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Should Christians Keep the Seventh-Day Sabbath?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 17:25:48 +0000

Christians don’t keep the seventh-day Sabbath but Sunday instead. Why? Christians belong to the New Testament and the New Creation in the New Adam, who is Jesus Christ. We do not belong to the old creation and old sabbath.

Hebrews 8:13: “In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete.”

As Christians, we come together to worship on the 8th “Day of the Lord” (Sunday) of the New Creation. We find “first day of the week” worship in the New Testament. The first century document “Epistle of Barnabas” also testifies to this:

“Finally, He says to them: ‘Your new moons and your Sabbaths I cannot endure.’ You see what He means: it is not the present Sabbaths that are acceptable to Me, but the one which I have made, when, giving rest to all things, I shall make the beginning of an eighth day, that is, the beginning of another world.

Wherefore also we keep the eighth day with joyfulness, the day on which Jesus rose from the dead, and after He had appeared, ascended into the heavens.”

Epistle of Barnabas 15:8–9 (Ante-Nicene Fathers [ANF], Vol. 1, p. 147).

Why Christians Worship on Sunday Instead of Saturday

From a Christian viewpoint, the shift from worshiping on Saturday (the Jewish Sabbath) to Sunday (Christian Lord’s Day) is a profound theological and historical development rooted in the New Testament, early Church tradition, and the fulfillment of the Old Covenant in Christ.

Today, I’ll explore why Christians do not communal worship on Saturday but instead on Sunday, drawing on Sacred Scripture—particularly the New Testament—and the writings of early Church Fathers like Ignatius of Antioch and the author of the Epistle of Barnabas. We now belong to the New Testament and the New Creation in the New Adam, who is Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 8:13: “In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete.”

Christ’s Resurrection and the Lord’s Day

The New Testament provides the foundational basis for Sunday worship, emphasizing Christ’s resurrection as the defining event that transforms the rhythm of Christian life. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus rises on “the first day of the week” (Matthew 28:1), which corresponds to Sunday in the Jewish reckoning of days beginning at sundown. Similarly, Mark 16:2 states, “And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb,” and Luke 24:1 echoes, “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb.” John 20:1 reinforces this: “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early.” This consistent testimony across the Gospels identifies Sunday as the day of Christ’s triumph over death, a pivotal moment that Catholics see as inaugurating a new creation.

New Testament Witness

This resurrection significance extends to early Christian practice. Acts 20:7 records, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them.” The phrase “break bread” is widely understood in Catholic tradition as a reference to the Eucharist, the central act of worship. This gathering on Sunday reveals a shift from the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) to a new day of Eucharistic worship tied to Christ’s rising. Likewise, 1 Corinthians 16:2 advises, “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up,” indicating a regular Sunday collection during worship, further evidencing its liturgical prominence.

Revelation 1:10 adds a theological layer: “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.” Though not explicitly cited as “Sunday,” early Christians interpreted “the Lord’s Day” (kyriakē hēmera) as the first day of the week, commemorating Christ’s resurrection. The Didache (c. AD 70–120) and later Fathers confirm this usage. Thus, the New Testament establishes Sunday as the day when Christians gathered to celebrate the Eucharist and honor Christ’s victory, distinguishing it from the Jewish Sabbath.

Fulfillment of the Sabbath in Christ

The New Testament views the Sabbath—a commandment to rest on the seventh day (Exodus 20:8–11)—as part of the old creation and old covenant, fulfilled and transformed by Christ in the New Covenant.

Colossians 2:16–17 states, “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” Paul here identifies the Sabbath as a “shadow,” a prefigurement of the spiritual rest found in Christ, not a perpetual obligation for Christians.

Hebrews 4:9–10 deepens this: “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.” This “Sabbath rest” is eschatological, realized in Christ’s redemptive work, not tied to a specific day.

The Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) further supports this shift. When debating whether Gentile converts must follow Mosaic Law, the apostles, led by Peter, ruled that only minimal requirements (e.g., abstaining from idolatry and immorality) were necessary, omitting Sabbath observance (Acts 15:28–29). This decision, authoritative for Christians, signals that the ceremonial laws, including the Saturday Sabbath, do not bind Christians.

Early Church Fathers: Ignatius of Antioch

Ignatius of Antioch (d. c. AD 108), a disciple of the Apostle John, provides early testimony to the abandonment of Saturday worship in favor of Sunday. In his Epistle to the Magnesians 9:1, he writes,

“If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him and by His death—whom some deny… how shall we be able to live apart from Him?” (ANF, Vol. 1, p. 62).

Ignatius contrasts the Jewish Sabbath with the Lord’s Day (Sunday), linking the latter to Christ’s resurrection as the source of new life. His phrase “no longer observing the Sabbath” explicitly rejects Saturday worship for Christians, emphasizing a theological shift rooted in Easter.
Ignatius’ context is anti-Judaizing: he warns against Christians reverting to Jewish practices, which he sees as denying Christ’s grace (Magnesians 8:1: “If we still live according to the Jewish law, we acknowledge that we have not received grace”). For Christians, Ignatius’ witness, as an Apostolic Father, carries weight, reflecting apostolic tradition that Sunday supplants Saturday as the day of worship.

Early Church Fathers: Epistle of Barnabas

The Epistle of Barnabas (c. AD 70–132), though not canonical, offers a sharp critique of literal Sabbath-keeping, reinforcing the Catholic view. In Barnabas 15:8–9, the author declares,

Citing Isaiah 1:13, the author argues that God rejects the Jewish Sabbath, reinterpreting it as an eschatological rest fulfilled in Christ. The “eighth day” (Sunday, following the seventh-day Sabbath) symbolizes this new era, aligning with resurrection theology.

Christians observe this as evidence of an early Christian consensus that Saturday worship is obsolete, replaced by Sunday’s celebration of the “new world” begun in Christ. While Barnabas is polemical and not magisterial, its influence on early theology underscores the shift away from Judaizing practices.

Theological Rationale: Sunday as the Day of the New Creation

Christian doctrine ties Sunday worship to the concept of a “new creation.” Just as God rested on the seventh day after creating the world (Genesis 2:2–3), Christ’s resurrection on the first day marks the renewal of a new creation. Christ fulfills the Sabbath’s purpose—rest and communion with God—in a new context, as Christ’s victory over sin and death (Romans 6:4) surpasses the old order.

The Church Fathers amplify this. Ignatius’ “life has sprung up again” (Magnesians 9) and Barnabas’ “beginning of another world” (15:8) echo 2 Corinthians 5:17: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Sunday thus becomes the day when Catholics celebrate this renewal through the Mass, which re-presents Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection.

Traditional Witness and Authority

Historically, Christian Sunday communal worship emerged early, as seen in Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:2, and was codified by Church authority. The Council of Laodicea (c. AD 363–364), Canon 29, later declared, “Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day… preferring in honor the Lord’s Day” (NPNF, Series 2, Vol. 14, p. 148). This reflects a Catholic reliance on apostolic tradition and the Magisterium to interpret Scripture, per 2 Thessalonians 2:15: “Stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us.”

Conclusion for Christians

Christians worship on Sunday, not Saturday, because the New Testament establishes it as the day of Christ’s resurrection (Matthew 28:1, Acts 20:7), fulfilling the Sabbath’s shadow (Colossians 2:16–17) in a New Covenant of grace (Acts 15). Fathers such as Ignatius of Antioch confirm this shift, rejecting Sabbath observance for the Lord’s Day (Magnesians 9:1), while Barnabas redefines rest as an eschatological reality celebrated on the “eighth day” (15:8–9). Theologically, Sunday honors the new creation in Christ, a truth the Catholic Church, guided by apostolic authority, has upheld since the resurrection of Christ. For Christians, this is not a rejection of the Sabbath’s sanctity but its transformation into a higher celebration of redemption, lived out each Sunday in the Eucharist.

Are you interested in going deeper? Please sign up for my online Theology course at: nsti.com.

The post Should Christians Keep the Seventh-Day Sabbath? appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Did the Early Church accept the “extra” Deuterocanonical Books in their Bibles? Yes they did!

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 02:36:27 +0000

Our Lord Jesus Christ accepted the seven deuterocanonical books that were rejected by Martin Luther and subsequent Protestants, namely those found in the Septuagint version of the Old Testament:

Baruch
Tobit,
1 Maccabees,
2 Maccabees
Judith
Ecclesiasticus (also known as Sirach)
Wisdom
In addition, the Septuagint Old Testament contains extra chapters and verses for Daniel and Esther

Christ and the Apostles

For example, in John 10:36, our Lord Jesus Christ accepts the inspiration of 2 Maccabees as He analogizes the Hanukkah consecration to His own consecration to the Father in 1 Macc. 4:36.

Christ our Lord also accepts Tobit, as His parable on the seven brothers who die in the context of marriage (Matt. 22:25; Mark 12:20; Luke 20:29) refers back to the details about the seven brothers who die after marriage in Tobit 3:8 and 7:11.

Saint Paul also quotes the book of Wisdom in Romans 1 when he discusses the depravity of worshipping creation in the form of men, birds, animals and reptiles. (See Wisdom 11:15;12:24-27;13:10;14:8). Moreover, Wisdom 14:24-27 describes how sexual degeneracy follows this idolatry. It’s easy to see that Paul had the book of Wisdom open before him when he wrote Romans, or had it memorized.

Dead Sea Scrolls

It was long assumed the Deuterocanonical books were Greek additions to the Hebrew Old Testament. However, the Dead Sea Scrolls discovery has proved that these books had Hebrew originals and were widely read and circulated by Jews before Christ.

The Book of Sirach, whose Hebrew text was already known from the Cairo Geniza, has been found in two of the Dead Sea Scrolls (2QSir or 2Q18, 11QPs_a or 11Q5) in Hebrew.
The Hebrew scroll of Sirach has been found in Masada (MasSir).
Five fragments from the Book of Tobit have been found in Qumran written in Aramaic and in one written in Hebrew (papyri 4Q, nos. 196–200).
The Letter of Jeremiah, which is Baruch chapter 6, has been found in cave 7 (papyrus 7Q2) in Greek.

Early Councils

The Council of Rome (AD 382), Synod of Hippo (AD 393), followed by the Council of Carthage (AD 397) and the Council of Carthage (AD 419) affirm the exact canon received today by the Roman Catholic Church:

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Kings IV books [1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings], Chronicles II books, 150 Psalms, three books of Solomon [Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs], Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Isaiah, Jeremiah with Cinoth i.e. his lamentations, Ezechiel, Daniel, Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habbakuk Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Job, Tobit, Esdras II books [Ezra, Nehemiah], Ester, Judith, Maccabees II books.

Early Church Fathers

The Christians that lived after the Apostles and the subsequent Church Fathers also accepted these books:

Epistle of Barnabas
Didache
Clement of Rome
Polycarp of Smyrna
Irenaeus of Lyons
Tertullian
Clement of Alexndria
Origen of Alexandria
Hippolytus of Rome
Cyprian of Carthage
Cyril of Jersualem
Athanasius of Alexandria
Basil the Great
Gregory Nazianzus
Gregory Nyssa
Hilary of Poitiers
Ambrose of Milan
Damasus of Rome
Augustine of Hippo
John Chrysostom

Church Fathers Citing the Deuterocanonical Books:

Below are all the quotations of the Church Fathers citing the deuterocanonical books. This extensive list was paintstakenly compiled by “Scripture Catholic” and can be found at this link.

Here begins the list:

“What, then, again says the prophet? ‘The assembly of the wicked surrounded me; they encompassed me as bees do a honeycomb,'[Ps. 22:17,118:12] and ‘upon my garment they cast lots'[Ps. 22:19]. Since, therefore, He was about to be manifested and to suffer in the flesh, His suffering was foreshown. For the prophet speaks against Israel, ‘Woe to their soul, because they have counselted an evil counsel against themselves[Isa. 3:9,] saying, Let us bind the just one, because he is displeasing to us'[Wisdom 2:12]. And Moses also says to them, ‘Behold these things, saith the Lord God: Enter into the good land which the Lord sware tto give to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and inherit ye it, a land flowing with milk and honey'[Ex. 33:1, Lev. 20:24].” Epistle of Barnabas, 6 (A.D. 74).

“Having then this hope, let our souls be bound to Him who is faithful in His promises, and just in His judgments. He who has commanded us not to lie, shall much more Himself not lie; for nothing is impossible with God, except to lie. Let His faith therefore be stirred up again within us, and let us consider that all things are nigh unto Him. By the word of His might He established all things, and by His word He can overthrow them. ‘Who shall say unto Him, What hast thou done ? Or, who shall resist the power of His strength?'[Wisdom 12:12,ll:22] When and as He pleases He will do all things, and none of the things determined by Him shall pass away? All things are open before Him, and nothing can be hidden from His counsel. ‘The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handy-work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. And there are no words or speeches of which the voices are not heard.'[Ps. 19:1-3].” Clement of Rome,To the Corinthians, 27:5 (c. A.D. 80).

“‘Be just in your judgement’ [Deut 1:16,17 Prov 31:9] make no distinction between man and man when correcting transgressions. Do not waver in your decision. ‘Do not be one that opens his hands to receive, but shuts them when it comes to giving’ [Sirach 4:31].” Didache, 4:3-5 (A.D. 90).

“Stand fast, therefore, in these things, and follow the example of the Lord, being firm and unchangeable in the faith, loving the brotherhood, and being attached to one another, joined together in the truth, exhibiting the meekness of the Lord in your intercourse with one another, and despising no one. When you can do good, defer it not, because ‘alms delivers from death'[Tobit 4:10,12:9]. Be all of you subject one to another? [1 Pt 5:5] having your conduct blameless among the Gentiles,’ [1 Pt 2:12] that ye may both receive praise for your good works, and the Lord may not be blasphemed through you. But woe to him by whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed! [Isa 52:5] Teach, therefore, sobriety to all, and manifest it also in your own conduct.” Polycarp, To the Phillipians, 10 (A.D. 135).

“Melito to his brother Onesimus, greeting: Since thou hast often, in thy zeal for the word, expressed a wish to have extracts made from the Law and the Prophets concerning the Saviour and concerning our entire faith, and hast also desired to have an accurate statement of the ancient book, as regards their number and their order, I have endeavored to perform the task, knowing thy zeal for the faith, and thy desire to gain information in regard to the word, and knowing that thou, in thy yearning after God, esteemest these things above all else, struggling to attain eternal salvation. Accordingly when I went East and came to the place where these things were preached and done, I learned accurately the books of the Old Testament, and send them to thee as written below. Their names are as follows: Of Moses, five books: Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, Deuteronomy; Jesus Nave, Judges, Ruth; of Kings, four books; of Chronicles, two; the Psalms of David, the Proverbs of Solomon, Wisdom also, Ecclesiastes, Song off Songs, Job; of Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah; of the twelve prophets, one book; Daniel, Ezekiel, Esdras. From which also I have made the extracts, dividing them into six books.” Melito of Sardes, Fragment in Eusebius’ Ecclesiatical History, 4:26 (A.D. 177).

“Those, however, who are believed to be presbyters by many, but serve their own lusts, and, do not place the fear of God supreme in their hearts, but conduct themselves with contempt towards others, and are puffed up with the pride of holding the chief seat, and work evil deeds in secret, saying, ‘No man sees us,’ shall be convicted by the Word, who does not judge after outward appearance (secundum gloriam), nor looks upon the countenance, but the heart; and they shall hear those words, to be found in Daniel the prophet: ‘O thou seed of Canaan, and not of Judah, beauty hath deceived thee, and lust perverted thy heart'[Daniel 13:56-Susanna]. Thou that art waxen old in wicked days, now thy sins which thou hast committed aforetime are come to light; for thou hast pronounced false judgments, and hast been accustomed to condemn the innocent, and to let the guilty go free, albeit the Lord saith, The innocent and the righteous shalt thou not slay’ [Daniel 13:52-53-Susanna]. Of whom also did the Lord say: “But if the evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to smite the man-servants and maidens, and to eat and drink and be drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day that he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.’ [Matt 24:48].” Irenaeus, Against Heresies, IV:26:3 (A.D. 180).

“For all these and other words were unquestionably spoken in reference to the resurrection of the just, which takes place after the coming of Antichrist, and the destruction of all nations under his rule; in [the times of] which [resurrection] the righteous shall reign in the earth, waxing stronger by the sight of the Lord: and through Him they shall become accustomed to partake in the glory of God the Father, and shall enjoy in the kingdom intercourse and communion with the holy angels, and union with spiritual beings; and [with respect to] those whom the Lord shall find in the flesh, awaiting Him from heaven, and who have suffered tribulation, as well as escaped the hands of the Wicked one. For it is in reference to them that the prophet says: ‘And those that are left shall multiply upon the earth,’ And Jeremiah the prophet has pointed out, that as many believers as God has prepared for this purpose, to multiply those left upon earth, should both be under the rule of the saints to minister to this Jerusalem, and that [His] kingdom shall be in it, saying, “Look around Jerusalem towards the east, and behold the joy which comes to thee from God Himself. Behold, thy sons shall come whom thou hast sent forth: they shall come in a band from the east even unto the west, by the word of that Holy One, rejoicing in that splendour which is from thy God. O Jerusalem, put off thy robe of mourning and of affliction, and put on that beauty of eternal splendour from thy God. Gird thyself with the double garment of that righteousness proceeding from thy God; place the mitre of eternal glory upon thine head. For God will show thy glory to the whole earth under heaven. For thy name shall for ever be called by God Himself, the peace of righteousness and glory to him that worships God. Arise, Jerusalem, stand on high, and look towards the east, and behold thy sons from the rising of the sun, even to the west, by the Word of that Holy One, rejoicing in the very remembrance of God. For the footmen have gone forth from thee, while they were drawn away by the enemy. God shall bring them in to thee, being borne with glory as the throne of a kingdom. For God has decreed that every high mountain shall be brought low, and the eternal hills, and that the valleys be filled, so that the surface of the earth be rendered smooth, that Israel, the glory of God, may walk in safety. The woods, too, shall make shady places, and every sweet-smelling tree shall be for Israel itself by the command of God. For God shall go before with joy in the light of His splendour, with the pity and righteousness which proceeds from Him.'[Baruch 4:36-5:9].” Irenaeus, Against Heresies, V:35:1 (A.D. 180).

“For, when one reads of God as being ‘the searcher and witness of the heart’ [Wisdom 1:6]; when His prophet is reproved by His discovering to him the secrets of the heart; when God Himself anticipates in His people the thoughts of their heart, ‘Why think ye evil in your hearts?'[Matt 9:4] when David prays ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God'[Ps 51:12], and Paul declares, ‘With the heart man believeth unto righteousness,'[Romans 10:10] and John says, ‘By his own heart is each man condemned’[1 John 3:20]; when, lastly, ‘he who looketh on a woman so as to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart’ [Matt 5:28],–then both points are cleared fully up, that there is a directing faculty of the soul…” Tertullian, On the Soul, 15 (A.D. 197).

“[New Testament books…] The Epistle of Jude, indeed, and two belonging to the above-named John–or bearing the name of John–are reckoned among the Catholic epistles. And the book of Wisdom, written by the friends of Solomon in his honour.” Muratorian Fragment (A.D. 200).

“Our instruction comes from ‘the porch of Solomon,’ who had himself taught that ‘the Lord should be sought in simplicity of heart'[Wisdom 1:1].” Tertullian, Prescription Against the Heretics, 7 (A.D. 200).

“For they remembered also the words of Jeremias writing to those over whom that captivity was impending: ‘And now ye shall see borne upon men’s shoulders the gods of the Babylonians, of gold and silver and wood, causing fear to the Gentiles. Beware, therefore, that ye also do not be altogether like the foreigners, and be seized with fear while ye behold crowds worshipping those gods before and behind, but say in your mind, Our duty is to worship Thee, O Lord'[Baruch 6:3]. Therefore, having got confidence from God, they said, when with strength of mind they set at defiance the king’ s threats against the disobedient: ‘There is no necessity for our making answer to this command of yours. For our God whom we worship is able to deliver us from the furnace of fire and from your hands; and then it will be made plain to you that we shall neither serve your idol, nor worship your golden image which you have set up'[Daniel 3:16]’” Tertullian, Scorpiace, 8 (A.D. 205).

“At this stage some rise up, saying that the Lord, by reason of the rod, and threatening, and fear, is not good; misapprehending, as appears, the Scripture which says, ‘And he that feareth the Lord will turn to his heart'[Sirach 21:6], and most of all, oblivious of His love, in that for us He became man. For more suitably to Him, the prophet prays in these words: ‘Remember us, for we are dust'[Ps 103:14]; that: is, Sympathize with us; for Thou knowest from personal experience of suffering the weakness of the flesh. In this respect, therefore, the Lord the Instructor is most good and unimpeachable, sympathizing as He does from the exceeding greatness of His love with the nature of each man. ‘For there is nothing which the Lord hates'[Wisdom 11:24]. For assuredly He does not hate anything, and yet wish that which He hates to exist Nor does He wish anything not to exist, and yet become the cause of existence to that which He wishes not to exist. Nor does He wish anything not to exist which yet exists. If, then, the Word hates anything, He does not wish it to exist. But nothing exists, the cause of whose existence is not supplied by God. Nothing, then, is hated by God, nor yet by the Word. For both are one–that is, God. For He has said, ‘In the beginning the Word was in God, and the Word was God'[John 1:1].’” Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor, I:8 (A.D. 202).

“And again He says, ‘Come all to Me, who labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest'[Matt 11:28]; and that which is added the Lord speaks in His own person. And very clearly He calls to goodness by Solomon, when He says, ‘Blessed is the man who hath found wisdom, and the mortal who hath found understanding'[Prov 3:13]. ‘For the good is found by him who seeks it, and is wont to be seen by him who has found it'[Prov 2:4,5;3:15]. By Jeremiah, too, He sets forth prudence, when he says, ‘Blessed are we, Israel; for what is pleasing to God is known by us'[Baruch 4:4]–and it is known by the Word, by whom we are blessed and wise. For wisdom and knowledge are mentioned by the same prophet, when he says, ‘Hear, O Israel, the commandments of life, and give ear to know understanding.'[Baruch 3:9] By Moses, too, by reason of the love He has to man, He promises a gift to those who hasten to salvation. For He says, ‘And I will bring you into the good land, which the Lord sware to your fathers’ [Deut 31:20].” Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor ,I:8 (A.D. 202).

“[H]aving heard the Scripture which says, ‘Fasting with prayer is a good thing'[Tobit 12:8].” Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, 6:12 (A.D. 202).

“But they said, ‘We will not come forth: neither will we do the king’s commandment; we will die in our innocency: and he slew of them a thousand souls'[1 Macc 2:33]. The things, therefore, which were spoken to the blessed Daniel are fulfilled: ‘And my servants shall be afflicted, and shall fall by famine, and by sword, and by captivity'[Dan. 11:33]. Daniel, however, adds: ‘And they shall be holpen with a little help.’ For at that time Matthias arose, and Judas Maccabaeus, and helped them, and delivered them from the hand of the Greeks.” Hippolytus, Commentary on Daniel, 2:32 (A.D. 204).

“What is narrated here, happened at a later time, although it is placed before the first book at the beginning of the book [of Daniel]. For it was a custom with the writers to narrate many things in an inverted order in their writings…To all these things, therefore, we ought to give heed, beloved, fearing lest any one be overtaken in any transgression, and risk the loss of his soul, knowing as we do that God is the Judge of all; and the Word Himself is the Eye which nothing that is done in the world escapes. Therefore, always watchful in heart and pure in life, let us imitate Susannah.” Hippolytus, Commentary on Daniel, 6:1,61 (A.D. 204).

“‘For even now the angel of God.’ He shows also, that when Susannah prayed to God, and was heard, the angel was sent then to help her, just as was the case in the instance of Tobias [Tobit 3:17] and Sara. For when they prayed, the supplication of both of them was heard in the same day and the same hour, and the angel Raphael was sent to heal them both.” Hippolytus, Commentary on Daniel, 6:55 (A.D. 204).

“‘[T]he prophet says, “The ungodly said, reasoning with themselves, but not aright,” that is, about Christ, “Let us lie in wait for the righteous, because he is not for our turn, and he is clean contrary to our doings and words, and upbraideth us with our offending the law, and professeth to have knowledge of God; and he calleth himself the Child of God'[Wisdom 2:1,12,13]. And then he says, ‘He is grievous to us even to behold; for his life is not like other men’s, and his ways are of another fashion. We are esteemed of him as counterfeits, and he abstaineth from our ways as from filthiness, and pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed [Wisdom 2:15,16].” Hippolytus, Against the Jews ,65 (ante A.D. 235).

“But the case stands not thus; for the Scriptures do not set forth the matter in this manner. But they make use also of other testimonies, and say, Thus it is written: ‘This is our God, and there shall none other be accounted of in comparison of Him. He hath found out all the way of knowledge, and hath given it unto Jacob His servant (son), and to Israel His beloved. Afterward did He show Himself upon earth, and conversed with men'[Baruch 3:25-38].” Hippolytus, Against the Noetus, 2 (A.D. 210).

“But that we may believe on the authority of holy Scripture that such is the case, hear how in the book of Maccabees, where the mother of seven martyrs exhorts her son to endure torture, this truth is confirmed; for she says, ‘ ask of thee, my son, to look at the heaven and the earth, and at all things which are in them, and beholding these, to know that God made all these things when they did not exist'[2 Maccabees 7:28].” Origen, Fundamental Principles, 2:2 (A.D. 230).

“[T]he Wisdom of Solomon, a work which is certainly not esteemed authoritative by all. In that book, however, we find written as follows: “For thy almighty hand, that made the world out of shapeless matter, wanted not means to send among them a multitude of bears and fierce lions'[Wisdom 11:17].” Origen, Fundamental Principles, 2:2 (A.D. 230).

“‘It should be stated that the canonical books, as the Hebrews have handed them down, are twenty-two; corresponding with the number of their letters.’ Farther on he says: ‘The twenty-two books of the Hebrews are the following: That which is called by us Genesis, but by the Hebrews, from the beginning of the book, Bresith, which means, ‘In the beginning’; Exodus, Welesmoth, that is, ‘These are the names’; Leviticus, Wikra, ‘And he called’; Numbers, Ammesphekodeim; Deuteronomy, Eleaddebareim, ‘ These are the words’; Jesus, the son of Nave, Josoue ben Noun; Judges and Ruth, among them in one book, Saphateim; the First and Second of Kings, among them one, Samouel, that is, ‘The called of God’; the Third and Fourth of Kings in one, Wammelch David, that is, ‘The kingdom of David’; of the Chronicles, the First and Second in one, Dabreiamein, that is, ‘Records of days’; Esdras, First and Second in one, Ezra, that is, ‘An assistant’; the book of Psalms, Spharthelleim; the Proverbs of Solomon, Me-loth; Ecclesiastes, Koelth; the Song of Songs (not, as some suppose, Songs of Songs), Sir Hassirim; Isaiah, Jessia; Jeremiah, with Lamentations and the epistle in one, Jeremiah[Baruch 6]; Daniel, Daniel; Ezekiel, Jezekiel; Job, Job; Esther, Esther. And besides these there are the Maccabees, which are entitled Sarbeth Sabanaiel.” Origen, Canon of the Hebrews, Fragment in Eusebius’ Church History, 6:25 (A.D. 244).

“[A]s is written in the book of Tobit: ‘It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but honourable to reveal the works of God'[Tobit 12:7],–in a way consistent with truth and God’s glory, and so as to be to the advantage of the multitude.” Origen, Against Celsus, 5:19 (A.D. 248).

“But he ought tp know that those who wish to live according to the teaching of Sacred Scripture understand the saying, ‘The knowledge of the unwise is as talk without sense'[Sirach 21:18], and have learnt ‘to be ready always to give an answer to everyone that asketh us a reason for the hope that is in us'[1 Pt 3:15].” Origen, Against Celsus, 7:12 (A.D. 248).

“In the Gospel according to John: ‘No one can receive anything, except it were given him from heaven'[John 3:27]. Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: ‘For what hast thou that thou hast not received? But if thou hast received it, why boastest thou, as if thou hadst not received it?'[1 Cor 4:7]. Also in the first of Kings: ‘Boast not, neither speak lofty things, and let not great speeches proceed out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge.'[1 Sam 2:4] Also in the same place: ‘The bow of the mighty men has been made weak, and the weak are girt about with strength'[1 Sam 2:5]. Of this same thing in the Maccabees: ‘It is just to be subjected to God, and that a mortal should not think things equal to God'[2 Macc 9:12]. Also in the same place: ‘And fear not the words of a man that is a sinner, because his glory shall be filth and worms. Today he shall be lifted up, and to-morrow he shall not be found; because he is turned into his earth, and his thought has perished'[1 Macc 2:62,63].” Cyprian, Treatises, 12:3:4 (A.D. 248).

“In Genesis: ‘And God, tempted Abraham, and said to him, Take thy only son whom thou lovest, Isaac, and go into the high land, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell thee'[Gen 22:1,2]. Of this same thing in Deuteronomy: ‘The Lord your God proveth you, that He may know if ye love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul’[Deut 13:3]. Of this same thing in the Wisdom of Solomon: ‘Although in the sight of men they suffered torments, their hope is full of immortality; and having been in few things distressed, yet in many things they shall be happily ordered, because God tried them, and found them worthy of Himself. As gold in the furnace He proved them, and as a burnt-offering He received them. And in their time there shall be respect of them; they shall judge the nations, and shall rule over the people; and their Lord shall reign for ever'[Wisdom 3:4-8]. Of this same thing in the Maccabees: ‘Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness?'[1 Macc 2:52].” Cyprian, Treatises, 12:3:15 (A.D. 248).

“For since it is written, ‘God did not make death, neither hath He pleasure in the destruction of the living'[Wisdom 1:13].” Cyprian, Epistle 51/55:22 (A.D. 252).

“[T]his the faith of the sacred Scripture assures us, and in telling us how such as these prayed, gives an example which we ought to follow in our prayers, in order that we may be such as they were: ‘Then these three,’ it says, ‘as if from one mouth sang an hymn, and blessed the Lord'[3 Youths-Daniel 3:51].” Cyprian, Treatise 4,8 (A.D. 252).

“And thus Holy Scripture instructs us, saying, ‘Prayer is good with fasting and almsgiving'[Tobit 12:8].” Cyprian, Treatise 4,32 (A.D. 252).

“Holy Scripture teaches and forewarns, saying, ‘My son, when thou comest to the service of God, stand in righteousness and fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation'[Sirach 2:1,4]. And again: ‘In pain endure, and in thy humility have patience; for gold and silver is tried in the fire, but acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.[Sirach 2:5].” Cyprian, Treatise 7,9 (A.D. 252).

“In all these cases consider whether it would not be well to remember the words, ‘Thou shalt not remove the ancient landmarks which thy fathers have set.’ Nor do I say this because I shun the labour of investigating the Jewish Scriptures, and comparing them with ours, and noticing their various readings. This, if it be not arrogant to say it, I have already to a great extent done to the best of my ability, labouring hard to get at the meaning in all the editions and various readings; while I paid particular attention to the interpretation of the Seventy, lest I might to be found to accredit any forgery to the Churches which are under heaven, and give an occasion to those who seek such a starting-point for gratifying their desire to slander the common brethren, and to bring some accusation against those who shine forth in our community.” Origen, To Africanus, 5 (defending the canonicity of Susanna [Daniel 13], Bel and the Dragon[Daniel 14], the prayers of Azarias[Daniel 3], and the hymn of praise of the three youths in the fiery furnace[Daniel 3]) (ante A.D. 254).

“And I make it my endeavour not to be ignorant of their various readings, lest in my controversies with the Jews I should quote to them what is not found in their copies, and that I may make some use of what is found there, even although it should not be in our Scriptures. For if we are so prepared for them in our discussions, they will not, as is their manner, scornfully laugh at Gentile believers for their ignorance of the true reading as they have them.” Origen, To Africanus, 5 (defending the canonicity of Susanna [Daniel 13], Bel and the Dragon[Daniel 14], the prayers of Azarias[Daniel 3], and the hymn of praise of the three youths in the fiery furnace[Daniel 3]) (ante A.D. 254).

“And, forsooth, when we notice such things, we are forthwith to reject as spurious the copies in use in our Churches, and enjoin the brotherhood to put away the sacred books current among them, and to coax the Jews, and persuade them to give us copies which shall be untampered with, and free from forgery! Are we to suppose that that Providence which in the sacred Scriptures has ministered to the edification of all the Churches of Christ, had no thought for those bought with a price, for whom Christ died.” Origen, To Africanus, 4 (defending the canonicity of Susanna [Daniel 13], Bel and the Dragon [Daniel 14], the prayers of Azarias[Daniel 3], and the hymn of praise of the three youths in the fiery furnace[Daniel 3]) (ante A.D. 254).

“[T]hat they worship Him alone, saying: ‘O king Nebuchodonosor, there is no need for us to answer thee in this matter. For the God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of the furnace of burning fire; and He will deliver us from thy hands, O king. And if not, be it known unto thee, that we do not serve thy gods, and we do not adore the golden image which thou hast set up'[Dan 3:16-18]. And Daniel, devoted to God, and filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaims and says: ‘I worship nothing but the Lord my God, who founded the heaven and the earth'[Dan 14:5 Bel & Dragon]. Tobias also, although under a royal and tyrannical slavery, yet in feeling and spirit free, maintains his confession to God, and sublimely announces both the divine power and majesty, saying: ‘In the land of my captivity I confess to Him, and I show forth His power in a sinful nation'[Tobit 13:6].” Cyprian, Treatises, 11:11 (A.D. 257).

“Also in Daniel: ‘There was a man dwelling in Babylon whose name was Joachim; and he took a wife by name Susanna, the daughter of Helchias, a very beautiful woman, and one that feared the Lord. And her parents were righteous, and taught their daughter according to the law of Moses'[Susanna-Daniel 13:1-3]. Moreover, in Daniel: ‘And we are lowly this day in all the earth because of our sins, and there is not at this time any prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt-offering, or oblation, or sacrifice, or incense, or place to sacrifice before Thee, and to find mercy from Thee. And yet in the soul and spirit of lowliness let us be accepted as the burnt-offerings of rams and bulls, and as it were many thousands of lambs which are fattest. If our offering may be made in Thy presence this day, their power shall be consumed, for they shall not be ashamed who put their trust in Thee. And now we follow with our whole heart, and we fear and seek Thy face. Give us not over unto reproach, but do with us according to Thy tranquility, and according to the multitude of Thy mercy deliver us'[3 Youths-Daniel 3:37-43].” Cyprian, Testimonies, 20 (ante A.D. 258).

“But listen to the divine oracles: ‘The works of the Lord are in judgment; from the beginning, and from His making of them, He disposed the parts thereof. He garnished His works for ever, and their principles unto their generations'[Sirach 16:24-25].” Dionysius the Great, On Nature, 3 (ante A.D. 265).

“He is a Spirit–for says He, ‘God is a Spirit'[John 4:24]–fittingly again is Christ called Breath; for ‘He,’ saith He, ‘is the breath of God’s power'[Wisdom 7:25].” Dionysius the Great, To Dionsyius of Rome, 4 (ante A.D. 265).

“Solomon also shows that it is the Word of God, and no other, by whose hands these works of the world were made. ‘I,’ He says, ‘came forth out of the mouth of the Most High before all creatures: I caused the light that faileth not to arise in the heavens, and covered the whole earth with a cloud. I have dwelt in the height, and my throne is in the pillar of the cloud'[Sirach 24:3-5].” Lactanius, Institutions, 4:8 (A.D. 310).

“Therefore, I do not think men ought to be considered pious who presume to investigate this subject, in disobedience to the injunction, ‘Seek not what is too difficult for thee, neither enquire into what is too high for thee'[Sirach 3:21]. For if the knowledge of many other things incomparably inferior is beyond the capacity of the human mind, and cannot therefore be attained, as has been said by Paul, ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared far them that lave Him'[1 Cor 2:9], and as God also said to Abraham, that the stars could not be numbered by him; and it is likewise said,’ Who shall number the grains of sand by the sea-shore, or the drops of rain?'[Sirach 1:2].” Alexander of Alexandria, To brother Alexander, fragment in Theodoret of Cyrus’ Ecclesiastical History, 1:3 (A.D. 324).

“For this was accomplished at that time, when the venerable and aged Eleazar was slain, and the sons of the blessed Samuna, seven in number [2 Maccabees 6:18-31], and when Judas (Maccabeus) and his brethren were struggling on behalf of their people [2 Maccabees 5:27].” Aphraates the Persian Sage, Demonstrations, 5:19 (A.D. 345).

“He leads away to himself the wealthy, the sons of luxury; And ‘they leave their possessions as the waves of the sea'[Sirach 29:17].” Aphraates the Persian Sage, Demonstrations, 22:7 (A.D. 345).

“Of these read the two and twenty books, but have nothing to do with the apocryphal writings. Study earnestly these only which we read openly in the Church. Far wiser and more pious than thyself were the Apostles, and the bishops of old time, the presidents of the Church who handed down these books. Being therefore a child of the Church, trench thou not upon its statutes. And of the Old Testament, as we have said, study the two and twenty books, which, if thou art desirous of learning, strive to remember by name, as I recite them. For of the Law the books of Moses are the first five, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. And next, Joshua the son of Nave, and the book of Judges, including Ruth, counted as seventh. And of the other historical books, the first and second books of the Kings are among the Hebrews one book; also the third and fourth one book. And in like manner, the first and second of Chronicles are with them one book; and the first and second of Esdras are counted one. Esther is the twelfth book; and these are the Historical writings. But those which are written in verses are five, Job, and the book of Psalms, and Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, which is the seventeenth book. And after these come the five Prophetic books: of the Twelve Prophets one book, of Isaiah one, of Jeremiah one, including Baruch [1-5] and Lamentations and the Epistle[of Jeremiah-Baruch 6]; then Ezekiel, and the Book of Daniel, the twenty-second of the Old Testament.” Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 4:33 (A.D. 350).

“The Divine Nature then it is impossible to see with eyes of flesh: but from the works, which are Divine, it is possible to attain to some conception of His power, according to Solomon, who says, ‘For by the greatness and beauty of the creatures proportionably the Maker of them is seen'[Wisdom 13:5]. He said not that from the creatures the Maker is seen, but added proportionably. For God appears the greater to every man in proportion as he has grasped a larger survey of the creatures: and when his heart is uplifted by that larger survey, he gains withal a greater conception of God. Wouldest thou learn that to comprehend the nature of God is impossible? The Three Children in the furnace of fire, as they hymn the praises of God, say ‘Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the Cherubim'[Daniel 3:55-Three Youths].” Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 9:2,3 (A.D. 350).

“[L]earn from this instance the mightiness of God: for ‘He hath numbered the drops of rain'[Job 26:27], which have been poured down on all the earth, not only now but in all time. The sun is a work of God, which, great though it be, is but a spot in comparison with the whole heaven; first gaze steadfastly upon the sun, and then curiously scan the Lord of the sun. ‘Seek not the things that are too deep for thee, neither search out the things that are above thy strength: what is commanded thee, think thereupon'[Sirach 3:20,21].” Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 6:4 (A.D. 350).

“Hear the Prophet saying, ‘This is our God, none other shall be accounted of in comparison with Him. He hath found out every way of knowledge, and given it to Jacob His servant, and to Israel His beloved. Afterwards He[she] was seen on earth, and conversed among men'[Baruch 3:36-38].” Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 9:15 (A.D. 350).

“He says to Daniel; young though thou be, convict old men infected with the sins of youth; for it is written, ‘God raised up the Holy Spirit upon a young stripling'[Daniel 13:45-Susanna].” Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 16:31 (A.D. 350).

“For when they speak against the ascension of the Saviour, as being impossible, remember the account of the carrying away of Habakkuk: for if Habakkuk was transported by an Angel, being carried by the hair of his head[Daniel 14-Bel & the Dragon], much rather was the Lord of both Prophets and Angels, able by His own power to make His ascent into the Heavens on a cloud from the Mount of Olives.” Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 14:25 (A.D. 350).

“[T]he sacred writers to whom the Son has revealed Him, have given us a certain image from things visible, saying, ‘Who is the brightness of His glory, and the Expression of His Person;'[Heb 1:3] and again, ‘For with Thee is the well of life, and in Thy light shall we see lights;'[Ps 36:9] and when the Word chides lsrael, He says, ‘Thou hast forsaken the Fountain of wisdom'[Baruch 3:12]; and this Fountain it is which says, ‘They have forsaken Me the Fountain of living waters'[Jer 2:13].” Athanasius, Defense of the Nicene Faith, 2:12 (A.D. 351).

“[F]or it is written of the other, ‘The foolish person will speak foolishness’ [Is 32:6 LXX]; but of these, ‘Ask counsel of all that are wise'[Tobit 4:18].” Athanasius, Defense before Constantius, 17 (A.D. 357).

“The Lord is now making trial of your love for Him. Now there is an opportunity for you, through your patience, to take the martyr’s lot. The mother of the Maccabees [2 Maccabees 7] saw the death of seven sons without a sigh, without even shedding one unworthy tear.” Basil, To the Wife of Nectarius, Epistle 6:2 (A.D. 358).

“They say that the Father has prescience of all things, as the blessed Susanna says, ‘O eternal God, that knowest secrets, and knowest all things before they be'[Daniel 13:42-Susanna].” Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity, 4:8 (A.D. 359).

“As you have listened already to Moses and Isaiah, so listen now to Jeremiah inculcating the same truth as they:–‘This is our God, and there shall be none other likened unto Him, Who hath found out all the way of knowledge, and hath given it unto Jacob His servant and to Israel His beloved. Afterward did He shew Himself upon earth and dwelt among men'[Baruch 3:36-38]. Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity, 4:42 (A.D. 359).

“Such suggestions are inconsistent with the clear sense of Scripture. For all things, as the Prophet says[2 Maccabees 7:28], were made out of nothing; it was no transformation of existing things, but the creation into a perfect form of the non-existent.” Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity, 4:16 (A.D. 359).

“Then, while the devout soul was baffled and astray through its own feebleness, it caught from the prophet’s voice this scale of comparison for God, admirably expressed, ‘By the greatness of His works and the beauty of the things that He hath made the Creator of worlds is rightly discerned'[Wisdom 13:5].” Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity, 1:7 (A.D. 359).

” And where the sacred writers say, Who exists before the ages,’ and ‘By whom He made the ages,'[Heb 1:2] they thereby as clearly preach the eternal and everlasting being of the Son, even while they are designating God Himself. Thus, if Isaiah says, ‘The Everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth ‘[Is 40:28]; and Susanna said, ‘O Everlasting God'[Daniel 13:42-Susanna]; and Baruch wrote, ‘I will cry unto the Everlasting in my days,’ and shortly after, ‘My hope is in the Everlasting, that He will save you, and joy is come unto me from the Holy One'[Baruch 4:20,22;].” Athanasius, Discourses Against the Arians, 1:4 (A.D. 362).

“[I]t is written that ‘all things were made through the Word,’ and ‘without Him was not made one thing,'[John 1:3] and again, ‘One Lord Jesus, through whom are all things'[1 Cor 8:9], and ‘in Him all things consist'[Col 1:17], it is very plain that the Son cannot be a work, but He is the Hand of God and the Wisdom. This knowing, the martyrs in Babylon, Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, arraign the Arian irreligion. For when they say, ‘O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord'[Daniel 3:57-Three Youths].” Athanasius, Discourses Against the Arians, 2:71 (A.D. 362).

“Daniel said to Astyages, ‘I do not worship idols made with hands, but the Living God, who hath created the heaven and the earth, and hath sovereignty over all flesh;'[Daniel 14:5-Bel & the Dragon].” Athanasius, Discourses Against the Arians, 3:30 (A.D. 362).

“Passing by the elders in the book of Daniel [Daniel 13:5-Susanna]; for it is better to pass them by, together with the Lord’s righteous sentence and declaration concerning them…” Gregory of Nazianzen, Oration 2, Flight to Pontus 64 (A.D. 362).

“But if this too fails to persuade them, let them tell us themselves, whether there is any wisdom in the creatures or not? If not how is it that the Apostle complains, ‘For after that in the Wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God?'[1 Cor 1:21] or how is it if there is no wisdom, that a ‘multitude of wise men'[Wisdom 6:24] are found in Scripture? for ‘a wise man feareth and departeth from evil'[Prov 14:16]; and ‘through wisdom is a house builded'[Prov 24]; and the Preacher says, ‘A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine;’ and he blames those who are headstrong thus, ‘Say not thou, what is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire in wisdom concerning this'[Eccl 8:1,7:10]. But if, as the Son of Sirach says, ‘He poured her out upon all His works; she is with all flesh according to His gift, and He hath given her to them that love Him,'[Sirach 1:8,9].” Athanasius, Discourses Against the Arians, 2:79 (A.D. 362).

“[T]he Old Testament is reckoned as consisting of twenty-two books…so that of Moses there be five books…with the Lamentations and the Letter[Baruch 6-Epistle of Jeremiah], and Daniel…bringing the number of the books to twenty-two. It is to be noted also that by adding to these Tobias and Judith, there are twenty-four books, corresponding to the number of letters used by the Greeks.” Hilary of Poitiers, Prologue to the Psalms, 15 (A.D. 365).

“There are, then, of the Old Testament, twenty-two books in number; for, as I have heard, it is handed down that this is the number of the letters among the Hebrews; their respective order and names being as follows. The first is Genesis, then Exodus, next Leviticus, after that Numbers, and then Deuteronomy. Following these there is Joshua, the son of Nun, then Judges, then Ruth. And again, after these four books of Kings, the first and second being reckoned as one book, and so likewise the third and fourth as one book. And again, the first and second of the Chronicles are reckoned as one book. Again Ezra, the first and second are similarly one book. After these there is the book of Psalms, then the Proverbs, next Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. Job follows, then the Prophets, the twelve being reckoned as one book. Then Isaiah, one book, then Jeremiah with Baruch, Lamentations, and the epistle, one book; afterwards, Ezekiel and Daniel, each one book. Thus far constitutes the Old Testament…But for greater exactness I add this also, writing of necessity; that there are other books besides these not indeed included in the Canon, but appointed by the Fathers to be read by those who newly join us, and who wish for instruction in the word of godliness. The Wisdom of Solomon, and the Wisdom of Sirach, and Esther, and Judith, and Tobit, and that which is called the Teaching of the Apostles, and the Shepherd. But the former, my brethren, are included in the Canon, the latter being [merely] read; nor is there in any place a mention of apocryphal writings. But they are an invention of heretics, who write them when they choose, bestowing upon them their approbation, and assigning to them a date, that so, using them as ancient writings, they may find occasion to lead astray the simple. Athanasius, Festal Letters, 39:4,7 (A.D. 367).

“What Scripture says is very true, ‘As for a fool he changeth as the moon'[Sirach 27:11]. Basil, Hexaemeron, 6:10 (A.D. 370).

“[T]he Scripture tells us, ‘into the malicious soul Wisdom cannot come'[Wisdom 1:4].” Gregory of Nyssa, On Virginity, 15 (A.D. 371).

“Not by raining down manna, as for Israel of old[Ex 16:14] or opening the rock, in order to give drink to His thirsting people,[ Ps 78:24] or feasting her by means of ravens, as Elijah,[1 Kings 17:6] or feeding her by a prophet carried through the air, as He did to Daniel when a-hungered in the den.[Daniel 14:33,34-Bel & Dragon].” Gregory of Nazianzen, Oration 18, On the Death of his Father 30 (A.D. 374).

“So as Judith says, ‘Thou hast thought, and what things thou didst determine were ready at hand’[Judith 9:5,6].” Basil, On the Holy Spirit, 8:19 (A.D. 375).

“The Lord ordereth ‘all things in measure and weight'[Wisdom 11:20].” Basil, To Clergy of Samosata, Epistle 219:1 (A.D. 375).

“Standing and sitting, I apprehend, indicate the fixity and entire stability of the nature, as Baruch, when he wishes to exhibit the immutability and immobility of the Divine mode of existence, says, ‘For thou sittest for ever and we perish utterly'[Baruch 3:3].” Basil, On the Holy Spirit, 6:15 (A.D. 375).

“But the Spirit is believed to have been operating at the saint time in Habakkuk and in Daniel at Babylon,[Daniel 14:35-Bel & the Dragon] and to have been at the prison with Jeremiah,[Jer 20:2] and with Ezekiel at the Chebar[Ez 1:1].” Basil, On the Holy Spirit, 23:54 (A.D. 375).

“Nor do I allege any opinion of my own, but I repeat that which the Holy Spirit spake by the prophet: ‘Blessed is the barren that is undefiled'[Wisdom 3:13].” Ambrose, Concerning Virginity, 7:35 (A.D. 378).

“So then, holy Judith,[Judith 10:3ff] strengthened by lengthened mourning and by daily fasting, sought not the enjoyments of the world regardless of danger, and strong in her contempt for death.” Ambrose, Concerning Widows, 7:38 (A.D. 378).

“[T]he prophetical writing says, ‘knoweth all things before they be'[Daniel 3:42-Susanna].” Gregory of Nyssa, Against Making of Man, 16 (A.D. 379).

“And how shall we preserve the truth that God pervades all things and fills all, as it is written ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord,'[Jer 23:24] and ‘The Spirit of the Lord filleth the world'[Wisdom 1:7], if God partly contains and partly is contained?” Gregory of Nazianzen, Oration 28, 2nd Theological 8 (A.D. 380).

“[T]he just man in the den, restraining the lions’ rage,[ref Daniel 6:22] and the struggle of the seven Maccabees,[2 Maccabees 7:1] who were perfected with their father and mother in blood, and in all kinds of tortures.” Gregory of Nazianzen, Oration 43, Panegyric on Basil 74 (A.D. 381).

“Daniel also, unless he had received the Spirit of God, would never have been able to discover that lustful adultery, that fraudulent lie. For when Susanna, assailed by the conspiracy of the elders, saw that the mind of the people was moved by consideration for the old men, and destitute of all help, alone amongst men, conscious of her chastity she prayed God to judge; it is written: ‘The Lord heard her voice, when she was being led to be put to death, and the Lord raised up the Holy Spirit of a young youth, whose name was Daniel'[Daniel 13:44,45-Susanna].” Ambrose, On the Holy Spirit, 3:6:39 (A.D. 381).

“The order of the Old Testament begins here: Genesis, one book; Exodus, one book; Leviticus, one book; Numbers, one book; Deuteronomy, one book; Joshua [Son of] Nave, one book; Judges, one book; Ruth, one book; Kings, four books [ie., 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings]; Paralipomenon [Chronicles], two books; Psalms, one book; Solomon, three books: Proverbs, one book; Ecclesiastes, one book; Canticle of Canticles, one book; likewise Wisdom, one book; Ecclesiasticus [Sirach], one book. Likewise the order of the Prophets. Isaias one book, Jeremias one book,…lamentations, Ezechiel one book, Daniel one book, Osee … Nahum … Habacuc … Sophonias … Aggeus … Zacharias … Malachias … Likewise the order of the historical [books]: Job, one book; Tobit, one book; Esdras, two books [Ezra and Nehemiah]; Esther, one book; Judith, one book; Maccabees, two books.” Council of Rome, Decree of Pope Damasus (A.D. 382).

“[I]n the Scripture the ‘Seed of the Chaldeans'[Judith 5:6] removed, and the children of Babylon dashed against the Rocks and destroyed.” Gregory of Nazianzen, Oration 45, 2nd Oration on Easter 15 (A.D. 383).

“[T]he prophet says, ‘was seen upon earth and conversed with men'[3:38].” Gregory of Nyssa, Against Eunomius, 6:4 (A.D. 384).

“And the Lord bids them lay aside the garments of mourning, and to cease the groanings of repentance, saying: ‘Put off, O Jerusalem, the garment of thy mourning and affliction. and clothe thyself in beauty, the glory which God hath given thee for ever'[Baruch 5:1].” Ambrose, Concerning Repentance, I:9:43 (A.D. 384).

“And again; ‘Do not to another what thou hatest'[Tobit 4:15].” John Chrysostom, Concerning Statues, 7 (A.D. 387).

“Wherefore we must cast out all wickedness from our souls, and never more contrive any deceit; for, saith one, ‘To the perverse God sendeth crooked paths [Prov 21:8 LXX]; and, ‘The holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without understanding'[Wis. 1:5].” John Chrysostom, Homilies on John, 41 (A.D. 391).

“Let us then repeat to ourselves soothing charms drawn from the holy Scripture, and say, ‘Thou art earth and ashes.’ ‘Why is earth and ashes proud?’ [Sirach 10:9], and, ‘The sway of his fury shall be his destruction’ [Sirach 1:19] and, ‘The wrathful man is not comely’ [Prov. 11:25 LXX].” John Chrysostom, Homilies on John, 48 (A.D. 391).

“Wherefore the Scripture says well: ‘A wise man will keep silence until there is opportunity'[Sirach 20:6].” Ambrose, Duties of the Clergy, I:2:5 (A.D. 391).

“When Jeremiah understood what they wanted he said: ‘The spot will remain unknown until God shall gather His people together and be gracious to them. Then God shall reveal these things and the majesty of the Lord shall appear'[2 Maccabees 2:7].” Ambrose, Duties of the Clergy, III:17:101 (A.D. 391).

“This preface to the Scriptures may serve as a ‘helmeted’ introduction to all the books which we now turn from Hebrew into Latin, so that we may be assured that what is not found in our list must be placed amongst the Apocryphal writings. Wisdom… the book of …Sirach, and Judith, and Tobias, and the Shepherd are not in the canon. The first book of Maccabees I have found to be in Hebrew, the second in Greek, as can be proved from the very style.” Jerome, Preface to Samuel and Kings [Prologus Galeatus] (A.D. 391).

“Elsewhere the Scripture takes the term “old” in the sense of blame; for seeing that the things are of various aspect as being composed of many parts, it uses the same words both in a good and an evil import, not according to the same shade of meaning. Of which you may see an instance in the blame cast elsewhere on the old: [Ps. 17:46 LXX] ‘They waxed old, and they halted from their paths.’ And again, [Ps. 6:7 LXX] ‘I have become old in the midst of all mine enemies.’ And again, [Daniel 13:52-Susanna] ‘O thou that art become old in evil days.’ So also the ‘Leaven’ is often taken for the kingdom of Heaven, although here found fault with. But in that place it is used with one aspect, and in this with another.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1st Corinthians, 15 (A.D. 392).

“And to prove that I say not this upon conjecture; when they fell into the furnace, they bewailed themselves after this sort, saying [Daniel 3:29,33-Three Youths], ‘We have sinned, we have done iniquity, we cannot open our mouth.’ John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1st Corinthians, 18 (A.D. 392).

“That nothing be read in church besides the Canonical Scripture. Item, that besides the Canonical Scriptures nothing be read in church under the name of divine Scripture. But the Canonical Scriptures are as follows: Genesis. Exodus. Leviticus. Numbers. Deuteronomy. Joshua the Son of Nun. The Judges. Ruth. The Kings, four books. The Chronicles, two books. Job. The Psalter. The Five books of Solomon. The Twelve Books of the Prophets. Isaiah. Jeremiah. Ezechiel. Daniel. Tobit. Judith. Esther. Ezra, two books. Macchabees, two books.” Council of Hippo, Canon 36 (A.D. 393).

“At least that is what Solomon says: “wisdom is the gray hair unto men'[Wisdom 4:9].” Jerome, To Paulinus, Epistle 58 (A.D. 395).

“And what safety can there be for us unless we wash away our sins by fasting, since Scripture says that fasting and alms do away sin? [Tobit 12:8,9]” Ambrose, Epistle 63:16 (A.D. 396).

“[It has been decided] that nothing except the canonical Scriptures should be read in the Church under the name of the divine Scriptures. But the canonical Scriptures are: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, four books of Kings, Paralipomenon, two books, Job, the Psalter of David, five books of Solomon [Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom, Sirach], twelve books of the Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Tobit, Judith, Esther, two books of Esdras, two books of the Maccabees.” Council of Carthage III, Canon 397 (A.D. 397).

“We have the authentic book of Jesus son of Sirach, and another pseudepigraphic work, entitled the Wisdom of Solomon. I found the first in Hebrew, with the title, ‘Parables’, not Ecclesiasticus, as in Latin versions…The second finds no place in Hebrew texts, and its style is redolent of Greek eloquence: a number of ancient writers assert that it is a work of Philo Judaeus. Therefore, just as the Church reads Judith, Tobit, and the books of Maccabees, but does not admit them to the canon of Scripture; so let the Church read these two volumes, for the edification of the people, but not to support the authority of ecclesiastical doctrines.” Jerome, Preface to Proverbs (A.D. 398).

“I would cite the words of the psalmist: ‘the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit'[Ps 51:17], and those of Ezekiel ‘I prefer the repentance of a sinner rather than his death'[Ez 18:23], and those of Baruch, ‘Arise, arise, O Jerusalem'[Baruch 5:5], and many other proclamations made by the trumpets of the prophets.” Jerome, To Oceanus, Epistle 77:4 (A.D. 399).

“Of the Old Covenant: the five books of Moses–Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy; one of Joshua the son of Nun, one of the Judges, one of Ruth, four of the Kings, two of the Chronicles, two of Ezra, one of Esther, one of Judith, three of the Maccabees, one of Job, one hundred and fifty psalms; three books of Solomon–Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs; sixteen prophets. And besides these, take care that your young persons learn the Wisdom of the very learned Sirach.” Apostolic Constitutions, 47:85 (A.D. 400).

“What sin have I committed in following the judgment of the churches? But when I repeat what the Jews say against the Story of Susanna and the Hymn of the Three Children, and the fables of Bel and the Dragon, which are not contained in the Hebrew Bible, the man who makes this a charge against me proves himself to be a fool and a slanderer; for I explained not what I thought but what they commonly say against us.”
Jerome, Against Rufinus, 11:33 (A.D. 402).

“And Baruch in the book of Jeremiah says ‘this is our God: no other shall be reckoned by the side of Him: He found out every path of knowledge and gave it to Jacob His servant, and lsrael his beloved. After these things also He appeared upon the earth, and held converse with men'[Baruch 3:35-37]. And David signifying His incarnate presence said ‘He shall come down like the rain into a fleece of wool, and like the drop which distills upon the earth'[Ps 72:6] because He noiselessly and gently entered into the Virgin’s womb.” John Chrysostom, Against Marcionist & Manicheans (ante A.D. 403).

“[D]oes not the scripture say: ‘Burden not thyself above thy power'[Sirach 13:2]?” Jerome, To Eustochium, Epistle 108 (A.D. 404).

“Which also the Prophet fore told when he said, ‘This is our God: no other shall be accounted of in comparison of Him. He hath found out all the way of knowledge, and hath given it unto Jacob His servant and to Israel His beloved. Afterward He showed Himself upon the earth, and conversed with men'[Baruch 3:36-38].” Rufinus of Aquileia, The Apostles Creed, 37-38 (A.D. 404).

“Of the Old Testament, therefore, first of all there have been handed down five books of Moses, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; Then Jesus Nave, (Joshua the son of Nun), The Book of Judges together with Ruth; then four books of Kings (Reigns), which the Hebrews reckon two; the Book of Omissions, which is entitled the Book of Days (Chronicles), and two books of Ezra (Ezra and Nehemiah), which the Hebrews reckon one, and Esther; of the Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel; moreover of the twelve (minor) Prophets, one book; Job also and the Psalms of David, each one book. Solomon gave three books to the Churches, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles. These comprise the books of the Old Testament…But it should be known that there are also other books which our fathers call not ‘Canonical’ but ‘Ecclesiastical:’ that is to say, Wisdom, called the Wisdom of Solomon, and another Wisdom, called the Wisdom of the Son of Syrach, which last-mentioned the Latins called by the general title Ecclesiasticus, designating not the author of the book, but the character of the writing. To the same class belong the Book of Tobit, and the Book of Judith, and the Books of the Maccabees…These are the traditions which the Fathers have handed down to us, which, as I said, I have thought it opportune to set forth in this place, for the instruction of those who are being taught the first elements of the Church and of the Faith, that they may know from what fountains of the Word of God their draughts must be taken.” Rufinus of Aquileia, The Apostles Creed,3 7-38 (A.D. 404).

“A brief addition shows what books really are received in the canon. These are…of Moses five books…and Josue, of Judges one book, of Kings four books, and also Ruth, of the Prophets sixteen books, of Solomon five books, the Psalms. Likewise of the histories, Job one book, of Tobias one book, Esther one, Judith one, of the Machabees two, of Esdra two, Paralipomenon two books…” Pope Innocent [regn. A.D. 401-417], To Exsuperius, Epistle 6 (A.D. 405).

“The words of 2 Maccabees v. 17, which say that Antiochus Epiphanes had power to overthrow the Temple, ‘because of the multitude of sins'[2 Macc 5:17], are quoted in connection with the confessions of Daniel.” Jerome, Against the Pelagians, II:30 (A.D. 415).

“Wherefore, as Scripture says, ‘when you go forth to serve the Lord stand in the fear of the Lord, and prepare your mind'[Sirach 2:1].” John Cassian, The Institutes, 4:37 (A.D. 426).

“Now the whole canon of Scripture on which we say this judgment is to be exercised, is contained in the following books:–Five books of Moses, that is, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; one book of Joshua the son of Nun; one of Judges; one short book called Ruth, which seems rather to belong to the beginning of Kings; next, four books of Kings, and two of Chronicles –these last not following one another, but running parallel, so to speak, and going over the same ground. The books now mentioned are history, which contains a connected narrative of the times, and follows the order of the events. There are other books which seem to follow no regular order, and are connected neither with the order of the preceding books nor with one another, such as Job, and Tobias, and Esther, and Judith, and the two books of Maccabees, and the two of Ezra,(ie. Ezra & Nehemiah) which last look more like a sequel to the continuous regular history which terminates with the books of Kings and Chronicles. Next are the Prophets, in which there is one book of the Psalms of David; and three books of Solomon, viz., Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes. For two books, one called Wisdom and the other Ecclesiasticus, are ascribed to Solomon from a certain resemblance of style, but the most likely opinion is that they were written by Jesus the son of Sirach. Still they are to be reckoned among the prophetical books, since they have attained recognition as being authoritative. The remainder are the books which are strictly called the Prophets: twelve separate books of the prophets which are connected with one another, and having never been disjoined, are reckoned as one book; the names of these prophets are as follows:–Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi; then there are the four greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel. The authority of the Old Testament is contained within the limits of these forty-four books.” Augustine, On Christian Doctrine, II:8 (A.D. 426).

“[A]s Scripture itself testifies: ‘For God made not death, neither rejoiceth in the destruction of the living’[Wisdom 1:13].” John Cassian, Third Conference of Abbot Chaermon, 7 (A.D. 428).

“[T]he Prophet says, ‘the Lord Himself is God, who found out all the way of knowledge; who was seen upon earth and conversed with men’[Baruch 3:37,38].” John Cassian, The Incarnation of Christ, 4:13 (A.D. 430).

“[T]he divine Oracles cry aloud, ‘Remove not the landmarks, which thy fathers have set,'[Prov 22:28] and ‘Go not to law with a Judge'[Sirach 8:14,] and ‘Whoso breaketh through a fence a serpent shall bite him'[Eccles 10:8].” Vincent of Lerins, Commonitory for the Authenticity and Universality of the Catholic Faith, 21:51 (A.D. 434).

“Two officers in the army, who were shield bearers in the imperial suite, at a certain banquet lamented in somewhat warm language the abomination of what was being done, and employed the admirable language of the glorious youths at Babylon, ‘Thou hast given us over to an impious Prince an apostate beyond all the nations on the earth'[Daniel 3:32-Three Youths].” Theodoret of Cyrus, Ecclesiastical History, 3:11 (A.D. 440).

“And hence Tobias also, while instructing his son in the precepts of godliness, says, ‘Give alms of thy substance, and turn not thy face from any poor man: so shall it come to pass that the face of GOD shall not be turned from thee'[Tobit 4:7].” Pope Leo the Great [regn. A.D. 440-461], Sermon 10:4 (ante A.D. 461).

“[T]he sins which are washed away either by the waters of baptism, or the tears of repentance, may be also blotted out by alms-giving; for the Scripture says, ‘As water extinguisheth fire, so alms extinguisheth sin'[Sirach 3:29]. Through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Pope Leo the Great [regn. A.D. 440-461], Sermon 49:6 (ante A.D. 461).

“But O ungodliest of men [Judas Iscariot], “thou seed of Chanaan and not of Juda'[Daniel 13:56-Susanna].” Pope Leo the Great [regn. A.D. 440-461], Sermon 67 (ante A.D. 461).

“Who[ie the Son] is equal with God the Father, have assumed the form of a slave and the likeness of sinful flesh. But because ‘by the devil’s malice death entered into the world'[Wisdom 2:24].” Pope Leo the Great [regn. A.D. 440-461], Sermon 78:2 (ante A.D. 461).

“A wise man who knew all this full well reasons about deaths of this kind and says, ‘Yea; speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding’[Wisdom 4:11].” Theodoret of Cyrus, To Cyrus Magistrianus, Epistle 136 (ante A.D. 466).

“For of him it is written, But by envy of the devil death entered into the world'[Wisdom 2:24].” Pope Gregory the Great [regn. A.D. 590-604], Pastoral Care, 10 (ante A.D. 604).

“[L]et them hear what is written, ‘Give to every man that asketh of thee'[Luke 6:30]. Lest they should give something, however little to those on whom they ought to bestow nothing at all, let them hear what is written. ‘Give to the good man, and receive not a sinner: do well to him that is lowly, and give not to the ungodly'[Sirach 12:4]. And again, ‘Set out thy bread and wine on the burial of the just, but eat and drink not thereof with sinners’ [Tobit 4:17].” Pope Gregory the Great [regn. A.D. 590-604], Pastoral Care, 20 (ante A.D. 604).

“The divine Scripture likewise saith that ‘the souls of the just are in God’s hand'[Wisdom 3:1] and death cannot lay hold of them.” John Damascene, Orthodox Faith, 4:15 (A.D. 743).

“But others, though future, are put in the past tense, as, for instance, This is our God: ‘Therefore He[she] was seen upon the earth and dwell among men'[Baruch 3:38].” John Damascene, Orthodox Faith, 4:18 (A.D. 743).

“[S]o that in them was fulfilled that which is written, ‘The service of God is abominable to the sinner'[Sirach 1:22].” 7th Ecumenical Council, Nicea II, Canon 6 (A.D. 787).

The post Did the Early Church accept the “extra” Deuterocanonical Books in their Bibles? Yes they did! appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

268: Demons Discuss 1970s Catholicism: Exorcism of (Emily Rose) Anneliese Michel in 1976 [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 04:23:56 +0000

The case of the Exorcism of Anneliese Michel (depicted in the American film Exorcism of Emily Rose) alleges that a young girl Anneliese was possessed by 6-10 demons around 1975. The local bishop authorized an exorcist to exorcize the demons and the demons speak to the priest about their joy over Communion in the Hand, the power of the Rosary, the error of Modernism, Hans Kung, Humanae Vitae, and other topics. #TnT discuss this topic and also explain the importance of priests acting like priests as spiritual and superior Fathers to the Faithful. Sadly, Anneliese died of starvation in 1976. Watch for more details.

