brown and his wife Jessica to the Catholic Church. Tom has been on a journey towards the Catholic Church for almost six years and was just received into the Church at last night's Easter Vigil along with his wife and four
- [VanDrunen on Catholic Inclusivity and Change](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/10/vandrunen-on-catholic-inclusivity-and-change/) - Has the Catholic Church changed her doctrine concerning "no salvation outside the Church?" Dr. David VanDrunen recently penned a brief historical survey of what he sees as Catholicism's "change" from soteriological exclusivisity to inclusivity. VanDrunen is a Westminster Seminary California professor and minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC). His article appeared in the OPC’s periodical
- [Aquinas and Trent: Part 7](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/aquinas-and-trent-part-7/) - On this day, March 7, in the year 1274, seven hundred and thirty six years ago, St. Thomas Aquinas departed from this life, and thus today is his traditional feast day. ((A fascinating summary of his life and death can be found here.)) Last year, on this day, I began a series of posts intending
- [Aquinas and Trent: Part 6](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/04/aquinas-and-trent-part-6/) - What did Christ do for us through His Passion, according to Aquinas? Was it necessary that He suffer? How do we receive the salvific benefits of Christ's Passion? Was His Passion sufficient? Does God hate sinners? Crucifixion with the Virgin and St John the Evangelist Ugolino di Nerio (1280 - 1349) St. Thomas Aquinas on
- [Aquinas and Trent: Part 5](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/04/aquinas-and-trent-part-5/) - In this fifth post in this series, I examine what St. Thomas Aquinas says about the third of the three effects of sin, namely, debt of punishment. Why does sin cause a debt of punishment? Is the debt the same for mortal and venial sins? Is sin the punishment for sin? Does the debt remain
- [Aquinas and Trent: Part 4](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/04/aquinas-and-trent-part-4/) - In this fourth post in our series on Aquinas and the Council of Trent, I examine what St. Thomas Aquinas says about another effect of sin, namely, stain in the soul. How does sin cause a stain in the soul? What is this stain? Is it caused by all sins or only mortal sins? Does
- [Ecclesial Unity and Outdoing Christ: A Dilemma for the Ecumenism of Non-Return](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/11/ecclesial-unity-and-outdoing-christ-a-dilemma-for-the-ecumenism-of-non-return/) - In an article titled "Finale: A Unitive Vision of Christendom," PCA pastor Mike Hsu, the pastor of Grace Chapel in Lincoln, Nebraska, recently claimed that I would treat a call for "united hearts" rather than "united ecclesial structure" as ecclesial deism. In that same article Mike then wrote, "The problem with Cross’ argumentation is that
- [The Scriptures, the Spirit, and the Sheepfold: A Reply to Dr. Wes Bredenhof](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2017/04/the-scriptures-the-spirit-and-the-sheepfold-a-reply-to-dr-wes-bredenhof/) - Jeremy de Haan was born and raised in the Canadian Reformed Churches, and completed a Master of Divinity at the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary in Hamilton, Ontario in 2016. In his fourth year of seminary, Jeremy discovered more deeply the Catholic roots of the Reformed tradition and the way in which that tradition necessarily depends
- [Reading St. Paul Through the Book of Acts](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2017/04/reading-st-paul-through-the-book-of-acts/) - Ecumenical Bible studies: they are often demonstrations of the best and worst of Christian dialogue. In their most beneficial form, they offer opportunities for members of various Christian traditions, be they Catholic, Orthodox, Reformed, or various strands of Evangelicalism, to share their own rich understandings and applications of Biblical literature. Alternatively, they can devolve into
- [<em>The Bible Made Impossible</em>: Reviewed by Brent Stubbs](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/08/the-bible-made-impossible-reviewed-by-brent-stubbs/) - Brent Stubbs This is a guest post by Brent Stubbs, in which he reviews Christian Smith's recent book The Bible Made Impossible: Why Biblicism Is Not a Truly Evangelical Reading of Scripture. Brent is a convert to the Catholic Church from the Pentecostal tradition. However, his theology became Reformed while he was pursuing a BA
- [The iMonk Interview: All Souls to Easter](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/11/the-imonk-interview-all-souls-to-easter/) - Two years ago today, Protestant minister Michael Spencer (aka iMonk, or "Internet Monk") published the first part of an interview with me. At the time, he seemed healthy. I could not know that five months later he would die from cancer. The invitation to participate in the interview had come in October of 2009. I received
- [Gay, Catholic, and Thriving: A Review of <em>Gay and Catholic</em> by Eve Tushnet](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/gay-catholic-and-thriving-a-review-of-gay-and-catholic-by-eve-tushnet/) - The recent conclusion of the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family has generated headline media discussion implying that the Catholic Church reached a near-watershed moment in supposedly considering revising traditional Catholic teaching on homosexuality. Echoing many American political leaders, commentators have asked whether the Church will finally get on the "right side of history"?
- [The Gospel Coalition and the Vividness Criterion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2017/03/the-gospel-coalition-and-the-vividness-criterion/) - This is the first in an occasional series on how cognitive biases frequently — and often unknowingly — affect ecumenical dialogue between Protestants and Catholics. (( The appropriation of cognitive biases for use in theology has warrant in official Catholic teaching on the use of human science in understanding Church doctrine. The Congregation for the
- [Joyeux Noël](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/joyeux-noel/) - Advent is not only about the coming of Christ into the world, it is also about the coming of His Kingdom, the Church that He establishes. This is why the first reading on the first Sunday of Advent is about the Church, from the prophet Isaiah: "It shall come to pass in the latter days
- [With Faces Thitherward: A Reformed Seminary Student's Story](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/12/with-faces-thitherward-a-reformed-seminary-students-story/) - Jeremy de Haan was born and raised in the Canadian Reformed Churches, a denomination grounded in the Dutch Reformed tradition. He drifted from his Reformed roots in his early twenties, spending a few years in a Vineyard church but ultimately returned to the Reformed tradition. Sometime later, he decided to pursue the ministry, and completed
- [Authentic and Inauthentic Reform: A Brief Response to Reformanda Initiative's "Is the Reformation Over: A Statement of Evangelical Convictions"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/11/authentic-and-inauthentic-reform-a-brief-response-to-reformanda-initiatives-is-the-reformation-over-a-statement-of-evangelical-convictions/) - I was asked to respond to an article from Reformanda Initiative posted recently on The Gospel Coalition site. The article is titled "Is the Reformation Over? A Statement of Evangelical Convictions." The full "statement," which some evangelicals have signed, is located here at "isthereformationover.com." For readers who may be unfamiliar with Reformanda Initiative, this is
- [Congratulations to Taylor Marshall, Ph.D.](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/12/congratulations-to-taylor-marshall-ph-d/) - Like our readers, the writers at Called to Communion have many calls to answer and are in some cases extraordinarily busy in our personal lives. We are so grateful for the opportunity, in this forum, to share our faith in Christ and his Church, to engage in ecumenical dialogue with our separated brothers and sisters,
- [Congratulations to Bryan Cross, Ph.D.](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/12/congratulations-to-bryan-cross-ph-d/) - Just over a year ago, we had the pleasure of congratulating Taylor Marshall on earning his doctorate in philosophy. Today, we once again rejoice with a member of Called to Communion on the occasion of his academic accomplishment. Yesterday, December 17, 2012, Bryan Cross successfully defended his doctoral dissertation, "Alasdair MacIntyre on the Practice of
- [Congratulations to Barrett Turner, Ph.D.](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/05/congratulations-to-barrett-turner-ph-d/) - The contributors at Called To Communion gratefully rejoice with one of our members on the recent occasion of his academic accomplishment. On April 29, 2015 Barrett Turner successfully defended his doctoral dissertation, "Dignitatis humanae and the Development of Moral Doctrine: Assessing Change in Catholic Social Teaching on Religious Liberty", thus earning his Ph.D. Congratulations, Dr.
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2016: Day Seven, "Hospitality for Prayer"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2016-day-seven-hospitality-for-prayer/) - "Keep sane and sober for your prayers. Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another. As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace..." 1 Peter 4:7b-10, RSV The theme for day seven of
- [Is “Politics a Good Thing” ?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/07/is-politics-a-good-thing/) - When I was an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia, I had the pleasure of taking an introductory politics course taught by the well-known commentator and political analyst Larry J. Sabato, who runs UVA’s Center for Politics. One of the most memorable moments in that course was when Dr. Sabato distributed small bumper stickers
- [The Vatican Files N. 4: A Reply to Ref21's Leonardo De Chirico](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/07/the-vatican-files-n-4-a-reply-to-ref21s-leonardo-de-chirico/) - Leonardo De Chirico Leonardo De Chirico is a Protestant lecturer in theology at IFED (Istituto di Formazione Evangelica e Documentazione) in Padova, Italy. He edits the theological journal Studi di teologia. He also worked in Italy for twelve years as a Reformed Baptist church planter. Over the past few months De Chirico has posted a
- [Lies, Damned Lies, and Anti-Catholic History](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/10/lies-damned-lies-and-anti-catholic-history/) - Ten years ago I was an AP European History teacher at a school in rural central Virginia. At the time I was a very sincere Reformed Protestant, and although I wanted to maintain academic objectivity in the classroom, I was still quite eager to teach the unit on the Protestant Reformation. We began with the
- [No Longer Adrift: A Presbyterian Pastor Discovers the Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/09/no-longer-adrift-a-presbyterian-pastor-discovers-the-catholic-church/) - Dr. Joseph Johnson was raised in the Baptist tradition, but much of his formative years were in nondenominational and charismatic circles. After entering Bible college, he concentrated in church history, and spent some time among Jewish Christians due to an interest in the relationship between the church and synagogue. Having discovered Reformed theology in seminary,
- [A Catholic Assessment of Gregg Allison's Critique of the "Hermeneutics of Catholicism"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/08/a-catholic-assessment-of-gregg-allisons-critique-of-the-hermeneutics-of-catholicism/) - This is a guest article by Eduardo Echeverria. Eduardo was born in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, in 1950. His family immigrated to Manhattan, NY, in 1952. He was raised Roman Catholic, but only responded to the Gospel in the summer of 1970 through the ministry of L'Abri Fellowship, founded by Francis and Edith Schaeffer, and located in the
- [J.R.R. Tolkien's Sacramental World, Part Three: Language](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/j-r-r-tolkiens-sacramental-world-part-three-language/) - This is the third in a three part series. Part One may be read here. [1] In this post, I want to make a few remarks about how language, particularly in its stylistic or aesthetic aspect, relates to reality. I will do this by way of briefly indicating how Middle Earth is rooted in language
- [J.R.R. Tolkien's Sacramental World, Part One: Memory](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/11/j-r-r-tolkiens-sacramental-world-part-one/) - Fr. Dwight Longenecker has written a nice summary of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic novel, The Lord of the Rings. I was moved to comment there, and now to post a greatly amplified version of that comment here. One justification for the latter move is that the subject has some bearing upon recent discussions at this website. More fundamentally,
- [Why the Claim that Catholics Don’t Understand Reformed Theology is not Uncharitable](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/why-the-claim-that-catholics-don’t-understand-reformed-theology-is-not-necessarily-uncharitable/) - Suppose a Catholic is discussing Reformed theology with a Reformed Protestant and that the Catholic is explaining to the Reformed Protestant why he doesn’t agree with particular aspects of Reformed theology. And suppose the Reformed Protestant tells the Catholic that he (the Catholic) just doesn’t understand Reformed theology, and that the Reformed Protestant’s evidence for
- [Philosophy and the Papacy](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/08/philosophy-and-the-papacy/) - The Scripture readings for today's liturgy provide a biblical basis for the papacy, as John Bergsma explains. But as a Protestant, I was not able to see those verses as providing that basis, until I read Plato's Republic. Of the various philosophical factors that helped me become Catholic, one was teaching through Plato's Republic. I
- [St. Thomas Aquinas on the Unity of the Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/st-thomas-aquinas-on-the-unity-of-the-church/) - Today, on this eighth and last day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we will look at what St. Thomas Aquinas says about the unity of the Church. Here I'll offer some very brief remarks on what St. Thomas teaches concerning the unity of the Church. I'll draw from Aquinas' commentary on the Apostles'
- [Prose and Poetry: A Catholic Perspective on Kingdom, Cult, and Creation](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/prose-and-poetry-a-catholic-perspective-on-kingdom-cult-and-creation/) - Recently, some Reformed bloggers have been discussing the relationships between sacred and secular, cult and creation. This discussion has been cast in terms of Two Kingdoms: the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Man. [1] What follows is a rudimentary effort to describe two prominent Reformed views on this matter, show how each view
- [Summarizing the Summas, or, the Simplicity of Saint Thomas Aquinas](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/10/summarizing-the-summas-a-visceral-reaction-and-another-index/) - The names "Thomas Aquinas" and "Summa," when they spark recognition, can also produce rather visceral reactions. St. Thomas' meticulous, dialectic method of exploring theological questions (the "scholastic" method) probably has something to do with the more than (and less than) intellectual reactions to the man and his works. Many folks find the scholastic method to
- [The Law of Love](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/05/the-law-of-love/) - The most contentious issue in the Western theological tradition has been the relationship of law and grace. In the second century, Marcionites stressed grace so much that they completely rejected the Old Testament and what they took to be the God of “law.” In the third and fourth centuries, the Roman priest Novatian and the
- [Who is a "Real" Christian?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/02/who-is-real-christian/) - I grew up an evangelical Protestant and became Catholic only in 2003. In the Church of my youth, we had a troubling practice. We distinguished “real Christians” from Christians in name only. People who had gone to Church all of their life would come to our meetings and declare, “I’ve just now become a real
- [Feast of the Presentation of the Lord](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/02/feast-of-the-presentation-of-the-lord/) - Today is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, when Mary and Joseph, forty days after the birth of Jesus, brought Him from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to present Him to God in the Temple in fulfillment of the law of Moses. On this day, Mary handed the Infinite One (Infinity itself) to an old
- [Jack Mulder Jr. Answers "What Does it Mean to be Catholic?"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/01/jack-mulder-jr-answers-what-does-it-mean-to-be-catholic/) - A review of Dr. Jack Mulder Jr.'s 2015 book What Does It Mean To Be Catholic? When I went through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) in 2010-2011, my classmates would periodically ask our instructors -- often priests -- about how Protestants would explain or define some particular theological point. This is always
- [Truth Speaks in Love](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/09/truth-speaks-in-love/) - Faith can wish to understand because it is moved by love for the One upon whom it has bestowed its consent. Love seeks understanding. It wishes to know ever better the one whom it loves. It “seeks his face,” as Augustine never tires of repeating. Love is the desire for intimate knowledge, so that the
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2016: Day Eight, “Hearts burning for unity”](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2016-day-eight-hearts-burning-for-unity/) - How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace." (Isaiah 52:7) This past November, Saturday Night Live performed a skit in which a child repeatedly saves family members at the Thanksgiving table from escalating squabbling by playing Adele's Hello, thereby inducing episodes of shared aesthetic rapture, as
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2016: Day Five, "The Fellowship of the Apostles"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2016-day-five-the-fellowship-of-the-apostles/) - A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35, RSV.) We must love one another completely, so that the world
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2016: Day Six, “Listen to this Dream”](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2016-day-six-listen-to-this-dream/) - Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they only hated him the more. He said to them, “Hear this dream which I have dreamed: behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf arose and stood upright; and behold, your sheaves gathered round it, and bowed
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2016: Day Four, “A priestly people called to proclaim the Gospel”](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2016-day-four-a-priestly-people-called-to-proclaim-the-gospel/) - Biblical text for 2016: Day Four: A priestly people called to proclaim the Gospel. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were no people but now
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2016: Day Three, "The Witness of Fellowship"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2016-day-three-the-witness-of-fellowship/) - When I first confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and God, my unbelieving sister’s strongest argument against the Christian faith was: how do you know what to believe about Jesus when so many Christians claim Jesus as God and yet believe such different things? This is a serious problem for evangelization. It was an argument which
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2016: Day Two, "Called to Be Messengers of Joy"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2016-day-two-called-to-be-messengers-of-joy/) - As Christians, we hear a lot about joy. We are, in fact, commanded to rejoice. That being the case, we cannot understand joy to be a mere feeling, because we cannot command our feelings. However, after we have grieved and known sorrow, we are commanded to return to the reality which overcomes our pain: the
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2016: Day One, “Let the Stone Be Rolled Away"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2016/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2016-day-one-let-the-stone-be-rolled-away/) - Biblical text for 2016: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were no people but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy
- [Underlying Disagreements in ECT Evangelicals' Objections to the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/12/underlying-disagreements-in-ect-evangelicals-objections-to-the-dogma-of-the-immaculate-conception/) - Today is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Last year, immediately preceding this Solemnity, Taylor posted "Mary Without Sin (Scripture and Tradition)," and on the Feast I posted "Mary's Immaculate Conception, in which I included podcasts of Prof. Lawrence Feingold's lecture and Q&A on this dogma. Those two posts provide evidence for the Catholic dogma,
- [Fulton Sheen's Biblical Account of the Catholic Church as Christ's Mystical Body](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/12/fulton-sheens-biblical-account-of-the-catholic-church-as-christs-mystical-body/) - A review of Venerable Fulton Sheen's recently re-published The Mystical Body of Christ as it relates to Protestant criticisms of the Church's sacerdotal nature. A good friend and elder at my former Presbyterian (PCA) church once invited me over for beers and conversation several months after my decision to become a Catholic. In that exchange,
- [Westminster in the Dock: Reflections on the Peter Leithart Trial](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/10/westminster-in-the-dock-reflections-on-the-peter-leithart-trial/) - Last weekend, Called to Communion's Tim Troutman and I got together for drinks with a fellow that Tim sponsored in his parish's RCIA program. In the course of the conversation, I mentioned that I had been reading the transcripts and other documents pertaining to the Peter Leithart trial in the Pacific Northwest Presbytery of the
- [To Enter the Sanctuary by the Blood of Jesus: A Literal Account of Becoming Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/08/to-enter-the-sanctuary-by-the-blood-of-jesus-a-literal-account-of-becoming-catholic/) - What follows is the story of how I became a Catholic, as best as I can remember it. I have called this a “literal account” in order to distinguish it from a more ambiguous and allusive telling of the tale that was offered here several years ago as "The Last Road." In neither version do
- [Church and State: Some Impromptu Reflections](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/church-and-state-some-impromptu-reflections/) - In an article on the ecclesiology of the Ravenna Document, Ansgar Santogrossi, O.S.B., mentions four ways in which the Church (or some sort of religion) and the state (or some form of the body politic) have been related. Fr. Santogrossi presents this material in the course of explaining the philosophical assumptions under-girding the "ecclesiology of
- [Son of a tu quoque](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/son-of-a-tu-quoque/) - Okay, the penny finally dropped. I kept coming across the observation that the Catholic Church has not an infallible list of infallible doctrines. [1] At first, this observation concerning the lack of an infallibly taught, exhaustive list of infallibles (which list is just one among the infinite number of non-existent infallible things) seemed to me to
- [The Exaltation of the Holy Cross](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/09/the-exaltation-of-the-holy-cross/) - The Byzantine Liturgical Year kicks off with two feasts that are also observed, on the same dates, in the Roman Rite: the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The latter, which we observe today (September 14), is an appropriately paradoxical feast, being also a fast. It is
- [Saved by Love Alone: A Seminary Wife's Journey](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/01/saved-by-love-alone-a-seminary-wifes-journey/) - My conversion story begins with the fruitful evangelization efforts of my brother, and my pursuit of baptism at the hands of an Episcopal priest. It continues through a persistent question by my non-religious sister, and a very dark time for my faith and my relationship with the Lord. It ends with my confidence in my
- [Concluding Thoughts (Leo, the Rosary, and Christian Unity, part 10 of 10)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/concluding-thoughts-leo-the-rosary-and-christian-unity-part-10-of-10/) - This is the final post in a ten part guest series by Beth Turner, the wife of Barrett Turner. Beth and Barrett were received into full communion at Easter 2010 and live in Virginia with their four children. Beth’s story of her journey into the Catholic Church can be found at Saved by Love: A
- [John Calvin and the Reformation: A Catholic Perspective](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/03/john-calvin-and-the-reformation-a-catholic-perspective/) - Here is a talk I gave last night (3/22/15) at The Church of the Holy Spirit in Montgomery, AL. The talk was titled "John Calvin and the Reformation: A Catholic Perspective." Download the mp3 by right-clicking here. Or listen to it here by clicking on the play button below: [podcast]https://www.calledtocommunion.com/media/DavidAndersCalvinTalk.mp3[/podcast]
- [Did the Council of Trent Contradict the Second Council of Orange?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/09/did-the-council-of-trent-contradict-the-second-council-of-orange/) - John Hendryx is a PCA member who studied at Reformed Theological Seminary and owns and edits Monergism.com, a well known Reformed website and online Reformed library and bookstore. He has posted an article claiming that the sixth session of the Council of Trent (AD 1547) is at odds with the Second Council of Orange (AD
- [Searching for the Immaculate Conception](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/12/searching-for-the-immaculate-conception/) - Today, December 8th, is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The name alone is startling, and what makes it worse, the doctrine itself can seem severely abstract. Contrast this with the mysteries of the Rosary like the Visitation, the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Coronation; I have long seen and loved Mary in each of these
- ["Do You Want to Go to Heaven?"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/11/do-you-want-to-go-to-heaven/) - For many Evangelical Protestants, the most important point of Christian doctrine is expressed in the affirmation: "I know for sure that I will go to Heaven when I die." This kind of certitude about one's eternal destiny is perhaps the biggest "selling point" for a large segment of Evangelical Christianity, as testified by innumerable gospel
- [Are We All Heretics? A Reply to Zack Hunt](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/03/are-we-all-heretics-a-reply-to-zack-hunt/) - Zack Hunt of the facetiously titled blog, The American Jesus, gives a provocative twist to the Protestant principle of ecclesial fallibility (otherwise called sola scriptura) in his recent post, You're a Heretic & So Am I. According to Hunt, all Christians are heretics, and all ecclesial communities are heretical, because every visible society of believers
- [Consecrated Celibacy: Sign of the Eschatological Kingdom](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/consecrated-celibacy-eschatological-sign-of-the-kingdom/) - I want to follow up on a topic briefly raised in Tim Troutman's article on Holy Orders, and in Jonathan Deane's recent post. The topic is consecrated celibacy, as required for religious life and the higher Orders of Catholic clergy. Celibacy for the Kingdom: No Application Required? I have met some Christians who interpret 1 Timothy 3:2
- [Social Trinitarianism and the Catholic Faith](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/social-trinitarianism-and-the-catholic-faith/) - In his chapter titled "Social Trinity and Tritheism," in the book Trinity, Incarnation, and Atonement, (University of Notre Dame Press, 1989), Cornelius Plantinga Jr., the current president of Calvin Theological Seminary, argues in support of what is known as 'social trinitarianism.' This position is not compatible with the Catholic doctrine of the Trinity, so here
- [A Grammar of Conversion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/11/a-grammar-of-conversion-and-a-conversation/) - There were all kinds of Catholic doctrines that I already believed before coming into full communion with the Catholic Church. These include the doctrine of the Trinity, the Virgin Birth, the full deity and full humanity of the one Lord Jesus Christ, and the divine inspiration of the Bible. The similarities between some of my
- [CTC Radio Update](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/12/ctc-radio-update/) - Called to Communion Radio is now available four days a week. CTC Radio can be heard Monday through Thursday at 2:00 PM Eastern, available through the following media: EWTN Youtube Channel Live with video Podcast EWTN.COM Sirius Sattelite Iheart Radio The EWTN app Short wave, and, of course, through the local catholic affiliate radio stations.
