The Catholic Church and its views and teachings on specific subjects.
2
votes
1answer
93 views
Are contraceptives ok to treat other conditions?
What does the Catholic church teach about the use of the hormone medications normally proscribed for use as birth-control to regulate the symptoms of PMS or other conditions brought on by hormone ...
-1
votes
5answers
261 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?
1
vote
1answer
145 views
Is it true that Luther claimed Popes and priests commonly practiced sodomy?
This is a simple historical Q & A question regarding the rumor that Luther made this fairly inflammatory accusation. The question is simple. Is there any solid proof that Luther really thought ...
5
votes
1answer
212 views
Why did the authors of the London Baptist Confession of 1689 callout the pope as being the antichrist?
In chapter 26 paragraph 4 of the 1689 LBC, the authors called the pope the antichrist:
neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is that antichrist, that man of sin, and son ...
4
votes
2answers
195 views
Is the Catechism of the Catholic Church considered scripture?
Is the Catechism of the Catholic Church considered scripture? Does it have the same authority as the Bible? If not, what is its place in the church? Is it considered heresy to preach or believe ...
5
votes
3answers
349 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 ...
-3
votes
2answers
125 views
How did the Catholic canon that Christians could not 'share a meal with a Jew' differ in spirit from the Pharisees traditions concerning Gentiles? [closed]
Anyone who has studied the New Testament knows that possibly the greatest offense that the Jewish leaders had against Christ was that he did not respect their traditions. Jews at that time put the ...
5
votes
2answers
143 views
When and where did Pope Paul VI say the “Mass is the most perfect form of prayer”?
I was trying to source this quote,
The Mass is the most perfect form of prayer - Pope Paul VI
but the Google, in her wisdom, seems to think I only want to see what my fellow zealous Mary lovers ...
4
votes
1answer
209 views
What's the tradition behind hand holding during the Our Father at Mass?
In traveling around my diocese I've noticed that there are some parishes that are hand-holders and some parishes that are non-hand-holders and some people in the non-hand-holder parishes who persist ...
5
votes
2answers
274 views
Is swearing (making an oath) considered bad in Christianity?
My Catholic friend and I were chatting once and I said something along the lines of "I swear I'm not lying". She asked me to promise to her and not to swear since it's discouraged in her religion. I ...
0
votes
1answer
203 views
According to Reformed Theology, are Catholics Christians?
In John MacArthur's Scandal of the Catholic Preisthood, Catholicism is not portrayed as the zenith of Christianity.
Question:
Is this
a John MacArthur only view, not held by the majority of ...
7
votes
2answers
80 views
Pre-Crucifixion Transubstantiation
The Roman Catholic church teaches the doctrine of transubstantiation--that the bread and wine literally become the body and blood of Jesus. It seems that the sacrament of taking the body and blood ...
12
votes
1answer
139 views
How do Catholics support transubstantiation?
As I understand it, the doctrine of transubstantiation maintains that bread and wine literally* become the body and blood of Christ...yet it is impossible to detect this. That is, they do not ...
7
votes
2answers
114 views
Has the Roman Catholic Church ever issued an official response to the accusations of the Reformers?
I just started reading Luther's Tabletalk, and the preface, written by Dr. John Aurifaber in 1569, roundly condemns the Roman Catholic Church, presenting an analogy which compares Christians' ...
4
votes
1answer
65 views
Were Catholics originally offended by the Sacred Heart?
According to a comment by Mr. Hayword, the Sacred Heart was something which was originally opposed in Catholicism, but I have not found clear evidence of this, only a citation of an Anglican who cites ...
9
votes
2answers
682 views
Is Roman Catholic reconciliation with the Orthodox likely (or possible)?
I have consistently heard rumors that the Orthodox and the Roman Catholics will be reconciling at some point (at least to the point of Catholics being able to receive Orthodox sacraments). Sometimes ...