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Taylor Marshall was interviewed twice last week on Fox News by Lauren Green about how the Cardinals, Bishops, Clergy, and Catholic Church have been infiltrated demonically and compromised by human agents over the last 150 years based on historical facts, examples, and papal testimonies reaching back to the 1850s through the 1970s. Here are the two interviews:

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#	Title	Released
262	Are Catholics Warriors? The Rosary (and Latin Mass) as Weapon with Fr Richard Heilman	06/14/2019
261	Archbishop Vigano Interview AND Cd. Burke & Bp. Schneider Issue 40 Points	06/12/2019
260	Biblical Theology of the Rain Bow	06/10/2019
259	Vigano is for Victory! New Docs on Pope Francis and McCarrick	06/07/2019
258	Infiltration Interview by Sam Guzman of Catholic Gentleman w Dr Taylor Marshall	06/05/2019
257	Truth About Infiltration of Catholic Church: Faith Goldy interviews Dr Taylor Marshall	06/03/2019
256	Infiltration: Pope Francis Rewound 150 Years – Alta Vendita and La Salette	05/31/2019
255	Abby Johnson on Pro Life State Bans w Dr Taylor Marshall Tim Gordon Fr Dave Nix	05/29/2019
254	Taylor Marshall Meets Pope Francis (Plus Cardinal Burke on Patriotism and Natural Law)	05/24/2019
253	Pope Francis on Women Deaconesses: Can Women be Ordained? Amazon Synod	05/13/2019
252	Pope Francis Changes Rule on Abuse and Talks Globalist Supra-Nationalist Bodies	05/11/2019
251	Did They Rig The Election Of Pope Francis (plus Chile refusal of Communion on tongue)	05/8/2019
250	Pope Francis: Evangelization over Doctrine – Cart before the Horse?	05/6/2019
249	Pope Francis Accused of 7 Counts of Heresy by 19 Scholars	05/2/2019
248	Why Do Secularists and Mohammedans Unite?	04/30/2019
247	Is Easter Pagan? Pagan Astarte or the Lord Jesus Christ?	04/25/2019
246	Easter Worshippers or Easter Martyrs?	04/24/2019
245	Pope Benedict Speaks REVISITED with Comments by Cardinal Müller	04/23/2019
244	What is the Historical Date of Good Friday? Was AD 30 or AD 33?	04/19/2019
243	Catholic France in the End Times, Great French Monarch and Our Lady of La Salette	04/17/2019
242	Why Do Traditional Catholic Men Fight? with Fr Dave Nix and Dr Marshall	04/16/2019
241	Pope Benedict XVI Speaks: I am no longer directly responsible	04/12/2019
240	Did Popes Favor the United States? with Charles Coulombe	04/10/2019
239	Why do Catholics Veil Images on Passion Sunday (5th Sunday) of Lent?	04/08/2019
238	Natural Law and Catholic Republic #TnT	04/05/2019
237	Cardinal Sarah Breaks His Silence	04/03/2019
236	Birth Rates, Immigration and Christianity	04/01/2019
235	Can a Pope Be Heretical? Bishop Athanasius Schneider Answers #TnT	03/29/2019
234	Against Catholic Distributism w Dr Jay Richards and #TnT	03/27/2019
233	Why Did Pope Francis Refuse Kissing of His Ring? [Podcast]	03/26/2019
232	What’s the Catholic View on ILLEGAL Immigration? from Aquinas and Catechism	03/25/2019
231	How to attend Traditional Latin Mass 101 (Step by Step)	03/22/2019
230	Cardinal Danneels Legacy and Sankt Gallen Mafia	03/20/2019
229	Traditional Catholics Unite the Clans with Michael Matt	03/18/2019
228	Pope Francis Endorses the UN 2030 Agenda	03/15/2019
227	Saul Alinsky and Corruption of Catholic Campaign for Human Development	03/14/2019
226	Bishop Athanasius Schneider to Pope Francis: Does God Will Many Religions Part 2	03/11/2019
225	Papal Wish List for Pope Pius XIII: TnT Describe their Ideal Pope	03/8/2019
224	Does Amoris Laetitia by Pope Francis contain error?	03/6/2019
223	Who will be Pope after Pope Francis? Predictions by TnT	03/4/2019
222	Fast for Pope Francis: Make Lent Penitential Again!	03/2/2019
221	Pope Francis Bishop Zanchetta, Demise of Natacha Jaitt and Gustavo Vera	02/1/2019
220	TnT with NFL Catholic Kickers: Greg “the Leg” Zurlein and Harrison “Buttkicker” Butker	02/27/2019
219	Is Pope Francis Driving the Agenda? w John Henry Westin	02/25/2019
218	Michael Voris and Dr Taylor Marshall: Should Pope Francis Resign	02/24/2019
217	Pope Francis and the Dubia Brothers	02/22/2019
216	Mr McCarrick, Vigano, Pope Francis and Rome Summit	02/20/2019
215	Good Priests: How Do We Support Them?	02/18/2019
214	Pope Benedict’s Resignation	02/15/2019
213	Pope Benedict’s Resignation	02/13/2019
212	Pope Francis: Does God Will Many Religions? Cardinal Müller Responds	02/11/2019
211	Communion on Tongue vs. Hand	02/08/2019
210	Novus Ordo Mass Buzzwords	02/06/2019
209	Post-Vatican 2 Buzzwords: Pastoral, Dialogue	02/04/2019
208	Having Big Families: Taylor and Tim Talk with Wives	02/01/2019
207	Should Pro-Abort Catholic Politicians be Excommunicated?	01/28/2019
206	The War Over Covington and Catholicism	01/25/2019
205	Covington High Boys: Assault on Catholic Pro-Life Young Men	01/23/2019
204	Malachi Martin: Can We Trust Him (Plus Sedevacantism)	01/21/2019
203	The Rosary as the Weapon! with Fr Donald Calloway	01/18/2019
202	Was Pope John Paul I Murdered by Poisoning?	01/16/2019
201	Did Cardinal Wuerl Lie regarding McCarrick?	01/14/2019
200	Should Immoral Priests be Removed? with Fr John Hollowell and Dr Taylor Marshall	01/11/2019
199	Liturgical Abuse in the Novus Ordo Mass	01/09/2019
198	Third Secret of Fatima & Our Lady of Akita	01/07/2019
197	McCarrick, Pope Francis, St Gallen Mafia w James Grein	01/03/2019
196	2019 Catholic Goals for Battle with Dr Taylor Marshall	01/01/2019
195	2018 Catholic Year in Review w Taylor Marshall and Tim Gordon	12/28/2018
194	Michael Voris Interviewed by Dr Taylor Marshall	12/20/2018
193	Dr Marshall’s Top 11 Christmas Gifts for Men in 2018	12/18/2018
192	Why Do We Have Corrupt Cardinals?	12/14/2018
191	Why Did Pope Francis Change Doctrine On Death Penalty?	12/12/2018
190	10 Reasons to Attend Latin Mass	12/11/2018
189	Saint Nicholas Story: The Bishop against Bishops	12/06/2018
188	McCarrick’s Victim Speaks Out on McCarrick and St Gallen Mafia w James Grein	12/05/2018
187	Tolkien and Thomas Aquinas on Analogy of Being	12/03/2018
186	Dr Marshall on His Conversion, Latin Mass, and Pope Francis on Terry and Jesse Show	12/01/2018
185	JRR Tolkien and True Fairy Tales w Fr Longenecker and Dr Marshall	11/30/2018
184	Why Does Pope Francis Favor Cardinal Cupich?	11/28/2018
183	Why Every Catholic NEEDS Aristotle and Aquinas	11/26/2018
182	Red Pilled on Pope Francis with Patrick Coffin, Dr Taylor Marshall and Timothy Gordon	11/21/2018
181	Fr Mark Goring & Dr Taylor Marshall Discuss Catholic Crisis	11/19/2018
180	McCarrick Investigation Voted Down by Bishops	11/16/2018
179	Why Remain Catholic During the Abuse Scandals?	11/14/2018
178	Catholic Scandal: What Can We Laypeople Do?	11/12/2018
177	Why do Catholics Vote Democrat: Against “Catholic Socialism”	11/09/2018
176	Plague in the Priesthood: Vigano vs. Lavender Mafia	11/07/2018
175	Third Secret of Fatima: Who is the Bishop in White?	11/05/2018
174	Second Secret of Fatima: Did Pope Consecrate Russia?	11/02/2018
173	First Secret of Fatima: Does Hell Exist? (Fatima 1)	10/31/2018
172	Catholic Take on Dracula, Zombies, Frankenstein and Halloween	10/29/2018
171	Top 10 Tips for a Catholic Halloween (Joy and Taylor Talk)	10/26/2018
170	Pope Francis’s Agenda for Youth Synod 2018	10/24/2018
169	Vigano’s Third Letter: Response to Pope Francis and Cardinal Ouellet	10/21/2018
168	What is the Heresy of Modernism? w Dr Marshall and Fr Longenecker	10/19/2018
167	Why did Pope Francis Rescue Cardinal Wuerl?	10/17/2018
166	Can a Pope be Deposed?	10/12/2018
165	Vigano attacked by Cardinal Ouellet: Why?	10/10/2018
164	Did Jesus Descend into Hell? Proof from the Bible	10/08/2018
163	Is it OK to Criticize Pope Francis? VIGANO Part 2	10/05/2018
162	How did Thomas Aquinas Die: Neurosurgery and Brain Death	10/03/2018
161	Did Pope Francis Stop Cardinal Abuse Investigation? (Müller, Murphy-O’Connor, St Gallen)	09/28/2018
160	Pope Francis Church History & Papal Controversy w Fr Dwight Longenecker	09/26/2018
159	Pope Benedict and Freemason Infiltration of Catholic Church	09/21/2018
158	Ember Days: History and Theology of Fasting for Holy Priests	09/18/2018
157	Jordan Peterson’s Church of St Joachim of Fiore: Dr Peterson and Christianity	09/17/2018
156	Third Secret of Fatima and Smoke of Satan in the Catholic Church	09/13/2018
155	Defrocked, Laicized or Suspended: Defining our Catholic Terms	09/10/2018
154	St Gallen Mafia & Pope Francis: What is it? w Timothy Gordon	09/07/2018
153	Hunting & Christianity: What does the Bible Say? w Dr Bracy Hill and Dr Marshall	09/05/2018
152	Can Archbishop Vigano be Trusted? w Dr Taylor Marshall	09/03/2018
151	Why Won’t Pope Francis Respond to Viganò? Is the answer Peronism?	08/30/2018
150	Why did Pope Benedict Resign? McCarrick, Vigano and Vatican Bank Scandals Explained in Detail	08/28/2018
149	Eastern Catholics & Dormition of Mary	08/22/2018
148	McCarrick Scandal, Suffering Souls, and the problem of Fake Science	08/17/2018
147	Against the Catholic Mega-Diocese: Scandal and Subsidiarity	08/15/2018
146	American Catholic Kings? Freemasons & Catholic Integralism	08/15/2018
145	How to Walk the Camino de Santiago	08/08/2018
144	Did USA Founding Fathers Plagiarize Thomas Aquinas? with Timothy Gordon	07/30/2018
143	Shoveling Incense into the Cathedral’s Botafumeiro (Camino 7)	07/02/2018
142	Tears and Arrival in Santiago! (Camino 6)	07/01/2018
141	Monastery at Samos, Spain (Camino 5)	06/30/2018
140	Eucharistic Miracle at O Cebreiro in Spain (Camino 4)	06/29/2018
139	Embarrassing Fall at the Iron Cross (Camino 3)	06/19/2018
138	The Angry Jousting Pilgrim of 1434 (Camino 2)	06/11/2018
137	Beginning Camino of St James and Various Routes (Camino 1)	06/02/2018
136	Why Tongues of Fire on Pentecost and How to Refute Mormons Easily	05/25/2018
135	Journey to Dominican Priesthood: Brother Bradley Elliott interviewed by Dr Taylor Marshall	04/18/2018
134	Saint Veronica in 9 Points: Was She Berenike?	04/04/2018
133	Saint Joseph in 9 Points Podcast (Should You Bury His Statue?)	03/19/2018
132	St Patrick in 9 Bullet Points and the “Two Patrick Theory”	03/17/2018
131	Thomas Aquinas on Catholic Priesthood Interview with Fr Christopher Pietraszko	03/16/2018
130	How do we get to Heaven? Wrong Answers for Catholics	03/08/2018
129	Aquinas Why Fish and No Meat in Lent PLUS the Demonic Incubus and Sucubus!	02/28/2018
128	Is there now a Matrimony Heresy?	02/21/2018
Your Guardian Angel is Not a Pet (Replay Link)	10/02/2017
127	Is the Eucharist Symbolic: 4 Medieval Heretics on the Eucharist before the Reformation	08/30/2017
126	Why do Catholics “Worship” Statues and Icons: The Iconoclastic Heresy and the Council of Nicea II in AD 787	08/23/2017
125	Does Christ have 1 or 2 Natures? Heretic Eutyches and the Monophysite Heresy?	08/16/2017
124	Heretic Nestorius: Is Mary Mother of God? Are there 2 Christs?	05/25/2017
123	Heretic Arius and Deity of Christ (PLUS his death on toilet)	04/03/2017
122	Heretic Valentinius Explained	03/10/2017
121	Your Virtue of Temperance (and Aquinas on Women Looking Sexy)	02/09/2017
120	Your Virtue of Fortitude with Aquinas (Virtues Part 4)	01/05/2017
119	Your Virtue of Justice with Aquinas (Virtues Part 2)	10/27/2016
118	Your Virtue of Prudence with Aquinas (Virtues Part 2)	10/21/2016
117	Fr Donald Calloway: Champions of the Rosary	10/05/2016
115	Intro to Four Cardinal Virtues (Virtues Part 1))	09/28/2016
116	When Evangelicals Convert Catholics…Why?	09/23/2016
114	Your Focus Changes Your Feelings	09/07/2016
113	Did The Holy Spirit Appear As A Real Dove? And Saint Raymond Nonnatus	08/31/2016
112	Reflections on Pilgrimage to Rome	07/13/2016
111	10 Tips for Visiting Rome	06/08/2016
110	The Humility of Mary	06/02/2016
109	Is Catholicism a Religion or Relationship with Christ?	05/25/2016
108	Early Female Mystics and Martyrs: Perpetua and Felicity	05/18/2016
107	The Word “Catholic” in the Early Church	04/07/2016
106	Can Christians Kill People? Answers from Thomas Aquinas	03/23/2016
105	Our Pilgrim Interviews on Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/24/2016
104	Reflections on Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/17/2016
103	Happiness Is A Skill	02/11/2016
102	Taylor’s New Podcast for Christian Men: Maccabee Society	02/03/2016
101	Jewish Priests and Catholic Priests	01/21/2016
100	Is Star Wars Christian or Anti-Christian?	01/06/2016
99	Should Catholics Share the Gospel with Jewish Friends	12/16/2015
98	Was Muhammad Evil?	11/18/2015
97	Revelation Ch. 22 Tree of Life and Holy Water (Catholic Apocalypse Part 16)	11/10/2015
96	Revelation Ch. 21 Heaven as a Cube and the New Jerusalem (Catholic Apocalypse Part 15)	11/04/2015
95	Taylor’s Thoughts on Being Father of a Large Family	10/28/2015
94	On the Indissolubility of Marriage and the Synod on the Family	10/21/2015
93	Revelation Ch. 20 The Millennium in Catholic Tradition (Catholic Apocalypse Part 14)	10/15/2015
92	Revelation Ch.19 Eucharist as Apocalypse (Catholic Apocalypse Part 13)	10/07/2015
91	Revelation Ch. 18 Fallen is Babylon the Great (Catholic Apocalypse Part 12)	09/30/2015
90	Revelation Ch. 17 The Whore of Babylon and Her Beast (Catholic Apocalypse Part 11)	09/23/2015
89	Do Babies Know the Existence of God (Plus the Harrowing of Hell and Sedevacantists)	09/09/2015
88	Revelation Chs. 15-16 7 Chalices of Wrath (Catholic Apocalypse Part 10)	09/02/2015
87	Revelation Ch. 14 Lamb on the Mountain with 6 Angels against Babylon (Catholic Apocalypse Part 9)	08/26/2015
86	Taylor’s Conversion Story to Catholicism – Interview with Matthew Leonard	08/19/2015
85	Revelation Ch. 13 The Sea Beast and the Land Beast and the Mark of the Beast (Catholic Apocalypse Part 8)	08/13/2015
84	Revelation Ch. 12 – Our Lady of the Apocalypse (Catholic Apocalypse Part 7)	07/29/2015
83	Revelation Chs. 10-11 The Giant Angel and Two Witnesses (Catholic Apocalypse Part 6)	07/15/2015
82	Revelation Chs. 8-9 Seven Trumpets against Jerusalem (Catholic Apocalypse Part 5)	07/09/2015
81	Revelation Chs. 6-7 Four Horseman and Seven Seals (Catholic Apocalypse Part 4)	07/02/2015
80	Taylor’s Catholic Thoughts on Same Sex Marriage	06/30/2015
79	Revelation Chs. 4-5 The Lamb and Liturgy of God (Catholic Apocalypse Part 3)	06/17/2015
78	Is the Relic of True Cross Real? [Mini-Podcast]	06/16/2015
77	Revelation Chs. 2-3 Seven Churches and Seven Ages of Salvation (Catholic Apocalypse Part 2)	06/10/2015
76	Revelation Ch. 1 Apparition of Fiery Christ (Catholic Apocalypse Part 1)	06/03/2015
75	Trinity Sunday, Liturgy, Thomas Becket and Anglican Use Thoughts (Special Edition)	05/29/2015
74	Tongues of Fire in Acts, 1 Enoch, and Pre-Vatican Liturgy [Mini Podcast]	05/27/2015
73	Advice on Being a Man	05/22/2015
72	What was the Priestly Status of Mary? Was she a Levite? [Mini Podcast]	05/16/2015
71	The Theology of Cooking Food	05/14/2015
70	3 Steps to Overcoming Anxiety and Stress	05/06/2015
69	How to Read the Summa in One Year	04/22/2015
68	St Paul on Faith and Works Catholic vs Protestant Debate	03/25/2015
67	How Your Fears Are Hurting You Spiritually?	03/18/2015
66	What is 666 and the Mark of the Beast?	03/04/2015
65	40 Days of Joy	02/26/2015
64	Why did God make you? Luke 19 Gives the Answer	02/11/2015
63	Is Being A Christian Hard or Easy?	01/21/2015
62	Catholic View of the End Times and Tribulation	01/14/2015
61	When Other People Really Hurt You	01/07/2015
60	Is Saint George Still a Saint?	01/01/2015
59	Revolution in Catholic Education – Jennifer Fulwiler Interviews Taylor Marshall	12/31/2014
58	The Hidden Theology in Sword and Serpent with St George and Sabra	12/11/2014
57	Advent Total Consecration to Mary	11/13/2014
56	Top 5 Advent Devotions	11/07/2014
55	Why Do We Baptize Babies? The Covenantal Argument	10/22/2014
54	Is God Male or Female – The Catholic Teaching	10/08/2014
53	Lucifer vs. Saint Michael	10/01/2014
52	1 Year Anniversary Special Edition: Essentialism What is the Essence of Your Life?	09/24/2014
51	The Price of Your Anger	09/17/2014
50	The Seven Sorrows of Mary are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit	09/15/2014
49	6 Obstacles in Your Life (How to Conquer Them)	09/10/2014
48	Brain Science, Your Soul & Prayer	09/03/2014
47	Don’t Swallow the Camel	08/27/2014
46	The Secret Life of Thomas Aquinas	08/22/2014
45	Did Saint Paul Teach Once Saved Always Saved?	08/06/2014
44	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 2	07/30/2014
43	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 1	07/24/2014
42	Golf Cart Saints	07/15/2014
41	5 Intellectual Virtues and Pornography, Art, and Culture	07/02/2014
40	Taylor and Joy Talk About Their Marriage	06/25/2014
39	How Was the Bible Assembled? (plus Joy joins me)	06/18/2014
38	Should You Budget Time (or Money)?	06/04/2014
37	The Theology of Vacation, Leisure, and Recreation	05/28/2014
36	Noah Movie Review – Rock Monsters?	05/21/2014
35	Children Need Fortitude	05/14/2014
34	Jokes of Saint John XXIII	05/07/2014
33	Divine Mercy: 5 Common Questions	04/30/2014
32	4 Sections of Hell	04/23/2014
31	Meet the Saint Version of You	04/16/2014
30	Should You Be an Optimist?	04/09/2014
29	Finding Fellowship like Samwise Gamgee	04/01/2014
28	Demons, Snakes, and Ticks: Lessons from a Hunting Trip	03/26/2014
27	How to Make an Eternal Impact with Your Life	03/19/2014
26	Thoughts on My Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/26/2014
25	Why is the Catholic Church Roman?	02/19/2014
24	The Seven Lies We Believe About Our Failures	02/11/2014
23	How to Restart Your Mental Computer	02/06/2014
22	Top Five Productivity Tips from Thomas Aquinas	01/29/2014
21	Did You Miss God’s Plan for Your Life?	01/23/2014
20	When Prayer Becomes a Chore	01/15/2014
19	12 Attributes of a Baptized Christian	01/08/2014
18	A Podcast Against Bitter Catholics!	12/30/2013
17	Mary’s Painless Delivery of Christ Explained	12/18/2013
16	Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Luke (Plus How to Set Goals)	12/11/2013
15	Total Consecration to Mary	12/04/2013
14	What’s Your Apostolate?	11/27/2013
13	6 Items for the Liturgy of Your Life	11/20/2013
12	Why You Should Be More Creative	11/13/2013
11	Why Did They Stop Teaching Virtue?	11/06/2013
10	How Do Saints Hear Our Prayers?	10/30/2013
9	My Opinion of Martin Luther	10/23/2013
8	My Top 5 Daily Prayers	10/16/2013
7	Your Guardian Angel	10/03/2013
6	How You Can Convert 7 Billion People	09/25/2013
5	3 Strategies for a Marriage that Sings!	09/18/2013
4	4 Step Plan When Family Leave the Faith	09/12/2013
3	5 Tools for Deep Daily Prayer Life	09/04/2013
2	Three Tips to Increase Your Passion for Life	08/28/2013
1	How to Find a Spiritual Director	08/18/2013

The post 268: Demons Discuss 1970s Catholicism: Exorcism of (Emily Rose) Anneliese Michel in 1976 [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

267: Cardinal Tagle on Traitors, Bernadin and McCarrick PLUS Why Sunday Obligation

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 19:04:07 +0000

#TnT give commentary on Catholic High Schools losing the name “Catholic” and the even more recent news on the abusive and predator behavior by Cardinal Bernadin and McCarrick together. They also discuss why it is a mortal sin to skip Sunday Mass obligation.

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First Interview: FoxNews Radio Show: Dr. Taylor Marshall Researches the Spiritual Roots of the Clergy Sex Abuse Crisis and More

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#	Title	Released
262	Are Catholics Warriors? The Rosary (and Latin Mass) as Weapon with Fr Richard Heilman	06/14/2019
261	Archbishop Vigano Interview AND Cd. Burke & Bp. Schneider Issue 40 Points	06/12/2019
260	Biblical Theology of the Rain Bow	06/10/2019
259	Vigano is for Victory! New Docs on Pope Francis and McCarrick	06/07/2019
258	Infiltration Interview by Sam Guzman of Catholic Gentleman w Dr Taylor Marshall	06/05/2019
257	Truth About Infiltration of Catholic Church: Faith Goldy interviews Dr Taylor Marshall	06/03/2019
256	Infiltration: Pope Francis Rewound 150 Years – Alta Vendita and La Salette	05/31/2019
255	Abby Johnson on Pro Life State Bans w Dr Taylor Marshall Tim Gordon Fr Dave Nix	05/29/2019
254	Taylor Marshall Meets Pope Francis (Plus Cardinal Burke on Patriotism and Natural Law)	05/24/2019
253	Pope Francis on Women Deaconesses: Can Women be Ordained? Amazon Synod	05/13/2019
252	Pope Francis Changes Rule on Abuse and Talks Globalist Supra-Nationalist Bodies	05/11/2019
251	Did They Rig The Election Of Pope Francis (plus Chile refusal of Communion on tongue)	05/8/2019
250	Pope Francis: Evangelization over Doctrine – Cart before the Horse?	05/6/2019
249	Pope Francis Accused of 7 Counts of Heresy by 19 Scholars	05/2/2019
248	Why Do Secularists and Mohammedans Unite?	04/30/2019
247	Is Easter Pagan? Pagan Astarte or the Lord Jesus Christ?	04/25/2019
246	Easter Worshippers or Easter Martyrs?	04/24/2019
245	Pope Benedict Speaks REVISITED with Comments by Cardinal Müller	04/23/2019
244	What is the Historical Date of Good Friday? Was AD 30 or AD 33?	04/19/2019
243	Catholic France in the End Times, Great French Monarch and Our Lady of La Salette	04/17/2019
242	Why Do Traditional Catholic Men Fight? with Fr Dave Nix and Dr Marshall	04/16/2019
241	Pope Benedict XVI Speaks: I am no longer directly responsible	04/12/2019
240	Did Popes Favor the United States? with Charles Coulombe	04/10/2019
239	Why do Catholics Veil Images on Passion Sunday (5th Sunday) of Lent?	04/08/2019
238	Natural Law and Catholic Republic #TnT	04/05/2019
237	Cardinal Sarah Breaks His Silence	04/03/2019
236	Birth Rates, Immigration and Christianity	04/01/2019
235	Can a Pope Be Heretical? Bishop Athanasius Schneider Answers #TnT	03/29/2019
234	Against Catholic Distributism w Dr Jay Richards and #TnT	03/27/2019
233	Why Did Pope Francis Refuse Kissing of His Ring? [Podcast]	03/26/2019
232	What’s the Catholic View on ILLEGAL Immigration? from Aquinas and Catechism	03/25/2019
231	How to attend Traditional Latin Mass 101 (Step by Step)	03/22/2019
230	Cardinal Danneels Legacy and Sankt Gallen Mafia	03/20/2019
229	Traditional Catholics Unite the Clans with Michael Matt	03/18/2019
228	Pope Francis Endorses the UN 2030 Agenda	03/15/2019
227	Saul Alinsky and Corruption of Catholic Campaign for Human Development	03/14/2019
226	Bishop Athanasius Schneider to Pope Francis: Does God Will Many Religions Part 2	03/11/2019
225	Papal Wish List for Pope Pius XIII: TnT Describe their Ideal Pope	03/8/2019
224	Does Amoris Laetitia by Pope Francis contain error?	03/6/2019
223	Who will be Pope after Pope Francis? Predictions by TnT	03/4/2019
222	Fast for Pope Francis: Make Lent Penitential Again!	03/2/2019
221	Pope Francis Bishop Zanchetta, Demise of Natacha Jaitt and Gustavo Vera	02/1/2019
220	TnT with NFL Catholic Kickers: Greg “the Leg” Zurlein and Harrison “Buttkicker” Butker	02/27/2019
219	Is Pope Francis Driving the Agenda? w John Henry Westin	02/25/2019
218	Michael Voris and Dr Taylor Marshall: Should Pope Francis Resign	02/24/2019
217	Pope Francis and the Dubia Brothers	02/22/2019
216	Mr McCarrick, Vigano, Pope Francis and Rome Summit	02/20/2019
215	Good Priests: How Do We Support Them?	02/18/2019
214	Pope Benedict’s Resignation	02/15/2019
213	Pope Benedict’s Resignation	02/13/2019
212	Pope Francis: Does God Will Many Religions? Cardinal Müller Responds	02/11/2019
211	Communion on Tongue vs. Hand	02/08/2019
210	Novus Ordo Mass Buzzwords	02/06/2019
209	Post-Vatican 2 Buzzwords: Pastoral, Dialogue	02/04/2019
208	Having Big Families: Taylor and Tim Talk with Wives	02/01/2019
207	Should Pro-Abort Catholic Politicians be Excommunicated?	01/28/2019
206	The War Over Covington and Catholicism	01/25/2019
205	Covington High Boys: Assault on Catholic Pro-Life Young Men	01/23/2019
204	Malachi Martin: Can We Trust Him (Plus Sedevacantism)	01/21/2019
203	The Rosary as the Weapon! with Fr Donald Calloway	01/18/2019
202	Was Pope John Paul I Murdered by Poisoning?	01/16/2019
201	Did Cardinal Wuerl Lie regarding McCarrick?	01/14/2019
200	Should Immoral Priests be Removed? with Fr John Hollowell and Dr Taylor Marshall	01/11/2019
199	Liturgical Abuse in the Novus Ordo Mass	01/09/2019
198	Third Secret of Fatima & Our Lady of Akita	01/07/2019
197	McCarrick, Pope Francis, St Gallen Mafia w James Grein	01/03/2019
196	2019 Catholic Goals for Battle with Dr Taylor Marshall	01/01/2019
195	2018 Catholic Year in Review w Taylor Marshall and Tim Gordon	12/28/2018
194	Michael Voris Interviewed by Dr Taylor Marshall	12/20/2018
193	Dr Marshall’s Top 11 Christmas Gifts for Men in 2018	12/18/2018
192	Why Do We Have Corrupt Cardinals?	12/14/2018
191	Why Did Pope Francis Change Doctrine On Death Penalty?	12/12/2018
190	10 Reasons to Attend Latin Mass	12/11/2018
189	Saint Nicholas Story: The Bishop against Bishops	12/06/2018
188	McCarrick’s Victim Speaks Out on McCarrick and St Gallen Mafia w James Grein	12/05/2018
187	Tolkien and Thomas Aquinas on Analogy of Being	12/03/2018
186	Dr Marshall on His Conversion, Latin Mass, and Pope Francis on Terry and Jesse Show	12/01/2018
185	JRR Tolkien and True Fairy Tales w Fr Longenecker and Dr Marshall	11/30/2018
184	Why Does Pope Francis Favor Cardinal Cupich?	11/28/2018
183	Why Every Catholic NEEDS Aristotle and Aquinas	11/26/2018
182	Red Pilled on Pope Francis with Patrick Coffin, Dr Taylor Marshall and Timothy Gordon	11/21/2018
181	Fr Mark Goring & Dr Taylor Marshall Discuss Catholic Crisis	11/19/2018
180	McCarrick Investigation Voted Down by Bishops	11/16/2018
179	Why Remain Catholic During the Abuse Scandals?	11/14/2018
178	Catholic Scandal: What Can We Laypeople Do?	11/12/2018
177	Why do Catholics Vote Democrat: Against “Catholic Socialism”	11/09/2018
176	Plague in the Priesthood: Vigano vs. Lavender Mafia	11/07/2018
175	Third Secret of Fatima: Who is the Bishop in White?	11/05/2018
174	Second Secret of Fatima: Did Pope Consecrate Russia?	11/02/2018
173	First Secret of Fatima: Does Hell Exist? (Fatima 1)	10/31/2018
172	Catholic Take on Dracula, Zombies, Frankenstein and Halloween	10/29/2018
171	Top 10 Tips for a Catholic Halloween (Joy and Taylor Talk)	10/26/2018
170	Pope Francis’s Agenda for Youth Synod 2018	10/24/2018
169	Vigano’s Third Letter: Response to Pope Francis and Cardinal Ouellet	10/21/2018
168	What is the Heresy of Modernism? w Dr Marshall and Fr Longenecker	10/19/2018
167	Why did Pope Francis Rescue Cardinal Wuerl?	10/17/2018
166	Can a Pope be Deposed?	10/12/2018
165	Vigano attacked by Cardinal Ouellet: Why?	10/10/2018
164	Did Jesus Descend into Hell? Proof from the Bible	10/08/2018
163	Is it OK to Criticize Pope Francis? VIGANO Part 2	10/05/2018
162	How did Thomas Aquinas Die: Neurosurgery and Brain Death	10/03/2018
161	Did Pope Francis Stop Cardinal Abuse Investigation? (Müller, Murphy-O’Connor, St Gallen)	09/28/2018
160	Pope Francis Church History & Papal Controversy w Fr Dwight Longenecker	09/26/2018
159	Pope Benedict and Freemason Infiltration of Catholic Church	09/21/2018
158	Ember Days: History and Theology of Fasting for Holy Priests	09/18/2018
157	Jordan Peterson’s Church of St Joachim of Fiore: Dr Peterson and Christianity	09/17/2018
156	Third Secret of Fatima and Smoke of Satan in the Catholic Church	09/13/2018
155	Defrocked, Laicized or Suspended: Defining our Catholic Terms	09/10/2018
154	St Gallen Mafia & Pope Francis: What is it? w Timothy Gordon	09/07/2018
153	Hunting & Christianity: What does the Bible Say? w Dr Bracy Hill and Dr Marshall	09/05/2018
152	Can Archbishop Vigano be Trusted? w Dr Taylor Marshall	09/03/2018
151	Why Won’t Pope Francis Respond to Viganò? Is the answer Peronism?	08/30/2018
150	Why did Pope Benedict Resign? McCarrick, Vigano and Vatican Bank Scandals Explained in Detail	08/28/2018
149	Eastern Catholics & Dormition of Mary	08/22/2018
148	McCarrick Scandal, Suffering Souls, and the problem of Fake Science	08/17/2018
147	Against the Catholic Mega-Diocese: Scandal and Subsidiarity	08/15/2018
146	American Catholic Kings? Freemasons & Catholic Integralism	08/15/2018
145	How to Walk the Camino de Santiago	08/08/2018
144	Did USA Founding Fathers Plagiarize Thomas Aquinas? with Timothy Gordon	07/30/2018
143	Shoveling Incense into the Cathedral’s Botafumeiro (Camino 7)	07/02/2018
142	Tears and Arrival in Santiago! (Camino 6)	07/01/2018
141	Monastery at Samos, Spain (Camino 5)	06/30/2018
140	Eucharistic Miracle at O Cebreiro in Spain (Camino 4)	06/29/2018
139	Embarrassing Fall at the Iron Cross (Camino 3)	06/19/2018
138	The Angry Jousting Pilgrim of 1434 (Camino 2)	06/11/2018
137	Beginning Camino of St James and Various Routes (Camino 1)	06/02/2018
136	Why Tongues of Fire on Pentecost and How to Refute Mormons Easily	05/25/2018
135	Journey to Dominican Priesthood: Brother Bradley Elliott interviewed by Dr Taylor Marshall	04/18/2018
134	Saint Veronica in 9 Points: Was She Berenike?	04/04/2018
133	Saint Joseph in 9 Points Podcast (Should You Bury His Statue?)	03/19/2018
132	St Patrick in 9 Bullet Points and the “Two Patrick Theory”	03/17/2018
131	Thomas Aquinas on Catholic Priesthood Interview with Fr Christopher Pietraszko	03/16/2018
130	How do we get to Heaven? Wrong Answers for Catholics	03/08/2018
129	Aquinas Why Fish and No Meat in Lent PLUS the Demonic Incubus and Sucubus!	02/28/2018
128	Is there now a Matrimony Heresy?	02/21/2018
Your Guardian Angel is Not a Pet (Replay Link)	10/02/2017
127	Is the Eucharist Symbolic: 4 Medieval Heretics on the Eucharist before the Reformation	08/30/2017
126	Why do Catholics “Worship” Statues and Icons: The Iconoclastic Heresy and the Council of Nicea II in AD 787	08/23/2017
125	Does Christ have 1 or 2 Natures? Heretic Eutyches and the Monophysite Heresy?	08/16/2017
124	Heretic Nestorius: Is Mary Mother of God? Are there 2 Christs?	05/25/2017
123	Heretic Arius and Deity of Christ (PLUS his death on toilet)	04/03/2017
122	Heretic Valentinius Explained	03/10/2017
121	Your Virtue of Temperance (and Aquinas on Women Looking Sexy)	02/09/2017
120	Your Virtue of Fortitude with Aquinas (Virtues Part 4)	01/05/2017
119	Your Virtue of Justice with Aquinas (Virtues Part 2)	10/27/2016
118	Your Virtue of Prudence with Aquinas (Virtues Part 2)	10/21/2016
117	Fr Donald Calloway: Champions of the Rosary	10/05/2016
115	Intro to Four Cardinal Virtues (Virtues Part 1))	09/28/2016
116	When Evangelicals Convert Catholics…Why?	09/23/2016
114	Your Focus Changes Your Feelings	09/07/2016
113	Did The Holy Spirit Appear As A Real Dove? And Saint Raymond Nonnatus	08/31/2016
112	Reflections on Pilgrimage to Rome	07/13/2016
111	10 Tips for Visiting Rome	06/08/2016
110	The Humility of Mary	06/02/2016
109	Is Catholicism a Religion or Relationship with Christ?	05/25/2016
108	Early Female Mystics and Martyrs: Perpetua and Felicity	05/18/2016
107	The Word “Catholic” in the Early Church	04/07/2016
106	Can Christians Kill People? Answers from Thomas Aquinas	03/23/2016
105	Our Pilgrim Interviews on Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/24/2016
104	Reflections on Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/17/2016
103	Happiness Is A Skill	02/11/2016
102	Taylor’s New Podcast for Christian Men: Maccabee Society	02/03/2016
101	Jewish Priests and Catholic Priests	01/21/2016
100	Is Star Wars Christian or Anti-Christian?	01/06/2016
99	Should Catholics Share the Gospel with Jewish Friends	12/16/2015
98	Was Muhammad Evil?	11/18/2015
97	Revelation Ch. 22 Tree of Life and Holy Water (Catholic Apocalypse Part 16)	11/10/2015
96	Revelation Ch. 21 Heaven as a Cube and the New Jerusalem (Catholic Apocalypse Part 15)	11/04/2015
95	Taylor’s Thoughts on Being Father of a Large Family	10/28/2015
94	On the Indissolubility of Marriage and the Synod on the Family	10/21/2015
93	Revelation Ch. 20 The Millennium in Catholic Tradition (Catholic Apocalypse Part 14)	10/15/2015
92	Revelation Ch.19 Eucharist as Apocalypse (Catholic Apocalypse Part 13)	10/07/2015
91	Revelation Ch. 18 Fallen is Babylon the Great (Catholic Apocalypse Part 12)	09/30/2015
90	Revelation Ch. 17 The Whore of Babylon and Her Beast (Catholic Apocalypse Part 11)	09/23/2015
89	Do Babies Know the Existence of God (Plus the Harrowing of Hell and Sedevacantists)	09/09/2015
88	Revelation Chs. 15-16 7 Chalices of Wrath (Catholic Apocalypse Part 10)	09/02/2015
87	Revelation Ch. 14 Lamb on the Mountain with 6 Angels against Babylon (Catholic Apocalypse Part 9)	08/26/2015
86	Taylor’s Conversion Story to Catholicism – Interview with Matthew Leonard	08/19/2015
85	Revelation Ch. 13 The Sea Beast and the Land Beast and the Mark of the Beast (Catholic Apocalypse Part 8)	08/13/2015
84	Revelation Ch. 12 – Our Lady of the Apocalypse (Catholic Apocalypse Part 7)	07/29/2015
83	Revelation Chs. 10-11 The Giant Angel and Two Witnesses (Catholic Apocalypse Part 6)	07/15/2015
82	Revelation Chs. 8-9 Seven Trumpets against Jerusalem (Catholic Apocalypse Part 5)	07/09/2015
81	Revelation Chs. 6-7 Four Horseman and Seven Seals (Catholic Apocalypse Part 4)	07/02/2015
80	Taylor’s Catholic Thoughts on Same Sex Marriage	06/30/2015
79	Revelation Chs. 4-5 The Lamb and Liturgy of God (Catholic Apocalypse Part 3)	06/17/2015
78	Is the Relic of True Cross Real? [Mini-Podcast]	06/16/2015
77	Revelation Chs. 2-3 Seven Churches and Seven Ages of Salvation (Catholic Apocalypse Part 2)	06/10/2015
76	Revelation Ch. 1 Apparition of Fiery Christ (Catholic Apocalypse Part 1)	06/03/2015
75	Trinity Sunday, Liturgy, Thomas Becket and Anglican Use Thoughts (Special Edition)	05/29/2015
74	Tongues of Fire in Acts, 1 Enoch, and Pre-Vatican Liturgy [Mini Podcast]	05/27/2015
73	Advice on Being a Man	05/22/2015
72	What was the Priestly Status of Mary? Was she a Levite? [Mini Podcast]	05/16/2015
71	The Theology of Cooking Food	05/14/2015
70	3 Steps to Overcoming Anxiety and Stress	05/06/2015
69	How to Read the Summa in One Year	04/22/2015
68	St Paul on Faith and Works Catholic vs Protestant Debate	03/25/2015
67	How Your Fears Are Hurting You Spiritually?	03/18/2015
66	What is 666 and the Mark of the Beast?	03/04/2015
65	40 Days of Joy	02/26/2015
64	Why did God make you? Luke 19 Gives the Answer	02/11/2015
63	Is Being A Christian Hard or Easy?	01/21/2015
62	Catholic View of the End Times and Tribulation	01/14/2015
61	When Other People Really Hurt You	01/07/2015
60	Is Saint George Still a Saint?	01/01/2015
59	Revolution in Catholic Education – Jennifer Fulwiler Interviews Taylor Marshall	12/31/2014
58	The Hidden Theology in Sword and Serpent with St George and Sabra	12/11/2014
57	Advent Total Consecration to Mary	11/13/2014
56	Top 5 Advent Devotions	11/07/2014
55	Why Do We Baptize Babies? The Covenantal Argument	10/22/2014
54	Is God Male or Female – The Catholic Teaching	10/08/2014
53	Lucifer vs. Saint Michael	10/01/2014
52	1 Year Anniversary Special Edition: Essentialism What is the Essence of Your Life?	09/24/2014
51	The Price of Your Anger	09/17/2014
50	The Seven Sorrows of Mary are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit	09/15/2014
49	6 Obstacles in Your Life (How to Conquer Them)	09/10/2014
48	Brain Science, Your Soul & Prayer	09/03/2014
47	Don’t Swallow the Camel	08/27/2014
46	The Secret Life of Thomas Aquinas	08/22/2014
45	Did Saint Paul Teach Once Saved Always Saved?	08/06/2014
44	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 2	07/30/2014
43	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 1	07/24/2014
42	Golf Cart Saints	07/15/2014
41	5 Intellectual Virtues and Pornography, Art, and Culture	07/02/2014
40	Taylor and Joy Talk About Their Marriage	06/25/2014
39	How Was the Bible Assembled? (plus Joy joins me)	06/18/2014
38	Should You Budget Time (or Money)?	06/04/2014
37	The Theology of Vacation, Leisure, and Recreation	05/28/2014
36	Noah Movie Review – Rock Monsters?	05/21/2014
35	Children Need Fortitude	05/14/2014
34	Jokes of Saint John XXIII	05/07/2014
33	Divine Mercy: 5 Common Questions	04/30/2014
32	4 Sections of Hell	04/23/2014
31	Meet the Saint Version of You	04/16/2014
30	Should You Be an Optimist?	04/09/2014
29	Finding Fellowship like Samwise Gamgee	04/01/2014
28	Demons, Snakes, and Ticks: Lessons from a Hunting Trip	03/26/2014
27	How to Make an Eternal Impact with Your Life	03/19/2014
26	Thoughts on My Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/26/2014
25	Why is the Catholic Church Roman?	02/19/2014
24	The Seven Lies We Believe About Our Failures	02/11/2014
23	How to Restart Your Mental Computer	02/06/2014
22	Top Five Productivity Tips from Thomas Aquinas	01/29/2014
21	Did You Miss God’s Plan for Your Life?	01/23/2014
20	When Prayer Becomes a Chore	01/15/2014
19	12 Attributes of a Baptized Christian	01/08/2014
18	A Podcast Against Bitter Catholics!	12/30/2013
17	Mary’s Painless Delivery of Christ Explained	12/18/2013
16	Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Luke (Plus How to Set Goals)	12/11/2013
15	Total Consecration to Mary	12/04/2013
14	What’s Your Apostolate?	11/27/2013
13	6 Items for the Liturgy of Your Life	11/20/2013
12	Why You Should Be More Creative	11/13/2013
11	Why Did They Stop Teaching Virtue?	11/06/2013
10	How Do Saints Hear Our Prayers?	10/30/2013
9	My Opinion of Martin Luther	10/23/2013
8	My Top 5 Daily Prayers	10/16/2013
7	Your Guardian Angel	10/03/2013
6	How You Can Convert 7 Billion People	09/25/2013
5	3 Strategies for a Marriage that Sings!	09/18/2013
4	4 Step Plan When Family Leave the Faith	09/12/2013
3	5 Tools for Deep Daily Prayer Life	09/04/2013
2	Three Tips to Increase Your Passion for Life	08/28/2013
1	How to Find a Spiritual Director	08/18/2013

The post 267: Cardinal Tagle on Traitors, Bernadin and McCarrick PLUS Why Sunday Obligation appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

247: Is Easter Pagan? Pagan Astarte or the Lord Jesus Christ? [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 16:10:56 +0000

Is Easter Pagan? Catholicism or the pagan goddess Astarte. Dr. Taylor Marshall explains the historical origin of the Christian feast of the Resurrection, how it was calculated, how it relates to the Spring Equinox and how it became named “Easter” as relates to the pagan goddess Astarte, which also means “rise” and “east” and “Dayspring” and “spring equinox.”

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#	Title	Released
245	Pope Benedict Speaks REVISITED with Comments by Cardinal Müller	04/23/2019
244	What is the Historical Date of Good Friday? Was AD 30 or AD 33?	04/19/2019
243	Catholic France in the End Times, Great French Monarch and Our Lady of La Salette	04/17/2019
242	Why Do Traditional Catholic Men Fight? with Fr Dave Nix and Dr Marshall	04/16/2019
241	Pope Benedict XVI Speaks: I am no longer directly responsible	04/12/2019
240	Did Popes Favor the United States? with Charles Coulombe	04/10/2019
239	Why do Catholics Veil Images on Passion Sunday (5th Sunday) of Lent?	04/08/2019
238	Natural Law and Catholic Republic #TnT	04/05/2019
237	Cardinal Sarah Breaks His Silence	04/03/2019
236	Birth Rates, Immigration and Christianity	04/01/2019
235	Can a Pope Be Heretical? Bishop Athanasius Schneider Answers #TnT	03/29/2019
234	Against Catholic Distributism w Dr Jay Richards and #TnT	03/27/2019
233	Why Did Pope Francis Refuse Kissing of His Ring? [Podcast]	03/26/2019
232	What’s the Catholic View on ILLEGAL Immigration? from Aquinas and Catechism	03/25/2019
231	How to attend Traditional Latin Mass 101 (Step by Step)	03/22/2019
230	Cardinal Danneels Legacy and Sankt Gallen Mafia	03/20/2019
229	Traditional Catholics Unite the Clans with Michael Matt	03/18/2019
228	Pope Francis Endorses the UN 2030 Agenda	03/15/2019
227	Saul Alinsky and Corruption of Catholic Campaign for Human Development	03/14/2019
226	Bishop Athanasius Schneider to Pope Francis: Does God Will Many Religions Part 2	03/11/2019
225	Papal Wish List for Pope Pius XIII: TnT Describe their Ideal Pope	03/8/2019
224	Does Amoris Laetitia by Pope Francis contain error?	03/6/2019
223	Who will be Pope after Pope Francis? Predictions by TnT	03/4/2019
222	Fast for Pope Francis: Make Lent Penitential Again!	03/2/2019
221	Pope Francis Bishop Zanchetta, Demise of Natacha Jaitt and Gustavo Vera	02/1/2019
220	TnT with NFL Catholic Kickers: Greg “the Leg” Zurlein and Harrison “Buttkicker” Butker	02/27/2019
219	Is Pope Francis Driving the Agenda? w John Henry Westin	02/25/2019
218	Michael Voris and Dr Taylor Marshall: Should Pope Francis Resign	02/24/2019
217	Pope Francis and the Dubia Brothers	02/22/2019
216	Mr McCarrick, Vigano, Pope Francis and Rome Summit	02/20/2019
215	Good Priests: How Do We Support Them?	02/18/2019
214	Pope Benedict’s Resignation	02/15/2019
213	Pope Benedict’s Resignation	02/13/2019
212	Pope Francis: Does God Will Many Religions? Cardinal Müller Responds	02/11/2019
211	Communion on Tongue vs. Hand	02/08/2019
210	Novus Ordo Mass Buzzwords	02/06/2019
209	Post-Vatican 2 Buzzwords: Pastoral, Dialogue	02/04/2019
208	Having Big Families: Taylor and Tim Talk with Wives	02/01/2019
207	Should Pro-Abort Catholic Politicians be Excommunicated?	01/28/2019
206	The War Over Covington and Catholicism	01/25/2019
205	Covington High Boys: Assault on Catholic Pro-Life Young Men	01/23/2019
204	Malachi Martin: Can We Trust Him (Plus Sedevacantism)	01/21/2019
203	The Rosary as the Weapon! with Fr Donald Calloway	01/18/2019
202	Was Pope John Paul I Murdered by Poisoning?	01/16/2019
201	Did Cardinal Wuerl Lie regarding McCarrick?	01/14/2019
200	Should Immoral Priests be Removed? with Fr John Hollowell and Dr Taylor Marshall	01/11/2019
199	Liturgical Abuse in the Novus Ordo Mass	01/09/2019
198	Third Secret of Fatima & Our Lady of Akita	01/07/2019
197	McCarrick, Pope Francis, St Gallen Mafia w James Grein	01/03/2019
196	2019 Catholic Goals for Battle with Dr Taylor Marshall	01/01/2019
195	2018 Catholic Year in Review w Taylor Marshall and Tim Gordon	12/28/2018
194	Michael Voris Interviewed by Dr Taylor Marshall	12/20/2018
193	Dr Marshall’s Top 11 Christmas Gifts for Men in 2018	12/18/2018
192	Why Do We Have Corrupt Cardinals?	12/14/2018
191	Why Did Pope Francis Change Doctrine On Death Penalty?	12/12/2018
190	10 Reasons to Attend Latin Mass	12/11/2018
189	Saint Nicholas Story: The Bishop against Bishops	12/06/2018
188	McCarrick’s Victim Speaks Out on McCarrick and St Gallen Mafia w James Grein	12/05/2018
187	Tolkien and Thomas Aquinas on Analogy of Being	12/03/2018
186	Dr Marshall on His Conversion, Latin Mass, and Pope Francis on Terry and Jesse Show	12/01/2018
185	JRR Tolkien and True Fairy Tales w Fr Longenecker and Dr Marshall	11/30/2018
184	Why Does Pope Francis Favor Cardinal Cupich?	11/28/2018
183	Why Every Catholic NEEDS Aristotle and Aquinas	11/26/2018
182	Red Pilled on Pope Francis with Patrick Coffin, Dr Taylor Marshall and Timothy Gordon	11/21/2018
181	Fr Mark Goring & Dr Taylor Marshall Discuss Catholic Crisis	11/19/2018
180	McCarrick Investigation Voted Down by Bishops	11/16/2018
179	Why Remain Catholic During the Abuse Scandals?	11/14/2018
178	Catholic Scandal: What Can We Laypeople Do?	11/12/2018
177	Why do Catholics Vote Democrat: Against “Catholic Socialism”	11/09/2018
176	Plague in the Priesthood: Vigano vs. Lavender Mafia	11/07/2018
175	Third Secret of Fatima: Who is the Bishop in White?	11/05/2018
174	Second Secret of Fatima: Did Pope Consecrate Russia?	11/02/2018
173	First Secret of Fatima: Does Hell Exist? (Fatima 1)	10/31/2018
172	Catholic Take on Dracula, Zombies, Frankenstein and Halloween	10/29/2018
171	Top 10 Tips for a Catholic Halloween (Joy and Taylor Talk)	10/26/2018
170	Pope Francis’s Agenda for Youth Synod 2018	10/24/2018
169	Vigano’s Third Letter: Response to Pope Francis and Cardinal Ouellet	10/21/2018
168	What is the Heresy of Modernism? w Dr Marshall and Fr Longenecker	10/19/2018
167	Why did Pope Francis Rescue Cardinal Wuerl?	10/17/2018
166	Can a Pope be Deposed?	10/12/2018
165	Vigano attacked by Cardinal Ouellet: Why?	10/10/2018
164	Did Jesus Descend into Hell? Proof from the Bible	10/08/2018
163	Is it OK to Criticize Pope Francis? VIGANO Part 2	10/05/2018
162	How did Thomas Aquinas Die: Neurosurgery and Brain Death	10/03/2018
161	Did Pope Francis Stop Cardinal Abuse Investigation? (Müller, Murphy-O’Connor, St Gallen)	09/28/2018
160	Pope Francis Church History & Papal Controversy w Fr Dwight Longenecker	09/26/2018
159	Pope Benedict and Freemason Infiltration of Catholic Church	09/21/2018
158	Ember Days: History and Theology of Fasting for Holy Priests	09/18/2018
157	Jordan Peterson’s Church of St Joachim of Fiore: Dr Peterson and Christianity	09/17/2018
156	Third Secret of Fatima and Smoke of Satan in the Catholic Church	09/13/2018
155	Defrocked, Laicized or Suspended: Defining our Catholic Terms	09/10/2018
154	St Gallen Mafia & Pope Francis: What is it? w Timothy Gordon	09/07/2018
153	Hunting & Christianity: What does the Bible Say? w Dr Bracy Hill and Dr Marshall	09/05/2018
152	Can Archbishop Vigano be Trusted? w Dr Taylor Marshall	09/03/2018
151	Why Won’t Pope Francis Respond to Viganò? Is the answer Peronism?	08/30/2018
150	Why did Pope Benedict Resign? McCarrick, Vigano and Vatican Bank Scandals Explained in Detail	08/28/2018
149	Eastern Catholics & Dormition of Mary	08/22/2018
148	McCarrick Scandal, Suffering Souls, and the problem of Fake Science	08/17/2018
147	Against the Catholic Mega-Diocese: Scandal and Subsidiarity	08/15/2018
146	American Catholic Kings? Freemasons & Catholic Integralism	08/15/2018
145	How to Walk the Camino de Santiago	08/08/2018
144	Did USA Founding Fathers Plagiarize Thomas Aquinas? with Timothy Gordon	07/30/2018
143	Shoveling Incense into the Cathedral’s Botafumeiro (Camino 7)	07/02/2018
142	Tears and Arrival in Santiago! (Camino 6)	07/01/2018
141	Monastery at Samos, Spain (Camino 5)	06/30/2018
140	Eucharistic Miracle at O Cebreiro in Spain (Camino 4)	06/29/2018
139	Embarrassing Fall at the Iron Cross (Camino 3)	06/19/2018
138	The Angry Jousting Pilgrim of 1434 (Camino 2)	06/11/2018
137	Beginning Camino of St James and Various Routes (Camino 1)	06/02/2018
136	Why Tongues of Fire on Pentecost and How to Refute Mormons Easily	05/25/2018
135	Journey to Dominican Priesthood: Brother Bradley Elliott interviewed by Dr Taylor Marshall	04/18/2018
134	Saint Veronica in 9 Points: Was She Berenike?	04/04/2018
133	Saint Joseph in 9 Points Podcast (Should You Bury His Statue?)	03/19/2018
132	St Patrick in 9 Bullet Points and the “Two Patrick Theory”	03/17/2018
131	Thomas Aquinas on Catholic Priesthood Interview with Fr Christopher Pietraszko	03/16/2018
130	How do we get to Heaven? Wrong Answers for Catholics	03/08/2018
129	Aquinas Why Fish and No Meat in Lent PLUS the Demonic Incubus and Sucubus!	02/28/2018
128	Is there now a Matrimony Heresy?	02/21/2018
Your Guardian Angel is Not a Pet (Replay Link)	10/02/2017
127	Is the Eucharist Symbolic: 4 Medieval Heretics on the Eucharist before the Reformation	08/30/2017
126	Why do Catholics “Worship” Statues and Icons: The Iconoclastic Heresy and the Council of Nicea II in AD 787	08/23/2017
125	Does Christ have 1 or 2 Natures? Heretic Eutyches and the Monophysite Heresy?	08/16/2017
124	Heretic Nestorius: Is Mary Mother of God? Are there 2 Christs?	05/25/2017
123	Heretic Arius and Deity of Christ (PLUS his death on toilet)	04/03/2017
122	Heretic Valentinius Explained	03/10/2017
121	Your Virtue of Temperance (and Aquinas on Women Looking Sexy)	02/09/2017
120	Your Virtue of Fortitude with Aquinas (Virtues Part 4)	01/05/2017
119	Your Virtue of Justice with Aquinas (Virtues Part 2)	10/27/2016
118	Your Virtue of Prudence with Aquinas (Virtues Part 2)	10/21/2016
117	Fr Donald Calloway: Champions of the Rosary	10/05/2016
115	Intro to Four Cardinal Virtues (Virtues Part 1))	09/28/2016
116	When Evangelicals Convert Catholics…Why?	09/23/2016
114	Your Focus Changes Your Feelings	09/07/2016
113	Did The Holy Spirit Appear As A Real Dove? And Saint Raymond Nonnatus	08/31/2016
112	Reflections on Pilgrimage to Rome	07/13/2016
111	10 Tips for Visiting Rome	06/08/2016
110	The Humility of Mary	06/02/2016
109	Is Catholicism a Religion or Relationship with Christ?	05/25/2016
108	Early Female Mystics and Martyrs: Perpetua and Felicity	05/18/2016
107	The Word “Catholic” in the Early Church	04/07/2016
106	Can Christians Kill People? Answers from Thomas Aquinas	03/23/2016
105	Our Pilgrim Interviews on Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/24/2016
104	Reflections on Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/17/2016
103	Happiness Is A Skill	02/11/2016
102	Taylor’s New Podcast for Christian Men: Maccabee Society	02/03/2016
101	Jewish Priests and Catholic Priests	01/21/2016
100	Is Star Wars Christian or Anti-Christian?	01/06/2016
99	Should Catholics Share the Gospel with Jewish Friends	12/16/2015
98	Was Muhammad Evil?	11/18/2015
97	Revelation Ch. 22 Tree of Life and Holy Water (Catholic Apocalypse Part 16)	11/10/2015
96	Revelation Ch. 21 Heaven as a Cube and the New Jerusalem (Catholic Apocalypse Part 15)	11/04/2015
95	Taylor’s Thoughts on Being Father of a Large Family	10/28/2015
94	On the Indissolubility of Marriage and the Synod on the Family	10/21/2015
93	Revelation Ch. 20 The Millennium in Catholic Tradition (Catholic Apocalypse Part 14)	10/15/2015
92	Revelation Ch.19 Eucharist as Apocalypse (Catholic Apocalypse Part 13)	10/07/2015
91	Revelation Ch. 18 Fallen is Babylon the Great (Catholic Apocalypse Part 12)	09/30/2015
90	Revelation Ch. 17 The Whore of Babylon and Her Beast (Catholic Apocalypse Part 11)	09/23/2015
89	Do Babies Know the Existence of God (Plus the Harrowing of Hell and Sedevacantists)	09/09/2015
88	Revelation Chs. 15-16 7 Chalices of Wrath (Catholic Apocalypse Part 10)	09/02/2015
87	Revelation Ch. 14 Lamb on the Mountain with 6 Angels against Babylon (Catholic Apocalypse Part 9)	08/26/2015
86	Taylor’s Conversion Story to Catholicism – Interview with Matthew Leonard	08/19/2015
85	Revelation Ch. 13 The Sea Beast and the Land Beast and the Mark of the Beast (Catholic Apocalypse Part 8)	08/13/2015
84	Revelation Ch. 12 – Our Lady of the Apocalypse (Catholic Apocalypse Part 7)	07/29/2015
83	Revelation Chs. 10-11 The Giant Angel and Two Witnesses (Catholic Apocalypse Part 6)	07/15/2015
82	Revelation Chs. 8-9 Seven Trumpets against Jerusalem (Catholic Apocalypse Part 5)	07/09/2015
81	Revelation Chs. 6-7 Four Horseman and Seven Seals (Catholic Apocalypse Part 4)	07/02/2015
80	Taylor’s Catholic Thoughts on Same Sex Marriage	06/30/2015
79	Revelation Chs. 4-5 The Lamb and Liturgy of God (Catholic Apocalypse Part 3)	06/17/2015
78	Is the Relic of True Cross Real? [Mini-Podcast]	06/16/2015
77	Revelation Chs. 2-3 Seven Churches and Seven Ages of Salvation (Catholic Apocalypse Part 2)	06/10/2015
76	Revelation Ch. 1 Apparition of Fiery Christ (Catholic Apocalypse Part 1)	06/03/2015
75	Trinity Sunday, Liturgy, Thomas Becket and Anglican Use Thoughts (Special Edition)	05/29/2015
74	Tongues of Fire in Acts, 1 Enoch, and Pre-Vatican Liturgy [Mini Podcast]	05/27/2015
73	Advice on Being a Man	05/22/2015
72	What was the Priestly Status of Mary? Was she a Levite? [Mini Podcast]	05/16/2015
71	The Theology of Cooking Food	05/14/2015
70	3 Steps to Overcoming Anxiety and Stress	05/06/2015
69	How to Read the Summa in One Year	04/22/2015
68	St Paul on Faith and Works Catholic vs Protestant Debate	03/25/2015
67	How Your Fears Are Hurting You Spiritually?	03/18/2015
66	What is 666 and the Mark of the Beast?	03/04/2015
65	40 Days of Joy	02/26/2015
64	Why did God make you? Luke 19 Gives the Answer	02/11/2015
63	Is Being A Christian Hard or Easy?	01/21/2015
62	Catholic View of the End Times and Tribulation	01/14/2015
61	When Other People Really Hurt You	01/07/2015
60	Is Saint George Still a Saint?	01/01/2015
59	Revolution in Catholic Education – Jennifer Fulwiler Interviews Taylor Marshall	12/31/2014
58	The Hidden Theology in Sword and Serpent with St George and Sabra	12/11/2014
57	Advent Total Consecration to Mary	11/13/2014
56	Top 5 Advent Devotions	11/07/2014
55	Why Do We Baptize Babies? The Covenantal Argument	10/22/2014
54	Is God Male or Female – The Catholic Teaching	10/08/2014
53	Lucifer vs. Saint Michael	10/01/2014
52	1 Year Anniversary Special Edition: Essentialism What is the Essence of Your Life?	09/24/2014
51	The Price of Your Anger	09/17/2014
50	The Seven Sorrows of Mary are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit	09/15/2014
49	6 Obstacles in Your Life (How to Conquer Them)	09/10/2014
48	Brain Science, Your Soul & Prayer	09/03/2014
47	Don’t Swallow the Camel	08/27/2014
46	The Secret Life of Thomas Aquinas	08/22/2014
45	Did Saint Paul Teach Once Saved Always Saved?	08/06/2014
44	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 2	07/30/2014
43	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 1	07/24/2014
42	Golf Cart Saints	07/15/2014
41	5 Intellectual Virtues and Pornography, Art, and Culture	07/02/2014
40	Taylor and Joy Talk About Their Marriage	06/25/2014
39	How Was the Bible Assembled? (plus Joy joins me)	06/18/2014
38	Should You Budget Time (or Money)?	06/04/2014
37	The Theology of Vacation, Leisure, and Recreation	05/28/2014
36	Noah Movie Review – Rock Monsters?	05/21/2014
35	Children Need Fortitude	05/14/2014
34	Jokes of Saint John XXIII	05/07/2014
33	Divine Mercy: 5 Common Questions	04/30/2014
32	4 Sections of Hell	04/23/2014
31	Meet the Saint Version of You	04/16/2014
30	Should You Be an Optimist?	04/09/2014
29	Finding Fellowship like Samwise Gamgee	04/01/2014
28	Demons, Snakes, and Ticks: Lessons from a Hunting Trip	03/26/2014
27	How to Make an Eternal Impact with Your Life	03/19/2014
26	Thoughts on My Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/26/2014
25	Why is the Catholic Church Roman?	02/19/2014
24	The Seven Lies We Believe About Our Failures	02/11/2014
23	How to Restart Your Mental Computer	02/06/2014
22	Top Five Productivity Tips from Thomas Aquinas	01/29/2014
21	Did You Miss God’s Plan for Your Life?	01/23/2014
20	When Prayer Becomes a Chore	01/15/2014
19	12 Attributes of a Baptized Christian	01/08/2014
18	A Podcast Against Bitter Catholics!	12/30/2013
17	Mary’s Painless Delivery of Christ Explained	12/18/2013
16	Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Luke (Plus How to Set Goals)	12/11/2013
15	Total Consecration to Mary	12/04/2013
14	What’s Your Apostolate?	11/27/2013
13	6 Items for the Liturgy of Your Life	11/20/2013
12	Why You Should Be More Creative	11/13/2013
11	Why Did They Stop Teaching Virtue?	11/06/2013
10	How Do Saints Hear Our Prayers?	10/30/2013
9	My Opinion of Martin Luther	10/23/2013
8	My Top 5 Daily Prayers	10/16/2013
7	Your Guardian Angel	10/03/2013
6	How You Can Convert 7 Billion People	09/25/2013
5	3 Strategies for a Marriage that Sings!	09/18/2013
4	4 Step Plan When Family Leave the Faith	09/12/2013
3	5 Tools for Deep Daily Prayer Life	09/04/2013
2	Three Tips to Increase Your Passion for Life	08/28/2013
1	How to Find a Spiritual Director	08/18/2013

The post 247: Is Easter Pagan? Pagan Astarte or the Lord Jesus Christ? [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

222: Fast for Pope Francis: Make Lent Penitential Again! [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 16:54:09 +0000

There are is so much disappointment and confusion in the Catholic Church. Let us get serious about fasting and fast and pray for Pope Francis during Lent. Dr Taylor Marshall and Timothy Gordon (TnT) analyze the history of Lent before and after Vatican 2 and going back to medievals and Church Fathers. They also make recommendations and discuss the theology of penance and fasting.

“Unless you do penance, you shall likewise perish.” (Lk. 13:5)
“And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” (Mt 17:21)

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- The podcast is now on my channel on Youtube.com
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- Download the Study Guide at: http://swordandserpent.com
- New classes at New Saint Thomas Institute. We have just begun our New Testament Studies curriculum. Please visit: newsaintthomas.com for more details.