- [If Magisterial Confessions are Fallible...](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/if-magisterial-confessions-are-fallible/) - Jason Stellman, at his provocative blog De Regnis Duobus (Concerning the Two Kingdoms) recently composed a fascinating reflection on Protestant confessionalism entitled "The Complexities of Confessionalism". Stellman writes: The options, as I see them, are as follows: confessional denominations like the PCA [Presbyterian Church in America] ]can either (1) broaden our theological parameters to make
- [Radio Maria Interview with Tom and Jessica Brown](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/08/radio-maria-interview-with-tom-and-jessica-brown/) - Our very own Tom Brown and his wife Jessica recently were interviewed on Rebecca Cherico's program on Radio Maria, Conversion Keeps Happening. They discuss aspects of their conversion from the PCA to the Catholic Church. The interview is available here. [podcast]https://radiomaria.us/audio/conversion/20140425conversion.mp3[/podcast]
- [Justification: The Catholic Church and the Judaizers in St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/12/justification-catholic-church-and-the-judaizers/) - Steve Hays has claimed that what I recently said about justification is at odds with what Robert Sungenis has said about justification. But, in fact, there is no contradiction between what I have said and what Robert has said on this subject. What makes this difficult to understand, from a Protestant point of view, is
- ["Ecumenism of Blood"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/03/ecumenism-of-blood/) - In early February, 21 migrant workers were captured by jihadist fighters in Libya. Most of the migrant workers were Egyptian Copts. The fighters, who claim some association to the group which calls itself ISIS, staged a theatrical beheading of the Christians. They videotaped the murders, and published the footage as "a message to the Nation of the Cross...signed with blood." This was not an
- [5 Years a Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/02/5-years-a-catholic/) - In one of my last semesters at Reformed Theological Seminary I took a virtual class on pastoral ministry in order to pick up some remaining elective credits. The course encouraged students to be in dialogue with each other through an online blog/portal where we could discuss and debate theological and pastoral issues. At this point
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2015: Day Seven, "Give me to drink"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2015-day-seven-give-me-to-drink/) - A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, 'Give me a drink’. (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common
- ["Too catholic to be Catholic?" A Response to Peter Leithart](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/05/too-catholic-to-be-catholic-a-response-to-peter-leithart/) - Dr. Peter J. Leithart, fellow at New St. Andrews College and pastor of Trinity Reformed Church in Moscow, Idaho, recently posted an article at his blog that has caught the attention of many who participate in the ongoing Protestant-Catholic dialog. Last year Leithart faced disciplinary charges before the PCA for his Federal Vision theology, though
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2015: Day Six, "The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2015-day-six-the-water-that-i-will-give-will-become-in-them-a-spring-of-water-welling-up-to-eternal-life/) - Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir,
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2015: Day Five, "You have no bucket and the well is deep"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2015-day-five-you-have-no-bucket-and-the-well-is-deep/) - The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?" Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2015: Day Four, "Then the woman left her water jar"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2015-day-four-then-the-woman-left-her-water-jar/) - Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you want?" or, "Why are you speaking with her?" Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, "Come and see a man who told
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2015: Day Two, "Tired of the journey, Jesus sat down facing the well"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2015-day-two-tired-of-the-journey-jesus-sat-down-facing-the-well/) - Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard, "Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John’— although it was not Jesus himself but his disciples who baptized— he left Judea and started back to Galilee. But he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2015: Day One, “It is necessary to go through Samaria”](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2015-day-one-it-is-necessary-to-go-through-samaria/) - Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard, ‘Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John’— although it was not Jesus himself but his disciples who baptized— he left Judea and started back to Galilee. But he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the
- [Basil and Gregory: An Appeal to Protestants From Friendship](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2015/01/basil-and-gregory-an-appeal-to-protestants-from-friendship/) - A reflection on the importance of friendship in ecumenical dialogue in honor of the feast day of St. Basil of Caesarea and St. Gregory Nazianzus, two early Church Fathers with a deep and life-long friendship. The Catholic Church on 2 January celebrates the feast day of St. Basil of Caesarea and St. Gregory Nazianzus, two
- [St. Augustine on Law and Grace](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/07/st-augustine-on-law-and-grace/) - One way to help reconcile Protestants and Catholics to full communion is to consider together the writings of the early Church Fathers, because in the Fathers Protestants and Catholics share a common history and a common patrimony. One of the most fundamental points of disagreement between Protestants and the Catholic Church concerns the relationship between
- [Kallistos Ware: Orthodox & Catholic Union](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/06/kallistos-ware-orthodox-catholic-union/) - Yesterday, June 29, was the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. In recent years it has become a custom for the Pope and the Patriarch of Constantinople to exchange official delegations on the patronal feasts of their respective sees. In this year likewise, the Orthodox sent a delegation to Rome for the feast of Sts.
- [Feminism, Conscience, and the Church: How Reformed Baptist Natalie Richardson Became Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/11/feminism-conscience-and-the-church-how-reformed-baptist-natalie-richardson-became-catholic/) - Natalie Richardson is a stay-at-home mom to one boy and a freelance writer on the side. She grew up in a Reformed Baptist home, but after meeting a Catholic who knew his stuff, she attempted to convert him, failed and became Catholic herself in 2012. She, her husband and child now live in Tennessee. Natalie
- [Please Stop Reinventing The Wheel: An Invitation To Peter Leithart](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/11/please-stop-reinventing-the-wheel-an-invitation-to-peter-leithart/) - The contributors here at Called To Communion have previously replied to Peter Leithart. His recent "Staying Put" essentially repeats everything he said in "Too catholic to be Catholic," so I shall not belabor the points made in our response to that post. (( See also "Peter Leithart’s “The Tragedy of Conversion” to Catholicism or Orthodoxy." )) I wish first
- [Welcome Beth!](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/11/welcome-beth/) - Called to Communion is very pleased to announce that Beth Turner, wife of CTC veteran Barrett Turner, has officially joined our ranks as a contributor. Please welcome Beth, who recently graced our website with an excellent ten-part series on the rosary. Beth was raised in a non-religious home in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Her
- [Leo, the Rosary, and Christian Unity (Part 1 of 10)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/leo-the-rosary-and-christian-unity-part-1-of-10/) - This is the first in a ten part guest series by Beth Turner, the wife of Barrett Turner. Beth and Barrett were received into full communion at Easter 2010 and live in Virginia with their four children. Beth's story of her journey into the Catholic Church can be found at "Saved by Love: A Seminary
- [A Defense against Error: Leo, the Rosary, and Christian Unity, Part 2 of 10](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/a-defense-against-error-leo-the-rosary-and-christian-unity-part-2-of-10/) - This is the second in a ten part guest series by Beth Turner, the wife of Barrett Turner. Beth and Barrett were received into full communion at Easter 2010 and live in Virginia with their four children. Beth’s story of her journey into the Catholic Church can be found at Saved by Love: A Seminary
- [The First Part of the Rosary, Meditation (Leo, the Rosary, and Christian Unity, part 3 of 10)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/the-first-part-of-the-rosary-meditation-leo-the-rosary-and-christian-unity-part-3-of-10/) - This is the third in a ten part guest series by Beth Turner, the wife of Barrett Turner. Beth and Barrett were received into full communion at Easter 2010 and live in Virginia with their four children. Beth’s story of her journey into the Catholic Church can be found at Saved by Love: A Seminary
- [Vocal Prayers (Leo, the Rosary, and Christian Unity, part 4 of 10)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/vocal-prayers-leo-the-rosary-and-christian-unity-part-4-of-10/) - This is the fourth in a ten part guest series by Beth Turner, the wife of Barrett Turner. Beth and Barrett were received into full communion at Easter 2010 and live in Virginia with their four children. Beth’s story of her journey into the Catholic Church can be found at Saved by Love: A Seminary
- [Objections to the Hail Mary (Leo XIII, the Rosary, and Christian Unity, part 5 of 10)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/objections-to-the-hail-mary-leo-xiii-the-rosary-and-christian-unity-part-5-of-10/) - This is the fifth in a ten part guest series by Beth Turner, the wife of Barrett Turner. Beth and Barrett were received into full communion at Easter 2010 and live in Virginia with their four children. Beth’s story of her journey into the Catholic Church can be found at Saved by Love: A Seminary
- [Relationship with Christ, Relationship with Mary (Leo, the Rosary, and Christian Unity, part 6 of 10)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/relationship-with-christ-relationship-with-mary-leo-the-rosary-and-christian-unity-part-6-of-10/) - This is the sixth in a ten part guest series by Beth Turner, the wife of Barrett Turner. Beth and Barrett were received into full communion at Easter 2010 and live in Virginia with their four children. Beth’s story of her journey into the Catholic Church can be found at Saved by Love: A Seminary
- [Mary's Longing (Leo, the Rosary, and Christian Unity, part 7 of 10)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/marys-longing-leo-the-rosary-and-christian-unity-part-7-of-10/) - This is the seventh in a ten part guest series by Beth Turner, the wife of Barrett Turner. Beth and Barrett were received into full communion at Easter 2010 and live in Virginia with their four children. Beth’s story of her journey into the Catholic Church can be found at Saved by Love: A Seminary
- [Do Not Despair or Give Up (Leo, the Rosary, and Christian Unity, part 8 of 10)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/do-not-despair-or-give-up-leo-the-rosary-and-christian-unity-part-8-of-10/) - This is the eighth in a ten part guest series by Beth Turner, the wife of Barrett Turner. Beth and Barrett were received into full communion at Easter 2010 and live in Virginia with their four children. Beth’s story of her journey into the Catholic Church can be found at Saved by Love: A Seminary
- [Pray Unceasingly (Leo, the Rosary, and Christian Unity, part 9 of 10)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/pray-unceasingly-leo-the-rosary-and-christian-unity-part-9-of-10/) - This is the ninth in a ten part guest series by Beth Turner, the wife of Barrett Turner. Beth and Barrett were received into full communion at Easter 2010 and live in Virginia with their four children. Beth’s story of her journey into the Catholic Church can be found at Saved by Love: A Seminary
- [Does the Center Hold? The Story of Fr. Albert Scharbach's Journey from Westminster Theological Seminary to Catholic Priest](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/does-the-center-hold-the-story-of-fr-albert-scharbachs-journey-from-westminster-theological-seminary-to-catholic-priest/) - The following is a guest post by Fr. Albert Scharbach. One of the ironies of my new job as a College Guidance Counselor at Mount de Sales Academy in Catonsville, MD is that I get to attend daily mass offered by a priest who graduated from Westminster Theological Seminary. This Fall I have come to
- [When Catholics Disagree](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/when-catholics-disagree/) - The Creed teaches us that there is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church." "One Lord," says St. Paul, One Faith, One Baptism." (Ephesians 4:5) In the 4th century, when the Donatists of North Africa claimed to be the one true church, St. Augustine invoked the unity and catholicity of the Church against them: "the verdict
- [Our Divine Vocation to Enter into Ecumenical Dialogue: Devin Rose Replies to John Armstrong](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/03/our-divine-vocation-to-enter-into-ecumenical-dialogue-devin-rose-replies-to-john-armstrong/) - Two weeks ago we posted Devin Rose's Catholic reflection on John Armstrong's book Your Church is Too Small. The following week John replied in a post titled "A Catholic Reflection on Your Church Is Too Small: A Brief Reply to a Gracious Former-Atheist I Love and Respect." Below is Devin's reply to John's reply. We
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: Day Six, "Walking beyond Barriers"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-day-six-walking-beyond-barriers/) - To say that there are barriers between Christians presupposes that there is a good the attainment of which is hindered by those barriers. Consider someone telling me that an annoying co-worker, always stopping by the cubicle and going on about The Voice, is a barrier. It would not take much thought for me to recognize
- [Divorce & Remarriage Revisited](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/divorce-remarriage-revisited/) - A few weeks back I wrote an article titled: "Marriage, Divorce, & Communion: The Upcoming Synod on the Family." In the article, I discussed the Catholic doctrine on the indissolubility of marriage and what it means for civilly divorced and civilly remarried Catholics. Based on the teaching of Christ, the Church's longstanding practice has been
- [Loyalties to Our People: A Reply to D. Stephen Long](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/08/loyalties-to-our-people-a-reply-to-d-stephen-long/) - In 2005, D. Stephen Long, professor of Systematic Theology at Marquette University, wrote an article titled "In need of a pope?," in which he considered reasons why Protestantism might need a pope. Subsequently he was asked repeatedly why he did not become Catholic. So last week he wrote an article in The Christian Century titled
- [Prayer Altars, Idolatry, and Grace](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/prayer-altars-idolatry-and-grace/) - The following essay is a guest contribution by Tacy Williams Beck. She received a BA from Covenant College in English, with experience teaching English, Rhetoric, and Dance. Tacy and Stephen lived in Maryland for seven years, and they have four children: three girls and a boy. Their family was received into full communion with the
- [St. Francis, Tree-Hugging, and the Blessing of the Animals](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/st-francis-tree-hugging-and-the-blessing-of-the-animals/) - Outline I. Introduction II. St. Francis and the Natural World III. The Reformed and Nature IV. Holy Scripture and Creation V. Further Catholic and Reformed Shared Territory VI. Accepting the "Blessing of the "Animals" VII. More on St. Francis I. Introduction When I was a Reformed Protestant I remember that there was a certain time
- [Roots of the Reformation: What it Means for Today](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/10/roots-of-the-reformation-what-it-means-for-today/) - If you ask most people why there was a Protestant Reformation they answer, "Because of corruption in the Church." That's the common view. They might blame the indulgence controversy or Papal involvement in politics. If they're Protestants, they probably claim the Church was doctrinally corrupt. Even Catholics give this answer. (I know. I just polled
- [Marriage, Divorce, & Communion: The Upcoming Synod of Bishops](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/09/marriage-divorce-communion-the-upcoming-synod-of-bishops/) - Listeners to CTC Radio often ask about the Catholic teaching on marriage, divorce, and communion in the Catholic Church. With them in mind, I have attached a brief article I wrote for One Voice, the newspaper for the diocese of Birmingham. To listen to CTC Radio, tune in to EWTN at 2:00 PM Eastern Tuesday
- [CTC Radio Link](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/09/ctc-radio-link/) - The Called to Communion Podcast is now available at EWTN.com Itunes podcast here: In addition, you can listen to or watch the live stream here. I appreciate your calls and your interest. -David
- [Television Interview with Johnette Benkovic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/09/television-interview-with-johnette-benkovic/) - My television interview on Women of Grace is now available here. We discuss the new radio show, Called to Communion, as well as my path to the Catholic Church.
