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Apologetics for the Masses #500 - Q & A From My Facebook Page
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Topic
Ten questions and answers from my "John Martignoni and the Bible Christian Society" Facebook page.
General Comments
Hey folks,
Two things:
1) I hope all of you had a happy, and holy, Christmas Season and New Year celebration!
2) One last pitch to the guys out there - and to you ladies who have husbands, brothers, fathers, and/or sons who might be interested - the Exodus 90 app has just started a new program: "The Desert Fathers in a Year". You can check out the app here: https://get.exodus90.com/johnm to see if it's something that might interest you. I did their Advent meditations and they were very good! I expect the same will be true with this particular program.
Introduction
Okay, this was supposed to be a newsletter on the topic of whether or not a Pope can believe/teach heresy - outside of his official function as the Universal Pastor of the Church. But, as I got into it, the research was taking way longer than I had anticipated, and so I am going to have to wait until next week to do a newsletter on that particular topic. Normally I would get it out tomorrow (Friday), but I will be on the road tomorrow to Knoxville, TN, to present my new apologetics seminar at St. Thomas the Apostle church - which is actually in Lenoir City, just outside of Knoxville - on Friday night and continuing on Saturday.
But, I wanted to get something out this week, so I'm going to just put a few questions that have come up recently in my "John Martignoni and the Bible Christian Society" Facebook page, along with my answers to those questions.
So, again, next week will be on the Pope and heresy...
Challenge/Response/Strategy
Question
When did the Eucharist not become an important part in the service for Protestants? Lutherans and Episcopal churches and others still have communion every Sunday. Some believe in the Real Presence but why do Evangelical Christians not believe in it and was there a timeline where they saw preaching as the most important part of worship?
Answer
The Eucharist was seen as a mere symbol very early on in the Deformation. Ulrich Zwingli was not a believer in the Real Presence and debated with Martin Luther on that subject. Neither did the Deformer John Calvin believe in the Real Presence. So, other than Lutherans and Anglicans, Protestantism has, from its very beginning, downplayed the Eucharist.
Question
We know that Our Lady was immaculately conceived and born without the stain of original sin ( which really means born in a perfect state of grace ) . But let’s not forget Adam and Eve - while not “conceived,“ they were also born/created in a state of perfect grace, but later chose to sin. We know Mary was born without original sin, and that includes the tendency to sin (concupiscence), and God knew she would never sin. But could she (unlike her divine Son) have sinned ? I struggle with this question.
Answer
I know of no Church teaching that states Mary did not have free will. Therefore, assuming she did indeed have free will, she would have had the capacity to commit sin.
Question
When we read that scripture in Isaiah at this time of the year "for unto us a Son is born unto us a son is given," etc., one of the names the son "Shall be Called is Everlasting Father". I always brushed by that because I never gave it much thought but when I look at it closely how can one of the names of the Son be Everlasting Father? It is my understanding of trinitarian theology that the Son is not the Father so how do we understand this wonderful Passage?
Answer
2) What do we call the Pope? Holy Father. Is the Pope the earthly representative of the Father? Nope. The Son.
3) The Trinity had not yet been revealed at the time of Isaiah, therefore, they had no Trinitarian concepts by which to make such distinctions between the Father and the Son.
Question
"Unity (at the expense of biblical doctrine) is almost always used as the how and why in this movement. Unity for the sake of bringing Heaven to Earth is leading to the blurring of doctrinal and denominational lines, often bringing together well-known leaders of charismatic, reformed, Word of Faith, seeker-emergent, progressive, and Roman Catholic churches, all under one umbrella."
How can I respond to that?
[Note: The Seven Mountain Mandate (7MM) holds that there are seven aspects of society that believers seek to influence or dominate: family, religion, education, media, arts and entertainment, business, and government. The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is a theological belief and movement that advocates for spiritual warfare to bring about Christian dominion over all aspects of society.]
Answer
Jesus says in the Gospel of John the Father and I are one. It is my understanding of the Trinity the Father and the Son are not the same. God the Father God the son and God the spirit are how we understand the trinity but the Father is not the Son. So help me understand what Jesus meant.
Answer
I have a question regarding annulments and children. If the church grants an annulment it basically states that a valid marriage never took place; however, children of that marriage are not considered bastards. My question is how is that possible because the children were conceived in a marriage the church will not recognize? My children who are not Catholic have told me not to get an annulment because they think that would make them illegitimate. So, if I get an annulment, I jeopardize my relationship with my children. If I don't get an annulment I cannot partake of the Eucharist until I get one. So I am legitimately between a rock and a hard place.
Answer
When did the Eucharist not become an important part in the service for Protestants? Lutherans and Episcopal churches and others still have communion every Sunday. Some believe in the Real Presence but why do Evangelical Christians not believe in it and was there a timeline where they saw preaching as the most important part of worship?
Answer
The Eucharist was seen as a mere symbol very early on in the Deformation. Ulrich Zwingli was not a believer in the Real Presence and debated with Martin Luther on that subject. Neither did the Deformer John Calvin believe in the Real Presence. So, other than Lutherans and Anglicans, Protestantism has, from its very beginning, downplayed the Eucharist.