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Podcast Archive
#	Title	Released
220	TnT with NFL Catholic Kickers: Greg “the Leg” Zurlein and Harrison “Buttkicker” Butker	02/27/2019
219	Is Pope Francis Driving the Agenda? w John Henry Westin	02/25/2019
218	Michael Voris and Dr Taylor Marshall: Should Pope Francis Resign	02/24/2019
217	Pope Francis and the Dubia Brothers	02/22/2019
216	Mr McCarrick, Vigano, Pope Francis and Rome Summit	02/20/2019
215	Good Priests: How Do We Support Them?	02/18/2019
214	Pope Benedict’s Resignation	02/15/2019
213	Pope Benedict’s Resignation	02/13/2019
212	Pope Francis: Does God Will Many Religions? Cardinal Müller Responds	02/11/2019
211	Communion on Tongue vs. Hand	02/08/2019
210	Novus Ordo Mass Buzzwords	02/06/2019
209	Post-Vatican 2 Buzzwords: Pastoral, Dialogue	02/04/2019
208	Having Big Families: Taylor and Tim Talk with Wives	02/01/2019
207	Should Pro-Abort Catholic Politicians be Excommunicated?	01/28/2019
206	The War Over Covington and Catholicism	01/25/2019
205	Covington High Boys: Assault on Catholic Pro-Life Young Men	01/23/2019
204	Malachi Martin: Can We Trust Him (Plus Sedevacantism)	01/21/2019
203	The Rosary as the Weapon! with Fr Donald Calloway	01/18/2019
202	Was Pope John Paul I Murdered by Poisoning?	01/16/2019
201	Did Cardinal Wuerl Lie regarding McCarrick?	01/14/2019
200	Should Immoral Priests be Removed? with Fr John Hollowell and Dr Taylor Marshall	01/11/2019
199	Liturgical Abuse in the Novus Ordo Mass	01/09/2019
198	Third Secret of Fatima & Our Lady of Akita	01/07/2019
197	McCarrick, Pope Francis, St Gallen Mafia w James Grein	01/03/2019
196	2019 Catholic Goals for Battle with Dr Taylor Marshall	01/01/2019
195	2018 Catholic Year in Review w Taylor Marshall and Tim Gordon	12/28/2018
194	Michael Voris Interviewed by Dr Taylor Marshall	12/20/2018
193	Dr Marshall’s Top 11 Christmas Gifts for Men in 2018	12/18/2018
192	Why Do We Have Corrupt Cardinals?	12/14/2018
191	Why Did Pope Francis Change Doctrine On Death Penalty?	12/12/2018
190	10 Reasons to Attend Latin Mass	12/11/2018
189	Saint Nicholas Story: The Bishop against Bishops	12/06/2018
188	McCarrick’s Victim Speaks Out on McCarrick and St Gallen Mafia w James Grein	12/05/2018
187	Tolkien and Thomas Aquinas on Analogy of Being	12/03/2018
186	Dr Marshall on His Conversion, Latin Mass, and Pope Francis on Terry and Jesse Show	12/01/2018
185	JRR Tolkien and True Fairy Tales w Fr Longenecker and Dr Marshall	11/30/2018
184	Why Does Pope Francis Favor Cardinal Cupich?	11/28/2018
183	Why Every Catholic NEEDS Aristotle and Aquinas	11/26/2018
182	Red Pilled on Pope Francis with Patrick Coffin, Dr Taylor Marshall and Timothy Gordon	11/21/2018
181	Fr Mark Goring & Dr Taylor Marshall Discuss Catholic Crisis	11/19/2018
180	McCarrick Investigation Voted Down by Bishops	11/16/2018
179	Why Remain Catholic During the Abuse Scandals?	11/14/2018
178	Catholic Scandal: What Can We Laypeople Do?	11/12/2018
177	Why do Catholics Vote Democrat: Against “Catholic Socialism”	11/09/2018
176	Plague in the Priesthood: Vigano vs. Lavender Mafia	11/07/2018
175	Third Secret of Fatima: Who is the Bishop in White?	11/05/2018
174	Second Secret of Fatima: Did Pope Consecrate Russia?	11/02/2018
173	First Secret of Fatima: Does Hell Exist? (Fatima 1)	10/31/2018
172	Catholic Take on Dracula, Zombies, Frankenstein and Halloween	10/29/2018
171	Top 10 Tips for a Catholic Halloween (Joy and Taylor Talk)	10/26/2018
170	Pope Francis’s Agenda for Youth Synod 2018	10/24/2018
169	Vigano’s Third Letter: Response to Pope Francis and Cardinal Ouellet	10/21/2018
168	What is the Heresy of Modernism? w Dr Marshall and Fr Longenecker	10/19/2018
167	Why did Pope Francis Rescue Cardinal Wuerl?	10/17/2018
166	Can a Pope be Deposed?	10/12/2018
165	Vigano attacked by Cardinal Ouellet: Why?	10/10/2018
164	Did Jesus Descend into Hell? Proof from the Bible	10/08/2018
163	Is it OK to Criticize Pope Francis? VIGANO Part 2	10/05/2018
162	How did Thomas Aquinas Die: Neurosurgery and Brain Death	10/03/2018
161	Did Pope Francis Stop Cardinal Abuse Investigation? (Müller, Murphy-O’Connor, St Gallen)	09/28/2018
160	Pope Francis Church History & Papal Controversy w Fr Dwight Longenecker	09/26/2018
159	Pope Benedict and Freemason Infiltration of Catholic Church	09/21/2018
158	Ember Days: History and Theology of Fasting for Holy Priests	09/18/2018
157	Jordan Peterson’s Church of St Joachim of Fiore: Dr Peterson and Christianity	09/17/2018
156	Third Secret of Fatima and Smoke of Satan in the Catholic Church	09/13/2018
155	Defrocked, Laicized or Suspended: Defining our Catholic Terms	09/10/2018
154	St Gallen Mafia & Pope Francis: What is it? w Timothy Gordon	09/07/2018
153	Hunting & Christianity: What does the Bible Say? w Dr Bracy Hill and Dr Marshall	09/05/2018
152	Can Archbishop Vigano be Trusted? w Dr Taylor Marshall	09/03/2018
151	Why Won’t Pope Francis Respond to Viganò? Is the answer Peronism?	08/30/2018
150	Why did Pope Benedict Resign? McCarrick, Vigano and Vatican Bank Scandals Explained in Detail	08/28/2018
149	Eastern Catholics & Dormition of Mary	08/22/2018
148	McCarrick Scandal, Suffering Souls, and the problem of Fake Science	08/17/2018
147	Against the Catholic Mega-Diocese: Scandal and Subsidiarity	08/15/2018
146	American Catholic Kings? Freemasons & Catholic Integralism	08/15/2018
145	How to Walk the Camino de Santiago	08/08/2018
144	Did USA Founding Fathers Plagiarize Thomas Aquinas? with Timothy Gordon	07/30/2018
143	Shoveling Incense into the Cathedral’s Botafumeiro (Camino 7)	07/02/2018
142	Tears and Arrival in Santiago! (Camino 6)	07/01/2018
141	Monastery at Samos, Spain (Camino 5)	06/30/2018
140	Eucharistic Miracle at O Cebreiro in Spain (Camino 4)	06/29/2018
139	Embarrassing Fall at the Iron Cross (Camino 3)	06/19/2018
138	The Angry Jousting Pilgrim of 1434 (Camino 2)	06/11/2018
137	Beginning Camino of St James and Various Routes (Camino 1)	06/02/2018
136	Why Tongues of Fire on Pentecost and How to Refute Mormons Easily	05/25/2018
135	Journey to Dominican Priesthood: Brother Bradley Elliott interviewed by Dr Taylor Marshall	04/18/2018
134	Saint Veronica in 9 Points: Was She Berenike?	04/04/2018
133	Saint Joseph in 9 Points Podcast (Should You Bury His Statue?)	03/19/2018
132	St Patrick in 9 Bullet Points and the “Two Patrick Theory”	03/17/2018
131	Thomas Aquinas on Catholic Priesthood Interview with Fr Christopher Pietraszko	03/16/2018
130	How do we get to Heaven? Wrong Answers for Catholics	03/08/2018
129	Aquinas Why Fish and No Meat in Lent PLUS the Demonic Incubus and Sucubus!	02/28/2018
128	Is there now a Matrimony Heresy?	02/21/2018
	Your Guardian Angel is Not a Pet (Replay Link)	10/02/2017
127	Is the Eucharist Symbolic: 4 Medieval Heretics on the Eucharist before the Reformation	08/30/2017
126	Why do Catholics “Worship” Statues and Icons: The Iconoclastic Heresy and the Council of Nicea II in AD 787	08/23/2017
125	Does Christ have 1 or 2 Natures? Heretic Eutyches and the Monophysite Heresy?	08/16/2017
124	Heretic Nestorius: Is Mary Mother of God? Are there 2 Christs?	05/25/2017
123	Heretic Arius and Deity of Christ (PLUS his death on toilet)	04/03/2017
122	Heretic Valentinius Explained	03/10/2017
121	Your Virtue of Temperance (and Aquinas on Women Looking Sexy)	02/09/2017
120	Your Virtue of Fortitude with Aquinas (Virtues Part 4)	01/05/2017
119	Your Virtue of Justice with Aquinas (Virtues Part 2)	10/27/2016
118	Your Virtue of Prudence with Aquinas (Virtues Part 2)	10/21/2016
117	Fr Donald Calloway: Champions of the Rosary	10/05/2016
115	Intro to Four Cardinal Virtues (Virtues Part 1))	09/28/2016
116	When Evangelicals Convert Catholics…Why?	09/23/2016
114	Your Focus Changes Your Feelings	09/07/2016
113	Did The Holy Spirit Appear As A Real Dove? And Saint Raymond Nonnatus	08/31/2016
112	Reflections on Pilgrimage to Rome	07/13/2016
111	10 Tips for Visiting Rome	06/08/2016
110	The Humility of Mary	06/02/2016
109	Is Catholicism a Religion or Relationship with Christ?	05/25/2016
108	Early Female Mystics and Martyrs: Perpetua and Felicity	05/18/2016
107	The Word “Catholic” in the Early Church	04/07/2016
106	Can Christians Kill People? Answers from Thomas Aquinas	03/23/2016
105	Our Pilgrim Interviews on Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/24/2016
104	Reflections on Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/17/2016
103	Happiness Is A Skill	02/11/2016
102	Taylor’s New Podcast for Christian Men: Maccabee Society	02/03/2016
101	Jewish Priests and Catholic Priests	01/21/2016
100	Is Star Wars Christian or Anti-Christian?	01/06/2016
99	Should Catholics Share the Gospel with Jewish Friends	12/16/2015
98	Was Muhammad Evil?	11/18/2015
97	Revelation Ch. 22 Tree of Life and Holy Water (Catholic Apocalypse Part 16)	11/10/2015
96	Revelation Ch. 21 Heaven as a Cube and the New Jerusalem (Catholic Apocalypse Part 15)	11/04/2015
95	Taylor’s Thoughts on Being Father of a Large Family	10/28/2015
94	On the Indissolubility of Marriage and the Synod on the Family	10/21/2015
93	Revelation Ch. 20 The Millennium in Catholic Tradition (Catholic Apocalypse Part 14)	10/15/2015
92	Revelation Ch.19 Eucharist as Apocalypse (Catholic Apocalypse Part 13)	10/07/2015
91	Revelation Ch. 18 Fallen is Babylon the Great (Catholic Apocalypse Part 12)	09/30/2015
90	Revelation Ch. 17 The Whore of Babylon and Her Beast (Catholic Apocalypse Part 11)	09/23/2015
89	Do Babies Know the Existence of God (Plus the Harrowing of Hell and Sedevacantists)	09/09/2015
88	Revelation Chs. 15-16 7 Chalices of Wrath (Catholic Apocalypse Part 10)	09/02/2015
87	Revelation Ch. 14 Lamb on the Mountain with 6 Angels against Babylon (Catholic Apocalypse Part 9)	08/26/2015
86	Taylor’s Conversion Story to Catholicism – Interview with Matthew Leonard	08/19/2015
85	Revelation Ch. 13 The Sea Beast and the Land Beast and the Mark of the Beast (Catholic Apocalypse Part 8)	08/13/2015
84	Revelation Ch. 12 – Our Lady of the Apocalypse (Catholic Apocalypse Part 7)	07/29/2015
83	Revelation Chs. 10-11 The Giant Angel and Two Witnesses (Catholic Apocalypse Part 6)	07/15/2015
82	Revelation Chs. 8-9 Seven Trumpets against Jerusalem (Catholic Apocalypse Part 5)	07/09/2015
81	Revelation Chs. 6-7 Four Horseman and Seven Seals (Catholic Apocalypse Part 4)	07/02/2015
80	Taylor’s Catholic Thoughts on Same Sex Marriage	06/30/2015
79	Revelation Chs. 4-5 The Lamb and Liturgy of God (Catholic Apocalypse Part 3)	06/17/2015
78	Is the Relic of True Cross Real? [Mini-Podcast]	06/16/2015
77	Revelation Chs. 2-3 Seven Churches and Seven Ages of Salvation (Catholic Apocalypse Part 2)	06/10/2015
76	Revelation Ch. 1 Apparition of Fiery Christ (Catholic Apocalypse Part 1)	06/03/2015
75	Trinity Sunday, Liturgy, Thomas Becket and Anglican Use Thoughts (Special Edition)	05/29/2015
74	Tongues of Fire in Acts, 1 Enoch, and Pre-Vatican Liturgy [Mini Podcast]	05/27/2015
73	Advice on Being a Man	05/22/2015
72	What was the Priestly Status of Mary? Was she a Levite? [Mini Podcast]	05/16/2015
71	The Theology of Cooking Food	05/14/2015
70	3 Steps to Overcoming Anxiety and Stress	05/06/2015
69	How to Read the Summa in One Year	04/22/2015
68	St Paul on Faith and Works Catholic vs Protestant Debate	03/25/2015
67	How Your Fears Are Hurting You Spiritually?	03/18/2015
66	What is 666 and the Mark of the Beast?	03/04/2015
65	40 Days of Joy	02/26/2015
64	Why did God make you? Luke 19 Gives the Answer	02/11/2015
63	Is Being A Christian Hard or Easy?	01/21/2015
62	Catholic View of the End Times and Tribulation	01/14/2015
61	When Other People Really Hurt You	01/07/2015
60	Is Saint George Still a Saint?	01/01/2015
59	Revolution in Catholic Education – Jennifer Fulwiler Interviews Taylor Marshall	12/31/2014
58	The Hidden Theology in Sword and Serpent with St George and Sabra	12/11/2014
57	Advent Total Consecration to Mary	11/13/2014
56	Top 5 Advent Devotions	11/07/2014
55	Why Do We Baptize Babies? The Covenantal Argument	10/22/2014
54	Is God Male or Female – The Catholic Teaching	10/08/2014
53	Lucifer vs. Saint Michael	10/01/2014
52	1 Year Anniversary Special Edition: Essentialism What is the Essence of Your Life?	09/24/2014
51	The Price of Your Anger	09/17/2014
50	The Seven Sorrows of Mary are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit	09/15/2014
49	6 Obstacles in Your Life (How to Conquer Them)	09/10/2014
48	Brain Science, Your Soul & Prayer	09/03/2014
47	Don’t Swallow the Camel	08/27/2014
46	The Secret Life of Thomas Aquinas	08/22/2014
45	Did Saint Paul Teach Once Saved Always Saved?	08/06/2014
44	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 2	07/30/2014
43	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 1	07/24/2014
42	Golf Cart Saints	07/15/2014
41	5 Intellectual Virtues and Pornography, Art, and Culture	07/02/2014
40	Taylor and Joy Talk About Their Marriage	06/25/2014
39	How Was the Bible Assembled? (plus Joy joins me)	06/18/2014
38	Should You Budget Time (or Money)?	06/04/2014
37	The Theology of Vacation, Leisure, and Recreation	05/28/2014
36	Noah Movie Review – Rock Monsters?	05/21/2014
35	Children Need Fortitude	05/14/2014
34	Jokes of Saint John XXIII	05/07/2014
33	Divine Mercy: 5 Common Questions	04/30/2014
32	4 Sections of Hell	04/23/2014
31	Meet the Saint Version of You	04/16/2014
30	Should You Be an Optimist?	04/09/2014
29	Finding Fellowship like Samwise Gamgee	04/01/2014
28	Demons, Snakes, and Ticks: Lessons from a Hunting Trip	03/26/2014
27	How to Make an Eternal Impact with Your Life	03/19/2014
26	Thoughts on My Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/26/2014
25	Why is the Catholic Church Roman?	02/19/2014
24	The Seven Lies We Believe About Our Failures	02/11/2014
23	How to Restart Your Mental Computer	02/06/2014
22	Top Five Productivity Tips from Thomas Aquinas	01/29/2014
21	Did You Miss God’s Plan for Your Life?	01/23/2014
20	When Prayer Becomes a Chore	01/15/2014
19	12 Attributes of a Baptized Christian	01/08/2014
18	A Podcast Against Bitter Catholics!	12/30/2013
17	Mary’s Painless Delivery of Christ Explained	12/18/2013
16	Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Luke (Plus How to Set Goals)	12/11/2013
15	Total Consecration to Mary	12/04/2013
14	What’s Your Apostolate?	11/27/2013
13	6 Items for the Liturgy of Your Life	11/20/2013
12	Why You Should Be More Creative	11/13/2013
11	Why Did They Stop Teaching Virtue?	11/06/2013
10	How Do Saints Hear Our Prayers?	10/30/2013
9	My Opinion of Martin Luther	10/23/2013
8	My Top 5 Daily Prayers	10/16/2013
7	Your Guardian Angel	10/03/2013
6	How You Can Convert 7 Billion People	09/25/2013
5	3 Strategies for a Marriage that Sings!	09/18/2013
4	4 Step Plan When Family Leave the Faith	09/12/2013
3	5 Tools for Deep Daily Prayer Life	09/04/2013
2	Three Tips to Increase Your Passion for Life	08/28/2013
1	How to Find a Spiritual Director	08/18/2013

The post 222: Fast for Pope Francis: Make Lent Penitential Again! [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

203: The Rosary as the Weapon! with Fr Donald Calloway [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 17:45:57 +0000

The Rosary has a divine origin and goes back nearly 700 years. It is THE preeminent weapon of the Christian. Dr Taylor Marshall interviews Father Donald Calloway MIC about his book “10 Wonders of the Rosary”. They discuss the origin of the Rosary, famous battles such as Lepanto and Malta, and the Saints, Popes, and Martyrs of the Rosary.

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Announcements:
- The podcast is now on my channel on Youtube.com
- The complete Sword and Serpent Trilogy is now published, including the the third Book: Storm of Fire and Blood.
- Download the Study Guide at: http://swordandserpent.com
- New classes at New Saint Thomas Institute. We have just begun our New Testament Studies curriculum. Please visit: newsaintthomas.com for more details.

I’d love to read your feedback: While you listen to today’s podcast, would you please take 30 seconds to write a review? Please click here to Rate this Podcast!

Please Share Your Feedback:

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SHOUT OUTS: A huge “shout out” to all 1,039 (!) of you who wrote amazing 5-star reviews at iTunes. Please rate this podcast by clicking here. From there you can leave a review. I appreciate you for this! Thank you!

Subscribe to This Weekly Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or Youtube:

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SURVEY: Please view our Podcast Listener Poll by clicking here.

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If you like this podcast, please leave a review.

Podcast Archive
#	Title	Released
202	Was Pope John Paul I Murdered by Poisoning?	01/16/2019
201	Did Cardinal Wuerl Lie regarding McCarrick?	01/14/2019
200	Should Immoral Priests be Removed? with Fr John Hollowell and Dr Taylor Marshall	01/11/2019
199	Liturgical Abuse in the Novus Ordo Mass	01/09/2019
198	Third Secret of Fatima & Our Lady of Akita	01/07/2019
197	McCarrick, Pope Francis, St Gallen Mafia w James Grein	01/03/2019
196	2019 Catholic Goals for Battle with Dr Taylor Marshall	01/01/2019
195	2018 Catholic Year in Review w Taylor Marshall and Tim Gordon	12/28/2018
194	Michael Voris Interviewed by Dr Taylor Marshall	12/20/2018
193	Dr Marshall’s Top 11 Christmas Gifts for Men in 2018	12/18/2018
192	Why Do We Have Corrupt Cardinals?	12/14/2018
191	Why Did Pope Francis Change Doctrine On Death Penalty?	12/12/2018
190	10 Reasons to Attend Latin Mass	12/11/2018
189	Saint Nicholas Story: The Bishop against Bishops	12/06/2018
188	McCarrick’s Victim Speaks Out on McCarrick and St Gallen Mafia w James Grein	12/05/2018
187	Tolkien and Thomas Aquinas on Analogy of Being	12/03/2018
186	Dr Marshall on His Conversion, Latin Mass, and Pope Francis on Terry and Jesse Show	12/01/2018
185	JRR Tolkien and True Fairy Tales w Fr Longenecker and Dr Marshall	11/30/2018
184	Why Does Pope Francis Favor Cardinal Cupich?	11/28/2018
183	Why Every Catholic NEEDS Aristotle and Aquinas	11/26/2018
182	Red Pilled on Pope Francis with Patrick Coffin, Dr Taylor Marshall and Timothy Gordon	11/21/2018
181	Fr Mark Goring & Dr Taylor Marshall Discuss Catholic Crisis	11/19/2018
180	McCarrick Investigation Voted Down by Bishops	11/16/2018
179	Why Remain Catholic During the Abuse Scandals?	11/14/2018
178	Catholic Scandal: What Can We Laypeople Do?	11/12/2018
177	Why do Catholics Vote Democrat: Against “Catholic Socialism”	11/09/2018
176	Plague in the Priesthood: Vigano vs. Lavender Mafia	11/07/2018
175	Third Secret of Fatima: Who is the Bishop in White?	11/05/2018
174	Second Secret of Fatima: Did Pope Consecrate Russia?	11/02/2018
173	First Secret of Fatima: Does Hell Exist? (Fatima 1)	10/31/2018
172	Catholic Take on Dracula, Zombies, Frankenstein and Halloween	10/29/2018
171	Top 10 Tips for a Catholic Halloween (Joy and Taylor Talk)	10/26/2018
170	Pope Francis’s Agenda for Youth Synod 2018	10/24/2018
169	Vigano’s Third Letter: Response to Pope Francis and Cardinal Ouellet	10/21/2018
168	What is the Heresy of Modernism? w Dr Marshall and Fr Longenecker	10/19/2018
167	Why did Pope Francis Rescue Cardinal Wuerl?	10/17/2018
166	Can a Pope be Deposed?	10/12/2018
165	Vigano attacked by Cardinal Ouellet: Why?	10/10/2018
164	Did Jesus Descend into Hell? Proof from the Bible	10/08/2018
163	Is it OK to Criticize Pope Francis? VIGANO Part 2	10/05/2018
162	How did Thomas Aquinas Die: Neurosurgery and Brain Death	10/03/2018
161	Did Pope Francis Stop Cardinal Abuse Investigation? (Müller, Murphy-O’Connor, St Gallen)	09/28/2018
160	Pope Francis Church History & Papal Controversy w Fr Dwight Longenecker	09/26/2018
159	Pope Benedict and Freemason Infiltration of Catholic Church	09/21/2018
158	Ember Days: History and Theology of Fasting for Holy Priests	09/18/2018
157	Jordan Peterson’s Church of St Joachim of Fiore: Dr Peterson and Christianity	09/17/2018
156	Third Secret of Fatima and Smoke of Satan in the Catholic Church	09/13/2018
155	Defrocked, Laicized or Suspended: Defining our Catholic Terms	09/10/2018
154	St Gallen Mafia & Pope Francis: What is it? w Timothy Gordon	09/07/2018
153	Hunting & Christianity: What does the Bible Say? w Dr Bracy Hill and Dr Marshall	09/05/2018
152	Can Archbishop Vigano be Trusted? w Dr Taylor Marshall	09/03/2018
151	Why Won’t Pope Francis Respond to Viganò? Is the answer Peronism?	08/30/2018
150	Why did Pope Benedict Resign? McCarrick, Vigano and Vatican Bank Scandals Explained in Detail	08/28/2018
149	Eastern Catholics & Dormition of Mary	08/22/2018
148	McCarrick Scandal, Suffering Souls, and the problem of Fake Science	08/17/2018
147	Against the Catholic Mega-Diocese: Scandal and Subsidiarity	08/15/2018
146	American Catholic Kings? Freemasons & Catholic Integralism	08/15/2018
145	How to Walk the Camino de Santiago	08/08/2018
144	Did USA Founding Fathers Plagiarize Thomas Aquinas? with Timothy Gordon	07/30/2018
143	Shoveling Incense into the Cathedral’s Botafumeiro (Camino 7)	07/02/2018
142	Tears and Arrival in Santiago! (Camino 6)	07/01/2018
141	Monastery at Samos, Spain (Camino 5)	06/30/2018
140	Eucharistic Miracle at O Cebreiro in Spain (Camino 4)	06/29/2018
139	Embarrassing Fall at the Iron Cross (Camino 3)	06/19/2018
138	The Angry Jousting Pilgrim of 1434 (Camino 2)	06/11/2018
137	Beginning Camino of St James and Various Routes (Camino 1)	06/02/2018
136	Why Tongues of Fire on Pentecost and How to Refute Mormons Easily	05/25/2018
135	Journey to Dominican Priesthood: Brother Bradley Elliott interviewed by Dr Taylor Marshall	04/18/2018
134	Saint Veronica in 9 Points: Was She Berenike?	04/04/2018
133	Saint Joseph in 9 Points Podcast (Should You Bury His Statue?)	03/19/2018
132	St Patrick in 9 Bullet Points and the “Two Patrick Theory”	03/17/2018
131	Thomas Aquinas on Catholic Priesthood Interview with Fr Christopher Pietraszko	03/16/2018
130	How do we get to Heaven? Wrong Answers for Catholics	03/08/2018
129	Aquinas Why Fish and No Meat in Lent PLUS the Demonic Incubus and Sucubus!	02/28/2018
128	Is there now a Matrimony Heresy?	02/21/2018
	Your Guardian Angel is Not a Pet (Replay Link)	10/02/2017
127	Is the Eucharist Symbolic: 4 Medieval Heretics on the Eucharist before the Reformation	08/30/2017
126	Why do Catholics “Worship” Statues and Icons: The Iconoclastic Heresy and the Council of Nicea II in AD 787	08/23/2017
125	Does Christ have 1 or 2 Natures? Heretic Eutyches and the Monophysite Heresy?	08/16/2017
124	Heretic Nestorius: Is Mary Mother of God? Are there 2 Christs?	05/25/2017
123	Heretic Arius and Deity of Christ (PLUS his death on toilet)	04/03/2017
122	Heretic Valentinius Explained	03/10/2017
121	Your Virtue of Temperance (and Aquinas on Women Looking Sexy)	02/09/2017
120	Your Virtue of Fortitude with Aquinas (Virtues Part 4)	01/05/2017
119	Your Virtue of Justice with Aquinas (Virtues Part 2)	10/27/2016
118	Your Virtue of Prudence with Aquinas (Virtues Part 2)	10/21/2016
117	Fr Donald Calloway: Champions of the Rosary	10/05/2016
115	Intro to Four Cardinal Virtues (Virtues Part 1))	09/28/2016
116	When Evangelicals Convert Catholics…Why?	09/23/2016
114	Your Focus Changes Your Feelings	09/07/2016
113	Did The Holy Spirit Appear As A Real Dove? And Saint Raymond Nonnatus	08/31/2016
112	Reflections on Pilgrimage to Rome	07/13/2016
111	10 Tips for Visiting Rome	06/08/2016
110	The Humility of Mary	06/02/2016
109	Is Catholicism a Religion or Relationship with Christ?	05/25/2016
108	Early Female Mystics and Martyrs: Perpetua and Felicity	05/18/2016
107	The Word “Catholic” in the Early Church	04/07/2016
106	Can Christians Kill People? Answers from Thomas Aquinas	03/23/2016
105	Our Pilgrim Interviews on Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/24/2016
104	Reflections on Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/17/2016
103	Happiness Is A Skill	02/11/2016
102	Taylor’s New Podcast for Christian Men: Maccabee Society	02/03/2016
101	Jewish Priests and Catholic Priests	01/21/2016
100	Is Star Wars Christian or Anti-Christian?	01/06/2016
99	Should Catholics Share the Gospel with Jewish Friends	12/16/2015
98	Was Muhammad Evil?	11/18/2015
97	Revelation Ch. 22 Tree of Life and Holy Water (Catholic Apocalypse Part 16)	11/10/2015
96	Revelation Ch. 21 Heaven as a Cube and the New Jerusalem (Catholic Apocalypse Part 15)	11/04/2015
95	Taylor’s Thoughts on Being Father of a Large Family	10/28/2015
94	On the Indissolubility of Marriage and the Synod on the Family	10/21/2015
93	Revelation Ch. 20 The Millennium in Catholic Tradition (Catholic Apocalypse Part 14)	10/15/2015
92	Revelation Ch.19 Eucharist as Apocalypse (Catholic Apocalypse Part 13)	10/07/2015
91	Revelation Ch. 18 Fallen is Babylon the Great (Catholic Apocalypse Part 12)	09/30/2015
90	Revelation Ch. 17 The Whore of Babylon and Her Beast (Catholic Apocalypse Part 11)	09/23/2015
89	Do Babies Know the Existence of God (Plus the Harrowing of Hell and Sedevacantists)	09/09/2015
88	Revelation Chs. 15-16 7 Chalices of Wrath (Catholic Apocalypse Part 10)	09/02/2015
87	Revelation Ch. 14 Lamb on the Mountain with 6 Angels against Babylon (Catholic Apocalypse Part 9)	08/26/2015
86	Taylor’s Conversion Story to Catholicism – Interview with Matthew Leonard	08/19/2015
85	Revelation Ch. 13 The Sea Beast and the Land Beast and the Mark of the Beast (Catholic Apocalypse Part 8)	08/13/2015
84	Revelation Ch. 12 – Our Lady of the Apocalypse (Catholic Apocalypse Part 7)	07/29/2015
83	Revelation Chs. 10-11 The Giant Angel and Two Witnesses (Catholic Apocalypse Part 6)	07/15/2015
82	Revelation Chs. 8-9 Seven Trumpets against Jerusalem (Catholic Apocalypse Part 5)	07/09/2015
81	Revelation Chs. 6-7 Four Horseman and Seven Seals (Catholic Apocalypse Part 4)	07/02/2015
80	Taylor’s Catholic Thoughts on Same Sex Marriage	06/30/2015
79	Revelation Chs. 4-5 The Lamb and Liturgy of God (Catholic Apocalypse Part 3)	06/17/2015
78	Is the Relic of True Cross Real? [Mini-Podcast]	06/16/2015
77	Revelation Chs. 2-3 Seven Churches and Seven Ages of Salvation (Catholic Apocalypse Part 2)	06/10/2015
76	Revelation Ch. 1 Apparition of Fiery Christ (Catholic Apocalypse Part 1)	06/03/2015
75	Trinity Sunday, Liturgy, Thomas Becket and Anglican Use Thoughts (Special Edition)	05/29/2015
74	Tongues of Fire in Acts, 1 Enoch, and Pre-Vatican Liturgy [Mini Podcast]	05/27/2015
73	Advice on Being a Man	05/22/2015
72	What was the Priestly Status of Mary? Was she a Levite? [Mini Podcast]	05/16/2015
71	The Theology of Cooking Food	05/14/2015
70	3 Steps to Overcoming Anxiety and Stress	05/06/2015
69	How to Read the Summa in One Year	04/22/2015
68	St Paul on Faith and Works Catholic vs Protestant Debate	03/25/2015
67	How Your Fears Are Hurting You Spiritually?	03/18/2015
66	What is 666 and the Mark of the Beast?	03/04/2015
65	40 Days of Joy	02/26/2015
64	Why did God make you? Luke 19 Gives the Answer	02/11/2015
63	Is Being A Christian Hard or Easy?	01/21/2015
62	Catholic View of the End Times and Tribulation	01/14/2015
61	When Other People Really Hurt You	01/07/2015
60	Is Saint George Still a Saint?	01/01/2015
59	Revolution in Catholic Education – Jennifer Fulwiler Interviews Taylor Marshall	12/31/2014
58	The Hidden Theology in Sword and Serpent with St George and Sabra	12/11/2014
57	Advent Total Consecration to Mary	11/13/2014
56	Top 5 Advent Devotions	11/07/2014
55	Why Do We Baptize Babies? The Covenantal Argument	10/22/2014
54	Is God Male or Female – The Catholic Teaching	10/08/2014
53	Lucifer vs. Saint Michael	10/01/2014
52	1 Year Anniversary Special Edition: Essentialism What is the Essence of Your Life?	09/24/2014
51	The Price of Your Anger	09/17/2014
50	The Seven Sorrows of Mary are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit	09/15/2014
49	6 Obstacles in Your Life (How to Conquer Them)	09/10/2014
48	Brain Science, Your Soul & Prayer	09/03/2014
47	Don’t Swallow the Camel	08/27/2014
46	The Secret Life of Thomas Aquinas	08/22/2014
45	Did Saint Paul Teach Once Saved Always Saved?	08/06/2014
44	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 2	07/30/2014
43	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 1	07/24/2014
42	Golf Cart Saints	07/15/2014
41	5 Intellectual Virtues and Pornography, Art, and Culture	07/02/2014
40	Taylor and Joy Talk About Their Marriage	06/25/2014
39	How Was the Bible Assembled? (plus Joy joins me)	06/18/2014
38	Should You Budget Time (or Money)?	06/04/2014
37	The Theology of Vacation, Leisure, and Recreation	05/28/2014
36	Noah Movie Review – Rock Monsters?	05/21/2014
35	Children Need Fortitude	05/14/2014
34	Jokes of Saint John XXIII	05/07/2014
33	Divine Mercy: 5 Common Questions	04/30/2014
32	4 Sections of Hell	04/23/2014
31	Meet the Saint Version of You	04/16/2014
30	Should You Be an Optimist?	04/09/2014
29	Finding Fellowship like Samwise Gamgee	04/01/2014
28	Demons, Snakes, and Ticks: Lessons from a Hunting Trip	03/26/2014
27	How to Make an Eternal Impact with Your Life	03/19/2014
26	Thoughts on My Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/26/2014
25	Why is the Catholic Church Roman?	02/19/2014
24	The Seven Lies We Believe About Our Failures	02/11/2014
23	How to Restart Your Mental Computer	02/06/2014
22	Top Five Productivity Tips from Thomas Aquinas	01/29/2014
21	Did You Miss God’s Plan for Your Life?	01/23/2014
20	When Prayer Becomes a Chore	01/15/2014
19	12 Attributes of a Baptized Christian	01/08/2014
18	A Podcast Against Bitter Catholics!	12/30/2013
17	Mary’s Painless Delivery of Christ Explained	12/18/2013
16	Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Luke (Plus How to Set Goals)	12/11/2013
15	Total Consecration to Mary	12/04/2013
14	What’s Your Apostolate?	11/27/2013
13	6 Items for the Liturgy of Your Life	11/20/2013
12	Why You Should Be More Creative	11/13/2013
11	Why Did They Stop Teaching Virtue?	11/06/2013
10	How Do Saints Hear Our Prayers?	10/30/2013
9	My Opinion of Martin Luther	10/23/2013
8	My Top 5 Daily Prayers	10/16/2013
7	Your Guardian Angel	10/03/2013
6	How You Can Convert 7 Billion People	09/25/2013
5	3 Strategies for a Marriage that Sings!	09/18/2013
4	4 Step Plan When Family Leave the Faith	09/12/2013
3	5 Tools for Deep Daily Prayer Life	09/04/2013
2	Three Tips to Increase Your Passion for Life	08/28/2013
1	How to Find a Spiritual Director	08/18/2013

The post 203: The Rosary as the Weapon! with Fr Donald Calloway [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Was Christ Born on December 25? Yes! Dr Marshall Explains [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 15:47:48 +0000

How Luke and the Church Fathers reveal a Late December Birth of Christ

Was Jesus Christ born on December 25? Dr Taylor Marshall says “Yes, Christ was born on the historical day of December 25 in the year 1BC. Dr Taylor Marshall explains using the Church Fathers and the Gospel of Saint Luke.

This is a sample class from my online Catholic Curriculum “Early Church Fathers History” offered by the New Saint Thomas Institute. You can join for a limited time today for 47/month (and receive 7 more Courses thrown in) at:

https://NewSaintThomas.com

Watch the Youtube video by clicking here.

Or listen to the audio mp3 here:

https://NewSaintThomas.com

If you are already a student Member of New Saint Thomas Institute, you already have full access to this course. I look forward to seeing you inside the New Saint Thomas Institute!

Happy Advent,
Dr Taylor Marshall

The post Was Christ Born on December 25? Yes! Dr Marshall Explains [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

How Catholic Squanto Saved the Pilgrims at Thanksgiving

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 15:50:32 +0000

Did you know that Thanksgiving may not have happened if a group a Franciscan monks hadn’t rescued Squanto from the slave trade? Yes, it was an returned act of kindness that resounds through history even to his day. Squanto, the Native American that led the effort to help the Pilgrims starving before winter, already met a group of Franciscan monks that freed him from slavery. You could say he was returning the favor.

Please tell your friends and family about this little bit of Catholic History of Thanksgiving. Please share this video on Facebook by clicking here.

The post How Catholic Squanto Saved the Pilgrims at Thanksgiving appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

169: Vigano’s Third Letter: Response to Pope Francis and Cardinal Ouellet [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Sun, 21 Oct 2018 15:29:14 +0000

Archbishop Vigano launches third testimony letter. This the best one yet where he discusses that he is doing these things to avoid judgment from Christ on the Last Day. He addresses Cardinal Ouellet and corrects and clarifies. More than anything, Vigano says that this crisis about the salvation of souls and discusses how each of us (the Pope included) will have to answer questions on Judgment Day on how whether we were truthful. Very powerful testimony. As Dr Marshall states: “We now have a bishop who actually speaks like a Catholic bishop.”

The Taylor Marshall Show Podcast is now also available on Spotify: Play “Taylor Marshall Show” inside Spotify.

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Announcements:
- The podcast is now on my channel on Youtube.com
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Podcast Archive
#	Title	Released
168	What is the Heresy of Modernism? w Dr Marshall and Fr Longenecker	10/19/2018
167	Why did Pope Francis Rescue Cardinal Wuerl?	10/17/2018
166	Can a Pope be Deposed?	10/12/2018
165	Vigano attacked by Cardinal Ouellet: Why?	10/10/2018
164	Did Jesus Descend into Hell? Proof from the Bible	10/08/2018
163	Is it OK to Criticize Pope Francis? VIGANO Part 2	10/05/2018
162	How did Thomas Aquinas Die: Neurosurgery and Brain Death	10/03/2018
161	Did Pope Francis Stop Cardinal Abuse Investigation? (Müller, Murphy-O’Connor, St Gallen)	09/28/2018
160	Pope Francis Church History & Papal Controversy w Fr Dwight Longenecker	09/26/2018
159	Pope Benedict and Freemason Infiltration of Catholic Church	09/21/2018
158	Ember Days: History and Theology of Fasting for Holy Priests	09/18/2018
157	Jordan Peterson’s Church of St Joachim of Fiore: Dr Peterson and Christianity	09/17/2018
156	Third Secret of Fatima and Smoke of Satan in the Catholic Church	09/13/2018
155	Defrocked, Laicized or Suspended: Defining our Catholic Terms	09/10/2018
154	St Gallen Mafia & Pope Francis: What is it? w Timothy Gordon	09/07/2018
153	Hunting & Christianity: What does the Bible Say? w Dr Bracy Hill and Dr Marshall	09/05/2018
152	Can Archbishop Vigano be Trusted? w Dr Taylor Marshall	09/03/2018
151	Why Won’t Pope Francis Respond to Viganò? Is the answer Peronism?	08/30/2018
150	Why did Pope Benedict Resign? McCarrick, Vigano and Vatican Bank Scandals Explained in Detail	08/28/2018
149	Eastern Catholics & Dormition of Mary	08/22/2018
148	McCarrick Scandal, Suffering Souls, and the problem of Fake Science	08/17/2018
147	Against the Catholic Mega-Diocese: Scandal and Subsidiarity	08/15/2018
146	American Catholic Kings? Freemasons & Catholic Integralism	08/15/2018
145	How to Walk the Camino de Santiago	08/08/2018
144	Did USA Founding Fathers Plagiarize Thomas Aquinas? with Timothy Gordon	07/30/2018
143	Shoveling Incense into the Cathedral’s Botafumeiro (Camino 7)	07/02/2018
142	Tears and Arrival in Santiago! (Camino 6)	07/01/2018
141	Monastery at Samos, Spain (Camino 5)	06/30/2018
140	Eucharistic Miracle at O Cebreiro in Spain (Camino 4)	06/29/2018
139	Embarrassing Fall at the Iron Cross (Camino 3)	06/19/2018
138	The Angry Jousting Pilgrim of 1434 (Camino 2)	06/11/2018
137	Beginning Camino of St James and Various Routes (Camino 1)	06/02/2018
136	Why Tongues of Fire on Pentecost and How to Refute Mormons Easily	05/25/2018
135	Journey to Dominican Priesthood: Brother Bradley Elliott interviewed by Dr Taylor Marshall	04/18/2018
134	Saint Veronica in 9 Points: Was She Berenike?	04/04/2018
133	Saint Joseph in 9 Points Podcast (Should You Bury His Statue?)	03/19/2018
132	St Patrick in 9 Bullet Points and the “Two Patrick Theory”	03/17/2018
131	Thomas Aquinas on Catholic Priesthood Interview with Fr Christopher Pietraszko	03/16/2018
130	How do we get to Heaven? Wrong Answers for Catholics	03/08/2018
129	Aquinas Why Fish and No Meat in Lent PLUS the Demonic Incubus and Sucubus!	02/28/2018
128	Is there now a Matrimony Heresy?	02/21/2018
	Your Guardian Angel is Not a Pet (Replay Link)	10/02/2017
127	Is the Eucharist Symbolic: 4 Medieval Heretics on the Eucharist before the Reformation	08/30/2017
126	Why do Catholics “Worship” Statues and Icons: The Iconoclastic Heresy and the Council of Nicea II in AD 787	08/23/2017
125	Does Christ have 1 or 2 Natures? Heretic Eutyches and the Monophysite Heresy?	08/16/2017
124	Heretic Nestorius: Is Mary Mother of God? Are there 2 Christs?	05/25/2017
123	Heretic Arius and Deity of Christ (PLUS his death on toilet)	04/03/2017
122	Heretic Valentinius Explained	03/10/2017
121	Your Virtue of Temperance (and Aquinas on Women Looking Sexy)	02/09/2017
120	Your Virtue of Fortitude with Aquinas (Virtues Part 4)	01/05/2017
119	Your Virtue of Justice with Aquinas (Virtues Part 2)	10/27/2016
118	Your Virtue of Prudence with Aquinas (Virtues Part 2)	10/21/2016
117	Fr Donald Calloway: Champions of the Rosary	10/05/2016
115	Intro to Four Cardinal Virtues (Virtues Part 1))	09/28/2016
116	When Evangelicals Convert Catholics…Why?	09/23/2016
114	Your Focus Changes Your Feelings	09/07/2016
113	Did The Holy Spirit Appear As A Real Dove? And Saint Raymond Nonnatus	08/31/2016
112	Reflections on Pilgrimage to Rome	07/13/2016
111	10 Tips for Visiting Rome	06/08/2016
110	The Humility of Mary	06/02/2016
109	Is Catholicism a Religion or Relationship with Christ?	05/25/2016
108	Early Female Mystics and Martyrs: Perpetua and Felicity	05/18/2016
107	The Word “Catholic” in the Early Church	04/07/2016
106	Can Christians Kill People? Answers from Thomas Aquinas	03/23/2016
105	Our Pilgrim Interviews on Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/24/2016
104	Reflections on Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/17/2016
103	Happiness Is A Skill	02/11/2016
102	Taylor’s New Podcast for Christian Men: Maccabee Society	02/03/2016
101	Jewish Priests and Catholic Priests	01/21/2016
100	Is Star Wars Christian or Anti-Christian?	01/06/2016
99	Should Catholics Share the Gospel with Jewish Friends	12/16/2015
98	Was Muhammad Evil?	11/18/2015
97	Revelation Ch. 22 Tree of Life and Holy Water (Catholic Apocalypse Part 16)	11/10/2015
96	Revelation Ch. 21 Heaven as a Cube and the New Jerusalem (Catholic Apocalypse Part 15)	11/04/2015
95	Taylor’s Thoughts on Being Father of a Large Family	10/28/2015
94	On the Indissolubility of Marriage and the Synod on the Family	10/21/2015
93	Revelation Ch. 20 The Millennium in Catholic Tradition (Catholic Apocalypse Part 14)	10/15/2015
92	Revelation Ch.19 Eucharist as Apocalypse (Catholic Apocalypse Part 13)	10/07/2015
91	Revelation Ch. 18 Fallen is Babylon the Great (Catholic Apocalypse Part 12)	09/30/2015
90	Revelation Ch. 17 The Whore of Babylon and Her Beast (Catholic Apocalypse Part 11)	09/23/2015
89	Do Babies Know the Existence of God (Plus the Harrowing of Hell and Sedevacantists)	09/09/2015
88	Revelation Chs. 15-16 7 Chalices of Wrath (Catholic Apocalypse Part 10)	09/02/2015
87	Revelation Ch. 14 Lamb on the Mountain with 6 Angels against Babylon (Catholic Apocalypse Part 9)	08/26/2015
86	Taylor’s Conversion Story to Catholicism – Interview with Matthew Leonard	08/19/2015
85	Revelation Ch. 13 The Sea Beast and the Land Beast and the Mark of the Beast (Catholic Apocalypse Part 8)	08/13/2015
84	Revelation Ch. 12 – Our Lady of the Apocalypse (Catholic Apocalypse Part 7)	07/29/2015
83	Revelation Chs. 10-11 The Giant Angel and Two Witnesses (Catholic Apocalypse Part 6)	07/15/2015
82	Revelation Chs. 8-9 Seven Trumpets against Jerusalem (Catholic Apocalypse Part 5)	07/09/2015
81	Revelation Chs. 6-7 Four Horseman and Seven Seals (Catholic Apocalypse Part 4)	07/02/2015
80	Taylor’s Catholic Thoughts on Same Sex Marriage	06/30/2015
79	Revelation Chs. 4-5 The Lamb and Liturgy of God (Catholic Apocalypse Part 3)	06/17/2015
78	Is the Relic of True Cross Real? [Mini-Podcast]	06/16/2015
77	Revelation Chs. 2-3 Seven Churches and Seven Ages of Salvation (Catholic Apocalypse Part 2)	06/10/2015
76	Revelation Ch. 1 Apparition of Fiery Christ (Catholic Apocalypse Part 1)	06/03/2015
75	Trinity Sunday, Liturgy, Thomas Becket and Anglican Use Thoughts (Special Edition)	05/29/2015
74	Tongues of Fire in Acts, 1 Enoch, and Pre-Vatican Liturgy [Mini Podcast]	05/27/2015
73	Advice on Being a Man	05/22/2015
72	What was the Priestly Status of Mary? Was she a Levite? [Mini Podcast]	05/16/2015
71	The Theology of Cooking Food	05/14/2015
70	3 Steps to Overcoming Anxiety and Stress	05/06/2015
69	How to Read the Summa in One Year	04/22/2015
68	St Paul on Faith and Works Catholic vs Protestant Debate	03/25/2015
67	How Your Fears Are Hurting You Spiritually?	03/18/2015
66	What is 666 and the Mark of the Beast?	03/04/2015
65	40 Days of Joy	02/26/2015
64	Why did God make you? Luke 19 Gives the Answer	02/11/2015
63	Is Being A Christian Hard or Easy?	01/21/2015
62	Catholic View of the End Times and Tribulation	01/14/2015
61	When Other People Really Hurt You	01/07/2015
60	Is Saint George Still a Saint?	01/01/2015
59	Revolution in Catholic Education – Jennifer Fulwiler Interviews Taylor Marshall	12/31/2014
58	The Hidden Theology in Sword and Serpent with St George and Sabra	12/11/2014
57	Advent Total Consecration to Mary	11/13/2014
56	Top 5 Advent Devotions	11/07/2014
55	Why Do We Baptize Babies? The Covenantal Argument	10/22/2014
54	Is God Male or Female – The Catholic Teaching	10/08/2014
53	Lucifer vs. Saint Michael	10/01/2014
52	1 Year Anniversary Special Edition: Essentialism What is the Essence of Your Life?	09/24/2014
51	The Price of Your Anger	09/17/2014
50	The Seven Sorrows of Mary are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit	09/15/2014
49	6 Obstacles in Your Life (How to Conquer Them)	09/10/2014
48	Brain Science, Your Soul & Prayer	09/03/2014
47	Don’t Swallow the Camel	08/27/2014
46	The Secret Life of Thomas Aquinas	08/22/2014
45	Did Saint Paul Teach Once Saved Always Saved?	08/06/2014
44	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 2	07/30/2014
43	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 1	07/24/2014
42	Golf Cart Saints	07/15/2014
41	5 Intellectual Virtues and Pornography, Art, and Culture	07/02/2014
40	Taylor and Joy Talk About Their Marriage	06/25/2014
39	How Was the Bible Assembled? (plus Joy joins me)	06/18/2014
38	Should You Budget Time (or Money)?	06/04/2014
37	The Theology of Vacation, Leisure, and Recreation	05/28/2014
36	Noah Movie Review – Rock Monsters?	05/21/2014
35	Children Need Fortitude	05/14/2014
34	Jokes of Saint John XXIII	05/07/2014
33	Divine Mercy: 5 Common Questions	04/30/2014
32	4 Sections of Hell	04/23/2014
31	Meet the Saint Version of You	04/16/2014
30	Should You Be an Optimist?	04/09/2014
29	Finding Fellowship like Samwise Gamgee	04/01/2014
28	Demons, Snakes, and Ticks: Lessons from a Hunting Trip	03/26/2014
27	How to Make an Eternal Impact with Your Life	03/19/2014
26	Thoughts on My Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/26/2014
25	Why is the Catholic Church Roman?	02/19/2014
24	The Seven Lies We Believe About Our Failures	02/11/2014
23	How to Restart Your Mental Computer	02/06/2014
22	Top Five Productivity Tips from Thomas Aquinas	01/29/2014
21	Did You Miss God’s Plan for Your Life?	01/23/2014
20	When Prayer Becomes a Chore	01/15/2014
19	12 Attributes of a Baptized Christian	01/08/2014
18	A Podcast Against Bitter Catholics!	12/30/2013
17	Mary’s Painless Delivery of Christ Explained	12/18/2013
16	Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Luke (Plus How to Set Goals)	12/11/2013
15	Total Consecration to Mary	12/04/2013
14	What’s Your Apostolate?	11/27/2013
13	6 Items for the Liturgy of Your Life	11/20/2013
12	Why You Should Be More Creative	11/13/2013
11	Why Did They Stop Teaching Virtue?	11/06/2013
10	How Do Saints Hear Our Prayers?	10/30/2013
9	My Opinion of Martin Luther	10/23/2013
8	My Top 5 Daily Prayers	10/16/2013
7	Your Guardian Angel	10/03/2013
6	How You Can Convert 7 Billion People	09/25/2013
5	3 Strategies for a Marriage that Sings!	09/18/2013
4	4 Step Plan When Family Leave the Faith	09/12/2013
3	5 Tools for Deep Daily Prayer Life	09/04/2013
2	Three Tips to Increase Your Passion for Life	08/28/2013
1	How to Find a Spiritual Director	08/18/2013

The post 169: Vigano’s Third Letter: Response to Pope Francis and Cardinal Ouellet [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

158: Ember Days: History and Theology of Fasting for Holy Priests [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 15:37:01 +0000

Ember Days or the Quatuor Temporas are a traditional time of harvest fasting “four times” per year asking God to give us holy priests for the harvest of souls. Dr Taylor Marshall explains the history and Catholic theology of Ember Days and then challenges Catholics to voluntarily take up the Ember Days asking Christ for holy clergy.

The Taylor Marshall Show Podcast is now also available on Spotify: Play “Taylor Marshall Show” inside Spotify.

Listen to audio or watch the Youtube video interview by clicking here.

If the audio player does not show up in your email or browser, please click here to listen.

If you find this podcast episode helpful, please share this podcast on Facebook.

Announcements:
- The podcast is now on my channel on Youtube.com
- The complete Sword and Serpent Trilogy is now published, including the the third Book: Storm of Fire and Blood.
- Download the Study Guide at: http://swordandserpent.com
- New classes at New Saint Thomas Institute. We have just begun our New Testament Studies curriculum. Please visit: newsaintthomas.com for more details.

I’d love to read your feedback: While you listen to today’s podcast, would you please take 30 seconds to write a review? Please click here to Rate this Podcast!

Please Share Your Feedback:

iTunes: 1,706,247 downloads on iTunes as of today.
Youtube:
SHOUT OUTS: A huge “shout out” to all 741 (!) of you who wrote amazing 5-star reviews at iTunes. Please rate this podcast by clicking here. From there you can leave a review. I appreciate you for this! Thank you!

Subscribe to This Weekly Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or Youtube:

Apple/Mac Users: Please subscribe via iTunes by clicking here and then clicking on “View in iTunes.”

Android Users: For listening to The Taylor Marshall Show on Android devices (free) using the Stitcher app.

Spotify Users: For listening to The Taylor Marshall Show on Spotify, search in Spotify for “Taylor Marshall.”

Android Users can also listen to the show with:
- Android Beyond Pod app from the Google Play Store.
- Android Pocketcasts app.
Our you can listen/watch to the Taylor Marshall Show via Youtube:

SURVEY: Please view our Podcast Listener Poll by clicking here.

[reminder]

If you like this podcast, please leave a review.

Podcast Archive
#	Title	Released
156	Third Secret of Fatima and Smoke of Satan in the Catholic Church	13/09/2018
155	Defrocked, Laicized or Suspended: Defining our Catholic Terms	10/09/2018
154	St Gallen Mafia & Pope Francis: What is it? w Timothy Gordon	7/09/2018
153	Hunting & Christianity: What does the Bible Say? w Dr Bracy Hill and Dr Marshall	5/09/2018
152	Can Archbishop Vigano be Trusted? w Dr Taylor Marshall	3/09/2018
151	Why Won’t Pope Francis Respond to Viganò? Is the answer Peronism?	30/08/2018
150	Why did Pope Benedict Resign? McCarrick, Vigano and Vatican Bank Scandals Explained in Detail	29/08/2018
149	Eastern Catholics & Dormition of Mary	22/08/2018
148	McCarrick Scandal, Suffering Souls, and the problem of Fake Science	17/08/2018
147	Against the Catholic Mega-Diocese: Scandal and Subsidiarity	15/08/2018
146	American Catholic Kings? Freemasons & Catholic Integralism	15/08/2018
145	How to Walk the Camino de Santiago	8/08/2018
136	Why Tongues of Fire on Pentecost and How to Refute Mormons Easily	25/05/2018
135	Journey to Dominican Priesthood	18/04/2018
134	Saint Veronica in 9 Points: Was She Berenike?	04/04/2018
133	Saint Joseph in 9 Points Podcast (Should You Bury His Statue?)	19/03/2018
132	St Patrick in 9 Bullet Points and the “Two Patrick Theory”	17/03/2018
131	Thomas Aquinas on Catholic Priesthood Interview	16/03/2018
130	How do we get to Heaven? Wrong Answers for Catholics	08/03/2018
129	Aquinas Why Fish and No Meat in Lent PLUS the Demonic Incubus and Sucubus!	28/02/2018
128	Is there now a Matrimony Heresy?	21/02/2018
127	Is the Eucharist Symbolic: 4 Medieval Heretics on the Eucharist before the Reformation	30/08/2017
126	Why do Catholics “Worship” Statues and Icons: The Iconoclastic Heresy and the Council of Nicea II in AD 787	23/08/2017
125	Does Christ have 1 or 2 Natures? Heretic Eutyches and the Monophysite Heresy?	16/08/2017
124	Heretic Nestorius: Is Mary Mother of God? Are there 2 Christs?	25/05/2017
123	Heretic Arius and Deity of Christ	03/04/2017
122	Heretic Valentinius Explained	10/03/2017
121	Your Virtue of Temperance (and Aquinas on Women Looking Sexy)	09/02/2017
120	Your Virtue of Fortitude with Aquinas (Virtues Part 4)	05/01/2017
119	Your Virtue of Justice according to Thomas Aquinas	27/10/2016
118	Your Virtue of Prudence	21/10/2016
117	Fr Donald Calloway: Champions of the Rosary	5/10/2016
116	When Evangelicals Convert Catholics…Why?	28/09/2016
115	Introduction to the Four Cardinal Virtues (Part 1 of Virtues)	23/09/2016
114	Your Focus Changes Your Feelings	07/09/2016
113	Did The Holy Spirit Appear As A Real Dove? And Saint Raymond Nonnatus	13/08/2016
112	Reflections on Pilgrimage to Rome	13/08/2016
111	10 Tips for Visiting Rome	6/08/2016
110	The Humility of Mary	6/02/2016
109	Is Catholicism a Religion or Relationship with Christ?	5/25/2016
108	Early Female Mystics and Martyrs: Perpetua and Felicity	5/18/2016
107	The Word “Catholic” in the Early Church	4/7/2016
106	Can Christians Kill People? Answers from Thomas Aquinas	3/23/2016
105	Our Pilgrim Interviews on Our Lady of Guadalupe	2/24/2016
104	Reflections on Our Lady of Guadalupe	2/17/2016
103	Happiness Is A Skill	2/11/2016
102	Taylor’s New Podcast for Christian Men: Maccabee Society	2/03/2016
101	Jewish Priests and Catholic Priests	1/21/2016
100	Is Star Wars Christian or Anti-Christian?	1/06/2016
099	Should Catholics Share the Gospel with Jewish Friends	12/16/2015
098	Was Muhammad Evil?	11/18/2015
097	Revelation Ch. 22 Tree of Life and Holy Water	11/10/2015
096	Revelation Ch. 21 Heaven as a Cube and the New Jerusalem	11/04/2015
095	Taylor’s Thoughts on Being Father of a Large Family	10/28/2015
094	On the Indissolubility of Marriage and the Synod on the Family	10/21/2015
093	Revelation Ch. 20 The Millennium in Catholic Tradition	10/15/2015
092	Revelation Ch.19 Eucharist as Apocalypse	10/07/2015
091	Revelation Ch. 18 Fallen is Babylon the Great	09/30/2015
090	Revelation Ch. 17 The Whore of Babylon and Her Beast	09/23/2015
089	Do Babies Know the Existence of God	09/9/2015
088	Revelation (Chs 15-16) 7 Chalices of Wrath (Catholic Apocalypse Part 10)	09/2/2015
087	Revelation Ch. 14 Lamb on the Mountain with 6 Angels against Babylon	08/26/2015
086	Taylor’s Conversion Story to Catholicism – Interview with Matthew Leonard	08/19/2015
085	Revelation Chapter 13 The Sea Beast and the Land Beast the Mark of the Beast	08/13/2015
084	Revelation Chapter 12 – Our Lady of the Apocalypse	07/29/2015
083	The Giant Angel and Two Witnesses: Revelation Part 6 (Chapters 10-11)	07/15/2015
082	The Seven Trumpets: Book of Revelation Part 5 (Chapters 8-9)	07/02/2015
081	Book of Revelation Part 4 (Chapters 6-7)	07/09/2015
080	Taylor’s Catholic Thoughts on Same Sex Marriage	06/30/2015
079	Book of Revelation Part 3 (Chapters 4-5)	06/17/2015
078	Is the Relic of True Cross Real?	06/16/2015
077	Book of Revelation Part 2 (Chapter 2-3)	06/10/2015
076	Book of Revelation Part 1 (Chapter 1)	06/03/2015
075	Trinity Sunday, Liturgy, Thomas Becket and Anglican Use Thoughts	05/29/2015
074	Tongues of Fire in Acts, 1 Enoch, and Pre-Vatican Liturgy	05/27/2015
073	Advice on Being a Man	05/22/2015
072	What was the Priestly Status of Mary? Was she a Levite?	05/16/2015
071	The Theology of Cooking Food	05/14/2015
070	3 Steps to Overcoming Anxiety and Stress	05/06/2015
069	How to Read the Summa in One Year	04/22/2015
068	St Paul on Faith and Works Catholic vs Protestant Debate	03/25/2015
067	How Your Fears Are Hurting You Spiritually?	03/18/2015
066	What is 666 and the Mark of the Beast?	03/04/2015
065	40 Days of Joy	02/26/2015
064	Why did God make you? Luke 19 Gives the Answer	02/11/2015
063	Is Being A Christian Hard or Easy?	01/21/2015
062	Catholic View of the End Times and Tribulation	01/14/2015
061	When Other People Really Hurt You	01/07/2015
060	Is Saint George Still a Saint?	01/01/2015
059	Revolution in Catholic Education – Jennifer Fulwiler Interviews Taylor Marshall	12/31/2014
058	The Hidden Theology in Sword and Serpent with St George and Sabra	12/11/2014
057	Advent Total Consecration to Mary	11/13/2014
056	Top 5 Advent Devotions	11/07/2014
055	Why Do We Baptize Babies? The Covenantal Argument	10/22/2014
054	Is God Male or Female – The Catholic Teaching	10/08/2014
053	Lucifer vs. Saint Michael	10/01/2014
052	1 Year Anniversary Special Edition: Essentialism What is the Essence of Your Life?	09/24/2014
051	The Price of Your Anger	09/17/2014
050	The Seven Sorrows of Mary are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit	09/15/2014
049	6 Obstacles in Your Life (How to Conquer Them)	09/10/2014
048	Brain Science, Your Soul & Prayer	09/03/2014
047	Don’t Swallow the Camel	08/27/2014
046	The Secret Life of Thomas Aquinas	08/22/2014
045	Did Saint Paul Teach Once Saved Always Saved?	08/06/2014
044	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 2	07/30/2014
043	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 1	07/24/2014
042	Golf Cart Saints	07/15/2014
041	5 Intellectual Virtues and Pornography, Art, and Culture	07/02/2014
040	Taylor and Joy Talk About Their Marriage	06/25/2014
039	How Was the Bible Assembled? (plus Joy joins me)	06/18/2014
038	Should You Budget Time (or Money)?	06/04/2014
037	The Theology of Vacation, Leisure, and Recreation	05/28/2014
036	Noah Movie Review – Rock Monsters?	05/21/2014
035	Children Need Fortitude	05/14/2014
034	Jokes of Saint John XXIII	05/07/2014
033	Divine Mercy: 5 Common Questions	04/30/2014
032	4 Sections of Hell	04/23/2014
031	Meet the Saint Version of You	04/16/2014
030	Should You Be an Optimist?	04/09/2014
029	Finding Fellowship like Samwise Gamgee	04/01/2014
028	Demons, Snakes, and Ticks: Lessons from a Hunting Trip	03/26/2014
027	How to Make an Eternal Impact with Your Life	03/19/2014
026	Thoughts on My Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/26/2014
025	Why is the Catholic Church Roman?	02/19/2014
024	The Seven Lies We Believe About Our Failures	02/11/2014
023	How to Restart Your Mental Computer	02/06/2014
022	Top Five Productivity Tips from Thomas Aquinas	01/29/2014
021	Did You Miss God’s Plan for Your Life?	01/23/2014
020	When Prayer Becomes a Chore	01/15/2014
019	12 Attributes of a Baptized Christian	01/08/2014
018	A Podcast Against Bitter Catholics!	12/30/2013
017	Mary’s Painless Delivery of Christ Explained	12/18/2013
016	Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Luke (Plus How to Set Goals)	12/11/2013
015	Total Consecration to Mary	12/04/2013
014	What’s Your Apostolate?	11/27/2013
013	6 Items for the Liturgy of Your Life	11/20/2013
012	Why You Should Be More Creative	11/13/2013
011	Why Did They Stop Teaching Virtue?	11/06/2013
010	How Do Saints Hear Our Prayers?	10/30/2013
009	My Opinion of Martin Luther	10/23/2013
008	My Top 5 Daily Prayers	10/16/2013
007	Your Guardian Angel	10/03/2013
006	How You Can Convert 7 Billion People	09/25/2013
005	3 Strategies for a Marriage that Sings!	09/18/2013
004	4 Step Plan When Family Leave the Faith	09/12/2013
003	5 Tools for Deep Daily Prayer Life	09/04/2013
002	Three Tips to Increase Your Passion for Life	08/28/2013
001	How to Find a Spiritual Director	08/18/2013

The post 158: Ember Days: History and Theology of Fasting for Holy Priests [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

154: St Gallen Mafia & Pope Francis: What is it? [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 17:32:39 +0000

What is the St Gallen Mafia? How does it relate to the election of Pope Francis? Who is in it? What is it? And how do we know about it? We answer all these questions in this weeks podcast/video:

Cardinal Daneels refers to his membership to a certain St Gallen club or “mafia” (his term) that met together to forge support for the election of Pope Francis (and perhaps for the pre-mature resignation of Pope Benedict). Dr Taylor Marshall discusses the origin of the St Gallen Mafia, who were members, and the role especially of Cardinal Daneels and Cardinal Martini in the theological agenda of their self-labeled “mafia.”The election, support, and theology of Pope Francis make sense as we come to understand this St Gallen Mafia.

The Taylor Marshall Show Podcast is now also available on Spotify: Play “Taylor Marshall Show” inside Spotify.

Listen to audio or watch the Youtube video interview by clicking here.

If the audio player does not show up in your email or browser, please click here to listen.

If you find this podcast episode helpful, please share this podcast on Facebook.

Announcements:
- The podcast is now on my channel on Youtube.com
- The complete Sword and Serpent Trilogy is now published, including the the third Book: Storm of Fire and Blood.
- Download the Study Guide at: http://swordandserpent.com
- New classes at New Saint Thomas Institute. We have just begun our New Testament Studies curriculum. Please visit: newsaintthomas.com for more details.

I’d love to read your feedback: While you listen to today’s podcast, would you please take 30 seconds to write a review? Please click here to Rate this Podcast!

Please Share Your Feedback:

POPULARITY: 1,691,375 downloads on iTunes as of today.
SHOUT OUTS: A huge “shout out” to all 736 (!) of you who wrote amazing 5-star reviews at iTunes. Please rate this podcast by clicking here. From there you can leave a review. I appreciate you for this! Thank you!

Subscribe to This Weekly Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or Youtube:

Apple/Mac Users: Please subscribe via iTunes by clicking here and then clicking on “View in iTunes.”

Android Users: For listening to The Taylor Marshall Show on Android devices (free) using the Stitcher app.

Spotify Users: For listening to The Taylor Marshall Show on Spotify, search in Spotify for “Taylor Marshall.”

Android Users can also listen to the show with:
- Android Beyond Pod app from the Google Play Store.
- Android Pocketcasts app.
Our you can listen/watch to the Taylor Marshall Show via Youtube:

SURVEY: Please view our Podcast Listener Poll by clicking here.

[reminder]

If you like this podcast, please leave a review.

Podcast Archive
#	Title	Released
152	Can Archbishop Vigano be Trusted? w Dr Taylor Marshall	3/09/2018
151	Why Won’t Pope Francis Respond to Viganò? Is the answer Peronism?	30/08/2018
150	Why did Pope Benedict Resign? McCarrick, Vigano and Vatican Bank Scandals Explained in Detail	29/08/2018
149	Eastern Catholics & Dormition of Mary	22/08/2018
148	McCarrick Scandal, Suffering Souls, and the problem of Fake Science	17/08/2018
147	Against the Catholic Mega-Diocese: Scandal and Subsidiarity	15/08/2018
146	American Catholic Kings? Freemasons & Catholic Integralism	15/08/2018
145	How to Walk the Camino de Santiago	8/08/2018
136	Why Tongues of Fire on Pentecost and How to Refute Mormons Easily	25/05/2018
135	Journey to Dominican Priesthood	18/04/2018
134	Saint Veronica in 9 Points: Was She Berenike?	04/04/2018
133	Saint Joseph in 9 Points Podcast (Should You Bury His Statue?)	19/03/2018
132	St Patrick in 9 Bullet Points and the “Two Patrick Theory”	17/03/2018
131	Thomas Aquinas on Catholic Priesthood Interview	16/03/2018
130	How do we get to Heaven? Wrong Answers for Catholics	08/03/2018
129	Aquinas Why Fish and No Meat in Lent PLUS the Demonic Incubus and Sucubus!	28/02/2018
128	Is there now a Matrimony Heresy?	21/02/2018
127	Is the Eucharist Symbolic: 4 Medieval Heretics on the Eucharist before the Reformation	30/08/2017
126	Why do Catholics “Worship” Statues and Icons: The Iconoclastic Heresy and the Council of Nicea II in AD 787	23/08/2017
125	Does Christ have 1 or 2 Natures? Heretic Eutyches and the Monophysite Heresy?	16/08/2017
124	Heretic Nestorius: Is Mary Mother of God? Are there 2 Christs?	25/05/2017
123	Heretic Arius and Deity of Christ	03/04/2017
122	Heretic Valentinius Explained	10/03/2017
121	Your Virtue of Temperance (and Aquinas on Women Looking Sexy)	09/02/2017
120	Your Virtue of Fortitude with Aquinas (Virtues Part 4)	05/01/2017
119	Your Virtue of Justice according to Thomas Aquinas	27/10/2016
118	Your Virtue of Prudence	21/10/2016
117	Fr Donald Calloway: Champions of the Rosary	5/10/2016
116	When Evangelicals Convert Catholics…Why?	28/09/2016
115	Introduction to the Four Cardinal Virtues (Part 1 of Virtues)	23/09/2016
114	Your Focus Changes Your Feelings	07/09/2016
113	Did The Holy Spirit Appear As A Real Dove? And Saint Raymond Nonnatus	13/08/2016
112	Reflections on Pilgrimage to Rome	13/08/2016
111	10 Tips for Visiting Rome	6/08/2016
110	The Humility of Mary	6/02/2016
109	Is Catholicism a Religion or Relationship with Christ?	5/25/2016
108	Early Female Mystics and Martyrs: Perpetua and Felicity	5/18/2016
107	The Word “Catholic” in the Early Church	4/7/2016
106	Can Christians Kill People? Answers from Thomas Aquinas	3/23/2016
105	Our Pilgrim Interviews on Our Lady of Guadalupe	2/24/2016
104	Reflections on Our Lady of Guadalupe	2/17/2016
103	Happiness Is A Skill	2/11/2016
102	Taylor’s New Podcast for Christian Men: Maccabee Society	2/03/2016
101	Jewish Priests and Catholic Priests	1/21/2016
100	Is Star Wars Christian or Anti-Christian?	1/06/2016
099	Should Catholics Share the Gospel with Jewish Friends	12/16/2015
098	Was Muhammad Evil?	11/18/2015
097	Revelation Ch. 22 Tree of Life and Holy Water	11/10/2015
096	Revelation Ch. 21 Heaven as a Cube and the New Jerusalem	11/04/2015
095	Taylor’s Thoughts on Being Father of a Large Family	10/28/2015
094	On the Indissolubility of Marriage and the Synod on the Family	10/21/2015
093	Revelation Ch. 20 The Millennium in Catholic Tradition	10/15/2015
092	Revelation Ch.19 Eucharist as Apocalypse	10/07/2015
091	Revelation Ch. 18 Fallen is Babylon the Great	09/30/2015
090	Revelation Ch. 17 The Whore of Babylon and Her Beast	09/23/2015
089	Do Babies Know the Existence of God	09/9/2015
088	Revelation (Chs 15-16) 7 Chalices of Wrath (Catholic Apocalypse Part 10)	09/2/2015
087	Revelation Ch. 14 Lamb on the Mountain with 6 Angels against Babylon	08/26/2015
086	Taylor’s Conversion Story to Catholicism – Interview with Matthew Leonard	08/19/2015
085	Revelation Chapter 13 The Sea Beast and the Land Beast the Mark of the Beast	08/13/2015
084	Revelation Chapter 12 – Our Lady of the Apocalypse	07/29/2015
083	The Giant Angel and Two Witnesses: Revelation Part 6 (Chapters 10-11)	07/15/2015
082	The Seven Trumpets: Book of Revelation Part 5 (Chapters 8-9)	07/02/2015
081	Book of Revelation Part 4 (Chapters 6-7)	07/09/2015
080	Taylor’s Catholic Thoughts on Same Sex Marriage	06/30/2015
079	Book of Revelation Part 3 (Chapters 4-5)	06/17/2015
078	Is the Relic of True Cross Real?	06/16/2015
077	Book of Revelation Part 2 (Chapter 2-3)	06/10/2015
076	Book of Revelation Part 1 (Chapter 1)	06/03/2015
075	Trinity Sunday, Liturgy, Thomas Becket and Anglican Use Thoughts	05/29/2015
074	Tongues of Fire in Acts, 1 Enoch, and Pre-Vatican Liturgy	05/27/2015
073	Advice on Being a Man	05/22/2015
072	What was the Priestly Status of Mary? Was she a Levite?	05/16/2015
071	The Theology of Cooking Food	05/14/2015
070	3 Steps to Overcoming Anxiety and Stress	05/06/2015
069	How to Read the Summa in One Year	04/22/2015
068	St Paul on Faith and Works Catholic vs Protestant Debate	03/25/2015
067	How Your Fears Are Hurting You Spiritually?	03/18/2015
066	What is 666 and the Mark of the Beast?	03/04/2015
065	40 Days of Joy	02/26/2015
064	Why did God make you? Luke 19 Gives the Answer	02/11/2015
063	Is Being A Christian Hard or Easy?	01/21/2015
062	Catholic View of the End Times and Tribulation	01/14/2015
061	When Other People Really Hurt You	01/07/2015
060	Is Saint George Still a Saint?	01/01/2015
059	Revolution in Catholic Education – Jennifer Fulwiler Interviews Taylor Marshall	12/31/2014
058	The Hidden Theology in Sword and Serpent with St George and Sabra	12/11/2014
057	Advent Total Consecration to Mary	11/13/2014
056	Top 5 Advent Devotions	11/07/2014
055	Why Do We Baptize Babies? The Covenantal Argument	10/22/2014
054	Is God Male or Female – The Catholic Teaching	10/08/2014
053	Lucifer vs. Saint Michael	10/01/2014
052	1 Year Anniversary Special Edition: Essentialism What is the Essence of Your Life?	09/24/2014
051	The Price of Your Anger	09/17/2014
050	The Seven Sorrows of Mary are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit	09/15/2014
049	6 Obstacles in Your Life (How to Conquer Them)	09/10/2014
048	Brain Science, Your Soul & Prayer	09/03/2014
047	Don’t Swallow the Camel	08/27/2014
046	The Secret Life of Thomas Aquinas	08/22/2014
045	Did Saint Paul Teach Once Saved Always Saved?	08/06/2014
044	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 2	07/30/2014
043	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 1	07/24/2014
042	Golf Cart Saints	07/15/2014
041	5 Intellectual Virtues and Pornography, Art, and Culture	07/02/2014
040	Taylor and Joy Talk About Their Marriage	06/25/2014
039	How Was the Bible Assembled? (plus Joy joins me)	06/18/2014
038	Should You Budget Time (or Money)?	06/04/2014
037	The Theology of Vacation, Leisure, and Recreation	05/28/2014
036	Noah Movie Review – Rock Monsters?	05/21/2014
035	Children Need Fortitude	05/14/2014
034	Jokes of Saint John XXIII	05/07/2014
033	Divine Mercy: 5 Common Questions	04/30/2014
032	4 Sections of Hell	04/23/2014
031	Meet the Saint Version of You	04/16/2014
030	Should You Be an Optimist?	04/09/2014
029	Finding Fellowship like Samwise Gamgee	04/01/2014
028	Demons, Snakes, and Ticks: Lessons from a Hunting Trip	03/26/2014
027	How to Make an Eternal Impact with Your Life	03/19/2014
026	Thoughts on My Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/26/2014
025	Why is the Catholic Church Roman?	02/19/2014
024	The Seven Lies We Believe About Our Failures	02/11/2014
023	How to Restart Your Mental Computer	02/06/2014
022	Top Five Productivity Tips from Thomas Aquinas	01/29/2014
021	Did You Miss God’s Plan for Your Life?	01/23/2014
020	When Prayer Becomes a Chore	01/15/2014
019	12 Attributes of a Baptized Christian	01/08/2014
018	A Podcast Against Bitter Catholics!	12/30/2013
017	Mary’s Painless Delivery of Christ Explained	12/18/2013
016	Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Luke (Plus How to Set Goals)	12/11/2013
015	Total Consecration to Mary	12/04/2013
014	What’s Your Apostolate?	11/27/2013
013	6 Items for the Liturgy of Your Life	11/20/2013
012	Why You Should Be More Creative	11/13/2013
011	Why Did They Stop Teaching Virtue?	11/06/2013
010	How Do Saints Hear Our Prayers?	10/30/2013
009	My Opinion of Martin Luther	10/23/2013
008	My Top 5 Daily Prayers	10/16/2013
007	Your Guardian Angel	10/03/2013
006	How You Can Convert 7 Billion People	09/25/2013
005	3 Strategies for a Marriage that Sings!	09/18/2013
004	4 Step Plan When Family Leave the Faith	09/12/2013
003	5 Tools for Deep Daily Prayer Life	09/04/2013
002	Three Tips to Increase Your Passion for Life	08/28/2013
001	How to Find a Spiritual Director	08/18/2013

The post 154: St Gallen Mafia & Pope Francis: What is it? [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

151: Why Won’t Pope Francis Respond to Viganò? Is the answer Peronism? [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 14:00:23 +0000

Why Won’t Pope Francis Respond to Viganò? As a follow up to why did Pope Benedict resign, we look at the political history of Pope Francis and the influence of the Argentinian ruler Juan Perón (1895-1974). We examine the clip of Francis on the plane when he says he will “not say one word” regarding the 11 page testimony of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò.

