Posts Tagged ‘ Baptism ’

Are Protestant Baptisms Valid?

Mar 17th, 2012 | By | Category: Blog Posts

In answer to this question we must say ā€œIt depends.ā€ Some folks think that Catholic acceptance of any Protestant Baptism at all is a Vatican II novelty. This is not the case. Here is what the Catechism of the Council of Trent says: Those who may administer Baptism in case of necessity, but without its […]



St. Thomas on Sacramentalism

Mar 7th, 2011 | By | Category: Blog Posts

Protestants often caricature the Catholic doctrine on sacramentalism as if it taught that a sacrament was something like a magic wand waved over the recipient regardless of his disposition. But this is not an accurate description of the Catholic doctrine.Ā Ā  In this short article, I will explain why. On this day, March 7, 1274, St. […]



Tradition I and Sola Fide

Mar 6th, 2011 | By | Category: Featured Articles

Readers of this website are by now thoroughly familiar with Keith Mathisonā€™s book The Shape of Sola Scriptura. His thesis has already received ample criticism (see articles by Cross & Judisch, Liccione, and Judisch), and I do not wish to add to that particular discussion. In this post, I would like instead to grant Mathison […]



The Frat Boys of Nidaros Seminary

Jan 24th, 2011 | By | Category: Blog Posts

From the letterĀ Cum, sicut ex to Sigurd, Archbishop of Nidaros (a city in Norway), July 8, 1241: Since as we have learned from your report, it sometimes happens because of the scarcity of water, that infants of your lands are baptized in beer, we reply to you in the tenor of those present that, since […]



The Church Fathers on Baptismal Regeneration

Jun 15th, 2010 | By | Category: Featured Articles

According to PCA pastor Wes White, the doctrine of baptismal regeneration is “impossible in the Reformed system.” By noting this, he intends to show that we should reject the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. But if the evidence for the truth of the doctrine of baptismal regeneration is stronger than the evidence for the truth of […]



Book Review: Cyprian the Bishop by J. Patout Burns

May 27th, 2010 | By | Category: Blog Posts

The period of persecution under Decius in the middle of the third century and the subsequent controversies in Italy and Northern Africa is one of the most confusing periods of ante-Nicene Church history. So much writing has survived that we are able to bring a lot of characters into play. To make things more confusing, […]



Doug Wilson’s “Authority and Apostolic Succession”

Mar 12th, 2010 | By | 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 | 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. 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 […]



Saint Paul on the Unity of the Catholic Church (An Argument Against the Terms “Lutheran” and “Calvinist”)

Jan 18th, 2010 | By | Category: Blog Posts

Non-Catholics (and yes, even the Eastern Orthodox) do not enjoy the ecclesial unity Saint Paul prescribed for the Church of Jesus Christ. Saint Paul is resolute in his conviction that the Church of Christ must be one. Most of his epistles specifically speak against disunity within the Church. Paulā€™s First Epistle to the Corinthians seems […]



Baptism Now Saves You: Some (More) Prolegomena

Jan 6th, 2010 | By | Category: Blog Posts

The Catholic Church dogmatically affirms that Sacred Scripture indeed teaches the salvific efficacy of baptism, where “baptism” refers to the sacrament in which a person is washed with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and “salvation” refers to the bestowal of gifts whereby a person […]