- [Do We Really Meet Christ in the Sacraments?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/09/do-we-really-meet-christ-in-the-sacraments/) - Catholics and some non-Catholic Christians disagree about the nature of the sacraments. Are they merely signs? Do they really conform us to Christ? Today, on CTC Radio, I hope to discuss these and other issues that divide us. I welcome your calls and feedback. Please email questions to CTC@ewtn.com. Live streaming available at https://www.ewtn.com/radio/radiolive.asp In
- [Scripture and Tradition](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/09/scripture-and-tradition/) - How do we know the will of God for the Church? On CTC Radio today, I hope we can generate discussion about Scripture and Tradition. I welcome your emails at ctc@ewtn.com There is also live video feed from the Radio Studios at https://www.ewtn.com/radio/radiolive.asp Here, finally, is a short text I prepared for One Voice, the Diocesan
- [Called to Communion Radio](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/09/called-to-communion-radio/) - Dear Friends, Today at 2:00 PM Eastern, we launch the new EWTN Radio Show Called to Communion. We hope to encourage collaboration across media (internet and radio) as we continue to discuss what divides us as Christians and as human beings. You can listen to the show live at this link. I welcome your prayers,
- [Please Join Us in Praying for Christians in Iraq](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/08/17153/) - We are possibly witnessing the eradication of Christianity across large swathes of northern Iraq. Although Called to Communion seeks to avoid writing that might be viewed as alamarist or propagandist, we believe the tragic situation unfolding in Iraq deserves our immediate attention, our immediate prayers, and our immediate assistance. This is truly an ecumenical cause, as the
- [Post Tenebras Lux?: Nominalism and Luther's Reformation](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/01/post-tenebras-lux/) - From the earliest period of Luther's Reformation, there was an overt antipathy towards what was deemed to be the undue philosophical speculation of the medieval scholastics. According to Luther (as well as subsequent Reformers, though often with less vitriol), the influence of Aristotle had caused theologians to turn from the God of revelation to a
- [Overcoming the Scandal of Division](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/01/overcoming-the-scandal-of-division/) - On this last day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, let's consider the events of the past week, and petition the Lord to help us overcome the scandal of our continued division. At the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Pope Francis said the following: "In the face of those
- ["I Rejoice in the Sufferings of Christ"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/12/i-rejoice-in-the-sufferings-of-christ/) - For non-Catholics, one of the strangest aspects of Catholic faith is its doctrine of suffering. It is not strange that Catholics should concern themselves with suffering. Suffering is a universal human problem. Some religious traditions (like Buddhism) are almost wholly concerned with the problem of suffering: how to eliminate it, endure it, or even deny
- [All Saints Day ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/11/all-saints-day/) - Today, November 1st, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of all Saints. The roots of this feast are found as far back as the time of the Emperor Constantine when the Catholic faith first became legal in the Roman Empire. The legalization of the faith ended the threat of Roman persecution and allowed for the
- [Confusion...until...](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/05/confusion-until/) - Whoever tells you that theology does not play a role in Bible translation is selling you something. It is probably a “very accurate” translation, or maybe a “very literal” one. There are lots of problems with being too literal when translating, though there is at least one potential benefit: there may be less injection of
- [Dominicans Hit it Out of the Park on Marriage and Divorce](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/07/dominicans-hit-it-out-of-the-park-on-marriage-and-divorce/) - In the most recent edition of Nova et Vetera, the Dominicans of the Eastern Province have published an extremely well-written and well-researched reflection on the Catholic doctrine on marriage, divorce, "remarriage," annulment, and communion. (Please read it here.) In anticipation of the upcoming Synod on the Family, these Catholic theologians - faithful to the Church's Magisterium -
- [Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology: A Catholic Perspective on a Debated Point](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/06/dispensationalism-and-covenant-theology-a-catholic-perspective-on-a-debated-point/) - In theologically conversant Evangelical circles, it is (or used to be) common knowledge that one of the most basic conflicts between Dispensational theologians and Covenant theologians is that they give different answers to the question, "What is the most fundamental purpose of God's dealings with the world, as revealed in Scripture?" The classical Dispensationalist answer
- [2014 Called to Communion Retreat](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/07/2014-called-to-communion-retreat/) - Over the Fourth of July weekend, a number of Called to Communion contributors came together in Steubenville, OH, for a retreat partim spiritual renewal, partim business meeting, partim face-to-face fellowship. With Dr. Hahn outside the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology Our retreat was hosted by Dr. Scott Hahn and some of the kind folks
- [Desperately Seeking Certainty, or the Obedience of Faith?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/desperately-seeking-certainty-or-the-obedience-of-faith/) - Catholics claim that when Jesus Christ established his Church, he permanently endowed her with a Magisterium that can teach infallibly on matters of faith and morals. Protestants deny this claim, appealing instead to the sole infallible authority of Sacred Scripture. Catholics respond to the principle of sola scriptura in various ways, including the claim that apart
- [How the Church Won: An Interview with Jason Stellman](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/11/how-the-church-won-an-interview-with-jason-stellman/) - Jason Stellman In July of this year, Jason Stellman wrote a Called To Communion guest post titled "I Fought the Church and the Church Won," in which he explained briefly why he was becoming Catholic. Last week I had an opportunity to talk with Jason about this paradigm change, and the four years of internal
- [Holy Orders and the Sacrificial Priesthood](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/holy-orders-and-the-priesthood/) - At the heart of the separation of Catholics and Protestants lies a disagreement about the ecclesial hierarchy. Who are the rightful shepherds of Christ's flock? This article will examine the Catholic Church's doctrine of the sacrificial priesthood, and in doing so, will lay the foundation for our subsequent discussion on the critical issue of apostolic
- [The Quest for the Historical Church: A Protestant Assessment](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/03/the-quest-for-the-historical-church-a-protestant-assessment/) - The following is a guest post by Brandon Addison. Brandon has been visiting Called To Communion since 2008 and commenting here on occasion since 2010. He was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, and then attended Providence Christian College, graduating in 2009 with a B.A. in History. Subsequently he attended Westminster Seminary California, graduating
- [Baptism Now Saves You: Some (More) Prolegomena](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/baptism-now-saves-you-some-more-prolegomena/) - The Catholic Church dogmatically affirms that Sacred Scripture indeed teaches the salvific efficacy of baptism, where "baptism" refers to the sacrament in which a person is washed with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and "salvation" refers to the bestowal of gifts whereby a person
- [Apostolic Succession and Historical Inquiry: Some Preliminary Remarks ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/05/apostolic-succession-and-historical-inquiry-some-preliminary-remarks/) - Included in the May 2013 issue of First Things is Ephraim Radner's review of Candida Moss's book, The Myth of Persecution: How Early Christians Invented a Story of Martyrdom (HarperOne). I found Moss's arguments against the historicity of early Christian martyrologies to be particularly familiar and interesting in the light of some recent discussion over at Jason
- [St. Thomas Aquinas on Assurance of Salvation](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/08/st-thomas-aquinas-on-assurance-of-salvation/) - It is not uncommon for people to suppose that one of the main differences between Protestantism and Catholicism is that according the former the believer can be assured of his salvation, while the latter denies that the faithful can enjoy assurance. But this is not the case. As a matter of fact, assurance of salvation
- [Remember the Sabbath: A Catholic Appreciation of Reformed Christianity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/02/welcome-to-called-to-communion-2/) - Hello friends. Welcome to our website. What follows is partly autobiographical but it is not a conversion story. As far as that goes, the only really astounding and numinous experience of my life was a conversion experience, but this occurred almost fourteen years prior to my more pedestrian entrance into the Catholic Church. Carlos de
- [The Freedom of the Church: A Review of Hugo Rahner's <em>Church and State in Early Christianity</em> ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/08/the-freedom-of-the-church-a-review-of-hugo-rahners-church-and-state-in-early-christianity/) - This is a guest post by Michael Rennier. Michael received a BA in New Testament Literature from Oral Roberts University in 2002 and a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School in 2006. He served the Anglican Church in North America as the Rector of two parishes on Cape Cod, Massachusetts for five years. After
- [Relics, Saints, and the Assumption of Mary](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/08/relics-saints-and-the-assumption-of-mary/) - My conversion to the Catholic faith was a slow process, and contained many surprises along the way. One of the biggest surprises was the change in my thinking about relics, saints, and the Virgin Mary. As a good Presbyterian, I had naturally grown up with a revulsion to such things. The derision of Calvin's Treatist
- [The Witness of the "Lost Christianities"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/05/the-witness-of-the-lost-christianities/) - Most Americans probably think of Christianity as either Protestant or Latin Rite Roman Catholic. They may have a vague understanding of “Orthodoxy,” which they identify with the Greeks, Russians, or other Eastern Europeans. But, by and large, “Christianity” means the Latin West or, to a lesser extent, the Greek (and Cyrillic) East. As generalizations go,
- [Ancient Marian Devotion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/04/ancient-marian-devotion/) - Our Lady of Perpetual HelpChristians have been venerating the Blessed Virgin Mary for a long time. A really, really long time. Nevertheless I think one may be excused from wondering whether its antiquity doesn’t tell us something about its validity as a form of Christian piety. For now though I will simply appeal to what
- [An interview with Dr. Thomas Madden on the Medieval Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/04/an-interview-with-dr-thomas-madden-on-the-medieval-catholic-church/) - Protestant criticisms of the Catholic Church frequently target the medieval Catholic Church as a prime example of the Church's problematic relationship with politics and the secular order. These critics often claim that the medieval Church was ruled by a greedy hierarchy bent on increasing its power in Europe and abroad, eager to silence or even
- [Catholic Life and Devotion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/04/catholic-life-and-devotion/) - On the Index page of Called to Communion, there is a section entitled "Catholic Life and Devotion." This section features reflections on life in the Catholic Church based upon CTC contributors' growing experiences as members of the Church in full communion. There are three reasons for calling attention to this section of our website: First, as
- [True Happiness and God’s Grace](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/03/true-happiness-and-gods-grace/) - St. Thomas writes the following about attaining true happiness: [M]an cannot attain his end of Perfect Happiness by his own powers, but only by God’s grace. [ST I-II q.5 a.5] The Throne of GraceWhy? Because for man, perfect happiness comes only through seeing God Himself. Aquinas refers to what St. Paul writes in 1 Cor.
- [World Vision and the Quest for Protestant Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/03/world-vision-and-the-quest-for-protestant-unity/) - World Vision's Richard StearnsChristianity Today reports that Evangelical charity World Vision will now employ same-sex "married" couples, although chastity within marriage still remains corporate policy. World Vision president Richard Stearns explains that the policy change is meant to serve church unity. Since Protestant denominations disagree on the morality of homosexual unions, World Vision will (allegedly)
- [Brantly Millegan reviews Brad Gregory's <em>The Unintended Reformation: How a Religious Revolution Secularized Society</em>](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/03/brantly-millegan-reviews-brad-gregorys-the-unintended-reformation-how-a-religious-revolution-secularized-society/) - This is a guest post by Brantly Millegan, in which he reviews the recently published book The Unintended Reformation: How a Religious Revolution Secularized Society, authored by University of Notre Dame professor of history Brad Gregory. Such a topic seems fitting on the traditional feast day for St. Benedict in the usus antiquior. We're very
- [A Review of <em>Figuring Out the Church: Her Marks, and Her Masters</em>](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/03/a-review-of-figuring-out-the-church-her-marks-and-her-masters/) - This is a guest post by Nick Trosclair. Nick received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2006 and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Dogmatic Theology at Holy Apostles College and Seminary. Raised an evangelical Christian, he taught the Classics of Western Literature and Scripture at
- [N. T. Wright, Biblicism, and Justification](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/n-t-wright-biblicism-and-the-doctrine-of-justification/) - N. T. Wright's Justification: God's Plan and Paul's Vision (Downer's Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009) is a somewhat polemical response to his Reformed critics, in which Wright summarizes and defends his understanding of St. Paul's doctrine of justification. For me, the book has proven to be both illuminating and frustrating. This post began as a chronicle
- [Do the Saints Pray for Us? A Response to Perry Sukstorf and Marcia Fleischman](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/02/do-the-saints-pray-for-us-a-response-to-perry-sukstorf-and-marcia-fleischman/) - Last week (February 14, 2014), the McClatchy-Tribune News Service published a syndicated column (Voices of Faith) that was critical of Catholics and their devotion to the saints. I first discovered it in my own local Birmingham News. The piece was written by Rev. Perry Sukstorf and Rev. Marcia Fleischman. The newspaper included no Catholic rebuttal.
- [David Anders on Catholic Answers](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/07/david-anders-on-catholic-answers/) - David Anders On Friday, July 8, I was the guest on the Catholic Answers Live radio program, taking calls and questions from non-Catholics. The one-hour broadcast featured the following questions and discussions: 7' A discussion of John Calvin's view of his relation to the Catholic Church, the Catholic positions he affirmed, and his rejection of
- [Modern Scholarship, Rome and a Challenge](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/09/modern-scholarship-rome-and-a-challenge/) - Within the Reformed blogosphere there has lately been put forth some pretty bold claims regarding the structure of the church in the first century, particularly the structure of the Roman Church. Basically the argument is that in the first century the church did not have a monarchical bishop and was instead ruled by a group
- [The Canon Question](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/the-canon-question/) - As Christians, how is it that we know we are saved by the death and resurrection of the incarnate Son of God? For those raised as Christians, the Sunday School sing-song answer "for the Bible
- ["Made Perfectly One": A Reflection for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/01/made-perfectly-one-a-reflection-for-the-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity/) - The 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John is an essential missional treatise for this year's "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity," as it has been in years past, and as it is to the mission of Called to Communion. I recently saw a phrase from Christ's prayer in this chapter used in
- [Ecumenism of Tears: A Reflection for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/01/ecumenism-of-tears-a-reflection-for-the-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity/) - As I quoted from Pope Francis in yesterday's post, in our times there is an ecumenism of blood binding together persecuted Christians. Without meaning to detract from this rich expression, it seems to follow from it that Christians also can share in an ecumenism of tears. Do we shed tears over our divisions? If not,
- ["Their Blood is Mixed": A Reflection for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/01/their-blood-is-mixed-a-reflection-for-the-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity/) - We have a tradition at Called to Communion of observing the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This event, with over a century of history behind it, seeks to promote visible Christian unity through an octave of prayer. Its goal, like the goal of Called to Communion, is to pursue the fulfillment of Christ's High
- [Ecclesial Consumerism, Redux](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/04/ecclesial-consumerism-redux/) - Carl Trueman is encouraged by reports that a huge number of people have left the Catholic Church. When I saw this, I assumed that the data to which he refers shows that these Catholics had all come to embrace the Protestant doctrine of justification, which is supposed to be the sine qua non of the
- [An OPC Pastor Enters the Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/02/an-opc-pastor-enters-the-catholic-church/) - Please welcome our first of two newly added authors at Called To Communion, Jason Stewart. Jason was an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) before he and his wife Cindy entered into full communion with the Catholic Church in January of 2011. He earned his Master of Divinity from Mid-America Reformed Seminary (Dyer,
- [Where is the Catholic Church?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/01/where-is-the-catholic-church/) - Where is the Catholic Church? If you are curious then I might first suggest that you try this exercise: If you live in a small town, go to the corner store on the main street and ask the first people you meet, 'Where is the Catholic Church?' If you live in a big city, go
- [Scripture on the Theology of Relics and the Intercession of the Saints](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/09/scripture-on-the-theology-of-relics-and-the-intercession-of-the-saints/) - Marcus Grodi interviewed David Anders today on the Deep in Scripture radio program, focusing particularly on what we can learn from Scripture about the theology of relics and the intercession of the saints. David shows from the Old and New Testaments that the Catholic belief and practice concerning relics and the intercession of the saints
- [Rome, Geneva, and the Incarnation's Native Soil](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/12/rome-geneva-and-the-incarnations-native-soil/) - This is a cross-post from my own website, Creed Code Cult, in which I'd like to summarize some of the points I have been making lately about the Catholic Church’s emphasis on the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God, and why this dogma is more at home in a Catholic context than
- [Ecumenism in a Time of Cancer](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/12/ecumenism-in-a-time-of-cancer/) - Both of my parents grew up in large baby-boomer Catholic families. My father, the eldest of five, traded Catholicism for the “hippy” lifestyle, though he spent some of those wayward years getting drunk with Catholic priests at Auburn University, which I suppose reflects some continued connection to the Church. My mother, also one of five,
- [Jason Stellman's interview on <em>The Journey Home</em>](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/12/jason-stellmans-interview-on-the-journey-home/) - This past Monday, EWTN broadcasted Marcus Grodi's interview with Jason Stellman on The Journey Home. That video has been uploaded, and can be watched below. Those wanting to explore Jason's story in more detail might be interested in the article he wrote last summer titled, "I Fought the Church and the Church Won," and in
- [Pope Francis's Apostolic Exhortation <em>Evangelii Gaudium</em>: An Opportunity for Authentic Protestant-Catholic Dialogue](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/11/pope-franciss-apostolic-exhortation-evangelii-gaudium-an-opportunity-for-authentic-protestant-catholic-dialogue/) - On the close of the Year of Faith, Pope Francis has promulgated an Apostolic Exhortation titled Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel). A pdf version of the document is available here. This is the first papal document largely written by Pope Francis himself. Though the document cannot adequately be reduced to one sentence, it
- ["The Trouble with Calvinism" - Catholic Answers Live Interview with David Anders](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/04/the-trouble-with-calvinism-catholic-answers-live-interview-with-david-anders/) - In this interview from April 1, 2011, Catholic Answers host Patrick Coffin and I discuss the life and legacy of John Calvin. Some points of interest include Calvin’s attitude towards “denominationalism,” adultery and divorce in Calvin’s Geneva, Calvin on predestination, Calvin’s relationship to Luther and Augustine, and the theological innovations of Calvin’s successors. [podcast]https://www.catholic.com/system/files/audio/radioshows/ca110401a.mp3[/podcast] Download
- [Protestant Angelina, Catholic Angelina](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/protestant-angelina-catholic-angelina/) - Among the intensely interesting dynamics of the Christian life as envisioned by Reformed theology is that it can easily, and with perfect theological consistency, tip towards either presumption or despair. On the one hand, salvation according to the Reformed is supposed to be a graceful, no-danger of being disinherited, sort of thing. On the other
- [Book Review: Divine Love Made Flesh by Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/06/divine_love_made_flesh/) - Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke began his episcopacy as bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1995. As part of his leadership of his flock, then Bishop Burke consecrated his diocese to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In 2003 he was then named Archbishop of St. Louis, Missouri. Like he had done in his pastoral leadership of
- [Reformation Day 2013: The Most Love-Filled Sect I Have Ever Seen](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/10/reformation-day-2013-the-most-love-filled-sect-i-have-ever-seen/) - We have come up on another October 31. Though Reformation Sunday has already passed, this date is the anniversary of the 95 theses, though of course it is difficult to separate fact from legend even in such an important thing as this. In any case, I recall that I used to celebrate this day, the
- [The Largest Body of Professing Christians in America ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/10/the-largest-body-of-professing-christians-in-america/) - The Largest Body of Professing Christians in America In August I wrote a short post titled Why Evangelicals are Getting High. The goal of the post was to argue that a solid Reformed upbringing does not decrease the chances of conversion to Catholicism. Unintentionally, the post generated significant discussion about the trends within Christianity in
- [Peter Leithart's "The Tragedy of Conversion" to Catholicism or Orthodoxy](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/10/peter-leitharts-the-tragedy-of-conversion-to-catholicism-or-orthodoxy/) - Peter Leithart recently wrote an article in First Things titled "The Tragedy of Conversion," in which he laments the conversion of Protestants to Catholicism and Orthodoxy as tragic. Orthodox subdeacon Gabe Martini, whose work is well worth reading, replied here, and Orthodox writer Robert Arakaki replied to Leithart here. So I'm a bit late. But
- [Calvin, Trent, and the Vulgate: Misinterpreting the Fourth Session](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/06/calvin-trent-and-the-vulgate-misinterpreting-the-fourth-session/) - *Update* I have made finding my responses to critics easier by linking to them at the end of the post. When I first began to take interest in theology, and in Reformed theology in particular, during college, I learned the story of how the Catholic Church closed herself off to serious study of the Holy
- [I Fought the Church, and the Church Won](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/09/i-fought-the-church-and-the-church-won/) - This is a guest post by Jason Stellman. Jason was born and raised in Orange County, CA, and served as a missionary with Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa in Uganda (’91-’92) and in Hungary (’94-’00). After becoming Reformed and being subsequently “dismissed” from ministry with Calvary, he went to Westminster Seminary California where he received
- [Called To Communion welcomes Jason Stellman](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/10/called-to-communion-welcomes-jason-stellman/) - Called To Communion is glad to welcome Jason Stellman to our team of contributors. Jason needs no introduction to regular readers of CTC. Jason StellmanHe was born and raised in Orange County, CA, and served as a missionary with Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa in Uganda (’91-’92) and in Hungary (’94-’00). After becoming Reformed and
- [Romanism, Dispensationalism, and the Soteriology of Dr. John Gerstner](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/romanism-dispensationalism-and-an-interesting-inconsistency-in-the-soteriology-of-dr-john-gerstner/) - Ligonier Ministries recently posted an excerpt from the late John Gerstner's Primer on Justification. This article, taken together with things he has written elsewhere concerning the nature of faith, manifests an interesting and important inconsistency in Dr. Gerstner's thinking about justification. Before turning to that problem, I want to make a few comments on the
- [Lawrence Feingold: The Grace and Power of the Sacraments](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/11/lawrence-feingold-the-grace-and-power-of-the-sacraments/) - On September 26 of this year, Dr. Lawrence Feingold, Associate Professor of Philosophy & Theology at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, and author of The Natural Desire to See God According to St. Thomas and his Interpreters and the three volume series The Mystery of Israel and the Church gave the second lecture at
- [The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/09/feast-of-the-nativity-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-september-8/) - Today is the celebration the birth of Mary, the Mother of our Lord. This feast is observed on September 8 in both the Roman and Byzantine rites. The Gospel appointed for the feast, in the Roman Rite, is Matthew 1:1-16. This passage, like Luke 3:23-38, presents the genealogy of Jesus. It is curious that both
- [Holy Church: Finding Jesus As a Reverted Catholic; A Testimonial Response to Chris Castaldo](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/01/holy-church-finding-jesus-as-a-reverted-catholic-a-testimonial-response-to-chris-castaldo/) - This is a guest article by Casey Chalk. Casey was born and raised in a Virginia suburb of Washington D.C. Casey was baptized into the Catholic Church and received the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion before leaving the Church with his parents for evangelicalism at the age of eight. Casey attended the University of
- [Why Evangelicals Are Getting High - A Response to Rebecca VanDoodewaard](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/08/why-evangelicals-are-getting-high-a-response-to-rebecca-vandoodewaard/) - A few weeks ago Rebecca VanDoodewaard posted an article on the website “The Christian Pundit” entitled “Young Evangelicals are Getting High.” Rebecca is a co-contributor on the website with her husband William VanDoodewaard who is an associate Professor of Church History at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona,
- [Ad Jesum per Mariam: The Rosary is Christ-Centered](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/08/ad-jesum-per-mariam/) - In the first few years after we became Catholic we made intermittent attempts at praying the Rosary on a regular basis. Invariably these efforts petered out, but I remember that on most occasions I found myself to be more spiritually motivated and enthusiastic when we finished. This struck me as surprising because I did not
- [Review of Robert Louis Wilken's <em>The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity</em>](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/08/review-of-robert-louis-wilkens-the-first-thousand-years-a-global-history-of-christianity/) - Robert Louis Wilken’s The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity (Yale University Press, 2012) is an ambitious survey of Christian history, from one of America’s most accomplished religious historians. Wilken is William R. Kenan Professor of History of Christianity Emeritus at the University of Virginia, an associate at the St. Paul Center for
- [Welcome Jason and Casey!](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/07/welcome-jason-and-casey/) - Called To Communion is delighted to welcome two new members to our team of contributors, Casey Chalk and Jason Kettinger. Casey Chalk Casey Chalk - Baptised in the Catholic Church and in his youth having received the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion in suburban northern Virginia, Casey left Catholicism with his parents and eventually
- [From Calvin to the Barque of Peter: A Reformed Seminarian becomes Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/11/from-calvin-to-the-barque-of-peter/) - This is a guest post by Jason Kettinger. For the past ten years Jason Kettinger was a member of the Presbyterian Church in America. He received baptism in 2001, and spent his college days as a fruitful member of Reformed University Fellowship, before graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a degree in political science
- [Twitter, World Youth Day, and Indulgences ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/07/twitter-world-youth-day-and-indulgences/) - The following post is not intended to offer an academic or theological defense of purgatory or the practice of granting indulgences as Called to Communion has already discussed these doctrines and practices at great length. For readers interested in a thorough treatment of indulgences, purgatory, and pilgrimages, see Bryan Cross’ article from January of 2011.