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[reminder]

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Podcast Archive
#	Title	Released
150	Why did Pope Benedict Resign? McCarrick, Vigano and Vatican Bank Scandals Explained in Detail	29/08/2018
149	Eastern Catholics & Dormition of Mary	22/08/2018
148	McCarrick Scandal, Suffering Souls, and the problem of Fake Science	17/08/2018
147	Against the Catholic Mega-Diocese: Scandal and Subsidiarity	15/08/2018
146	American Catholic Kings? Freemasons & Catholic Integralism	15/08/2018
145	How to Walk the Camino de Santiago	8/08/2018
136	Why Tongues of Fire on Pentecost and How to Refute Mormons Easily	25/05/2018
135	Journey to Dominican Priesthood	18/04/2018
134	Saint Veronica in 9 Points: Was She Berenike?	04/04/2018
133	Saint Joseph in 9 Points Podcast (Should You Bury His Statue?)	19/03/2018
132	St Patrick in 9 Bullet Points and the “Two Patrick Theory”	17/03/2018
131	Thomas Aquinas on Catholic Priesthood Interview	16/03/2018
130	How do we get to Heaven? Wrong Answers for Catholics	08/03/2018
129	Aquinas Why Fish and No Meat in Lent PLUS the Demonic Incubus and Sucubus!	28/02/2018
128	Is there now a Matrimony Heresy?	21/02/2018
127	Is the Eucharist Symbolic: 4 Medieval Heretics on the Eucharist before the Reformation	30/08/2017
126	Why do Catholics “Worship” Statues and Icons: The Iconoclastic Heresy and the Council of Nicea II in AD 787	23/08/2017
125	Does Christ have 1 or 2 Natures? Heretic Eutyches and the Monophysite Heresy?	16/08/2017
124	Heretic Nestorius: Is Mary Mother of God? Are there 2 Christs?	25/05/2017
123	Heretic Arius and Deity of Christ	03/04/2017
122	Heretic Valentinius Explained	10/03/2017
121	Your Virtue of Temperance (and Aquinas on Women Looking Sexy)	09/02/2017
120	Your Virtue of Fortitude with Aquinas (Virtues Part 4)	05/01/2017
119	Your Virtue of Justice according to Thomas Aquinas	27/10/2016
118	Your Virtue of Prudence	21/10/2016
117	Fr Donald Calloway: Champions of the Rosary	5/10/2016
116	When Evangelicals Convert Catholics…Why?	28/09/2016
115	Introduction to the Four Cardinal Virtues (Part 1 of Virtues)	23/09/2016
114	Your Focus Changes Your Feelings	07/09/2016
113	Did The Holy Spirit Appear As A Real Dove? And Saint Raymond Nonnatus	13/08/2016
112	Reflections on Pilgrimage to Rome	13/08/2016
111	10 Tips for Visiting Rome	6/08/2016
110	The Humility of Mary	6/02/2016
109	Is Catholicism a Religion or Relationship with Christ?	5/25/2016
108	Early Female Mystics and Martyrs: Perpetua and Felicity	5/18/2016
107	The Word “Catholic” in the Early Church	4/7/2016
106	Can Christians Kill People? Answers from Thomas Aquinas	3/23/2016
105	Our Pilgrim Interviews on Our Lady of Guadalupe	2/24/2016
104	Reflections on Our Lady of Guadalupe	2/17/2016
103	Happiness Is A Skill	2/11/2016
102	Taylor’s New Podcast for Christian Men: Maccabee Society	2/03/2016
101	Jewish Priests and Catholic Priests	1/21/2016
100	Is Star Wars Christian or Anti-Christian?	1/06/2016
099	Should Catholics Share the Gospel with Jewish Friends	12/16/2015
098	Was Muhammad Evil?	11/18/2015
097	Revelation Ch. 22 Tree of Life and Holy Water	11/10/2015
096	Revelation Ch. 21 Heaven as a Cube and the New Jerusalem	11/04/2015
095	Taylor’s Thoughts on Being Father of a Large Family	10/28/2015
094	On the Indissolubility of Marriage and the Synod on the Family	10/21/2015
093	Revelation Ch. 20 The Millennium in Catholic Tradition	10/15/2015
092	Revelation Ch.19 Eucharist as Apocalypse	10/07/2015
091	Revelation Ch. 18 Fallen is Babylon the Great	09/30/2015
090	Revelation Ch. 17 The Whore of Babylon and Her Beast	09/23/2015
089	Do Babies Know the Existence of God	09/9/2015
088	Revelation (Chs 15-16) 7 Chalices of Wrath (Catholic Apocalypse Part 10)	09/2/2015
087	Revelation Ch. 14 Lamb on the Mountain with 6 Angels against Babylon	08/26/2015
086	Taylor’s Conversion Story to Catholicism – Interview with Matthew Leonard	08/19/2015
085	Revelation Chapter 13 The Sea Beast and the Land Beast the Mark of the Beast	08/13/2015
084	Revelation Chapter 12 – Our Lady of the Apocalypse	07/29/2015
083	The Giant Angel and Two Witnesses: Revelation Part 6 (Chapters 10-11)	07/15/2015
082	The Seven Trumpets: Book of Revelation Part 5 (Chapters 8-9)	07/02/2015
081	Book of Revelation Part 4 (Chapters 6-7)	07/09/2015
080	Taylor’s Catholic Thoughts on Same Sex Marriage	06/30/2015
079	Book of Revelation Part 3 (Chapters 4-5)	06/17/2015
078	Is the Relic of True Cross Real?	06/16/2015
077	Book of Revelation Part 2 (Chapter 2-3)	06/10/2015
076	Book of Revelation Part 1 (Chapter 1)	06/03/2015
075	Trinity Sunday, Liturgy, Thomas Becket and Anglican Use Thoughts	05/29/2015
074	Tongues of Fire in Acts, 1 Enoch, and Pre-Vatican Liturgy	05/27/2015
073	Advice on Being a Man	05/22/2015
072	What was the Priestly Status of Mary? Was she a Levite?	05/16/2015
071	The Theology of Cooking Food	05/14/2015
070	3 Steps to Overcoming Anxiety and Stress	05/06/2015
069	How to Read the Summa in One Year	04/22/2015
068	St Paul on Faith and Works Catholic vs Protestant Debate	03/25/2015
067	How Your Fears Are Hurting You Spiritually?	03/18/2015
066	What is 666 and the Mark of the Beast?	03/04/2015
065	40 Days of Joy	02/26/2015
064	Why did God make you? Luke 19 Gives the Answer	02/11/2015
063	Is Being A Christian Hard or Easy?	01/21/2015
062	Catholic View of the End Times and Tribulation	01/14/2015
061	When Other People Really Hurt You	01/07/2015
060	Is Saint George Still a Saint?	01/01/2015
059	Revolution in Catholic Education – Jennifer Fulwiler Interviews Taylor Marshall	12/31/2014
058	The Hidden Theology in Sword and Serpent with St George and Sabra	12/11/2014
057	Advent Total Consecration to Mary	11/13/2014
056	Top 5 Advent Devotions	11/07/2014
055	Why Do We Baptize Babies? The Covenantal Argument	10/22/2014
054	Is God Male or Female – The Catholic Teaching	10/08/2014
053	Lucifer vs. Saint Michael	10/01/2014
052	1 Year Anniversary Special Edition: Essentialism What is the Essence of Your Life?	09/24/2014
051	The Price of Your Anger	09/17/2014
050	The Seven Sorrows of Mary are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit	09/15/2014
049	6 Obstacles in Your Life (How to Conquer Them)	09/10/2014
048	Brain Science, Your Soul & Prayer	09/03/2014
047	Don’t Swallow the Camel	08/27/2014
046	The Secret Life of Thomas Aquinas	08/22/2014
045	Did Saint Paul Teach Once Saved Always Saved?	08/06/2014
044	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 2	07/30/2014
043	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 1	07/24/2014
042	Golf Cart Saints	07/15/2014
041	5 Intellectual Virtues and Pornography, Art, and Culture	07/02/2014
040	Taylor and Joy Talk About Their Marriage	06/25/2014
039	How Was the Bible Assembled? (plus Joy joins me)	06/18/2014
038	Should You Budget Time (or Money)?	06/04/2014
037	The Theology of Vacation, Leisure, and Recreation	05/28/2014
036	Noah Movie Review – Rock Monsters?	05/21/2014
035	Children Need Fortitude	05/14/2014
034	Jokes of Saint John XXIII	05/07/2014
033	Divine Mercy: 5 Common Questions	04/30/2014
032	4 Sections of Hell	04/23/2014
031	Meet the Saint Version of You	04/16/2014
030	Should You Be an Optimist?	04/09/2014
029	Finding Fellowship like Samwise Gamgee	04/01/2014
028	Demons, Snakes, and Ticks: Lessons from a Hunting Trip	03/26/2014
027	How to Make an Eternal Impact with Your Life	03/19/2014
026	Thoughts on My Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/26/2014
025	Why is the Catholic Church Roman?	02/19/2014
024	The Seven Lies We Believe About Our Failures	02/11/2014
023	How to Restart Your Mental Computer	02/06/2014
022	Top Five Productivity Tips from Thomas Aquinas	01/29/2014
021	Did You Miss God’s Plan for Your Life?	01/23/2014
020	When Prayer Becomes a Chore	01/15/2014
019	12 Attributes of a Baptized Christian	01/08/2014
018	A Podcast Against Bitter Catholics!	12/30/2013
017	Mary’s Painless Delivery of Christ Explained	12/18/2013
016	Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Luke (Plus How to Set Goals)	12/11/2013
015	Total Consecration to Mary	12/04/2013
014	What’s Your Apostolate?	11/27/2013
013	6 Items for the Liturgy of Your Life	11/20/2013
012	Why You Should Be More Creative	11/13/2013
011	Why Did They Stop Teaching Virtue?	11/06/2013
010	How Do Saints Hear Our Prayers?	10/30/2013
009	My Opinion of Martin Luther	10/23/2013
008	My Top 5 Daily Prayers	10/16/2013
007	Your Guardian Angel	10/03/2013
006	How You Can Convert 7 Billion People	09/25/2013
005	3 Strategies for a Marriage that Sings!	09/18/2013
004	4 Step Plan When Family Leave the Faith	09/12/2013
003	5 Tools for Deep Daily Prayer Life	09/04/2013
002	Three Tips to Increase Your Passion for Life	08/28/2013
001	How to Find a Spiritual Director	08/18/2013

The post 151: Why Won’t Pope Francis Respond to Viganò? Is the answer Peronism? [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

148: McCarrick Scandal, Suffering Souls, and the problem of Fake Science [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 17 Aug 2018 16:31:48 +0000

Here’s a fresh look on Catholic Washington DC politics, McCarrick Scandal, Suffering Souls, and the problem of Fake Science as I sit down with the President of C-Fam (Center of Family and Human rights) Austin Ruse.

Listen to the audio podcast version below or watch the full Youtube interview:

Coming up next week, I’ll be posting two new interviews on “Eastern Catholic theology” and “Hunting in the Bible.” Subscribe at Youtube to get notified.

You can get Austin Ruse’s latest books at amazon here:

You can find all related video interviews here at Youtube.

Have a blessed and fun weekend!

Godspeed,
Dr Marshall

The post 148: McCarrick Scandal, Suffering Souls, and the problem of Fake Science [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

147: Against the Catholic Mega-Diocese: Scandal and Subsidiarity [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 20:10:16 +0000

My article yesterday was shared so many times that I recorded a YouTube video discussing the topic and adding a few more ideas to the idea that Mega-Dioceses (bishops overseeing millions of people) are an abuse and contrary to Catholic Tradition.

In the video I explain how the invention of the Catholic “Mega-Diocese” has led to sexual scandals, corrupt clergy, and runs contrary to the principle of subsidiarity. I also lay out the case in light of Moses and Jethro in Exodus 18 and makes recommendations on how to fix this problem that originated with Pope Leo X and the advent of “auxiliary bishops.”

What the video below or watch it directly inside Youtube by clicking here.

Audio Podcast version is here:

Godspeed,
Dr Marshall

Please share the video and subscribe to my Youtube channel to get more info and updates.

The post 147: Against the Catholic Mega-Diocese: Scandal and Subsidiarity [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Does the Mega-Diocese foster sexual scandals and bad priests? Yes

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 17:22:11 +0000

The 2002 Boston Scandal, the ~~Cardinal~~ McCarrick Scandal, and the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report reveals that the bishops are at ground zero in this scandal.

Some bishops didn’t properly vet seminarians and admit perverts.
Some bishops ordained mental disturbed, predatory priests.
Some bishops covered the crimes of Judas priests.
Some bishops relocated the predatory Judas priests.
Some bishops made secret payouts to victims to keep them quiet.
Some bishops have been molesting and having homo-relations with seminarians and priests.

The laity are shocked that so-called Episcopoi (Greek word for “bishop” meaning “supervisor” or “overseer”) could do such horrible things and still show up smiling for photos after the post-confirmation ceremonies. How could this be?

Continue reading the article below or watch the video Youtube version here:

Three Reasons for Sexual Scandals:

Denial of Christian Faith. These clerics are secretly atheists, agnostics, or Satanists who see the Church as a social justice network that pays well and provides a lifestyle of insurance, income, retirement and unquestioned access to compromised men and vulnerable children.
Homosexuality. The 2004 John Jay Report publicized that 80% of priest abuse victims are male. The orientation of abuse was overwhelming homosexual According to James Martin and Larry Stammer, 15–58% of American Catholic priests are homosexual in orientation. Father Dariusz Oko of Poland has suggested that 50% of the bishops in the United States are homosexual.
Evolution of the Mega-Diocese. Since 1900, the concept of the Catholic diocese has morphed into something that would not be recognized by Christians of the medieval period, and certainly not by the Church Fathers.

Today, I want to focus on the third. The problem of the Mega-Diocese: what it is, how it happened, and how it leads to clericalism and sexual abuse.

[callout]I am NOT stating that the Mega-Diocese is the root cause of sexual scandal or that eradicating it will fix everything! We need a a refocus on intrinsic evils, formation of true consciences, biblical literacy, removal of sexual active bishops/clergy, orthodox theological, Thomism, liturgical reverence, and heroic priests. But the Mega-Diocese is certainly infertile soil for these changes. Read on to discover the historic origin of this deformation and why it fosters abuse.[/callout]

Picture above: a bishop gathered with his diocese.

What is a Mega-Diocese?

A Mega-Diocese is a diocese so enormous that a bishop cannot oversee it. Remember “bishop” in Greek is επίσκοπος (episcopos) which means “overseer.” Epi means “over” as in the word epidermis. Skopos means “see” as in the English words scope and telescope.

[bctt tweet=”A Mega-Diocese is a diocese so enormous that a bishop cannot oversee it. ” username=”taylorrmarshall”]

We all desire lower Student/Teacher Ratios:

Parents eagerly search for schools with a low teacher/student ratio. Everyone in education knows that as you raise the teacher/student ratio, scores and academic performance go down. 12 students to 1 teacher proves to produce higher scores and better outcomes. 40 students to 1 teacher proves to produce lower scores and more drop outs.

But we currently have very high Disciple/Bishop Ratios:

What we have created over the last 150 years (since the loss of the Papal States, really) is an insanely high disciple/bishop ratio with regard to bishops. Bishops belong to the magisterium in union with the Pope. Magister is Latin for teacher. The bishop is the primary teacher. So we are discussing a student/teacher ratio here, as well. As the disciple/bishop ratio increases, what do we see? Lay people know their faith less (akin to lower scores), and they drop out at higher numbers (leave the church).

Currently here are the number of baptized in the top 4 USA archdioceses:

1 Los Angeles 4,174,304
2 New York 2,521,087
3 Chicago 2,442,000
4 Boston 2,077,487

How can a bishop manage this? He cannot. Not even Saint Paul could manage this? So how did we get here?

How did we get high Disciple/Bishop Ratios?

In the Patristic and Medieval Church, every wrinky-dink town had it’s own bishop. For evidence look at Italy:

Italy has 227 dioceses. 116,350 sq mi and population of 60,483,973 people
USA has 167 dioceses. 3,796,742 sq mi and population of 325,719,178 people

Here are 2 maps that I created for reference:

What we see here is that the Catholic Church from AD 100-1500 was appointing a bishop for almost every “town” in Italy since a bishop should be able to geographically access his flock.

[bctt tweet=”Italy has 227 dioceses. USA has 167 dioceses. This is wrong for the USA and it’s contrary to subsidiarity.” username=”taylorrmarshall”]

After 1520, but especially after 1870, the Catholic Church slowed down its bishop appointments, and the Papacy began to settle for “mega-dioceses.” By the 1900s, this problem was everywhere in the United States and has become ridiculous since the death of Pope John Paul II.

In 1950, the bishop of Los Angeles served 832,375 lay Catholics. In 2016, the archbishop of Los Angeles was responsible for 4,392,000 lay Catholics.

How the Mega-Diocese Fails Christians:

The Mega-Diocese is based on the presumption that one man can shepherd a million people and oversee hundreds of priests (both are impossible). The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has 1,117 priests and 4,392,000 baptized laity. One bishop can not oversee 1000+ priests. One bishop cannot be shepherd for 4.3 million people. For reference, the entire population of England in AD 1086 was 3.6 million. Imagine if all of England in AD 1086 had only one bishop! Ridiculous.

[bctt tweet=”The Mega-Diocese is based on the presumption that one man can shepherd a million people and oversee hundreds of priests (both are impossible). ” username=”taylorrmarshall”]

Enter the Legal Fiction of Auxiliary Bishops:

In order to “fix” this problem, the Popes began to appoint “Auxiliary Bishops.” According to Apostolic example, Patristic custom, and ancient Catholic Councils, a bishop must be a bishop of a geographic place. So you cannot have 3 bishops of the same geographic region. For Saint Ignatius of Antioch or Polycarp, multiple bishops in one place would be a schismatic and heretical act. There is only one geographic bishop for one geographic place.

So the Popes (initially Pope Leo X) created a legal fiction called Auxiliary Bishops with titular sees. The Pope appoints the Auxiliary Bishop to a geographical diocese that no longer exists, and then sends that auxiliary bishop to work inside the diocese of another bishop. Incidentally, the Pope that first allowed this legal fiction was the infamous Medici Pope Leo X (the same Pope whom Martin Luther spoke out against in 1517). Previous popes had banned the custom of auxiliary bishops with fictional titular sees.

For example, Bishop Robert Barron (to choose the most well-known auxiliary bishop) is an auxiliary bishop in Los Angeles. However, since every bishop must actually be a canonical bishop of his own geographical area, Bishop Barron is actually the titular bishop of “Macriana in Mauretania” – an ancient Berber town in Algeria.

On paper and in reality, this canonical appointment to Macriana in Mauretania is ridiculous. Bishop Barron has nothing to do with Macriana and we shouldn’t create the legal fiction of bishops over non-existing “sees.”

In the early Catholic Church, Bishop Barron would simply be bishop ordinary of his pastoral region of Santa Barbara. He would simply become Bishop of Santa Barbara – not Pretend Bishop of “Macriana in Mauretania” but really serving the people of Santa Barbara under the auspices of the geographical bishop of Los Angeles. What a mess.

I’m not blaming Bishop Barron or any auxiliary bishop for this situation. They are obeying the directives of canon law and the Pope and are in good faith with regard to their appointments. There are great men serving as auxiliary bishops throughout the world. But when we look at it from a systemic point of view, it reveals an ecclesiological problem that contradicts both the Council of Nicea and biblical and patristic theology about the local ecclesia.

How to fix the Mega-Diocese? Break it up with Subsidiarity

The Mega-Diocese is an offense against the Catholic doctrine of subsidiarity – the doctrine that matters ought to be handled by the smallest and most proximate competent authority – not by a Cardinal Archbishop living 90 miles away who also has the direct canonical care of souls for 1 million people. It’s a mistake to ask a bishop to be responsible for 1 million people and 1,000 priests. It’s a crime against the laity, too. The Mega-Diocese is bad for everyone.

[bctt tweet=”The Mega-Diocese is an offense against the Catholic doctrine of subsidiarity – the principle that matters ought to be handled by the smallest and most proximate competent authority – not by an archbishop living 90 miles away who has canonical care of souls for 1 million people.” username=”taylorrmarshall”]

When we see a public school teacher with 50 students in a class, we know its bad for the teacher and bad for the students. Everyone loses. Same the episcopal-diocesan structure.

How do we fix the Mega-Diocese problem? Obviously, a diocese of over one million souls is too big and too spread out. We need to follow the custom of ancient popes and have many, many, many more dioceses and bishops appointed. We need ecclesial subsidiarity. If Italy has 227 dioceses and the USA has 167 dioceses, we have an apparent problem. Creating more Mega-Dioceses and more and more auxiliary bishops will yield more abuse inside a broken system.

How big should a diocese be?

There were around 150-250,000 Catholics in the Archdiocese of Paris during the medieval era. It may seem extreme, but I don’t see the benefit of having a diocese any bigger than that. If a bishop had 100 priests and 100,000 people, it would be a manageable situation.

Still don’t believe me, ask Moses:

The biblical Mega-Diocese of Moses in Exodus 18 and the advice of Jethro:

Moses was exhausted overseeing the 400,000 Israelites under his pastoral supervision. His father-in-law Jethro observed this and rebuked Moses while providing a solution to break up his “Mega-Diocese”:

13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law (Jethro) saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”

17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone….21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

If Moses couldn’t handle it, so also the modern bishop cannot handle it. Moses followed the advice of Jethro. He appointed men to oversee “thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.” He didn’t place men “over 10,000 or even 100,000.” That’s too much! In other words, Jethro tells Moses: “Lets practice pastoral subsidiarity.”

[bctt tweet=”In other words, Jethro tells Moses: Lets practice pastoral subsidiarity.” username=”taylorrmarshall”]

It’s comical that my own enormous state of Texas has – 15 dioceses! The disciple/bishopratio here is horrible. Moreover, bishops spend entire weekends driving out into the country for confirmations at their parishes hours away.

Just like parents with kids in the school district, we lay people should beg and ask for a better disciple/bishop ratios. Say no to more auxiliary bishops. That’s a cheap bandaid covering the wound. The Archdioceses of LA and NYC should be broken into the 5 dioceses. The reason it won’t happen now is money. But in a pastorally sensitive church, those Mega-Dioceses would be prudently divided into 5 geographic dioceses. Let an auxiliary bishop simply be a bishop of that deanery and call him “bishop ordinary.”

[bctt tweet=”The Archdioceses of LA & NYC should be broken into the 5 dioceses. The reason it won’t happen now is money. But in a pastorally sensitive church, those Mega-Dioceses should be divided into 5 dioceses. Let an auxiliary bishop simply be a bishop ordinary of his deanery. ” username=”taylorrmarshall”]

Until we break up the Mega-Dioceses, do not expect clerical sexual scandal to get better or heal. The Mega-Diocese is unaccountable, noisy, not policed, and unsupervised. The Mega-Diocese allows the predatory priest (and bishop) to wear camouflage. Meanwhile a bishop close to his people and even closer to his priests as “father to fathers” is both more accountable and a better supervisor as episcopos.

I’d love to hear more recommendations, objections, and thoughts, especially from laity and clergy existing within the Mega-Diocese structures. One thing that I didn’t cover is that Mega-Diocese usually have low native seminarian counts and low ordination counts. They statistically cannot produce vocations. If the bishop is the sacramental “father of fathers,” then he is the overworked “absent father figure” within a Mega-Diocese. Vocations are not conceived by absent fathers.

[reminder]

Pray for the Church ad Jesum per Mariam cum Petro,
Dr Taylor Marshall

[bctt tweet=”If the bishop is the sacramental father of fathers, then he is the overworked absent father figure within a Mega-Diocese. Vocations are not conceived by absent fathers.” username=”taylorrmarshall”]

PS: I would also add that bishops should be chosen from among the local presbytery or at least from near regional dioceses, and not “imported” from elsewhere. Moreover, bishops should not be moved all over the nation like bishop pieces on a chess board. A bishop should stay the bishop of one place for life…like marriage. St John Fisher, pray for us.

The post Does the Mega-Diocese foster sexual scandals and bad priests? Yes appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

145: How to Walk the Camino de Santiago [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 08 Aug 2018 12:00:15 +0000

Dr Marshall sits down with an old friend and high church Anglican priest Christopher Cantrell to discuss his experience walking the Camino de Santiago 4 times (Camino Frances and Camino Primativo). They discuss the tradition and history of the Camino and give advice on how and why to do it.

You can also watch this podcast interview on Youtube by clicking here.

Buen Camino!
Dr Taylor Marshall

The post 145: How to Walk the Camino de Santiago [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Video: What is the Catholic Theology of Pilgrimage? PLUS St James in Spain

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 21:22:11 +0000

On the feast of Saint James I’ve published a three part video series on Youtube “The Catholic Theology of Pilgrimage” that studies:

the concept of pilgrimage from the time of Abraham
the meaning of the Old Testament name James (Jakov in Hebrew) and its relation to the Pilgrimage of Saint James in Spain
and my recent experience as a pilgrim on the Camino of Santiago in Spain

Please click here to check out this new three part series on Catholic Pilgrimages:

Here also is Part 2 and Part 3 to this “Video Micro-Trilogy” of Catholic Theology.

Godspeed,
Dr Marshall

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The Messianic Theology of Bob Marley and His Conversion to Ethiopian Orthodoxy

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 18:41:03 +0000

I just returned from the Caribbean. As I listened to the music Bob Marley and the local reggae music, I tuned in with my theological ear. Certain lyrics stood out to me, for example, this line from Marley’s “Get Up Stand Up” (1973):

We sick an’ tired of-a your ism-skism game –
Dyin’ ‘n’ goin’ to heaven in-a Jesus’ name, Lord.
We know when we understand:
Almighty God is a living man.

So who is this “living man” who is God? Is it Christ or someone else? Hmm.

Bob Marley depicted as Saint George on his final album “Confrontation”

So I read through the lyrics and read up on Rastafari theology and its appropriation of Christian Messianism. Since most people interface Rastafari beliefs via Bob Marley’s music, I’ll examine Rastafari theology through the lens of Bob Marley. And so to begin, we should recognize that Marley experienced three theological periods during his life:

Roman Catholic – from his birth in 1945 till 1966 when he was 21. His father was a white Jamaican captain derived from England. His mother was a Jamaican girl. He was 59. She was 18. His father died of a heart attack at age 70, when Bob was 10 years old. It seems that his mother was a Catholic.
Rastafari – At age 21, Marley married Rita Anderson, a Rastafarian. Marley wholeheartedly adopted the Rastafarian identity and theology. This period lasts from 1966 (age 21) till about 1979.
Ethiopian Orthodox – Marley became less enthusiastic about the Rastafari movement, especially after the death of Haile Selassie in 1975 (more on that below). By 1978 Marley’s music is less political, less militant, and less Rasta. Themes of love begin to dominate the music. Beginning 1979-1980, Marley sought membership within the Ethiopian Orthodox Church of Haile Selassie. Archbishop Abuna Yesehaq baptized Bob Marley into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, giving him the name Berhane Selassie, on 4 November 1980. Marley died of cancer seven months later on 11 May 1981 and received an Ethiopian Orthodox funeral.

101 Intro to Rastafari Messianic Theological:

Trinitarian. Rastafari are traditionally Trinitarian and worship God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. They tend to depict Jesus as black and reject European depictions of Christ. As we will see below, they also see King Haile Selassie as a reincarnation or avatar of Jesus Christ. Some more advanced Rastafarians hold that God has had four avatars: Moses, Elijah, Jesus, and Haile Selassie.
They read the Old and New Testament. They tend to quote the King James Version.
Ethiopia is Politico-Prophetic. Rastafari read the Bible in a way to see the African nation of Ethiopia as playing a prophetic role in religious action and political justice. This is why the Rasta movement is defined by the colors of the Ethiopian flag.
Ethiopic Messianism. They also believe that King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba had a baby together and that this child established a Davidic-Solomonic Messianic royal dynasty in Ethiopia.
Pan-African. Rastafari theology is a religious Pan-African movement that looked forward to: a) the unification of all African nations; and B) the return of all dispersed Africans back to Africa. Ethiopia will be the instrument of this reunion.
King Haile Selassie as Messiah. Rastafarian name themselves after Ras Tafari Makonnen (Ras means “Duke”), the baptismal name of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, King of Ethiopia. They believe that “Ras Tafari” or “Haile Selassie” is the heir of the Davidic-Solomonic promises and that his celebrated coronation on 2 November 1930 was an apocalyptic and prophetic event signaling redemption for Africa and all dispersed Africans. The movement identified King Haile Selassie as “Messianic” or “the Messiah” or “Jesus reincarnate” or “divine” or “Jah.” King Haile Selassie was named Man of the Year in 1936, thus increasing expectation:
Smoking cannabis was a cultural Jamaican practice. By association it became a defining element of Afro-Caribbean identity and Rastafarian spirituality. Rastafarian identified the “healing leaves” of Revelation 22:2 as cannabis: “and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
Dreadlocks. The growing of dreadlocks is Biblically inspired by the Nazarite vow of Numbers 6: 5–6: “During the entire period of their Nazarite vow, no razor may be used on their head. They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the LORD is over; they must let their hair grow long.”
Concubinage and Polygamy. Rastafarians hold David and Solomon as their spiritual fathers. Following their example, they allow for polygamy and concubinage. The Rastafarian women (like Bob Marley’s wife Rita) allowed their husbands to sleep with other women as they saw fit. Marital monogamy is not binding because it was not binding for David or Solomon.

Origin of Rastafari Theology

Beginning in 1930, Jamaican (Protestant) preachers began to describe the coronation of King Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia as the fulfillment of Revelation (5:2–5; 19:16), Daniel (7:3), and the Book of Psalms (68:31).
Jamaicans began to see themselves as supporting the “black king of Ethiopia” and not the “white king of England.” Supporters of Ras Tafari began to be identified as Rastafarians.
In 1935, Jamaican preacher Leonard Howell published the tract The Promised Key which explained that Emperor Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari) was the Messiah, that Black people were the chosen people, and they would soon be repatriated to Ethiopia and experience political and economic prosperity. The tract is the founding document of Rastafarian belief and marks the move from seeing Haile Selassie as merely prophetic to “the divine Messiah.”
Leonard Howell taught that there are 6 principles to Rastafari theology:
(1) hatred for the White race;
(2) the complete superiority of the Black race;
(3) revenge on Whites for their wickedness;
(4) the negation, persecution, and humiliation of the government of Jamaica;
(5) preparation to go back to Africa; and
(6) acknowledging Emperor Haile Selassie as the Supreme Being and only ruler of Black people
Haile Selassie visited Jamaica for the first time in August 1966, with crowds of Rastas assembling to meet him at the airport.
The death of Haile Selassie in 1975 lead to alternative conspiracies about a faked death, his resurrection, his second coming, or to his spiritual force being released into the world. However, as no Pan-African change materialized, the Rastafari movement lost momentum. Among black communities, rap replaced Rasta-style reggae as the musical force for revolution and political change. However, Rastafarian imagery and language continues to dominate pro-African movements in the West. The emphasis on Haile Selassie has mostly been exchanged for militant Socialism and the deification of the individual.

Bob Marley as Rastafarian and then as Ethiopian Orthodox:

As stated above, Bob Marley became Rastafarian in 1966 at age 21. Here’s his album cover with the The Wailers from 1965 with no signs of Rastafarian identity, with Bob Marley centered:

With their second album in 1966, they became political and took on a guerrilla revolution identity.

“I Shot the Sheriff” was released in 1973 on their sixth LP Burnin’. The album reached 151 on Billboard 200. The next year in 1974, Eric Clapton covered “I Shot the Sheriff” and it was a number one hit. This lifted Bob Marley and the Wailers into fame as fans desired to buy/listen to the original version. All of Marley’s subsequent albums did well, as he peaked in 1977 with the LP Exodus. By 1980 he was playing Madison Square Garden in NYC.

In 1977, Marley had been diagnosed with a malignant skin cancer on his toe. Doctors suggested full amputation of the toe. Marley kept the toe. On 21 September 1980, he learned that the cancer spread to his brain. He played his last concert on 23 September 1980 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

At this last live concert he sang: “We know when we over-stand: Almighty God is a living man.” It’s not clear if he was merely honoring the original lyrics, or whether he still actually believed that the now-deceased King Haile Sellasie was still God Almighty. Probably the former.

About 40 days after receiving his terminal cancer diagnosis, Archbishop Abuna Yesehaq baptized Bob Marley into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church on 4 November 1980. Afterward he cried for half an hour.

Bob Marley died of brain cancer on 11 May 1981.

Here is a full YouTube video with Archbishop Abuna Yesehaq, the one who baptized Bob Marley into the Orthodox Church. He explicitly states that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is NOT Rastafarian:

2:50 Abuna Yesehaq says that 20,000 Rastafarians were baptized into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, but no all remained. From the video, it seems that Abuna Yesehaq did not require the newly baptized to renounced their Rasta beliefs. If so, this is troubling.
3:40 Abuna Yesehaq says that Haile Selassie was a member of Ethiopian Orthodox Church and denied he was divine.
4:20 Haile Selassie sent Abuna Yesehaq to convert Rastas in Jamaica.
5:50 Abuna Yesehaq says dreadlocks are okay
7:05 Abuna Yesehaq says “I baptized Bob Marley”
8:00 Abuna Yesehaq explains three differences with Roman Catholics: papal infallibility, miaphysite nature of Christ, procession of Holy Spirit.
10:40 Abuna Yesehaq explains how Bob Marley wanted to learn and conform to Orthodox practice, especially with regard to concubinage and polygamy.
11:30 Abuna Yesehaq told Bob Marley to be monogamous.
11:46 Abuna Yesehaq explains how Bob Marley cried for half and hour after baptism.
12:30 His wife Rita Marely was baptized with her children in Ethiopian Orthodox Church in 1973.
13:15 Bob Marley assented that Jesus crucified not Selassie is Christ.

It remains unclear whether Bob Marley repudiated his belief that Selassie but this interview seems to indicate that he did so and that he died a faithful member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

[reminder]Do you have any questions about Rastafarian beliefs? Or do you have any more information about the beliefs or conversion of Bob Marley?[/reminder]

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143: Shoveling Incense into the Cathedral’s Botafumeiro (Camino 7) [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 14:23:37 +0000

We were privileged to see the “smoke boat” or Botafumeiro in action today after Mass. The botafumeiro is the world’s largest incense thurible. It hangs from the ceiling of the Cathedral of Saint James and takes about 5 grown men to swing it through the cathedral. It’s quite the sight.

In this podcast I explain the epic botafumeiro. As promised, in the the podcast I include my video footage of the botafumeiro in action.

Godspeed,
Dr Taylor Marshall

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142: Tears and Arrival in Santiago! (Camino 6) [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 14:17:47 +0000

My dad and I made it to the Cathedral of Saint James (Santiago) today. I had a flat tire on my bike in the rain, but I finally made it through this final day: “I lift my eyes up to the mountains, from whence my help comes.”

Listen to the mp3 podcast below to the amazing experience of arriving with all the pilgrims on the Camino of Santiago (podcast and photo below):

Buen Camino!
Dr Marshall

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141: Monastery at Samos, Spain (Camino 5) [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 14:12:24 +0000

I continue on the Camino of Santiago.

Today we arrived at the historic Benedictine monastery at Samos. I detail the building and lament on the collapse of Christianity in Spain (and especially the collapse of monasticism). Click below to listen:

Dr Taylor Marshall

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140: Eucharistic Miracle at O Cebreiro in Spain (Camino 4) [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 19:11:57 +0000

Along the Camino of Saint James in Spain is the sight of a Eucharistic miracle in the church at O Cebreiro.

A poor pilgrim braved a deathly winter snowstorm to come to this church for Mass. The priest made fun of him and a Eucharistic miracle followed. Listen to the podcast below to hear the entire story about the miracle and the chalice:

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What is an Apostle? (And How it Relates to all the Boat Scenes in the Bible)

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 13:04:07 +0000

Our Lord Jesus Christ founded a New Israel with Himself as Davidic King and with Twelve Apostles initiating the new Twelve Tribes of Israel. This is the Messianic Kingdom of the Church.

As one who connects the Old Testament features to Catholic dogma (see this book: The Crucified Rabbi), I’ve always been painfully aware that the term “apostle” doesn’t have a slick connection to Old Testament kingdom language.

Pagan “Boat” Sources for the Term Apostle:

In pagan Greek sources (such as in the writings of the Greek historian Herodotus), ἀπόστολος (apostolos) refers to a political or military delegate or messenger. ἀπόστολος also refers to the commander of a naval force.

In fact, στόλος refers to a naval division or to a colony. So an ἀπόστολος is one who travels out to these naval colonies. Sometimes ἀπόστολος is used to refer to a formal naval dispatch or to an export license to/from these colonies.

So when the New Testament authors adopt this Greek term, they are not merely referring to a local rabbi or preacher. They are using a term that referred to diplomats who traveled to the farrest ends of the earth. It’s a global or catholic term.

Pauline Sources for the Term:

The term ἀπόστολος appears only once in the Greet Septuagint (Greek version of Old Testament) at 1 Kings 14:6 where ἀπόστολος is a translation of the Hebrew שָׁלוּחַ (sha-lach). The term appears 79 times in the New Testament – 68 of which are found in the writings of Paul and his disciple Luke.

It seems that originally ἀπόστολος referred to each of the original Twelve Apostles. However, Saint Paul opened the term to include himself, Barnabas (Acts 14:14) and Timothy and Silvanus (1 Thessalonians 2:7). Paul also speaks of false apostles in 2 Corinthians.

In Hebrews, Luke/Paul identify Jesus as “the apostle and high priest of our confession” (Heb 3:1). In this context, apostleship is associated with the high priesthood. This is our biggest hint into how early Christians understood the term ἀπόστολος. It was missionary and priestly. Just as an ἀπόστολος origianlly referred to naval delegates to colonies, so a high priest bridges over water as a pontifex, a bridge builder between God and man.

According to Paul, apostles surpass the various other offices within the Church of “teachers, evangelists, and prophets” (διδάσκαλος, εὐαγγελιστής, προφήτης). In the mind of Paul, an apostle is more than these three. I would argue, that for Paul an apostle is all three of these at once while also being priestly diplomats for Christ.

Are Apostles Political or Priestly?

At first glance into a Greek dictionary, the term ἀπόστολος seems political or mercantile. It’s a civil title. However, the Christians looked to King Melchizedek and King David as “priest kings” or “liturgical kings” as the prototypes for King Jesus. So the political realm collapses into the priestly liturgical realm. This is why Christ is both establishing a “kingdom” (political) and also building at “temple” (priestly). He is king and pontiff. And so also, his political ministers are both political and cultic. The ἀπόστολος is a naval delegate for foreign colonies throughout the world but he is also a sacrificial priest who offers the Gentiles to God as sacrifice and who offers the Eucharist as sacrifice.

Apostles on a Boat:

One final related topic. I couldn’t help but noticed that in Acts, the vivid scenes of Paul traveling by ship may in fact be intentionally recounted with detail to bolster Paul’s identity as ἀπόστολος. In the Greek mind, the ἀπόστολος is primarily naval and thus Paul is literally fulfilling his role as ἀπόστολος (maybe better so than the Twelve!). Also, the stories of Saint James Zebedee going to and from (posthumously) to Spain by boat ratifies James as a true apostle for Jesus. And let’s not forget all the “Jesus in a boat” scenes from the Gospels!

[reminder]

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139: Embarrassing Fall at the Iron Cross (Camino 3) [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 15:17:01 +0000

Today was the most difficult day on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. I fell down (while still clipped into my bike) at the summit below the Cruz de Ferro (Iron Cross) where pilgrims place a stone from home to signify their burdens and sins.

Here is an audio file of me recounting the experience and explaining the Iron Cross tradition:

Here is the Cruz de Ferro surrounded by pebbles placed their by pilgrims over time:

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138: The Angry Jousting Pilgrim of 1434 (Camino 2) [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 12:18:33 +0000

Today I tell the story of a pilgrim, a knight, and his rejected love that lead him to 30 days of violent jousting and the breaking of the 300 lances!

We passed through the medieval town of Hospital de Órbigo which was once run and controlled by the Knights Hospitallers to aide Christian pilgrims along the Camino to Santiago, Spain.

Previously in AD 456, invading armies loyal to King Theuderic I (son of King Clovis of the Franks) here fought King Rechiar (Suevic king of Gallaecia – first Germanic Catholic king).

Here’s the story of the Leonese knight Suero de Quinones who was rejected by the woman he loved. She placed him in the “friend zone,” and so he burned out his anger through jousting:

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Our Sad Decline in Priestly Vocations: Most Priests will Retire in 2015-2025

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 30 May 2018 18:50:08 +0000

I recently learned from Deacon Greg Kandra that Our Lady of Providence Seminary of of the Diocese of Providence Rhode Island has zero new seminarians:

Over the past five years, between two and six men have entered the seminary every fall but that’s not the case this year.

“Entering the fall we don’t have any new seminarians applying for the Diocese of Providence, which is rare,” Fr. Chris Murphy, the Catholic Diocese of Providence’s assistant vocation director, said Tuesday.

“I cannot remember in recent memory when the last time was,” he added.
A look back at the numbers shows a declining trend. Five men entered the seminary in 2012 and six entered in 2013, then the numbers drop to three, two and four in the years that followed.

Over the years, whenever the “priestly shortage” comes up in conversation, someone is quick to reply with some encouragement like this: “Oh yes, but we have so many young orthodox vocations! Things will change in a few years!”

I agree with this encouraging fact: We have some great seminarians! I’ve personally taught Catholic seminarians in America and in Rome and I can confirm that there are some dynamic, orthodox, and impressive seminarians moving into the sacerdotal pipeline.

But I am also aware of a gaping problem that hardly anyone mentions. The seminarian numbers are not there. We are about to fall off a demographic cliff of priestly vocations.

Yes, an impressive seminarian or deacon-seminarian visits your parish during the summer and does fantastic work.
Yes, you see lots of faces on the “Meet our Seminarians” color poster in the narthex after Mass.
Yes, you’re bishop announces yet another round of ordinations this year.

Praise God! I rejoice in all of it…but still…the numbers are lacking. Let’s take a look at priestly demographics:

For priests, we need to pray for quality and quantity:

Here is table of the number of priests in the USA from 1930 to 2015:

The number of priests exploded in 1950 (partly through migration) and peaked out in 1970. After 1975, you see a slow but steady decrease in the number of priests until the decline becomes steep around 1990.

More troubling is the fact that the tsunami of priests ordained from 1970-1980, will be reaching retirement age between the years 2015-2025 (age 25 + 45 years of service = retirement age 70).

Discovering the 1 Priest to every Catholic Ratio:

We have already begun to feel the scarcity of priests and you’ll understand why when you examine the numbers in light of the ratio of priest per Catholics. Check out these numbers:

In 1950, there was 1 priest to every 652 Catholics in the United States.
In 2010, there was 1 priest to every 1,653 Catholics in the United States.
In 2016, there was 1 priest to every 1,843 Catholics in the United States.

A numeric study shows that the tipping point in the USA happened around the year 1983. This is when our priest/Catholics ratio began to tank:

When it comes to priest/Catholics ratio, our priestly manpower is 33% of what it was 1950. Meanwhile there millions more lay Catholics in the pews.

And depending on the city, the ratio can be much worse. Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles have pretty discouraging ratios, but none are hurting as badly as my neighboring diocese of Dallas:

Diocese of Dallas: 1 priest to every 6,229 Catholics.
Diocese of Los Angeles: 1 priest to every 3,931 Catholics.
Diocese of New York: 1 priest to every 2,055 Catholics.
Diocese of Chicago: 1 priest to every 1,624 Catholics.

Meanwhile there are model dioceses that have wonderful ratios that beat even the 1950 national ratio:

Diocese of Lincoln: 1 priest to every 598 Catholics.

And the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP), which offers the Latin Mass from the 1962 Missale Romanum currently has this ratio in its parishes:

FSSP: 1 priest to every 250 Catholics.

Vocation Decrease among the Jesuits

Compare the growth of the FSSP to that of the global membership of the Society of Jesus:

In 1977, the Jesuits had 28,038 members.
In 2016, the Jesuits had 16,378 members.

The Jesuits have declined 41.5% since 1977. The average age of a Jesuit priest in 2018 is 63.4 years old. Considering that mandatory priestly retirement is age 70, this does not look good for the Jesuits. They will decline by more than 50% in the coming decade. If things don’t change, there will be less than 10,000 Jesuits on earth in the next few years.

[For reference, there are 6,058 (male and female) Dominicans on planet earth in 2018. That’s the size of three Texas high schools.]

Sad but True (plus some Hope):

It is true that we have many great young men in formation to be holy Catholic priests. I’ve spent hours talking with them after class and I know that we will have an excellent crop. The sad news is that it is small crop. A priest is only one man and if you spread him over 3 parishes, he will be less effective.

My prediction is that we will see a great Catholic migration over the next three decades. As that surge of vocations from 1970-1980 begins to retire and depart to their reward, we will see massive parish closings and consolidations. Priests will be rare. It is already obvious that bishops and dioceses like Lincoln Nebraska attract vocations to the holy priesthood. These bishops and their dioceses will thrive. Meanwhile, dioceses like Providence will shrink while they try to import priests from other parts of the world.

The solution is to pray for vocations, but also beg the question:

Why does Lincoln, Nebraska have a plethora of vocations (1 priest to every 598 Catholics!) while others are not only short on vocations but losing priests year after year?

Is it liturgical?
Is it ethnic or based somehow on immigration?
Is it doctrinal?
What leads young men to inquire about a priestly vocation?
How do they organize their altar server programs?
Does youth ministry play a role or not?
How do pastors play a role?
To which seminaries does each diocese send seminarians?
How does seminarian retention rate differ from diocese to diocese?
How is the bishop involved in the vocation process?

If “coffee is for closers,” Bishop Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska is drinking Roman double espressos. 1 priest to every 598 Catholics. Someone should study the vocations process in place under Bishop Conley of Lincoln.

My personal acquaintance with Bishop Conley (he helped guide me into the Catholic Church in 2006) is that he is orthodox, Thomistic, dignified, fatherly, and favors the template of Ratzinger’s “Spirit of the Liturgy.” And if I’m honest, every single impressive seminarian that I meet…is shaped from the same mold. Like begets like. Like father, like son.

And even if you aren’t on board with the template of “orthodox, Thomistic, dignified, fatherly, Spirit of the Liturgy,” the numbers don’t lie.

Pray for holy bishops, holy priests, and holy seminarians!

[reminder]How is your part of the world doing with priestly vocations? What makes for a good seminarian?[/reminder]

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Angels having Relations with Humans within Jude and 2 Peter and 1 Enoch

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 17 May 2018 16:22:44 +0000

Genesis 6 has a confusing reference to “when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them” and how this occurrence led to Yahweh flooding the earth. What does this mean?

Sometime around the 200s BC a Jewish document called “Book of Enoch” or 1 Enoch was produced. It gives all the details on how angelic beings copulated with human women and created a cosmic mess before the Flood. And here’s the interesting problem we have:

Saint Jude (Jude 1:14-15) directly quotes this non-biblical document known as “Book of Enoch” or 1 Enoch:

Jude 14–15
It was also about these that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying:“Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his saints to execute judgment on all and to convict everyone of all the deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

1 Enoch 1:9

Behold, he comes with ten thousand saints to execute judgment upon all, and he will destroy all the ungodly and convict all flesh of all the deeds of their ungodliness that they have ungodly committed in an ungodly way, and of all the arrogant and hard words which sinners have spoken against him.

It’s not only this direct quotation of 1 Enoch by Jude, but Jude (and 2 Peter) allude to the fantastical events of 1 Enoch, namely the sexual encounters of fallen angels with human women, which gives birth to the nephilim or “giants.” The birth of the giants, according to 1 Enoch, is the reason for the Noah’s Flood.

And this belief is also found in the canonical book of Wisdom:

“And from the beginning also when the proud giants (γιγάντων) perished, the hope of the world fleeing to a vessel, which was governed by thy hand, left to the world seed of generation.” (Wisdom 14:6)

The author of Wisdom clearly associates the flood to a divine genocide of the race of the giants (γιγάντων) to leave the world a “seed of generation.” (Saint Paul quotes from Wisdom about 7 times – so Saint Paul also likely hold this belief.)

Let me tell you the story of Angels and Giants that 1 Enoch tells:

In 1 Enoch, Yahweh sends 200 angels to guide and instruct humanity. These 200 angels are called “Irin” in Aramaic and “Egregoroi” in Greek. Both words mean “Watchers.” These Watchers corrupt humanity by teaching them evil arts such as cosmetology (sorry ladies), sorcery, astrology, and the arts of war.

These angels also seduce human women and copulate with them. The women give birth to nephilim or giants. God causes these giants to fight and die. Then the souls of the giants turn into demons that haunt and tempt humans for the rest of time.

So Yahweh binds these 200 evil angelic Watchers into “Tartarus.”
What is Tartarus? In the Homer’s Iliad, Zeus teaches that Tartarus is “as far beneath Hades as heaven is above earth.” Tartarus is the deepest part of the underworld, far below Hades.
It’s noteworthy that the term “tartarus” is used by Enoch and 2 Peter. This signals the blending of Hebrew history with Greek mythology since Greek myth depict Zeus (after 10 years of battle or titanomachy) sending the older primordial deities called Titans into the deep dungeon abyss of “tartarus.”

Notably 2 Peter explicitly uses Enoch’s word “Tartarus” for the condemnation of fallen “angels.” Jude and 2 Peter use almost the same words, but 2 Peter uses “Tartarus”:

Jude 6
And the angels who did not keep their own position, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deepest darkness for the judgment of the great day.

2 Peter 2:4a
For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into Tartaros and committed them to chains of deepest darkness to be kept until the judgment;

It seems that 1 Enoch (and maybe Jude and 2 Peter) have assimilated the titanomachy legend of Zeus condemning the Titans into Tartaus into a legend about Yahweh condemning the 200 angelic Watchers into the chains of Tartarus. But in the 1 Enoch legend the crime is that of angels procreating mutant giants with human women.

“And when the angels, the sons of heaven, beheld them, they became enamored of them, saying to each other, Come, let us select for ourselves wives from the progeny of men, and let us beget children.” (1 Enoch 7:2)

The resulting children are called nephilim in Hebrew or gigantes (giants) in Latin and Greek. In 1 Enoch, the historical Enoch goes to God and seeks to make intercession for the forgiveness of the giants. God refuses and the giants are condemned. This part of the story is referred to in Sirach:

“He was not propitiated for the ancient giants who revolted in their might.” (Sirach 16:7)

The Dead Sea Scrolls contain 10 copies (!) of the Book of Giants – a work that describes in detail the conception of giants in Genesis 6 from the union of women and angelic watchers. The giants were warriors and cannibals. This theology was an important part of the theology of Second Temple Judaism.

Church Fathers who explicitly teach that angels copulated with women and bred giants in Genesis 6:

Justin Martyr, Tatian, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian, Irenaeus, Athenagoras, Commodianus, Ambrose of Milan.

In the City of God, Saint Augustine taught that the “sons of God” in Genesis 6 were simply human ancestors of Seth and that they bred with the evil daughters of men/Cain. This became the received tradition in the post Augustinian Christian West. It’s notable, however, that his mentor Saint Ambrose believed that the “sons of God” were in fact angels that copulated with humans.

What’s going on here in the Hebrew tradition?

The “Legend of the Watchers” in 1 Enoch was written in the Maccabean period before Christ. It’s could be a Jewish appropriation of a Greek myth but it’s likely explaining how the Hellenistic invaders are:

The Gentile invaders of the Holy Land (312-63 BC)
Greeks teaching and requiring Jews to follow pagan customs
Greeks marrying and copulating with Jewish women
The production of “hybrid” Greek/Jewish children that are considered “monstrous”
The need to destroy and drive out the Greeks by means of the Maccabean Revolt (167-160 BC)

The titanomachy of Enoch is not historically “Zeus vs. Titans” or “Yahweh vs. Watchers,” but Judah Maccabeus vs. Greeks.

How does Catholic Christianity understand the “angels and tartarus” sections?

Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas (both had not read 1 Enoch) interpretted the passages in Jude and 2 Peter in this way:

Before the flood, the “sons of God” were the righteous humans and the “daughters of men” were the female daughters of evil humans from Cain. These women were evil and and they seduced the noble and righteous sons of Seth.
They interbred and this lead to the moral corruption of humanity.
God sent a flood to kill everyone since they were all now a mixture of sons of Seth and daughters of Cain.

The solution here is to read “sons of God” not as “angelic beings” but as holy humans. It’s plausible and it has become the accepted tradition in Catholicism. However, ever since the Flood, good people have been interbreeding with evil people. And we know that the child of a holy mother and an evil father can turn out either good or bad. There are not “evil genetics.”

We can see here that the problem of intermarrying between the righteous and the wicked didn’t suddenly stop because water covered the land.

So it seems that Genesis describes a “water genocide” of a corrupted angel-human species. And certainly 1 Enoch is following the idea. If Jude (and 2 Peter) considered 1 Enoch as theological true, this would mean that at least one (or two) Apostle(s) believed the Enochic legend of the Watcher angels being sent to “Tartarus” because they had deceived humans and copulated with them.

The Enochic Legend as a theological device in Jude and 2 Peter:

Regardless of whether Jude and 2 Peter believed the Enochic “Watcher-Angel legend,” we know for a fact that they applied it as a teaching paradigm for their contemporary Apostolic Church:

There are false heretical teachers that were once part of the Apostolic Church
These have fallen away from Christ and are teaching Christians false doctrine and sin
These heretics are having illicit sex with Christians (their lust here and in Revelation is highlighted)
These heretics will be judged in the same way as the Watchers: they will be locked up in the dark tartarus forever.

If Jude and 2 Peter did not quote and/or reference 1 Enoch, we could cast off 1 Enoch forever as a Jewish oddity. But since there is a theological reference of 1 Enoch within Jude and 2 Peter, it provides a challenge.

I’m curious, how do you read the canonical passages of Genesis 6, Jude, 2 Peter (as well as Wisdom, Sirach and several Dead Sea Scrolls that promote the idea of giants as children of human women and demonic angels) in light of 1 Enoch? Secondly, do you think Jude and 2 Peter take the Enochic Watcher-Legend literally or are they simply using it to make an contemporary application against lustful heretics?

[reminder]

Godspeed,
Dr Taylor Marshall

PS: I recorded a podcast on the role of 1 Enoch in the Noah film that came out a few years ago starring Russell Crowe as Noah. You can listen to it by clicking here: Podcast on Noah (2014 Film) and 1 Enoch.

The post Angels having Relations with Humans within Jude and 2 Peter and 1 Enoch appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Plato’s Aristocracy and Why Catholics are Losing the Culture War

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 07 May 2018 22:21:49 +0000

Whether you like it or not, we in the West have a layered class system and our inability to see it and plan accordingly has led contemporary Catholics to lose our cultural impact on the global stage. Before we get to the reasons why, let’s look at the classical Greek and Indo-European idea of society and rank and then move on to how Catholics are losing their social and political influence:

Political Society is like a Human Body:

For Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Zeno and the Stoics, the soul of the human is aristocratic and consists of estates or ranks. You will find this doctrine in Plato’s Timaeus (the book Plato holds in Raphael’s “School of Athens”) and in his Republic. You will also find it referenced or built upon in almost call classical Catholic treatments of government. See also Saint Thomas Aquinas’s De regno.

Here is how Plato puts it together:

Head = Philosophers, Scholars, Astronomers, Mystics, Priests
Chest = Generals, Warriors, Police (for the Greeks, nobility always is martial)
Stomach and Genitals = Merchants, Farmers, Artisans, Lawyers, Corporate Owners, CEOs
Arms and legs = Laborers or at the very bottom Slaves (Plato doesn’t explicitly identify them as “arms and legs” but it could be implied)

Plato’s City-Man

It’s easy to see how the cosmo-man fits together:

The head thinks and plans. This is the philosopher and mystic who examines reality and plans or foretells the future and explores future contingencies for the cosmo-man (the State).
The chest keeps the cosmo-man alive by pumping blood and moving air. The chest is brave and forces the body to fight and run. He fights enemies inside and outside the populace.
The stomach receives food and produces capital and art through procreation.
Slaves work the limbs and get things done.

Many have noted that Plato’s four strata are deeply Indo-European and map perfectly onto the Vedic system (1500 BC) of India:

Brahmins (priestly scholar class)
Kshatriyas (royal warrior class)
Vaishyas (artisans, merchants, tradesmen and farmers)
Shudras (laboring classes)

Nota bene: the Rigveda (the oldest Sanskrit text) identifies the 4 levels descending with the human body in a modified way: 1) head/mouth > 2) arms > 3) stomach/loins > 4) feet.

For Plato and the Greeks (and for Europe), people could move up and down the classes based on merit. For example, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle went from level 3 to level 1. The High Priest Aaron went from level 4 to level 1. King David went from level 3 to level 1. However, in Hindu theology, a person cannot move up and down the classes in this life (because of the false theology of reincarnation). This is a fundamental difference between Western and Eastern philosophy.

Trigger Warning: You maybe be triggered by the talk of classes and castes

We like to think that human society is now finally enlightened and that there are no castes or classes. Whether you call it a “caste” or a “demographic,” you’re just moving around words. The concept may become more humanitarian over time, but the idea of “political layers” transcends cultures and transcends time. Human society has different parts.

The Platonic way of understanding political levels has little to do with wealth. Bill Gates is very rich, but he still belongs to level 3 as a merchant and producer. A modern example of how the the levels can be transcended is how both Barack Obama and Donald Trump ascended from level 3 to level 1. A person at level 3 could be poor, middle class, or a billionaire.

The 4 Levels of Society in Contemporary Society:

In America we may think of ourselves as egalitarian and without castes, but we still preserve this natural human hierarchy of political layers:

Head (priestly scholar class). This was the Catholic Church’s ecclesial hierarchy (from AD 600-1500). Now it is the University, the Professor, Politician, Judges, the “experts” and (since the 1960s) the TV Media and Social Media (Facebook). They are still almost impossible to circumvent. They seek to influence our daily thoughts and our children. And as always, they are usually very rich.
Chest (royal warrior class). This is the military, but more and more so it is the IRS, FBI, CIA, police, ATF, TSA, game warden, et al. They have the power to imprison us and kill us. In a good political system, they are inspired by the Head to promote justice and protect the innocent. It was for fear of a corrupted “chest level” that the United States allowed its citizens to arm themselves with weapons and, notably, firearms.
Stomach/Loins (artisans, merchants, tradesmen and farmers). This is your “middle class” white collar executives, and your corporate owners. They bear the load of society according to Plato, they must be controlled through “myths or noble lies” crafted by the philosophers. Civil religion is the best way to do this. It can be Roman imperial paganism with an Emperor cult (very powerful). In the same way it can be 16th century Church of England with civil obligations ordered to the king or queen who is “Head of the Church.” Or it can be a form of state-controlled Catholicism (Napoleonic Catholicism or Chinese Communistic Catholicism) or controlled Protestantism (state Protestantism/Lutheranism found in Northern European nations). In the last 30 years, the controlled state religions are being replaced with political correctness and class Socialism.
Limbs (laboring class). We no longer call them “servants” but our society has people who are deeply in debt (in the Bible, debt is de facto slavery) and who work only to: pay off debt (to banks), have food, and have a roof over their heads.

How do we fix it?

Now for the first question:

Where are you in the hierarchy? The most important point in this essay is that you can ascend and descend in these layers. It has always been accomplished in every age. The common born Socrates reached level 1 (but he was killed by level 2). Popes have arisen from slave status level 4 to high priest status level 1. Many Roman Emperors began as level 2 generals and then later became level 1 emperors and even philosophers (Marcus Aurelius). In fact, it has always been quite easy for some people to ascend to level 1. Just be aware that level 1 people are often killed by level 2 people.

Now for the second question:

Isn’t it obvious that Christians are leaving or being forced out of level 1 (head) and level 2 (chest)? Christians are less welcome in Universities. Less welcome in politics. Less welcome in film, TV, and media. It’s a given. This means a revolution is under way whether we recognize it or not. The TV stations, the internet, the news media, and the social media have driven out everything Christian and are replacing it with a new state-sponsored religion of political correctness, which is really environmentalism, pansexuality, and moral tolerance.

Now for the third question:

What is our response as Christians? There are two options for us:

FIRST OPTION: We can fight to take back levels 1 and 2 through intellectual and moral excellence.
SECOND OPTION: We can recreate our own parallel society/culture and seek to win the long distance race of permanence. This is sometimes called the Benedict Option (hat tip to Eastern Orthodox author Rod Dreher) since it follows Saint Benedict creating an alternative culture and intellectual climate.

Taylor Marshall’s conclusion on the matter:

My belief is that Christians currently have possess all 4 levels in action whether or not we are recognized in society (we have intellectuals, warriors, artisans, laborers).

Therefore we should be pursuing both strategies at the same time:

We should be fighting to take back levels 1 and 2 (apologetics, academics, along with undermining the anti-Christian institutions).
AND
We should build parallel institutions (e.g., our own Universities, schools, Troops of Saint George, our own TV/radio stations, our own art, our own Social Media outlets, our own news stations).

Some of us can push forward and fight on the front lines of layers 1 and 2 now, while some of us can retreat and construct our own parallel society (of layers 1-4).

Why Catholics are struggling at the moment to accomplish this transition:

The hardest part is that Christians (especially Catholics) are still deeply tied to all the old institutions, old universities, old political parties, and old means of communication (eg, announcements during liturgy and bulletins). This means we are having a very difficult time establishing a pivot.

Also, the Catholic hierarchy in the West still acts like it is operating at level 1 influence. Sadly, this is not the case. Secular nations have spent the last several decades figuring out ways to transform bishops from level 1 priestly spiritual leaders into level 3 producers of funds (taxation of church is the end game) and into level 3 producers of government service (grants to do government work which we saw occur in America under President Obama).

The ultimate aim here is the same as that of King Henry VIII – to make the bishops into level 3 producers and transfer their wealth, land, and production (offerings) to the State. See 16th century England, Denmark, Sweden, Norway for details on how it all goes down.

The difficulty in establishing a Christian pivot for a new era can be observed in how both Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis are so deeply wedded to the European Union and traditional forms of communication (eg, Encyclicals) as means for bringing about Catholic influence. The Pope might as well be talking about feudalism and the Code of Hammurabi. It’s like carrying bows and arrows into an era of nuclear war.

The most brilliant minds in Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy are talking about the Benedict Option (Option 2: parallel institutions), but we need to engage both fronts. The intellectuals who are currently “fighting the culture war” while trying to win back levels 1 and 2 are either Jewish (Ben Shapiro, Mark Levin, Michael Savage) or secular in outlook (Milo Yiannopoulos, Gavin McInnis, Jordan Peterson). Some might see this “diversity” as a strength. I see it as as weakness. Here’s why:

As much as I like listening Jordan Peterson or even Ben Shapiro, I sometimes cringe when I think of how much better an equipped Christian could respond. We have a profound intellectual tradition (Thomism), but we are not using it. This is likely why God has allowed Christian influence to wane.

Where are the Christians? We need to spend the next decade prayerfully cultivating sharp and relevant Christian minds to engage the culture and social media. It’s required for the common good of society and for the moral excellence of next generation. It’s not enough to possess them only within our own parallel “Benedict Option” institutions. We need them out front in the current culture war. And in case you’re ready to sign up for this “level 1” position, be mindful of those level 1 intellectuals and prophets who came before you marked with blood: Isaiah, Socrates, Cicero, John the Baptist, Peter and Paul, Boethius, Thomas Becket, and Thomas More to name a few.