2
votes
1answer
133 views
Is it true the term 'pontifex maximus' was the name of the high priest of the Roman Cult of Emperor Worship, before being adopted by the Pope?
This has always seemed strange to me that the Pope would not want to distance himself with emperor worship as much as possible. If pointifex maximus was a term used by the government of Rome in its ...
8
votes
2answers
115 views
Were paid indulgences compulsory prior to the Reformation?
Luther's 95 Theses were a refutation of selling indulgences on the part of the Catholic Church. Did he, or others, believe that the Church was saying that:
The only way to be a good Christian was ...
4
votes
1answer
102 views
Was the Apostolic Tradition of rejecting soldiers from the church ‘permanent’, or was this ‘tradition' briefly enforced?
In the Bible Jesus encounters Roman soldiers but does not tell them to 'quit their day job'. Jesus encountered a centurion with 'great faith' as recorded in Matthew 8. Peter as well baptized a ...
4
votes
2answers
101 views
In what order were the Sacraments added?
In his book The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer has this phrase:
'The sacraments' were first two, then three, then four, until with the triumph of Romanism they were fixed at seven.
What were these ...
6
votes
1answer
59 views
What is a “Pentecostal Catholic”?
One of my new neighbors is a "Pentecostal Catholic" from India. I have heard of this denomination before, during an Evangelical Missiological Society conference, but didn't have a reason to ...
5
votes
2answers
610 views
How many kinds of Catholics are there?
Until recently I was under the impression that Catholics are unanimous in their beliefs and don't have the kind of fragmentation that Protestants have.
But I’ve learned that there are several small ...
6
votes
2answers
273 views
What's a Papist exactly?
Is a papist always a Catholic who is wholly supportive of the Pope?
Must one be some sort of cleric or theologian to be considered by detractors as a papist or were every day catholic peasants and ...
5
votes
1answer
191 views
How common is intinction in the Catholic Church?
Intinction at communion is "the practice of dipping the bread in the cup and partaking the elements simultaneously".
The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) at their 2012 General Assembly narrowly ...
3
votes
2answers
194 views
Why aren't I considered illegitimate?
So, my dad is a baptized Catholic, but was raised Presbyterian. When he was in his twenties he married a woman in the Catholic Church who left him within a year (and got married to his best man... sad ...
5
votes
1answer
118 views
What translation does the Catholic Breviary of England use for Psalms?
I've heard that in England the Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Hours uses a different translation for the readings from the U. S. (Specifically, the British use Jerusalem Bible in their liturgies ...
8
votes
1answer
148 views
How does societal consecration to Mary differ from individual consecration?
For individual Catholics, consecration to Mary is a serious commitment not to be lightly entered into. It seems to me that this consecration is seen as an "advanced" step for people who are already ...
4
votes
2answers
137 views
What is the earliest record of using icons to worship God in the Catholic or Orthodox traditions?
The question is as simple as the title. I am simply wondering, ‘When is the earliest recorded date of this tradition?’
-1
votes
1answer
207 views
Did the Jews use icons and images to help them worship as Catholics or Orthodox worshipper do?
I understand that some worshippers use icons to 'lift up their minds from earthly things to the heavenly things'? I am not interested about those using them as stage-props for a play (in comparison), ...
5
votes
1answer
301 views
What is the status of St Malachy's prophecy within Catholicism?
As might be well-known to some, and perhaps especially to Catholics, the name of Saint Malachy, a former Archbishop of Armagh, is often associated with the Prophecy of the Popes. Much of the recent ...
2
votes
1answer
133 views
Is it true that John Paul II restored the practice of selling indulgences in 2000?
Is it true that John Paul II restored the practice of selling indulgences in the Roman Catholic Church in 2000?
EDIT:
two sources: here and here
4
votes
2answers
543 views
How does Pope Benedict XVI reconcile conscience and authority?
A recent talk by Father Bob Pierson 1 quoted Joseph Ratzinger (as he then was, now Pope Benedict XVI) as saying that the individual conscience must overrule ecclesiastical authority. I was intrigued ...
