He’s done it again. The “Pope” Culture Icon. The People’s Pope. Whatever you want to call him, he is nothing short of a phenomenon, going where no pope – not even Blessed JPII – has gone before: The cover of Rolling Stone Magazine! Well, for Pete’s sake! The issue hits newsstands on Friday…it will be […]
One axiom in biblical studies that needs to go away forever is the so-called “Messianic secret”. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this references in articles, commentaries, and sermons. What is the “Messianic secret”, you ask? It’s the idea floated by some Gospel scholars (especially of Mark and the other Synoptics) that […]
Why didn’t Jesus allow the demon he exorcised in today’s Gospel (Mark 1:21-28) to tell people who Jesus really was? Two reasons: 1. You don’t want demons to be your PR team. As the Divine Messiah of Israel, the last thing Jesus wants is demons, of all creatures, to announce to his people his true […]
Today’s great Solemnity of the Immaculate conception of Mary is usually celebrated on December 8. However, due to the second Sunday of Advent falling on that date yesterday, the Solemnity was communicated to today this year. And it’s certainly a doctrine that is misunderstood by many. The Immaculate Conception is not the Virginal Conception of […]
Over the next while, I’ll be sharing some things I learned on my recent study trip to Israel this past summer. As well as taking a course taught by my program supervisor, the world-famous Dr. Craig Evans, I also had the chance to travel around “the land” with the good professor and another grad student, […]
As anyone who knows me knows, I’m a big fan of the Kalam cosmological argument. It’s a wonderful argument for the creation of the universe that doesn’t depend on Scripture. One of its leading proponents is a “friend in the field” of apologetics, Dr. William Lane Craig. Check out this fantastic brief YouTube video that explains the argument:
I was recently interviewed for the popular series on the Archdiocese of Toronto’s blog called “Faces of our Faith”. I was asked about why I began The Faith Explained Seminars, what the biggest need in the Church is right now, and a bunch of other fun questions. To check it out, go here.
Pope Francis released his very first Encyclical letter today, called Lumen Fidei (“The Light of Faith”). In actuality, it was written by two Popes – Benedict XVI had begun the Encyclical some time ago, intending it to be the capstone to his trilogy on the three theological virtues of faith, hope and love. Due to his resignation, […]
Q. This Sunday is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, and we Catholics are used to hearing about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. But some Australian priests got a bit “creative” with the liturgy a few years ago, and began opening the Mass in a different way. Instead of […]
Q. This is Pentecost Sunday, which commemorates the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church. I was looking at one of the optional Mass readings for this Sunday, and I had a question about it. It’s from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, and here’s the section I’m having trouble understanding: Brothers and sisters: […]