[reminder]

The post Plato’s Aristocracy and Why Catholics are Losing the Culture War appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Jesus’s Holy Land only had 1 Million People and He fed 1 Percent of Them

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 02 May 2018 19:57:36 +0000

Josephus relates that 1.1 million Jews were killed in AD 70 with the destruction of the Temple. I’ve spilled a lot of ink showing that Josephus cannot and should not be trusted with numbers or dates (and that’s why we should believe that Jesus was born on Dec 25 1 BC as I explain in this book).

Scholars suggest that about 1 million people lived in the Holy Land during the time of Jesus. For perspective, one million people is the population of the state of Rhode Island at 1 million people.

Houston Texas has about 2.2 million people. So when Jesus was walking around Galilee, Samaria, and Judea, he was engaging with a population less than half of Houston, Texas.

Here’s something else to consider about the impact of Jesus on the population:

Jesus fed 5,000 and 4,000 people on two separate occasions. Assuming that they these two groups did not overlap, that means that Jesus personally fed about 1% of the population of the Holy Land (9,000 / 1,000,000). 1 out 100 people had been fed miraculously by Jesus Christ. If you add in Christ’s travel, preaching, and teaching it’s not far off to estimate that 10% of the populace had seen or heard Jesus in person.

That’s a low estimate since we know that Jesus was preaching and teaching at least annually in Jerusalem when most people were assembled there in the city for Passover. So it could be that as much as 25-50% of people living in the Holy Land had heard or witnessed Jesus Christ. This is why Peter on Pentecost AD 33 speaks to the crowd there about “Jesus” and they know who he is talking about.

To use an analogy, how many people living in Houston know of the local preacher Joel Osteen? All of them. And this is why the High Priest and Sanhedrin wanted to kill Jesus so badly. Jesus was a big deal. Everyone knew him or knew of him.

This should change how we understand both the historicity of Jesus but also impact of Jesus ministry.

Practical question:

If Jesus Christ could touch so many lives in three years, shouldn’t we be able to touch so many now with the power of literacy, digital communication, and social media?

[reminder] What is lacking in modern Christianity that makes it so easily dismissed?[/reminder]

PS: To learn more about Catholic History and the birth date and death date of Jesus Christ, check out my book The Eternal City.

The post Jesus’s Holy Land only had 1 Million People and He fed 1 Percent of Them appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Did St George really fight a Dragon? Byzantine Icon Analysis and History

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 16:36:29 +0000

Was Saint George a real person and Christian saint?

How was he martyred and why do Catholic and Orthodox images of Saint George have him fighting a mythical dragon?

Best-selling author and scholar Dr Taylor Marshall explains the authentic history of Saint George and the meaning of the “George and Dragon legend.”

Watch the New Saint Thomas Institute Catholic video on Saint George and the Dragon Icon here:

If you’d like to sign up for a Catholic course in Catholic Church History featuring Church Fathers and early Catholic Saints, please click here: New Saint Thomas Institute Course on Church History and Church Fathers.

For more information about online courses and Certificates in Theology through the New Saint Thomas Institute, please visit newsaintthomas.com.

Sword and Serpent: My Best-Selling Novel about Saint George is on sale this weekend

Looking for a Catholic fiction page-turner? I published a #1 best-selling historical fiction novel about Saint George and the Dragon (plus St Christopher, Emperor Constantine, Diocletian, et al.) titled Sword and Serpent.

Father Dwight Longenecker wrote a glowing review of Sword and Serpent here.

Here’s the book trailer for Sword and Serpent on YouTube:

The novel is now on sale for this April 23 week on Kindle and in paperback. Click here to get a copy.

Get a copy of this novel about Saint George on sale here.

The post Did St George really fight a Dragon? Byzantine Icon Analysis and History appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

The Chalice of the Last Supper and Saint Laurence of Rome

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 15:16:23 +0000

A curious element of the Roman Canon is that it refers to the chalice as “this chalice”:

Simili modo postquam coenatum est, accipiens et hunc praeclarum Calicem in sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas: item tibi gratias agens, benedixit, deditque discipulis suis, dicens: Accipite et bibite ex eo omnes…

Which I translate as:

In similar way, after He had supped, taking also this precious chalice into His holy and venerable hands again giving thanks to Thee, He blessed it, and gave it to His disciples, saying: All of you, take and drink this…

There is a tradition that the chalice used in Rome was once the actual chalice used by our Lord Jesus Christ at the first Eucharist.

When the Roman Emperor Valerian ordered the beheading of Pope Sixtus II in Rome, the Pope’s deacon named Lawrence sold the gold chalices and precious items and gave the proceeds to the poor. However, there was one item that was preserved. According to legend it was the chalice used at the Last Supper by Christ and served as the personal chalice of Saint Peter who had brought it to Rome. This is why the Roman liturgy reads: “hunc praeclarum Calicem.” Laurence gave this special chalice to a Roman soldier who took it to Spain.

Here is a photo of it paired with a painting from 1560 by Juan de Juanes that incorporated it:

And painted by Juan de Juanes:

If this tradition is valid, then this is the chalice of the Son of God and also the chalice of Saint Peter used by Peter and all popes up till the martyred Pope Sixtus II. The mystery of faith.

[reminder]

The post The Chalice of the Last Supper and Saint Laurence of Rome appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Did Paul write Hebrews? Historical Place of Hebrews in New Testament Canon

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 14:41:19 +0000

The Epistle to the Hebrew is anonymous. Since it mentions “Timothy” as a companion, it is written “from Italy,” and it has essentially the same theology as Galatians, it is presumed to a prison epistle of Saint Paul – perhaps penned by Saint Luke on the Apostle’s behalf.

My own theory is that Luke-Acts-Hebrew is a Pauline dissertation packet prepared by Luke (see my book on this topic) for the Jews of Jerusalem and that the books were likely delivered together.

Did Luke and Paul create Luke-Acts-Hebrews as an theological apologetics packet? I think so.

What’s interesting is how Hebrews came into the canon of the New Testament with regard to selection of book order:

Saint Jerome placed Hebrews after all the Pauline epistles and before the 7 Catholic epistles. This has become our received ordering of the epistles.

However, there are examples before Jerome of placing Hebrews within the Pauline corpus of epistles. For example:

One of our oldest manuscripts Papyrus 46 (dated between AD 175 and 225) places Hebrews between Romans and 1 Corinthians. It confirms that Christians in the second century believed Hebrews to by authored by Paul. This order is also found in minuscules 103, 455, 1961, 1964, 1977, 1994.
Codex Vaticanus (ca. AD 330) lists Hebrews between Galatians and Ephesians. This is either an error or left over from a previous manuscript from which Vaticanus was copied, because in the actual text of Vaticanus, Hebrews follows 2 Thessalonians.
This order (2 Thess > Hebrews) conforms to almost all of our earliest Greek manuscripts have Hebrews between 2 Thessalonians and 1 Timothy: Sinaiticus (ca. AD 400), Alexandrinus (ca AD 400), Ephraemi, H, I, P, 0150, 0151, and about 60 others.

It’s also noteworthy that in the Roman Rite liturgy of the Mass up until 1970, whenever Hebrews was read in the liturgy it was announced as “Paul to the Hebrews” with Paul stated explicitly.

The post Did Paul write Hebrews? Historical Place of Hebrews in New Testament Canon appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

134: Saint Veronica in 9 Points: Was She Berenike? [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 04 Apr 2018 11:00:11 +0000

Join Dr Marshall as he takes 10 minutes to run through 9 points on Saint Veronica – the woman to wipe the face of Jesus Christ. Click below to listen:

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[reminder]

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Podcast Archive
#	Title	Released
133	Saint Joseph in 9 Points Podcast (Should You Bury His Statue?)	19/03/2018
132	St Patrick in 9 Bullet Points and the “Two Patrick Theory”	17/03/2018
131	Thomas Aquinas on Catholic Priesthood Interview	16/03/2018
130	How do we get to Heaven? Wrong Answers for Catholics	08/03/2018
129	Aquinas Why Fish and No Meat in Lent PLUS the Demonic Incubus and Sucubus!	28/02/2018
128	Is there now a Matrimony Heresy?	21/02/2018
127	Is the Eucharist Symbolic: 4 Medieval Heretics on the Eucharist before the Reformation	30/08/2017
126	Why do Catholics “Worship” Statues and Icons: The Iconoclastic Heresy and the Council of Nicea II in AD 787	23/08/2017
125	Does Christ have 1 or 2 Natures? Heretic Eutyches and the Monophysite Heresy?	16/08/2017
124	Heretic Nestorius: Is Mary Mother of God? Are there 2 Christs?	25/05/2017
123	Heretic Arius and Deity of Christ	03/04/2017
122	Heretic Valentinius Explained	10/03/2017
121	Your Virtue of Temperance (and Aquinas on Women Looking Sexy)	09/02/2017
120	Your Virtue of Fortitude with Aquinas (Virtues Part 4)	05/01/2017
119	Your Virtue of Justice according to Thomas Aquinas	27/10/2016
118	Your Virtue of Prudence	21/10/2016
117	Fr Donald Calloway: Champions of the Rosary	5/10/2016
116	When Evangelicals Convert Catholics…Why?	28/09/2016
115	Introduction to the Four Cardinal Virtues (Part 1 of Virtues)	23/09/2016
114	Your Focus Changes Your Feelings	07/09/2016
113	Did The Holy Spirit Appear As A Real Dove? And Saint Raymond Nonnatus	13/08/2016
112	Reflections on Pilgrimage to Rome	13/08/2016
111	10 Tips for Visiting Rome	6/08/2016
110	The Humility of Mary	6/02/2016
109	Is Catholicism a Religion or Relationship with Christ?	5/25/2016
108	Early Female Mystics and Martyrs: Perpetua and Felicity	5/18/2016
107	The Word “Catholic” in the Early Church	4/7/2016
106	Can Christians Kill People? Answers from Thomas Aquinas	3/23/2016
105	Our Pilgrim Interviews on Our Lady of Guadalupe	2/24/2016
104	Reflections on Our Lady of Guadalupe	2/17/2016
103	Happiness Is A Skill	2/11/2016
102	Taylor’s New Podcast for Christian Men: Maccabee Society	2/03/2016
101	Jewish Priests and Catholic Priests	1/21/2016
100	Is Star Wars Christian or Anti-Christian?	1/06/2016
099	Should Catholics Share the Gospel with Jewish Friends	12/16/2015
098	Was Muhammad Evil?	11/18/2015
097	Revelation Ch. 22 Tree of Life and Holy Water	11/10/2015
096	Revelation Ch. 21 Heaven as a Cube and the New Jerusalem	11/04/2015
095	Taylor’s Thoughts on Being Father of a Large Family	10/28/2015
094	On the Indissolubility of Marriage and the Synod on the Family	10/21/2015
093	Revelation Ch. 20 The Millennium in Catholic Tradition	10/15/2015
092	Revelation Ch.19 Eucharist as Apocalypse	10/07/2015
091	Revelation Ch. 18 Fallen is Babylon the Great	09/30/2015
090	Revelation Ch. 17 The Whore of Babylon and Her Beast	09/23/2015
089	Do Babies Know the Existence of God	09/9/2015
088	Revelation (Chs 15-16) 7 Chalices of Wrath (Catholic Apocalypse Part 10)	09/2/2015
087	Revelation Ch. 14 Lamb on the Mountain with 6 Angels against Babylon	08/26/2015
086	Taylor’s Conversion Story to Catholicism – Interview with Matthew Leonard	08/19/2015
085	Revelation Chapter 13 The Sea Beast and the Land Beast the Mark of the Beast	08/13/2015
084	Revelation Chapter 12 – Our Lady of the Apocalypse	07/29/2015
083	The Giant Angel and Two Witnesses: Revelation Part 6 (Chapters 10-11)	07/15/2015
082	The Seven Trumpets: Book of Revelation Part 5 (Chapters 8-9)	07/02/2015
081	Book of Revelation Part 4 (Chapters 6-7)	07/09/2015
080	Taylor’s Catholic Thoughts on Same Sex Marriage	06/30/2015
079	Book of Revelation Part 3 (Chapters 4-5)	06/17/2015
078	Is the Relic of True Cross Real?	06/16/2015
077	Book of Revelation Part 2 (Chapter 2-3)	06/10/2015
076	Book of Revelation Part 1 (Chapter 1)	06/03/2015
075	Trinity Sunday, Liturgy, Thomas Becket and Anglican Use Thoughts	05/29/2015
074	Tongues of Fire in Acts, 1 Enoch, and Pre-Vatican Liturgy	05/27/2015
073	Advice on Being a Man	05/22/2015
072	What was the Priestly Status of Mary? Was she a Levite?	05/16/2015
071	The Theology of Cooking Food	05/14/2015
070	3 Steps to Overcoming Anxiety and Stress	05/06/2015
069	How to Read the Summa in One Year	04/22/2015
068	St Paul on Faith and Works Catholic vs Protestant Debate	03/25/2015
067	How Your Fears Are Hurting You Spiritually?	03/18/2015
066	What is 666 and the Mark of the Beast?	03/04/2015
065	40 Days of Joy	02/26/2015
064	Why did God make you? Luke 19 Gives the Answer	02/11/2015
063	Is Being A Christian Hard or Easy?	01/21/2015
062	Catholic View of the End Times and Tribulation	01/14/2015
061	When Other People Really Hurt You	01/07/2015
060	Is Saint George Still a Saint?	01/01/2015
059	Revolution in Catholic Education – Jennifer Fulwiler Interviews Taylor Marshall	12/31/2014
058	The Hidden Theology in Sword and Serpent with St George and Sabra	12/11/2014
057	Advent Total Consecration to Mary	11/13/2014
056	Top 5 Advent Devotions	11/07/2014
055	Why Do We Baptize Babies? The Covenantal Argument	10/22/2014
054	Is God Male or Female – The Catholic Teaching	10/08/2014
053	Lucifer vs. Saint Michael	10/01/2014
052	1 Year Anniversary Special Edition: Essentialism What is the Essence of Your Life?	09/24/2014
051	The Price of Your Anger	09/17/2014
050	The Seven Sorrows of Mary are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit	09/15/2014
049	6 Obstacles in Your Life (How to Conquer Them)	09/10/2014
048	Brain Science, Your Soul & Prayer	09/03/2014
047	Don’t Swallow the Camel	08/27/2014
046	The Secret Life of Thomas Aquinas	08/22/2014
045	Did Saint Paul Teach Once Saved Always Saved?	08/06/2014
044	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 2	07/30/2014
043	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 1	07/24/2014
042	Golf Cart Saints	07/15/2014
041	5 Intellectual Virtues and Pornography, Art, and Culture	07/02/2014
040	Taylor and Joy Talk About Their Marriage	06/25/2014
039	How Was the Bible Assembled? (plus Joy joins me)	06/18/2014
038	Should You Budget Time (or Money)?	06/04/2014
037	The Theology of Vacation, Leisure, and Recreation	05/28/2014
036	Noah Movie Review – Rock Monsters?	05/21/2014
035	Children Need Fortitude	05/14/2014
034	Jokes of Saint John XXIII	05/07/2014
033	Divine Mercy: 5 Common Questions	04/30/2014
032	4 Sections of Hell	04/23/2014
031	Meet the Saint Version of You	04/16/2014
030	Should You Be an Optimist?	04/09/2014
029	Finding Fellowship like Samwise Gamgee	04/01/2014
028	Demons, Snakes, and Ticks: Lessons from a Hunting Trip	03/26/2014
027	How to Make an Eternal Impact with Your Life	03/19/2014
026	Thoughts on My Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/26/2014
025	Why is the Catholic Church Roman?	02/19/2014
024	The Seven Lies We Believe About Our Failures	02/11/2014
023	How to Restart Your Mental Computer	02/06/2014
022	Top Five Productivity Tips from Thomas Aquinas	01/29/2014
021	Did You Miss God’s Plan for Your Life?	01/23/2014
020	When Prayer Becomes a Chore	01/15/2014
019	12 Attributes of a Baptized Christian	01/08/2014
018	A Podcast Against Bitter Catholics!	12/30/2013
017	Mary’s Painless Delivery of Christ Explained	12/18/2013
016	Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Luke (Plus How to Set Goals)	12/11/2013
015	Total Consecration to Mary	12/04/2013
014	What’s Your Apostolate?	11/27/2013
013	6 Items for the Liturgy of Your Life	11/20/2013
012	Why You Should Be More Creative	11/13/2013
011	Why Did They Stop Teaching Virtue?	11/06/2013
010	How Do Saints Hear Our Prayers?	10/30/2013
009	My Opinion of Martin Luther	10/23/2013
008	My Top 5 Daily Prayers	10/16/2013
007	Your Guardian Angel	10/03/2013
006	How You Can Convert 7 Billion People	09/25/2013
005	3 Strategies for a Marriage that Sings!	09/18/2013
004	4 Step Plan When Family Leave the Faith	09/12/2013
003	5 Tools for Deep Daily Prayer Life	09/04/2013
002	Three Tips to Increase Your Passion for Life	08/28/2013
001	How to Find a Spiritual Director	08/18/2013

The post 134: Saint Veronica in 9 Points: Was She Berenike? [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

The Resurrected Christ appeared to 500: When and Where did this Happen?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 18:12:25 +0000

Saint Paul mentions an interesting detail: that the resurrected Jesus appeared to 500 people! That’s a big deal. Why isn’t it mentioned in the Gospels (or is it)? We’ll explore this detail in this post:

In 1 Corinthians 15, Saint Paul recites what seems to be a formula or creedal statement about the resurrection of Christ. I’ll bullet point it to make it clear:

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received:

that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

that he was buried,

that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

and that he appeared to Cephas,

then to the Twelve.

Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

Then he appeared to James,

then to all the Apostles.

Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (1 Cor 15:3-8)

Here we have the kernel of the Apostles Creed (died, buried, rose on third day) but appended to it six resurrection appearances. Five apparitions and then finally one apparition to Saint Paul himself.

Paul speaks of the resurrected Christ appearing to “more than five hundred” and this event is recorded nowhere in the four Gospels or within St Luke’s Acts of the Apostles. So what is Saint Paul describing?

Christ Appearing to Over 500?

There are 4 opinions on this “500 witnesses event”:

Never Happened: Liberal scholars say that Saint Paul made this up to make it sound like there were plenty of witnesses to the resurrection. It never happened. It’s a lie. The Catholic Christian cannot allow that the Apostle Paul would bear false witness within Divine Scripture.
Galilee Event: Saint Paul refers to the Galilee appearance of the resurrected Jesus Christ as described by Saint Mark: “But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee. There you shall see him, as he told you” (Mark 16:7). The 11 Apostles would have then gathered over 500 believers to join them in Galilee where Jesus appeared to them in His resurrected body.
After the Ascension: Saint John Chrysostom speculates that this event happened after Ascension because the Greek “more than (ἐπάνω) five hundred” could accurately be translated “above five hundred,” as in “above in the sky.”
Pentecost in Jerusalem: Saint Paul is referring to Pentecost. Saint Luke says that 120 Christians (Mary, Apostles, the Seventy, the women, the brethren of Jesus) were gathered for miracle of the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost in Jerusalem. These 120 and the first several converts somehow witnessed an apparition of the resurrected Christ on this day, as well. Or perhaps the manifestation of the “Spirit of Christ” is counted as an apparition of Christ by Paul.

The majority position is (2) that this happened in Galilee when the Apostles went back to Jerusalem to witness Christ there. Here’s why this is the best answer:

The Ten Apostles (without Thomas) saw the resurrected Christ on the evening of the Resurrection Sunday when Christ appeared to them within locked doors and breathed on them.
The Eleven Apostles (now with Thomas) saw the resurrected Christ one Sunday later and allowed Thomas to place his fingers within His wounds.
If the Apostles saw Christ at least twice in Jerusalem, why then would Christ instruct them to go to Galilee to be witnesses there? Presumably so that all of Christ’s followers in Galilee could see Him resurrected there. This would make sense and this is why “more than five hundred” would see Christ resurrected. This “more than 500” would be the nucleus of the 5000 that were fed and of those who had seen His miracles.
When Saint Paul writes: “then to all the Apostles,” at the end of his list, he is likely referring to the Ascension of Christ. So the appearance to 500 likely happened before the Ascension. That rules out (3) Christ appearing after Ascension as suggested by Saint John Chrysostom. Sorry Chrysostom.
It also rules out (4) Christ appearing at Pentecost, because Christ appearing to disciples at Pentecost would have been recorded by Paul’s friend Saint Luke. After all, Saint Luke mentions Christ appearing to Saint Stephen – so why would he omit an apparition of Jesus on Pentecost? So then, it seems safe to say that Christ did not appear on Pentecost.

It could also be that Saint Matthew records the “500 Event” as having occurred in Galilee without mentioning “500”:

“The eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him they worshipped him, but some doubted” (Mt 28:16-17).

Matthew speaks only of the 11 living Apostles but says “some doubted.” Surely the 11 didn’t doubt at this time since it follows the “doubting Thomas” event that happened 13 days after the Resurrection in Jerusalem. So it could be that “some doubted” refers to “some of the 500 doubted.”

Christ is risen!
Dr Taylor Marshall

[reminder]I’d love to hear others weigh in on this topic. Who were the five hundred and when did it happen? I think it was the Galilee Event but I’m open to other ideas.[/reminder]

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Medieval Lent was Harder than Islamic Ramadan

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 22:59:22 +0000

I have been told that medieval Christians would ridicule the Islamic season of fasting called Ramadan as weak, effeminate, and easy when compared to the austere Christian season of fasting during Lent or Quadragesima.

The Catholic Church has decreased the austerity of Lent over the centuries so much that Islamic Ramadan now appears as more challenging than Lent. Let’s take a look at Ramadan compared to Medieval Lent.

Rules for Islamic Ramadan:

Duration? 29-30 days during the entire month of during the entire month of Ramadan.
Fasting rules? Fasting completely from the break of dawn until sunset:
1. food (zero calories and no food intake)
2. drink (including water)
3. sexual intercourse
4. smoking

Rules for Medieval Quadragesima or “Lent”:

Nota bene: I’m using the standards of the Roman Church. The Eastern Churches have had various disciplines by jurisdiction. For this article, we are focusing only on the Roman rules. Perhaps we’ll study the Eastern fasting rules in a future post.

Duration? 46 days. 40 Days plus 6 Sundays in the Roman Church.
Fasting rules? Medieval Lenten rules (as described Saint Thomas Aquinas) were as follows:
1. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday were black fasts: no food at all.
2. No food from waking until 3pm (the hour when Christ died). This practice of fasting till 3pm goes back to the 5th century (see Socrates’ Church History V.22).
3. No animal meat or fats (no lard).
4. Fish was allowed. Click here to understand the theology of why fish was is allowed, but not meat.
5. No eggs.
6. No lacticinia or “dairy products”: milk, cheese, cream, and butter. However, Catholics of the British Isles before the arrival of Saint Augustine of Canterbury were still consuming dairy products and perhaps eggs during Lent. Roman influence brought this to an end.
7. Wine and beer were allowed.
8. Medieval Europeans during Lent subsisted on bread, vegetables, and salt.
9. No sexual intercourse between spouses. Pagan kings were pretty pissed to learn about this after they married hot Catholic princesses.
10. No Sundays off. All these rules apply for 46 days. The 6 Sundays in Lent were relaxed liturgically (less penitential), but the fasting and abstinence were not relaxed on Sundays.
11. For the Good Friday black fast, many would begin fast from Maundy Thursday night till about noon on Saturday. The Easter Vigil was usually celebrated about noon on Saturday and this ended the Lenten fasting officially.
Was it Changed?
1. Breaking the no food fast before 3pm began to creep in as early as AD 800. The reason we English speakers call 12pm “noon” is because the liturgical recitation of nones (“ninth hour” or 3pm in Latin) was moved up by hungry monks more and more until nones (3pm) was celebrated as early as 12pm so that they could break fast and eat lunch!)
2. In Germany, dispensations were given for consuming lacticinia or dairy products based on payment or performing good deeds. In honesty, wealthy people simply paid a fee to the diocese, and were allowed to serve and eat dairy in their homes during Lent. It was a popular “fundraising technique” by (German!) bishops.
3. Dinner snacks were allowed at the time of reading Cassians book Collationes and so this snack became known as a “collation” – the term we still use today for a snack during fasting.
4. With the advent of tea and coffee, it became allowable to have tea or coffee in the morning and this was considered as not violating the fast before nones.
5. Over time, papal indults allowed meat on Sundays and then to other days of the week until only Friday remained “meatless.”
6. Pope Paul VI’s 1966 Apostolic Constitution of Paenitemini changed Lenten practice to what it is today:
  1. No meat (only fish) allowed on Fridays in Lent.
  2. 1 meal and 2 collations (snacks) allowed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Ramadan vs Medieval Lent:

Both have no food at all until 3pm (Catholic) or sundown (Muslim).
Both have no sex allowed at all, but the Muslim is allowed at night.
Only the Catholic is restricted on kinds of food (no meat, dairy, eggs), whereas the Muslim can eat steak every night.
Muslims may not drink even water during the daylight, but Christians may.

Conclusion: Medieval Christians were Tough

For the Medieval Christian, he would have seen the chief difference between Lent and Ramadan as the Muslims having a “reset” every single night with refreshment with food and sex every 24 hours. Whereas the Christian had to wait until Easter. The Muslim had daily sprints. The Medieval Christian had a marathon that ended on Easter.

[reminder]So could you do it? No sex, butter, or bacon for 46 days? No food daily till 3pm? Leave a comment and tell me what you think about this old Lenten rules. Is it good or bad that changed them?[reminder]

Please share this post with your friends on Facebook by clicking here.

Godspeed,
Dr Taylor Marshall

Don’t miss my Catholic Webinar on Mohammad and Islam (and the Crusades):

YOU WILL DISCOVER:

the real story behind Muhammad and the Quran
how Muhammad’s wife had heretical Christian connections
how Islam spread by the sword
the defensive reason for the Catholic Crusades
how “the Crusades” are used by liberals to malign Christianity
PLUS: Book recommendations
EVERYONE THAT ATTENDS WILL RECEIVE A pdf Handout on Muhammad. Please register below.

You can sign up to attend by clicking here.

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The Son of God pervades the Whole of Reality – St Athanasius on the Word

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:59:46 +0000

Saint Athanasius rightfully taught us that the Word/Son of the Father is the rational principle that holds the entire created universe together. For this reason, the Word cannot be created. He stands over creation from all eternity.

Check out this profound insight from Saint Athanasius about the relationship between the Word of the Father and the created universe:

He is God, the living and creative God of the universe, the Word of the good God, who is God in his own right. The Word is different from all created things: he is the unique Word belonging only to the good Father. This is the Word that created this whole world and enlightens it by his loving wisdom. He who is the good Word of the good Father produced the order in all creation, joining opposites together, and forming from them one harmonious sound. He is God, one and only-begotten, who proceeds in goodness from the Father as from the fountain of goodness, and gives order, direction and unity to creation. (Discourse Against the Pagans)

Consider the most complicated mathematical problems, the rate of gravity, the structure of DNA sequences, the speed of light, the chemical compounds of substances, the expanding universe, etc. All these things are designed, controlled, measured, and governed constantly by the divine Word of God.

Even before Christ entered the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, He was perfectly guiding and controlling the universe like a conductor over all reality.

But the Son of God does not simply govern over. He is not merely a conductor of trillion piece orchestra. He is also intimately present in every person, instrument, note, chord, and sound. He lives and moves in all of creation as the rational binding principle of everything. Here is Saint Athanasius again:

The almighty and most holy Word of the Father pervades the whole of reality, everywhere unfolding his power and shining on all things visible and invisible. He sustains it all and binds it all together in himself. He leaves nothing devoid of his power but gives life and keeps it in being throughout all of creation and in each individual creature.

This is not “pantheism,” which is the heresy that “God is everything,” or that “my pencil is God, and my table is God, and that tree is God.”

Rather, this is the Christian mystery of Word of God as the measure, ratio, and animator of every single created element and force in the universe.

While we enjoy our lives and our salvation through the Son of God Jesus Christ, He is also tending to that black hole light years away, and perfectly spinning the 69 (known) moons of Jupiter. He delights in the presence of the Father as He builds and holds the galaxies (and the molecular structure of your lunch) together.

We Christians rightly focus on the historical Jesus Christ as the Crucified Rabbi who died and resurrected for our sins, but we should also follow the awe of Saint Athanasius in seeing Him as the personal order of everything that ever was, is now, and ever shall be.

To learn more about the Church Fathers (and especially Saint Athanasius), check out our Curriculum on Patristics.

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Did God Really Kill Onan for Spilling His Seed or for Something Else?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 13:10:39 +0000

A reevaluation of Onanism in Genesis 38

Today we examine the sin of Onan and whether God directly killed Onan merely for the sin of contraception or for something more?

Before I begin this article, know from the outset that I uphold the teaching of the Catholic Church with regard to sexual morality and contraception. And while I believe and practice the Catholic teaching, I will suggest that the sin of Onan in Genesis 38:9 is not chiefly about the sin of contraception (by way of coitus interruptus) but rather relates to Messianic sacrilege.

First off, what is Onanism?

Webster’s Dictionary defines Onanism as:

1:masturbation
2:coitus interruptus
3:self-gratification

Onanism in the Context of Levirate Marriage:

Onanism is named after the biblical Onan who in Genesis 33 is told by his father, the Patriarch Judah (father of one of the twelve tribes of Israel), to have sex his dead brother’s widow Tamar so that she is not childless. Having sex with the widow of your brother is called “Levirate marriage.”

It is called “Levirate” marriage because the the Latin word “levir” means “husband’s brother.” Centuries after the time of Judah and Onan, Levirate marriage was mandated by God through Moses in Deuteronomy 25:5-6.

If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside the family to a stranger; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, and take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his brother who is dead, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.

Levirate marriage is interesting because it a biblically sanctioned form of either fornication/adultery. For example, Judah’s son Er dies and leave his wife Tamar a widow. His younger brother Onan is required to have sex with Er’s widow Tamar and give her children. This happens whether Onan is not married (sex with Tamar would normally be fornication) or whether Onan is already married to another woman (sex with Tamar would then normally be adultery). It’s not clear from the text, but if the union of the man and the widow constitutes a real marriage, then he’d have multiple wives (sex with Tamar would require polygamy).

Either way, Onan and Tamar are having sex outside of natural law of marriage between one man and one woman, and the arrangement is sanctioned by God. (It’s a situation requiring a footnote.) Moreover, the child produced by these sexual relations would NOT belong to Onan’s house or lineage, but rather to his dead brother Er as Deuteronomy later makes apparent.

The Death of Onan after “Spilling Seed” in Genesis 38:

Here is the precise situation of Er (the deceased), Tamar (Er’s widow), and Onan (younger surviving brother of Er) in Genesis 38:

Then Judah said to [his son] Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife [Tamar], and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife he spilled the semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother. And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him also.

Onan’s sin by spilling his semen on the ground is so great that God immediately kills him. This sin of Onanism is terribly grave.

Catholic Apologists (including myself in two my own books) have pointed to Onanism in Genesis 38 as a prohibition against contraception. And they are right to do so, but God did not kill Onan merely for spilling his semen outside of Tamar. Thousands of men have spilled their seed through masturbation and coitus interruptus before, during, and after this time period, and none of them, as far as we know, received a direct death penalty from the Lord.

Why then did God kill Onan in this special case?

Might I suggest that Onan’s sin was especially grave because he was the eldest surviving son of the patriarch Judah. As such he is designated ancestor for the line of the Messiah of Israel. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Lion of Judah and Matthew and Luke’s Gospels show that Christ descends from the genetic tribe of Judah.

The narrative goes on to show that this widow Tamar grows desperate so that she veils herself as a prostitute and hired herself out to Judah who does not know that the prostitute is actually his daughter in law. And from their illicit union springs the Messianic line descending into Jesus Christ Himself. Tamar is one of the few women explictly named in the geneology of Christ in Matthew:

and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram. (Gen 1:3)

Jewish Irony of Sexual Rights

From a Jewish point of view, the story is ironic. Onan has the right to have sex with Tamar and he spills his seed and despises his birthright as a Messianic forebear. Judah their father actually pays to have sex with Tamar, and he plants the seed and by doing so skips over his sons. The sons no longer have the privilege of being in the lineage of Jesus Christ. This is why, I believe, Onan is killed directly by God. Onan was not likely the first man to masturbate or practice coitus interruptus (both are sins). His GREATER sin was that he despised the Messianic dynasty of the Christ.

Onan engages in coitus interruptus and the Lord slew him. Judah the father engages in prostitution, adultery, and incest…and he lives. The deciding factor over life and death here is willingness to produce a genetic line in accord with the promises of God.

A Final Thought on Judah as Messianic Forebear:

Genesis repeatedly flips the divine inheritance rights of the first born son. Abraham bears Ishmael first and later Isaac. But Isaac is given the covenantal Messianic birthright. Isaac bears Esau and Jacob. But Jacob the younger wins the covenantal Messianic birthright by way of trickery.

Jacob’s first four sons (in order) are: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. But the first three lose their birthrights:

In Genesis 34, the second and third born Simeon and Levi lose their status with their father Jacob for their violence.
In Genesis 35, Reuben the first born copulates with his step-mother and loses the rights as first-born of Israel.
In Genesis 36, we read of the descendents of Esau – those that did not receive the covenantal birthright.
In Genesis 37, Judah intervenes to have Joseph sold as a slave, rather than be killed or left in a waterless pit. This shows Judah as righteous and rightly next in line for the covenantal blessing.
In Genesis 38, we have the story of Er, Onan, and Tamar with Judah copulating with his daughter-in-law Tamar.

It’s obvious that the narrative from Gen 34-38 is trying to establish not 1-Reuben, 2-Simeon, or 3-Levi as the rightful heir of Abraham, but the fourth born Judah as the rightful heir. Judah’s sons are so sinful that God arranges (by trickery of Tamar) for Judah to copulate with Tamar and skip over his sons altogether.

Conclusion: Sexual Ethics and the Messiah

It’s stunning for any reader of the Bible to see how casually it mentions prostitution, fornication (eg. Samson), adultery, and polygamy. Abraham even seems willing (twice) to share his beautiful wife sexually with rulers so as not to be killed himself.

It almost seems that God totally tolerates sexual sins among the great male saints of the Old Testament. That is is why it is so surprising when God directly intervenes and kills Onan for his sexual sin. This is why I think we can conclude that the “sin of Onan” was not merely contraception by way of coitus interruptus. Rather, Onan’s sin was he was interfering with the dynasty of the promised “Seed of Adam and Abraham” – Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The theological purpose of the book Genesis is track “the Seed” from Adam > Abraham > Isaac > Jacob > Judah. And it seems that Gen 34-38 is all a transition to highlight Judah. If so, then the sin of Onan is made profoundly grave not because its mere contraception, but that it’s contraceiving the plan of God for Judah’s messianic dynasty leading to “the Promised Seed” of Genesis 3:15, who is the Messiah.

If you’d like to learn more Old Testament history, check out my book on Judaism and Catholicism: The Crucified Rabbi and sign up for online biblical, historical, and theological classes at the New Saint Thomas Institute.

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Did Israel’s God have a Wife? “Queen of Heaven” in Jeremiah 7

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 21:13:51 +0000

Why Protestants reject Mary as Queen of Heaven

Most Protestants claim (as well as Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses) that in the early 300s, the first Christian Roman Emperor Constantine co-opted Christianity for political purposes and transformed Rome’s pagan theology, imagery and titles into Christian versions:

pagan Temples became Christian Churches
the title “Queen of Heaven” was transferred from the Roman goddess Magna Dea to Jesus Christ’s mother Mary
Pontifex Maximus was transferred as title for Bishop of Rome
patron deities were modified into patron saints
The first day of the week, dedicated as “Sun-Day” became the day of Christian worship rather than the Jewish Sabbath on Saturday

Other examples could be listed. I’ve argued that Constantine was truly Christian and that paganization did not occur in The Eternal City: Rome and the Origins of Catholic Christianity. Rather, I defend the (Catholic) belief that the Holy Trinity planned from creation to use the Roman Empire as the means of salvation through the Roman crucifixion of the eternal Son of God under Roman domination.

Today we address the title “Queen of Heaven” as applied to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Protestants adhere to the principle of sola scripture (only scripture). In doing so, they search the pages of Scripture for “Queen of Heaven” and they find it in the Old Testament:

The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger. (Jer 7:18)

and again:

But we will do everything that we have vowed, burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out libations to her, as we did, both we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of food, and prospered, and saw no evil. (Jer 44:7)

The prophet Jeremiah here condemns how Israelites adopted then pagan practice of offering cakes and drink offerings to “the queen of heaven.” This “queen of heaven” was the goddess Asherah who was universally worshipped in the Middle East as a consort bride to Baal or even Yahweh.

We have, in fact, found an archeological pithos sherd found at Kuntillet Ajrud be with an inscription reading: “Yahweh and his Asherah” as depicted below:

There is biblical and archeological evidence for devotion to God’s wife Asherah. But this devotion was contrary to the monotheism practiced by Abraham, Moses, and David. The Israelite prophets were constantly recalling Israel away from worship of Asherah and back to the monotheistic worship of Yahweh.

It would seem, then, to the Protestant that the Catholic practice of calling Mary “Queen of Heaven” is a return to this banned practice in Jeremiah. Epiphanius of Salamis even writes of an early female Christian heresy around AD 375, whereby women devotees in Arabia would worship Mary and offer bread-rolls (Greek κολλυρις or kollyris) to Mary as if she were a goddess. This seems to be a holdover from worship of Asherah as described by Jeremiah.

And yet the Catholic Church does NOT give worship (Greek latria) to Mary. She receives the highest form of praise for a created human (Greek hyperdulia), since she is a human and will always remain a human. However, she is the earthly mother of the King of Heaven and Earth. And by that honor, she is Queen of Heaven.

Moreover, Revelation chapter 12 depicts the mother of the Messiah as crowned with 12 stars, clothed with the sun, and standing on the moon. She is no doubt the Queen of Heaven, just as she is also the Queen of the Jews.

And we should remember that pagan kings were also called Messiah, Son of God, King of Kings, King of Heaven, etc. and yet we do not hesitate to grant these titles to our Lord Jesus Christ.

The abuse of a term by pagans (e.g. Son of God, Queen of Heaven, Pontifex Maximus) does not forfeit their proper use by God-fearing Christians in an orthodox sense.

[reminder]Do you honor the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven[/reminder]

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The Fall of Satan described in Ezekiel 28

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 15:37:20 +0000

I previously explained how Saint Augustine described the Fall of Lucifer and the demons and related it to Genesis Chapter 1. See video below In this article, I’m asking the question: “Is the Fall of Satan described in Ezekiel 28?” Tertullian, Origen, Jerome, and Augustine interpret the passage as allegorically referring to Lucifer.

Below is the original video on the Fall of Lucifer. Scroll below it to learn more about Ezekiel 28.

In Ezekiel 28, the prophet speaks against the King of Tyre, who was a historical person living in hostility to Yahweh and the people of Israel. However, the prophecy becomes quiet metaphysical and describes a personage beyond the historic King of Tyre. Tyre is the northern neighbor of historical Israel, see photo below:

Here’s the entire passage with my commentary in red (I generally use “Lucifer” to describe him as pre-fallen, non-sinful; and “Satan” to refer to him as fallen and sinful).

11 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God:

“You were the signet of perfection, [Tertullian interprets “signet” or “seal” as meaning that Lucifer was created in the image of God with perfection – he had the highest created intellect and will]
full of wisdom
and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; [This is taking us beyond the historical king and back to the garden of Eden.]
every precious stone was your covering,
carnelian, topaz, and jasper, chrysolite, beryl, and onyx, sapphire, carbuncle, and emerald; and wrought in gold were your settings and your engravings. [The wearing of jewels was an honor of the High Priest of Israel. This language depicts Lucifer as originally a High Priest ministering before the presence of God.]
On the day that you were created they were prepared. [Lucifer was created in time and as good]

14 With an anointed guardian cherub I placed you; [Commentators debate this because the Seraph, not the Cherub, is the highest kind of angel. And yet here Lucifer the highest angel is called a second-tier “cherub.” It may be that angels like, priests “contain” the lower orders within them. For example, every priest is also a deacon and every bishop is also a priest and deacon, etc.]
you were on the holy mountain of God; [This reminds us that Eden is a mountain. It’s a high place like a temple or pyramid.]
in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. [Eden or the Holy Moutain is fiery because of the love of God. “Seraph” means “burning one.”.]

15 You were blameless in your ways [This places Lucifer as sinless in the Garden of Eden. This points to Eden being something beyond a historical and geographical place on planet earth.]
from the day you were created, [Lucifer was created in time and as good]
till iniquity was found in you. [Here he falls in the sin of pride. He becomes Satan.]
16 In the abundance of your trade
you were filled with violence, and you sinned;
so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, [Satan is profane and cast away from the Mountain that is Eden]
and the guardian cherub drove you out [this may refer to Saint Michael, see video]
from the midst of the stones of fire. [again the holy Eden/Mountain is on fire]
17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty; [pride was his sin]
you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.
I cast you to the ground; [this seems to refer to Satan being cast to planet earth]
I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. [If we are still observing the fall of Satan, then “kings” here refers to the angelic hosts who witness God’s judgment against him.]
18 By the multitude of your iniquities,
in the unrighteousness of your trade
you profaned your sanctuaries; [His “sanctuaries” may refer to angels that were below him and in his charge – the third of angels that fell with him when God “separated the dark from the light”.]
so I brought forth fire from the midst of you;
it consumed you,
and I turned you to ashes upon the earth [Satan is no longer beautiful but scorched and ashen]
in the sight of all who saw you.
19 All who know you among the peoples
are appalled at you;
you have come to a dreadful end
and shall be no more for ever.” [An eternal condemnation for Satan.]

As you move through the passage, it is difficult to see how it might apply to the historical King of Tyre. He did not live in Eden or on a burning Holy Mountain. He was not cast out by God and scorched with fire and made ugly. So how then would it apply to the King of Tyre?

It is likely that the King of Tyre is singled out as being Satan-like because of his historical association with Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. King Hiram of Tyre made an alliance with Solomon (Solomon was a Messianic “Son of David”, which I’ve discussed here and relating it to Saint Joseph). And King Hiram provided architects, worders, cedar, and gold for the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem.

The Temple of Solomon was a mock up model of the Garden of Eden (Temple as Garden of Eden explained in my book The Crucified Rabbi) on the Temple Mount (Moriah).

King Solomon is a Christ-like figure and perhaps King Hiram is like a “high angel” figure. Hence, the King of Tyre’s dynasty turning against God is like Lucifer turning against God and His Messiah.

Regardless, the Ezekiel 28 is the locus classicus on the fall of Lucifer.

Applications for Christians Today:

Pride is the sin of Satan and the highest sin (v. 17). Let us pray for humility and meditate on the humility of Jesus Christ.
Satan’s fall is liturgical. It refers to priestly structures and sacred places. We cannot bend, break, or corrupt the liturgy of God because the liturgy presents God’s hierarchy and holiness for his creation.
It was Saint Michael (a much lower angel) that resisted Satan for the honor of God and His Logos. Let us have devotion and recourse to Saint Michael as a guardian given to us by Christ. It also signifies that personal agents in the lower orders of creation (lower laity or lower clergy) can and do have a place in God’s economy.
Christ and His Church have given us tools and defenses to protect us from Satan and his demons. these include:
- 7 Sacraments
- Holy water (uniting us to Christ as a sign of baptism)
- Sacramentals (scapulars, St Benedict medals, blessed salt)
- Devotion to Our Lady – Mary has replaced Satan as the highest creature in Heaven. Satan, we are told by exorcists, is especially ashamed of being c0-defeated and replaced by a “mere” human woman.
The best thing we can do is avoid sin through the grace of Jesus Christ. Every time we sin, even venially, we allow Satan to have a greater influence over our lives and our world.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us,

Dr Taylor Marshall

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When William Shakespeare died on the Feast of Saint George

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 17:20:15 +0000

Here’s a fun St George fact:

William Shakespeare died on the feast day of Saint George: April 23.It fits nicely with Shakespeare’s play Henry V which features the battle cry:

Follow your spirit, and upon this charge Cry ‘God for Harry, England, and Saint George!’

Miguel de Cervantes, Spanish author of Don Quixote (and solder at Battle of Lepanto) also died on April 23.

It’s also worth noting that the novel Dracula begins on April 23, the feast of Saint George, since Dracula a “slaying the dragon myth.” Dracula translates as “little dragon.”

On of the the readers of my Saint George historical novel Sword and Serpent also recently pointed out the center placement of Saint George on the Russian Coat of Arms up until 1917 (year of Our Lady of Fatima):

If you’d like to learn more about Saint George in history, please join our Sword and Serpent Discussion Group on Facebook by clicking here.

Godspeed,
Dr. Taylor Marshall

PS: Book 3 in the Sword and Serpent Trilogy comes out later this year.

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How Saints are Canonized? From Local to Papal Canonizations over time

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 13:59:53 +0000

Episcopal Canonization (began in 300s)

Local bishops would recognize martyrs or deceased confessors (saints who were not martyred) within their diocese by confirming the cultus of the person and often by doing so by erected an altar over their grave or by placing their remains/relics within an altar.

Metropolitan Canonizations (began in 400s)

By the time of Saint Augustine (d. 430), the process required the further ratification of the metropolitan archbishop of the province to which the saint belonged. (A province is a collection of dioceses within a Roman province headed by a metropolitan archbishop.)

The last Metropolitan canonization of a saint occurred in AD 1153 with the canonization of Saint Walter of Pontoise by the Archbishop of Rouen. After this, Popes in Rome reserved the right to canonize saints.

Papal Canonization (began in AD 993)

As the Church gained more political power, Catholic royalty would press bishops to canonize their kinfolk and ancestors so as to prop up their political standing as being holy and beneficent. It better establishes your crown if dad or granddad is a venerated saint.

Popes as Bishops of Rome had canonized Roman saints. But AD 993 marks the first papal canonization outside Roman territory with that of Saint Udalric, Bishop of Augsburg (and belonging to the family of the Ottonian dynasty) by Pope John XV.

Pope Alexander III decreed in 1170 that the canonization of saints was reserved to the Pope alone after investigation.

Pope Benedict XIV (1740 – 1758) established the procedure for papal canonizations. Since 1983, under John Paul II, the process looks like this:

Servant of God – person submitted by local bishop to Rome for consideration
Venerable – Rome formally recognizes the heroic virtue of the person. The person is not said to be in Heaven, does not receive a feast day, and churches or shrines cannot be dedicated to this person. However, prayer cards can be printed and distributed.
Blessed – This is the papal approval for a local diocesan cult. One confirmed miracle through the post-mortem intercession of the person is required.Beatification confirms officially that it is “worthy of belief” that the Venerable is in Heaven and saved. A feast day is assigned to the Blessed but it is restricted to the home diocese of the Blessed and not to the universal Church.
Saint – This is the papal approval for a universal cultus of the person. A total of two miracles are required (one more after the beatification miracle). The feast day is universal and parish churches, cathedrals and shrines may be named after the saint. Canonization confirms that the person certainly enjoys the Beatific Vision of Heaven.

Equipollent (Papal) Canonization (began in late 1500s)

Beginning in the late 1500s, Popes also recognized an form of papal canonization known as “equipollent canonization.” Equipollent means “equal in power.” These canonization do not require a formal process of canonization or miracles. Rather, equipollent canonizations recognize an already large, ancient and thriving cultus to a deceased and miraculous Christian person. Here are the conditions:

existence of an ancient cultus of the person
a constant attestation to the virtues or martyrdom of the person
uninterrupted fame as a worker of miracles

Examples include these equipollent saints:

Bruno
Raymond Nonnatus (literally “not born”)
Stephen of Hungary
Margaret of Scotland
Wenceslaus of Bohemia
Peter Damian
Boniface
Cyril and Methodius
Ephrem the Syrian
Albert the Great
John of Ávila
Hildegard of Bingen
Gregory of Narek

There has been increase in equipollent canonizations: 18 or so in the last 100 years. My guess is that this will reduce over time as most canonized saints are more recent and will likely go through the now established papal canonization process.

All Saint, pray for us,

Taylor Marshall, PhD

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The Filioque as Nicene Theology for Arian Goths and the Creed of Ulfilas

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 21:09:45 +0000

A New Theory on the Filioque and the Holy Spirit

I’ve been listening to The Story of the Goths by Henry Bradley (get the audible version for free by using this link) and it’s fantastic. A recurrent theme is the fact that the Goths were Arians going back to their evangelization by the Arian missionary Ulfilas or Wulfila (“Little Wolf”).

Depiction of Ulfilas or “Wulfila” preaching to Gothic Warriors

Ulfilas was ordained by that conniving villain of a bishop Eusebius of Nicomedia – the same Arian bishop who baptized Constantine and sought to exonerate Arius. Ulfilas carried the Semi-Arian version of Christianity to the Goths and they adopted it contrary to the Faith of Rome.

The Arian Goths divided into Ostrogoths (Eastern/German and Italian Goths) and Visigoths (Western/Spanish Goths).

In AD 587, King Reccared I (Visigothic King of Spain) renounced the Arian heresy and embraced Catholicism. This marks the transition of Spain from Arian to Catholic.

[callout]I record how the old statue of Saint Luke known as Our Lady of Guadalupe was then given to Catholic Spain by Saint Gregory the Great to celebrate the conversion of Reccared and his kingdom. Learn the full story of “old and new Guadalupe” in full video “Our Lady of Guadalupe” lesson at New Saint Thomas Institute.[/callout]

This conversion meant that King Reccared rejected the Arian Creed of Ulfilas and instead adopted the Orthodox Creed of Nicea and Constantinople – the same one we recite every Sunday at Mass. Two years later, historians observe the insertion of the Latin term Filioque (Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father “and from the Son”) into the Nicene Creed at the Third Synod of Toledo in AD 589.

The Usual Theological Consensus on “Why Filioque?”

If you take any theological class (including my own) on the topic of Filioque, you will hear something like this typical explanation:

The Goths had been Arian since the days of Ulfilas, and thus they believed that the Son of God was created, less than the Father, and was not co-eternal or consubstantial with the Father. So when the Goths became Catholic and rejected the heresy of Arianism, they felt the need to beef up the Nicene Creed. These Gothic Catholic converts added that the “Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and from the Son” so as to establish the Son as fully God and the Holy Spirit as fully God. And this addition eventually became standard in the Latin version of the Creed – even though the Greeks protest to this day.

This is the standard historical theology narrative, and I have taught it to my students dozens of times. However, I have recently come to reject this explanation after studying Gothic Arianism and the Creed of Ulfilas. Here’s why:

New Theory on the Filioque

My new theory is that the Filioque was added so as to make the Nicene Creed o fAD 381 sound more like the Arian Creed of Ulfilas while remaining 100% orthodox. Let me explain:

1. The Nicene Creed is enough against the Arians

The Nicene Creed in its Greek (and Latin) text thoroughly demolishes the heresy of Arius. There is no room for the position of Arius within the text:

“I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father,
through him all things were made.”

Arians (beginning with Arius himself in the early 300s) hated this language from Nicea. Adding “proceeds from the Son” later into the Creed really does not add anything against the Arian case. Arians, as far as we know, did not regard the text about the procession of the Holy Spirit as a battleground text in the Nicene Creed. So something else seems to be happening with “and from the Son” or Filioque.

2. The Arian Creed of Ulfilas has a lot to say about the relationship between the Son and the Spirit:

So if “and from the Son” was not an extra prop up for the divinity of Christ, what was it? After reading a translation of the Gothic “Creed of Ulfilas,” it jumped off the page to me. I reproduce the full known text of the Arian Creed of Ulfilas here with my comments in red:

I, Ulfilas, bishop and confessor, have always so believed, and in this, the one true faith, I make the journey to my Lord:

I believe in one God the Father, the only unbegotten and invisible.

And in his only-begotten Son [Arians used “only begotten” but in the sense of being a singular creature.], our Lord and God, [Arians said the Son of God was “a God” by divine privilege, but not “the one and only God.” For Arians this distinction of “the God” was for the Father alone, for Arians the Son of God was “a God” and “our God”.] the designer and maker of all creation [Arians grant that the creation came through the Son], having none other like him [radical Arian claim that the Son is unlike the Father], so that one alone among all beings is God the Father, who is also the God of our God). [Here again is the Arian distinction that the Father is “the God” and that the Son is “a god” by privilege our “our god” in relation to fallen humans.]

And in one Holy Spirit, the illuminating and sanctifying power, as Christ said after his resurrection to his apostles: [here Ulfilas cites two Scripture passages having the Spirit proceed from the Son or Filioque:]

“And behold, I send [Jesus does the sending of the Spirit] the promise of my Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49) and again,
“But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost is come upon you [in the context of Jesus ascending and sending an advocate]” (Acts 1:8);

being neither God (the Father) nor our God (Christ), but the minister of Christ [Holy Spirit is a minister of Christ and related to Christ rather than to the Father]…subject and obedient in all things to the Son [Spirit subordinated to the Son]; and the Son, subject and obedient in all things to God who is his Father… (whom) he ordained in the Holy Spirit through his Christ.

So in the Gothic Arian Creed, the understanding of their “Trinity” looks like this:

In the Gothic Arian mock up, I placed a dashed line between the Father and the Son do show that this generation is not consubstantial but signals a new created substance for the Son.

Whereas the original Nicene Creed of AD 381, read strictly, looks more like this:

So what I’m suggesting is that the Filioque was added so as to make the Nicene Creed conform intellectually with the way Ulfilas’s Gothic Arians spoke of the Holy Spirit. So this Option 1:

Which can be moved around to be envisioned like this Option 2:

Option 2 has the same arrows and same processions, but different arrangement. It should become obvious that the theological jump from the Gothic Arian Creed of Ulfilas (left) to that of the Spanish Filioque Nicene Creed (center) is less of theological jump than to the Greek Strict Nicene chart (right)

Conclusion:

To summarize then, the Filioque was introduced into Spain in AD 589 not to “prop up” God the Son’s divinity (that was already accomplished in the Christology section of the Nicene Creed), but rather to illustrate an Orthodox read to the way that the Gothic Arian Creed spoke of the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Son. Moreover, orthodox Catholic saints had often and approvingly spoke of the Spirit’s procession from the Son:

St Basil the Great
St Gregory Nazianzus
St Gregory Nyssa
St Hilary of Poitiers
St Ambrose
St Augustine

So the Filioque was an orthodox addition that helped the Visigoths embrace Nicene Orthodoxy. Visigoths knew that they were abandoning Arianism with regard to the Son of God, but what may have been more difficult to understand for them was how the original Nicene Creed does not explicitly express any relation between the Son and Spirit since the Gothic Arian Creed speaks only of a relation between the Son and Spirit.

All that being said, I’m fully supportive of the Filioque in the Creed because: A) it’s in Scripture, B) it’s in the great Greek and Latin Fathers, and C) the Pope has power to bind and loose dogmas, councils, patriarchs, and even Creeds.

I’m certainly open to rebuttal, objections, and criticisms. So let them roll.

[reminder]Is the Filioque a response to the Gothic Arian understanding of the Holy Spirit’s procession from the Son?[/reminder]

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Novitiate Movie: Were 1950s Teaching Nuns a Bad Idea?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 17:40:58 +0000

Your grandparents have memories of getting their knuckles rapped by nuns such as Sister Theodora and Sister Dolores. We tradition-minded (younger) Catholics look back with reverent nostalgia. So many beautiful nuns in glorious habits that bordered on the glamorous:

Nuns in habits are like visible leaven for society. They lift it up.

But, as we know, it came crashing down in the 1960s. The world began to see this instead:

A new film titled Novitiate seeks to explore (in an insidiously Hollywood way) this shift from the 1950s self-flagellating wimple nuns to the 1960s hippie V2 nuns. Here’s the trailer:

I’m sure the film will be a theological disaster, but it touches on something questionable. If the 1950s convent was a spiritual Shangri-La, why did half the nuns leave and why did the remaining majority pick up acoustic guitars and cheer on the white-washing of their convents and churches?

Here’s my theory: The 1950s nuns were being asked to transform their monastic vocation into “outside the convent Activism” and it obscured their vocation. And yes, I’m especially (and controversially) referring to their ubiquitous role as school teachers.

As a father of 8 children, I would love to have free private Catholic school education for my children. Today’s private Catholic tuition rates are between $4,000 and $18,000 per child per year. Using the lower number, it could cost $416,000 to educate all of them. Using the upper number, it would cost almost $1.9 million dollars.

So yes, habited nuns staffing Catholic private schools (for free) would be awesome. I’m sure every layman (especially wage-earning fathers) and every bishop in the 1940s thought this was a brilliant idea.

Yet as a student of Catholic Church History, I have to admit that “nuns teaching children” just isn’t a traditional model of female religious life. Historically, nuns prayed the Liturgy of the Hours, fasted, prayed, and labored: crops, beehives, baskets, weaving lace and fabric, etc. One can hardly imagine the Desert Mothers teaching school. Similarly, in the Eastern Christian tradition, you do not observe consecrated nuns leaving their cells to open up grammar schools.

And speaking of children and education, consider your Catholic mother today. These mothers have anywhere from 12 to 1 children at home. Some homeschool their children, because the public school situation is not consonant with their values and educational goals. These mothers are exhausted.

Now consider the nuns of 1950. They were overseeing and teaching and feeding and cleaning up after 30+ kids per day. These were not their own children. I’m sure these kids were cute, but that wears off after awhile.

At 6pm, a husband doesn’t open the garage door and give her a hug and kiss and say, “Wow, dinner smells great.” She doesn’t have the comfort of sexual intimacy or the hope of seeing her children bear grandchildren and attend to her in old age. Almost all the kids in the convent schools will move on and go away.

It’s a very difficult vocation. I have no doubt that God has this vocation for special women. Teaching orders have been, are, and will be part of the Catholic Church.

But a gargantuan problem had already entered the female orders. Some have said that young women entered orders in order to pursue studies and work that society would not yet allow them to do. Once that began to change in the 1960s and 1970s, they left.

A further problem is that the nunneries were no longer centers of monasticism. Teaching kids for no pay isn’t too fun, I imagine. The only thing to keep you on task would be monastic commitment. And monasticism was already slipping away.

These convents very rapidly exchanged the outward norms of Catholic devotion for Freudian psychology and new age spirituality. Why? The monastic element was not there. Teaching was had become a form of activism.

“I want to join a convent and teach mathematics and the catechism to cute children.”

Is that a vocation to the religious life? Which is prior? This is who I want to be? This is what I want to do?

I imagine that I may get flamed in the comments section for even suggesting that pre-Vatican II religious life was not healthy. Perhaps I’m wrong, but if you think so, provide evidence. And to all the faithful sisters who have persevered through things that we could never comprehend, thank you and may Christ reward you.

I recall meeting an 80 year old nun in a convent full of nuns that wore street cloths and went by their civilian names. I remember her name as Sister Dolores. She spoke clearly and devoutly about Christ her Spouse. She was full of faith – and I could tell that she had endured suffering. There are jewels out there. I’m not question that obvious fact. I’m questioning the “out of the convent” activism that obscured the identity of women religious in the 20th century.

[reminder]I look forward to your thoughts and comments. I’d especially like to hear about the experience of those who were children in these schools. [/reminder]

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Bad Popes and the Saeculum Obscurum

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 16:25:15 +0000

We have heard of the Dark Ages and most people wrongly label the Medieval Era (ca. AD 600-1500) as the Dark Ages.

There is, however, an age that is unanimously classified as the Saeculum Obscurum or “Dark Age.” It’s the 60 years from election of Pope Sergius III in 904 until the death of Pope John XII in 964.

This dark age is also called the Pornocracy because the Popes were intertwined with the powerful Theophylact I, who was Count of Tusculum and de facto ruler of Rome.

Theophylact and his wife Theodora effectively whored out their 15 year old daughter Marozia to be the concubine of Pope Sergius III (904–911). Popes cannot enter into valid marriage alliances, but they can share a bed. By doing so Theophylact united his own political power to the pillow of the Pope of Rome.

As if that were not enough, Theophylact was cuckolded by his own wife Theodora when she became the lover of Pope John X (914–928). Moreover, Pope John X is said to have been a lover both of Theodora (mother) and her daughter Marozia. And Pope John XI (931–935) was the illegitimate son of their daughter Marozia (perhaps the son of Sergius III). Marozia managed for her son Pope John XI to be elected at age 21.

Altogether, a bastard son, two grandsons, two great grandsons, and one great great grandson of Marozia became Popes!!! She even had a descendent who became an anti-Pope. Oh, and Pope John XIII was her nephew, the son of her sister Theodora.

It’s no wonder that this era is called the Reign of the Harlots. Theodora and Marozia (mother and daughter) used their sexual skills to control the Popes while Theophylact benefited politically from his wife and daughter’s pursuits. This papal corruption endured for six decades.

If you get discouraged by sexual scandals in the Church or by politics in Rome, we can be reminded that Christ allows it for some good reason that we do not yet understand.

Several valid high priests of the Old Testament and several valid Popes of the New Testament have operated in ways that are selfish, dishonest, immoral, and abusive. The high priests after the Maccabees were especially cruel, lustful, and murderous. And Catholic Popes have been equally cruel, lustful, and murderous.

Christ Himself indicated this possibility in His teaching to us:

Matthew 24:
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant [Pope], whom his master [Jesus Christ] has set over his household [Catholic Church], to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant [Pope] whom his master [Christ] when he comes will find so doing. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, 50 the master [Christ] of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, 51 and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.

As Saint Gregory the Great taught, Popes are “servants of the servants of God” set over the household while the Master Christ is away. We are required by filial charity to pray for our Pope’s protection and intentions daily. Salvation is through the Master, not through the Servant. And yet, Christ has appointed a Servant so we have teachings built on the Rock.

Even during the Dark Age of 904-964, Christ saved souls, worked in the local parishes, effected the sacraments, and lifted up great saints. Poland, Hungary, and Russia were being effectively evangelized. While Popes were whoring it up in Rome, Good King Wenceslaus (d. 935) was bringing holiness to Bohemia. And Saint Odo was carrying out the Cluniac Reforms.

Our Lord Jesus Christ may be “away,” but He is still present and working among us in every age, even in the darkest age.

Godspeed,
Dr Taylor Marshall

PS: If you’d like to study Medieval Catholic History, please join us online. The New Saint Thomas Institute is now offering three Certificates in Church History: Patristics, Medieval, and Reformation and Modern. Click here to enroll and begin learning about Christian History from the Fathers, Saints, and Popes: New Saint Thomas Institute.

Popes during the Saeculum Obscurum (AD 904-964)
Pope Sergius III (904–911) lover of Marozia
Pope Anastasius III (911–913)
Pope Lando (913–914)
Pope John X (914–928) lover of Theodora (the mother) and Marozia (daughter).
Pope Leo VI (928–928)
Pope Stephen VII (928–931)
Pope John XI (931–935) son of Marozia, son of Pope Sergius III.
Pope Leo VII (936–939)
Pope Stephen VIII (939–942)
Pope Marinus II (942–946)
Pope Agapetus II (946–955)
Pope John XII (955–964) grandson of Marozia, by her son Alberic II of Spoleto. He is often rated as “Worst Pope Ever.”

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Dividing Eastern and Western Christianity is Not Patristic

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 16:38:40 +0000

Today we Christians often think of Christianity as “Eastern or Western” and assume that it’s always been that way. Nope. Not really.

In the first 900 years of Christianity, over 50 Popes were Greek. Greeks and Latins criss-crossed freely. Saint Irenaeus of Lyons (modern France) was Greek. Saint Theodore of Canterbury (England) was Greek.

After Gregory the Great (d. 604), every single Pope for the next 200 years was Greek. These were native Greek speaking Popes celebrating Latin liturgy in Rome.

Even the Pope that crowned Charlemagne (Saint Leo III) was Greek.

Art, hagiography, architecture, liturgy, chant, music, monasticism – all of it was criss-crossing back and forth between East and West. Christianity was Christianity.

It wasn’t until the 1000s and then especially in the 1200s that the cross-pollination ceased.

If the Eastern Orthodox returned to full union with Rome, I would suspect that after many decades, there could be Greek Popes again and that art, theology, liturgy, etc. would continue to cross-pollinate. It’s natural. It’s normal. It’s healthy for Christians everywhere.

In a future post, I will explore the tradition of loooong interregnums between Popes.

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11 Unusual Facts about Constantine the First Christian Roman Emperor

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 16:18:37 +0000

Constantine gets a bad rap. He’s Saint Constantine in the Eastern Churches, but just plain ol’ “Constantine” in the West. Is he an apostolic saint or an opportunistic sinner?

In the last few years, I’ve spent a lot of time reading up on Constantine. I’ve taught a course three times in Rome called “History and Theology of Rome,” which touches on Constantine and his legacy. I’ve written a book The Eternal City which also explores his impact on Christianity (I was much more pessimistic about him in the book than I am now). Moreover, Constantine is a major literary character in my historical fiction Trilogy: Sword and Serpent: Trilogy.

[PS: Book III in the Sword and Serpent Trilogy is now complete and in the final editing stages – and young Constantine heavily present in the final novel.]

Since we live in times of political and ecclesiastical ambiguity, here are 11 facts about Constantine to help you see that God can use imperfect politicians (and imperfect bishops) to bring about great good:

He was divorced and remarried. His first wife was Minervina, and he divorced her to marry his second wife was Fausta.
Constantine killed his second wife. In AD 326, he had his first son Crispus (from his first marriage) killed. He also had his second wife Fausta killed. Both names were removed from public documentation. After Constantine had his second wife killed, he never married again until his death at age 65. (It was rumored that his son Crispus had an affair with his stepmother Fausta and that this revelation and their ordered deaths haunted Constantine to the grave.)
During his early life, the Roman Empire was divided into a Tetrarchy of four emperors: two senior emperors with the title “Augustus” and two junior emperors with the title “Caesar.” Constantine’s father Constantius was the “junior emperor” or “Caesar” of the Western half of the Empire.
Constantine spent his early life held captive in the East (away from his father in the West) by the senior emperor Augustus Diocletian (a great persecutor of Christians). Constantine escaped the Eastern emperors by night and fled to his father. It is said that he hamstrung every horse along the way so that he would not be caught! Constantine joined his father Constantius in York in Britain. His father died in 306 and his son Constantine was acclaimed “Augustus” or senior emperor of the Western Roman Empire by his soldiers.
But Constantine needed to prove his title. Before defeating Maxentius in AD 312, Constantine saw the cross in the sky above the sun with the words “in touto nika” or, “In this sign, conquer.” Lactantius (who tutored his sons) says Constantine was instructed to conquer under the sign of the cross during a dream. Eusebius records that it happened during the day at noon and that all the troops saw it. Either way, Constantine is said to have placed the sign of the cross or a Chi Rho on the shields of his men. Scholar Peter Weiss suggests the public “sun miracle” happened in Gaul in AD 310 and the dream happened in AD 312 before the Battle at the Milvian Bridge. That in AD 310, Constantine began to shift to monotheism based on “Sol Invictus” and that by AD 312, this monotheism had become (or was becoming) Christian monotheism.
Constantine legalized Christianity with the Edict of Milan in AD 313, but he began to remove pagan symbols from imperial coins beginning around the year AD 318. He gave the Lateran Palace to the bishop of Rome in AD 324. His conversion seems gradual and is in full display after about 10-12 years of rule.
Constantine didn’t likely convert for political reasons as most high school history teachers will tell you. The demographics were against him. It is estimated that in AD 312, Christians composed only 10-15% of the Roman Empire’s population and fell into the lowest levels of education, wealth, and political power. The influence, wealth, and political power were still held by those checking the box labeled: “Jupiter, et al. Give me that old school Roman religion.”
In AD 325, he called the first Catholic and Ecumenical Council of Nicea, which condemned the heresy of Arius falsely teaching that the Son of God was created and not eternally begotten of the Father.
Constantine left three living sons (each born from Fausta):
Constantine II (Catholic and anti-Arian). The first born.
Constantius II (Semi-Arian). The most powerful and through his influence, Semi-Arian theology spread.
Constans (Catholic and anti-Arian and anti-Donatist). Constans was rumored to be a man of unnatural vices.
Constantine did not divide the Roman Empire into “East and West.” That had already been accomplished fully by Diocletian. Constantine, in a sense, re-united the entire Roman Empire under himself as one household or oecoumenos.
Constantine fell ill and personally selected the Semi-Arian bishop Eusebius of Nicomedia to baptize him just days before his death. He died on Pentecost AD 337.