- [Play church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/play-church/) - In May of 2007, Dr. Francis J. Beckwith, at that time the president of the Evangelical Theological Society, announced that he was returning to the Catholic Church in which he had been raised. This prompted some discussion on Reformation21.org, a site devoted to presenting and defending the Reformed tradition. Carl Trueman of Ref21 wrote "Beyond
- [Seventy-two Disciples and the Israel of God: A Reflection on Biblical Typology](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/07/seventy-two-disciples-and-the-israel-of-god-a-reflection-on-biblical-typology/) - When we read the Bible, one of the most important things that we need to do is to read it typologically. A biblical type is any person, place, thing, or event that pre-figures something that comes later and becomes its fulfillment (antitype). Thus, one who reads the Bible typologically "discerns in God's works of the
- [<em>Lumen Fidei</em>: A Forum for Ecumenical Dialogue](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/07/lumen-fidei-a-forum-for-ecumenical-dialogue/) - This past Friday, July 5, Pope Francis released his first encyclical letter, titled Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith). In this letter he notes that Pope Benedict had "almost completed a first draft of an encyclical on faith," and adds "as his brother in Christ I have taken up his fine work and added a
- [Review of Hans Boersma's <em>Heavenly Participation: The Weaving of a Sacramental Tapestry</em>](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/06/review-of-hans-boersmas-heavenly-participation-the-weaving-of-a-sacramental-tapestry/) - This is a guest post by Daniel Edward Young. Daniel is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Northwestern College (Iowa) where he teaches political theory, international relations, and comparative politics. He received his Ph.D. from Temple University. His scholarly interests include the intersection of political theory and international relations, the history of political thought,
- [What's So Great About Catholicism? A Brief Response to James White, et al](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/06/whats-so-great-about-catholicism-a-brief-response-to-james-white-et-al/) - James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries has responded to Joshua Lim's story as featured on Called to Communion. One thing that immediately impressed me is how much ground White covers in this one podcast: He moves from CTC, to same-sex marriage, to exegesis of the Koran, in the space of ninety minutes. Being an
- [Thought experiment for monergists](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/04/thought-experiment-for-monergists/) - Monergists, i.e. Calvinists and some Lutherans, claim that man cannot cooperate with God in salvation, because that would detract from God's glory. I think that by God's glory they mean something like "God appearing very impressive to everyone." They probably mean additional though related things, like God doing whatever he wants. But let's stick with
- [A Response to Darrin Patrick on the Indicatives and the Imperatives](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/a-response-to-darrin-patrick-on-the-indicatives-and-the-imperatives/) - Recently I was asked to explain how a Catholic would respond to the indicative-imperative theology explained briefly in the following video by Darrin Patrick, lead pastor of The Journey, an emergent church with four campuses in the St. Louis area. Here's a transcript: Matt: For those that are watching, and maybe those that are church-planting
- [Welcome, Joshua Lim!](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/04/welcome-joshua-lim/) - Called To Communion is delighted to welcome Joshua Lim to our team of contributors. Joshua Lim Joshua was born and raised in the PCUSA. He spent a few years in college as a Baptist before moving back to a confessional Reformed denomination (URCNA) prior to enrolling at Westminster Seminary California, where he completed an M.A.
- [Joshua Lim's Story: A Westminster Seminary California Student becomes Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/05/joshua-lims-story-a-westminary-seminary-california-student-becomes-catholic/) - This a guest post by Joshua Lim. Joshua graduated this Spring from Westminster Seminary California, where he earned his MA in historical theology. He was born and raised in the PCUSA. He spent a few years in college as a Baptist before moving back to a confessional Reformed denomination (URCNA) prior to entering seminary. He
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2013: Day One, "Walking in Conversation"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2013-day-one-walking-in-conversation/) - Today, January 18, marks the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity has posted a web-page featuring some material for the week, including an ecumenical worship service, daily themes, Bible readings, reflections, and prayers. The over-arching theme for the week is the question, "What does God require of
- [Tolkien on Death and Eucatastrophe (Commemoration of the Holy Innocents)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/12/tolkien-on-death-and-eucatastrophe/) - Every story features the action of a protagonist who is hindered by an antagonist. This makes for an essential conflict, the development and resolution of which constitutes the basic structure of the story. Every human life is very much a story. Each person is the protagonist, and the enemy is death. According to J.R.R. Tolkien,
- [Jason Stellman Tells His Conversion Story](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/03/jason-stellman-tells-his-conversion-story/) - Regular readers of Called To Communion are familiar with Jason Stellman. In September of last year we posted an article he wrote for us titled "I Fought the Church, and the Church Won." In November of last year, I interviewed Jason regarding his conversion from Presbyterian pastor to Catholic, and posted the podcast of that
- [<em>Habemus Papam</em>!](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/03/habemus-papam/) - Habemus Papam! Cardinal Bergoglio of Argentina has been elected to be the successor of Pope Benedict XVI, and has chosen the name Francis, the first pope to take the name 'Francis.' He is also the first Latin American pope, and the first Jesuit pope. John Allen writes of him, "Bergoglio's reputation for personal simplicity also
- [By Analogy, By Proxy: Wherein Something is Described](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/by-analogy-by-proxy-wherein-something-is-described/) - Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall" was first published in 1914, near the beginning of the Great War. This coincidence suggests a double analogy which I want to draw by deploying the poem as a proxy for my conception of the complex nature of the relationship between Catholicism and Protestantism. Should we envisage Catholic and Protestant
- [Seeing Him Just as He is: The Beatific Vision](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/12/seeing-him-just-as-he-is-the-beatific-vision/) - When seeking to attain an end, one must keep that end in one's mind and heart, and ensure that one's understanding of it is as accurate as possible, to ensure attaining that end. That is no less true in the Christian life, which has heaven as its end. But what is heaven? Is it a
- [Pope Benedict XVI's Renunciation of the Petrine Office](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/02/pope-benedict-xvis-renunciation-of-the-petrine-office/) - Today the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, announced his renunciation of the Petrine office effective at the end of February, 2013. You may listen to Benedict read his announcement in Latin at the bottom of the link above. You may also find here the English translation of Cardinal Sodano's response as seen in the video.
- [Three Frameworks for Interpreting the Church Fathers](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/12/three-frameworks-for-interpreting-the-church-fathers/) - This is a guest article by Dr. Kenneth J. Howell. Dr. Howell earned an M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary, an M.A. in Linguistics and Philosophy from the University of South Florida, a Ph.D. from Indiana University in Linguistics and the Philosophy of Science, and a second Ph.D. from Lancaster University (U.K.) in the History of
- [Non Angli sed Angeli--A Chestertonian View of the Two Kingdoms, or, Christian Egalitarianism](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/09/non-angli-sed-angeli-a-chestertonian-view-of-the-two-kingdoms-or-christian-egalitarianism/) - The title of this post comes from the famous pun of Pope St. Gregory the Great, which he made upon meeting children from England in the slave market at Rome, as recorded by the Venerable Bede in his Ecclesiastical History of England (Book II, Chapter I): "not Angles, but Angels." This encounter, according to Bede, prompted the Pope to
- [Some Reflections on Our Project, and a New Index](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/10/some-reflections-on-the-occasion-of-our-100th-post/) - Neal Judisch's post on Wednesday, September 30 was post number one hundred at Called to Communion. I would like to take the occasion of reaching this auspicious number to reflect upon the first seven months of our new venture. First of all, thank you. Your participation in this new project is allowing it to become what
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: Day Eight, "Walking in Celebration"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-day-eight-walking-in-celebration/) - Today is the eighth and final day in the Week (Octave) of Prayer for Christian Unity. It is also the feast of the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle on the road to Damascus. Thirty years ago today, January 25, 1983, at the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Blessed Pope John
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: Day Three, "Walking Towards Freedom"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-day-three-walking-towards-freedom/) - On Day 3 of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we continue our reflections on the daily themes and Scripture readings offered by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. As we walk towards freedom in the Lord, we ask Him, “What do you require of us today?” (Cf. Micah 6:6-8.) For we know
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: Day Seven, "Walking in Solidarity"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-day-seven-walking-in-solidarity/) - It is Day 7 of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. (Tomorrow will mark the eighth and final day of the 'Week.') Today we continue our reflections on the daily themes and Scripture readings offered by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Today's readings have us considering the importance of solidarity for achieving
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: Day Five, "Walking as the Friends of Jesus"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-day-five-walking-as-the-friends-of-jesus/) - On Day 5 of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we continue our reflections on the daily themes and Scripture readings offered by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Many times, when reading a Protestant blog post about Catholicism, I feel the author would not consider me a friend. And, admittedly, many times
- [Podcast Ep. 17 - Jason & Cindy Stewart Recount Their Conversion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/06/podcast-ep-17-jason-cindy-stewart-recount-their-conversion/) - In this episode, Tom Riello, a former PCA pastor, interviews Jason Stewart, a former pastor in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, and his wife Cindy on the topic of their conversion to the Catholic faith in 2011. Jason earned his Master of Divinity from Mid-America Reformed Seminary (Dyer, IN) in 2005, and subsequently served for five
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: Day Four, "Walking as Children of the Earth"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-day-four-walking-as-children-of-the-earth/) - On Day 4 of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we continue our reflections on the daily themes and Scripture readings offered by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Today’s readings share as a theme the work to be done on this earth, in this time, while we continue to await the redemption
- [Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2013: Day Two, “Walking with the broken body of Christ"”](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/01/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2013-day-two-walking-with-the-broken-body-of-christ/) - For the second day in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we continue our reflections on the daily themes and Scripture readings that have been set forth by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Please read here for our day one reflections and here for the entire set of readings and prayers set
- [<em>Studies On the Early Papacy</em> - A Must Read for Church History Geeks](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2013/01/studies-on-the-early-papacy-a-must-read-for-church-history-geeks/) - For many Reformed believers, the authority of the papacy throughout Church history offers the most salient and visible reminder of separation. Whereas many of the theological issues separating Catholic and Reformed Christians concern different understandings of similar doctrines, the question of the papacy can only be answered with a bold rejection or acceptance. The rejection
- [G.I. Williamson and the Grinch](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/12/g-i-williamson-and-the-grinch/) - As the Holy Season of Advent winds ever closer to its yearly end, my heart is often full of mixed emotions. The expectation and hope of celebrating the Birth of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ on December 25th tends to be mingled with other thoughts about my Reformed past. In becoming Reformed after
- [St. Francis De Sales, Apostle to the Calvinists](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/desales/) - Few figures loom as large in the history of Calvinism, and yet are at the same time so unknown by Calvinists, as St. Francis De Sales. St. Francis, born in 1567 to a wealthy family, led an interesting life, the details of which are too great to expound here, but I recommend the Catholic Encyclopedia
- [A Particularly Clear Statement on Salvation: St. Fulgentius of Ruspe](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/11/a-particularly-clear-statement-on-salvation-st-fulgentius-of-ruspe/) - In today's readings from the Divine Office, we find a particularly clear statement of the Catholic view of salvation. St. Fulgentius of Ruspe was a North African Bishop in the 5th and 6th centuries. He was a champion of Chalcedonian Orthodoxy against the Vandal Arians, and was strongly supported by Pope Symmachus (498-514). In his Treatise on
- [Jason Stewart on the Journey Home (October 29, 2012)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/10/jason-stewart-on-the-journey-home-october-29-2012/) - For those of you who missed Jason Stewart’s appearance on The Journey Home this past Monday evening, here it is: More from Jason Stewart: An OPC Pastor Enters the Catholic Church See also: Taking a Stand on the Scriptures Against the Traditions of Men
- [Does Calvin teach that the Church ceased to exist on account of the Eucharist?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/does-calvin-teach-that-the-church-ceased-to-exist-on-account-of-the-eucharist/) - Calvin's high view of the church doesn't allow him to make the claim that the true Church of Christ ceased to exist between the time of the Apostles and the 16th century. However, I recently came across something in the Institutes that throws a wrench into Calvin's consistency. In Institutes IV, 18, 7 Calvin writes:
- [Blessed John Henry Newman on Conversion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/09/blessed-john-henry-newman-on-conversion/) - Yesterday, John Henry Newman was formally beatified by Pope Benedict XVI. Newman is considered by many to be the (de facto) patron saint of converts. In what follows, I will share some of Newman's insights on conversion, particularly as concerns the intellectual reception and expression of Catholic doctrine on the part of the convert. Newman
- [Sola Scriptura and the Gay "Marriage" Debate: How Protestant Theory Concedes Too Much](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/09/sola-scriptura-and-the-gay-marriage-debate-how-protestant-theory-concedes-too-much/) - Protestant defenders of traditional marriage unwittingly concede too much in the gay "marriage" debate. They correctly argue for marriage as a divine institution, and for the absolute rights of the family as prior to and superior to any recognition by the state. But the theory of rights and of law that undergirds their position in
- [A Reply To R.C. Sproul Regarding the Catholic Doctrines of Original Sin and Free Will](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/07/a-reply-to-r-c-sproul-regarding-the-catholic-doctrines-of-original-sin-and-free-will/) - Ligonier recently posted a lecture by R.C. Sproul titled "A Divided Will?" in which Sproul sets out to present and criticize the Catholic doctrine of original sin and free will. At the beginning of the video Sproul claims that there is a certain ambiguity built into the Catholic system of understanding the relationship of the
- [Protestant Orders and the Priesthood of Phinehas](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/protestant-orders-and-the-priesthood-of-phinehas/) - The question of Apostolic authorization of Protestant ministers has been raised in an ongoing discussion beginning (more or less) here. The "authorization" question typically involves the issue of valid ministerial ordination whereby to perpetuate the apostolic mission of the Church founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ. Some passages of Scripture came to mind as I
- [No Mary, No Jesus: A Meditation on the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/09/13117/) - On September 8, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. Here’s a snippet of the stichera of the feast, which are verses chanted during the Vespers service in the Eastern rites: Today the barren gates are opened And the Virgin, Gate of God, comes forth Today grace begins to bear fruit
- [Archbishop Minnerath on Rome, the Papacy, and the East](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/08/archbishop-minnerath-on-rome-the-papacy-and-the-east/) - How was the Papacy understood in the ancient Christian East? This is the topic of an essay by Archbishop Roland Minnerath entitled "The Petrine Ministry in the Early Patristic Tradition." [1] I address Archbishop Minnerath's essay because I do not want it to become an occassion for misunderstanding. In this ecumenical essay, the Archbishop acknowledges, "The East never
- [Once Upon a Thousand Years](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/once-and-future-unity/) - Towards the end of Leo Tolstoy's literary masterpiece, Anna Karenina, we find Konstantin Levin, the book's male protagonist, grasping his way towards an explicit faith in God. Along the way, Levin considers the faith of the Church, but finds himself unable to fully accept her testimony to divine truth: His brother Sergey Ivanovitch advised him
- [Papacy Roundup](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/08/papacy-roundup/) - There has been a great deal of discussion at CTC about the rational superiority of the Catholic interpretive paradigm over the Protestant interpretive paradigm. As Michael Liccione, and others, have pointed out, Protestantism has no principled way to differentiate dogma from theological opinion - no coherent way even to identify the contours of Christian doctrine
- [Is Certainty a Bad Thing?  Certainty, Infallibility, and the Reformed Tradition ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/08/is-certainty-a-bad-thing-certainty-infallibility-and-the-reformed-tradition/) - Is it wrong to desire certainty in our act of faith? If you peruse the Reformed blogoshpere these days, you might come to that conclusion. As more and more Reformed Christians join the Catholic Church in search of doctrinal certainty, an all-too common response from the Reformed world has been to impugn this desire for certainty as
- [Is converting to Rome Cool?  ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/07/is-converting-to-rome-cool/) - In light of the recent conversions and announcements of impending conversions of Reformed pastors and seminarians to the Catholic Church, some Reformed blog authors have suggested that these folks are merely doing what is now the trendy and "cool" thing by converting. By explaining away conversions to Catholicism as merely a band-wagon type phenomenon, some
- [St. Irenaeus on Justification](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/07/st-irenaeus-on-justification/) - In most cases when St. Irenaeus comes up in Protestant-Catholic discussion, the focus is on the papacy, apostolic succession, or the relation of Scripture and Tradition. Here, however, I examine what St. Irenaeus has to say about justification. His teaching on this subject is ecumenically relevant not only because the doctrine of justification was at
- [Contraception and the Reformed Faith](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/07/contraception/) - The Catholic Church has stood, since its inception, firmly against the use of any artificial methods of contraception. In fact, it is the only Christian institution that, as a whole, has held this teaching consistently for all of Christian history. Death of Onan by Franc LanjščekWithin years of the 1930 Lambeth Conference, where Anglicans became
- [Taylor Marshall on the Journey Home](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/07/taylor-marshall-on-the-journey-home/) - Dr. Taylor Marshall, Dean and Professor of Philosophy at Fisher More College, will be on EWTN's The Journey Home program Monday night, July 2nd, at 8:00 EST. Taylor holds an M.A.R from Westminster Seminary and a Ph.D in Philosophy from the University of Dallas. Although Taylor has already been on The Journey Home, this new
- [The Dual Profile of the Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/06/the-dual-profile-of-the-church/) - Recently, I wrote about the Bible and the Catholic Church. I was motivated in order to address two matters that those considering the Catholic Church as the Church established by Christ might have: 1. that the Church encourages the faithful to read and reflect on the Bible; and 2. that the Church, because of the
- [The Catholic and Protestant Authority Paradigms Compared](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/06/the-catholic-and-protestant-authority-paradigms-compared/) - This is a guest post by Ray Stamper. Ray lives near Cincinnati, Ohio with his wife Amanda and five children. After an early conversion to Christ, Ray began pursuing Old Testament studies at Oral Roberts University. However, being unprepared to cope with the skeptical philosophical bias latent in much of the “higher critical” literature in
- [Sola Scriptura or Non Habemus Papam? A Further Response to Michael Horton](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/06/sola-scriptura-or-non-habemus-papam-a-further-response-to-michael-horton/) - “...and so you see, the concept of nothingness employed by these modern physicists is not ‘nothing,’ but is something. Thus the arguments of Hawking and the like do not refute the arguments for why God is necessary for creation. They still have not answered the question of why there is something rather than nothing because
- [What is the Catholic Faith Like?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/what-is-the-catholic-faith-like/) - Whatever the Catholic faith is, it must be an indulgence in Christianity on all points of contact. For it would not have been enough for Catholicism to say "Gnosticism is a heresy;" she felt it necessary to permeate her entire doctrinal manifesto with Incarnational theology. And when Nestorius said Christ was two persons it was
- [Did Trent Teach that Christ's Merits Are Not Sufficient for Salvation?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/06/did-trent-teach-that-christs-merits-are-not-sufficient-for-salvation/) - Reformed theologian Michael Horton recently claimed that "Trent said in no uncertain terms that Christ’s merits are not sufficient for salvation." Whether or not that claim sounds suspicious to you, and it did to me, remember one of the cardinal rules in ecumenical inquiry: Don't get your Catholic theology from Protestant hearsay--and vice versa. Go
- [Corpus Christi Procession ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/06/corpus-christi-procession/) - Yesterday was the Feast of Corpus Christi. In Catholic Churches all over the world, after or before mass, the Holy Eucharist was carried in solemn procession throughout the nave of the church and in many cases throughout the local neighborhood. The Feast of Corpus Christi is a special time where Catholics throughout the world share
- [Contours of my Conversion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/contours-of-my-conversion/) - Disclaimer: This brief account of the process that led to my conversion to the Roman Catholic Church is designed to offer a very general overview of my journey and not a detailed academic apology. While I may write such an apology at some point, this account is only meant to introduce the readers of Called
- ["Have you been Born Again? Catholic Reflections on a Protestant Doctrine, or How Calvin's view of Salvation destroyed his Doctrine of the Church"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/03/have-you-been-born-again-catholic-reflections-on-a-protestant-doctrine-or-how-calvins-view-of-salvation-destroyed-his-doctrine-of-the-church/) - When I first began to study Calvin in earnest, I was puzzled by what seemed a glaring omission in his writings and sermons. He never counseled his readers and listeners to be "Born Again." This struck me as odd because I knew our denomination (PCA) considered Calvin to be our true founder. I also knew
- [Bible-Reading Catholics](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/05/bible-reading-catholics/) - A number of people are understandably concerned that becoming Catholic means neglecting the Bible, with many being taught by their Pastors or teachers that the Catholic Church either forbids the reading of the Bible or, at the very least, does not encourage it. Many former Catholics, due either to poor formation or indifference, often perpetuate
- [Immortal Diamond: The Search of Gerard Manley Hopkins for Beauty](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/05/immortal-diamond-the-search-of-gerard-manley-hopkins-for-beauty/) - This is a guest post by Michael Rennier. Michael received a BA in New Testament Literature from Oral Roberts University in 2002 and a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School in 2006. He served the Anglican Church in North America as the Rector of two parishes on Cape Cod, Massachusetts for five years. After
- [John Piper on "Correcting" the Apostles Creed](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/04/john-piper-on-correcting-the-apostles-creed/) - Sadly, leading Protestants such as John Piper and Wayne Grudem are ready to bring scissors to the Apostles Creed: On Good Friday, Jesus told the Good Thief crucified alongside him that “today you will be with me in paradise,” according to Luke’s Gospel. “That’s the only clue we have as to what Jesus was doing
- [How Not to Defend the Reformation: Why Protestants Need the Antichrist](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/03/how-not-to-defend-the-reformation-why-protestants-need-the-antichrist-2/) - I've noticed a change of late in how Evangelical and Reformed Protestants interact with history, and I don't think it bodes well for the coherence of Protestant apologetics. In short, some Protestants have left off restoration or recovery as their primary metaphor and replaced it with development or fruition. The logical results of this move, I
- [The Canon Made Impossible: Ehrman, McDowell & an Unlikely Agreement](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/02/the-canon-made-impossible-ehrman-mcdowell-an-unlikely-agreement/) - The following is a guest post written by Brent Stubbs, re-presenting material originally appearing at his blog, Almost Not Catholic. Brent majored in theological-historical studies with a minor in law at Oral Roberts University. His studies emphasized pre-Nicene and late Protestant Church history. Under the Reformed tutelage of Dr. Daniel Thimell--professor, former pastor, author of
- [Is Reformed Worship Biblical?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/03/is-reformed-worship-biblical/) - Nothing characterized early Calvinism more than the "reform" of liturgy and worship. John Calvin railed against late medieval liturgy and devotion as superstitious and idolatrous, and even called on governments to suppress such "superstition" with the sword. In his mind, "superstition" was any form of worship not prescribed directly by God in Scripture. Calvin PreachingCalvin
- [Are Protestant Baptisms Valid?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/03/are-protestant-baptisms-valid/) - In answer to this question we must say “It depends.” Some folks think that Catholic acceptance of any Protestant Baptism at all is a Vatican II novelty. This is not the case. Here is what the Catechism of the Council of Trent says: Those who may administer Baptism in case of necessity, but without its
- [A Catholic Reflection on John Armstrong’s <em>Your Church is Too Small</em>](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/03/a-catholic-reflection-on-john-armstrong’s-your-church-is-too-small/) - On Monday, March 26, ACT 3 and Wheaton College will be hosting "A Conversation on Unity in Christ's Mission," involving a dialogue in Edman Chapel between John Armstrong and Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago. The event will be streamed live from the Wheaton.edu website. In light of that forthcoming event, we invited Devin Rose to
- [Reformed Imputation and the Lord's Prayer](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/reformed-imputation-and-the-lords-prayer/) - According to the Reformed Protestant doctrine, on the cross Christ paid the penalty for all the sins of all and only the elect. And when those persons first believe in Christ, that redemption is applied to them such that all their past, present and future sins are forgiven, and Christ's perfect righteousness is permanently imputed
- ["Edifying Idolatry: What Would Calvin Say to David Garibaldi?"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/03/edifying-idolatry-what-would-calvin-say-to-david-garibaldi/) - David Garibaldi is a "performance painter" who creates live art "to inspire the audience to use their passion to benefit and inspire others.” I have no idea what his religious convictions are. However, an organization called "Thriving Churches" has posted a video of Garibaldi dramatically painting an image of Christ. The performance is surprising and engaging.
