The Catholic Church and its views and teachings on specific subjects.
32
votes
5answers
565 views
Praying to people outside the Trinity
I understand that the Roman Catholic church direct some prayers to Mary, the mother of Jesus. For me it would be strange to address my prayers to anyone outside the Holy Trinity. Do Catholics pray to ...
18
votes
3answers
454 views
What is the Roman Catholic view on Matthew 23:9?
In Matthew 23:9, Jesus says:
Matthew 23:9 (NIV)
And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
What is the Roman Catholic view on this? In the Roman ...
14
votes
3answers
1k views
When does the Pope speak ex cathedra?
The Catholic Church considers the Pope infallible, but only in limited circumstances. The Pope is a human being like the rest of us, and capable of sinning. However, when the Pope speaks ex cathedra, ...
28
votes
2answers
1k views
When did the prohibition of marriage for priests in the Catholic church originate?
The Bible mentions that one of the miracles Jesus performed was the healing of Peter's mother-in-law. This makes it quite clear that Peter himself was married, and Peter is the considered the first ...
16
votes
3answers
387 views
Are Catholics like pagans, in Evangelical vision?
This question is based on my personal experience. Some time ago I had a discussion with a friend of mine who's an evangelical pastor.
In a very subtle way, he was asserting that I actually believe ...
15
votes
1answer
252 views
What is the basis for clerical celibacy?
In the Catholic Church, priests are required to stay celibate. (As far as I know, protestant priests that convert to Catholicism are allowed an exception -- they can become Catholic priests even if ...
14
votes
2answers
191 views
What is the origin of the Catholic apocrypha?
In the Catholic tradition, several "apocryphal" books are used in addition to the same Old Testament canon used by Protestants.
What is the origin of these books and how do they differ from from the ...
11
votes
2answers
1k views
What are the steps to become Confirmed in the Catholic church?
In the Catholic church you go through confirmation to become an adult member of the church. What are the steps you have to take (general steps not necessarily church specific) as someone raised in ...
10
votes
2answers
772 views
What are the consequences of suicide according to the Roman Catholic church?
What are the consequences of suicide according to the Roman Catholic church? Are there exceptions or special penalties?
9
votes
2answers
988 views
List of papal teachings considered infallible
After reading When does the Pope speak ex cathedra? I became curious and searched for a list of statements, but couldn't find one.
Does such list exist and if not, why is this the case?
6
votes
1answer
599 views
What are the requirements for a Protestant joining the Catholic church?
What are the requirements for joining the Catholic church as an adult?
I'm interested in all the requirements, including whether a previously baptized Protestant would be required to (or forbidden ...
0
votes
1answer
120 views
Is Catholicism heretical due to perceived idolatry? [closed]
The King James Bible says,
Exodus 20:3-6 KJV
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of
any thing that is in heaven ...
27
votes
1answer
2k views
Why didn't C.S. Lewis convert to Catholicism?
This might seem like a weird question if you're a protestant and really like C.S. Lewis, but as a Catholic, I don't see him as ever espousing particularly non-catholic positions and he is very well ...
12
votes
1answer
696 views
Why did G.K. Chesterton convert to Catholicism?
G.K. Chesterton is one of my favorite authors. On a lot of subjects, his way of looking at things really astonishes me. He can still show things in a fresh perspective, though his books are about a ...
10
votes
1answer
236 views
What does the Roman Catholic church teach about those who die having never heard of Christ?
What does the Roman Catholic church teach about those who die having never heard of Christ? Is there any possibility of salvation for them?
Related:
What happens to people who have never heard about ...
5
votes
3answers
345 views
Did Jesus need to die, or would mere shedding of blood have been sufficient?
Originally: St. Thomas Aquinas on salvation by a drop of Christ's Blood
I heard on Relevant Radio a year or so ago something perplexing, I think it was a priest saying it, but it may have been a ...
-1
votes
5answers
259 views
Catholicism and Christianity [closed]
Is Catholicism considered orthodox Christianity? Things like praying to saints, the pope, praying to Mary, etc could be considered heretical... no?