Whatever your opinion of Constantine, it’s a historical fact that Christianity was spread to more souls by Constantine than by Saint Paul himself. This is why the Eastern Churches hail him as the “Thirteenth Apostle.” I’ll admit that this title is overly ambitious, but my opinion is that he was genuinely apostolic despite him being obviously imperfect.

Depending on your perspective: pray for Constantine’s soul or ask him to pray for you!

The post 11 Unusual Facts about Constantine the First Christian Roman Emperor appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

The Catholic and Liturgical Origin of Pizza

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 11:03:51 +0000

I am in Rome teaching a course to Seminarians: “The History and Theology of Rome” for the Rome Experience.

While enjoying some pizza near Piazza Navona, my son asked: “Dad, where does pizza come from?”

So I looked it up. The earliest reference to “pizza” is from AD 997 in a Latin text from the Italian town of Gaeta:

The text states that there were to be delivered to the bishop of Gaeta should receive duodecim pizze (twelve pizzas) every Christmas day and another duodecim pizze (twelve pizzas) every Easter Sunday. Here we have the earliest reference to “pizza” and it includes pizza delivery.

Since the town of Gaeta at that time belonged to the Byzantine Empire, the Latinized word “pizze” is likely a corruption of the Greek “pitta” or “πίττα” – a reference to “flatbread.”

So the first recorded pizza parties (12 pizzas!) goes back to the Bishop of Gaeta.

I came to Christ in a round about way from a Major League Baseball signature referencing Romans 10:9 on a Dominos Pizza gift from Thomas Monahan to my father (a long story), so I rather like this origin of pizza.

Godspeed,
Taylor

The post The Catholic and Liturgical Origin of Pizza appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Why Did President Trump and Melania wear black in presence of Pope?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 25 May 2017 18:38:15 +0000

There are some interesting coming from the recent visit of President Trump to Pope Francis of Rome. Many are commenting on First Lady Melania and Ivanka wearing black and black veils in the presence of the Holy Father as in this photo:

Why are Melania and Ivanka wearing black?

In Catholic symbolism (and human symbolism!) black garments signifies humility and the desire to not be noticed. During a papal audience, it is traditional protocol for men to dress simply (President Trump has a black and white tie) and for women to wear long black dresses that cover the knee, are high collar (no cleavage for the pope, please), and long sleeves. Melania and Ivanka provide a nice example of how it’s supposed to look.

But there is an exception for a few Catholic princesses and queens: Le privilège du blanc!

Le privilège du blanc for Royal Women

Le privilège du blanc or “the privilege of the white” in the presence of the Pope is granted to royal women so long as they remain in good standing with the Catholic Church. Heresy or a non-sacramental marriage would lead to the Pope “declining the privilege.” The following royal ladies have the privilège du blanc:

Queen of Belgium
Queen of Spain
Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Princess of Naples
Princess of Monaco

Charlene of Monaco (photo to the right) used theprivilège du blanc on 18 January 2016 when visiting Pope Francis as part of an official state visit to the Vatican with her husband, Albert II, Prince of Monaco. Queen Sofía of Spain also used the privilege in 2016.

Cherie Blair (wife of UK Prime Minister Tony Blair) was highly criticized for wearing white while visiting Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.

The post Why Did President Trump and Melania wear black in presence of Pope? appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

124: Heretic Nestorius: Is Mary Mother of God? Are there 2 Christs? [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 25 May 2017 11:00:41 +0000

My goal this week is to introduce to 6 of the world’s greatest heretics and how we can avoid their heresies and errors for our time. Today we study Nestorius – the man who denied the unity of Christ and denied that Mary is the Mother of God. Join Dr Marshall for this fascinating episode of heresy in Catholic history:

The image above depicts Nestorius. Note the x on his mitre – this signifies that he is a heretical bishop.

124: Heretic Nestorius: Is Mary Mother of God? Are there 2 Christs? [Podcast]

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Podcast Archive
#	Title	Released
123	Heretic Arius and Deity of Christ	03/04/2017
122	Heretic Valentinius Explained	10/03/2017
121	Your Virtue of Temperance (and Aquinas on Women Looking Sexy)	09/02/2017
120	Your Virtue of Fortitude with Aquinas (Virtues Part 4)	05/01/2017
119	Your Virtue of Justice according to Thomas Aquinas	27/10/2016
118	Your Virtue of Prudence	21/10/2016
117	Fr Donald Calloway: Champions of the Rosary	5/10/2016
116	When Evangelicals Convert Catholics…Why?	28/09/2016
115	Introduction to the Four Cardinal Virtues (Part 1 of Virtues)	23/09/2016
114	Your Focus Changes Your Feelings	07/09/2016
113	Did The Holy Spirit Appear As A Real Dove? And Saint Raymond Nonnatus	13/08/2016
112	Reflections on Pilgrimage to Rome	13/08/2016
111	10 Tips for Visiting Rome	6/08/2016
110	The Humility of Mary	6/02/2016
109	Is Catholicism a Religion or Relationship with Christ?	5/25/2016
108	Early Female Mystics and Martyrs: Perpetua and Felicity	5/18/2016
107	The Word “Catholic” in the Early Church	4/7/2016
106	Can Christians Kill People? Answers from Thomas Aquinas	3/23/2016
105	Our Pilgrim Interviews on Our Lady of Guadalupe	2/24/2016
104	Reflections on Our Lady of Guadalupe	2/17/2016
103	Happiness Is A Skill	2/11/2016
102	Taylor’s New Podcast for Christian Men: Maccabee Society	2/03/2016
101	Jewish Priests and Catholic Priests	1/21/2016
100	Is Star Wars Christian or Anti-Christian?	1/06/2016
099	Should Catholics Share the Gospel with Jewish Friends	12/16/2015
098	Was Muhammad Evil?	11/18/2015
097	Revelation Ch. 22 Tree of Life and Holy Water	11/10/2015
096	Revelation Ch. 21 Heaven as a Cube and the New Jerusalem	11/04/2015
095	Taylor’s Thoughts on Being Father of a Large Family	10/28/2015
094	On the Indissolubility of Marriage and the Synod on the Family	10/21/2015
093	Revelation Ch. 20 The Millennium in Catholic Tradition	10/15/2015
092	Revelation Ch.19 Eucharist as Apocalypse	10/07/2015
091	Revelation Ch. 18 Fallen is Babylon the Great	09/30/2015
090	Revelation Ch. 17 The Whore of Babylon and Her Beast	09/23/2015
089	Do Babies Know the Existence of God	09/9/2015
088	Revelation (Chs 15-16) 7 Chalices of Wrath (Catholic Apocalypse Part 10)	09/2/2015
087	Revelation Ch. 14 Lamb on the Mountain with 6 Angels against Babylon	08/26/2015
086	Taylor’s Conversion Story to Catholicism – Interview with Matthew Leonard	08/19/2015
085	Revelation Chapter 13 The Sea Beast and the Land Beast the Mark of the Beast	08/13/2015
084	Revelation Chapter 12 – Our Lady of the Apocalypse	07/29/2015
083	The Giant Angel and Two Witnesses: Revelation Part 6 (Chapters 10-11)	07/15/2015
082	The Seven Trumpets: Book of Revelation Part 5 (Chapters 8-9)	07/02/2015
081	Book of Revelation Part 4 (Chapters 6-7)	07/09/2015
080	Taylor’s Catholic Thoughts on Same Sex Marriage	06/30/2015
079	Book of Revelation Part 3 (Chapters 4-5)	06/17/2015
078	Is the Relic of True Cross Real?	06/16/2015
077	Book of Revelation Part 2 (Chapter 2-3)	06/10/2015
076	Book of Revelation Part 1 (Chapter 1)	06/03/2015
075	Trinity Sunday, Liturgy, Thomas Becket and Anglican Use Thoughts	05/29/2015
074	Tongues of Fire in Acts, 1 Enoch, and Pre-Vatican Liturgy	05/27/2015
073	Advice on Being a Man	05/22/2015
072	What was the Priestly Status of Mary? Was she a Levite?	05/16/2015
071	The Theology of Cooking Food	05/14/2015
070	3 Steps to Overcoming Anxiety and Stress	05/06/2015
069	How to Read the Summa in One Year	04/22/2015
068	St Paul on Faith and Works Catholic vs Protestant Debate	03/25/2015
067	How Your Fears Are Hurting You Spiritually?	03/18/2015
066	What is 666 and the Mark of the Beast?	03/04/2015
065	40 Days of Joy	02/26/2015
064	Why did God make you? Luke 19 Gives the Answer	02/11/2015
063	Is Being A Christian Hard or Easy?	01/21/2015
062	Catholic View of the End Times and Tribulation	01/14/2015
061	When Other People Really Hurt You	01/07/2015
060	Is Saint George Still a Saint?	01/01/2015
059	Revolution in Catholic Education – Jennifer Fulwiler Interviews Taylor Marshall	12/31/2014
058	The Hidden Theology in Sword and Serpent with St George and Sabra	12/11/2014
057	Advent Total Consecration to Mary	11/13/2014
056	Top 5 Advent Devotions	11/07/2014
055	Why Do We Baptize Babies? The Covenantal Argument	10/22/2014
054	Is God Male or Female – The Catholic Teaching	10/08/2014
053	Lucifer vs. Saint Michael	10/01/2014
052	1 Year Anniversary Special Edition: Essentialism What is the Essence of Your Life?	09/24/2014
051	The Price of Your Anger	09/17/2014
050	The Seven Sorrows of Mary are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit	09/15/2014
049	6 Obstacles in Your Life (How to Conquer Them)	09/10/2014
048	Brain Science, Your Soul & Prayer	09/03/2014
047	Don’t Swallow the Camel	08/27/2014
046	The Secret Life of Thomas Aquinas	08/22/2014
045	Did Saint Paul Teach Once Saved Always Saved?	08/06/2014
044	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 2	07/30/2014
043	How to Escape Joyless Catholicism, Part 1	07/24/2014
042	Golf Cart Saints	07/15/2014
041	5 Intellectual Virtues and Pornography, Art, and Culture	07/02/2014
040	Taylor and Joy Talk About Their Marriage	06/25/2014
039	How Was the Bible Assembled? (plus Joy joins me)	06/18/2014
038	Should You Budget Time (or Money)?	06/04/2014
037	The Theology of Vacation, Leisure, and Recreation	05/28/2014
036	Noah Movie Review – Rock Monsters?	05/21/2014
035	Children Need Fortitude	05/14/2014
034	Jokes of Saint John XXIII	05/07/2014
033	Divine Mercy: 5 Common Questions	04/30/2014
032	4 Sections of Hell	04/23/2014
031	Meet the Saint Version of You	04/16/2014
030	Should You Be an Optimist?	04/09/2014
029	Finding Fellowship like Samwise Gamgee	04/01/2014
028	Demons, Snakes, and Ticks: Lessons from a Hunting Trip	03/26/2014
027	How to Make an Eternal Impact with Your Life	03/19/2014
026	Thoughts on My Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe	02/26/2014
025	Why is the Catholic Church Roman?	02/19/2014
024	The Seven Lies We Believe About Our Failures	02/11/2014
023	How to Restart Your Mental Computer	02/06/2014
022	Top Five Productivity Tips from Thomas Aquinas	01/29/2014
021	Did You Miss God’s Plan for Your Life?	01/23/2014
020	When Prayer Becomes a Chore	01/15/2014
019	12 Attributes of a Baptized Christian	01/08/2014
018	A Podcast Against Bitter Catholics!	12/30/2013
017	Mary’s Painless Delivery of Christ Explained	12/18/2013
016	Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Luke (Plus How to Set Goals)	12/11/2013
015	Total Consecration to Mary	12/04/2013
014	What’s Your Apostolate?	11/27/2013
013	6 Items for the Liturgy of Your Life	11/20/2013
012	Why You Should Be More Creative	11/13/2013
011	Why Did They Stop Teaching Virtue?	11/06/2013
010	How Do Saints Hear Our Prayers?	10/30/2013
009	My Opinion of Martin Luther	10/23/2013
008	My Top 5 Daily Prayers	10/16/2013
007	Your Guardian Angel	10/03/2013
006	How You Can Convert 7 Billion People	09/25/2013
005	3 Strategies for a Marriage that Sings!	09/18/2013
004	4 Step Plan When Family Leave the Faith	09/12/2013
003	5 Tools for Deep Daily Prayer Life	09/04/2013
002	Three Tips to Increase Your Passion for Life	08/28/2013
001	How to Find a Spiritual Director	08/18/2013

The post 124: Heretic Nestorius: Is Mary Mother of God? Are there 2 Christs? [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Did Christ Appear First to His Mother after Resurrection?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 17:43:08 +0000

All the Gospel writers specifically describe Christ appearing first to Saint Mary Magdalene on the morning of His resurrection from the dead: “He appeared first to Mary Magdalene” (Mark 16:9).

There is however a [late] Christian tradition that Christ first appeared to His Mother Mary and then afterwards appeared to Saint Mary Magdalene as depicted in the Gospel accounts. This would explain why the Blessed Mother felt no need to go to the tomb of Christ. She already knew and believed that He had risen from the dead early Sunday morning.

It also explains why Christ is not at the tomb Sunday morning when Mary Magdalene arrives. He is somewhere else and then arrives to speak with her. Where was He at that moment? Well, some say Christ was visiting His mother on the third day – just as she also discovered Christ again “in His Father’s house” when she had lost Him at age twelve in the Temple after three days.

So did Christ appear first to His Mother Mary?

We find Saint Anselm as the first Catholic Doctor of the Church to teach that Christ secretly appeared to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and then appeared to Saint Mary Magdalene. This is the opinion of Saint Ignatius Loyola and Saint Teresa of Avila.

The visionary Blessed Maria of Agreda also received a vision showing that Christ first appeared to the Blessed Mother before visiting Saint Mary Magdalene. Even Saint John Paul II affirmed the possibility that Christ secretly appeared to His Mother first of all:

“It is legitimate to think that the Mother may really have been the first person to whom the risen Jesus appeared.” (Saint John Paul II, May 21, 1997)

We already explored the idea that Mary was not at the tomb Sunday morning because Christ had already appeared to her and she was confirmed already in her belief in the resurrection. However, one might assert that the Mother of God’s faith was already so strong that she had not need to see the resurrected Christ. She already believed without proof.

My own opinion (which carries no weight) is that Mary’s soul was so united to that of Christ at His death and even to His soul’s descent to the dead that she was aware of His ministry to the dead (including her husband Saint Joseph and her kinfoll such as Saint John the Baptist, Saint Zechariah, and Saint Elizabeth, Saint Anna, et al.), that she knew the precise moment of His resurrection and saw it in her soul. Whether Christ appeared outwardly to her physical eyes or only in her heart – her perception of Christ by Faith was more than any saint will have when they “see” Jesus Christ.

Christos anesti,

Dr. Taylor Marshall

The post Did Christ Appear First to His Mother after Resurrection? appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Vader and ShenFu: The Surprising Titles of Priests in Other Languages

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 15:27:01 +0000

As you know, Vader means “father.” That’s the hook in The Empire Strikes Back: Darth Vader is the “dark father” of Luke.

Yet somehow it never registered with me that those black cassock-wearing priests in Holland would be affectionately called “Vader” by the faithful. Super cool.

So here are some various titles for priest in various languages. I do this to celebrate the 46th nation now represented in the New Saint Thomas Institute for theological studies:

Titles for Catholic Clergy in Various Languages:

Shénfù. Mandarin Chinese refers to Catholic priests with the title “Spirit Father” or shénfù (神父). I was a (Protestant) missionary for a summer in college and I love learning more about Christianity in China. One name for “Catholicism” in Chinese is gongjiào (公教) meaning “universal teaching.”

Shinpu. The Japanese title for a priest. Similar to Chinese. It also means “spirit father.”

Abouna. Syriac or Aramaic for “our father,” as used by Egyptian, Syrian and Palestinian Christians (and the Maronites).

Bathyushka. The Russian title for Orthodox priests, meaning “father.” Incidentally, the wives of Russian Orthodox priests also have a title: Matushka, meaning “mother.”

Cha. Vietnamese for “Father.”

Dom. This is actually a shortened version of the Latin Dominus meaning “Lord.” Dom is an honorific prefixed to the given name. It derives from the Latin Dominus. It’s used for Benedictines, Carthusians, and Canons Regular in English and French (eg. Dom Columba Marmion, O.S.B.). For Portuguese, it signifies a bishop.

Don. Italian and Spanish version “Dom.” Don can be used in writing and in direct address (e.g. Don Bosco). It’s not by any means restricted to clergy. Don is an honorific in all Spanish cultures. Don Juan of Austria is a notable example.

Sagart or Sacart. Irish or Old Gaeilge corruption of the Latin word for priest: sacerdos.

Athair. Irish address for “Father.”

Monsignore. Italian for “my lord.” The final “e” is often dropped. In Romance languages, it’s used to denote bishops, but in English it is restricted to presbyteral Prelates or Chaplains to His Holiness.

Otets. Ukrainian priest is usually addressed as “otets'” (отець), father, and his wife- dobro`dyjka, literally, “one who is doing good deeds” or “benefactress.”

Ojciec. Polish. When addressing a priest (vocative), it is Ojcze.

Padre. Corruption of Latin Pater. Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian for “Father.” It Italy, “Padre” is for mendicant religious priests (e.g. Padre Pio) and “Don” is for diocesan priests (e.g. Don Bosco).

Pappa. In Greek towns, priests are called Pappa, which means “daddy.” Our Latin Papa or Pope is the same word. I suppose each Greek Orthodox priest is papal in his own town.

Părinte. Romanian for “parent” or “begetter.” Corruption of the Latin Parens. There is a Romanian word for “Father” but Părinte is used instead. Romanian Christians address their priests with: “Sfinția Voastră” or “Your holiness” (“Your” in Romanian actually being a “pluralis majestatis”). Sfinția coming from the Latin word sanctitas meaning “holiness.”

Père. French corruption of the Latin Pater meaning “father.”

Abbé. A member of the French secular clergy in major or minor orders. It derives from the Aramaic “Abba” meaning “father.”

Romo. Indonesian for “Father.”

Vader. Dutch for “Father.”

Vater. German for “Father.”

[reminder]Do you know of more priest titles in other languages. Please leave a comment below and I’ll add them to the list.[/reminder]

The post Vader and ShenFu: The Surprising Titles of Priests in Other Languages appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Scripture and Science: Historical Day of Christ’s Death in AD 33

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 17:05:49 +0000

In our Church History Certificate in the New Saint Thomas Institute, we looked at the biblical and scientific data for determining the exact date of Christ’s death on the cross. Please join us for this sample video from our Church History Module 2: Christ and the Covenants:

“Good Friday – Finding the Historical Date” from Church History Module 2: Christ and the Covenants

If you don’t see the video in your browser or email, please click here to watch it.

[If you’d like to begin online Catholic classes and earn your Certificate(s) in: Catholic Church History Church Fathers or in Medieval History and Theology, you can begin this Easter with Spring Enrollment. The New Saint Thomas Institute is currently having $1 tuition discount for Easter. Click here to learn more.]

Here’s a preview of our New Saint Thomas Institute Certificate in Church History. Please explore and sign up if it’s a good fit:

A blessed Good Friday to you,

Taylor Marshall

The post Scripture and Science: Historical Day of Christ’s Death in AD 33 appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

How did Christ ride a Donkey AND a Colt (at the same time?)

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 16:13:23 +0000

The Mystical Sign of Christ riding a Donkey and a Colt

For years I was confused by Saint Matthew’s description about Palm Sunday: we read that Christ rode a female donkey and her baby colt.

However, in Mark, Luke, and John, we read that Christ rode a donkey without any mention of the her colt. For some reason, I had imagined that Christ rode the she-donkey and the little colt at the same time – wide straddling both. This seems ridiculous, but I didn’t know how else to visualize what Matthew was describing.

I finally found clarity while reading Cornelius a Lapide’s commentary on the passage. According to Lapide, Christ first rode the ass up and down the mount and then transferred and rode the colt into the city.

There is a practical reason for this. The she-ass would be stronger and more able to go up and down the terrain. Next, the colt would be able to bring him into the city easily.

Yet there is a mystical signification is this as well. The she-ass and her colt signify “the two sorts of people of which the world is made up—the Jews, accustomed to the yoke of the Mosaic law, who were represented by the ass; and the Gentiles, living up to this time without the Law of God, and who were denoted by the colt.”

The she-ass represents Mother Israel who has been burdened with the Law of Moses. Saint Peter our first Pope described the Mosaic Law as “a yoke…which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear” (Acts 15:10, D-R).

The young colt represents the new and untrained Gentiles – the wild olive branch that the Apostle describes as the Gentiles.

Christ our Lord rode both to signify that both the Jews and the Gentiles were called to be Christophoroi – Christ-bearers.

[reminder]Now it’s your turn: How did we carry “Christ to the world” in our age. What is the humble donkey or colt in our lives that communicates Christ’s Gospel to others? Please leave a comment.[/reminder]

Here’s Thomas Aquinas on why Christ rode a donkey on Palm Sunday.

Get Dr. Marshall’s book Thomas Aquinas in 50 Pages for free by clicking here.

The post How did Christ ride a Donkey AND a Colt (at the same time?) appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

The Horrific Dream of the Wife of Pontius Pilate (about the Nicene Creed)

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 20:23:23 +0000

Let’s examine at the tradition of Pontius Pilate’s wife and the horrific dream that she had in Matthew 27 and how it relates to the Apostles and Nicene Creed.

In our New Saint Thomas Institute Catholic Church History series on the Arian Heresy Controversy and the Council of Constantinople, our student Alicia asks:

Is there a reason why the name of Pontius Pilate was included in the second creed?

Pontius Pilate’s name is in the Creeds because it anchors the life of Christ into human history, specifically Roman history. If you interested in the redemptive meaning of Rome, the Roman Pontius Pilate, and the Roman cross of execution in the redemption of man by a Jewish Messiah, please see my book The Eternal City: Rome and the Origins of Catholicism.

There is a “tradition” that Pontius Pilate’s wife Claudia Procula had a dream of billions of people chanting “sub Pontio Pilato” over and over and over.

What she was hearing was the billions of Christians who recite “He was crucified under Pontius Pilate.”

Most woman would be honored to know that their husband’s name would be on the lips of billions over a period of 20 centuries. But in the case of this Prefect of Judaea, it is the notorious reputation of being the remote efficient cause of Christ’s crucifixion.

The dream of “Claudia” is referred to in Matthew 27:19:

While Pilate was sitting in the judgment hall, his wife sent him a message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, because in a dream last night, I suffered much on account of him.”

If the tradition is true, she dreamed of the countless recitations and liturgical chants of “under Pontius Pilate.”

Origen is the first to mention that she converted to Christianity. She is a saint. In art, she is depicted as whispering into the ear of Pontius. Mel Gibson’s Passion depicts Claudia giving linens to the Blessed Mother to collect the Blood of Christ from the scourging.

Saint Claudia, pray for us.

If you’d like to take our courses on Historical Theology, the Creeds, the Councils, and Catholic Tradition, please sign up with us at newsaintthomas.com.

The post The Horrific Dream of the Wife of Pontius Pilate (about the Nicene Creed) appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

9 Facts about Saint Joseph (Plus Old vs Young Joseph Debate)

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 17:16:21 +0000

Happy feast day of Saint Joseph. Here are 9 Facts about Saint Joseph for our edification:

The name “Joseph” in Hebrew means “he increases.” We get it from the Greek form of Ιωσηφ (Ioseph), which comes from the Hebrew name יוֹסֵף (Yoseph). Saint Bernard of Clairvaux taught Joseph was rightly named because God “increased” the gifts and graces that were in the world through Saint Joseph (Hom. 2 super Missus est).
Saint Joseph is not mentioned in Mark’s Gospel, but he features in Matthew and Luke. He is only briefly mentioned by Saint John when he writes: “Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know” (John 6:41-51).
Saint Joseph is described in Greek as a τέκτων or “tekton,” which is translated as “carpenter,” but it is better translated as “artisan.” A tekton is anyone involved in physical construction and repair. Joseph may have worked with stone, wood, metal, cement, clay, and other substances. The words “technology” and “architecture” are related to the Indo-European root for tekton.
Joseph, while of the House of David in Bethlehem, lived in Nazareth, which is only a 40 mile (65km) walk to Jerusalem. Nazareth was a suburb of the town of Sepphoris described as: “Rich, cosmopolitan, deeply influenced by Greek culture, and surrounded by a panoply of races and religions, the Jews of Sepphoris were the product of the Herodian social revolution – the nouveaux riches who rose to prominence after Herod’s massacre of the old priestly aristocracy.” (Aslan, Reza. Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, 44)This places Joseph, Mary, and Jesus in the proximity of a wealthy, Gentile culture. Most craftsmen in this region would likely have learned Greek and perhaps Latin to serve the economy of Sepphoris. This is why some speculated that Christ our Lord knew Hebrew (as a student of Scripture), Aramaic (as a native of Nazareth), Greek (Gentile language of politics and commerce), and Latin (the language of Roman occupants).
History testifies to two traditions of Saint Joseph – the Old Joseph (widower) and the Young Joseph (virgin) traditions. I personally follow the Young Joseph tradition as I think it’s more historical and more biblical. I’ve detailed the debate here: ARTICLE the Old Joseph (widower) and the Young Joseph (virgin).
Saint Joseph was truly married to the Blessed Virgin. This was debated and settled in the early Church. Some people wrongly state that Mary was an “unwed mother” and this is blasphemy. See my article: “Thomas Aquinas 12 Reasons Why Joseph was Married to Mary.”
It is speculated that Saint Joseph never sinned (confirmed in grace) and that he was sanctified before birth – but not at conception like the Blessed Virgin. Francisco Suarez, Jean Gerson, and Saint Alphonsus Ligouri each teach that Saint Joseph was sanctified and regenerated in his mother’s womb prior to birth. Sacred Scripture teaches us that the Prophet Jeremiah and Saint John the Baptist received this honor of sanctification in the womb. The eminent theologians above, notably Saint Alphonsus – a doctor of the Holy Church, extend this privilege to Saint Joseph. They even teach that Saint Joseph was confirmed in the grace, which means that he was so filled with grace that he never committed a mortal sin or a deliberate venial sin.
Some also speculate that since there are no relics of Saint Joseph, he was assumed bodily into Heaven. Francis Suarez maintained St. Joseph was taken up into heaven bodily. St. Bernardino of Siena, Gerson, and St. Vincent Ferrer held the same. St. Francis de Sales points out the fact that nobody claims the tomb of St. Joseph and that there are no relics of this saint. Then he continues in Les Vrais Entretiens Spirituels: Surely, when Our Lord went down into Limbo, St. Joseph addressed Him in this wise: “Be pleased to remember, Lord, that when you came down from Heaven to earth I received you into my house and family, that I took you into my arms from the moment you were born. Now you are going back to Heaven, take me with you (body and soul). I received you into my family, receive me into yours; I took you in my arms; take me into yours; I looked after you and fed you and guided you during your life on earth; stretch forth your hand and lead me into life everlasting.” It is based on the typology of Joseph from the last two lines in Genesis where the Patriarch Joseph requests that his bones be taken from Egypt: “And [Joseph] made them swear to him, saying: God will visit you, carry my bones with you out of this place: And he died being a hundred and ten years old. And being embalmed he was laid in a coffin in Egypt. (Genesis 50:24-25)
Some have speculated that Saint Joseph was among the “saints” who were resurrected shortly after the death of Christ on Good Friday: “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many” (Mt 27:51-53).
It’s common practice to bury a statue of Saint Joseph to sell one’s home. This comes from condemned divination practiced called “Deprecation of the Saints,” whereby a person places a sack on a saint’s statue head or hides a statue in the closet or otherwise treats a saint statue disrespectfully until a request is granted. This is why folklore states that you’re supposed to dig up the Saint Joseph statue after the sale of the home to “reward” him for granting a request. It’s probably not a wholesome practice. Perhaps its better to place Saint Joseph’s statue in a place of honor in the home for intercession through Saint Joseph to our Lord Jesus Christ for the sale of one’s home. (Though feel free to debate this in the comments box.)

Have a happy and holy Feast of Saint Joseph. Saint Joseph pray for us.

[reminder]Do you think of Saint Joseph as an older widower or as a young guardian?[/reminder]

Dr. Taylor Marshall

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9 facts about Saint Patrick of Ireland (PLUS the Two Patrick Theory)

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 14:00:17 +0000

Here are 9 facts (including the Two Patrick Theory) about Saint Patrick of Ireland:

Saint Patrick was not Irish. He was born in in Roman Britain. His Latin name Patricius is Roman and in Latin it means “Patrician” or “noble.” Saint Augustine of Hippo’s father (Saint Monica’s husband) was also named Patricius.
Saint Patrick wrote an autobiography titled Confessio or “Confession.”
Saint Patrick was the son of a deacon and the grandson of a priest, as he himself testifies: “My father was Calpornius. He was a deacon. His father was Potitus, a priest, who lived at Bannavem Taburniae (Confessio, 1).
At age 16, Saint Patrick was abducted by Irish pirates and taken to Ireland to serve as a slave for 6 years, until his 22nd year. He served as a slave shepherd and during his time in the fields, he returned to the Christian God that he had learned about as a child. Patrick speaks of God in this way: “This is the one we acknowledge and adore – one God in a trinity of the sacred name.”
At age 22, he heard the voice of God telling him to escape slavery and run to the ocean’s port…200 miles away.
Patrick was asked “suck the breasts” of the sailors who offered him a ride to Britain. Saint Patrick explains:I heard one of them shout aloud at me: “Come quickly – those men are calling you!” I turned back right away, and they began to say to me: “Come – we’ll trust you. Prove you’re our friend in any way you wish.” That day, I refused to suck their breasts, because of my reverence for God. They were pagans, and I hoped they might come to faith in Jesus Christ. This is how I got to go with them, and we set sail right away. (Confessio, 18)Literally sucking the breast of another signified the protection of one over the other. The practice was known in North Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Turkey, Armenia, Caucasus region, Albania, as well as Ireland.
Saint Patrick studied Christianity on continental Europe: He studied at Auxerre and received the tonsure at Lérins Abbey. Saint Germanus of Auxerre consecrated him as a missionary bishop.
Saint Patrick is said to have driven all the serpents from the island of Ireland. However, post-glacial Ireland never had snakes. The tradition of driving snakes out of Ireland may be an allegory for Saint Patrick refuting and winning back the adherents of the Pelagian heresy (the false teaching that a person may be saved through the positive power of human nature without grace).
Irish documents seem to refer to “Two Patricks” and this has given rise to the “Two Patricks Theory.””Patrick the Elder” (Patraic Sen) is said to have died in AD 457. However, there is also a record for the death of the another Patrick in AD 493 (33 years later) who is called the “Patricius the Arch-apostle of the Scoti.” The Annals record annals record that in AD 553 “the relics of Patrick were placed sixty years after his death in a shrine by Colum Cille.” This would testify to his death in AD 493. It’s very likely that the “first Patrick” or “Patrick the Elder” is in fact Saint Palladius who was a Catholic missionary bishop to Ireland and died around AD 460. The missionary efforts of Saint Palladius were likely conflated into the life and memory of Saint Patrick who effectively succeeded Saint Palladius.

Happy feast of Saint Patrick’s Day. Please share and spread this post about Saint Patrick so that people come to know the historical Catholic bishop, theology, and missionary of Ireland: Saint Patricius!

Saint Patricius, pray for us.

[reminder]

Dr. Taylor Marshall

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Cardinals who are not Bishops and a Short History on Cardinals

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 23:17:02 +0000

Originally, cardinals were simply clergy “incardinated” within the Diocese of Rome. In the 6th century, the cardinals of Rome included the pastor presbyters of the titular churchs and the seven deacons of Rome so that there were “cardinal priests” and “cardinal deacons.” By the 8th century, the title was extended to the seven bishops of the seven “suburbicarian dioceses” surrounding Rome and thus there were also “cardinal bishops.”

This collection of cardinal deacons, cardinal priests, and the cardinal bishops established the “College of Cardinals” that elected the Bishop of Rome from amongst themselves.

Before the 1900s, it was possible for a man in minor orders to become a “lay” cardinal in the order of cardinal deacons.
For example, in the 16th century, the Englishman Reginald Pole was a cardinal for 18 years before he was ordained a priest.
In 1917 it was established that all cardinals, even cardinal deacons, had to be ordained priests.
In 1962, Pope John XXIII ruled that all cardinals must be ordained as bishops unless given a papal dispensation to remain as a priest. One might recall that John Henry Cardinal Newman (d. 1890) was a cardinal while being a priest and not a bishop.
For example, His Eminence Albert Cardinal Vanhoye is a cardinal who has not been ordained as a bishop.
A cardinal who is not a bishop does wear the pontificalia associated with the bishop (mitre, crozier, zucchetto, pectoral cross, ring).
Here’s the amazing thing about cardinals: even if not ordained as a bishop, any cardinal possesses ecclesial and liturgical precedence above a bishop, and even above an Archbishop or a Patriarch!
This is why Eastern Patriarchs are now usually made Cardinals.

[reminder]

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Give Up Heresy for Lent says Pope Saint Leo the Great

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 18:52:38 +0000

In order to prepare for Lent, I was looking at the Lenten sermons of Pope Saint Leo the Great (died AD 461).

In his Sermon 46 on Lent, he exhorts the faithful to fast from food and luxury and vain thoughts. And then he goes further and exhorts them to give up heresy for Lent:

For the mind then only keeps holy and spiritual fast when it rejects the food of error and the poison of falsehood, which our crafty and wily foe plies us with more treacherously now, when by the very return of the venerable Festival, the whole church generally is admonished to understand the mysteries of its salvation.

What’s the historical background here? Pope Saint Leo the Great was battling a heresy called Monophystism in the Eastern Church that falsely taught that Christ’s human nature was absorbed or mixed into His divine nature so that Christ only had a single (mono) divine nature (physis). The human nature was no longer there. This essentially means that Christ is no longer human but only divine.

[To learn more about these ancient heresies and how the Popes and bishops refuted them, please explore the New Saint Thomas Institute’s Online Video Classes on Church Fathers and Catholic Ecumenical Councils by clicking here.]

These heretics were backed by the Emperor, the political strongholds of the time, and by the Patriarch of Alexandria. It was a time of schism, infighting amongst bishops, and confusion among the laity. The temptation for Pope Leo and others was to compromise the Catholic Faith in order to keep the Empire and the Church united under a false theology. This Pope Leo refused to do. He called a council (Chalcedon in AD 451) and issued his orthodox “Tome of Leo” which explained how Christ’s divine nature and human nature were united in His one divine Person or in Greek, His divine hypostasis.

Pope Saint Leo labored to defend and explain the Truth because the truth sets us free from sadness, error, and sin. In order to live right, we need right morals and right thinking (which is one reason why the Catholic Tradition is rich in education and in the establishment of schools and universities.)

Christ our Lord and Savior taught that it was not food or drink entering the mouth that justifies or condemns a man, but rather the thoughts and words that come from his mouth (Matthew 15:16-20). We need to habituate right thinking.

The Greek word for “orthodox” is ὀρθοδοξία (orthodoxia) and it literally means “straight thoughts.” Similarly, an orthodontist provides you with “straight teeth,” and an orthopedic doctors are those that originally made sure that children (pedi-) developed straight (ortho-) bodies. Let’s go to the Doctors of the Church and acquire “straight thoughts” regarding God, salvation, and morality.

Giving Up Sinful Thoughts Against Morals and Against Faith

We often think of sinful thoughts as angry thoughts, lustful thoughts, and covetous thoughts. These are the kind of thoughts that we so often confess in the confessional. These are our thoughts against Catholic morals.

However, we might also serious thoughts against Catholic faith. We may even be repeatedly tempted to entertain these thoughts. This is what Pope Saint Leo warns us about in particular in his Sermon 46.

How do we combat these thoughts against faith and doctrine? Saint Leo provides the answer by exhorting us “to understand the mysteries of its salvation.” We must labor to understand the beautiful mysteries that Christ left for us within His Church.

Here are three ways that we can begin to grow in “understand[ing] the mysteries of salvation.”

Read the New Testament daily:
Read 1-3 chapter(s) every morning. The Catholic Church holds that Sacred Scripture is “the very soul of sacred theology” (Dei Verbum 24). Moreover, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ” (Saint Jereome). And Pope Benedict XVI taught that “the normative theologians are the authors of Holy Scripture.” And if you’ve never read the New Testament, it’s time to read the whole thing. Lent is a perfect time to establish this goal. Right theology begins with a knowledge of the New Testament.
Read books by the Saints:
People ask me all the time about the best and latest books on theology. My rule of thumb is if you haven’t read the top ten classic works of Catholic Patristic Theology and the Summa theologiae, you probably shouldn’t be reading new theology. Build a foundation first. Here are some recommendations (most these books are under 200 pages):
1. St Augustine Confessions
2. St Athanasius On the Incarnation
3. St Basil On the Holy Spirit
4. St John Damascus Three Books on the Divine Images
5. St Ignatius of Antioch Epistles
6. St John Chrysostom On Marriage and Family Life
7. St Cyril of Alexandria On the Unity of Christ
8. St John Chrysostom On the Priesthood
9. St Gregory Nazianzus Sermons and Letters
10. St Leo the Great Letters and Sermons
Take a theology class or course:
Enroll in a theological class at your parish, at a trusted university, or somewhere else. Here’s a sample class from the New Saint Thomas Institute on Pope Saint Leo the Great in 10 Points. I hope you will be encouraged and filled with hope as you discover the Pope to be given the title “the Great.” We all need to foster a devotion to this great theologian and Pope: Saint Leo the Great.You’re always invited to watch video lessons on Philosophy, Historical Theology, etc:

Have a happy and holy Lent!

Pope Saint Leo the Great, pray for us!

Godspeed,
Taylor Marshall

[reminder]

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Why Do Christians Worship on Sunday and Not Saturday Like Jews?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 17:02:09 +0000

NSTI Student Member Paul C asks:

I also hope Taylor could address Seventh Day Adventism in a video.

My in-laws are Adventists and a few are curious about Catholicism. At family get-togethers I’ve gotten questions, such as, wasn’t Constantine the founder of the Catholic Church? and, didn’t a Pope change the Sabbath day in order to attract converts from followers of a Sunday pagan ritual? They’ve been taught a lot of misinformation!

Clearly Constantine was not the founder of Catholicism. See our video(s) on Constantinian era on this.

Regarding Sunday, it goes back to the Apostles:

“And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to depart the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight,” (Acts 20:7).

Here Saint Paul is breaking bread (Eucharist) and preaching on Sunday.

Saint Paul also recognizes Sunday as the day of Christian gathering here:

“On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.” (1 Cor. 16:2). So the offering was taken on Sunday – during Liturgy.

The Jews kept Saturday (last day of week) because they looked forward to Messiah. Christians keep Sunday (first day of the week) because we look back to the Messiah.

Moreover, Christ rose again from the dead on Sunday and the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost on a Sunday. Christ is King of the New Creation and so Sunday, the day of creation is the day of His worship.

Seventh Day Adventists are thus Judaizers and they do not understand the fulness of Christ’s fulfillment of not only the Old Law, but the Old Creation. If you want to see study how Christ fulfills the entire Old Testament (including an appendix list of over 300 prophecies), see my book The Crucified Rabbi: Judaism and the Origins of Catholic Christianity.

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Was St Simeon in Luke 2 also the Son of Hillel the Rabbi?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 12:33:21 +0000

Ever since I wrote The Crucified Rabbi, I continue to come across great rabbinical insights into Catholicism. Once recent example is the probability that the Simeon in Luke’s G0spel is the famous Simeon ben Hillel – son of the famous Rabbi Hillel.

Here’s the passage from Luke:

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” 33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 and a sword will pierce through your own soul also, so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” – Luke 2:25-35

Simeon is the first explicit prophet of Mary’s sorrow at the crucifixion and piercing of Christ: “a sword shall pierce through your own soul also.”

Simeon ben Hillel was the son of Hillel the Elder. When Hillel died, Simeon took over as President of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem.Hillel did not die until about 10 AD. Simeon was likely active at the Temple during this time, but I doubt he was an “old man.”

At first I thought this was proof that Simeon could NOT be Hillel’s son, since the Simeon in Luke 2 is an “old man” but Simeon ben Hillel would have been a middle aged man. And then I noticed that Luke never calls Simeon “old.” I read it over and over. It’s not there in Luke’s text. Simeon is not necessarily old in Luke 2. I’ve seen so many paintings of the Presentation and of Simeon as an old grey bearded priest that I’ve assumed that he was “old,” but the text doesn’t say it.

So could Simeon in Luke 2 be Simeon ben Hillel? Perhaps.

Saint Simeon pray for us to Christ our Lord and Mediator!

[reminder]

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The Eastern Orthodox on Divorce and Remarriage

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 17:10:45 +0000

How do the Eastern Orthodox handle divorce and remarriage? It seems that the trajectory of Pope Francis is to move toward the practice of the Patriarch of Constantinople – to say that divorce and remarriage is objectively wrong, but allowable on a case by case basis.

I’m rather amazed that neither side is currently examining (and boldly appealing to) the Eastern practice. It’s likely only a matter of time, so I thought I’d try to put some things together in the timeline.

Deacon Daniel Gordon Dozier (Eastern Catholic) helped me find some primary sources on this matter.

Patriarch Alexius I of Constantinople (Patriarch from 1025-1043) no longer upheld the practice of suspending priests who blessed second marriages after divorce. Patriarch Alexius, however, only allowed second marriages to the innocent party in a separation. That is, if the husband abandoned a wife, she (but not him) could have a second church wedding while that offending husband still lived. And vice versa.
Archbishop Cyril Vasil, S.J. observes that in 1086 (after the schism with Rome), the Byzantine Empire made the Orthodox Church the “only institution with legal competence for the celebration of matrimony…As a consequence the Eastern Church had to conform its practices to State and civil legislation (a regretful consequence of caesaropapism). Then once civil legislation began to allow divorce and successive remarriages, the Eastern Church was obligated to recognize these practices.”
It seems to me as the Eastern Church fell away from union with Rome, it inevitably followed the secular practice of the Empire.

It’s notable that the initial changes in practice happened in Constantinople while Rome and Constantinople were in formal union (even if only for a few decades). It was the successor of Alexius I, Michael Cerularius who formally established schism between Rome and Constantinople in 1054. The practice was officially changed in 1086. So the entire process seems to have taken about 50 years in Constantinople.

[reminder]What do you think? Will the Eastern Orthodox practice become part of this debate on divorce and remarriage at Rome?[/reminder]

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Catholic Webinar Invite: History and Theology of Catholic Advent with Dr. Taylor Marshall

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 20:26:39 +0000

Advent season is here, but so many of us are unsure about what it means, how to explain “Advent” to our friends/family, and what to do keep a “holy Advent.” Here’s a class to help you:

DISCOVER THE HISTORY & THEOLOGY OF ADVENT
In this Catholic Webinar, I will explain:

the earliest historical records about Advent
the ancient relationship between Advent and Lent
why Advent went from 5 to 4 Sundays around AD 1000
the theology of “delayed gratification” as it relates to Advent & the Eucharistic Fast
practical tips on how to celebrate Advent (especially important for families)

Please join me for my Catholic Webinar on the “History and Theology of Advent”. It’s free and open to the first 1,000 registrants.

Please click here or below to register:

Godspeed,

Taylor Marshall

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Orthodox Catholic Fiction Novel = #1 Bestseller in Youth Historical/Action

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 16:44:05 +0000

Dear Readers and Listeners,

In 2014, I published a historical fiction novel about the legend of Saint George and the dragon (titled Sword and Serpent) that debuted at #1 on Amazon.com in Young Adult Religious at both Historical and Action!!! I’m grateful to everyone who read it and reviewed it!

Yesterday I published the sequel to Sword and Serpent titled The Tenth Region of the Night: Sword and Serpent Book II. It also has reached #1 Bestseller status in those categories as well as in “Hot New Releases.”

The new novel’s cover depicts a Greek ouroboros – a snake eating itself. Evil always turns in on itself – and this is the plot of the novel. Just before daybreak (what the Egyptians call the “Tenth Region of the Night”), evil is thoroughly destroyed by the dawning light – Saint George, the martyrs, and Constantine’s conversion.

If you’d like to immerse yourself into the life of early persecuted Christians (circa AD 299) with the likes of Saint George (Jurian), Saint Nicholas (Nikolaos), Saint Christopher (Menas), Saint Catherine (Aikaterina), Constantine, and Saint Helen, then please explore these novels.

It’s what would happen if you mishmashed stories like The Princess Bride, Lord of the Rings, and Hunger Games with historic truths about relics, miracles, bilocating saints, popes, and self-sacrifice. What if epic adventures didn’t have in a far away fantasy world…but happened in the Roman Empire in AD 299. That’s this story…and it has something like a dragon it!

Just like last time, we are having a Launch Party to get the word out with prizes.

How To Join the Party and Get FREE Books (hashtag: #SwordAndSerpent #TenthRegion)

Here are 8 epic ways you can do epic things and win epic stuff:

1. Take an Epic #Selfie with the Book
(Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card AND a free signed copy of Tenth Region)

HOW TO ENTER: Take a photo with the book The Tenth Region of the Night. Extra points will be awarded for costumes or exotic places. The more epic, the more likely you are to win. Take a photo, post it on Facebook and then send an email to swordandserpent+selfie@gmail.com with a link to your picture.

RULES:

This is not a random drawing. This is a performance-based contest that will be judged. Be epic. Get the family to dress up as Jurian, Sabra, Aikaterina, Menas, Helena, et al. and snap a selfie with the book. Or maybe take a photo of yourself holding the book in someplace amazing. If you get a photo of yourself standing next to Pope Francis holding the book, you win hands down!
Selfies with any version of the The Tenth Region count (printed, ebook).

2. Create The Tenth Region of the Night Cocktail/Beverage (Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card)

HOW TO ENTER: That’s right mixologists, here’s a contest for you! Using ideas, concepts, locations, items, people, or ingredients mentioned in the book Tenth Region (Saint Anastasia is a pharmacist in the novel!), create the official The Tenth Region of the Night cocktail or beverage. Send an email to swordandserpent+drink@gmail.com and write down the recipe, take a photo of the drink, and the explain how it relates to the book.

RULES:

This is not a drawing. It is performance based. The best concotion wins.
The drink need not be alcoholic. It could be a kid’s milk shake or soda concoction. Or it could be “Menas Mojito” inspired by dragons, the Aikaterina Sleeper Martini, Constantine, and/or the sword of Saint George. Get epic. Get crazy. Have fun with it. Take pics.

3. Just Get the Book Contest (Prize: $100 Amazon Gift Card)

HOW TO ENTER: Buy just one copy of The Tenth Region of the Night and then send an email to swordandserpent+boughtbook@gmail.com simply stating “I bought a copy.” If you buy more than one copy, please send one email for each copy you bought. *If you already reviewed the novel before today and emailed me about it, you’re already entered into this contest.

You can get a copy of The Tenth Region of the Night by clicking here.

RULES:

You can enter for each copy purchased. (For example, if you buy four copies, send an email saying “I bought 4” in the subject line.)
Winner will be drawn at random on December 24.

4. Christmas Contest (Prize: an iPad Mini mailed to your house! AND a free signed copy of Tenth Region)

HOW TO ENTER: Several reviewers on amazon.com said that Sword and Serpent would be a perfect Christmas gift. This contest honors Saint Nicholas who is an important character in the book – it’s also his feast day this week. To win this prize, purchase at least 4 copies (1 for yourself and 3 as gifts to give away at Christmas) and send an email to swordandserpent+gifts@gmail.com. You can order copies by clicking here.

RULES:

You must purchase at least 4 copies to enter.
If you purchase multiples of 4, you can enter that many times (8 copies = 2 entries; 12 copies = 3 entries; 80 copies = 20 entries – enter how many copies you got in the subject line: “I got 8 copies as Christmas gifts” – that’s 2 entries in this prize)
Winner will be drawn at random on December 24 and will receive an iPad for free.

5. Review the Novel at Amazon.com (Prize: $100 Amazon Gift Card AND a free signed copy of Tenth Region)

HOW TO ENTER: Read the book and leave a friendly review at amazon.com. Next, send an email to swordandserpent+reviewed@gmail.com with a link to your review.

RULES:

Please leave a review at amazon.com before December 24.
Even though GoodReads is not a retailer, we’ll count GoodReads reviews too. So if you review at Amazon and goodreads, that’s two entries. Way to go! Click here for GoodReeds reviews.
Send an email to swordandserpent+reviewed@gmail.com with a link to your review.
Winner will be drawn at random on December 24.

6. Write a Blog Post about Sword and Serpent
(Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card + a promo link to your blog from my blog)

HOW TO ENTER: Write a blog post about The Tenth Region of the Night with the amazon link to the book in your review. Next, send an email to swordandserpent+blog@gmail.com with a link to your review.

RULES:

The post does not have to be a “book review.” It can be a theological reflection or an interview with me about the book.
Please include the amazon.com link: http://amzn.to/2gOQq3N
Winner will be drawn at random on December 24.

7. Facebook The Book (Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card)

HOW TO ENTER: Write an update on your Facebook wall about Sword and Serpent and include a link to the amazon link and the link to the book trailer. Next send an email to swordandserpent+facebook@gmail.com.

Please use this photo and this link to the book: http://amzn.to/2gOQq3N

RULES:

Please feel free to use the book video trailer from Book I: http://youtu.be/lN8dFJEOQ_8
Please include the amazon.com link to Tenth Region of the Night: http://amzn.to/1HPEMLf
Winner will be drawn at random.

8. Book Club Contest (Prize $75 Gift Card to Restaurant and Skype Chat with Me and your Group AND a free signed copy of Tenth Region)

HOW TO ENTER: Gather a book group of at least five friends who will read the The Tenth Region of the Night and meet to discuss. The winner will get a $75 restaurant gift certificate to pay for food or drinks for your book club. I will also sit down with you via internet interview in Skype or Google Hangout for 15 minutes to talk about the book and answer group questions. Send an email to swordandserpent+bookclub@gmail.com with a link to an Evite or other online invitation showing four or more attendees.

RULES:

The primary purpose of the meeting should be discussion of The Tenth Region of the Night.
One entry per group.
You can choose the restaurant, but please find one that has gift cards so I can pay for it.
Winner will be drawn at random.
I will arrange my schedule around the winner’s book club meeting to do the Skype interview. It’ll be fun!

Okay, there are the 8 contests. They all end on Dec 24 2016. Get busy taking epic selfies. By the way the easiest contest to win is #3 – Just Get the Book: The Tenth Region of the Night.

To everyone who already made The Tenth Region of the Night possible and helped it get to #1, THANK YOU!

Happy winnings and Happy Advent!

Saint George, pray for us!
Taylor

Epic Book Trailer for Sword and Serpent, Book I:

Saint George pray for us,
Taylor Marshall

The post Orthodox Catholic Fiction Novel = #1 Bestseller in Youth Historical/Action appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Silence: Japanese Catholic Martyrs Film by Scorsese

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 17:37:11 +0000

Martin Scorsese has produced a film adaptation of the Japanese novel Silence by Shusaku Endo. It stars Andrew Garfield (Spiderman and Hacksaw Ridge), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren from The Force Awakens), Liam Neeson, Tadanobu Asano, and Ciarán Hinds:

It. Looks. Awesome.

The trailer (linked below) gave me chills, and hopefully Scorsese doesn’t make it into an anti-Catholic polemic. Check out the trailer to Silence:

Looks cool, right? Be assured that I’ll do a video reviewing this film as soon as it comes out.

Speaking of Catholic novels, my follow up “Saint George” novel sequel to Sword and Serpent comes out next week: The Tenth Region of the Night: Sword and Serpent Book II. Stay tuned for the book launch and how you can get a copy:

Godspeed,

Taylor Marshall

The post Silence: Japanese Catholic Martyrs Film by Scorsese appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Catholic Halloween and the New Evangelization

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 16:12:58 +0000

Is Halloween the Devil’s Day? Let’s break it down and see how Satan is trying to steal our Catholic holidays. Ready?

As you know, Halloween is short for All-Hallows-Even. “Even” or “Eve” refers to the evening before the day.

Christmas Eve is the night before December 25. Similarly, Hallows Eve is the night before November 1, the Catholic festival of All Saints.

This holy day of obligation was once known as “All Hallows” since “hallow” is a more ancient form of “holy.” For example, “hallowed by thy name” means “holy is thy name.”

[callout]Don’t forget to read my 10 Tips for a Catholic Halloween by clicking here.[/callout]

All Saints = All Hallows. In fact, November 1 was once called “Hallowmas.” For those linguists out there, hallowed comes from the Old English word haligra which fell out of use before AD 1500. Those who know German will recognize it’s similarity to heiliger.

Is Halloween the Devil’s Day? Is it Evil?

There are some Christians who have written off Halloween per se as some sort of diabolical black mass. This interpretation usually includes a legend of how the Catholic Church conspired with druids to corrupt Europe, or some other nonsense.

To be clear, it’s the vigil of a Christian holy day: All Hallows’ Eve or All Saints Eve. Has it been corrupted by our culture and consumer market? You bet. But they have also attempted to redefine “marriage,” Easter, Christmas, St Valentines, and increasingly Ash Wednesday.

Yes, Christmas has also been derailed by the culture. Does that mean that we’re going hand over Christmas? No way! Same goes for Halloween. The Church does not surrender what rightfully belongs to her – she wins it back!

Hell is on defense since Jesus Christ came. It’s the “gates of hell.” Gates are defensive. We are supposed to be storming the gates of hell. The sacrament of Confirmation commissions us as soldiers.

Pandaemonium: Here’s your Greek word of the week

The word Pandaemonium derives from Greek “παν”, meaning “all” and “δαιμόνιον”, meaning “little devil.” Pandaemonium means “All Devils.”

John Milton imagined Pandaemonium as the capital city of Hell in Book I of his Paradise Lost (1667).

[callout]Milton was an Arian, but his Paradise Lost is a pretty cool book. If you’re a Member of NSTI, you should read it and let me know if you think his Arianism bleeds through the pages. Also, check out Milton’s Satan Trinity.[/callout]

The Devil would love to take over the feast day “All Saints” and rebrand it as “All Devils” or “Pandaemonium.” Are we going to let him? Hell no [pun intended]. All the Saints are ready for battle.

[callout]Watch Dr. Taylor’s Youtube Video: Dracula vs. the Eucharist.[/callout]

[callout]How do All the Saints hear us from Heaven? Free mp3 from Dr Taylor answering this question: Click here to listen (mp3).[/callout]

Let’s take back the entire “Hallow Triduum” of:

Halloween (Oct 31)
All Saints Day (Hallowmas Nov 1)
All Souls Day (Nov 2)

Celebrate Hallows Eve, but clarify “We don’t celebrate it by glorifying the demonic.” Dress your children as saints and be counter-cultural. Be leaven in the lump. Salt in the world. Be hallowed.

Oh, and don’t forget All Hallows (Nov 1) is a Holy Day of Obligation. It’s a mortal sin not to attend Holy Mass on this day (unless it is lawfully transferred by the bishops).

Don’t forget to read my 10 Tips for a Catholic Halloween by clicking here.

And share it on Facebook with all your friends by clicking here:

[reminder]

Please sign up for my daily email updates and get a FREE book on Thomas Aquinas by clicking here.

The post Catholic Halloween and the New Evangelization appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Catholic Webinar on the Book of Revelation with Dr Marshall

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 15:53:37 +0000

This Thursday night at 8pm I’ll be hosting another free Catholic Webinar on the Book of Revelation from a biblical, traditional, and Catholic point of view. If you’ve ever had questions or confusions about the End Times of the Book of Revelation, you won’t want to miss this Catholic Webinar Event.

https://youtu.be/QFJ2nPX5b20

YOU WILL DISCOVER:

Why the Book of Revelation was written
a Catholic interpretation of Revelation based on Scripture, Tradition, and Church Fathers
the Virgin Mary in Revelation 12
the Mark of the Beast and 666 from a Catholic view point of view
EVERYONE THAT ATTENDS WILL RECEIVE a FREE pdf worksheet of the Webinar. Dr Marshall will make available his 16 part series on Catholic Revelation.
Register to reserve your spot by clicking here.

The post Catholic Webinar on the Book of Revelation with Dr Marshall appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

How St Francis differed from Martin Luther or Catholic Reform vs. Protestant Reform

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 16:23:21 +0000

How did Saint Francis’ reformation of the Catholic Church (“Francis, rebuild my Church”) differ from Martin Luther’s “reformation”?

For Audio Podcast version of: “My True Opinion of Martin Luther” click here.

Essentially, Francis teaches us that we cannot fight heresy by creating new heresies. Francis always submitted to the Church, the popes, and the bishops.

Whenever “reformation” begins to the buck against the institutional Church, more heresy arises. For example, in many regards the Monophysite heresy (i.e. “Christ has one nature”) was an over-reaction to the Nestorian heresy (i.e. “Christ is two persons”). The Catholic Church has always sought to aim directly at the truth, and not merely at the destruction of error. Too often the refutation of error crosses over into further error.

Similarly, Luther and Calvin sought to displace misunderstandings about grace and merit (i.e. the faulty nominalism spawned by William of Ockham) by creating an alternate vision of grace and merit (which ironically embraced Ockham’s nominalism and repackaged it). Luther’s “solution” was in fact heretical. A quick fix is often faulty. Duct tape can “fix” almost anything – but it eventually gives way to other problems.

The annals of Church history are filled with Catholic Reformers: Paul, Athanasius, John Chrysostom, Maximus, John Damascene, Pope Gregory VII, Francis, Dominic, Catherine of Sienna, Ignatius, Teresa of Avila, et al. Each of these Catholic Reformers retained the unity of Christ’s Church, submitted to church leadership, and patiently brought about renewal. In many cases, each experienced active persecution from other Christians and even fell under the suspicion of heresy. However, their humility and silence eventually vindicated their cause as advocates for the evangelical truth of Christ’s doctrine.

Saint Francis of Assisi is perhaps one of the best examples of patience in the cause of reform. When St Francis went to Rome to seek recognition from the Pope, the Pope dismissed him impatiently and told him to go “lie down with the pigs.”

After a little while, Francis returned smeared with swine feces and stinking to high heaven. When the Pope objected, Francis answered, “I obeyed your words and merely did as you said. I lay down with the pigs.” Suddenly the Pope realized that this was a holy man who was willing to obey even in the face of humiliation. The Pope listened to Francis’ vision for renewal and the rest is history.

When rebuffed by the pope, Saint Francis could have appealed to Sacred Scripture, showing this his pattern of life was poor and lowly like that of Christ. He might even have contrasted his own “biblical life” against the extravagance of the Papal court. Francis may even have rightly rebuked the abbots, bishops, and cardinals for lacking evangelical witness. Instead, Francis followed the path of Christ. He allowed himself to be misunderstood and maligned, knowing that God would bring about his vindication…and God always does.

Contrast Saint Francis to Martin Luther. Luther did not visit Rome for confirmation of his cause, nor did he respect the structures of the Church. In fact, Cardinal Cajetan met privately with Luther and explained how Luther might modify his message so that Cajetan could have it approved by the Roman Curia. If Luther had moved more slowly and charitably, he may have become “Saint” Martin Luther.

Unfortunately, Luther was adamant and stiff-necked. He would not attempt compromise. If the Pope would not agree with him, then he would reject the papacy. Period. Luther would not tolerate any authority that failed to support him immediately and without question. Consequently, when the papal bull arrived, Luther burned it publicly and began to curse the pope as Antichrist.

Note the difference between Francis and Luther. The former moved slowly and humbly. The latter acted independently and rashly. Consequently, the history of Protestantism is marked by rash and hasty division – there are now 36,000 Protestant denominations.

As the Apostle James wrote: “the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God” (Jas 1:20). History shows that God does not use “hot-heads” to guide His Church into righteousness. God chooses those who are little, meek, and humble – for such is the kingdom of Heaven.

Herein lies the mystery of Catholic Reform.

The post How St Francis differed from Martin Luther or Catholic Reform vs. Protestant Reform appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Saint Hubert – Patron Saint of Bowhunters (and Jagermeister)

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 14:57:50 +0000

Whenever I talk about hunting, I get critics who think I’m a mean red-neck killer. Before the critics cast their stones, let it be know that I hunt because:

Hunting provides organic, grass-fed, hormone free meat for my family of 8 children.
It feels exhilarating to serve food to your family that you trained for, hunted, butchered, prepared, and cooked.
I like having a tangible connection with the food that I prepare and eat.
Hunting is the #1 way to promote funding for wildlife conservation.
I love the outdoors.
It’s a craft or an art that requires practice and dedication.
All of our ancestors did it.

We were recently discussing the Troops of Saint George achievement in “Hunting” and I suggested that we focus on Saint Hubert, the patron saint of hunting:

Saint Hubertus was born around the year AD 656. Saint Hubert’s wife (the daughter of a count) died giving birth to their son who would eventually become a bishop. Heartbroken by the death of his wife, Saint Hubert retreated from the court and gave himself up entirely to hunting.

On Good Friday morning, when the faithful were crowding the churches, Hubert went hunting. As he was pursuing a magnificent stag, the animal turned and he beheld a crucifix standing between its antlers, while he heard a voice saying:
“Hubert, unless thou turn to the Lord, and lead an holy life, thou shalt quickly go down into Hell”.

Hubert dismounted, prostrated himself and said, “Lord, what would Thou have me do?” He received the answer, “Go and seek Lambert [bishop of Maastricht-Liège, Tongeren], and he will instruct you.”

He was condemned by God not for hunting but for withdrawing from the world and shirking his duties as a member of court and as a Christian (he was out hunting on Good Friday!).

Saint Hubertus is honored among hunters as the father of ethical hunting behavior. It is said that Saint Hubertus established the hunting principle of conserving wildlife, not killing a mother with its young, and preferring older bucks and bulls past their breeding prime. He also advocated only shooting an animal when a humane, clean and quick kill is assured.

After leaving the wilderness as a hunter, he became a priest and eventually the successor bishop to his master Saint Lambert of Maastricht. He was famous for his asceticism and preaching.

He is thus the patron saint of hunters, and bowhunters in particular.

For those interested, here’s a podcast I did about one of my hunts for Indian Nilgai.

[reminder]Share your thoughts about ethical hunting and/or Saint Hubert.[/reminder]

Fun facts:

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died while on a hunt for the members of the International Order of St. Hubertus.
The Jägermeister logo is taken from the vision of Saint Hubertus. Jägermeister means “master hunter.”

The post Saint Hubert – Patron Saint of Bowhunters (and Jagermeister) appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Catholic Video: What is the Historical Date of Mary’s Assumption?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 15 Aug 2016 19:22:55 +0000

In what year did Christ raise and elevate the body of His Blessed Mother into Heaven? Some say in the AD 40s or 50s. I argue based on data in the New Testament that Mary was assumed in AD 63. Please watch the video lesson that I’ve prepared on this topic for NSTI.

[If you don’t see the video in your browser or email, click here to begin watching.]

This is lesson 7 of Church History: Module 2 – Redemptive History: Christ of the Covenants. To sign up and watch the rest of the lessons and modules in this Catholic Church History Course (and earn a Certificate), please visit: New Saint Thomas Institute’s Certificate in Catholic History:

[reminder]Do you agree that dating the Dormition/Assumption to AD 63 makes the most sense?[/reminder]

And here are some interesting resources for you as we celebrate Our Lady’s Dormition and Assumption:

Did the Virgin Mary Die? The Answer May Surprise You (The majority tradition in Catholic history is that Our Lady did experience the separation of body and soul.)
Audio: Mary as Assumed in Revelation 12 Podcast: Our Lady of the Apocalypse
Did Christ receive an assumption or ascension or both?
The year of the assumption according to Maria Agreda
The Assumption of Saint Joseph – A forgotten tradition
If you deny the Assumption – You have fallen away!
Saint Gregory of Tours on the Assumption
The Assumption of Mary in the Book of Psalms
Does the Rosary Pre-Date Dominic?
Mary’s Special Role over Purgatory
Mary’s Empty Tomb Information
Did Pope Pius XII Teach that Mary died? Yes he did

Enjoy!

to Jesus through Mary,
Taylor Marshall

The post Catholic Video: What is the Historical Date of Mary’s Assumption? appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Can Priests Wear Perfume?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 15:37:14 +0000

I was recently preparing a class on the Iconoclastic Controversy and the Second Council of Nicea (AD 787) for the New Saint Thomas Institute and while reading the canons of Nicea II, I came across this peculiar canon about “bishop bling” and “priestly perfume”:

All indulgence and adornment bestowed on the body is alien to the priestly order . Therefore all those bishops and clerics who deck themselves out in brilliant and showy clothes should be called to order, and if they persist let them be punished. The same holds for those who use perfumes. (Canon 16 of Second Council of Nicea of 787)

I’m aware that there is a cologne on the market which is allegedly a reproduction of the one worn by Pope Pius IX, but let’s be honest:

A) Men wear cologne for women – and aspiring to smell like a 19th century Pope is not going to win you points with the ladies at the next YCP function.

B) Technically, an infallible council put the kibosh down on priestly perfumes. So priests, just say no.

[reminder]Has anyone heard of this priestly perfume canon or smelled the “Pope’s Cologne”?[/reminder]

The post Can Priests Wear Perfume? appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

St Clare: Virgin Warrior against Islamic Terror!

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 20:59:35 +0000

You may think that a medieval shieldmaiden looked like this:

But in reality, she looks like Saint Clare of Assisi:

St Clare is a Virgin Warrior against Islamic Terror!

In AD 1240, Saint Clare shielded her convent from Muslims through the power of the Eucharist.

The Muslims (and the Vikings) were increasingly aware that Catholic convents contained gold, treasure, and…virgins.

As the Muslims invaded the walls of her convent, Saint Clare of Assisi entered into spiritual battle and she took up the most powerful shield known to men or angels:

“By imperial order, regiments of Saracen soldiers and bowmen were stationed there (the convent of San Damiano in Assisi, Italy), massed like bees, ready to devastate the encampments and seize the cities. Once, during an enemy attack against Assisi, city beloved of the Lord, and while the army was approaching the gates, the fierce Saracens invaded San Damiano, entered the confines of the monastery and even the very cloister of the virgins. The women swooned in terror, their voices trembling with fear as they cried to their Holy Mother Clare.

Saint Clare, with a fearless heart, commanded them to lead her, sick as she was, to the enemy, preceded by a silver and ivory monstrance in which the Body of the Holy of Holies was kept with great devotion. And prostrating herself before the Lord, she spoke tearfully to her Christ:

‘Behold, my Lord, is it possible You want to deliver into the hands of pagans Your defenseless handmaids, whom I have taught out of love for You? I pray You, Lord, protect these Your handmaids whom I cannot now save by myself.’

Suddenly a voice like that of a child resounded in her ears from the tabernacle: ‘I will always protect you!’ ‘My Lord,’ she added, ‘if it is Your wish, protect also this city which is sustained by Your love.’ Christ replied, ‘It will have to undergo trials, but it will be defended by My protection.’

Then the virgin, raising a face bathed in tears, comforted the sisters: ‘I assure you, daughters, that you will suffer no evil; only have faith in Christ.’

Upon seeing the courage of the sisters, the Saracens took flight and fled back over the walls they had scaled, unnerved by the strength of she who prayed. And Clare immediately admonished those who heard the voice I spoke of above, telling them severely: ‘Take care not to tell anyone about that voice while I am still alive, dearest daughters.’” (The History of Saint Clare the Virgin by Tommaso da Celano)

This episode is the reason that Saint Clare is so often depicted holding a Eucharistic monstrance (sometimes against the Muslim invaders in the photo below):

I was recently at the tomb of Saint Clare in Assisi. I have a twin daughter named after Saint Clare and so this 800 year old saint from Assisi holds a special place in my heart. Here’s a photo of my with my twin daughters praying at the tomb of the Saint Clare:

And me with my daughter named after Saint Clare still down in the crypt of Saint Clare of Assisi:

And with another daughter sneaking in from below:

St Clare is the patroness of television, and you can read about how she had a flat screen TV 800 years ago by clicking here.