- [I love the Orthodox too much to be Orthodox (or How I learned to stop worrying and love the atomic bomb of Holy Orders)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/i-love-the-orthodox-too-much-to-be-orthodox-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-atomic-bomb-of-holy-orders/) - In a previous blog post, I wrote about the joys and similarities which bind together the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. As tragic as our lack of full communion with one another is, there is a bond which unites us even now while our sacramental reunion is mostly a hope for the future. This bond is
- [Making My Way to the Church Christ Founded](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/02/making-my-way-to-the-church-christ-founded-2/) - Readers of Called To Communion will recognize the name Fred Noltie, since in July of last year he wrote a guest post for us titled "The Accidental Catholic." Recently we invited Fred to join the CTC team, and we're delighted that he has agreed. Fred was in the Presbyterian Church in America for twenty years,
- [A Reply from a Romery Person](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/10/a-reply-from-a-romery-person/) - Last week as I was preparing to go out of town for a conference, I received an interview request from Michael Spencer (aka IMonk) regarding the recent announcement by the Vatican concerning the establishment of Personal Ordinariates. These Personal Ordinariates will allow former Anglicans to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while retaining distinctive
- [Ashes on Ash Wednesday](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/02/ashes-on-ash-wednesday/) - Some Protestants suggest that Jesus’s words in Matthew 6:17 are an unconditional prohibition of the use of ashes in association with fasting (and presumably that their use at the beginning of Lent is therefore unwarranted): But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face. (Matthew 6:17) For them it seems pretty clear
- [To Dust Ye Shall Return](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/02/to-dust-ye-shall-return/) - Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. It is the beginning of Lent in the western Church, a 40-day season of penance. During this time, Christians traditionally show our sorrow for our sins by making a voluntary sacrifice, and possibly by taking up additional forms of self-discipline. These are, contra pop culture, to be done discretely, privately, without
- [The Chair of St. Peter](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/02/the-chair-of-st-peter-2/) - Today we observe the Solemnity of the Chair of St. Peter, as the 22nd of February falls on Ash Wednesday this liturgical year. The Church has celebrated this occasion since at least the mid-4th century. Called to Communion has given it attention in the past, including Bryan Cross's detailed survey of references from the early centuries
- [Taking a Stand on the Scriptures Against the Traditions of Men](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/02/taking-a-stand-on-the-scriptures-against-the-traditions-of-men/) - Imagine this conversation ca. A.D. 49 - Malachi: "Have you heard news yet about the Council's decision regarding Gentile circumcision?" Phineas: "I knew the apostles were meeting in Jerusalem last week to decide the question, but no, I haven't heard anything. Everybody's waiting to hear. Have you heard something?" Malachi: "Yes, I was there. I had
- [David Anders on Catholic Answers: February 13, 2012](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/02/david-anders-on-catholic-answers-february-13-2012/) - David Anders "Open Forum for Non-Catholics" David Anders on Catholic Answers, Monday, February 13, 2012. Listen to the program: [podcast]https://www.catholic.com/system/files/audio/radioshows/ca120213a.mp3[/podcast] Or download it by right-clicking here (16') What about the reverence given by Catholics to the 'wafer' in Eucharistic Adoration? (24') What is the most appropriate way for a Protestant minister to enter the Catholic
- [Fragments of the Cross](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/fragments-of-the-cross/) - At the end of November, for the first Sunday of Advent, our family made a short pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. Five or six minutes into Mass my 13 month old boy decided he could have no more of it and committed himself to a
- [What Would Your Family Say...If You Became Catholic? (Part 3 on Becoming Catholic)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/what-would-your-family-say-if-you-became-catholic-part-3-on-becoming-catholic/) - For the last two daily posts, I've shared personal aspects of becoming Catholic. Today I move to one of the most difficult parts of that decision, the judgment of your family. For most people, this is the largest obstacle to becoming Catholic. For others the most difficult part of Catholicism is losing their job or
- [How Will the Catholic Faith Change Your Marriage? (Part 6 on Becoming Catholic)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/how-will-the-catholic-faith-will-change-your-marriage-part-6-on-becoming-catholic/) - Most adult Protestants are married and value marriage. Nevertheless, Protestants are adamant that marriage is not a sacrament. Hence, Protestants and Catholics have a fundamental disagreement over the nature of marriage. So then, one of the most neglected considerations regarding a conversion to the Catholic Faith is how it will affect your marriage. How? I will
- [Closing: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/closing-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity/) - “While experiencing these days the painful situation of our divisions, we Christians can and must look to the future with hope,” Pope Benedict XVI told a packed basilica of St Paul’s outside-the-walls Wednesday evening, “because Christ's victory means to overcome everything that keeps us from sharing the fullness of life with Him and with others.”
- [The Accidental Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/07/the-accidental-catholic/) - Fred Noltie This is a guest post by Fred Noltie. Fred was in the Presbyterian Church in America for twenty years, attending both Covenant College and Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. On the Easter Vigil of 2005 he and his family were received into full communion with the Catholic Church at St. Lawrence parish in
- [Going to Confession: How it Works (Part 5 of Becoming Catholic)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/what-is-going-to-confession-like-part-5-of-becoming-catholic/) - For Protestants, the most unknown aspect of Catholic devotional life is confession. Unless you're Catholic, you cannot experience it. A Protestant can attend a Catholic baptism, confirmation, wedding, ordination, and Holy Mass; however, he cannot attend a confession or know what it's like until he actually makes one for the first time. Now most Protestants
- [Day 6: Prayer for Christian Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/day-6-prayer-for-christian-unity/) - Most gracious God, on this day of the March for Life, may your servants who marched side by side be rewarded with the strength of perseverance, with the deepest hope in your goodness, and with a renewed desire for unity with the separated brothers and sisters with whom they marched. We pray in the name
- [John Calvin as Confused over Substance and the Eucharist](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/john-calvin-as-confused-over-substance-and-the-eucharist/) - Several years ago when I was once a Calvinist, I remember reading this quote by John Calvin and being impressed by it: We must confess, then, that if the representation which God gives us in the Supper is true, the internal substance of the sacrament is conjoined with the visible signs; and as the bread
- [Salvation Pinball & the Devotional Life of Catholics (Part 4 of Becoming Catholic)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/salvation-pinball-the-devotional-life-of-catholics-part-4-of-becoming-catholic/) - Yesterday we examined difficulties that Catholic converts experience in the context of family life. Today we look at how how your devotional might change when you become a Catholic. What would change? For a Protestant looking in from the outside, it might appear that Catholics are mechanical about their devotional life. I remember seeing Catholicism
- [Becoming Catholic in My Heart (Part 1 of Becoming Catholic)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/part-1-becoming-catholic-in-my-heart/) - This week is the week for Christian unity. I hope to daily write a brief post about key moments in my journey that pushed me over the edge. I'll begin by admitting that becoming Catholic is very difficult. For some, it entails for losing their jobs. It can cause deep marital strain and stress. Grown
- [How Catholicism Made Me Socially Aware (Part 2 of Becoming Catholic)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/part-2-how-catholicism-made-socially-aware/) - Yesterday, in Part I, I shared how I became Catholic in my heart during a Holy Mass with Pope Benedict XVI. Today's story is less exotic. It happened about a year before I visited Rome and it happened in Fort Worth, Texas. I was a newly minted Anglican clergyman and I sensed that I should
- [Day 4: Prayer for Christian Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/day-4-prayer-for-christian-unity/) - A Prayer for Unity through the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary The Annunciation "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word…." Merciful Father, grant us an increase in humility, a humility likened to that of our Blessed Mother. May we be quick to respond joyfully to
- [Day 5: Prayer for Christian Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/day-5-prayer-for-christian-unity/) - Jesus Christ, true God and true man, we know You most fully in your Blessed Sacrament, offered to us as You offered Yourself to the world in the Bethlehem manger. We know that you desire the unity of Your Body. We know that you are grieved when a foot is cut off or a limb
- [Vatican II and the Inerrancy of the Bible](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/10/vatican-ii-and-the-inerrancy-of-the-bible/) - This is a guest post by Jeffrey Pinyan. Jeffrey is the seventh of eight children and a life-long Catholic. A graduate of the Computer Science program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, he works in the Princeton area as a software developer for an Internet investigation company. In 2007 he experienced a reawakening of his faith,
- [Mathison's Reply to Cross and Judisch: A Largely Philosophical Critique](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/mathisons-reply-to-cross-and-judisch-a-largely-philosophical-critique/) - This is a guest post by Michael Liccione, who is well known to regular readers of Called To Communion. Michael earned his Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania and his B.A. in philosophy and religion at Columbia University. He has taught at a number of institutions, including UPenn, St. Francis College, the Catholic
- [Into The Half-Way House: The Story of an Episcopal Priest](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/10/into-the-half-way-house-the-story-of-an-episcopal-priest/) - This is a guest post by Michael Rennier. Michael received a BA in New Testament Literature from Oral Roberts University in 2002 and a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School in 2006. He served the Anglican Church in North America as the Rector of two parishes on Cape Cod, Massachusetts for five years. After
- [Faith and Reason in the Context of Conversion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/07/faith-reason-context-conversion/) - The following is a guest post written by Devin Rose. Devin is a 32-year-old software engineer and lay apologist who blogs at St. Joseph’s Vanguard. He and his wife, Katie, live in Austin with their four children. After years as a devout atheist, I converted to Evangelical Protestantism in February of 2000 and was baptized
- [The Primacy of Peter According to the New Testament:  and the Principle of Historical Fulfillment](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/the-primacy-of-peter-according-to-the-new-testament-and-the-principle-of-historical-fulfillment/) - The following is a guest post written by R. E. Aguirre, General Editor of Paradoseis Journal. Introduction The aim of this short paper is to review the importance and ecclesiological role that Peter plays in the New Testament. Coupled with this insight are numerous interpretive difficulties. However, these interpretive problems find their origin not in
- [Review: Fortescue, Adrian - The Early Papacy to the Synod of Chalcedon in 451](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/review-fortescue-adrian-the-early-papacy-to-the-synod-of-chalcedon-in-451/) - The following is a guest post written by R.E. Aguirre, General Editor., Paradoseis Journal Book Review: Fortescue, Adrian - The Early Papacy to the Synod of Chalcedon in 451 San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2008. Fourth Edition, ed., Alcuin Reid. Pp. 7 + 121. ISBN 9781586171766 It is always rather exigent to review an older work,
- [Day 3: Prayer for Christian Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/day-3-prayer-for-christian-unity/) - In his work Called to Communion (Ignatius: 1991. German title: Zur Gemeinschaft gerufen), then-Cardinal Ratzinger wrote: Anyone who becomes acquainted with [the Church] as she lives out her life sees immediately that the ancient Church never consisted in a static juxtaposition of local Churches. Catholicity, concretely realized in many forms, belongs to her essence from the
- [Day 1: Our Victorious, Transforming Lord!](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/our-victorious-transforming-lord/) - Each year, Called to Communion takes note of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.” It is an occasion prompted by the World Council of Churches, an occasion to which the Catholic Church gives full-throated support. (( See, e.g., here. )) Since Called to Communion is a Catholic website devoted to God’s call to communion, made
- [Day 2: Prayer for Christian Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/prayer-for-christian-unity-day-two/) - Blessed Lord, You guide Your children often by mysterious paths to Yourself -- to the Truth. Bring us all together in unity and love in Your Church -- together here on earth as fellow pilgrims and workers in Your vineyard, and together forever in the joys of heaven with You and all the Communion of
- [The Two "Rocks" of Matthew 16:18 in the Syriac Peshitta](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/the-two-rocks-of-matthew-1618-in-the-syriac-peshitta/) - In the thread entitled “How John Calvin Made me a Catholic,” Jason asserted that the “Greek grammar” of Matthew 16:18 does not allow for the interpretation that Peter is the rock upon which the Church was built. I challenged Jason to make his case from the Greek text, but he has yet to respond. Some
- [δικαιόω: a morphological, lexical and historical analysis](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/δικαιόω-a-morphological-lexical-and-historical-analysis/) - The impetus for this brief post is Bryan's recent response to Rose in the thread on St. Augustine on Law and Grace. Rose asks about the contention she has heard from Protestants that St. Augustine did not understand the meaning of δικαιόω (dikaiow), which means, according to the Protestants, to count righteous rather than to
- [Does God Predestine Infant Baptisms?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/01/does-god-predestine-infant-baptisms/) - When I was a Calvinist, I began to call myself a "Reformed Catholic." I wanted to be Reformed, but I wanted to take the church and the sacraments seriously. Of course, if one follows the Westminster Confession, he cannot hold to an Anabaptistic understanding of sacraments. He is bound to hold that the sacraments have a sort of
- [Christian Unity and Life](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/12/unityandlife/) - Next month Christians worldwide will observe the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity from January 18 to 25. Since unity between Catholics and Reformed Christians is the particular focus of this site, we too will partake and encourage participation in this week of prayer that Christ's John 17 prayer for our unity will be fulfilled
- [Book Review: The Church and New Media by Brandon Vogt](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/12/book-review-the-church-and-new-media-by-brandon-vogt/) - I’ll be honest; The Church and New Media isn’t the sort of book I’d normally buy. But per chance, I ended up with a copy and decided to read it. This had nothing to do with the fact that CTC’s own, Dr. Taylor Marshall, is a contributor. But that alone should be enough to encourage
- [When "Less" is NOT "More"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/12/when-less-is-not-more/) - A priest friend of mine recently remarked to me, “Whenever the Christian faith is allowed to be reduced, the Catholic faith will lose out to Protestantism, for the simple fact that Protestantism began as a reduction.” My friend went on to add, “Now some might still become Catholic, but not for the most important reason: the
- [We're Back Online...](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/12/were-back-online/) - If you came here earlier today and saw a message that our website was suspended, I apologize. The Vatican issued a directive which shut us down but it was all a big misunderstanding. Actually, we place the blame squarely on the shoulders of our hosting service. Sorry for any confusion.
- [Moving from a Reformed Congregation to a Catholic Parish](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/11/moving-from-a-reformed-congregation-to-a-catholic-parish/) - Stories of conversion from the Reformed faith to the Catholic Church abound. When I was Reformed, and was contemplating the claims of the Catholic Church, I read many conversion stories. I searched them and I probed them, looking for that nugget by which I could understand why the particular story’s author had gone off the
- [Ecumenical Rules of Engagement](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/02/ecumenical-rules-of-engagement/) - It takes a lot of hard work from all parties to a discussion to agree on even a narrow proposition and, depending on the work committed, ecumenical discussion can either be a labor of love or a waste of time.
- [A Catholic Anaylsis of Reformed Federal Theology](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/02/a-catholic-anaylsis-of-reformed-federal-theology/) - Covenant or Federal Theology became formally articulated in the Calvinistic theological tradition, beginning in the 17th century. This was the era of "Reformed Scholasticism." Beginning especially with Theodore Beza, Aristotelian methods of theological speculation began to take root in Calvinist circles (whether they were conscious of it or not). As a result, Calvinism in the
- [Aquinas on Faith That Does Not Save](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/aquinas-on-faith-that-does-not-save/) - In Summa theologiae II-II, q. 4, a. 4, Saint Thomas Aquinas examines James 2:24 and the faith that does not justify. Thomas distinguishes between "faith formed by love" and "faith not formed by love". Thomas says that the faith of each is one and the same. They are not two different kinds of faith. Rather,
- [How Quickly Catholic Heresy Took Over the Church (Immediately)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/11/how-quickly-catholic-heresy-took-over-the-church-immediatly/) - Brantly Millegan at 'Young Evangelical and Catholic' has posted something worth visiting here. When I started taking a closer look at the early church while still a Presbyterian I remember encountering what I considered a lot of 'Catholic stuff.' It happened innocently enough. For example, I would be reading the "Confessions" of St. Augustine and
- [Stanley Hauerwas on Reformation Sunday](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/10/stanley-hauerwas-on-reformation-sunday/) - 29 October 1995 by Stanley Hauerwas Joel 2:23-32 - 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 - Luke 18:9-14 Wittenberg Door I must begin by telling you that I do not like to preach on Reformation Sunday. Actually I have to put it more strongly than that. I do not like Reformation Sunday, period. I do not understand
- [Episode 5 - John Kincaid's Conversion ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/episode-5-john-kincaids-conversion/) - Tom Riello interviews John Kincaid on his conversion to the Catholic Church.
- [Robert George and Russell Moore on the State of Evangelicalism](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/10/robert-george-and-russell-moore-on-the-state-of-evangelicalism/) - Recently I referred to Russell Moore, in reference to his article published earlier this year titled "Where Have all the Presbyterians Gone?" in the WSJ. He is Dean of the School of Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Last Monday he sat down with Catholic philosopher Robert George (McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University) at an
- [Controversies of Religion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/09/controversies-of-religion/) - I. The Reformed Position: The claim in the Westminster Confession of Faith that all controversies of religion ultimately are to be determined by the Holy Spirit speaking in Sacred Scripture contradicts the testimony of the Church Fathers, who repeatedly teach the necessity of judging such controversies by way of the Church and Sacred Scripture. The
- [Children and the Catholic Church ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/08/children-and-the-catholic-church/) - I first read G.K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy about seven years ago. Despite the anti-Calvinist rhetoric throughout the book, which at the time greatly reduced Chesterton's credibility to me, I was deeply struck at his insight into the world of children. Chesterton was never able to have children himself, but nonetheless he seemed to retain in his own life
- [Book Review: If Protestantism is True by Devin Rose ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/08/book-review-if-protestantism-is-true-by-devin-rose/) - Called To Communion readers might already be familiar with Devin Rose, who is no stranger to the combox here; but if not, please visit Devin’s blog. Devin is a convert from atheism to Christianity first, and from Evangelical Christianity to Catholicism. He is now an up and coming Catholic author and apologist. Devin recently signed
- [A Reflection on PCA Pastor Terry Johnson's "Our Collapsing Ecclesiology"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/08/a-reflection-on-pca-pastor-terry-johnsons-our-collapsing-ecclesiology/) - Terry Johnson Terry Johnson, senior minister of Independent Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Savannah, Ga., wrote an article titled "Our Collapsing Ecclesiology" in the March issue of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church's magazine New Horizons. The article is well worth reading, because it examines the recent trends in Evangelicalism away from attendance in Sunday morning services, even
- [Episode 16 - Stephen Beck's Conversion Story](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/08/episode-16-stephen-becks-conversion-story/) - Stephen Beck Stephen Beck was raised Evangelical, but read his way into the Reformed world. He became a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and then the Presbyterian Church in America. Stephen and his family were received into the Catholic Church on the Easter Vigil of 2011 at St. Andrew's by the Bay Catholic Church
- [On “Christ’s Test of our Orthodoxy” by Pastor Jack W. Sawyer](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/07/christs-test-orthodoxy/) - Jack W. Sawyer Recently I had the pleasure of coming across an article entitled "Christ's Test of our Orthodoxy" on Ordained Servant, a Journal published by the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. I was a member of this denomination for six years, and the title immediately caught my attention. Pastor Jack W. Sawyer's article can be read
- [Habitual Sin and the Grace of the Sacraments](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/07/habitual-sin-and-the-grace-of-the-sacraments/) - In a class at Reformed Theological Seminary I had a professor address the issue of internet pornography among seminarians. According to my professor, around fifty percent of seminary students view internet pornography on a weekly basis. I’m not sure where this stat comes from, but I do not doubt its accuracy. I appreciated my professor's
- [Dr. David Anders on The Journey Home Tonight](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/dr-david-anders-on-the-journey-home-tonight/) - Tonight (Monday, Dec 6) at 8:00 PM EST, Dr. David Anders will be live on EWTN's The Journey Home. Dr. Anders earned an M.A. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 1995, and a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in 2002, in Reformation history and historical theology. Dr. David Anders First hand research into John
- [David Anders on The Journey Home (Dec 6, 2010)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/david-anders-on-the-journey-home-dec-6-2010/) - For those of you who missed David Anders' appearance on The Journey Home this past Monday evening, here it is: More from Dr. David Anders: How John Calvin Made Me a Catholic See also Dr. Anders' previous appearance on EWTN with Fr. Mitch Pacwa.
