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Catholics often take for granted the claim that doctrine can develop over time. However, a Catholic inquirer into Orthodoxy will most likely be surprised to find out this is not the case within some quarters of Orthodoxy. For instance, Orthodox priest Fr. Daniel Lattier surveys Orthodox writers on the question and discovers some who claim that “there exists an Orthodox consensus against doctrinal development.” Fr. Lattier d …

Spiritual or Religious?  Challenge: I consider myself spiritual rather than religious. Why isn’t that enough?  Defense: Because God loves you and wants even better things for you.  When people say they are spiritual rather than religious, they frequently mean that, although they don’t practice a specific religion, they recognize there is more to the world than matter, that it has a spiritual dimension. This is good! But it doesn’t go very far. Wouldn’t it …

The two main characteristics of charity are to do good for one’s beloved and to live in union with him or her. Using images drawn from friendship as well as marriage, Jesus tries to tell us how closely united with us he longs to be. It was to the end of this unity that he became eternally united to us by taking a human nature. The goal of this section is to pray and reflect through the meaning of the Incarnation and the presence of the Holy Spirit—in our lives and …

The Philosophical Case The philosopher Stephen Schwartz says there are only four differences between born and unborn humans, and none of them justifies depriving unborn humans of their basic rights, especially the right to life. Obviously, you and I have more rights than a fetus or an infant, such as the right to vote, but we all have the same basic right not to be tortured, enslaved, or unjustly killed. Schwartz uses the acronym SLED to summarize these differences betw …

Mere emotional assent to holiness will not suffice, even though that can be a part of it. Intellectual assent, although pivotal, by itself won’t suffice either. It is imperative that we rediscover personally this profound truth of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring and seek it daily. We should commit ourselves anew to:  daily invocation of the Holy Spirit, particularly in moments of decision-making, temptation, or dryness;  regular and devout sacramental participati …