Godspeed,
Taylor Marshall

The post St Clare: Virgin Warrior against Islamic Terror! appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

5 Reasons Why Jewish Prof. Edith Stein Became a Catholic Nun

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 11:10:55 +0000

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (aka Edith Stein, 1891-1942) is a saint, nun, and martyr of the Catholic Church. I have studied her life (see the chapter related to her in my book The Crucified Rabbi) and have since distilled 5 speculative reasons why Professor Judith Stein went from Jewish Prof to Catholic Nun:

Edith was born on the Jewish feast day of the Day of Atonement.
From an early age she perceived herself as special chosen by God and situated her own life into the Jewish theology of atonement. Whereas ancient Old Testament Judaism has a rich theology of blood atonement, contemporary rabbinical Judaism (as I cover The Crucified Rabbi) has no way of providing blood atonement according to the precepts of Moses.
Edith lost faith in early Feminist movement.
She described herself as a “radical suffragette” who eventually “lost interest in the whole issue.” She turned to philosophy and then eventually Catholicism to provide answers to the problems facing women in the 20th century. Ultimately, she found those answers in the Carmelite convent as a place of silence, religious obedience, mortification, study, and prayer.
Edith studied phenomenology under the guidance philosopher Max Scheler.
Philosophy has been plagued by the problem of how the mind knows and interacts with the world. If our perceptions are different from one another and different at various times of life, is there truly an objective reality outside our mind. Phenomenology seeks to bridge the real world to the phenomena of our mind. Ultimately, it took a Catholic guide in the person of Max Scheler to guide Edith to the philosophical Realism that Catholicism offers. Scheler called his philosophy a “return to things” or a “turn to reality.”
Edith’s dissertation thesis was titled “The Problem of Empathy.”
As a professor myself, you can tell a lot about a professor by just knowing the title of the doctoral dissertation. The philosophy of empathy (literally “suffering in another”) maps neatly onto Catholicism, with its universal call to mercy and its pattern of faithful suffering and martyrdom. Even before she was a Catholic, she wrote the following in her dissertation: “There have been people who believed that a sudden change had occurred within them and that this was a result of God’s grace.” Clearly, she was already finding her way to Christ.
Edith read the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila in one night.
During her philosophical struggles with empathy, psychology, and suffering, she came across a book about the Carmelite spiritual master Saint Teresa Avila. “When I had finished the book, I said to myself: This is the truth.” Notice she said “the truth” and not simply “truth.” She had found Christ Himself.

I’m sure there are dozens of other events and inspirations that led Edith Stein into the Catholic Church. She was baptized on the feast of the Circumcision of Christ (Jan 1) in 1922. She entered the Carmelite convent twelve years later in 1934 taking the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (German: Teresia Benedicta vom Kreuz). She received the crown of martyrdom under the Nazis on August 9, 1942

Saint John Paul II canonized Edith on Oct 11 1998 as “a daughter of Israel” and as a martyr of the Catholic Church.

One interesting fact is that the final miracle for her canonization came from Eastern Catholic devotion to her. You can read about that miracle among the Melkite Catholics here.

[reminder]Do you have devotion to Saint Teresa Benedicta? Do you know of any other intimate details from her life?[/reminder]

The post 5 Reasons Why Jewish Prof. Edith Stein Became a Catholic Nun appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Did the Virgin Mary Give the Rosary to St Dominic

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 20:37:14 +0000

Did Mary give the Rosary to Saint Dominic? Is it a historical fact?

Catholic tradition states the Blessed Virgin Mary directly and personally instituted the Holy Rosary through Saint Dominic. A previous post described the traditional account of “How Mary Gave the Rosary to Saint Dominic.”

In this second post we examine the historical-critical objection claiming that the Rosary was an organic development of medieval piety and that Mary did not directly give the Holy Rosary to St Dominic.

I believe this modern claim is incorrect and too simplistic. It’s perfectly reasonable to believe that Mary gave the Holy Rosary to Saint Dominic. Here’s why…

The Claim Against Mary Giving the Rosary

First, let’s examine the modernist argument against the Marian origin of the Holy Rosary. Some moderns hold that the traditional account depicting Mary giving the Rosary directly to St Dominic is a pious etiological myth. This myth, they say, allegorizes the origin of the Rosary with the Dominican order.

The “true” story, the moderns claim, is that the Rosary was a gradual and historical development. They say that since the Dominicans popularized the Rosary devotion, the traditional myth personifies the Dominicans in the person of Dominic. So then, the moderns allege that the Blessed Virgin Mary did not directly give the Rosary to Dominic. Rather, the Dominicans popularized the devotion and so Mary “sort of” gave the Rosary to the world through the “sons of Dominic,” i.e. the Dominicans.

These moderns observe that the practice of praying Our Father’s and Hail Mary’s on beads is a practice that predates Saint Dominic, and that this “Rosary” gradually evolved. This fact, they claim, further substantiates the conclusion that the Holy Rosary is not a revealed gift given directly to Dominic by the Blessed Virgin Mary herself.

While it is certain that many (East and West) prayed on beads prior to Saint Dominic, the original claim is that the Holy Rosary as a collection of 150 Hail Mary’s with the 15 Mysteries (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious) was literally and historically given to Saint Dominic by the Immaculate Mother herself.

Summary of Points So Far:

1) Moderns claim that the tradition of Mary giving the Rosary to Dominic is an etiological myth.

2) It is true: praying Our Fathers and Hail Marys on beads predates Saint Dominic (in fact, the word “bead” comes from the word “bid” meaning “pray” or “ask”).

3) The key to this debate is realizing that the Holy Rosary is not merely praying on beads, but praying the 150 Hail Mary’s with the 15 corresponding mysteries.* It is this special combination of 150 Hail Mary’s with the 15 mysteries that constitutes the Rosary and it is this “combination” of vocal and mental prayer that Mary gave to St Dominic.

What does the Catholic Church say?

Pope Leo XIII, in his encyclical Octobri mense, teaches that the Rosary does in fact have its origin from the Immaculate Mary herself “by her command and counsel” to Saint Dominic. Pope Leo XIII teaches:

“That the Queen of Heaven herself has granted a great efficacy to this devotion is demonstrated by the fact that it was, by her command and counsel, instituted and propagated by the illustrious St. Dominic, in times particularly dangerous for the Catholic cause.”

Pope Leo XIII also clarified that this original institution of the Holy Rosary by Mary included the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries, which he calls the “great mysteries of Jesus and Mary, their joys, sorrows, and triumphs.”

In his Supremi Apostolatus Officio, Pope Leo XIII again confirms the supernatural origin of the Holy Rosary of Saint Dominic:

Great in the integrity of his doctrine, in his example of virtue, and by his apostolic labors, he proceeded undauntedly to attack the enemies of the Catholic Church, not by force of arms, but trusting wholly to that devotion which he was the first to institute under the name of the Holy Rosary, which was disseminated through the length and breadth of the earth by him and his pupils. Guided, in fact, by divine inspiration and grace, he foresaw that this devotion, like a most powerful warlike weapon, would be the means of putting the enemy to flight, and of confounding their audacity and mad impiety. Such was indeed its result. Thanks to this new method of prayer—when adopted and properly carried out as instituted by the Holy Father St. Dominic—piety, faith, and union began to return, and the projects and devices of the heretics to fall to pieces.”

The tradition is further confirmed by the apparition of the Immaculate Mary to Blessed Alan de la Roche:

My son, you know perfectly the ancient devotion of my Rosary, preached and diffused by your Patriarch and my Servant Dominic and by his spiritual sons, your religious brothers. This spiritual exercise is extremely agreeable to both my Son and to me, and most useful and holy for the faithful. When my Servant Dominic started to preach my Rosary … the reform in the world reached such heights that it seemed that men were transformed into angelic spirits and that Angels had descended from Heaven to inhabit the earth. … No one was considered a true Christian unless he had my Rosary and prayed it. … The prestige of the holy Rosary was such that no devotion was or is more agreeable to me after the august Sacrifice of the Mass.”

As discussed elsewhere, the three apparitions after the Miracle of the Sun also symbolize the three mysteries of the Holy Rosary: Miracle of the Sun Symbolizes Mysteries of the Rosary.

[reminder]Do you find comfort in the fact that Mary directly intervened and instituted the Rosary?[/reminder]

Recommended sermon: Power and Promises of the Holy Rosary

Recommended book: The Secret of the Rosary

The post Did the Virgin Mary Give the Rosary to St Dominic appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Islam Will Destroy Itself By Creating Christian Martyrs!

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 16:44:50 +0000

Nero did not understand it. Diocletian did not understand it.

God’s greatest love is unleashed into creation through martyrdom.

When a believer in Jesus Christ surrenders his life in death for witness of Christ, suddenly and immediately the power of the crucified Lord enters into the world.

Two “citizens” of the Islamic State beheaded the 86-year-old priest Father Jacques Hamel. Like Nero and Diocletian, the Islamic State does not comprehend the power they are fighting.

Rome molested the Church. And Rome was overcome through martyrdom. Islam has been molesting Christianity for 1,400 years. And Islam will be defeated through martyrdom. It’s easy to day, but the difficult questions are these:

Do I believe that God would give me the grace to die as faithfully as a martyr?
Would I be willing for my children to demonstrate the witness of a martyr in the future?
Would I rejoice to be a martyr as so many thousands of martyrs have in previous centuries?

It is helpful to remember that from AD 60 till AD 313, receiving sacramental baptism meant that you were enrolled for martyrdom. Every parish and every diocese on the planet during those years could name martyrs from their midst. Every Christian community possessed martyrs: Jerusalem, Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Carthage, Lyons, etc.

Martyrdom was so common that Christianity underwent a crisis of identity after Constantine legalized Christianity: Can Christians truly be Christian without the reality of impending martyrdom?

The monastic revolution of the 4th and 5th centuries was a response to this identity crisis – the monastics sought to regain the danger and asceticism of carrying the cross.

For me personally, this is a moment of personal crisis. I wrote books about Christ. I record podcasts and videos about Christ. I talk about Christ frequently. But am I ready for this to happen to me:

…two Islamic State knifemen who cut the priest’s throat after bursting into a French church and taking nuns and worshippers hostage before being shot dead by police.

[reminder]What about you? Do you feel ready? What if it comes to this in the West?[/reminder]

Father Jacques Hamel, pray for us.

The post Islam Will Destroy Itself By Creating Christian Martyrs! appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Which is MORE Traditional: Mass ad orientem or versus populum?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 17:21:08 +0000

And the Roman Ciborium in Roman Architecture

Ever since Cardinal Sarah’s ad orientem endorsement, and subsequent slap down by voices in the Holy See, there is debate on both sides favoring ad orientem celebration of the Holy Mass.

My goal here is show that both ad orientem AND versus populum are part of the ancient Roman Rite – and to show how the ciborium/baldacchino is a determining factor in the architecture governing each. Before we get started, let’s define vocab and issue a clarification to the liturgical police on each extreme:

Defining Terms of the Debate

ad orientem: Latin for “to the East.” For those new to the debate, ad orientem refers to the priest celebrating Mass on the same side of the altar as the people. People wrongfully call this “priest with his back to the people.”

versus populum: Latin for “toward the people.” This refers to the priest celebrating Mass on the opposite side of altar so that he is facing the people in the nave.

ad Deum: People wrongfully use ad Deum (Latin for “toward God”) as a synonym for ad orientem. I dislike this usage because it’s confusing and it presumes that versus populum is not ad Deum or “toward God.” When Pope Boniface VIII celebrated Holy Mass in AD 1300 at Old Saint Peter’s Basilica versus populum, he was celebrating Mass ad Deum (to God). It’s blasphemous to say otherwise. A valid Mass is always ad Deum no matter where the priest stands.

ciborium: Usually this refers to the precious vessel that holds the hosts during Mass. It can also roofed baldacchino that stands over the altar.

Showing My Liturgical Preference Cards Up Front

When writing about liturgy, everyone wants to size you up and classify you: Is he trad, is he liberal, is he reform-of-the-reform, whatever. So here is my perspective. I prefer the EF Latin Mass and I’m a member of a FSSP parish. But I attend the so-called Novus Ordo for daily Mass – and I usually attend the Novus Ordo when I travel. I have attended the Novus Ordo in Saint Peter’s Rome. I’ve attended the EF Latin Mass in Saint Peter’s in Rome. I received Jesus Christ and for this I’m grateful.

I can serve the EF. I’m good at Latin and I understand most of it in the Mass. I can listen to the Epistle and Gospel in Latin and understand it.

I love ad orientem. I find priests smiling over the altar as distracting. Personally, I find the priest facing with the congregation more Christocentric. For me, the elevation is more dramatic and devltional ad orientem. Silent canon makes more sense ad orientem, in my opinion. All pluses from my point of view.

Conclusion: I like the Latin Mass, but I never make a stink of it. I’m not exclusivist.

Talking Latin Mass Will Always Get You Judged…

I almost hate writing about anything Latin Mass because it gets me labeled by both extremes in the Church. So let me just issue a clarification:

For liturgical progressives who want to judge me: I don’t believe that attending the EF Latin Mass is a statement or that it means that one is “rad trad” or hates his local bishop or the Pope. Far from it. I love the Ordinary Form of the Mass. I attend it daily. I love my local bishop and pray for him daily. I love the Holy Father and pray for him daily and was even honored to shake his hand recently when he kissed my baby. I know that these hostile elements can exist in the “trad movement” but I’m not into that. So if you want to lump me in with the “mean Latin Mass haters,” you’re wrong.

For Traddies who want to judge me: I don’t think that Latin EF Mass and ad orientem is divinely mandated liturgy, nor do I think it’s always the best. If you think for saying this, I’m a Freemason, heretic, idolator, New World Order-ist, Novus Ordo-ist, Neo-Catholic – you’re incorrect and I’ll ignore your comments.

Both Versus Populum and Ad Orientem in the Roman Tradition

I just got back from Rome. If you’ve been there, you know already that the major churches in Rome have always had the priest facing the people over the altar (photos at the end of the post):

St Peter’s
St Paul’s outside the Walls
St John Lateran
St Mary Major
St Clement’s
St Maria in Trastavere

Why? Because versus populum was part of the ancient Roman tradition. Where there was space and a big budget (as in these important Roman churches), they worked it versus populum. However, this elegant arrangement usually requires the presence of a ciborium (a stone canopy or baldacchino) over the altar.

Where there isn’t space to do it right (that is, no ciborium over altar), they worked ad orientem with dignity.

Those that study the issue know that it has to do with whether a Roman ciborium/baldacchino can be built over the altar. Generally speaking, if there is a ciborium, it’s versus populum. If not, there’s ad orientem.

There is a Roman way of doing versus populum and Pope Benedict pointed that out: screens and/or baldacchino, candles on the altar (causing visual disruption), and especially a crucifix in the middle. The silent canon especially balances out versus populum and the attention on the priest.

My personal preference would be that everything should be ad orientem – unless you can install a ciborium/baldacchino over the altar – ideally with a sunken confessio for relics under the altar. If not, it should be ad orientem.

The problem, in my unimportant layman’s point of view, is that parishes in the 1950s-1980s plunged into versus populum altars without understanding the ancient Roman requisites for such people-facing altars. So now we have a churches where the altar lacks dignity and is often dwarfed by “the presiders chair” and the ambo. The ciborium canopy magnified the dignity of the altar within the versus populum context. We need to rediscover this feature of Roman liturgy and architecture. We need to start building a ciborium canopy over the altar.

Photos of Examples of Versus Populum with Proper Ciborium

Here are photos of the churches above showing how the ancient Roman versus populum worked with the ciborium canopy or baldacchino:

Here’s Pope Pius XII celebrating versus populum…but under the baldacchino with candle and crucifix “obstruction.”

Here’s the Pope’s cathedral Saint John Lateran. Note the amazing baldacchino which contains the skulls of Saint Paul and Saint Peter behind the gold grating above the altar:

Here’s my favorite church Santa Maria in Trastevere in Rome. Historic versus populum, but with a baldacchino. This church is so God-honoring. Beauty. Truth. Goodness. I try to attend Sunday Mass here (Ordinary Form) whenever I can:

And here’s San Clemente in Rome. Small church with versus populum with a modest baldacchino:

I could also include Saint Mary Major and Saint Paul’s outside the Walls. The point is, if you’re going to do versus populum, you need a baldacchino/ciborium over the altar. If not, ad orientem tends to be the “traditional” way to construct a church.

Comments

[reminder]I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments. Do you have a preference? How is your parish set up? Do you like it or not? How could we improve our altars using the Roman churches as models?[/reminder]

The post Which is MORE Traditional: Mass ad orientem or versus populum? appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Origen’s Solution to the Predestination Debate

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 18:48:24 +0000

It’s time to talk about Origen – the third century priest that allegedly castrated himself and rivaled Saint Thomas Aquinas in writing a great number of biblical commentaries, sermons, and theological books (allegedly thousands of books according to his contemporaries).

NSTI Catholic Video Lesson on the Life and Theology of Origen, student member link here:

But today we are getting crazy and talking about Origen…and his view of predestination as it relates to pre-existent souls.

Catholics and the Problem of Predestination

We have often discussed the intramural Catholic debate about Predestination over at the New Saint Thomas Institute: Augustine, double predestination, Molinism, Thomas Aquinas, Jansenism, etc.

Most new Catholic students react by saying, “Well we’re Catholics. We don’t believe in predestination.” The problem is that it is in the Bible and so we have to account for what it means. Saint Paul refers to predestination:

Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified (Romans 8:28-30).

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1:11).

The Greek word is προορίζω (proorizó).

To lay my cards on the table, I float back and forth between Molinism and Thomas Aquinas’s solution. If you are interested in this topic in Catholic theology and history, please use the search function at taylormarshall.com or better yet watch some of our videos on Augustine and Thomas Aquinas and the topic of predestination.

Origen and Predestination

One perspective that I’ve avoided entirely is the solution to predestination presented by Origen of Alexandria. This really out there, so hang with me.

Origen, in his book Peri Archon, states repeatedly that all rational creatures were once equally ranked minds prior to the creation of the universe.

According to Origen, God created millions of minds. He then tested these minds and they strayed from God to greater or lesser degrees.

Those that hardly strayed became angels and were arranged in an angelic hierarchy in accord to their fidelity to God.
Those that strayed more were destined to become humans in the future.
Those that strayed far away from God became demons and were arranged in a demonic hierarchy in accord to their hatred for God.

One of Origen’s favorites verses was Jeremiah 1:5:

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

For Origen this proves that Jeremiah (and all humans) existed before they were formed in the womb – and some were already consecrated.

Another one from the canonical scriptures would be Wisdom 8:19-20:

“As a child I was naturally gifted, and a good soul fell to my lot; or rather, being good, I entered an undefiled body.”

This verse seem to hold that “a good soul feel to my lot” and that the soul pre-existed the body and entered into it.

Origen also states that out of the millions of minds, one single mind did not stray at all. This one single soul remained 100% allied with God’s will and so it was immediately united with the Divine Logos – the Second Person of the Trinity. This was the soul that would eventually assume a body in the womb of the Virgin Mary.

Now Origen, then claims that it appears entirely unjust for some people to be born as Moses, Abraham, David, or John the Baptist while others are born as heathens. That’s totally unfair and this is often a topic of debate in youth groups and philosophical symposia about God’s justice.

Origen, says: “The answer is easy! Everyone is given a perfectly crafted life in conformity to their fidelity to God in the test prior to creation.”

So if a baby dies early. If a person is born in idolatrous India. If a girls is born in 1873 into the Martin family in Lisieux, France. If a boy is born into the Polish Wojtyła family in 1920…All these scenarios follow from God’s judgment of a soul’s response to God before creation.

Origen states that every person’s life was designed for their salvation based on their previous inclination (or lack thereof) in the test prior to the creation of the galaxy.

Origen says that Taylor Marshall was born into a nominally Christian home in Fort Worth Texas and given all by set backs and privileges based on how my pre-existent mind behaved toward God zillions of years ago.

Assessment of Origen and Predestination

Mormons have taken Origen’s doctrine of pre-existent souls. They hold something similar. Catholics, however, reject these schema. It has, however, been held by Catholics:

Origen died in good standing.
It’s likely that Clement of Alexandria held to this view of pre-existent souls.
Didymus the Blind (a saint in the Oriental Orthodox Churches) held it.
Perhaps Saint Gregory of Nyssa held it.
The early Saint Basil the Great and the early Saint Gregory of Nazianzus held it. They later reject it.
Allegedly, Saint Jerome held to this view in his early priesthood but later condemned it loudly and insistently.
And there is no doubt that Evagrius Ponticus held to this view of pre-existence of souls and especially held to the role of the one sinless mind that became the soul of Christ which united to the Logos.
The doctrine of pre-existent souls was condemned by the local Synod of Constantinople (AD 543) then again by the Emperor Justinian in his Edict of AD 544.
The 5th Ecumenical Council (Constantinople II in 553) allegedly condemned this theology, but modern scholars are divided on whether the Fathers of the Council truly ratified the rulings of the Synod of Constantinople in AD 543.
Notably, many of the quotes condemned as “Origenist” actually come from a book written by Evagrius Ponticus.

I don’t see how a Catholic would want to follow this view of predestination by Origen. I can see why a Catholic would be attracted to it. It levels out divine justice. It’s almost like Hindu karma. It allows a Christian to say, “So you don’t like your life? Sorry, but you earned it millions of years ago in a spiritual realm where you tested and apparently you failed. If you had acted better, you’d be Saint Michael the Archangel or a cherub. As it is, you are merely you. God has given you this particular life because it is the best way for you to be saved. Offer it up!”

Despite Jeremiah 1:5 stating “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you,” Sacred Scripture teaches that we come into being in our mother’s womb. We don’t pre-exist. The mystery of why Moses was born Moses and Pharoah was born Pharaoh remains a mystery. The tension I read in Romans 8-10 seems to keep this tension and does nothing to resolve it.

For this reason, the Catholic tradition has sought to find alternate views of predestination. Augustine holding to an unconditional predestination. Molinism holding to foreseen merits. And then various versions of the two systems.

One final strike against pre-existent souls is that none of us remember it. It seems that if we are punished or rewarded, we should know. That alone seems unjust.

[reminder]The first time I heard, my mind was blown. I’m interested to hear your thoughts and questions on this topic. I look forward to your thoughts.[/reminder]

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History of Catholic Cardinals: Their Power and Number

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 11 Jul 2016 22:07:55 +0000

The Roman Development of the Office of Cardinal

Having just returned from teaching Roman Church History in Rome, I’ve been reviewing the history of Roman cardinals. Here’s a brief timeline:

6th century – In Rome the first cardinals were the seven deacons of the seven regions of the city. The deacons, not the presbyters, had immediate access to the Pope of Rome. This is why deacons in Rome were granted the privilege of wearing a more dignified vestment (the dalmatic) than that of the priest (the chasuble).
8th century – The term “cardinal” is attached to the senior priest (pastor) in each of the titular churches of Rome. For the significance of titulus in relation to the churches in Rome, see my book The Eternal City where I relate how the Latin term titulus was used to denote licensed altars in the city of Rome based on the Old Latin (pre-Vulgate) translation of the Old Testament.
By decree of the Lateran Council of 769, only a cardinal priest or deacon was eligible to become pope. This is no longer the case. Any Catholic male may be elected as Pope. Laity could not participate in the election. Armed men could not be present for papal elections.
9th century – Pope Stephen V (816-17) decreed that all 7 cardinal bishops were bound to sing Mass on rotation at the high altar at St. Peter’s Basilica, one every Sunday. He also mentions the distinction of cardinal bishops, cardinal priests, and cardinal deacons.
11th century – In 1059, during the pontificate of Nicholas II, cardinal bishops were given the right to elect the pope under the Papal Bull In nomine Domini. Emperors could not nominate candidates or veto a winner. Emperors could still “confirm” the election. Election must take place in Rome. Pope is pope from moment of election and consent and not from coronation or enthronement.
12th century – At the Third Lateran Council in 1179 the right to the whole body of cardinals – bishops, priests and deacons – to elect the pope was re-established for the first time in over 100 years.
Also, a 2/3 majority was required for a valid election.
13th century – In 1244, cardinals were granted the privilege of wearing the red hat by Pope Innocent IV.

Cardinals in Post-Tridentine Era

The chief clergy of any diocese were often called cardinals. However, the use of the title “cardianl” was reserved for the cardinals of Rome in 1567 by Pope Saint Pius V.
In 1517, Pope Leo X added 31 additional cardinals, bringing the total to a staggering 65 cadinals!
Pope Sixtus V (1585-1590) capped the number of cardinals to 70, comprising of:
- 6 cardinal bishops,
- 50 cardinal priests,
- 14 cardinal deacons.
- This was modeled on the Sandhedrin pattern of Moses and the Old Testament – seventy elders to assist in judging Israel.
During the pontificate of Pope Saint John XXIII, the limit exceeded 70.
1965 Pope Paul VI also increased the number of cardinal bishops by giving that rank to patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
In 1970, Pope Paul VI raised the number of cardinal electors at a cap of 120 cardinal electors while at the same time fixing the maximum age for cardinal electors at the age of 80 years. Hence, for the first time in history, elderly cardinals could no longer vote.
Of the 117 cardinals under the age of 80 at the time of Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation, 115 participated in the conclave of March 2013 that elected his successor. The two who did not participate were Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja (for health reasons) and Keith O’Brien (following allegations of sexual misconduct).
As of 9 July 2016, there are a total of 212 cardinals, of whom 113 are cardinal electors under the age 80.

Pray for our current Holy Father Francis of Rome, and pray for our Cardinals who have been chosen by God to elect the next Holy Father.

And I just can’t resist, here’s the video from a week ago of Pope Francis kissing my baby: Click here to watch.

https://youtu.be/5nvvRd8GhkE

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Why You Don’t Genuflect After Receiving Communion

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 11:07:09 +0000

Some people are confused about whether to genuflect after receiving Holy Communion.

When you enter or leave your pew, you genuflect (bend the right knee all the way to touching the ground) to show your adoration for the Son of God who is present in the tabernacle.

Even if the tabernacle is in another place or room, I genuflect toward the crucifix at or on the altar since the Second Council of Nicea II of AD 787 (7th Ecumenical Council) teaches that the devotion we show to sacred images passes beyond the images to their prototypes (in this case from the crucifix to Christ Himself). It is perfectly orthodox to genuflect before a cross, crucifix, or image of Christ.

There is some confusion about whether to genuflect upon returning to your pew. The general custom is not to genuflect after receiving Holy Communion for devotional purposes. By not genuflecting you are confessing that you have become a filled tabernacle. The Holy Eucharist is in you. It’s not appropriate to genuflect in any direction because the Holy Eucharist is literally in your core. The orientation of worship is now interior.

There are stories of children genuflecting before their mothers coming back from the altar after just having received Holy Communion – which is beautiful and orthodox.

There is no official teaching, rule, or law (that I know of) about not genuflecting in the aisle after receiving Holy Communion, but the custom is not to genuflect – because Jesus the Lord is now inside you. You are a walking tabernacle.

[reminder]What do you do after Communion? Do you genuflect. Please share your thoughts or customs after Holy Communion.[/reminder]

PS: A double genuflection (both knees) is called for when the Holy Eucharist is exposed for adoration.

PPS: It’s traditional custom to genuflect on the left knee for a bishop or dignitary.

PPPS: If you have a bad knee, do whatever you can. It’s the heart that matters.

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Elijah as a Type of Triple Baptism and Pentecost

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 11:02:34 +0000

Triple baptism and Pentecost’s baptism of fire are prefigured in Elijah’s challenge by fire to the 450 prophets of Baal. Here’s the account from 1 King 18 and I’ll note the important features as you read through it:

30 Then Eli′jah said to all the people, “Come near to me”; and all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down; 31 Eli′jah took twelve stones [prefigures the 12 Apostles], according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name”; 32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed [2 measures of seed comes again with Elisha as a prophetic sign in 2 Kings 7]. 33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood.” 34 And he said, “Do it a second time”; and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time”; and they did it a third time [triple pouring on the sacrifice with water – as a kind of baptism]. 35 And the water ran round about the altar, and filled the trench also with water.

36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that thou, O Lord, art God, and that thou hast turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. [here we have a prefigurement of Pentecost with the fire coming down from Heaven upon the “baptized sacrifice”] 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Ba′al; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there.

The Church East and West conforms to a triple affusion (pouring) or triple immersion (dunking) with the recognition of the three Divine Persons of the Trinity. Prophetically, Elijah has the attendants pour water on the slaughtered sacrifice three times. It’s also no accident that Saint John the Baptist was the “new Elijah” teaching a new baptism.

Elijah poured water on the sacrifice to show that God’s fire is so hot and powerful that water cannot prevent it from burning the sacrifice.

I recently spoke of the life of the follower of Jesus as “being on sacrificial fire” (click here to read “Do you have fire in your soul?”). You may also want to listen to my presentation on on the apocryphal 1 Enoch and Tongues of fire here.

There is a connection between the mystery of water (baptism in Christ) and the mystery of fire (confirmation or chrismation in Christ), as Saint John the Baptist relates in his speaking of baptism by water and fire.

We do this every day. We wash our food and then we place it in the fire. When you slaughter animals, you wash the meat and then cook it. The many mikvehs of the Old Covenant were washings to prepare the believer for becoming a burnt sacrifice for God.

Hence, Christ’s baptism is a preparation for His burnt sacrifice (crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, pentecost).

The priest washes his hands ceremonially because his hands are about to hold the burning coal of the sacrificial body of Christ.

In the Solemn High Mass (pre 1970), the priest sprinkled the faithful in the pews – to prepare them to become a burning sacrifice.

And of course, we will all be “salted with fire” when we die. It’s just a matter of whether we burn in this life (as sacrificial love) or burn some in the next age (in the purgatorial fires of 1 Cor 3:15).

Make your life into a bonfire.

Godspeed,

Taylor

PS: If you want to learn more about Old Testament and Jewish origins of Catholic sacraments and Catholic theology, check out my book The Crucified Rabbi: Judaism and the Origins of Catholicism.

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Video Class: St Justin Martyr and Tatian the Heretic

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 16:46:05 +0000

Today is the feast day of the Saint Justin Martyr of Rome. Below is a sample lesson video from the New Saint Thomas Institute featuring a brief bio of Saint Justin Martyr, an analysis of his contribution to Catholic Theology and a brief intro to one of his students named Tatian who became a heretic. Saint Justin Martyr, pray for us!

[reminder]Do you have questions about Saint Justin Martyr? If so leave a comment.[/reminder]

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Could Adultery and Fornication be Forgiven in the Early Catholic Church?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 26 May 2016 13:46:29 +0000

Could adultery and fornication be forgiven in the early Catholic Church? In the 200s, Christians were deeply divided over this question of mercy and forgiveness.

A major theological controversy broke out in in the Catholic Church around the year AD 217 regarding adultery and fornication.

In 217, Pope Saint Callixtus I of Rome issued a decree that the sins of adultery and fornication could be remitted by the Catholic Church through the office of the bishop.

Tertullian, who rejected the Pope for this reason, directly quotes and preserves Pope Callixtus’s decree:

I hear that there has even been an edict set forth, and a peremptory one too. The Pontifex Maximus, that is, the bishop of bishops, issues an edict:

“I remit, to such as have discharged the requirements of repentance, the sins both of adultery and of fornication.”

It’s notable that Tertullian refers to the Bishop of Rome as the “bishop of bishops” and “Pontifiex Maximus.” Tertullian scholars believe that he was saying this tongue in cheek, because Tertullian held the lowest esteem for Bishop of Rome and Pope Callixtus in particular.

This merciful papal decree of 217 led to general scandal because it was generally believed that certain sins could not be absolved by the visible church. According to Tertullian (a great theological enemy of Pope Callixtus), once a baptized person committed any of the seven sins on the list below, he or she could not be absolved by the visible church:

murder
idolatry
fraud
apostasy (publicly renouncing Jesus Christ)
blasphemy
adultery (sex with someone besides your spouse)
fornication (sex outside marriage)
(this list is found in Tertullian’s De Pudicitia*, Ch 19).

Tertullian vs. Pope Calixtus

Tertullian, citing ancient custom, claimed that a sinner could be forgiven directly by Jesus Christ for these seven sins; however, the Catholic Church on earth could not absolve these seven sins and those that committed them would and should remain excommunicated and outside the Catholic Church until death. If you were baptized and committed one of these seven sins, you could never in your life receive the Holy Eucharist. Period. End of story. Close the book.

Anti-Pope Hippolytus vs. Pope Callixtus

The Catholic Church’s first Anti-Pope (a man falsely claiming to be Pope against a valid Pope) arose in response to the 217 decree of Pope Callixtus allowing the absolution of fornication and adultery. While Tertullian was railing against Pope Callixtus’s laxity, some traditions say that a priest in Rome named Hippolytus rebelled against his Pope Callixtus and set himself up as a rival Bishop of Rome against Callixtus on the issue of absolution for adulterers and fornicators. It is unclear if Hippolytus claimed to be a full blown “Bishop of Rome” or merely a reformer set against the laxity of Callixtus. Either way we can see that even the clergy of Rome were divided over this issue.

Hippolytus writes that during the pontificate of Pope Callixtus, men in holy orders began taking wives and Callixtus did not censure them for sin or depose them (Refutation of All Heresies 9, 7). Hippolytus claims that clergy were even being married two to three times after ordination. Divorce and remarriage among the clergy!

Concerning Pope Callixtus, Hippolytus writes:

And in justification, [Callixtus] alleges that what has been spoken by the Apostle has been declared in reference to this person: “Who are you that judges another man’s servant?”

Hippolytus goes on to lament that Catholic women in Rome began to engage in contraception and abortion:

Whence women, reputed believers, began to resort to drugs for producing sterility, and to gird themselves round [their belly], so to expel what was being conceived on account of their not wishing to have a child either by a slave or by any paltry fellow, for the sake of their family and excessive wealth. Behold, into how great impiety that lawless one has proceeded, by inculcating adultery and murder at the same time! And withal, after such audacious acts, they, lost to all shame, attempt to call themselves a Catholic Church!

And so there was great scandal in Rome concerning Pope Callixtus (who is a canonized Catholic saint).

Can Mortal Sins Be Forgiven? Callixtus says Yes

Center to the debate between Pope Calixtus and Tertullian/Hippolytus was the passage in 1 John concerning “mortal sins”:

And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. (1 Jn 5:15-16)

Both Tertullian and Hippolytus claimed that the Apostle John taught the Catholic Church that prayer should not be made for those whose sin is mortal. Saint John explicitly says: “I do not say that one is to pray for that.” So for them, there was Apostolic teaching that mortal sins should not receive the intercession of the public and visible Church. According to Tertullian and Hippolytus, if you committed apostasy or adultery or fornication, then the Church had nothing for you. No prayer. No Eucharist. Nothing. After all, didn’t Saint John teach the same thing?

Binding and Loosing in Saint Peter’s Rome

We don’t have the exegetical response of Pope Saint Callixtus but I can make a conjecture of his orthodox response: Saint John said that we are not obliged to pray for mortal sins. However, we find two truths in the Gospels that show us that the visible Catholic Church can and should absolve mortal sins (even the mortal sins on Tertullian’s list of seven):

The power to bind and loose on earth as given by Christ to Peter in Matthew 16. Saint Peter and the bishops of Rome do have the power to bind and loose sins and to modify customs for the sake of Christ’s mercy and salvation for sinners. Pope Callixtus was using the power of the keys as the Successor of Saint Peter.
Peter committed apostasy on Good Friday. He was reestablished visibly and publicly by Christ. Christ did not leave Peter without prayer and sacraments until death. He publicly raised Peter back to his rank with the question: “Simon do you love me” three times.

The Catholic Church, the Pope, and the Ministry of Mercy

Nowadays it seems unthinkable that the austere rigorism of Tertullian and Hippolytus was once normative in the Catholic Church of AD 217. Back then it was generally assumed that after baptism, Catholics did not commit adultery, fornication, murder, apostasy, idolatry, blasphemy, or fraud. It just wasn’t supposed to happen. Remember, this was the persecuted Catholic Church of the martyrs. If you were baptized, you were signing up for possible martyrdom!

Origen (who died in 254), it seems, was baptized as an infant, but 90% or more of Christians at this time were not baptized as children. They made a careful and prayerful decision to follow Christ and receive baptism. Most of them had friends or family who were actual martyrs for Christ. These were serious Christians and once we recognize this reality, we see how “mortal sins” were a real issue.

In the Catholic Church, we see a theological shift happening in AD 217. The reality of Romans 7 comes alive: “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.” For this reason, the Church as the Body of Christ can visibly execute the mercy of Christ to mortal sinners.

Many Catholics began to report that the Rigorist position against absolving sin removed forgiveness and yet did not remove sin – because even the Rigorists had scandalous sins among them.

Repentance and Mercy

Pope Callixtus and the Catholic tradition afterward was not entirely lax, and she always required the act of ecclesial repentance for sin. “Going straight to Jesus” for the forgiveness of mortal sin has never been approved. If we commit a mortal sin, we must go and confess it to a priest in confession. We believe that forgiveness is tied to the Church and her powers that she received directly from Jesus Christ.

If a sin can be absolved through the bishop and the priests he appoints, then any sin can be absolved through the bishop and the priests. This is the great mercy and comfort of being a Catholic

Godspeed,

Taylor Marshall

PS: If you are interested in these types of topics, can get all three volumes of my Origins of Catholic Christianity at amazon.com.

* Of note, Tertullian in De Pudicitia claims that Saint Barnabas wrote the Epistle of Hebrews in union with Saint Paul. I claim that Tertullian is wrong on this point and Hebrews was written by Saint Luke and give my reasons in my book The Catholic Perspective on Paul.

The post Could Adultery and Fornication be Forgiven in the Early Catholic Church? appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Is St George Still a Saint? What about the Dragon?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 11:39:48 +0000

April 23 is the feast of Saint George. So I put together a super post on Saint George:

Saint George Podcast

Have you ever debated whether Saint George is real or historical? If so, then this Catholic podcast is for you: Is Saint George (and Saint Christopher) still a Saint?.mp3

Sword and Serpent: My Best-Selling Novel about Saint George is on sale this weekend

Father Dwight Longenecker wrote a glowing review of Sword and Serpent here.

Here’s the book trailer for Sword and Serpent on YouTube:

The novel is now on sale for this April 23 weekend on Kindle and in paperback. Click here to get a copy:

You can also download the free “Sword and Serpent Study Guide” (an explanation of the historical features of the book and its saints) at swordandserpent.com.

Troops of Saint George: Outdoor Adventure for Catholic Men and Sons

Looking for a Catholic alternative to scouting? In 2013 I founded a Catholic outdoor adventure fraternity for priests, deacons, fathers and sons – and dedicated it to Saint George. We have 40 active troops. Please visit our website and consider starting a Troop of Saint George at your parish. We have a starter kit for dads and for priests to help you get started:

Click here to visit the Troops of Saint George website.

Saint George’s Skull in Rome

Saint George’s skull is in Rome and I visited him last summer in Rome. If you’d like to go on pilgrimage with me for a NSTI Catholic Theology Pilgrimage to Rome and Italy this summer, please click here to reserve your spot.

Happy feast of Saint George!!!

Saint George pray for us,

Taylor Marshall

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Why Did Jesus Wash the Feet of the Apostles? Pope Francis, Jerome, Ambrose, Augustine

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 16:54:26 +0000

Recently the Catholic Church has been wrestling with the significance of foot washing – the liturgical reenactment of Christ washing the feet of His Apostles on the night before He was betrayed.

The Council of Elvira (Spain, AD 305) prohibited the washing of feet because heretical ideas were being associated with it: “The feet of the newly baptized are not to be washed by the priests or clerics” (Elvira 48). Saint Ambrose of Milan, against this rulings of the Council, considered foot washing to be “sacrament” of great importance. In Milan and other places, “foot washing” was a prelude to sacramental baptism.

The Albigensian heretics held foot washing in high esteem and assigned to it a theological importance without parallel in the orthodox Catholic Church. Up until the last century, Popes, Abbots, and Kings would wash the feet of the poor as a sign of humility and servant leadership. More on that later.

Foot Washing Enters the Mass in 1955

Up until 60 years ago, the custom of foot washing did not appear in the Roman Eucharistic liturgy. Until 1955, the Roman Missal included a rite of foot washing detached from the Mass. Pope Pius XII was the first Pope to have foot washing included in the Mass and it was stipulated that it would be the feet of men, presumably as a sign of the male-only priesthood.

Hence, foot washing is relatively new liturgical rite.

In 2013, Pope Francis washed the feet of two women and non-Christians (Muslims) at a juvenile detention center in Rome 2013. Pope Francis revised the direction of the Roman Missal in 2016 to include men and women as a sign of inclusion.

Theology of Foot Washing? Jerome, Ambrose, and Augustine:

I wrote a well-known book on Judaism and Catholicism that covers the liturgical and sacramental connections between the Old Testament and Catholic Christianity called The Crucified Rabbi: Judaism and the Origins of Catholic Christianity. It’s a popular text now in Catholic schools and seminaries. You can read reviews of it on amazon here.Unfortunately, I did not include a section on foot washing. So here goes:

Saint Jerome in his Epistle to Pope Damasus states that Christ washed His Apostles’ feet to prepare them for the preaching of the gospel, in fulfillment to the prophecy of Isaiah:

“How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, of them that bring good tidings.” (Isa. 52:7)

The Apostles were ordained as sacerdotal priests at the Last Supper and so the foot washing is to prepare them to carry the Gospel to foreign lands. It’s a commissioning rite to “preach the Gospel of peace.”

Saint Ambrose associates the foot washing to original sin and the Protoevangelium of Genesis 3:15 since it is with “the heel” that the Messiah and His followers will crush Satan’s head:

“Because Adam was tripped up by the devil and the venom was poured out over thy feet, therefore dost thou wash thy feet that in that part where the serpent ensnared thee there may be added the more abundant aid of sanctification, so that he be not able to trip thee up hereafter.” Saint Ambrose De Sacramentis3, 1)

Saint Augustine and Cyprian associate the washing of feet with the removal of venial sins. This is why Christ says: “He that has been washed needs not but to wash his feet, but is clean throughout.” The Apostles were already baptized. Peter asks for a second baptism (his head) but Christ refuses. The Apostles had already been baptized and their sins removed, however, the lower sins that trip us up also have to be remitted before receiving the Holy Eucharist. Hence, the foot washing was a liturgical penitential rite prior to the First Communion of the Apostles.

Is Right to Allow Women?

Prior to Francis, the men chosen to receive foot washing symbolized the 12 Apostles. As described above, foot washing seems to be a priestly rite preparing the Apostles to have the “beautiful feet” foretold by Isaiah. Since men alone can be Catholic priests, only men were chosen for the washing of feet.

One might argue, however, that Christ calls all men and women to proclaim the Gospel with beautiful feet. Proclaiming or sharing the Good News is not exclusively a sacerdotal action. Moreover, Saint Paul states that all Christians are called to crush Satan under their (beautiful) feet (Rom 16:19). The Coptic liturgy includes the act of the priest washing the feet of the entire congregation! So there is liturgical precedent for including women in the washing of the feet.

Is it Right to Allow Non-Christians?

What I cannot reconcile theologically is the act of washing the feet of non-baptized members of other religions, namely adherents of Islam, within the Eucharistic liturgy. Peter’s words and Christ’s response presume that the recipients are “washed already,” that is, baptized. Foot washing is an intra-baptized experience.

There is precedent for foot washing as a pre-baptismal rite (in the catechetical context of Easter baptisms), but it’s not clear that the Muslims receiving papal foot washing are preparing for baptism.

My personal belief is that foot washings should be returned to their pre-1955 status. Popes, Abbots, Kings, Presidents, parents, et al. can wash the feet of anyone they like as a sign of humility outside the Eucharistic liturgical rites of the Church.

If a Pope or King washes the feet of another outside of the liturgy, then it is simply a sign of humility. When it’s placed inside the context of Eucharistic liturgy, then we strain to attach a theological meaning to it…and that’s where we run into trouble.

If we want to show outward acts of “inclusion” to the non-baptized, we could give give them blessed bread or other gifts. Or we could wash their feet in contexts that aren’t sacramental.

[reminder]I would love to hear your thoughts on foot washing. Please keep the comments respectful. No bashing of the Vicar of Christ on earth. He is our Holy Father.[/reminder]

The post Why Did Jesus Wash the Feet of the Apostles? Pope Francis, Jerome, Ambrose, Augustine appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Relic Photo: Saint Patrick’s Bell of the Testament

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 19:16:24 +0000

If you like Vikings and Saint Patrick, You'll Love This

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. I hope you are wearing green!

This is one of the most interesting relics of which I have heard: Saint Patrick’s Bell of the Testament. This is the outer reliquary that covers the ancient bell:

And here’s the actual bell of Saint Patrick from within the jeweled covering:

Saint Patrick died in AD 493. According to the “Book of Cuanu” dating to AD 552, Saint Columcille acquired three relics from Saint Patrick’s tomb:

1. Saint Patrick’s Chalice
2. Saint Patrick’s Gospel book (called the Angels Gospel)
3. Saint Patrick’s Bell of the Testament

These three items were signs of Saint Patrick’s office as a Catholic bishop. The bell in particular became an important Irish relic. The bishop would be rung to announce the activities of Saint Patrick, in particular his famous preaching.

The bell itself is simple in design, hammered into shape with a small handle fixed to the top with rivets. The bell was forged from iron and plated in bronze.

King Domnall Ua Lochlainn placed the bell in a reliquary sometime between 1091 and 1105. The reliquary is an example of Viking-influenced Celtic art as you can see in the photo above.

Saint Patrick, pray for us.

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There are Guitars in the Bible

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 12:00:55 +0000

I like the Latin Mass. I don’t like the guitar Mass. However, there are “guitars” in the Bible, and even in the Heavenly Liturgy.

A medieval Praise and Worship Band

The Greek word kithara appears 4 times in the New Testament – 3 times in the Book of Revelation.

{Here’s my audio Catholic commentary on the book of Revelation: click here.}

And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and twenty four presbyters fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them kitharan, and golden vials full of incense, which are the prayers of saints. (Rev 5:8)

And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the kitharas of God. (Rev 15:2)

In English, it is sometimes translated as “harp,” but chordophone or “guitar” is actually a better translation.

The Greek word kithara comes into Latin as cithara and from Latin into Spanish as guitarra. The biblical guitar is a chordophones of 4-18 strings.

The saints in Heaven are playing the kithara. Why? It’s the instrument that King David played. In fact, the word psalm means in Greek means “to pluck [a string].”

The problem is that the guitar is associated with rock n roll and rock n roll is not suitable for divine liturgy. The guitar or chordophone might find liturgical use, but in the meantime, let’s keep it out of the liturgy.

[reminder]

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Who Belongs to your Catholic Tribe?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 12:00:42 +0000

We Catholics must stop seeing our nations (eg, “America”) as “our society.”

We must create out own tribes of relationships. The nation, diocese, and parish are no longer the units of society. With the automobile and the internet, tribes can be created that transcend the nation, state, diocese, and parish.

Who are the 120 people in your virtual tribe?

How does your tribe relate to marriage and children and ethics?

[reminder]

The post Who Belongs to your Catholic Tribe? appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Your 40 Ideas for Lent:

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 10 Feb 2016 18:46:00 +0000

Here are 40 ideas to help you keep a holy Lent this year. You don’t have to do them all, but pick several:

Invite 40 people to church. Invite Catholics and non-Catholics to: Mass, Confession, Penance services, parish missions, a retreat, a recollection, a Catholic conference or pilgrimage later in the year. 40 different people. Make a list and do it. 7 people each week.
Pray Divine Mercy chaplet daily.
Increase your weekly giving by $40 to your parish, ministry, or the poor.
Give up alcohol, including Sundays.
Eat Paleo (no grains, no sugar, no dairy, no alcohol) for Lent.
Pick up the check for friends during the rest of Lent.
Attend a recollection or mission once during Lent.
Attend the Stations of the Cross once during Lent.
Pray the Rosary daily.
Attend daily Mass.
Invite someone to your home for a meal every week in Lent.
Write a kind letter to a priest you and know and thank him for his ministry.
Write a kind text or email to a mother that you know who needs encouragement.
Write a kind text or email to a parent or grandparent.
Pray the Angelus daily at 11:55am.
Say 3 Hail Mary’s every day for graces against sexual sins and temptations.
Set up a domestic altar in your home with a crucifix, candle, and holy cards (and incense if you want to go all out).
Stop at a church on the way home from work for 5 minutes every day. Make a visit to Jesus in the tabernacle.
Read all 4 Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) during Lent.
Wake up at a set time in the morning during Lent (even on Saturdays and Sundays).
Attend an earlier Sunday Mass as a Penance.
Give up adding salt and pepper at all meals in Lent.
Give up using butter on bread during Lent.
Give up milk and sugar in coffee for Lent.
Give up coffee for Lent.
Give up smoking for Lent.
Give up cussing for Lent.
Give up one meal per day for Lent.
Write a Thank You note every day (email and texts work great for this).
Create a list of all the things going great in your life (and read it every day during Lent).
Sign up for a pilgrimage.
Purchase a beautiful image of Our Lady, have it blessed, and place it in a prominent place in your home.
Thank God for priests by making a seminary donation. Here’s my seminary donation recommendation and why: click here.
Plan an blow out Easter Party and send out invitations to family and friends for Easter Sunday after Mass.
Say the Saint Michael prayer daily.
Pray an Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be for the Pope daily.
Read one Papal Encyclical on a topic that interests you.
Attend all or some of the Triduum liturgies (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday).
Make a nightly examination of conscience and pray an act of contrition before bed each night.
Go to confession weekly.

[reminder]What are you doing for Lent? Any more ideas?[/reminder]

The post Your 40 Ideas for Lent: appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Is Catholic Advent the Forgotten Liturgical Season?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 14:44:30 +0000

Last Sunday our priest said: “Advent has become the forgotten and lost liturgical season of the Catholic Church. Nobody knows what it means. Nobody remembers how to celebrate it. It’s really sad.”

I think Father is right. Advent has become the forgotten or lost liturgical season. But it should be a season as important and powerful as Lent.

If we understand the “History and Catholic Theology of Advent,” then this season could become the most fertile time of year for spiritual recollection and the New Evangelization (despite the secular commercialization of Christmas).

Join us for a Live Catholic Event on “Catholic Advent”:

So to help you answer the question: “What is Advent and how do I celebrate it?” I’m inviting you to a live, free, online 30 minute Webinar this Thursday evening Dec 3 2015 on: “The History and Theology of Advent (Plus Tips for Catholic Families)”:

Did you know that Catholics used to celebrate 5 (not just 4) Sundays of Advent?
Did you know that there is an ancient theological and “40 day” connection between Advent and Lent?
Did you know that the Advent Wreath may have started with Lutherans?
Did you know that Taylor will be sharing personal Advent recommendations based on how his family and children celebrate Advent?
Taylor will give advice on how to share the Catholic faith over the holidays with non-Catholic family and friends.
Did you know that everyone who attends this webinar will get a free ebook copy of my book God’s Birthday: The Evidence for Christ’s Birth on December 25:

What are you waiting for? Let’s learn about Catholic Advent! Please register (it’s free) below:

Sign up for the Live Advent Webinar Event this Thursday. Register by clicking here:

[if you already registered for tonight’s Advent webinar, ignore this message]

If you don’t see the sign up button in your email or feed, click here to register.

The post Is Catholic Advent the Forgotten Liturgical Season? appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Top 10 Manly Christmas Gifts for Men (2015 Edition)

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 22:59:21 +0000

It’s time for the 2015 Manly Christmas Gift Guide!

For the sixth year in a row, I am featuring the Top Ten Manly Christmas Gifts for Men – stuff that men want but don’t ask for.

* If you received this post by email, you’ll want to click “Always Display Images” in your email client so that you can see the manly gift images.

Every year you’ve come to expect it, and every year I get ready for angry liberals complaining about my advocacy for pocket knives, guns, scotch, pipes, and leather.

[callout]After doing this list for six years, I now get stopped by wives who say, “Thanks for your annual Men’s Christmas Gift Guide. My husband loved the thermos and knife that you recommended.” Recently, a Catholic dad related to me, “My wife followed your Christmas manly gift guide. Thanks for recommending the scotch decanter. I love it.” Last year we even caused Amazon to sell out of pocket Bibles.[/callout]

Like last year I have an improved list with more information on knives and how a lady can choose the right knife for the men in her life.

Men, it’s not bad taste to forward this post to your wife’s email account.

When your man gets back to work after Christmas and someone asks, “So what did you get for Christmas?” let him say something more than “Oh you know, a couple of new shirts and a tie.”

Top Ten Manly Christmas Gifts for Men (drumroll…)

Below is a guide for Manly Christmas Gifts: your husband, brother, or grandpa. Seriously, you can’t wrong with the following ten gifts. They’re all winners. So here we go:

10) Cigarette Case for Business Cards

Almost every man carries his business cards in his wallet where they get rounded corners, warped, and stained. Those last 2 or 3 business cards in your wallet have been sat on thousands of times. Nobody wants that. So instead…

Place your business cards nicely in a cigarette case!

Nothing says “cool” like a cigarette case – but few men smoke cigarettes…so why not get one anyway and fill it with business cards?

First of all, your cards will remain fresh, crisp and unabused.
Secondly, you’ll look totally legit when you pull out an old school Victorian cigarette case and give someone your business card.

This gift idea is something that men will love and will later reflect, “Why didn’t I think of this earlier?”

Get him the Victorian Etched Cigarette Case by clicking here.

9) Timeless Thermos for the Outdoors

This “Manly Christmas Gift” also has a backstory:

I was fly-fishing in Montana in October. It was fun, but it was cold. I was catching monster trout, but my body temp was diving.

Our fishing guide pulled out three timeless thermoses from his bag. They could have been 100 years old. They were beautiful. He offered us coffee or, get this, hot chicken broth to drink from these old beautiful thermoses. I don’t drink coffee, so I reached for the chicken broth. Wow. It warmed me from the inside out.

I admired the fly fishing guide’s amazing collection of thermoses. “They just don’t make them like that anymore.”

Well now they do. Check out this beautiful thermos from Stanley for only 24.99.

8) Shoe Shine Valet and Kit

Call me prejudicial but I judge a man by his shoes. When I interview an employee or intern, the first things I look at are his hair and his shoes. A great looking suit can be ruined by scuffed shoes. A man must learn to care for his leather.

The Marshall Rule of Thumb is: “Don’t buy a $100 pair of church shoes every year for 5 years ($500 over 5 years), but buy a nice $350 pair of shoes every 5 years ($350 over 5 years). The only way that works is if you shine your expensive shoes. If you don’t shine shoes, don’t waste money on solid shoes.

Step 1 is having the right valet. I have one that looks like this:

Your heel hooks on the lid and you (or ideally your 13 year old son) spit shines your shoes right there on the box. The box holds all your polish so that it stays clean. I don’t know how I shined shoes before having a box like this: Kiwi Shine Kit WITH VALET BOX for $39.

7) Money Clip that also holds Credit Cards

Lots of men have started thanking me for recommending this money clip. I should have bought stock in this company.

I really, really, really love this money clip. I finally gave up the big fat back-breaking leather wallet and now carry this minimal lightweight money clip. It holds my drivers license, my concealed carry gun license, and my business and personal cards. I don’t know how I lived without this clip before.

This money clip is the perfect stocking stuffer for teens and men:

Here it is on amazon: Money clip that holds credit cards.

6) A Good Novel (WARNING: shameless personal plug below)

This #1 Amazon Bestselling historical (Catholic) fiction novel:

Sword and Serpent has a lot of women fans, but it’s an uber-manly about historical Roman figures: Constantine, Saint George, Saint Nicholas, Diocletian, et al.

This Kindle version includes a map and other cool stuff. If he likes war, Rome, history, battles, legend, etc. then he’ll love Sword and Serpent.

[callout]SAMPLE REVIEW: Excellent book ! I read this with my 13 year old son and it provided inspiration for him and great father-son bonding time for both of us ! (He usually HATES reading but says this was the best book he has read). It evokes a variety of emotions. Poignant, thought-provoking, humorous, inspirational, and exciting all in one ! It is a historical FICTION though. The author places the various characters (though true people in the same time period) in contact with each other though there may be no historical evidence of association. But it works for a great story. An added plus is a glossary at the end for those readers with limited knowledge of vocabulary referring to the Roman military or architecture or other Latin terms used in the book.[/callout]

This historical fictional novel is 100% clean but it does have some blood and death it. Not recommended for audiences under the age of 12.

Read a sample or read over 260 5 star reviews about Sword and Serpent by clicking here.

5) A Nice Leatherbound Pocket Bible

This is another great gift that makes the list year after year. About 30 years ago, people starting making lame paperback Bibles. If it’s the inspired, inerrant Word of God, at least wrap it in real leather and gild the page edges…

Here is the one you need to get him. It’s Douay Rheims (Catholic, yet old school language), but it’s only Psalms and New Testament published by Baronius. It fits perfectly into the side pocket of a suit or blazer. I carry it in my sports coat, and it holds up to use. It’s absolutely beautiful and has a ribbon to mark your place.

Did I mention that it’s only 27.95?

[callout]UPDATE: If you want the entire not just the Psalms and New Testament, get his: Full Douay Rheims Leather Bible.[/callout]

Oh, and please buy him the black leather version. If you buy him a white Bible, you might as well throw in ballet lessons and a brassiere.

Baronius also makes an impressive real leather Family Bible. This is the exact Bible that the Marshall family reads from for Advent and family devotionals at night. I’ve done a lot of research and this is the one that every Catholic home should have. Baronius makes wonderful Bibles.

4) A Hip Flask

Here’s the situation: Life in the American South calls for attending Baptist weddings. Baptist wedding receptions are dry. Yes, I know, if Our Lord Jesus Christ were there, he would turn the water into wine, but that policy is not observed at teatotalling wedding receptions…so…he needs this:

An 8 oz hip flask. It’s stainless and the perfect size.

Let’s do the math, a normal serving of scotch is 1.5 oz. So 8 oz / 1.5 oz = 5.33 servings. With this hip flask, you can save the day for your man and four of his friends. How cool is that. Scotch sold separately.

Get this perfectly sized hip flask on amazon.com.

PS: Don’t forget to also get the hip flask funnel or he may get irritated trying to fill the tiny mouth of the flask and spill some! Here’s the funnel – sold separately.

3) The Gift of Catholic Theology and Leadership: NSTI

Western culture is literally rotting away because authentic male leadership has evaporated. Christianity in many places is transforming into a sentimental and weak form of Churchianity – performing Church without a vital and virtuous connection to Jesus Christ. We need men to take the lead at the parish and in the home , but a man can only take lead IF HE KNOWS THE CATHOLIC FAITH WITH HEART AND HIS HEAD.

For over 2 years, we at the New Saint Thomas Institute have been delivering high quality, HD video Catholic theology courses online to over 2,000 students in 50 nations. It’s real orthodox theology based on Scripture and the Church Fathers. Logic, not emotion, is stressed. And our classes are usually only 10 minutes long – designed for the busy person on the go. Classes can be watched on computer, tablet, or listened to on iPhone/Android or via bluetooth.

If you’re a reader of mine, but not yet a Member of the New Saint Thomas Institute, please sign up. NSTI is where I now do the core of my theological teaching and leadership. Here’s a sample from our Apologetics training module:

Tuition is without contract or long time commitments. It’s month to month like Netflix and you can earn a Certificate in Catholic Theology as you finish our theological modules (Thomas Aquinas, Mariology, Christology, Eucharistic Theology). After two years, we have a 97% student retention rate, so you know we’re legit.

Your Top 2 Manly Christmas Gifts

Like last year, the top Manly Christmas Gifts are Knives. The knife is the most popular manly Christmas gift – year after year. I tried to think of something that would knock it out of first place. I couldn’t do it.

A man without pocket knife…woe is he. You can use a pocket knife to cut string, pull out splinters, slice apples on a picnic, etc. Growing up, my dad always carried a knife in his pocket. And if a thug jumps you, you’ve got something rather than nothing.

You can slip a knife into his Christmas stocking and he’ll be thrilled when he discovers it. It will be the first time in a long time that he had a toy to play with on Christmas morning. If you have a son who’s coming of age, you should slip a Swiss Army knife into his stocking. If you get your husband a knife for Christmas, he can use it all morning to open up Christmas gifts, toys, cards, and packages. He’ll be happy to use his new gift all morning.

I’m recommending two knives this year depending on your need:
2) An Every Day Carry Knife for the pocket of his jeans and khakis
1) Swiss Army Knife (especially for your 8-18 year old young man)

See details below:

2) The Everyday Carry Knife: Ken Onion Tactical

This is the knife that a man carries in his pocket every single day. With this knife he opens mail, cuts string, cuts tags off clothing, removes splinters, and all the other odd jobs suited for a knife.

My one criteria for an “every day carry” or “EDC” is that it have a pocket clip that keeps it from falling out of your trousers at the baseball game. The other important thing about an every day carry knife is that it be lightweight. You don’t want to carry a heavy lump in your jeans pocket. The pocket clip also keeps the knife high in your pocket so it’s comfortable whenever you sit down or drive.

This is the one in my pocket! I recommend the Kershaw’s Ken Onion Tactical as your every day carry.

1) Swiss Army for Younger Men and Boys

If your man is a gadget guy then he’s probably a fan of the multi-tool or Swiss Army.

These are the knives that have many, many other tools attached: bottle opener, saw, tweezers, toothpick, pliers, etc. The Swiss Army knife if perfect for a boy’s first knife (age seven). If he’s reached the age of reason, he should have a knife.

PS: If you want your man and/or boy to get out into the outdoors and use their knifes, then check out our new Catholic bushcraft apostolate for priests, fathers and sons: The Troops of Saint George! He’ll learn how to use a knife, start a fire without matches, and prayers in Latin. It’s legit, strenuous, and fun. Start a Troop in your town or parish. We have a TSG starter kit waiting for you.

The post Top 10 Manly Christmas Gifts for Men (2015 Edition) appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Merry Christmas OR Happy Advent – How should Catholics Respond?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 20:08:53 +0000

Everybody is already wishing me “Merry Christmas” and I’m responding: “Thank you, we’re getting ready for Advent first, though. Happy Advent!”

90% of the time, the other person will ask, “What’s Advent?” and that’s your cue to “be salty” (Mt 5:13) and papistically practice the New Evangelization!

Join us for a Live Catholic Event on “Advent”:

So to help you answer the question: “What is Advent?” I’m inviting you to a live, online 30 minute Webinar this coming Thursday on: “The History and Theology of Advent (Plus Tips for Catholic Families)”:

Did you know that Catholics used to celebrate 5 (not just 4) Sundays of Advent?
Did you know that there is an ancient theological and “40 day” connection between Advent and Lent?
Did you know that the Advent Wreath may have started with Lutherans?
Did you know that Taylor will be sharing personal recommendations based on how his family and children celebrate Advent?
Did you know that everyone who attends this webinar will get a free ebook copy of my book God’s Birthday: The Evidence for Christ’s Birth on December 25:

What are you waiting for? Let’s learn about Catholic Advent.

Sign up for the Live Advent Webinar Event this Thursday. Register by clicking here:

If you don’t see the sign up button in your email or feed, click here to register.

The post Merry Christmas OR Happy Advent – How should Catholics Respond? appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Squanto: the Catholic Hero of Thanksgiving

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 20:42:05 +0000

Squanto, the famous Native American that saved the Puritan Pilgrims, was a Roman Catholic!

Learn the startling history of Squanto as the Catholic hero of the American Thanksgiving holiday in this 2 minute video:

Don’t see the video in your email? Click here to watch it.

Do you enjoy my Catholic videos? Please subscribe to my Youtube Channel by clicking here.

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Is Islam a Heresy or World Religion? Legos and Muhammad

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 17:42:27 +0000

Answer begins with an H

The politically incorrect article I wrote last week on a Thomistic response to the Islamic Refugee Crisis is approaching 100,000 views and 20,000 shares on Facebook and some 300 comments – many of which debate the “nature of Islam.”

I wanted to continue this discussion in a sequel article about the relationship of Islam with Christian theology. You’ll find this sequel in the post below:

The question is really about whether Islam is a “Christian heresy” or a whether Islam is a “world religion.”

The English word “heresy” derives from the Greek word αἵρεσις (hairesis) meaning “choice” or “a thing chosen.” (It’s the original “pro-choice” position.) Saint Paul uses the word in Titus 3:10 to describes “heretics” – those that pick and choose their own beliefs instead of following the beliefs taught by the Apostles:

heresy = I choose my own personal beliefs just as I choose my meal at Luby’s
orthodoxy = I receive the Apostolic beliefs passed down through papally ratified Councils, Scripture, and Tradition (orthos in Greek means “right or straight”; eg. orthodontics means “straight teeth” and orthodox means “straight belief.”

Heresy is not a slur or pejorative term. It simply describes a method of religion.

An Analogy from Legos

Let’s say you purchased the Lego edition of the Star Wars’ Death Star. It comes with a box full of plastic pieces and a paper set of instructions. If you follow the directions and follow the instructions correctly or “straight” then you have an orthos situation and having something that looks like this:

But if you buy this box of Legos and personally choose how you yourself want to assemble it, you’ve created your own reality and arrange the pieces however you want to create any pattern that you like. For example, this Lego pattern:

In the first example, the Lego pieces were arranged according to the creator’s instruction. In the second example, the Lego pieces were arranged in accord to the person’s “choice” or “hairesis.”

Legos and Islam

When it comes to Islam, we must ask whether Islam is a religion totally distinct from apostolic Christianity (like Hinduism or Jainism or Aztec paganism) or whether it is a “rearrangement” of historic Christianity (like Mormonism or Jehovah’s Witnesses).

The History of Muhammad

If you haven’t listened to my free audio talk on “Is Muhammad Evil? (audio)” please take a listen. It will give you a short biography of Muhammad and show how he fell under demonic influence.

You will learn that the ancient Arabs were generally polytheistic pagans. They worshipped a variety of deities, as did the ancient Greeks and Romans. However, Muhammad belonged to a social circle that was composed heretical Christians as we will discuss below.

[callout]Listen to Dr Marshall’s Is Muhammad Evil? (audio)[/callout]

Islam as a Heresy Stealing from Christian Ideas

The great Catholic writer Hilaire Belloc (d. 16 July 1953) foretold the future rise of Islam in his book The Great Christian Heresies (a book that every member of the New Saint Thomas Institute should read).

Hilaire Belloc wrote, “[Islam] began as a heresy, not as a new religion….It was a perversion of the Christian religion…an adaptation and a misuse of the Christian thing.” Belloc is following Saint Thomas Aquinas, Dante, and Saint John of Damascus who describe Islam not as a new religion but as a corruption of Christian ideas, notably a pre-existing Christian heresy of Nestorianism.

Was Muhammad modifying the Christian Heresy of Nestorianism?

The Islamic sources reveal a heretical Christian monk having an influence on the young Muhammad. Moreover, Muhammad’s first wife Khadija belonged to a heretical Christian sect since she was familiar with the God of Abraham, Jesus, Mary, and the angel Gabriel. Khadija once consulted a monk about Muhammad and the monk was named Nestora. Given the time period and geography and name, we are likely dealing with Nestorian branch of heretical Christians having influence over Khadija and her husband Muhammad.

Nestorianism was a heresy that denied that the baby Jesus born of the Virgin Mary was the Divine Son of God. Rather, the heretic Nestorius taught that the historical Jesus Christ was a combination of two persons: the Son of God (one divine person) and the historical and human Jesus son of Mary (one human person). Catholic orthodox teaches that Jesus Christ is one Divine Person with a Divine Nature and a Human Nature united but not confused or commingled.

Here are a few teachings of Muhammad that cribbed from Christianity:

Muhammad taught that God chose Abraham (although Muhammad taught that God’s promise went through Hagar and Ishmael and not Sarah and Isaac – hence the term Sara-cenes).
Muhammad taught that Jesus was born of a Virgin (although Muhammad denied that God was His Father).
Muhammad taught that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah (although he denied that Jesus was the Savior and Son of God).
Muhammad taught that Mary the Mother of Jesus was sinless.
Muhammad taught that Saint Michael and Saint Gabriel are important angelic messengers (Muhammad claimed to speak with Saint Gabriel).
Muhammad taught that there is Heaven and Hell.
Muhammad taught that there will be a resurrection of the body as Christians recite in the Creeds.
Muhammad taught that a Creator created the universe out of nothing (as Jews and Christians believe).
Muhammad taught the importance of Christian customs such as fasting, regularly prayer, almsgiving, and pilgrimage.

So the “Lego pieces” being used in Muhammad’s religion are those of Christianity. But he re-organizes these pieces to create a religion in his own image.

Here are some those heretical errors:

Muhammad taught that Jesus Christ is not divine.
Muhammad taught that Jesus Christ is not the Son of God.
Muhammad taught that the Trinity was “the Father and the Son and the Virgin Mary.” He didn’t properly understand the Christian teaching on the Trinity.
Muhammad taught that there was no such thing as a Trinity of Divine Persons as Christians profess.
Muhammad taught that there are no sacraments (eg, no baptism, Eucharist) but only a profession of faith (shahada).
Muhammad taught that lying is allowed. It’s the al-Taqiyya deception. Muhammad said that Muslims can lie to non-Muslims. So when a Muslim tells you “I am peaceful and I don’t approve of terrorism – we can never be 100% ceratain about whether they are being honest with us, because the Quran explicitly gives them permission to lie to non-Muslism.” Mohammed also gave permission for a follower to lie in order to murder a Jewish poet who had offended Mohammed. [Are you learning from this post? If so share it on Facebook by clicking here.]
Mohammad taught that Jesus did not die on the cross and therefore denied salvation through the cross of Christ. Surah 4:157-158 says: “they [the Jews] said, ‘We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah’ – But they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not. Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself.”
Mohammad denied that marraige is monogamous or sacramental.
Mohammad denied the existence of a “Church” and instead had the “State” stand in as the organizing principle, hence the imperative for Sharia Law.