- [Seven Sacraments and the Westminster Confession of Faith](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/06/seven-sacraments-and-the-westminster-confession-of-faith/) - In Chapter XXVII of the Westminster Confession, we read the following: IV. There are only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord: neither of which may be dispensed by any, but by a minister of the Word lawfully ordained. This statement
- [Reflections – Graduating Catholic from a Reformed Seminary ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/06/reflections-–-graduating-catholic-from-a-reformed-seminary/) - I would like to thank Dr. David Anders for encouraging me to write this post. I would not have had the idea on my own, but I am hopeful that it can now serve as a way for me to thank the faculty of RTS in Washington D.C. and encourage future dialogue between the Reformed and
- [Pope Pius XI Addresses the Federal Vision Controversy ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/05/pope-pius-xi-addresses-the-federal-vision-controversy/) - Pope Pius XI Addresses the Federal Vision Controversy. Alright, not exactly, but His Holiness comes pretty close in his 1928 theological defense (in Mortalium Animos) of the one and only Church Christ founded. In paragraph six, he explains why the Church of Christ must be a visible and united communion and that it cannot be invisible or
- [Tradition I and Sola Fide](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/tradition-i-and-sola-fide-2/) - Readers of this website are by now thoroughly familiar with Keith Mathison’s book The Shape of Sola Scriptura. His thesis has already received ample criticism (see articles by Cross & Judisch, Liccione, and Judisch), and I do not wish to add to that particular discussion. In this post, I would like instead to grant Mathison
- [Saturday, May 21st - Judgment Day?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/05/saturday-may-21st-judgment-day/) - If you haven’t already heard, it sounds like Saturday will be the end of the world. The Bible is actually quite clear about this. You see, God told Noah that he had seven days until the flood would begin (Gen. 7:4). We know that the ark represents safety in Christ and that for God, one
- [Imputation and Infusion: A Reply to R.C. Sproul Jr.](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/05/imputation-and-infusion-a-reply-to-r-c-sproul-jr/) - In "Imputation, Infusion and Eternal Consequence: A Parable," R.C. Sproul Jr. recently claimed that the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (St. Luke 18: 9-14) not only supports the Reformed notion of imputation over the Catholic doctrine of infusion, but also shows that those holding the Reformed doctrine of imputation are justified, while those
- [The Open Doors to Heaven](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/04/the-open-doors-to-heaven/) - My eldest son is an altar boy. His job sometimes seems mostly symbolic, but there are times when I can tell that his work for the Church is important. In an Eastern parish, we have a clear delineation separating the altar from the rest of the church building. This stock photo from my church website
- [Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia!](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/04/resurrexit-sicut-dixit/) - Easter (Pascha) homily of St. John Chrysostom Is there anyone who is a devout lover of God? Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival! Is there anyone who is a grateful servant? Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord! Are there any weary with fasting? Let them now receive their wages!
- [Liberalism in the Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/04/liberalism-in-the-catholic-church/) - Catholicism is a religion of truth, not opinion. This truth is a divinely revealed truth, not simply one we make up as we go along. Be that as it may, it is no secret that the Catholic Church is beset by certain elements that reject the revealed truth of the faith. It is a spirit
- [Two Ecumenicisms](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/two-ecumenicisms/) - There are fundamentally two different types of ecumenicism. The more well-known type seeks some general agreement about doctrine, and also seeks increased cooperation in charitable social activities such as caring for the poor and the homeless. One of the positive results of this type of ecumenicism is that Christians are more at ease talking with
- [Sola Scriptura vs. the Magisterium: What did Jesus Teach?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/sola-scriptura-vs-the-magisterium-what-did-jesus-teach/) - Did Jesus provide for the continuing transmission of the Christian faith? What a simple and foundational question! And yet, oddly, it is one that Protestant apologists rarely ask. In the history of Protestant apologetics, great emphasis is placed on how we recognize the inspiration of Scripture (Church authority vs. internal witness of the Spirit), the
- [Our Newest Contributor: Marc Ayers](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/our-newest-contributor-marc-ayers/) - I would like to introduce our newest contributor at Called to Communion, Marc Ayers. We are thrilled to have Marc join us and look forward to his contributions, as we know our readers will. Marc Ayers You may have already heard Marc's testimony on our podcast last year. If not, click here to hear it. Marc was
- [Episode 14 - A Presuppositional Apologist Becomes Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/episode-14-from-presuppositional-pca-to-rome/) - Tom Riello interviews Marc Ayers on the topic of his conversion to the Catholic Church. Marc was a 'disciple' of Dr. Greg Bahnsen. Hear him tell how his presuppositional apologetic method helped him see the need for a divinely instituted authority, namely the Catholic Church. [podcast]https://www.calledtocommunion.com/media/Called%20to%20Communion%20-%20Episode%2014%20-%20Marc%20Ayers%20Interview.mp3[/podcast] To download the mp3, click here.
- [St. Thomas on Sacramentalism](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/03/st-thomas-on-sacramentalism/) - Protestants often caricature the Catholic doctrine on sacramentalism as if it taught that a sacrament was something like a magic wand waved over the recipient regardless of his disposition. But this is not an accurate description of the Catholic doctrine. In this short article, I will explain why. On this day, March 7, 1274, St.
- [Some Preliminary Reflections on Mathison's Dialectic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/some-preliminary-reflections-on-mathisons-dialectic/) - I. About a decade ago, Keith Mathison wrote a book called The Shape of Sola Scriptura. In this book he specified a distinction between Solo Scriptura: The Bible is the Christian’s only authority, and Sola Scriptura: The Bible is the Christian’s only infallible authority; however, the Church, the true bishops, the regula fidei, possess real
- [John Calvin on Implicit Faith](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/john-calvin-on-implicit-faith/) - Recent discussions at Called to Communion, though admittedly polemical, have focused attention on an important commonality between Catholic and Reformed Christians. We both share a deference for a historical and creedal understanding of the faith, and a suspicion of mere private theological opinion. In that spirit, I would like to draw attention to a seldom
- [One is Holy, One is Lord](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/one-is-holy-one-is-lord/) - The principle of lex orandi, lex credendi (which can be translated as “the law of praying is the law of believing”) has an immediate appeal to almost all Christians. It is easy to see that how we relate to God in prayer is a mirror-like reflection of our beliefs, and we sense intuitively that our
- [Keith Mathison's Reply](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/keith-mathisons-reply/) - In November of 2009, Neal Judisch and I posted an article titled "Solo Scriptura, Sola Scriptura, and the Question of Interpretive Authority." The article provoked a good deal of discussion, the comments now number over 1,200. Our article was a reply to Keith Mathison's book The Shape of Sola Scripura, and focused on the distinction
- [Hope and Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/hope-and-unity/) - God the Son, taking our lowly form and walking among us, left us many imperatives which require faith first, but also hope. Believe in Me, He said, but also hope. Faith causes hope and hope, like faith, is a theological virtue. To follow through with an imperative requires faith in the imperator which precedes the
- [Book Review: <em>Loss and Gain</em>](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/book-review-loss-and-gain-2/) - If you are a Reformed Christian and considering the Catholic Church then you have probably already immersed yourself in some of the classic theological works so dearly loved by Catholic Christians. It might be time to take a break. Reading too much dense theology can have some serious side effects (including conversion to the Catholic Church). Why
- [Calvinian Thomism: Providence, Conservation and Concurrence in the Thought of John Calvin](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/calvinian-thomism-providence-conservation-concurrence-in-the-thought-of-john-calvin/) - It is quite difficult to distinguish God's actions from those of his creatures. Some think that God does everything; others imagine that he only conserves the force he has given to created things. How far can we say either of these opinions is right? - Leibniz, Discourse on Metaphysics VIII A godly man will not
- [Book Review: The Shape of the Liturgy by Gregory Dix](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/02/book-review-the-shape-of-the-liturgy-by-gregory-dix/) - The great Anglican liturgical historian, Gregory Dix, published this fantastic study of the history of the Christian liturgy (though he humbly refers to it as an introduction) in January 1945 while World War 2 was still raging. At over 750 pages in small print it's not one of those books you finish over the weekend
- [Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas: the Mystery of God and the Mystery of the Eucharist](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/01/feast-of-st-thomas-aquinas-the-mystery-of-god-and-the-mystery-of-the-eucharist/) - Today, January 28th, is the feast day of one of the Church's greatest theologians, Thomas Aquinas (c.1224-1274). For his penetrating syntheses of faith and reason, nature and grace, and speculative, practical and spiritual theology, he is known as the doctor communis, the Common Doctor among the bright and God-consumed minds of the Catholic tradition. "Thou
- [A Church of Mercy ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/01/a-church-of-mercy/) - I heard a story in seminary of a pastor who made late night visits to a local diner when he couldn’t sleep. Prostitutes frequently visited the diner and the pastor couldn’t help overhearing some of their conversations as he sat reading. He was grieved as he gathered bits and pieces of these women’s tragic lives.
- [The Frat Boys of Nidaros Seminary](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/01/the-frat-boys-of-nidaros-seminary/) - From the letter Cum, sicut ex to Sigurd, Archbishop of Nidaros (a city in Norway), July 8, 1241: Since as we have learned from your report, it sometimes happens because of the scarcity of water, that infants of your lands are baptized in beer, we reply to you in the tenor of those present that, since
- [Signs of Predestination - A Catholic Discusses Election](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/signs-of-predestination-a-catholic-discusses-election/) - All the members of Called to Communion once earnestly believed the tenets of Calvinism before abjuring the errors of that system in exchange for the true Catholic Faith. However, it would be wrong to suppose that Catholic deny predestination per se. Rather, the doctrine of predestination is upheld, albeit with a important qualifications. Dominican Father
- [Unity and Beauty](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/01/unity-and-beauty/) - According to St. Thomas, integrity (or perfection) is one of the three marks of beauty. The other two are harmony (or proportion) and radiance (or brightness). (( Summa Theologica, 1.39.8 )) The term ‘integrity’ is closely related to and directly implies unity; for without unity, integrity is impossible. We derive the word ‘integrate’ from the
- [2nd Annual Essay Contest for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/01/2nd-annual-essay-contest-for-the-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity/) - We here at Called to Communion are happy to announce the second annual essay contest in preparation for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Readers may remember that we held this contest last year in order to facilitate dialogue at a time when the Catholic Church encourages all Christians to pray for the reunion
- [Fr. Robert Barron Explains the Catholic Faith](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/01/frbarron/) - One of the great parts of working on Called to Communion is getting to know Protestants who are truly seeking to understand the Catholic faith. Sadly enough, there are many Catholics in greater need of a fundamental understanding of Catholicism than many of our Protestant readers. But fortunately for all concerned, Fr. Robert Barron, professor
- [Images of Jesus](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2011/01/images-of-jesus/) - Five years ago I had the chance to visit Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City for a Good Friday service. Since college it had been a dream of mine to see Dr. Tim Keller, senior pastor of Redeemer, preach in person. Keller founded Redeemer in 1989 and over the past twenty years it has become
- [The Relation of Man's Two Ends to Church and State](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/the-relation-of-mans-two-ends-to-church-and-state/) - I was recently in a discussion in which someone was claiming that the beatific vision was natural to unfallen man. ((At least natural in the sense of attainable by unfallen man's natural power, without grace.)) He was at the same time advocating a complete separation of Church and State, and denying the notion that the
- [A Reminder on Posting Guidelines](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/04/a-reminder-on-posting-guidelines/) - Friends, As the blog discussions grow larger I wanted to remind everybody of our posting guidelines. The purpose of these guidelines is to encourage a spirit of charity and to encourage an honest discussion. The guidelines can be found here. We would ask that everybody read these again. We really don't want to be put
- [A Protestant Historian Discovers the Catholic Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/a-protestant-historian-discovers-the-catholic-church/) - Dr. David AndersCalled to Communion's own Dr. David Anders recalls some highlights of his journey into the Catholic Church in this article which appears in a recent 'Coming Home Network' newsletter. Dr. Anders received his Ph.D. from The University of Iowa in 2002, in Reformation History and Historical Theology, having written his dissertation on John
- [Real Presence - Does it Mean Cannibalism?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/real-presence-does-it-mean-cannibalism/) - A discussion of the doctrine of Real Presence and a refutation of the idea that it amounts to cannibalism and or a violation of Jewish dietary laws.
- [Sacramental Graces and Practical Apostasy](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/sacramental-graces-and-practical-apostasy/) - If the Catholic view of the efficacy of grace is correct, why are “bad Catholics” so prevalent (and so bad)? As I considered conversion from the Reformed faith, this was a question to which I returned regularly. But since being received into full communion with the Catholic Church, and viewing things from a Catholic frame,
- [Mary Without Sin (Scripture and Tradition)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/mary-without-sin-scripture-and-tradition/) - One of the most misunderstood Catholic dogmas is that of the Immaculate Conception, the solemnity that the Holy Church of Jesus Christ observes on December 8th as a holy day of obligation. The Immaculate Conception is the dogma that Mary was saved by God in a singular and unique way. Unlike the rest of us
- [Book Review: Mary Through the Centuries by Jaroslav Pelikan](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/book-review-mary-through-the-centuries-by-jaroslav-pelikan/) - In honor of the great Marian feast tomorrow, the Immaculate Conception, I would like to repost some material from my personal blog: a book review on one of the best popular level historical surveys of Mary available. "Mary Through the Centuries," published in 1998, was written by one of the preeminent Church historians of the
- [Free Books for Reformed Seminarians Closed (except for Covenant Seminary)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/12/free-books-for-reformed-seminarians-closed-except-for-covenant-seminary/) - Our "free books for Reformed seminarians" is now closed. We received requests from all the major Reformed Seminaries (and Wheaton), except for Covenant Theological Seminary in Saint Louis. If you won, you'll be contacted in the next day or so. The books will be mailed out this weekend. We expanded the offer to meet the
- [How John Calvin Made me a Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/how-john-calvin-made-me-a-catholic/) - I once heard a Protestant pastor preach a “Church History” sermon. He began with Christ and the apostles, dashed through the book of Acts, skipped over the Catholic Middle Ages and leaped directly to Wittenberg, 1517. From Luther he hopped to the English revivalist John Wesley, crossed the Atlantic to the American revivals and slid
- [Free Books for Reformed Seminarians](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/11/free-books-for-reformed-seminarians/) - As an act of goodwill and in anticipation for Christmas, Called to Communion would like to give free copies of Taylor Marshall's new book The Catholic Perspective on Paul. The first FIVE Reformed seminarians to contact us, will get a free copy. We will keep your name anonymous and won't share it with anyone. Please
- [The Catholic Perspective on Paul - a New Book](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/11/the-old-catholic-perspective-on-paul-a-new-book/) - We ain't gonna lie. Many of us on Called to Communion were drawn to the Catholic Church after we had reassessed the "salvation issue" through the lens of the "New Perspective on Paul." Three years ago, a few friends of mine (including Sean Patrick of Called to Communion) were lamenting that there wasn't a book
- [Episode 15 - The Conversion of Annie Witz (OPC)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/11/episode-15-the-conversion-of-annie-witz-opc/) - In this episode, Tom Riello, former PCA minister, interviews Annie Witz, a convert from the OPC (Orthodox Presbyterian Church). Annie's father is an elder in the OPC church and serves on the board of Westminster Seminary California. Annie shares her personal conversion story from being a devout OPC member to a Catholic in the
- [Is Scripture Sufficient? ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/10/is-scripture-sufficient/) - There are some Protestant apologists who are making the claim that the early church fathers taught that scripture was sufficient. Some of them are careful to admit that the sufficiency taught by the fathers is a material sufficiency but some of them are asserting that the fathers taught that scripture is formally sufficient. What does
- [Did the Pope Condone Condoms in Certain Cases?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/11/did-the-pope-condone-condoms-in-certain-cases/) - Several main-stream media outlets are running a story with headlines like "Pope says condoms acceptable 'in certain cases'." One does not even need to read the quotation in context to know that this is false. The reason one can know this is because the pope does not have the authority to do such a
- [A New Contributor - Jeremy Tate](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/11/a-new-contributor-jeremy-tate/) - Jeremy Tate On behalf of Called to Communion, I'd like to give a hearty welcome to our newest contributor, Jeremy Tate. Tate is currently finishing a graduate degree at Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington D.C. You can listen to his conversion story here. He has already contributed two guest posts in the past and you
- [Sirach: About a Biblical Book Rejected by the Reformation](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/11/sirach-about-a-biblical-book-rejected-by-the-reformation/) - One of the seven Old Testament books rejected by Martin Luther and subsequent Protestants was the book of Ecclesiasticus, alternatively known by its "Old Latin" title Sirach. The other books rejected by Protestantism are Judith, Tobit, Wisdom, Baruch, and 1 & 2 Maccabees. Ecclesiasticus/Sirach is found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (three copies to be
- [The Depth of the Splendor - St. John Chrysostom's View of Liturgy](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/11/the-depth-of-the-splendor-st-john-chrysostoms-view-of-liturgy/) - On a recent feast in honor of the Mother of God, (I think it was the commemoration of her Dormition), my priest made a great point about Tradition as it is compared to Protestantism. Many times we as Catholics and Orthodox try to explain how it is that our honor which is given to the
- [The Authority of Divine Love](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/the-authority-of-divine-love/) - A few weeks ago we announced an essay contest for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The essays were to answer the following question: "What is it, most fundamentally, that still divides Catholics and Protestants?" They were to locate the fundamental disagreement underlying the other Catholic-Protestant disagreements, explain why it is fundamental, and show
- [Doug Wilson's "Authority and Apostolic Succession"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/doug-wilsons-authority-and-apostolic-succession/) - Recently I was asked for my evaluation of Doug Wilson's article titled "Authority and Apostolic Succession." For the sake of any others who may be interested in a Catholic evaluation of Doug's article, I am posting my evaluation here. Doug Wilson In 2006 Doug Wilson wrote an article titled "Authority and Apostolic Succession" in which
- [Trueman and Prolegomena to "How would Protestants know when to return?"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/10/trueman-and-prolegomena-to-how-would-protestants-know-when-to-return/) - "So we stand here and with open mouth stare heavenward and invent still other keys. Yet Christ says very clearly in Matthew 16:19 that He will give the keys to Peter. He does not say He has two kinds of keys, but He gives to Peter the keys He Himself has, and no others. It
- [Top Ten Ways to Have a Catholic Halloween](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/10/top-ten-ways-to-have-a-catholic-halloween/) - Sean, our blog editor, asked me to throw up this post to give a perspective on the practical side of Catholicism. Here at Called to Communion we wade into pretty deep water, here's something lighter and seasonal: Top Ten Ways to Have a Catholic Halloween. This time of year introduces several debates. Among conservative Protestants
- [The Church Fathers-A New Resource, an Old Source ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/09/the-church-fathers-a-new-resource-an-old-source/) - It is with pleasure that I announce to you a new website - www.churchfathers.org. Designed to be a user-friendly resource of quotes from the Church Fathers organized in topical fashion, this website can be used to phrase questions about what we believe, and what we don't believe, by looking at our faith through ancient eyes. As
- [Where Did You Get That Halo?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/11/where-did-you-get-that-halo/) - There is a general presumption that the religious art seen in churches of the Apostolic Tradition inevitably leads one to idolatry. There are times when I still am overwhelmed by the beauty of the religious art which adorns the sanctuaries and naves of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But if icons and the like are truly
- [Mary in the Old Testament](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/09/mary-in-the-old-testament/) - Over the past two weeks Dr. Lawrence Feingold of the Institute for Pastoral Studies at Ave Maria University, has presented two teachings on Mary in the Old Testament, as part of a longer teaching series on Mariology for the Association of Hebrew Catholics. Madonna (1410) by Lorenzo Monacho Palazzo Davanzati Florenz At the beginning of
- [Called To Communion welcomes David Anders](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/09/called-to-communion-welcomes-david-anders/) - We at Called To Communion are delighted to welcome David Anders, who is joining our team as a regular contributor. Dr. David Anders In the Spring of this year I read David's story in the May issue of The Journey Home. I contacted him and invited him to contribute something to Called To Communion. He
- [I Believe in the Rapture-and it Happens Very Often](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/i-believe-in-the-rapture-and-it-happens-very-often/) - Becoming Reformed after a six year sojourn in the evangelical world of Calvary Chapel, I was pleased to give up speculations about the end of the world via the notion of an imminent Rapture. There was a lack of historical support for thinking this way, and there was also a pleasing emphasis on Scripture as
- [Bank Accounts and Justification](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/bank-accounts-and-justification/) - Recently a friend reminded me of a common Protestant analogy regarding salvation and merit. The analogy is that sinners have a ‘bank account’ wherewith to ‘pay’ for their eternal salvation. The problem is that man cannot possibly have enough in this account to pay the ‘amount due.’ Faith in Christ is equivalent to having a
- [Another new Contributor - Stephen Wilkins](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/another-new-contributor-stephen-wilkins/) - Allow me to introduce Stephen Wilkins, our third new contributor in the month of August. Stephen is a long time regular in the combox of Called to Communion. You may have seen him comment as "Wilkins." Stephen, a convert from the PCA, will be helping us fill an editing role and will also be writing
- [The Denominational Marketplace](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/the-denominational-marketplace/) - Just a few months before I was certain I needed to enter the Catholic Church, I wrote the following post on a blog I had been using to write out my thoughts about discerning the Church. I re-post it here, with some edits that seem appropriate now that I am Catholic, to reach Called to
- [Looking Images in the Eye](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/looking-images-in-the-eye/) - A Catholic defense of religious images.