12
votes
2answers
736 views
Why does Vatican require “Yahweh” not to be used?
This news article by Catholic News Service tells of the removal of the Tetragrammaton from Catholic masses.
"Yahweh" -- a name of God that the Vatican has ruled must not "be used or pronounced" in ...
10
votes
2answers
980 views
Do Catholic priests have to report child abuse confessed in secret?
Is there any canon, regulation, norm or diocesan norm which requires priests to report confessions of child abuse? Are priests obliged to follow laws to this effect?
I'm not asking in regard to ...
10
votes
2answers
1k views
How did the Crusades impact modern Christianity?
How do the crusades impact modern day Christianity own sense of morality and spirituality? What do these things mean to a person of faith?
The Crusades, from Wikipedia
The Crusades were a series ...
9
votes
2answers
357 views
What is the biblical basis for the Immaculate Conception?
According to Catholic Doctrine, the Immaculate Conception refers to the teaching that Mary's own conception (not that of Jesus) was without the stain of original sin.
What is the biblical basis for ...
8
votes
4answers
528 views
What is the Catholic position on Exodus 20:4?
This weekend my son and I participated in our Scouting council's annual Ten Commandments hike in which we walked to 10 different churches and heard a short talk on each of the 10 commandments from ...
7
votes
2answers
85 views
Is the choice of a new Pope inspired by the Holy Spirit?
Are Roman Catholics required to believe that the Cardinals choice of a new Pope is inspired by the Holy Spirit?
If so, how do we explain "bad" popes?
7
votes
2answers
390 views
Why did the Catholic church stop supporting Genesis creation?
I read that cardinal Ratzinger stated the story in Genesis 1 and 2 should not be interpreted as a literal account of the beginning of things. In spite of recent events like this, they have always been ...
7
votes
3answers
327 views
What is the biblical basis for the doctrine of Papal Infallibility taught by the Catholic Church?
I understand that the Catholic Churches teaches the doctrine of Papal Infallibility. What is the biblical basis for this and how does that account for the Scripture that references Peter's error?
...
2
votes
3answers
215 views
How can common believers in the Roman Catholic Church be sure that the Church's decisions are correct and not erroneous?
There have been some councils, the decisions of which were later reversed by some latter councils. Thus, if your position on a particular matter that was being considered at those councils was too ...
9
votes
2answers
121 views
Do Catholics tithe?
This might seem like a silly question, but I am not a Catholic, and so I do not know the answer!
Do Catholics tithe?
8
votes
2answers
510 views
What is the Catholic stance against In Vitro Fertilization?
I was researching a different question and saw that some people find that In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is something that should be avoided on the basis of religious grounds.
Does anyone know what ...
6
votes
2answers
107 views
What is baptism by Desire?
Again, this is one I've never heard of. Inspired by Peter Turner's comment.
If you had a plane full of people's consent to be baptized if they
miraculously survived the flight but they died ...
5
votes
1answer
120 views
Is it valid to baptize multiple persons at once?
To take an extreme example, if a person is on a plane that's about to crash, and she wishes to perform a baptism that is valid according to the Catholic Church (and therefore valid according to the ...
5
votes
1answer
200 views
Has the notion of “legitimacy” been abandoned in the Catholic Church?
This isn't a question about pastoral advice, but it is being asked on behalf of a friend who is worried that her children will become illegitimate if her marriage is annulled and all I can find to ...
1
vote
1answer
43 views
What is latae sententiae?
I heard that some things (like getting an abortion or attacking the pope) have the penalty of latae sententiae excommunication. What is that?
11
votes
2answers
278 views
What is transubstantiation?
According to Wikipedia:
When at his Last Supper, Jesus said: "This is my body", what he held in his hands still had all the appearances of bread: these "accidents" remained unchanged. However, the ...
10
votes
2answers
123 views
Resurrection of the body
How is the resurrection of the body supposed to work in Catholicism? E.g. If I die at 90, will I resurrect with the body of an old man? What about babies, will they simply resurrect as very young ...