7
votes
1answer
166 views
Reformation objections to lectio divina?
It is becoming popular in Protestant circles to embrace traditional Roman Catholic (RC) mysticism, such as the practice of lectio divina. For example, see this page on the website of Timothy Keller's ...
4
votes
2answers
244 views
Does the Catholic Church consider abortion to be murder?
As a Catholic, I know that I am accountable to a higher law than human/positive law. The natural moral law is the guiding force behind the formation of my conscience and if human laws are not in ...
3
votes
3answers
175 views
What's a reiki infused rosary?
Kind of weird and new agey, but I was looking on etsy.com for handmade rosaries and there are all kinds of ones that are apparently used for new age spiritual purposes. They look just like regular ...
4
votes
1answer
135 views
The soul's progression through purgatory
Does anyone know of any folklore in Christian mythology about what happens to the soul as it progresses through purgatory and into heaven? (Plus, of course, for systems that hold universal ...
16
votes
4answers
397 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 ...
3
votes
2answers
154 views
Why do some Catholics file up for commmunion?
My wife was telling me about how in Spain, it's common practice to just go up to receive communion pretty much at random whereas in my experience I've always filed up (even when I was in Germany for ...
4
votes
1answer
84 views
Has the matter of salvation - whether it is by works or by faith alone - ever been considered on any councils of the Catholic and Orthodox churches?
Prior to Luther's Reformation, has the matter of salvation - whether it is by works or by faith alone - ever been considered on any councils of the Catholic and Orthodox churches?
5
votes
2answers
208 views
What is the purpose of godparents?
I was looking through Catholic baptismal records, while doing genealogy, when I realized that I didn't know what the purpose of godparents is. What is their purpose? Why are they recorded? Are the ...
5
votes
1answer
253 views
Which nuns get new names?
I know that some Catholic nuns chose new names, like Mother Teresa (previously Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu), and others didn't, like Sister Helen Prejean.
What determines whether a woman changes her name ...
5
votes
1answer
170 views
What's so great about the Canticle of the Sun?
A few years ago, I tried to explain to the 7th-8th graders in my catechism class how awesome St. Francis was. I told 'em about him giving up all his stuff and rebuilding the Church etc... but, for ...
4
votes
1answer
149 views
Did Pope Benedict XVI grant permission for hetrosexual couples to use artifical birth control methods?
In a book of interviews by Peter Seewald "Light of the World" the Pope is quoted as saying something to the effect that homosexual prostitutes would be better off if they used condoms than if they ...
5
votes
3answers
498 views
Do they use icons in the Roman Catholic Church?
Do they use icons in the Roman Catholic Church like they do in the East Orthodox Church? In my limited experience, I've only seen statues in the Roman Catholic Church, but not icons. I don't just mean ...
2
votes
3answers
216 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 ...
3
votes
0answers
38 views
How does an adult become a Catholic? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What are the requirements for a Protestant joining the Catholic church?
So, a Protestant decides he wants to become a Catholic. What does she need to do?
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Does the Roman Catholic church recognize marriages outside of the church?
I'm curious about the status of marriages performed outside the auspices of the church. For example, if a non Catholic converts to the Roman church, but was married beforehand, does it "count". Based ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
May divorced men become Roman Catholic priests?
In reading through canon law ( I think around 1037 or so ), it says that unmarried men must be celibate and 25 years old, or married men must be at least 35 and have their wife's consent before being ...
1
vote
1answer
87 views
What is the origin and explanation of the Catholic teaching that Mary was and is sinless? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the biblical basis for the Immaculate Conception?
I saw on another post where someone indicated that the Catholic church teaches that Mary was, in fact, sinless ...
5
votes
2answers
211 views
Mary's painless birth
Where does the Catholic tradition that Mary's birth was painless come from?
My wife just got home from a non-denominational study about Mary and she said she thought everybody knew this, but ...