- [On Perspicuity and the Inclusion of Commentaries ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/on-perspicuity-and-commentaries/) - Are our commentaries leading us to God, or to our own notion of His truth? In his recent blog post entitled Commentary not Included, Tom Brown has brought up an essential element in the debate over sola scriptura. He highlights an article in the July 2009 issue of Tabletalk by Dr. Derek Thomas, where Dr.
- [Is Paedocommunion a Step Towards Heresy or Orthodoxy?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/is-paedocommunion-a-step-towards-heresy-or-orthodoxy/) - I was blessed to spend roughly 6 years as a part of the OPC. Love them or leave them, you cannot deny their tenacity for truth and orthodoxy. While the Eastern Orthodox have been called Orthodox for a long time, there is a sense in which this denomination which began in the 1930s has "earned"
- [Did Calvin Advocate Praying To Or For The Dead?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/11/did-calvin-advocate-praying-to-or-for-the-dead/) - Sometimes one of the most helpful ways to consider why we accept or reject claims of Protestantism or Catholicism is to step outside of the argument. There is so much heat and emotion that covers these issues, that it's very helpful to go back to the basics and read the earliest debates. I've found this
- [Two Rights Declare a Wrong-on Appeals to Orthodoxy](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/two-rights-declare-a-wrong-on-appeals-to-orthodoxy/) - Throughout the past year on Called to Communion, the various blog posts and full-length articles by the contributors have been met with objections of various stripes and sizes. It has been a mixture of excitement, hope, prayer, frustration, and calls for mercy for me to read many of those posts and the dialogue that has
- [Drawn Closer by Scandal?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/drawn-closer-by-scandal/) - My cousin's husband who also teaches at Auburn came into the Church last week. He had been going to Mass with them but never showed any interest. We asked how he got interested and his answer was that the sermons were so horrible, he knew there must be something else there to make the people
- [The Grandeur of Covenant Theology](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/the-grandeur-of-covenant-theology-a-catholic-perspective/) - Dr. Jonathan Deane discusses covenant theology from a Catholic perspective.
- [A Salient Moment - Reflection on Soli Deo Gloria](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/a-salient-moment-reflection-on-soli-deo-gloria/) - Catholicism seemed like the last religion on the earth that I would ever embrace. In embracing the Gospel as understood by most Protestants, I affirmed that the Gospel was all about giving God glory, and to Him alone. If I were to sit down and choose a faith that looked Christian but missed this central
- ["Pelagian Westminster?"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/pelagian-westminister/) - The following essay is a guest contribution by Barrett Turner. Barrett completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia. This Spring he graduated from Covenant Theological Seminary with an M.Div. This Fall he will be pursuing his doctorate in moral theology at the Catholic University of America. He lives with his wife and son
- [Introducing - Barrett Turner](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/introducing-barrett-turner/) - Our second new contributor is Barrett Turner. Barrett was still a Protestant when he first commented at CTC. Now he's in the doctoral program at Catholic University of America. Here's Barrett's bio: Though raised United Methodist, Barrett was heavily influenced by Reformed University Fellowship and a local PCA church at the University of Virginia. During
- [CTC has two new Contributors](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/ctc-has-two-new-contributors/) - We're excited to announce that we've just brought on two new contributors to the Called to Communion team. The first is David Pell, a regular in the combox here. Here is David's bio: David converted to Christianity in the summer of 2003 and began to attend non-denominational charismatic congregations. During his second semester at college
- [Is the Catholic Church Semi-Pelagian?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/08/is-the-catholic-church-semi-pelagian/) - There are certain charges which are worthy of a defense only on account of their frequent repetition. If someone refers to a Calvinist as a hopeless determinist, the well rounded Calvinist might decline to defend such an uneducated attack after hearing it once or twice, but there is a point at which the accused party,
- [Christ Alone is the Head of the Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/07/christ-alone-head-of-church/) - In the third part of the Summa Theologica, St. Thomas Aquinas asks the question whether it is proper to Christ to be the Head of the Church and answers in the affirmative. Protestants often claim that the Catholic Church has set the pope as the head of the Church instead of Christ. But St. Thomas
- [The Minor Seminary](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/07/the-minor-seminary/) - As a Reformed Christian, my lips pursed at the very idea of 7th graders beginning “seminary.” Only the Catholics could come up with such a bizarre scheme, I thought. It made as much sense to me as gifted monks spending all of their earthly days milling about in silence. I didn't get it. But two
- [St Augustine on Non-Catholic Christians as "Brothers"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/07/st-augustine-on-non-catholic-christians-as-brothers/) - The Second Vatican Council taught that non-Catholic Christians were to be recognized as "brothers" in light of their valid baptisms "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Some traditionalist Catholics look askance at this teaching, but it is worth noting that Saint Augustine also recognized that non-Catholic
- [Participatory Christology and the Life of the Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/07/participatory-christology-and-the-life-of-the-church/) - The following is an excerpt of an article I wrote for the Italian newspaper, Ilsussidiario. These categories of person flow out of an Incarnational ecclesiology. We see this duality in the life of our Lord. He is both the manifestation of God's faithfulness to humanity and humanity's faithfulness to God. Jesus Christ is God's answer
- [Church Hierarchy is not a Corruption](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/07/church-hierarchy-is-not-a-corruption/) - The Catholic Church teaches that nature is ordered by God. The heavens are superior to the earth, and angels are superior to men. (( St. Thomas Aquinas quotes Matthew 11:11 in support of his claim "The inferior angel is superior to the highest man of our hierarchy." St. Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica 1.108.2; Hebrews 1:14,
- [Oh to Be Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/oh-to-be-catholic/) - Yesterday two Reformed Christians announced that they had decided to convert to the Catholic Church. It reminded me of my own conversion. Becoming Catholic or in my case coming back home to the Church is so hard to explain to those who find such horror when they look in the face of the Church. They
- [What Catholics and Protestants Have Wrong About Justification](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/what-catholics-and-protestants-have-wrong-about-justification/) - Just kidding, the Catholics don't have anything wrong about justification; I was just getting your attention. :-) Now to be serious. The primary way we both [Catholics and Protestants] talk about justification and about any of God's operations is based on the way that the Scriptures speak of God. Let me say at the outset
- [Why are There Prohibitions Against Covetousness? ](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/why-are-there-prohibitions-against-covetousness/) - Catholics, following St. Augustine, differentiate between coveting a neighbor's wife and between coveting a neighbor's goods. Protestants follow Judaism and Origen in combining both types of covetousness into the tenth commandment, "Thou shalt not covet." Now the species of a sin is defined by its object (Summa 2a.72.1) just as an action takes its species
- [A Called to Communion Moment of Levity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/a-called-to-communion-moment-of-levity/) - Against Heresies...the Musical
- [St. Augustine on Faith Without Love](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/st-augustine-on-faith-without-love/) - “For this reason Luther’s phrase: “faith alone” is true, if it is not opposed to faith in charity, in love.” - Pope Benedict XVI Reformed Professor R. Scott Clark in response to Pope Benedict: "That conditional, that “if,” makes all the difference in the world. That one little conditional is the difference between Rome and
- [Episode 13 - Holy Orders](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/episode-13-holy-orders/) - In this episode, Tom Riello interviews Tim Troutman on his recent article "Holy Orders and the Sacrificial Priesthood." Who are the rightful shepherds of Christ's flock? Is Holy Orders truly a sacrament? These and other questions are addressed in this episode. [podcast]https://www.calledtocommunion.com/media/Called%20to%20Communion%20-%20%20Episode%2013%20-%20Holy%20Orders.mp3[/podcast] Download the mp3 by right clicking here.
- [Introducing .... John Kincaid](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/introducing-john-kincaid/) - Last week Neal, Taylor and I attended the Letter & Spirit Summer Institute in Steubenville, Ohio, hosted by Scott Hahn and the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. While we were there, we met John Kincaid. John Kincaid Right away the three of us recognized that John would be a wonderful addition to the Called
- [How John Calvin Made Me Catholic](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/how-john-calvin-made-me-catholic/) - Click Here to view Dr. David Ander's guest post, "How John Calvin Made Me a Catholic." Please put any comments in that thread and not here so we can keep the conversation in one place.
- [St. Augustine on Discovering Truth](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/st-augustine-discovering-truth/) - We make judgments about corporeal objects because they are below us, and we say not only that they are or are not this way, but also that they ought to be this way or ought not to be... We make these judgments according to the inner rules of truth which we perceive in common. But
- [Book Review: Cyprian the Bishop by J. Patout Burns](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/book-review-cyprian-bishop-patout-burns/) - The period of persecution under Decius in the middle of the third century and the subsequent controversies in Italy and Northern Africa is one of the most confusing periods of ante-Nicene Church history. So much writing has survived that we are able to bring a lot of characters into play. To make things more confusing,
- [The Three Kinds of Prayer](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/three-kinds-prayer/) - Being Catholic is a lot like being a child with many toys. In fact, he has so many that his parents will often rotate the toys in and out of the house so that when the toy is brought back out the child rediscovers the excitement of the toy all over again. There are so
- [The Apostleship of St. Paul](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/the-apostleship-of-st-paul/) - St. Paul's Apostleship was unique because he was not part of the original twelve nor was he, like St. Matthias, ordained to fulfill a vacancy in the twelve. (( Acts 1:15-26. For an argument that 'the twelve' and 'Apostles' are the same, see Cirlot, Felix Apostolic Succession at the Bar of Modern Scholarship, (1946) ))
- [Women Priests - Why not?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/women-priests-why-not/) - In my recent article on Holy Orders, I gave a condensed explanation of the male-only priesthood in footnote #233. For further reading, I'd like to recommend the following recent posts on the topic: Jeffrey Steel: Women priests? A Marian Church in a fatherless and motherless culture, by von Balthasar Dr. Edward Feser: God, man, and
- [Hermeneutics and the Authority of Scripture](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/hermeneutics-and-the-authority-of-scripture/) - It is my pleasure to be able to write on a subject where we as Catholics share so much common ground with our Reformed brothers, and even with most Evangelicals. In fact, it is no small thing that we agree upon foundational truths contra mundum in a time when even many Christians deny them. This
- [Soli Deo Gloria: A Catholic Perspective](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/draft-soli-deo-gloria-a-catholic-perspective/) - The "five solas" of the Reformation are often seen as uniquely Protestant, and to be sure, most common applications are. But examining the underlying principles of the solas from a Catholic perspective is an important task for Reformed-Catholic reconciliation. And while worthier attempts would fall short of doing justice to even one of these, in this
- [Episode 12 - Jeremy Tate's Conversion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/episode-12-jeremy-tates-conversion/) - In this podcast episode, Tom Riello interviews Called to Communion regular, Jeremy Tate, on his recent conversion to the Catholic Church. Jeremy is currently finishing his degree at Reformed Theological Seminary. [podcast]https://www.calledtocommunion.com/media/Called%20to%20Communion%20-%20Episode%2012%20-%20Jeremy%20Tate%20Interview.mp3[/podcast] Download the mp3 by right clicking here...
- [Calvin on 'Self-Authentication'](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/calvin-on-self-authentication/) - If the Bible alone is our authority, shouldn't we be able to prove this from the Bible? If we can't, and if we accept it nevertheless, doesn't that mean that we're de facto accepting an authority over and above the Bible? And don't we have to do this just to delineate which books are Scriptural?
- [New Book on Judaism and Catholicism - The Crucified Rabbi](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/10/new-book-on-judaism-and-catholicism-the-crucified-rabbi/) - I want to thank Tim Troutman and the rest of the Called to Communion fellows for allowing me to put up a quick post about my new book: The Crucified Rabbi: Judaism and the Origins of Catholic Christianity now available on amazon.com. The book begins with an event in which I encountered a Jewish Rabbi
- [Review of Scott Hahn's Kinship by Covenant (Yale, 2009)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/10/review-of-scott-hahns-kinship-by-covenant-yale-2009/) - Dr. Scott Hahn's Kinship by Covenant is a revised and updated version of his 1995 doctoral dissertation Kinship by Covenant: A Biblical Theological Study of the Covenant Types and Texts in the Old and New Testaments published for the Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library. The great biblical scholar, David Noel Freedman (d. 2008), recognized that
- [Conditional or Unconditional Assurance?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/conditional-or-unconditional-assurance/) - I find reading the Apostle John's letters especially beneficial for the simple reason that they are non-Pauline; they allow for a contrast, a reading of a different tenor or tone. John opens his first epistle by explaining that he preaches the word which he had seen and which was "made manifest" to him (1 John
- [Infallibility and Epistemology](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/infallibility-and-epistemology/) - Consider the following argument. Protestants have an inerrant source for the faith, the Scriptures. But it does not make one more confident of the true interpretation of the faith to add another layer of infallibility (the Church or magisterium) because the individual receiving instruction in the faith is fallible. Whatever is received, regardless of whether
- [The Councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/the-councils-of-ephesus-and-chalcedon/) - Many Protestants are willing to affirm the first four ecumenical councils. Thankfully there is in this respect common ground between Catholics and such Protestants. But most Protestants either deny or are ambivalent about the ecumenical councils that took place after the Council of Chalcedon. And that leads to division between Protestants on the one hand,
- [Relics: A Reply to Trueman](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/relics/) - Carl Trueman is the Departmental Chair of Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary, a Protestant seminary in Philadelphia. This past January he posted an article titled "Reflections on Rome Part 1: Connecting the Mind and the Tongue" in which he shares some reflections he had after a trip to Rome (Part 2 can be found
- [Getting Back to the Basics](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/getting-back-to-the-basics/) - In response to a recent comment by a regular guest here at Called to Communion, I'd like to take a brief moment to re-visit the basic vision behind this site. I've remarked several times in combox discussion that certain interlocutors don't seem to grasp what we're trying to accomplish. This recent comment confirms my suspicion.
- [Appetites and Intellects](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/appetites-and-intellects/) - The late Trappist Father Louis, born Thomas Merton, while living a lifestyle reserved and removed from the world, was a prolific writer. His autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain, became a bestseller shortly after its publication in 1948, and is still widely in print today. In it Merton describes his spiritual coming of age, his movement
- [Why Does Evil Exist?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/why-does-evil-exist/) - "O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer!" - The Exsultet, Traditionally Sung at the Easter Vigil A simple answer of why God allowed the Fall of man runs like this. God did not desire man's sin but He respected man's free will by allowing him to
- [Way of the Cross Procession](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/way-of-the-cross-procession/) - The following is video from a Way of the Cross procession held in downtown Montgomery, Alabama as part of our Good Friday reflection. It was surprising to see our local television and print media cover the event but they did! There were over 120 people who walked the almost 2 mile procession, reflecting and meditating
- [Mary and the Sorrow of the Cross](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/mary-and-the-sorrow-of-the-cross/) - We cannot fully appreciate the sorrow of the Cross because we cannot comprehend the innocence of Jesus Christ. It's hard to watch a man suffer, but it's harder to watch a child suffer. The reason for this is because we know the child is more innocent than the man. When the innocent suffer, it grieves
- [Podcast Episode 1](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/01/podcast-episode-1/) - Tim Troutman interviews Dr. Jonathan Deane on his conversion to the Catholic Church in this first episode of Called to Communion's podcast. [podcast]https://www.calledtocommunion.com/media/CPC1.mp3[/podcast]
- [The Hidden Power of God](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/the-hidden-power-of-god/) - The morning dawn gave way to overcast skies and as the day slowly progressed the skies became gloomier and gloomier. Just outside the city there is a darkness on the edge of town. Many different emotions fill the air. There is a buzz as people make last minute preparations for the feast that they will
- [God and I Welcome You](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/god-and-i-welcome-you/) - Here I come around the final bend of my long journey into the Catholic Church. I could not have imagined it ten years ago. Six years ago I would have found the proposition that my wife and I would become Catholic at the Easter Vigil mass of 2010 to be incredibly absurd. But God never
- [Episode 11 - The Canon Question](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/episode-11-the-canon-question/) - Tom Riello interviews Tom Brown on his recent article on the issue of the canon of scripture. How do we know which books belong in the Bible? Who has the authority to answer such a question? These issues are addressed in this podcast episode. [podcast]https://www.calledtocommunion.com/media/Called%20to%20Communion%20-%20Episode%2011%20-%20The%20Canon%20Question.mp3[/podcast] Download the MP3 here.
- [A Theology of Tears](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/a-theology-of-tears/) - Life can be and often is a valley of tears. Who can deny the realities of tragedy and senselessness, stories of children being orphaned or abused. Stories of late night phone calls informing you of to come immediately to the hospital or a visit from the authorities informing you of the loss of a loved
- [Comments for 'Soli Deo Gloria'](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/comments-for-soli-deo-gloria/) - Please comment on "Soli Deo Gloria: A Catholic Perspective" under this post. Thank you!
- [The Canon as its own Measure?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/the-canon-as-its-own-measure/) - One major point of circular reasoning with Protestant thought on the identification of the canon is the concept of the canon as its own standard. For example, the Reformers claimed that the New Testament books were obviously canonical because of their apostolic character. But according to them where do we learn of the apostolic faith?
- [Can God Lie?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/can-god-lie/) - When I was younger, I used to think that God actually could lie if He wanted to, but He simply chose not to because of His goodness. I didn't realize, and I think many people still don't, that He literally cannot lie. Some theological errors can be avoided by understanding that God cannot lie. For
- [Why Didn't Nicaea Address the Canon Question?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/03/why-didnt-nicaea-address-the-canon-question/) - Proponents of sola scriptura, especially those who would like to believe that the early Church fathers espoused this doctrine, have an important question to consider. Why didn't the Church address the canon issue at Nicaea? The Church gathered in 325 AD to settle the Arian controversy, but assuming that the Scriptures alone are infallible, it
- [Episode 10 - Our One Year Anniversary](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/02/episode-10-our-one-year-anniversary/) - In this episode, Tom Riello and Tim Troutman reflect on the past liturgical year at Called to Communion. Topics covered include where CTC has been, where we are now, and where we are headed. [podcast]https://www.calledtocommunion.com/media/CTC%20Podcast%20Episode%2010%20-%20One%20Year%20Anniversary.mp3[/podcast] Download the mp3 by right clicking here.
- [A Liturgical Year in Review](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/02/a-liturgical-year-in-review/) - One liturgical year ago on this day, Ash Wednesday, we launched Called to Communion with the vision of engaging Reformed Christians on the fundamental issues that keep us divided. Our ultimate goal has ever been the restoration to full sacramental unity of all of God's people. The division among Christ's followers scandalizes a fallen world.
- [The Bible and Ecclesial Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/the-bible-and-ecclesial-unity/) - Is the Bible a source of unity between Catholics and Reformed Christians? As I shall explain, the answer is 'yes and no.' The Bible is a source of unity, albeit an imperfect source of unity, if by 'unity' we mean 'of one mind.' To those of us who have spent time staring across the divide
- [Congratulations to our essay contest winners](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/02/congratulations-to-our-essay-contest-winners/) - In early January we announced an essay contest for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Our purpose was to raise awareness of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and to increase ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Protestants. We asked that the essays seek to answer the following question: “What is it, most fundamentally,
- [Augustine: "He Who Is Mature in Faith, No Longer Needs Scripture"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/02/augustine-he-who-is-mature-in-faith-no-longer-needs-scripture/) - I was reading Saint Augustine's De doctrina Christiana today and bumped into a zinger that caused even my own Catholic soul to squirm. In book one, we come to this chapter: Chapter 39.— He Who is Mature in Faith, Hope and Love, Needs Scripture No Longer. In the very least, it shows that Augustine was
- [“So All Could Understand"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/“so-all-could-understand/) - Reformed theologians use the term “perspicuity” to refer to a quality they believe Scripture to possess. By this they mean that Scripture’s meanings are plain and evident for even the ordinary reader, and that the Church is not a necessary interpretive intermediary. If Scripture were not perspicuous, then either the Church would be a necessary
- [Comment Sandbox](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2008/11/comment-sandbox/) - This is a sandbox for comment testing. You can test your comments by posting them here. They will only be visible to you. We will delete comments periodically.