Question
We know that Our Lady was immaculately conceived and born without the stain of original sin ( which really means born in a perfect state of grace ) . But let’s not forget Adam and Eve - while not “conceived,“ they were also born/created in a state of perfect grace, but later chose to sin. We know Mary was born without original sin, and that includes the tendency to sin (concupiscence), and God knew she would never sin. But could she (unlike her divine Son) have sinned ? I struggle with this question.
Answer
I know of no Church teaching that states Mary did not have free will. Therefore, assuming she did indeed have free will, she would have had the capacity to commit sin.
Question
When we read that scripture in Isaiah at this time of the year "for unto us a Son is born unto us a son is given," etc., one of the names the son "Shall be Called is Everlasting Father". I always brushed by that because I never gave it much thought but when I look at it closely how can one of the names of the Son be Everlasting Father? It is my understanding of trinitarian theology that the Son is not the Father so how do we understand this wonderful Passage?
Answer
A few things to consider:
1) The king of the Israelites - as kings in general in times gone by - was viewed as a "father" to the nation. The "Son" in this passage from Isaiah is the true king...the everlasting king...of Israel. Therefore, in that particular sense, He was seen as a father.
2) What do we call the Pope? Holy Father. Is the Pope the earthly representative of the Father? Nope. The Son.
3) The Trinity had not yet been revealed at the time of Isaiah, therefore, they had no Trinitarian concepts by which to make such distinctions between the Father and the Son.
Question
I have friends who keep telling me that Catholicism falls under the umbrella of NAR (New Apostolic Reformation) and 7MM (Seven Mountain Mandate). I keep telling them their claims are absurd, and that they clearly do not understand Catholic theology. These are people I see occasionally who are allies of mine against the education transformation battle we’re all watching play out in our public schools. But WHAT do I say to this claim that takes our words, but they’re the ones who put a spin on theology they don’t understand? They take our theology and lump us in with Protestant denominations. Here is what one of them posted to me:
How can I respond to that?
[Note: The Seven Mountain Mandate (7MM) holds that there are seven aspects of society that believers seek to influence or dominate: family, religion, education, media, arts and entertainment, business, and government. The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is a theological belief and movement that advocates for spiritual warfare to bring about Christian dominion over all aspects of society.]
Answer
First, I would point out to them that the NAR and 7MM are 20th/21st century movements; whereas, the Catholic Church is a 1st century church.
Second, I would note that the Catholic Church cannot be the New Apostolic Reformation, since it is the Old Apostolic Reformation.
Third, I would tell them that the Catholic Church indeed has a mandate from Jesus Christ, since 33 A.D., to form and inform all aspects of society - whether it be family, religion, education, media, culture, music, the arts, sports, business, medicine, economics, law, government, et al - in all nations, in all times..."Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you..." (Matt 28:19-20).
Second, I would note that the Catholic Church cannot be the New Apostolic Reformation, since it is the Old Apostolic Reformation.
Third, I would tell them that the Catholic Church indeed has a mandate from Jesus Christ, since 33 A.D., to form and inform all aspects of society - whether it be family, religion, education, media, culture, music, the arts, sports, business, medicine, economics, law, government, et al - in all nations, in all times..."Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you..." (Matt 28:19-20).
Given all of that, I would summarize in this manner: If the NAR and the 7MM have the goal of forming/informing all aspects of society with Christian beliefs and principles, then they have that goal in common with the Catholic Church. The difference, however, is that the Catholic Church has the fullness of Christian belief and practice with which to form/inform all aspects of society; whereas, the NAR and the 7MM - along with every other Protestant denomination - do not.
Question
I was at my work Christmas party tonight and we were playing Christmas trivia. One of the questions my boss (who is Catholic) asked was this: "What song was condemned by the Roman Catholic Church for promoting adultery?" The answer was: "I saw Momma Kissing Santa Claus". This sounds so ridiculous! I've never even heard this before. Has anyone heard this and if so how would you answer this?
Answer
Yes. When Jesus told the Apostles to "do this in remembrance of Me," He was necessarily giving them the authority to do that which He commanded - celebrate the Eucharist - in remembrance of Him. No priesthood, no Eucharist.
Question
Question
I was at my work Christmas party tonight and we were playing Christmas trivia. One of the questions my boss (who is Catholic) asked was this: "What song was condemned by the Roman Catholic Church for promoting adultery?" The answer was: "I saw Momma Kissing Santa Claus". This sounds so ridiculous! I've never even heard this before. Has anyone heard this and if so how would you answer this?
Answer
I can say without hesitation, and without even bothering to look it up, that this never happened. For one, the Catholic Church does not involve itself in condemning individual songs from pop music, and, secondly, the Catholic Church does not condemn as adulterous that which is not adulterous. In the song, "Santa Claus" is "momma's" husband, the child's father, dressed up as Santa Claus. So, a woman kissing her own husband is not adulterous
.
.
So, you can tell your boss that the purported condemnation never happened, and that, as a Catholic, you are gravely offended by his words and that you have talked to a lawyer about suing the company for discrimination on religious grounds and the lawyer thinks he can probably get upwards of $5 million in a settlement, but that you would be willing to settle for half that out of court.
