I had met James during my seminary days in Oxford and he and I were ordained as Anglican priests at the same time and went to nearby parishes in Sussex. I have always had to have my arm twisted to take vacations, and this was no exception. James was planning a trip to India and wanted [...]
Here's a little list: Twelve Things I Like About St Gregory the Great He was a Benedictine monk. I'm a Benedictine oblate and the monk in me will always hanker for the cell, the cloister and the bell. He was a scholar. You got to love a Pope who is brainy. He got things done. He [...]
The violence in American cities shakes up a whole nation and we immediately look for people to blame. That's the problem. The mark of Cain in the human condition is that we always, instinctively look for someone to blame: someone else. Anyone else. If there is a problem on an individual level or community level we [...]
When I was an Anglican priest I used to walk from my apartment over to church for evening prayer every day. On the way I would walk past the house of a Jehovah's Witness. This particular JW was the sort of man who always had his hair combed, the car washed and probably went to bed [...]
As you drive around the American South you can't help noticing the old fashioned Baptist churches are ditching their Baptist label. Reassuring brick churches with classic style porches and steeples used to be called "First Baptist Church" or "Second Baptist Church" or "North Road Baptist Church" or maybe something with an Old Testament link like "Ebenezer [...]
You know the old schtick from the New Testament scholars: all those miracles stories and supernatural events? They're all pious fiction. Somebody made it up. It's "mythical". They added that stuff to make Jesus more special. They added that stuff to make it seem like he was fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. They cooked up those stories [...]
I'm often surprised at the number of good, faithful Catholics who are well informed about their faith, who do not understand the doctrine of transubstantiation. In my experience they fall into two categories. The first do not believe the Eucharist is anything more than a symbol. The second believe the bread and wine become the Body [...]
One of the most common jibes of atheists against religious believers is, "You folks are engaged in some serious fantasy-like wishful thinking. You believe in a magic fairyland beyond the clouds where everyone will one day live in blissful peace, and you believe you will go there one day. You believe in a Santa Claus like [...]
It took me a while to appreciate the Sacred Heart of Jesus devotion. To tell the truth, as a convert, it all seemed kind of sappy, sentimental and well, French. All hearts and flowers and perfume--almost like a Valentine from Jesus. Yucch. But then I learned about St Margaret Mary Alacogue and realized that she (like [...]
St Jerome is often quoted as saying, "The whole world groaned and was astonished to find itself Arian" Well I think Arianism hasn't died out. It's going strong, but sadly few people are groaning over this reality. Simply defined, Arianism is the belief that Jesus Christ was not equal with God the Father, but was a [...]