- [The Catholic-Protestant Divide: A Path to Unity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/the-catholic-protestant-divide-a-path-to-unity/) - The second winning essay in our essay contest is titled, "The Catholic-Protestant Divide: A Path to Unity," written by Dave Wade. Dave is a lifelong Catholic, a catechist on the RCIA-ACI team and musician at St. Cecelia Catholic Church in Clearwater, Florida. He is also the Catholic Mentor/Moderator @ theCircle.org. Dave is planning to enter
- [Unity in the Ante-Nicene Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/unity-in-the-ante-nicene-church/) - With a title like this, the reader might initially expect a long list of patristic quotes, but I'll take a different route. In fact, I intend to write this without quoting the fathers even once. Let's see if I can withstand the temptation. The ante-Nicene Church was, from a political perspective, an illegal network that
- [Saint Paul on the Unity of the Catholic Church (An Argument Against the Terms "Lutheran" and "Calvinist")](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/01/saint-paul-on-the-unity-of-the-catholic-church-an-argument-against-the-terms-lutheran-and-calvinist/) - Non-Catholics (and yes, even the Eastern Orthodox) do not enjoy the ecclesial unity Saint Paul prescribed for the Church of Jesus Christ. Saint Paul is resolute in his conviction that the Church of Christ must be one. Most of his epistles specifically speak against disunity within the Church. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians seems
- [Advent and the Ascension](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/12/advent-and-the-ascension/) - As we move ever closer to the celebration of the coming of our Lord on Christmas, it is helpful for us to reflect a bit on what this coming means for you and me, what this means for us! What does the season of Advent have to do with the Ascension of our Lord Jesus
- [Augustine on the Perpetual Virginity of Mary in Scripture](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/12/augustine-on-the-perpetual-virginity-of-mary-in-scripture/) - Saint Augustine famously interpreted the "closed gate" through which passed the "prince" in Ezek 44 as a type of Mary's perpetual virginity. Mary is the closed city and the prince miraculously passed through the closed gate. Here is the beautiful passage from Augustine describing from Scripture why Saint Joseph and Saint Mary did not consummate
- [Mary in the Old Testament - One Example](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/12/mary-in-the-old-testament-one-example/) - Many Christians are thinking about, talking about and writing about Mary this time of year. Spend some time in the blogosphere over the next couple of weeks and you are likely to see more ink spilled about Mary by Protestants and Catholics alike than you have seen all year. I am also reminded that the
- [Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/12/feast-of-our-lady-of-guadalupe/) - Today, December 12, is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Many people do not know anything about this historical event, even though it is undoubtedly one of the most important events in the history of Christianity in the Americas. As a result of the miracle of Mary's apparition to a native American peasant named
- [CTC Back up and on New Servers](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/12/ctc-back-up-and-on-new-servers/) - Called to Communion is now back online (obviously) and running on new servers. Our old hosting service was always sluggish and sometimes painfully slow. So far, the site seems to be running much faster. Also notice our slightly updated design, we hope you like it. Finally, I want to draw your attention to a new
- [Ten Questions for N.T. Wright regarding Catholicism, Justification, and the Church](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/11/ten-questions-for-n-t-wright-regarding-catholicism-justification-and-the-church/) - This post originally appeared at the Canterbury Tales blog. Let me begin by saying that I am honored to have received a response from N.T. Wright in Christianity Today last month. He is a giant and he has probably influenced me more than any other living theologian (yes, even more than Ratzinger/Benedict XVI). At the
- [Supernatural or Natural Birth?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/11/supernatural-or-natural-birth/) - I was involved in a wonderful conversation the other day with a few friends of mine, two Catholics (one of whom is a priest) and a Presbyterian (PCA). Over some good tobacco and coffee at the local cigar shop we discussed a variety of things, including Baptism. My friend, the Presbyterian, spoke about how Reformed
- [But is There a Practical Difference in Solo and Sola?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/11/practical-difference-sola/) - In the recent discussion following Bryan and Neal's article, which demonstrated that there was no principled difference between solo and sola scriptura, one guest conceded that there might not be a principled difference between the two, but there was a practical difference. That claim was addressed, but perhaps insufficiently, and I think it's an idea
- [On Skepticism and Humility](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/11/on-skepticism-and-humility/) - The proud man, says C.S. Lewis, cannot see God because he is always looking down his nose at things and people, and so long as you are looking down, you cannot see what is above you. We can never let ourselves forget that in this on-going search for truth, the truth will always remain above
- [Is Sola Scriptura in the Bible? A Reply to R.C. Sproul Jr.](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/11/is-sola-scriptura-in-the-bible-a-reply-to-r-c-sproul-jr/) - R.C. Sproul Jr. recently wrote a short article titled "Is Sola Scriptura in the Bible?" In light of our recent article treating the subject of sola scriptura, it might be helpful to examine Sproul's comments from a Catholic point of view. Sproul begins his essay with the following paragraph: No, and yes. The Bible does
- [Was the Fall Under God's Providence?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/11/was-the-fall-of-man-under-gods-providence/) - God is said to will a thing in one of two ways: absolutely or contingently. If God wills a thing absolutely, then it necessarily happens. So a thing which does not happen cannot be said to have been God’s absolute will. But we know per divine revelation that God wills some things to happen that
- [Episode 9 - On the New Anglican Ordinariates](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/10/episode-9-on-the-new-anglican-ordinariates/) - Tim Troutman interviews Taylor Marshall, former Episcopal priest, and Andrew Preslar, formerly studying for Anglican orders, on the subject of the new Anglican Ordinariates and what that means for Christianity and ecumenism. [podcast]https://www.calledtocommunion.com/media/CTC%20Podcast%20Episode%209%20-%20Anglican%20Ordinariates.mp3[/podcast] Download the mp3 here.
- [What is the Significance of the Pope's Anglican Ordinariates?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/10/what-is-the-significance-of-the-popes-anglican-ordinariates/) - [Look for a Called to Communion podcast on the Anglican Ordinariates this week. Tim Troutman, Andrew Preslar and I recorded on Friday evening.] The Holy Father has announced the formation of a "personal ordinariate" for Anglicans coming into the Catholic Church. A lot of people are confused by what is meant by "personal ordinariate." The
- [Discussion at Called to Communion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/10/discussion-at-called-to-communion/) - Before we launched Called to Communion, the team discussed at length how we would make our vision explicit. We didn't want to be just another group blog, and we didn't want to be an apologetic website where parties argue back and forth to no end. We want to achieve something more. Now with the nature
- [Neo-Tribalism, Christology, and the Trinity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/neo-tribalism-christology-and-the-trinity/) - There is no doubt that modern society has been divided up into various interests groups and sub-cultures. Advertisers label this demographics. Each group is placed into a category and within this category advertisers and companies learn what each category of people “need” in order to “survive” in contemporary society. Thus, young people, middle-aged people, older
- [Horton on being made "One Flesh with Christ"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/horton-on-being-made-one-flesh-with-christ/) - At the West Coast Ligonier conference, Dr. Michael Horton was asked the following question: Dr. Michael Horton (Photo by Ligonier Ministries: source) For Dr. Horton: "You said that we are not an extension of Christ's kingdom. How does that cohere with our being the body of Christ? Our being the hands and feet of Christ,
- [Episode 8 - Hermeneutics and the Authority of Scripture](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/podcast-hermeneutics-and-authority-of-scripture/) - Tim Troutman interviews Matt Yonke on his recent lead article entitled "Hermeneutics and the Authority of Scripture." The audio is a bit choppy around the four minute mark but that clears up pretty soon. [podcast]https://www.calledtocommunion.com/media/CTC%20Podcast%20Episode%208%20-%20Hermeneutics%20and%20the%20Authority%20of%20Scripture.mp3[/podcast] To download the mp3, right click here.
- [John Calvin's Worst Heresy: That Christ Suffered in Hell](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/john-calvins-worst-heresy-that-christ-suffered-in-hell/) - Years ago while listening to Hank Hanegraaff's Bible Answer Man radio program, a caller called in about "Christ suffering in Hell." Hank rightly explained that "Christ suffering in Hell" is not a biblical doctrine, but noted that the doctrine was held by John Calvin. Hank respectfully disagreed with Calvin. We can argue back and forth
- [Why Protestantism has no "visible catholic Church"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/why-protestantism-has-no-visible-catholic-church/) - Part of the content of the Christian faith is the "one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church," because that is one article of the Church's Creed. Concerning the Church, the Westminster Confession of Faith reads: The visible Church, which is also catholic or universal under the Gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the
- [Savvy Jesus Picks Diverse Team](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/savvy-jesus-picks-diverse-team/) - Does diversity of opinion increase the chance that truth will surface in the Church? A recent article in the Presbyterian Church in America's magazine ByFaith, "Must We All Get Along?" by Jim Seybert, claims that contrary views are essential for determining truth. Seybert begins by making note of Pauline texts on the need for diversity
- [Beckwith and George: Can You Be Catholic and Evangelical?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/beckwith-and-george-can-you-be-catholic-and-evangelical/) - On September 3, Wheaton College hosted a friendly discussion between professors Timothy George and Francis Beckwith focused primarily on the following question: Can you be Catholic and Evangelical? Timothy George is a Southern Baptist and dean of Beeson Divinity School, and a co-signer of The Gift of Salvation. Francis Beckwith was the president of the
- [Which Lens is the Proper Lens?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/09/which-lens-is-the-proper-lens/) - The Reformed blog Green Baggins has been running a series on the Reformed Confessions as the lens through which the faithful read Scripture and receive the teaching of the faith. The first entry found here is summarized by the following quotations: The question is not whether one will have a lens through which to interpret
- [Episode 7 - A Dialogue on Conversion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/08/dialogue-on-conversion/) - An unscripted recording of a conversation between Tom Riello and Tim Troutman on their conversion to the Catholic Church.
- ["Calvinism" Sans Double Election](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/08/calvinism-sans-double-election/) - Would Calvinism be improved if it dropped all this talk of 'double election,' the doctrine that God chose some from before all time for salvation and the rest for damnation? Rev. Alvin Hoksbergen, a retired minister in the Christian Reformed Church, proposes in The Banner that a major retooling of election-speak from Reformed pulpits is
- [Magical Sacraments in Elfland](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/08/magical-sacraments-in-elfland/) - Someone recently remarked that sacramentalism was a medieval corruption of authentic Christianity. Perhaps the early Christians were cold rationalists, unswayed by superstitious notions that God had created a magical world. God's world acted strictly according to scientific laws He had put in place and to suggest otherwise amounted the high treason of believing in magic.
- [Fallacy of Hierarchical Continuum?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/08/fallacy-of-hierarchical-contiunuum/) - Are Catholics guilty of the continuum fallacy by insisting on apostolic succession?
- [Augustine's Use of Infusion for Justification](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/augustines-use-of-infusion-for-justification/) - Augustine uses the term “infusion” (like the Council of Trent) and not “imputation” (like Luther and Calvin) when discussing God’s act of justification: “For by this grace He engrafts into His body even baptized infants, who certainly have not yet become able to imitate any one. As therefore He, in whom all are made alive,
- [CTC Now on Facebook](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/ctc-now-on-facebook/) - Become a fan of Called to Communion on Facebook.
- [* Commentary not Included](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/commentaries-not-included/) - Is sola scriptura offended if it takes more than the Bible to be obedient to the Bible? Dr. Derek Thomas, Professor of Systematic and Practical Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, gives his insight in his column Corinthian Enthusiasm, in the July 2009 Tabletalk magazine. On the one hand, he opens with this: "Only one book
- [Sola Gratia](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/sola-gratia/) - A Catholic perspective on the reformed principle of Sola Gratia.
- [Happiness and Self Mastery](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/happiness-and-self-mastery/) - A discussion of how the subjection of the passions to reason is an image of justification.
- [Apostolicity versus Apostolic Succession?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/apostolicity-versus-apostolic-succession/) - Does the Holy Spirit work through a line of men who underwent sacramental ordination, through a collection of divinely inspired texts assembled by men, or in some other way? This seems to be the issue underlying a thoughtful and straightforward "Question and Answer" posting on the Orthodox Presbyterian Church's website. ((Available here.)) The inquirer had put
- [The Divine Metaphor](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/the-divine-metaphor/) - Discussing God's simplicity and immutability and His revelation by analogy in nature and its theological implications.
- [How Might Luther Say the Church Never Disappeared?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/how-might-luther-say-the-church-never-disappeared/) - “Justification is the article upon which the Church stands or falls.” Luther didn’t actually write this anywhere so far as I know, but he did express the sentiment. He said, for example, that without the doctrine of justification “the Church of God is not able to exist for one hour.” And that amounts to much
- [Persevering Most Assuredly: One Reason to Prefer Luther over Calvin](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/04/persevering-most-assuredly-one-reason-to-prefer-luther-over-calvin/) - I guess I'm starting to wonder whether any of the major players ever really disagreed with each other on the question of assurance of salvation. Everybody seemed to agree, at least at various points in their reflections, that you might not have (do not have?) strict certainty regarding (a) whether you are currently justified (or
- [No Argument of the Emptiness: Edwards and Irenaeus on the End of the World](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/no-argument-of-the-emptiness-edwards-and-irenaeus-on-the-end-of-the-world/) - The Divine goodness is the end of all corporeal things because the entire universe, with all its parts, is ordained towards God as its end, inasmuch as it imitates, as it were, and shows forth the Divine goodness, to the glory of God. Reasonable creatures, however, have in some special and higher manner God as
- ["Among You Stands One Whom You do not Know"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/among-you-stands-one-whom-you-do-not-know/) - "Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him." (St. Luke 24:31) "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you." (St. John 15:18) The Supper at Emmaus Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velázquez (1620) Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Those who claim that Christ is "our present
- [Kingdom, Church, and Communion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/07/kingdom-church-and-communion/) - A wrap up of Called to Communion's arguments for Catholic ecclesiology.
- [Augustinian Soteriology](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/augustinian-soteriolog/) - St. Augustine on salvation and its contrast with the Reformers' views.
- [Podcast Episode 3](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/04/podcast-episode-3/) - Tom Riello interviews Sean Patrick and Tim Troutman on the topics of their recent articles on Called to Communion: Soli Deo Gloria and Sola Gratia.
- [Redefining Theological Symbolism (St. Maximus the Confessor)](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/redefining-theological-symbolism-st-maximus-the-confessor/) - Our contemporary use of the word "symbol" in theology is rather weak. My guess is that this goes back to the 11th century Eucharistic controversy between the erroneous "symbolic Eucharist" belief of Berengarius and the orthodox "substantial presence" articulation of Lanfranc of Canterbury. For the heretic Berengarius, the term "symbol" entailed "not real". Berengarius' usage
- [2nd Clement & Incarnational Ecclesiology](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/2nd-clement-incarnational-ecclesiology/) - Grounding our ecclesiology on the Incarnation with the help of 2nd Clement's homily.
- [Ecclesiology in the Early Creeds](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/06/ecclesiology-in-the-early-creeds/) - Do the early Christian creeds allow room for an "invisible Church" interpretation?
- [Divine and Catholic Faith](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/divine-and-catholic-faith/) - Q. What evidence do we have that the [Ecumenical Councils'] exercise of apostolic authority was legitimate, and has remained infallible? A. In order to answer this question, it is helpful to consider the implications of the visibility of the Church in relation to Christ's promises. I have addressed that indirectly here (in January of 2008)
- [God knows He tried](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/god-knows-he-tried/) - Given our recent discussions on the nature of the atonement and predestination, here's an opportunity to apply this to something concrete at the popular level: a rap song named "He tried??" by Rapper Shai Linne. Evaluate the argument, pointing out the implicit assumptions doing the argumentative work. What does he get right? Where does he
- [[Four Corners] Scriptura?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/four-corners-scriptura/) - There is a classical dispute in the law of contracts, the underlying problem of which also bears on the doctrine of sola Scriptura. Can one really look to an authoritative text alone without at least impliedly resorting to extrinsics during interpretation? Suppose you enter into a contract to purchase a home from a seller, and
- [How Big is the Catholic Church?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/how-big-is-the-catholic-church/) - Undoubtedly we must answer: she is enormous but her dogmas are razor thin. This post considers the breadth of Catholicity.
- [Dionysius the Areopagite on the topic of Total Depravity](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/dionysius-the-areopagite-on-the-topic-of-total-depravity/) - In his treatise In On the Divine Names, Dionysius directly asks whether there can be such a thing as "total depravity". He answers that there cannot be total depravity because that which is totally deprived of all goodness would also be deprived of all existence since anything created is also ontologically good--as confirmed by the refrain of Genesis chapter 1 "and God saw that it was good".
- [Christian Soldiers: Armies of One?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/christian-soldiers-armies-of-one/) - The Bible tells us that we, as Christians, are types of soldiers. For instance, Paul tells the Church at Philippi that he has decided to "send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier." ((Phil. 2:25.)) In 2 Timothy, we are reminded to "[e]ndure hardship...like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No
- [John Calvin on the Sacrament of Extreme Unction](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/john-calvin-on-the-sacrament-of-extreme-unction/) - As I was reading Calvin's refutation of the Seven Sacraments, I found his argument against Extreme Unction especially unusual. Calvin recognizes that the Anointing of the Sick has its origins with Christ (Mark 6:13) and was performed by the Apostles (James 5:14-21). But the gift of healing disappeared with the other miraculous powers which the
- [Is justification instantaneous?](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/04/is-justification-instantanious/) - What happens in justification and is it instantaneous? In ST IaIIae q. 113, a. 6, Thomas answers that there are four things necessary for justification of the wicked: 1. Infusion of grace 2. Movement of free-will toward God 3. Movement of free-will from sin 4. Remission of sins This follows because there must be a
- [Reaching out to the SSPX](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/05/reaching-out-to-the-sspx/) - I'm sure much of our readership is aware of the recent lifting of the excommunications of the four bishops ordained by Archbishop Marcelle Lefebvre under the auspices of the Society of St. Pius the Tenth (SSPX). For those totally unfamiliar, I believe the Pope's letter on the subject explains the situation quite adequately. These bishops
- [The Fall of Man and The Eucharistic Presence](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/04/the-fall-of-man-and-the-eucharistic-presence/) - A comparison between the fall of man and Christ's presence in the Eucharist.
- [Time Magazine & "The New Calvinism"](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/04/time-magazine-the-new-calvinism/) - A discussion of Time Magazine's recent article on "The New Calvinism" which appeared in the March issue.
- [Comments for Sola Gratia](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/comments-for-sola-gratia/) - Please comment on Sean Patrick's "Sola Gratia" article here.
- [The Doctrinal Seed of Scripture](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/03/the-doctrinal-seed-of-scripture/) - A discussion of the inconsistency of Protestant rejection of Development of Doctrine.
- [Welcome to Called to Communion](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/02/welcome-to-called-to-communion/) - Welcome to Called to Communion. They are not of the world, as I also am not of the world. Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for them do I sanctify myself, that they also may be
- [Comments for 'Remember the Sabbath'](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/02/post-comments-on-remember-the-sabbathhere/) - Post comments on 'Remember the Sabbath: A Catholic Appreciation of Reformed Christianity' in this combox.
- [Podcast Episode 2](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/02/podcast-episode-2/) - In our second episode, Tim Troutman, Tom Brown, Tom Riello, and Bryan Cross discuss the important subject of Christian unity.[podcast]https://www.calledtocommunion.com/media/Called%20to%20Communion%20-%20Episode%202.mp3[/podcast]

## Pages

- [Resources--External Links](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/library/resources-external-links/) - Scripture Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition) Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary of 1859 Biblia Clerus (Reading the Bible with the Church) Tradition Church Fathers Catholic Encyclopedia Thomas Aquinas' Works (in English) Magisterium The Vatican Papal Encyclicals Catechism of the Catholic Church
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- [About](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/about/) - Welcome to Called To Communion. They are not of the world, as I also am not of the world. Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for them do I sanctify myself, that they also may be
- [Unity in the News](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/library/unity-in-the-news/) - A collection of news articles related to Christian unity.
- [Suggested Reading](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/library/suggested-reading/) - Here are a few of the books that the authors of "Called To Communion" have found helpful for understanding the Catholic Faith: Church History and The Church Fathers A History of Christendom (5 volumes), by Warren Carroll History of the Catholic Church, by James Hitchcock Patrology (4 volumes), by Johannes Quasten The Faith of the
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- [Welcome](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/about/welcome/) - Welcome to Called To Communion. They are not of the world, as I also am not of the world. Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for them do I sanctify myself, that they also may be
- [Complete Archive](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/library/complete-archive/)
- [Index](https://www.calledtocommunion.com/index/) - In an effort to make the contents of our site more accessible, we have arranged a Topical Index to go along with the Chronological Index. Those who wish to browse through our articles, blog posts, and podcasts by title can scroll down or click the link to the Alphabetical Index. _________________________________________________________________________ Chronological Index Lead Article | Featured Articles | Blog
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