All entries by this author

Doug Wilson’s “Authority and Apostolic Succession”

Mar 12th, 2010 | By Bryan Cross | Category: Blog Posts

Recently I was asked for my evaluation of Doug Wilson’s article titled “Authority and Apostolic Succession.” For the sake of any others who may be interested in a Catholic evaluation of Doug’s article, I am posting my evaluation here.



Aquinas and Trent: Part 7

Mar 7th, 2010 | By Bryan Cross | Category: Blog Posts

On this day, March 7, in the year 1274, seven hundred and thirty six years ago, St. Thomas Aquinas departed from this life, and thus today is his traditional feast day.1 Last year, on this day, I began a series of posts intending to show how St. Thomas’s theology helps explain the soteriology set forth [...]



St. Thomas Aquinas on the Relation of Faith to the Church

Feb 13th, 2010 | By Bryan Cross | Category: Blog Posts

In the second part of the second part of his Summa Theologica, St. Thomas Aquinas explains the seven virtues: the three theological virtues (i.e. faith, hope, and love), and the four cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance). In his section on Faith, St. Thomas says something quite shocking to modern ears.



The Tradition and the Lexicon

Feb 10th, 2010 | By Bryan Cross | Category: Blog Posts

About a year and half ago, I came across an internet discussion between a number of Protestants and Catholics talking about what still divided them. I had arrived late to the discussion, and so I read through all the comments with a somewhat different perspective than a participant in the thick of it. The question [...]



Lawrence Feingold on the Sacrament of Holy Orders and the Ministerial Priesthood

Feb 8th, 2010 | By Bryan Cross | Category: Blog Posts

Lawrence Feingold
Two weeks ago, Lawrence Feingold of the Institute for Pastoral Studies at Ave Maria University, presented a teaching on the Catholic doctrine of the Sacrament of Holy Orders and the ministerial priesthood, at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. The audio of this teaching is available below, in two parts, each about 34 minutes [...]



Congratulations to our essay contest winners

Feb 6th, 2010 | By Bryan Cross | Category: Blog Posts

In early January we announced an essay contest for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.



St. Thomas Aquinas on the Unity of the Church

Jan 25th, 2010 | By Bryan Cross | Category: Blog Posts

Today, on this eighth and last day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we will look at what St. Thomas Aquinas says about the unity of the Church. Here I’ll offer some very brief remarks on what St. Thomas teaches concerning the unity of the Church. I’ll draw from Aquinas’ commentary on the Apostles’ [...]



The Catholic-Protestant Divide: A Path to Unity

Jan 23rd, 2010 | By Bryan Cross | Category: Blog Posts

The second winning essay in our essay contest is titled, “The Catholic-Protestant Divide: A Path to Unity,” written by Dave Wade. Dave is a lifelong Catholic, a catechist on the RCIA-ACI team and musician at St. Cecelia Catholic Church in Clearwater, Florida. He is also the Catholic Mentor/Moderator @ theCircle.org. Dave is planning [...]



The Authority of Divine Love

Jan 20th, 2010 | By Bryan Cross | Category: Blog Posts

A few weeks ago we announced an essay contest for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The essays were to answer the following question: “What is it, most fundamentally, that still divides Catholics and Protestants?” They were to locate the fundamental disagreement underlying the other Catholic-Protestant disagreements, explain why it is fundamental, and show [...]



Essay Contest for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Jan 2nd, 2010 | By Bryan Cross | Category: Blog Posts

The Church Unity Octave (eight days), also called the “Week of prayer for Christian unity” begins on January 18. This will be the 102 annual week of prayer for Christian unity. January 18th was originally chosen as the first day of the Octave because it was one of the two feast days of the Chair [...]