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Why Do Roman Catholics Think that Mary Didn't Have Pain During Childbirth?
One belief that is common in Roman Catholicism today is that Jesus was born without Mary suffering any pain. While sometimes Roman Catholics think that this fits with the concept of Mary being immaculately conceived, when we examine this doctrine prior to the acceptance of the view of Mary’s immaculate conception, we see some slightly…
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"We Don't Worship Statues"
How many times have I heard the line, “We don’t worship statues”! It seems that whenever one brings up the subject of idolatry with a Roman Catholic, they invariably think it is a defense that they are not venerating the statue itself, but the thing it represents. My intuitive response has typically been: do you…
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Whitfield Criticized for Breaking a Child's Will
Challies endorses criticism of Whitfield for requiring a boy to pray, even to the point of using corporal discipline (link). Challies passes judgment on Pastor Whitfield by endorsing this comment: “We must deplore both the custom [of attempting to conquer a child’s will] and Whitefield’s action on the basis of it.” (brackets are Challies’) Challies…
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Responding to Eastern Orthodox Answers to "Protestant" Objections
An author at The Franciscan Mafia has a post up (incidentally, while I believe the author was previously associated with the Federal Vision group, it appears that he has now switched his allegiance to Eastern Orthodoxy)(link to post). The post is designed to answer an objection to the Eastern Orthodox. Here’s the objection: The Orthodox…
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Sad News – "Jesus Christ" Not Welcome in PA State House
Apparently this is also old news, but it is reported that chaplains who pray in the Pennsylvania state House of Representatives are forbidden from using the name of Jesus Christ (link). There is such a thing as a state begging for God to send judgment upon it. Let us pray that instead he shows mercy.…
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Terms One Doesn't Find in Gregory of Nyssa
One of the interesting things about Gregory of Nyssa’s work are the things one does not find in the English translations of Gregory’s works: “pope” “papacy” “papal” “pontiff” “bishop of bishops” “vicar” “cardinal” “legate” “penance” (One might argue that the concept is there in Gregory of Nyssa the concept of penance, though not the term.)…
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Calvin on Birthdays – Don't Overdo It
Calvin wrote: With regard to what Moses records, that Pharaoh celebrated his birthday by a great feast, we know that this custom has always been in use, not only among kings, but also among plebeian men. Nor is the custom to be condemned, if only men would keep the right end in view; namely, that…
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Although it's just bread …
… if you do this (link) you are just begging to be lambasted by folks who worship it. What that guy did was a bad idea, don’t copy it. To God be the Glory!
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Gregory of Nyssa on Sinlessness: Only Jesus Sinless
Some folks like to paint Gregory of Nyssa as though he were a Roman Catholic. Certainly, of course, there are points where his theology contains errors. His beliefs would not have squared with the Westminster Confession of Faith in every respect. So, to be clear, Gregory of Nyssa was neither a “Roman Catholic” nor a…
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Response from James Anderson
I am pleased to report that Mr. Anderson has replied (here) to my previous post (here) regarding irresolvable paradoxes. Mr. Anderson indicates that he does not accept the following: (P1) The situation that both proposition P is true and P is false (at the same time and in the same way) is a possible situation…