12
votes
2answers
1k views
How do Catholics justify confessing to a priest?
Roman Catholic churches have a practice where congregational members confess their sins and the like to a priest in a confessional. As I was saying to a friend a couple days ago, the practice doesn't ...
12
votes
1answer
226 views
What is the argument for papal succession?
First off, I do not mean for this question to sound as an attack on the Catholic Church. I would like to know the stance of the church regarding this.
I found this resource, which documents the ...
10
votes
1answer
410 views
What does the Catholic church teach about fate of non-Catholic christians?
From what I've heard, The Roman Catholic Church claims to be the only representative authority of God on earth. Does it indeed claim that, and if so what does it say happens to members of non-Catholic ...
8
votes
2answers
143 views
Can indirection bring us closer to Christ?
Peter's excellent blog posting pointed to a movement I'd never heard of before: Militia of the Immaculata (MI). In the process of figuring out what it might be, I read this important qualification:
...
6
votes
1answer
57 views
Why would popes choose the name Pelagius in light of the Pelagian Heresey?
I was checking out the list of pope names by frequency on Wikipedia in search of minutia to defend my assertion that Pope Francis was the first new Pope name a long time and noticed that there were ...
5
votes
1answer
77 views
What is the Holy See and when is it appropriate to use this term?
Is the Pope, himself, ever referred to as the Holy See or is it simply the place where he lives?
Wikipedia says, "Often incorrectly referred to as 'the Vatican', the Holy See is not the same entity ...
4
votes
1answer
80 views
What is the Catholic biblical or canon basis saying some moral works without grace (transient or permanent) are good (or not have the nature of sin)?
I am trying to clarify the difference in my own mind between a traditional Catholic and traditional Protestant view of grace, specifically in terms of the 'works of unbelievers'. It seems hard to ...
3
votes
1answer
143 views
What personal possessions did Pope John Paul II have at the time of death?
The pope recieves no salary, but from what I understand, popes do have some personal possessions. A personal possesion is something that you own. For example, Pope Benedict XVI, I believe, had a ...
22
votes
7answers
2k views
As a protestant, may I participate in the Eucharist (Communion) when visiting a Catholic church?
I think the title sums it up. I'm a protestant Christian, and have many Catholic friends. When I visit their churches, is it permissible for me to participate in the Eucharist/Communion ceremony by ...
15
votes
3answers
273 views
What significance, if any, does the doctrine of the eternal virginity of Mary have?
I understand that the Catholic Church (and perhaps the Orthodox church as well) teaches that Mary is "the eternal virgin" Mary.
If this were an important doctrine, it seems there would be fairly ...
15
votes
5answers
288 views
What is the Biblical support for Purgatory?
Exactly as the title asks; where do Catholics get their Scriptural support for the idea of Purgatory? To be more specific, how I think of Purgatory (which may be incorrect) is that it's a temporary ...
13
votes
1answer
187 views
On what do Catholics base their doctrine of the eternal virginity of Mary?
I understand that the Catholic Church teaches that Mary is the eternal virgin in that she neither had sexual relations with Joseph (or any other man) either before or after the miraculous conception ...
12
votes
1answer
544 views
Are Catholics allowed to read the NIV translation?
I know this is kind of an odd question. However, there is a question that has popped into my mind while considering these quality standards that we've been starting to implement.
My thoughts are ...
10
votes
1answer
60 views
What does the Catholic Church mean when it calls humans co-creators with God?
The Catholic Church says that human are co-creators with God.
To human beings God even gives the power of freely sharing in his
providence by entrusting them with the responsibility of ...
10
votes
4answers
404 views
When does the bread and wine become Body and Blood?
Exactly when during the Mass does transubstantiation occur? I am aware that it occurs during the Eucharistic Prayer, but at exactly what moment? Would this change if a priest were to consecrate ...
9
votes
1answer
131 views
Is veneration worship?
I answered this question calling adoration and veneration honor given to God and the saints accordingly.
If you look at the edits for my answer, I think I had some confusion as to the terminology ...
