A genius and a giant in literature, G. K. Chesterton is almost entirely neglected today. He is rarely quoted or studied, yet his works are monuments to logical, everyday common sense. A convert from atheism to the thinking and beliefs of the Catholic faith, he did not actually become a Catholic until after he had...
Category: Catholic
English Translations of the Biblical Passage John 1:1
As a follow up of my last post, I decided to look up one Biblical passage to see how different English translation Bibles would present the same sentence. I assumed before I began that there would be different translations, but I had no idea which would differ or how. For “Bible Christians” who believe in...
The Origin and Organization of the Christian Bible
Some North American Christians refer to themselves as “Bible Christians.” In other words, if it isn’t in the Bible, it isn’t so. They say the Bible is “the Word of God,” meaning it is to be taken literally. They believe the King James English version is only true translation and that it has never changed...
What do Christians mean by free will?
The concept of ‘free will refers to the human ability to make choices from either an unlimited or a restricted number of options. Free will implies a rational choice between two or more things based upon which the individual believes is more important. The classic example of limited choice is: “Your money or your life!”...
Research on the Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin is arguably the most scientifically tested artifact in history. The debate as to whether it is a true relic or a hoax continues unabated. New tests and articles are constantly in the news. For those who believe in the authenticity of the Shroud, no further evidence is necessary. For those who...
The Stolen Miracle: Mark 5:24-34
A brief incident, sandwiched in the middle of a story of another of Jesus’ miracles (Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:22-43) is unusual in that it tells of a stolen miracle. Unlike other miracles that Jesus freely gave away for the asking (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:24-34, Luke 8:42-48), it was stolen because the woman who stole it...
Regrets are fruitless
Regretting the past only leads to spiritual depression Feelings of regret are not limited to the dying. Nor are they limited to the old. Most people have regrets now and then. Even Job had regrets. In fact, regrets come in all forms: regret over things not done or said; regret over things said and done;...
What is Christian Love?
Christian love is a choice we make every moment of our lives to live up to the example of Jesus and his teachings. Christian love is not a feeling; it is a decision about how to behave toward others. It is difficult to love a God we cannot see. If we are convinced that we...
Cafeteria Christians or Heretics?
When I read Dale Ahlquist’s book on Chesterton (G. K. Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense, Ignatius 2003), especially the chapter devoted to Heretics, I saw many similarities between Chesterton’s description of heretics and my understanding of the concept “Cafeteria Christians.” Cafeteria Christians are people who pick and choose the parts of the Bible they...
An Unexpected Consequence of Imaginative Prayer
I was introduced to imaginative prayer when on a retreat. The retreat master introduced us to Anthony de Mello and his meditation methods. Years later, I was introduced to the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola which rely heavily on the use of imagination. The Rosary also relies on imagination to visualize the lesson...