Then, when he says, "What the hell...," you can say, "Now that's two things that never happened."
Question
Is the Bible infallible?
Answer
The Bible is not "infallible" - it is inspired and inerrant. The Bible is no more or less infallible than a tree or a rock...all of them are incapable of making a mistake. Fallibility/infallibility is a trait that is proper to that which has the capacity to make decisions.
Question
Did Jesus institute the Priesthood at the Last Supper?
Answer
Question
Is the Bible infallible?
Answer
The Bible is not "infallible" - it is inspired and inerrant. The Bible is no more or less infallible than a tree or a rock...all of them are incapable of making a mistake. Fallibility/infallibility is a trait that is proper to that which has the capacity to make decisions.
Question
Did Jesus institute the Priesthood at the Last Supper?
Answer
Question
Answer
Well, if you want to fully understand how God can be one God yet 3 Persons, each consubstantially God...good luck.
Basically, there is one divine essence. This divine essence is infinite, eternal, and omnipresent. I.e., it's everywhere. There is nowhere that it is not. The three Persons of the Trinity share the same essence, so each of them is infinite, eternal, and omnipresent. There is nowhere that the Father is not, the Son is not, and the Spirit is not. So, in essence, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are all one. They are, however, different in their relation to one another. The Father begets the Son and the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. It is a mystery and our finite minds can only partially comprehend it.
You might want to read this article on the Trinity from the Catholic Encyclopedia: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15047a.htm#I Scroll down to the bottom of the article where it says: "The doctrine as interpreted in Latin theology" and just read that section. That might help you some, it might not.
The best explanation of the Trinity for the lay person that I've ever come across is a chapter on the Trinity in the book, "Theology for Beginners" by Frank Sheed. I highly recommend it.
Question
Question
Answer
You need to educate your children as to what an annulment is and is not. Maybe ask them to read this article:
Legitimacy/Illegitimacy is a legal concept, not a moral one. As long as you were legally married, even if you were not sacramentally married, all the children of that marriage are legitimate. An annulment does not declare that no marriage existed, it declares that no sacramental marriage existed.
Consider the marriages of all those who are not even Christian. The Church teaches that their marriages are not sacramental, but that they are indeed legal marriages. As such, the children of those marriages are indeed legitimate even though their parents' marriages are not sacramental.
Furthermore, an annulment does not affect legitimacy one way or another, because an annulment does not "dissolve" a sacramental marriage, it merely declares whether a marriage was sacramental or not. Which means, your previous marriage was either sacramental or not - with or without an annulment. So, your children are legitimate or illegitimate whether you receive an annulment or not. If you were legally married, they are legitimate. If you were not legally married they are illegitimate. An annulment does not affect that in any way.
Finally, Jesus Himself tell us that "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me," (Matthew 10:37). If you are truly choosing your children over Jesus Christ, then it won't matter whether you get an annulment or not, because your choice of Heaven or Hell has already been made.
So, to avoid mortal sin, your choices are, essentially, get an annulment, or live in your current marriage as brother and sister with your wife.
Question
Can somebody tell me what should have happened in this situation? In our parish, a visiting priest baptized a baby who has 2 lesbian mothers. The Godfather is an actively gay man who is the baby's uncle. I know that the baby deserves to be baptized. How can the 2 mothers possibly raise the baby in the faith and how can the Godfather be any help in raising the baby in the faith when their life styles are in opposition to Church teaching? At the very least, Godparents need to be practicing Catholics in good standing. I'm not sure if the parents attend Mass but the Godfather considers himself an ex Catholic. I wonder why these people even want their baby baptized. I guess the seeds of Catholicism are still planted in them even though they are violating natural law by the way they're living. Pray for all of them please!
Answer
Question
Can somebody tell me what should have happened in this situation? In our parish, a visiting priest baptized a baby who has 2 lesbian mothers. The Godfather is an actively gay man who is the baby's uncle. I know that the baby deserves to be baptized. How can the 2 mothers possibly raise the baby in the faith and how can the Godfather be any help in raising the baby in the faith when their life styles are in opposition to Church teaching? At the very least, Godparents need to be practicing Catholics in good standing. I'm not sure if the parents attend Mass but the Godfather considers himself an ex Catholic. I wonder why these people even want their baby baptized. I guess the seeds of Catholicism are still planted in them even though they are violating natural law by the way they're living. Pray for all of them please!
Answer
You are indeed correct regarding the godparent - a godparent is required, by Canon Law, to be a Catholic in good standing. A practicing homosexual, who identifies as an "ex-Catholic," does not fit that bill.
What you should do is speak to your pastor about this situation. Assuming he was unaware of all the particulars of the Baptism, he needs to know so that he can: 1) Not allow that priest back into his parish to do anything remotely similar; and 2) Report what the priest did to the bishop. And, as you stated, all of those involved, especially that priest, and that child, need to be prayed for.
Closing Comments
I hope and pray 2025 brings many blessings to all of you and your families! Have a great week!
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