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Protestant View on Scripture Interpretation Protestants Say: Scripture is self-interpreting; therefore, the believer’s private interpretation is what the Holy Spirit intended. Catholic Response to Self-Interpretation of Scripture The Catholic Response: This assertion is problematic for several reasons. First, the Bible nowhere says it is self-interpreting; rather, it explicitly states or shows that it is not. See for example 2 Chron. 17:7-9; Neh. 8:1-9; Matt. 13:18-23; Luke 24:27, 45; …

Controversy Over Fr. James Martin's Comments Have you ever met someone who says something controversial and then acts as though he had said something mundane and wonders why everyone is getting so upset? If not, just follow the work of Fr. James Martin, and you’ll have many opportunities to become acquainted with this routine. For example, on January 21, 2023, the Catholic League tweeted about transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg, widely recognized as married to another man named Chasten, …

Roots of Mary’s Assumption Some are surprised that the doctrine of Mary’s bodily assumption was not defined until 1950, using little biblical support. The pope decreed that all Catholics must hold and believe as divinely revealed “that the immaculate Mother of God, the Ever-Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory” (Munificentissimus Deus44). Yet this doctrine was no twentieth-century innovation, as Tim Perry explai …

Immaculate Conception and God’s Election The Immaculate Conception. For non-Catholics, this dogma of the Church may be one of the most misunderstood doctrines there is. Here are some common questions Catholics get, and how to respond to them: Temptation, Suffering, and Mary’s Humanity Question:Why does Mary have to be holy at the moment of her conception instead of being purified shortly before God chooses her to be his mother? Response:God chooses and elects those w …

Do We Want the Eucharist to Be True? I want first to address those who might still be unsure of whether to believe in the Eucharist. To them, I would ask (or you might ask), “Do you want the Eucharist to be true?” Since our desires don’t make something true or not, that question may seem irrelevant, but it isn’t. Faith involves the intellect and the will. It’s not just about knowing, for instance, that God must logically exist. It’s about the heart saying “yes” to him and desiring him. If we …