Muhammad is painting with Christian colors, but omitting and reorganizing the structure and form of religion. He’s taking Nestorianism (false belief that Jesus son of Mary is not a Divine Person) and taking it to the heretical next level.

Why Does This Matter? “Islam as Heresy”

If we perceive Islam as a Christian heresy, it helps Christians better understand and address Islam. Muslims are not baptized and do not have faith in Christ as Savior. Hence, they are not Christians. They are certainly not “brothers and sisters in Christ.”

However, they do profess that Jesus is the “Jewish Messiah” (though non-saving Messiah), and the sinless son of Mary.

This matters because we are dealing a demographic of people with a severely “malformed conscience.” We know from Saint Thomas Aquinas and from the Catechism of the Catholic Church that all humans are called to form their conscience in accord with reason, natural law, and divine revelation. Islam leads human adherents to a conscience formed incorrectly.

So the Christian answer is most certainly not: “Just be a good Muslim. Follow your conscience.”

The Christian answer is, “Let’s reform consciences in conformity to natural law (eg, lying is always sinful and polygamy is contrary to nature).”

Even better, the Christian answer is, “Let us tell you the good news of Jesus Christ who is Son of God, Savior, and Divine Mercy. He will lead you to know God as Father.”

Our Goal as Christians:

Our goal as Christians is to remove all error from the earth and lead people to God Who is Truth Incarnate. Our goal is to see all peoples saved and every human person receiving the joy of the Holy Eucharist. This includes Muslims. So we must form consciences properly and evangelize every human heart.

If you want to learn how to do this better, the New Saint Thomas Institute is currently offer a special Catholic Apologetics training module on “How to Share Your Faith to Jewish Friends and Muslim Friends.” It’s available to all of our Basic and Premium Member students:

If you’re not yet a student Member of the New Saint Thomas Institute, you can watch the video series and quizzes here. If you want to join and get start learning how to share the Catholic Faith with Jewish and Muslim friends, click here.

Please share this on Facebook.

[reminder]

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Where are the Skulls of Saints Peter and Paul?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 20:27:26 +0000

In the video below I give a brief history and tour of one of my favorite places in Rome: the Pope’s Cathedral and Basilica of Saint John Lateran.

Although many people have forgotten, the heads of Peter and Paul are situated in the baldacchino which you can see in this video (click here to watch):

[reminder]

The post Where are the Skulls of Saints Peter and Paul? appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Is Halloween the Devil’s Day? Catholic Perspective from Dr Taylor

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 15:34:07 +0000

Panagium vs Pandaemonium?

Is Halloween the Devil’s Day? Let’s break it down and see how Satan is trying to steal our Catholic holidays. Ready?

As you know, Halloween is short for All-Hallows-Even. “Even” or “Eve” refers to the evening before the day.

Christmas Eve is the night before December 25. Similarly, Hallows Eve is the night before November 1, the Catholic festival of All Saints.

This holy day of obligation was once known as “All Hallows” since “hallow” is a more ancient form of “holy.” For example, “hallowed by thy name” means “holy is thy name.”

[callout]Don’t forget to read my 10 Tips for a Catholic Halloween by clicking here.[/callout]

Is Halloween the Devil’s Day? Is it Evil?

Pandaemonium: Here’s your Greek word of the week

The word Pandaemonium derives from Greek “παν”, meaning “all” and “δαιμόνιον”, meaning “little devil.” Pandaemonium means “All Devils.”

John Milton imagined Pandaemonium as the capital city of Hell in Book I of his Paradise Lost (1667).

[callout]Watch Dr. Taylor’s Youtube Video: Dracula vs. the Eucharist.[/callout]

[callout]How do All the Saints hear us from Heaven? Free mp3 from Dr Taylor answering this question: Click here to listen (mp3).[/callout]

Let’s take back the entire “Hallow Triduum” of:

Halloween (Oct 31)
All Saints Day (Hallowmas Nov 1)
All Souls Day (Nov 2)

Oh, and don’t forget All Hallows (Nov 1) is a Holy Day of Obligation. It’s a mortal sin not to attend Holy Mass on this day (unless it is lawfully transferred by the bishops).

Don’t forget to read my 10 Tips for a Catholic Halloween by clicking here.

And share it on Facebook with all your friends by clicking here:

[reminder]

Please sign up for my daily email updates and get a FREE book on Thomas Aquinas by clicking here.

The post Is Halloween the Devil’s Day? Catholic Perspective from Dr Taylor appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

The Heresy of Three Nails: Triclavianism

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 10:00:36 +0000

A reader named Art Martin recently read my post: The Holy Nails of Christ – Where Did They Go? – and he brought my attention to the so-called heresy of Triclavianism (three-nail-ism), of which I knew nothing.

Allegedly, Triclavianism was the belief of the heretical Albigenses and Waldensians, who held that three nails were used to crucify Christ (2 in hands and 1 in feet), and that a Roman soldier pierced Christ on the left side.

The 19th century Anglican scholar George Stanley Faber claimed that Pope Innocent III (1160 or 1161 – 16 July 1216) declared this to be a heresy and maintained that four nails were used and Jesus was pierced on the right side. This fact has been repeated by others, but there is no evidence that Pope Innocent III did in fact declare “three nails” orTriclavianism to be a heretical belief.

There’s reason to believe that this is a Franciscan myth. St Francis had his side wound on the right side of his chest. Also, the stigmata of St Francis contained flesh nails in his hands and both feet – leading to the presumption that there were four nails. I recorded a video on this unusual aspect of St Francis’ stigmata as compared to St Pio’s stigmata. You can watch this video analysis here: Fleshy Nails inside the Stigmata of St Francis.

It’s a good thing Triclavianism not a real heresy, because St. Gregory Nazianzus spoke of three nails and most western crucifixes show three nails.

[reminder]

The post The Heresy of Three Nails: Triclavianism appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

{Video} The Fall of Lucifer and Saint Michael’s Victory

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 17:20:17 +0000

How did Lucifer, the highest angel fall? What was Saint Michael’s role?

In this sample video from the New Saint Thomas Institute, I explain how it happened according to Saint Augustine:

Please share on Facebook:

[reminder]

The post {Video} The Fall of Lucifer and Saint Michael’s Victory appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Who was the Second Pope: Intro to Saint Linus

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 14:32:06 +0000

And his thoughts on chapel veils...

We all know that Saint Peter was the first Pope, but who took up the reins after the Emperor Nero crucified Peter upside down below the Vatican Hill?

Tradition identifies Saint Linus as Pope #2. In today’s video, I give you a short intro into this sainted pope and martyr – who shares a feast day with Padre Pio:

If you don’t see the video in your email or rss, please click here to watch it.

If you’re interested in going on a pilgrimage to Rome with me in 2016, please click here for details.

[reminder]

The post Who was the Second Pope: Intro to Saint Linus appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Pope Pius IX’s Secret Vist to America in 1849

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 11:39:44 +0000

The aquatic entry of a Pope onto America Territory

With Pope Francis arriving in America, there are many media sources recollecting the “first” papal visit to the United States by Pope Paul VI. But this isn’t quite correct. Back in 1849, there was a covert visit to the United States by Pope Pius IX. Here’s a video explaining it, or you can read on below for a full explanation of this little known historical fact:

If you don’t see the video in your email or RSS, click here.

I’ve only had the opportunity to visit the White House once and after lunch I was shown a portrait of a large ship flying the American and Papal flags. It depicts the first papal visit to the territory of the United States in the person of Pope Pius IX in 1849.

The American USS Constitution (known affectionally as “Old Ironsides”) received onboard King Ferdinand II and Pope Pius IX on Aug 1 1849 giving them a 21-gun salute. By stepping on board an American vessel, the Holy Father officially entered American territory. A commissioned military ship has the same legal status as a piece of political soil. So while Pius IX did not actually enter the borders of the United States, he did technically step foot onto American territory.

The King and Pope received a full tour of Old Ironsides and was even hosted in Captain Gwinn’s quarters. The Holy Father personally met the Catholic sailors on board, blessed them, and spoke with them through an English/Italian interpreter.

To show his appreciation, Pope Pius IX struck a silver medal bearing the pontiff’s coat of arms along with the coat of arms of Captain Gwinn. The Holy Father also sent papally blessed Rosaries to the crew of the Constitution.

When news reached the United States that the Pope of Rome had received hospitality on an American war vessel, the Navy was furious. Commodore Morgan sought to have Captain Gwinn disciplined. However, Gwinn died months later before disciplinary measures could be executed. I’m sure Saint Peter returned the hospitality to Captain Gwinn…

[reminder]Did you know that a Pope had “entered America” back in 1849?[/reminder]

Please share this post with your friends on Facebook.

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4 Constellations in the Book of Revelation

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 15:50:57 +0000

The Book of Revelation makes references (structures itself) to a pattern of constellations. I’ve been discussing the role of constellations in my audio commentary on the Book of Revelation.

The books of Ezekiel and Revelation both describe cherubim guarding God’s throne. They have the attributes of:

Man’s face
Bull
Lion
Eagle

Saint Irenaeus associated these four creatures with the four Evangelists in his book Against Heresies:

Man = Matthew
Mark = Lion
Luke = Bull
Eagle = John

[callout]WARNING: I’m about to talk about constellations, but I am not endorsing the mortal sin of astrology (Deut. 18:9-13; 2 Kings 23:3-5; Isa. 8:19-20; 44:24-25; 47:8-15). Constellations and their cycle through the year are natural occurrences set up by God at creation. The Bible often refers to constellations.[/callout]

Very few are aware, however, that these four celestial cherubim are references to the four constellations at the change of each season:

Man = Aquarius (the human water carrier)
Bull = Taurus
Lion = Leo
Eagle = Scorpio (Babylonians considered Scorpio to be an Eagle constellation)

[callout]For a Catholic exposition on the zodiac, see Saint John Damascene On the Orthodox Faith, Book 2. The “zodiac” are the 12 constellations through which the sun moves over our 12 month cycle of a year. God placed them there but they don’t have power over us.[/callout]

These twelve constellations correspond to the way that the 12 tribes were arranged around the Tabernacle in the Old Testament (Numbers 2), because the 12 tribes were like the cherubim guarding the tabernacle of God’s presence. Each tribe corresponded to one of the 12 constellations surrounding the earth. The four principle directions were given to the following:

Reuben (Aquarius)
Ephraim (Taurus)
Dan (Scorpio)
Judah (Leo) – “Lion of Judah”

As you know there, are 12 constellations in the zodiac and these four are the “four corners” of the 12 constellations:

*Aquarius – human water carrier
Pisces – fish
Aries – ram
*Taurus – bull
Gemini – twins
Cancer – crab
*Leo – lion
Virgo – virgin
Libra – scales
*Scorpio – scorpion (eagle for Babylonians)
Sagittarius – archer
Capricorn – mountain goat

Saint John in Revelation gives the four constellations in reverse order because he is viewing them not from earth but from above in Heaven. Saint John mentions these four living creatures and the Revelation of Christ to Saint John seems to be based on a series of constellations:

Revelation Chs. 2-3: Seven Stars of the Pleiades (the seven stars of Pleiades in inside Taurus)
Revelation 5: Lion of Judah (Leo)
Revelation 8: Eagle flying in midheaven (Scropio)
Revelations 9: Scorpion warriors (Scorpio)
Revelation 12: Virgin Mother (Virgo)
Revelation 15: Pouring out Chalices (Aquarius)
Revelation 22: River of Life (Aquarius)

The interplay of constellations in the structure of Revelation shows us that this is a heavenly vision. Saint John is above the heavens and seeing celestial mysteries as they are revealed by Christ. Moreover, the pattern from Taurus to Aquarius is God taking us through a heavenly liturgical year as we watch the destruction of the Great City (Jerusalem in AD 70) and the consecration of the New Jerusalem (the Catholic Church – from then until now).

If you’re interested in learning more, please begin the free audio commentary of the Book of Revelation by clicking here.

[reminder]

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Paul’s Damascus Conversion: Does Acts 9 Contradict Acts 22?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 11:05:47 +0000

I’m seeing more and more anti-Christian apologetics against “Paul” as the faux founder of Christianity. Scholars like Bart Ehrman argue that Christ was originally just an apocalyptic Rabbi who eschatological vision crashed with his crucifixion.

The claim is that it was Saul/Paul, not Christ, who founded the religion of Christianity and that the historical Christ was universalized and divinized into a cosmic Christ.

The argument goes that Saul had some kind of conversion from radical Pharisaic Judaism to belief in Christ, but that Saul/Paul had zero interaction with the dead Rabbi Jesus.

It is true that Saul/Paul did not claim to have known or seen Jesus of Nazareth prior to His crucifixion. Instead, Saul/Paul claims to have met and known Jesus of Nazareth through mystical experiences.

[callout]To read of Paul’s three encounters with Jesus in the Acts of the Apostles, click here.[/callout]

Paul’s first encounter with Jesus is his conversion on the Road to Damascus. Luke retells the conversion of Acts and the narrative compares Jesus to an Old Testament theophany of Yahweh.

In Acts 9:7, Luke writes:

And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no one.”

Here Luke is making the connection with God’s theophany in Deuteronomy with Christ’s theophany to Paul:

Then the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of words, but saw no form; there was only a voice.” (Deut 4:12)

Notice that in both cases there is no visual form, but only the voice.

The Alleged Controversy of the Paul’s Damascus Accounts

The “heard voice, saw nothing” account in Acts 9 makes for a great parallel with Deuteronomy but it opens up a problem.

There is a alleged contradictory account of between Luke’s narrative account of Paul’s conversion in Acts 9 and the second version retold by Paul himself in Acts 22:6-9:

6 “As I made my journey and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ 8 And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’ 9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

Some claim that this contradicts the account in Acts 9 because:

Acts 9: men with Saul hear a voice, but see no one.
Acts 22:6-9: men with Saul saw the light but did not hear the voice.

The contradiction is dispensed with easily in this way:

Acts 9 reports that the men saw no one and Acts 22 says they saw a light. This is not a contradiction. These men saw a light but saw no form or person in it.
Acts 9 reports that the men heard a generic voice, but Acts 22 says they “did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.” In Acts 22, the stress is on “the voice of the one speaking to Saul.” This means that the men heard a sound (Acts 9), but that it was not intelligible to them (Acts 22).

Here we can see that Saul’s encounter with Christ is not fictionalized. The fact that it is recounted three times in Acts is remarkable. It is the anchor of Paul’s claim to apostleship. Without it, Paul is merely an enthusiast. Luke’s Acts demonstrates that Paul’s apostleship is accompanied by miracles and this fact reveals Paul as a true and valid prophet for the New Covenant [Catholic] Church.

[reminder]

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Paul’s Three Encounters with Christ Jesus in Acts

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 12:57:19 +0000

The Acts of the Apostles record that Paul received three apparitions of the Lord Jesus Christ:

1) Paul’s Vision on the Road to Damascus (described in Acts 9, 22, and 26). Paul is walking on the road to Damascus in order to arrest Christians in Damascus.

[callout]To read my theory that Saul/Paul had Herodian connections to accomplish this political task, click here.[/callout]

A bright light surrounds Saul and he hears a voice claiming: “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” Saul loses his sight but gains it again through the laying on of hands by Ananias who then baptizes Saul/Paul.

2) Paul’s Trance in the Temple (Acts 22:17-21). After his conversion, Paul returns to Jerusalem and while he is praying in the Temple, he enters into a trance. In Greek, the word for trance is ἐκστάσει {ecstasei} or “ecstasy.”

17 “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance {ἐκστάσει} 18 and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in thee. 20 And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by and approving, and keeping the garments of those who killed him.’ 21 And he said to me, ‘Depart; for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

We learn something more about Saul here. Although he did not capture Christians in Damascus, he did previously and personally “imprison and and beat” Christians in Jerusalem – “in every synagogue.” Saul was the chief of Anti-Christian police in Jerusalem. Saul would have had to have authority from the High Priest and Herod Antipas to accomplish this.

3) Paul’s Vision in Prison (Acts 23:11). This is the big “Roman Catholic” passage that I stress in my book on Saint Paul as Roman and in my book on Rome as the Capital of Christianity. Here Jesus Christ connects the Apostolic ministry from Jerusalem…to Rome. Romanism is a mandate delivered to Paul from the resurrected mouth of Jesus Christ:

“The following night the Lord stood by him and said: Take courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also at Rome.” (Acts 23:11)

Christ connects the Great Commission as a line drawn from Jerusalem to Rome. We see this in the thematic structure of the four Gospels (the Jerusalem/Pilate struggle) and also in the narrative structure of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts starts in Jerusalem and ends in Rome). The Book of Revelation, rightly interpreted is a vision about the unholy adultery between Whore of Babylon (Jerusalem) and the Beast (Rome).

[reminder]

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Was Saint Paul Related to Herod? 7 Reasons Paul was Herodian

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 12:42:20 +0000

Saint Paul says that he is of the tribe of Benjamin and a Hebrew of Hebrews (Phil 3:5). In my book The Catholic Perspective on Paul (2010), I assembled a historical biography of Saint Paul and showed how his life informed his theology. Since then, I have been trying to fit another piece of the Paul puzzle – Paul’s relation to Herod.

Paul was originally a Herodian. By “Herodian” I mean that he seems to have connections with the family and court of the Herods. Theologically, Saul/Paul favored the theology of the Pharisees before his conversion but his family connections relate him to the inner circle of Herod Agrippa.

Here are the reasons demonstrating that Saul/Paul had Herodian connections

Timaeus was Plato’s Most Popular Book

1. Saul/Paul was highly educated both in Hebrew Scripture/Tradition but also in Greek philosophy. He seems familiar, for example with Plato’s Timaeus. He is Hebrew, but he also dabbles in Gentile learning and culture. This is the Herodian style: Jewish identity, loyalty to Jerusalem, familiar with the priests, but appreciative of Gentile power and learning. Sounds like Paul…

2. Saul/Paul was a Roman citizen. Jews were not typically citizens. We learn that Saul/Paul gained his Roman citizenship by birth. This means that his parents were Hebrews with Roman privilege. In the first century, Hebrews with Roman privilege were linked to the Roman appointed rulers of Palestine – the Herod’s.

3. Saul/Paul officially persecuted Christians on behalf of the Temple authorities. This is odd. Think about how hard it was for the Sanhedrin to kill Jesus Christ. Back and forth between the Roman Pontius Pilate and the Roman appointed “King” Herod Antipas the Tetrarch. Killing Christ was complicated and difficult.

And yet somehow we are to believe that Saul received certificates of authority in around the year AD 36 to go about capturing and killing Christians without trial…even as far away as Damascus? Ahem, this is the Roman Empire with laws and rules. A man can’t get permission from the priests of one city and then go and capture people in another city.

How did Saul/Paul get that power? The High Priest and the Jewish Sanhedrin in Jerusalem could not have authorized Saul to arrest Christians in Damascus. The High Priest and the Jewish Sanhedrin in Jerusalem had no power in Damascus, a city in the Roman Province of Syria. Jerusalem belonged to the Roman Province of Judea. Saul seems to have gained an authority entrusted to him by a civil power connected to the Temple. This means that Saul needed religious authority (Temple) and he needed Roman authority in Damascus (King Aretus IV of Damascus).

[callout]King Aretus IV of Damascus. King Aretus IV who ruled over Damascus during the period of Saul/Paul’s conversion was the father-in-law of Herod Antipas the Tetrarch (d. AD 39). You might remember how Saint John the Baptist was preaching against Herod Antipas for divorcing his wife in order to marry his brother’s wife Herodias. Well Saint John the Baptist was defending the honor of Herod Antipas’ first wife Phasaelis – the daughter of King Aretus IV. Small Herodian world![/callout]

Which one politician of this period had deep connections with the High Priesthood at the Temple in Jerusalem and political influence in Damascus? Who was the only man on earth who could arrange for Saul to act on behalf of the High Priest in the foreign city of Damascus? Oh that’s right, Herod Antipas the Tetrarch!

Why was Saul/Paul able to fulfill his desire to persecute Christians on behalf on the High Priest throughout the Roman Empire? Because his family was close to the family of Herod.

4. Saul/Paul is grouped with those raised with Herod Antipas the Tetrarch. “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas and Simeon that was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Manaen which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch and Saul. (Acts 13.1) The Greek is unclear but there is certainly a group of young Jewish men in Antioch who are associated with Herod Antipas the Tetrarch.

According to Josephus, Herod Antipas the Tetrarch, his full brother Archelaus and his half-brother Philip were raised and educated in Rome (Josephus, Antiquities 17.20–21). Hence, those raised with Herod Antipas the Tetrarch were educated in Rome. I would not be surprised if Saul/Paul had also studied in Rome as a young man, even though he is younger than Herod Antipas the Tetrarch.

5. Saulus/Paulus was not merely a plebian rabbi. He had political clout. When Saul/Paul is arrested, the commander assigns, get this, 470 men to guard Paul’s life!

“Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. 24 Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.” (Acts 23:23)

200 soliders
70 horsemen
200 spearmen

Yes, Paul was a Roman citizen, but Roman citizen’s didn’t normally receive 470 body guards. Saul/Paul was being protected because he was connected to the family of Herod Agrippa.

Josephus the Jewish Historian

6. Josephus refers to a “Saulus” who persecuted people in Jerusalem. From the Antiquities (20.9.4) of Josephus:

“Costobarus also, and Saulus, did themselves get together a multitude of wicked wretches, and this because they were of the royal family; and so they obtained favour among them, because of their kindred to Agrippa; but still they used violence with the people, and were very ready to plunder those that were weaker than themselves.”

Is this the same “Saul”? It’s hard to tell, but a Saul who was “of the royal family” and “kindred to (Herod) Agrippa” and who “used violence with the people” sure sounds like Saul/Paul in his pre-Christian days.

7. Paul identifies his Herodian kinfolk. We don’t need Josephus to tell us about a “Saul ” was also “kindred to (Herod) Agrippa.”

In Romans 16:11 Paul writes: “Greet Herodion, my kinsman.”

Paul has connections in Rome. He even has a Jewish relative in Rome named Herodion! We don’t know who Herodion is, but his name links him to the Roman-Jewish rulers associated with the dynasty of Herod the Great.

Conclusion: Paul as Herodian Pharisee

Some might counter my arguments by stating that Saul/Paul himself clams to have been a Pharisee and not a Herodian.

But this is where things get interesting. The Pharisees and Herodians worked together!

When the Herodians are mentioned in the Gospels (Mark 3:6, 12:13; Matthew 22:16; cf. also Mark 8:15, Luke 13:31-32, Acts 4:27), they are coupled with the Pharisees. For example, in Mark 3:6, the Pharisees plot against Jesus regarding his teaching on the Sabbath day by incorporating the Herodians into their conspiracy. In Mark 8:15, Christ described the alliance of Pharisees and Herod against Him. In Mark 12, the Pharisees and Herodians together, try to trap Christ with their question about paying taxes.

The fact that Saul/Paul was a Pharisee does not disqualify him from being a Herodian. Rather, it substantiates it.

[reminder]Do you have any arguments pro or con regarding my Paul the Herodian thesis?[/reminder]

PS: I plan to revise and update my The Catholic Perspective on Paul to incorporate this new research.

The post Was Saint Paul Related to Herod? 7 Reasons Paul was Herodian appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Saint Luke as the Roman Lucius and Famous Brother in the Gospel (2 Cor 8:18)

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 11:29:51 +0000

Saint Luke wrote the majority of the New Testament – even more than Paul.

The Gospel according to Saint Luke (the longest of the four Gospels) and Acts of the Apostles rank Saint Luke in first place as largest contributor to the New Testament. As I argued in my book The Catholic Perspective on Paul, Saint Luke is also the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Paul is the “author” and Luke is the “writer” or “drafter” Hebrews. (The Paul/Luke production of Hebrews is also the position of Saint Thomas Aquinas.)

Saint Luke was Lucius and the Paul’s “Famous Brother”

Saint Luke as Loukas (3 mentions in NT)

This Luke (Λουκᾶς) is mentioned in Paul’s epistles three times:

Our dear friend Luke (Λουκᾶς) the physician, and Demas send greetings. (Col 4:14)

Saint Paul mentions Luke as his fellow worker along with Mark in Philemon:

And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. (Philem 1:22-24)

And then again in 2 Timothy in connection with Mark yet again:

“Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you; for he is very useful in serving me.” (2 Tim 4:11)

Note here that Luke is Paul’s “dear friend,” Paul’s “fellow worker,” and Paul’s sole companion at the end of his life.

Saint Luke as Lucius (2 mentions in NT)

Lucius or Loukios (Greek: Λούκιος) appears two times in the New Testament, once in Acts (written by Luke) and once in Romans.

Lucius is the Romanized version of the name Luke. In a Roman context, Greek men would adapt their names to Latin by creating a -us ending so that their names would rightly decline in Latin. Hence, the way to give Λουκᾶς or “Loukas” a Roman ending is to modify the ending and render it as Lucius.

And wouldn’t you know it, we find this form of Luke’s name in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans!

Timothy, my co-worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius (Λούκιος), Jason and Sosipater, my fellow Jews. (Rom 16:21)

Origen in his Commentary on Romans states that the “Lucius” in Romans is Saint Luke.

Lucius is also mentioned in connection with Barnabas and Paul in Acts:

In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene (Λούκιος ὁ Κυρηναῖος), Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. (Acts 13:1)

Note here the connection between Paul/Saul, Lucius, and Barnabas with…drumroll…Herod the Tetrarch. This proves that Paul/Saul was a Herodian. I’ll write more about this in a future post.

Luke as the “Famous Brother in the Gospel”

There is a unnamed man in 2 Corinthians that Paul refers to as a brother made famous in the Gospel:

But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. With him we are sending the brother who is famous in the Gospel among all the churches (τὸν ἀδελφὸν οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν); and not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work which we are carrying on, for the glory of the Lord and to show our good will. (2 Cor 8:16-18)

Paul is sending Titus and another man who is famous “in all the churches.” Apparently, he is so famous that he doesn’t even need to be mentioned by name. The Corinthians know him already. Notably, he is famous “in the Gospel throughout all the churches” (ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν). Paul frequently speaks of the Gospel, but never in this way. Some English translations wrongly read “famous for preaching the Gospel,” but the Greek says “famous in/for the Gospel.”

Saint Thomas Aquinas suggests that this “famous brother” is Saint Luke and that he famous because Saint Luke has by this time published his written Gospel and that it has made him “famous throughout all the churches.” The date of 2 Corinthians is around AD 57 and so this would date Saint Luke’s Gospel before AD 57.

Modern scholars will laugh at this, but I think it makes great sense since Saint Paul cites the Gospel of Luke as Sacred “Scripture” in 1 Timothy 5:17-18.

[reminder]

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Saint Paul Cites the Gospel of Luke as Scripture

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 11:27:08 +0000

Modern scholars will laugh at this post because they (wrongly) believe that Paul did not write 1 Timothy and that Luke did not write the Gospel according to Saint Luke [I refute this revisionist claim here].

Yet for the Catholic, the biblical demonstration below strongly defends the traditional authors (Paul and Luke) and traditional dates – especially an early date for the Gospel of Luke. If we Catholics are going to defend the historicity of Christ, His teachings, and His actions, we need to be able to substantiate how the four Catholic Gospels depict Him without error. Part of our work depends on us demonstrating that the four Catholic Gospels are early and written by the historical Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Saint Luke writing Luke (with a nice looking tonsure)

Saint Paul cites the Gospel of Luke as Sacred Scripture

So let’s get started.

Saint Paul cites “Scripture” twice in 1 Timothy 5:17-18:

Let the presbyters who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labour in preaching and teaching; for the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” (1 Timothy 5:17–18):

Paul’s quote “You shall not muzzle an ox” (the motto of the New Saint Thomas Institute) comes from Deuteronomy 25:4.

But what about his second citation of “Scripture” that he quotes as: “The laborer deserves his wages” (Ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ)?

Does this phrase (Ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ) appear in the Old Testament or in any variant in the Septuagint? It does not appear in the Old Testament Scriptures, but it does appear in the New Testament Scriptures.

In Luke 10:7 we find the exact phrase with the Greek word order preserved just as Saint Paul cites it:

And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house (Luke 10:7).

ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ οἰκίᾳ μένετε, ἐσθίοντες καὶ πίνοντες τὰ παρ’ αὐτῶν, ἄξιος γὰρ ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ. μὴ μεταβαίνετε ἐξ οἰκίας εἰς οἰκίαν (Luke 10:7 in Greek).

In 1 Timothy 5:17–18 we observe Saint Paul quoting the Gospel of Luke as Scripture on equal level with Deuteronomy!

I take 1 Timothy as authentically Pauline (I’m Catholic). This demonstrates that:

The Gospel of Luke was written and published before the death of Paul (AD 66/67)
Paul had read the Gospel of Luke
Paul regarded the Gospel of Luke as Scripture
Paul considered Luke to be inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Tim 3:16)
Paul assumed that Timothy also regarded the Gospel of Luke as Scripture

Since Paul knew the Gospel of Luke and cited it as Scripture, there is no problem in identifying Paul’s “famous brother in the Gospel” (2 Cor 8:18) as Saint Luke made famous for publishing the Gospel of Saint Luke.

Suddenly there is an internal strength to the canonical New Testament. The NT wasn’t spliced together one hundred years after Christ. The Gospel of Luke comes less than thirty years after the resurrection…and it’s being cited by the Apsotles as “Scripture” on par with the Torah!

[reminder]

You can share this on Facebook by clicking here.

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#078: Is the Relic of True Cross Real? [Mini-Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:24:27 +0000

I’m enjoying Rome like you can’t believe. It started with Mass with Pope Francis at the Lateran…and I just keep enjoying the saints, relics, liturgies, and churches after I teach my classes for the Rome Experience at Santa Croce. I have the pleasure of being with some great priests and seminarians.

St Helen and the true cross

Here’s a mini-podcast I recorded in Rome from outside the Church of the “Holy Cross of Jerusalem” (it’s on the street so you can hear the crazy Italian drivers) where Saint Helen placed the true cross that she found in Jerusalem.

Is it legit? I share the history…and my thoughts – just 3 minutes and 4 seconds:

Please share my journey with me: I’m posting tons of awesome photos of saints, relics, altars, churches, and Roman gelato over at Facebook (photo stream) and Instagram (photo stream).

[reminder]Is there anything you want me to cover while I’m in Rome?[/reminder]

Want more podcasts? Great here’s the podcast archive vault. And don’t forget to tap into my new Catholic Apocalypse series. Look for some thoughts soon about the Shroud of Turin!

The post #078: Is the Relic of True Cross Real? [Mini-Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Why do Popes Change Their Names?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 14:55:05 +0000

This morning I was so excited to begin teaching a class for the Rome Experience at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Santa Croce) in Rome. All of the seminarians are top-shelf Catholics and gentlemen. It’s an honor to be here with them.

In this morning’s second session on “The Theology of Rome,” (which is covered in book form here), we studied the second chapter of Daniel and explored the role of the unhewn stone that destroys the pagan sovereign kingdom’s over Israel – climaxing in the Roman Empire. The Stone is Christ, but it is instrumentally Saint Peter (Kepha in Aramaic or Petros in Greek) when we appreciate the Roman context of the prophecy.

One of the students raised an excellent question: “Why do Popes choose new names?” Here’s where the tradition got started:

Pope Mercury? Try again…Pope John II

On January 2 AD 533, a priest of Rome named Mercurius was elected as the Pope. He felt, however, that it would be unbecoming of the Holy See to have a Pope named after a Roman god “Mercury.” It would sound strange to Roman ears. Think of saying something like “Pope Jupiter” or “Pope Neptune.” So this priest opted not to be called “Pope Mercury” and instead changed his name when he became Pope.

Not all Popes after Mercury chose new names. However, those with extremely non-Roman names (think Germanic Popes) often chose Roman names assimilate into their Roman context. Pope Adalbert just sounds wrong.

Mercury chose the name “John” to honor his papal predecessor Pope John I who died in AD 526. Incidentally, Pope Saint John I was the first Pope to visit Constantinople while serving as Pope.

Pope John II (Mercury) is notable in Church History because obtained from the Emperor Justinian his orthodox profession of the Catholic Faith and his repudiation of the Monophysite heresy.

Fun Fact #1: The last pope to use his personal baptismal name was Pope Marcellus II in 1555.
Fun Fact #2: There hadn’t been a new Papal name since AD 913 until Pope Francis! Before Pope Francis, Popes always chose names from the recycled list of previous Papal names. I supposed that “John Paul” is technically a new name, but it’s also a compound name of two previously uses Papal names.

[reminder]What Papal name would you choose for the next Pope and why? Which would I choose? I love Pope Leo XIII (by the way, will somebody please canonize him!), so I’d like the next Pope to be Pope Leo XIV. Plus, Leo is a very regal name. So…what named would you like to see for the next Holy Father.[/reminder]

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Heretical Münster Rebellion Timeline of Events

Dr Taylor Marshall — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 10:43:05 +0000

I recently listened to Dan Carlin’s fantastic Hard Core History episode “Prophets of Doom” about the Protestant debacle at Münster, Germany in AD 1534-35. I would encourage you all to listen to it by clicking here.

The short story is that a bunch of Lutherans took over Munster, Germany but they were not content with Luther’s so-called conservatism. They wanted an even more radical form of Christianity that rejected infant baptism, the Eucharist, and included “biblical” teachings such as communism and polygamy (!).

I was so interested in the history of this story, I put together this time line of events. If you do listen to Dan Carlin’s podcast, this will serve as a handy resource:

5 Key Players in the Münster Rebellion

“King” Jan of Leiden – False Prophet of Munster

Melchior Hoffman: The Preacher Instigator

The “Two Bernard’s”

Bernhard Rothmann: The anti-Catholic pamphleteer.
Bernhard Knipperdolling: The first Anabaptist Mayor of Münster. Under “King” Jan, he became the “Steigbügelhalter” (literally “stirrup-holder”) of Jan of Leiden.

The “Two Jan’s”

Jan Matthys of Haarlem: The Original Prophet of Munster. He was a follower of Melchior Hoffman.
Jan of Leiden: The Second Prophet and “King” of Munster. He was a follower of Jan Matthys.

Anabaptist Hysteria Begins after Martin Luther

1524-1525 German Peasants’ War. German peasants adopt a radical political interpretation of Martin Luther’s anti-authoritarian teachings. They reject not only the Church (Luther) but now also the State and civil authorities as “anti-Christian.” Luther condemned their civil unrest and these peasants were cut down by mutual agreement between Catholics and Lutherans.
Radical Protestants no longer feel loyal to Luther and explore new approaches to their (manifold) interpretations of Sacred Scripture.
1527 The first Anabaptist (re-baptism sect) synod formulates the Schleitheim Confession in Schleitheim (Switzerland) condemning the Catholic Church, infant baptism, oaths, celibacy, and transubstantiation.
April 1530 Melchior Hoffman is re-baptized and then spreads the idea of adult re-baptism in Strasbourg as well as his eschatological form of Anabaptist doctrines.
1532 Melchior Hoffman, assuming the office of prophet, declares Christ will return to Strasbourg in 1533 to establish the one thousand year reign of Christ. (He was wrong.)

Meanwhile Munster Becomes Officially Lutheran (Feb 1533-Jan 1534)

14 February 1533. Münster officially becomes a Lutheran city. The city’s Catholic Bishop Franz von Waldeck was sympathetic the writings and reform of Martin Luther – this celibate bishop already had a “wife” and children.
Summer 1533. Bernhard Rothmann, an anti-Catholic Lutheran of Munster is convinced by Melchior Hoffman to withdraw from Lutheranism and embrace the heretical belief that infant baptism is invalid and that adults must be re-baptized. Rothmann produces theological treatises against the Catholic Church and infant baptism – he’s Anabaptist.
Rothman’s friend and wealthy wool merchant Bernhard Knipperdolling through the aid of a printing press began to publish Rothmann’s anti-Catholic tracts for Munster and the rest of northern Germany.
Rothmann’s tracts convince most of Munster to move beyond Lutheranism and instead embrace the radical Anabaptist theology of Melchior Hoffman.
Bernard Rothmann and his allies take over the political offices of Munster, and Bernhard Knipperdolling (the second Bernard in this story) becomes the Mayor of Munster after deposing the Lutheran magistrates, who, until then, had seen him as an ally in their own distrust of the Catholic Church.
The two Bernards now believe that Lutheranism doesn’t go far enough.

Jan Matthys Becomes Anabaptist Prophet of Münster (Jan 1534-April 1534)

January 5, 1534, Anabaptist prophet Jan Matthys identified Münster as the “New Jerusalem” and a number of his disciples entered the city and introduced adult re-baptism. Rothmann accepted “re-baptism” that day, and over 1,000 adults were soon re-baptised.
February 10, 1534, Bernard Knipperdolling, Mayor of Munster, joined the Anabaptist movement to overthrow the town council and bishop. Anabaptist prophets Jan Matthys and Jan of Leiden Bockelson, one of Matthys’ twelve disciples, begins to shepherd the people of Munster.
The Catholic Prince-Bishop of Munster Franz von Waldeck, a Catholic cleric of Lutheran sympathies besieges he city from without.
April 4, 1534 (Easter Sunday) Jan Matthys, who had prophesied God’s deliverance on Easter day of 1534, made a sally with only thirty followers, believing that he would single-handedly defeat the Prince-Bishop’s armies. To the shock of Munster’s inhabitants, Matthys was killed, his head severed and placed on a pole for all in the city to see, and his genitals nailed to the city gate.

Jan of Leiden Becomes King of Munster (April 1534-June 1535)

Jan of Leiden was subsequently recognized as Matthys’ religious and political successor, justifying his authority and actions by the receipt of visions from heaven. Jan of Leiden married the beautiful widow of Matthys to signify the continuity of prophetic office.
Jan of Leiden proclaimed himself to be the successor of David and assumes royal regalia, honors and absolute power in the new “Zion” and “New Jerusalem” of Munster.
Jan of Leiden legalized polygamy, and himself took sixteen wives. (Jan is said to have beheaded one woman in the marketplace for refusing to marry him; this act might have been falsely attributed to him after his death.)
Community of goods (religious communism) was also established.

The Bishop’s Siege of Munster (June 1535)

June 24–25, 1535, the Bishop, with the aid of the deserter Henry Gresbeck, retook Münster. “King” Jan of Leiden and several other prominent Anabaptist leaders were captured and imprisoned. The residents of Münster were starving as a result of the year-long siege. The people are put to the sword.
January 22, 1536 Jan of Leiden, Bernhard Knipperdolling and one more prominent follower, Bernhard Krechting, were tortured and executed in the marketplace of Münster. Their bodies were exhibited in cages, which hung from the steeple of St. Lambert’s Church. The bones were removed later, but the cages hang there still.
The body of Bernhard Rothmann, the anti-Catholic pamphleteer who introduced Melchior Hoffman, Jan Matthys, and Jan of Leiden to Munster, was never found.
1543. Melchior Hoffman, the Anabaptist preacher who started it all, dies.

So there it is. It’s a crazy, but true, story of what can happen when Christians reject authority and the magisterial teachings of the Church!

[reminder]

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Did Mary Give the Rosary to Saint Dominic?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 11:00:01 +0000

Did Mary give the Rosary to Saint Dominic? Catholic tradition states the Blessed Virgin Mary directly and personally instituted the Holy Rosary through Saint Dominic. A previous post described the traditional account of “How Mary Gave the Rosary to Saint Dominic.”

I believe this modern claim is incorrect and too simplistic. It’s perfectly reasonable to believe that Mary gave the Holy Rosary to Saint Dominic. Here’s why…

The Claim Against Mary Giving the Rosary

Summary of Points So Far:

1) Moderns claim that the tradition of Mary giving the Rosary to Dominic is an etiological myth.

2) It is true: praying Our Fathers and Hail Marys on beads predates Saint Dominic (in fact, the word “bead” comes from the word “bid” meaning “pray” or “ask”).

What does the Catholic Church say?

“That the Queen of Heaven herself has granted a great efficacy to this devotion is demonstrated by the fact that it was, by her command and counsel, instituted and propagated by the illustrious St. Dominic, in times particularly dangerous for the Catholic cause.”

In his Supremi Apostolatus Officio, Pope Leo XIII again confirms the supernatural origin of the Holy Rosary of Saint Dominic:

Great in the integrity of his doctrine, in his example of virtue, and by his apostolic labors, he proceeded undauntedly to attack the enemies of the Catholic Church, not by force of arms, but trusting wholly to that devotion which he was the first to institute under the name of the Holy Rosary, which was disseminated through the length and breadth of the earth by him and his pupils. Guided, in fact, by divine inspiration and grace, he foresaw that this devotion, like a most powerful warlike weapon, would be the means of putting the enemy to flight, and of confounding their audacity and mad impiety. Such was indeed its result. Thanks to this new method of prayer—when adopted and properly carried out as instituted by the Holy Father St. Dominic—piety, faith, and union began to return, and the projects and devices of the heretics to fall to pieces.”

The tradition is further confirmed by the apparition of the Immaculate Mary to Blessed Alan de la Roche:

My son, you know perfectly the ancient devotion of my Rosary, preached and diffused by your Patriarch and my Servant Dominic and by his spiritual sons, your religious brothers. This spiritual exercise is extremely agreeable to both my Son and to me, and most useful and holy for the faithful. When my Servant Dominic started to preach my Rosary … the reform in the world reached such heights that it seemed that men were transformed into angelic spirits and that Angels had descended from Heaven to inhabit the earth. … No one was considered a true Christian unless he had my Rosary and prayed it. … The prestige of the holy Rosary was such that no devotion was or is more agreeable to me after the august Sacrifice of the Mass.”

As discussed elsewhere, the three apparitions after the Miracle of the Sun also symbolize the three mysteries of the Holy Rosary: Miracle of the Sun Symbolizes Mysteries of the Rosary.

[reminder]Do you find comfort in the fact that Mary directly intervened and instituted the Rosary?[/reminder]

Recommended sermon: Power and Promises of the Holy Rosary

Recommended book: The Secret of the Rosary

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Are You Part of the Great Catholic Migration of the 21st Century?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:06:00 +0000

Realign your time, talent, and money within the Catholic Church

Are you part of the Great Catholic Migration of the 21st Century?

Ever since my post “My Initial Doubts about the Latin Mass” also known affectionately as the “Grover Mass Post,” I have been receiving numerous Facebook messages, emails, and comments from Catholics who read this blog and want advice about their current “parish crisis.” The messages go like this:

My priest tells off-color jokes in the homily. What should I do?
The local RCIA instructor taught that contraception is a “personal decision” and when I asked the priest about it, he didn’t think it was a big deal.
In confession, my priest said that “the pill” is okay in certain situations.
The nuns at my parochial school are promoting {insert something sketchy}, should I talk to my priest about it?
Our parish promotes Eastern non-Christian mystical practices and prayers? Should I say something?
My pastor has forbidden Communion on the tongue. What should I do?
The priest at my parish changes the words of the liturgy, for example “Son of Man” to “Son of Humanity” in order to be gender inclusive. Should I talk to him about this?

What do you now do?

My advice is that you should join the Great Catholic Migration of the 21st Century. Most people recognize that there is a de facto division growing within the Catholic Church. It’s not popular are “ecclesiastically correct” to talk about this, but it’s the elephant in the living room.

There are those cardinals, bishops, priests, religious, and laity who are 100% supportive of the Holy Father and Catholic Tradition and then there is another group that is not 100% supportive.

My experience, and the experience of others, confirms that Group B is not sympathetic or helpful to the lay people belonging to Group A. I realize that this is a controversial analysis. I’m avoiding the terms “liberal” and “conservative” so that this comment feed doesn’t spin out of control. However, we can all readily identify the theology, liturgical styles, magazines, publications, Catholic schools, politicians, and Catholic universities that belong to Group B. Group B is, no doubt, still the majority in America.

Join the Great Catholic Migration:

Yet in the last several years, since the beginning of the Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, a migration has been occurring. The folks in Group A are growing weary and discouraged. They love Christ, love Mary, love the Pope, love traditional devotions, they love traditional Catholic architecture (not white-washed auditoriums or modern “worship spaces”), they love Gregorian chant, reverence, beauty, and anything else that brings glory and honor to Christ. These people are those that pray and give the most, and they are tired of being beat up. They are now migrating.

Parish Migration

Here is what I mean by migration. These Catholics are not physically moving to new geographic areas (though some Catholics do literally move to be part of a wonderful parish). They are realigning their attendance, resources, skills, and money to those parishes, orders, schools, colleges, and other institutions that support and promote traditional Catholic orthodoxy and practice. These Catholics see beyond the slogans, clichés, and gimmicks of Group B’s institutional advantage, and they are becoming aware of Catholic leaders and clergy who are spear-heading this great migration.

Financial Migration

This migration is made possible through public transportation and the internet. People can now drive to the “solid parish” in the diocese. They can now have fellowship and friendship with like-minded Catholics via the internet. They can refuse to put their money in the local parish collection and instead send it the FSSP, the Norbertines of Orange County, the Canons of St John Cantius, or to a solid orthodox College that promotes the magisterial teachings of the Catholic Church. A large network is currently being extended and strengthened. It’s unstoppable.

What we have is a Catholic realignment and people are talking about it every day. It is only a matter of time before more and more people vote with their feet and vote with their pocket books. The dissenting parts of the Church will wither and die. Their influence will shrivel up.

For those that have written to me about their crises of conscience, my advice to you is this: begin the migration. I’ll probably catch flack from this, but I have prayed about it and asked Christ to lead me on this question. I’d encourage all of you to do the same. Ask Christ our Lord where He wants you to be.

Is it a form of good stewardship to tithe your money to dissenting priests and parish staffs? Is it a form of good stewardship to submit your children to lame homilies, banal liturgy, and heterodoxy? I’ve only been given one life to live and Christ will ask me to give an account for each and every moment. I don’t want to waste it and I bet that you don’t want to waste it either.

Begin migrating to the good and holy priests who offer themselves as living sacrifices…for our spiritual well-being. Support these holy men!

Find a monastery and get to know the religious there. Are they solid? Then support them with your money and prayers. Where is the closest discalced Carmelite convent to you? Start supporting them asking for their prayers?
What about seminaries? You don’t need me to tell you that not all seminaries are faithful and orthodox. There are still rotten seminaries out there. Research and ask about the seminaries near you. Visit them and learn about their curriculum and liturgical practices. Support the best seminaries. Focus your resources there.
Begin researching Catholic Colleges that actually instill a deep Catholic faith in their students. Are these colleges equipping 22-year-olds to live debt-free, have large families, or find vocations? Support them. These institutions are the future of Catholicism.

Don’t waste your God-given time and money on apostolates, parishes, and schools that are not fully supporting the one true Faith without which it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6).

I’d like to hear from you:

First, is the Great Migration an over-reaction? I don’t think it is, but there may be those that beg to differ.
Second, have experienced a crisis in your own parish life. If so, pause, take a deep breath and don’t write anything scandalous in the comments. Show respect and restraint. Instead, share with us how you fixed the problem or migrated with your family.
Third, I’m advocating a positive approach. I don’t think we should be a crusade to rip apart the dissenting parts of the Church. I prefer to be a gentlemen about it. I’m not going to fight or argue about it. I’m just going elsewhere. I’m going quietly, but I’m bring people with me.
Fourth, please subscribe to my blog for daily updates on this subject an others. You can get a daily email with posts like this, free, by clicking here and signing up for the email feed.

[reminder]

The post Are You Part of the Great Catholic Migration of the 21st Century? appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

My Initial Doubts about the Latin Mass

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:43:00 +0000

Also Known as the "Grover Mass" Post

By now it’s no secret that I attend the Latin Mass; however, I’ve not always been partial to the Latin Mass. For a few years after my conversion to the Catholic Faith, I was cautiously curious about the the “old Mass.”

I perceived it as exotic, antiquarian, and even as a dangerous. Although I had some esteem for the “old liturgies,” I was not convinced of the merits of the Latin Mass and the culture, which for better or worse, surrounds it.

My wife and I starting taking our family to the Latin Mass around Feast of the Ascension of 2010. Before we made this move, however, I had some serious misgivings about the Latin Mass, which we also call the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Our concerns were some of the common concerns that others still have and voice regularly. I cannot speak for everyone, but I’d like to go through my own personal misgivings about the Latin Mass and then explain how I overcame them, or, to be blunt, learned to live with them.

“Daddy, look! Girl priests!”

There were a lot of things that caused us to make the transition. Part of it was my attachment to aesthetically beautiful liturgy from my Anglican days. Most of it had to do with my alarm at the liturgical abuse that we witnessed. For example, the first time that my four year old daughter saw female “altar boys” serving at the altar, she tugged on my sleeve and said, “Daddy, look. I wanna be a girl priest, too.” Not encouraging.

Just sayin’. That’s the child’s version of lex credendi, lex orandi at work.

Mass as the Diamond Ring

Please don’t hear me saying that the Novus Ordo is invalid. By all means, it is valid and re-presents the true sacrifice Christ to God the Father. But the Mass is like a diamond engagement ring. It’s not enough that it be a real diamond. It must also have a gold ring and a proper setting if you want it to really shine and be appreciated.

There were a number of dissatisfactions, but the breaking point happened some time in early 2010. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

That “Grover” Eucharistic Moment

It was a Sunday. I won’t identify the church. Our family went forward to receive Holy Communion. My family always tried to receive Communion from the priest, but sometimes it was impossible and you’d get re-routed to an Extraordinary Eucharistic Lay Minister. This re-routing must have happened this day. The EM to whom we were routed that day was wearing jeans and she had on an over-sized blue shirt with a giant image of Grover’s face. I just did a Google search and found a picture of the exact shirt:

Here, I was entering into intimate Communion with the Divine Logos, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Himself…but I was staring into the face of Grover from Sesame Street.

Grover never bothered me before, but that day I was deeply bothered by Jim Henson’s icon staring me in the face. Beautiful vestments had been instituted for a purpose. Up until now I did not appreciate how they prevented the faithful from coming into contact with Muppets during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

As I returned to my pew, I thought inwardly: “This church is empty of any Catholic images, statues, or icons. The only icon that I can gaze into is the EMs muppet’s shirt. This is ridiculous. I don’t want my children to grow up with this perception of the one true Faith.” I had seen worse things than this before, but for some reason the Grover moment broke me.

I was now ready to make full-hearted foray into the Latin Mass community served by the FSSP (Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter – in union with the Holy Father, of course). Yet, I had a few pre-conceived notions against the Latin Mass and its adherents.

My Pre-Conceived Stereotypes:

First of all, I was turned off by the so-called “traddies” who haunted the pews during the Latin Mass. Here are the common stereotypes of those scary traditionalists that you hear about in conversations:

“Modest clothing,” which seems to be interpreted as “denim for the ladies” and “no denim for the men,” paired with ubiquitous jumpers for moms and daughters, men with pants hemmed too short, 1950s haircuts, and “brown” as the most holy of all colors. Actually, make that “Carmelite brown.”
Judgmental and Pharisaical so that all outside their version of Catholicism are in need of “fraternal correction.”
Bishop-bashers, which means that we must police the behavior of bishops and post their faults online.
Dour facial expressions: Sad, depressed, and/or angry.
Uneducated, yet obsessed with Latin.
Amish Catholics or Bunker Catholics, which means that we must bunker down, circle the wagons, and wait patiently for the Three Days of Darkness.
Jansenists in theology, which means that they are really Catholic Calvinists who believe that human nature is totally depraved and salvation is a gave of accumulated points. (St Thomas Aquinas rightfully taught that grace perfects nature. Jansenists hold that grace gets rid of that nasty nature.)

I think that sums up the traddy stereotype pretty well.

So, are they true?

Well, like all stereotypes, the traddy sterotype is greatly exaggerated but based on reality. After five years, I still experience mitigated examples of the stereotypes above, but it’s not as thorough as I had suspected.

Let me interject that my wife and I were braced for the worst but were pleasantly surprised. Yes, people did come up afterward and compliment our family. They were kind. They invited us to coffee. The priests were welcoming friendly and genuinely concerned for our souls. This last feature, the outstanding priests, is the key to all of this. We met young Catholic friends immediately – friends to this day. People were nice and friendly.

In true Thomistic fashion, let’s examine each objection in order:

ad 1. “Modest clothing” which seems to be interpreted as “denim for the ladies” and “no denim for the men” paired with ubiquitous jumpers for moms and daughters, men with pants hemmed too short, 1950s haircuts, and “brown” as the most holy of all colors. Actually, make that “Carmelite brown.”

My wife and I have learned that “modest” does not mean homely. It takes time, style, and even money to dress modestly and attractively. Are some people dressed in burlap jumpers? Not burlap, but there are some jumpers here and there. But that’s just a tiny minority. Most men and women (and children) look pretty dignified. And to be quite honest, I’d much prefer to see a whole team of burlap jumper ladies than 19-year-old girls with low cut tops, short-shorts, or “jeggings.” If you’re Catholic in the USA, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Which would you rather have?

ad 2. Judgmental so that all outside their version of Catholicism are in need of “fraternal correction”

Judgmentalism is a problem for any Catholic who is serious about his faith. Whenever we try hard to enter the narrow gate, we occasionally pause and pity all the souls taking the other path. Pity often gives way to resentment, especially when they’re having so much fun on the other path. Is there an inordinate amount of judgmentalism or Pharisaism in Latin Mass circles? Yes, it’s certainly there. However, I don’t think that Latin Masses causes judgmentalism. I think it’s because the Latin Mass attracts religious people and the devil tempts the religiously minded with pride. The devil knows he’s not going to tempt Mrs. Latin Mass to strut around in a tight sweater and jeggings. No, he has different plans for the religious. Pride is his powerful temptation for the devout.

But there is judgmentalism even among the most liberal and progressive parishes and priests. I had a very progressive priest recently accuse me of being a “fundamentalist” and insinuating that I’m pro-life but that I don’t help women with their babies. He was so “open-minded,” and “progressive,” but I left that conversation feeling despised, judged, and beat up. So much for being a “merciful” and “pastoral.”

So let’s remember that judgmental clergy and laymen are everywhere.

ad 3. Bishop-bashers, which means that we must police the behavior of bishops and post their faults online.

Honestly, people I know love and pray for their bishop regularly. You hear some bishop bashing here and there; however, I heard it all the time in the Novus Ordo parishes, as well. I really don’t think that Latin Mass adherents are big bishop-bashers.

ad 4. Dour facial expressions: Sad, depressed, and/or angry

Now was everyone at the Latin Mass so friendly and cordial? No, of course not. There were a few ladies of advanced years that gave mean looks to my wife when our little ones interrupted – but that happened even at the Novus Ordo. Most people were happy and accepting.

As for the men, they’re just guys. Knights of Columbus. Sports. Dads. Just men. I have noticed that Latin Mass men universally own guns and are into hunting. Good features in my book.

ad 5. Uneducated, yet obsessed with Latin

The first part isn’t true. What I have noticed is that the Latin Mass generally attracts two demographics: intellectuals and blue collar males. Perhaps the latter gives rise to the myth of “uneducated.” Intellectuals are attracted because they see the importance of a continuity of tradition and they drama of sanctity in the old rites.

But the same is true for your blue collar men. These men are real men and they are unimpressed with 1970s jingles, the overly-familiar “Father Bob,” and other fluffy elements found in contemporary music and liturgy.

Also, it doesn’t seem that people are obsessed with Latin or posit magical properties to it. As someone once said, Latin and silence are to the Roman liturgy what the iconostasis is to the Eastern liturgies. The human soul demands a separation between the profane and the sacred. There are other reasons for Latin (I cover a few reasons for Latin in my new book: The Eternal City – Rome & the Origins of Catholicism.)

ad 6. Amish Catholics or Bunker Catholics, which means that we must bunker down, circle the wagons, and wait patiently for the Three Days of Darkness.

When times are bleak, this is a dangerous temptation. We can feel that we must give up the positive call to evangelism because things are so bad. We can convince ourselves that our light must be placed under a bushel so as to not be snuffed out. While there are some who seek to revive an agrarian utopia of yesteryear, most are people studying, working, and living in the local community. Many of them are bringing people into the Catholic Church. Lots of converts.

ad 7. Jansenists in theology, which means that they are really Catholic Calvinists who believe that human nature is totally depraved. St Thomas Aquinas rightfully taught that grace perfects nature. Jansenists hold that grace gets rid of that nasty nature.

The old heretics known as the Jansenists were down on devotion to the Saints, down on devotion to Mary, and down on devotion to the Sacred Heart. If anything, the priests and laity attached to the Latin Mass are the greatest enthusiasts for true devotion to the Rosary and the Sacred Heart. Also, Jansenism sought to have austere simplicity in the liturgy. A Solemn High Mass is anything but that!

People also need to know that Jansenism was a liturgical movement, but moving in the other direction of the Latin Mass. The Jansenists wanted vernacular Mass and Breviary, undecorated altars, candle sticks off the altar, whitewashed walls, removal of statues, and a decrease in private devotions.

What I’ve perceived is that if a priest preaches on hell, purgatory, contraception, divorce, or other difficult topics, he will be rumored as Jansenistic. Sermons on hell, especially, generally lead to allegations of Jansenism. My response is that we need to hear it.

To summarize, most of the stereotypes are not fully accurate but do in fact touch on elements, good or bad, in communities attached to the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Mass. To be honest I don’t notice the stereotypes anymore. If I think about it, I can see it. However, they are more like surface features. They aren’t of the essence. So let’s turn to one final objection that does concern doubts over the essence of the Latin Mass: Lay Participation.

But What About the Latin and “Active Participation”?

Now we turn to an objection that is not simply about the people and culture, but about the old liturgy in particular. It is often asked, “How do you actively participate? It’s in Latin. That’s a huge barrier for me.”

The Latin Mass is like beer. You have to drink it in a few times to like it. My challenge would be for you to attend the Latin Mass for four Sundays in a row before making a decision. Give it that long. Here’s why:

You will slowly make a shift in the way that you assist at Holy Mass. Your concept of Active Participation will transform in your heart. There is a lot of quiet “space” in the Latin Mass. The first time or so, you’ll be sitting there doing nothing and thinking, “What’s going on? Why aren’t we doing anything?”

When you’ve reached that point, you’re getting close. It’s like drinking beer for the first time. “This tastes terrible? What’s the hype? I don’t understand.” But then you come to realize that beer is more than just the taste.

You realize something is different. Your soul begins to focus silently on Christ crucified. You find yourself kneeling next to the Blessed Virgin Mary in stunned silence as the priest lifts Jesus Christ over his head. You enter into the silence. It’s difficult to understand. You simply have to experience it.

True Active Participation

This brings us to a new understanding of “Active Participation.” Active participation is not moving your body around the sanctuary. Active participation is not serving as an altar boy, carrying cruets, reading a lesson, or being an EM. If that were the case, then every lay person in the nave would need a special job to fulfill to participate actively. This is not active participation, but it is false clericalism. It is the incorrect belief that a lay person must do something quasi-priestly for it to be meaningful and prayerful.

The Second Vatican Council did not promote active participation as clericalism. No, true active participation as promoted by the Council is modeled by the Blessed Virgin Mary. It means actively following the work of Christ on the cross with a humble and prayerful heart. Ask yourself, who was more “active” at the foot of the cross, the Roman soldiers or the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John, and Saint Mary Magdalene? Active participation is fulfilled by an inward disposition. This conforms to our conviction that God wants the heart more than he wants outward signs of piety.

Conclusion

To sum up, the positives are reverence and active participation. The negatives are laid out in the seven objections. My opinion is that there are certain truths connected to the seven stereotypes. I’m not saying that the stereotypes are entirely false, but they are greatly over-exaggerated.

So my challenge is to try out the Four-Week Challenge. Attend the Latin Mass (only in communion with the Holy Father – avoid schismatic groups) for four weeks and give it a go. It’s a different experience. I think you’ll find it wonderful.

[reminder]Please leave a comment about your experiences.[/reminder]

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8 Bible Verses on Christ’s Descent into Hell

Dr Taylor Marshall — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 13:35:00 +0000

Previously we examined “Why Did Christ Descend into Hell?” and discussed the four abodes of Hell. On this Holy Saturday, here are eight Bible verses for you to keep near you for apologetic purposes. These eight verses describe the descent of Christ into the Limbo of the Fathers (also known as Abraham’s Bosom).

Saint Paul teaches us in Ephesians 4:9 that Christ our Lord descended into Hell after He offered His life on the cross. “Now that He ascended, what is it, but because He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?” Note here that Hell is described as having “parts” that is the four parts of Hell.
Saint Peter said in Acts 2:24 that “God hath raised up Christ, having loosed the sorrows of hell, as it was impossible that He should be holden by it.” Christ loosed the Old Testament saints from hell.
Saint Peter also wrote in 1 Peter 3:19 that “Christ coming in spirit preached to those spirits that were in prison, which had some time been incredulous.” On this verse, Saint Athanasius says that “Christ’s body was laid in the sepulchre when He went to preach to those spirits who were in bondage, as Peter said.” (Ep. ad Epict.)
The prophet Hosea foretold the descent of Christ into Hell in Hosea 13:14 by placing these words into the mouth of the Messiah: “O death, I will be thy death; O hell, I will be thy bite.”
Zechariah foretells the redemption of those in the Limbo of the Fathers in Zech 9:11: “Thou also by the blood of Thy Testament hast sent forth Thy prisoners out of the pit.” What could this mean except that the Messiah would free people from the underworld?
Colossians 2:15: “Despoiling the principalities and powers, He hath exposed them confidently.” This refers to Christ’s victory over the condemned angels who are the demons of Hell.
Psalm 23:7: “Lift up your gates, O ye princes,” which the medieval Gloss interprets: “that is–Ye princes of hell, take away your power, whereby hitherto you held men fast in hell”.
In Ecclesiasticus 24:45, Siracides (author of Sirach) prophecies: “I will penetrate to all the lower parts of the earth.”

I hope you find these helpful. If you find yourself with a Protestant who only rolls “Scripture alone,” you’ll want these in your tool belt.

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Did God Command Genocide in Deuteronomy?

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:49:00 +0000

In the comments below regarding God’s command to stone sinners for certain crimes in the Old Law, (see Deut 12:10), the topic of Israelite genocide came up. Especially with the advent of the New Atheists, there is an allegation that the God of Israel commanded “genocide.” As we saw previously, God has commanded the death of certain individuals, but did He also command the death of an entire race or entire races?

Their argument of “Israelite genocide” comes chiefly from the 20th chapter of Deuteronomy:

[16] But of those cities that shall be given thee, thou shalt suffer none at all to live: [17] But shalt kill them with the edge of the sword, to wit, the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, and the Chanaanite, the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee: [18] Lest they teach you to do all the abominations which they have done to their gods: and you should sin against the Lord your God.

Here God commands that the cities of six peoples be destroyed. Remember the context. The Israelites are about to re-enter the Promised Land and conquer the land as their own. When they come across these six peoples, they are to kill them all. Why? It has nothing to do with genetic inferiority or genetic impurity. Rather, these six peoples practice “abominations” that will lead Israel to abandon God.

What kind of abominations? Child sacrifice, sorcery, idolatry, incest, rape, sodomy, and murder.

Now opponents of Christianity will cite this verse to the horror of their audience in order to prove that the God of Israel is either cruel or just as capricious as Jupiter or Allah.

How do we answer the genocide questions?

Check the context. The part that is often left out is the section immediately preceding the passage above from Deuteronomy 20. My commentary is in red:

[10] If at any time thou come to fight against a city, thou shalt first offer it peace. {Hence, God doesn’t order absolute genocide, but first offers peace to all the cities of the pagans.} [11] If they receive it, and open the gates to thee, all the people that are therein, shall be saved, and shall serve thee paying tribute. {If they accept the peace offered by Israel they will be saved, but will have to pay taxes to Israel since Israel rightfully owns the promise land by God’s command} [12] But if they will not make peace, and shall begin war against thee, thou shalt besiege it. [13] And when the Lord thy God shall deliver it into thy bands, thou shalt slay all that are therein of the male sex, with the edge of the sword, [14] Excepting women and children, cattle and other things, that are in the city. And thou shalt divide all the prey to the army, and thou shalt eat the spoils of thy enemies, which the Lord thy God shall give thee. [15] So shalt thou do to all cities that are at a great distance from thee, and are not of these cities which thou shalt receive in possession.

Certainly the six peoples listed above, the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, and the Chanaanite, the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite, were treated more strictly since even their women and children were to be slaughtered if they did not accept the peace of Israel (consult verse 16 which places a stricter judgment o these people). Nonetheless, we know from history that some of these people did receive Israel and were not only preserved, but began to worship to the true God of Israel.

For example, in 2 Samuel 24:18 we read, “And Gad came to David that day, and said: Go up, and build an altar to the Lord in the threshing floor of Areuna the Jebusite.” Here then is a land-owning Jebusite living in Jerusalem. David doesn’t kill him. He makes a deal with him. In fact, this Jebusite even offers his land for free to King David so that the Temple will be built there. He even tries to freely give his oxen for the sacrifice to God! Even so, David reward the Jebusite for paying him a fair price anyway. So much for absolute genocide against the Jebusites!

Another example is Rahab, the keeper of the lodge in Jericho is also an example of a woman, who with her household, was saved by receiving Israel and converting to the God of Israel.

Some will still be upset by the fact that God ordered the children of these people to be killed. Notably in other cities, these children were spared, but among the the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, and the Chanaanite, the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite, the children were to be killed.

Here’s a follow up post I wrote on the killing of their children by Israel: Why did God Order the Death of Gentile Infants: A Possible Solution.

[reminder]

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Catholic Origin of Veteran’s Day with St Martin of Tours

Dr Taylor Marshall — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:51:00 +0000

Veterans Day is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. In other countries, the day is celebrated as Armistice Day. It recalls the ending of World War I at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.

However, there is a deeper, Catholic meaning to November 11. This day is the feast of Saint Martin (c. 316 – 397) – that godly hermit and bishop who had once been a soldier. Martin laid down the sword in order to live a life of peace and penance under the gentle yoke of Jesus Christ. St Martin is Europe’s chief example of the transition from soldier to saint; from war to peace.

Traditionally, November 11 had previously served as a day of signing peace treaties in honor of Saint Martin. Thus, it was fitting to end Europe’s Great War on this same day – the festival of Saint Martin of Tours.

So there’s a little Catholic history for you to share at the water-cooler or at your next cocktail party. Saint Martin is the ultimate veteran – a veteran from Christ.

Saint Martin, patron of peace, pray for us.

Let others discover the Catholic origins of our holidays. Please share this on Facebook:

[reminder]

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The Origin of All Souls day…Voices from a Volcano

Dr Taylor Marshall — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 16:04:00 +0000

What is the origin of All Souls day? It started in the 900s with voices coming from a volcanic cave. But before that a little background on praying for the dead:

As we all know, the practice pf praying and sacrifice for the dead goes back to the Jewish custom of sacrifice for the dead. This custom of prayers and sacrifices for the dead predate the birth of our Lord Christ in Bethlehem.

We find an explicit Old Testament description and exhortation of prayer and sacrifice for the dead in 2 Maccabees 12:42-26. Moreover, all the Church Fathers testify to the practice of praying for the dead in the Eucharistic liturgy. Praying for the dead an example of one of the most ancient Christian customs – older than Christmas, older than church buildings, even older than the New Testament itself.

But what about this special day, All Souls, on which we pray and sacrifice for the dead in a special way? We find an account of its origins in the writings of Saint Peter Damian, who records the following story.

In the 900s, there was a French pilgrim returning from the Holy Land who was shipwrecked on an island with a cave from which belched heat and gas (a volcano of some sort). This pilgrim met a Christian hermit who lived near this cave. The hermit explained that he could sometimes overhear demons in the cave complaining about all the souls that are released from purgatory through the prayers and sacrifices of the monks in Cluny, France.

When the French pilgrim returned to France, he visited the monastery of Cluny and recounted the hermit’s story to the abbot of the monastery, then Abbot Odilo. The pilgrim testified to the great number of souls delivered from purgatory through the humble prayers of the Cluniac monks.

Odilo (died in 1048) was deeply moved by this and redoubled the monks efforts in assisting the souls in purgatory. Thus, he dedicated the day after All Saints Day (Nov 1) to all the souls still in purgatory (Nov 2).

Soon, the practice spread to the rest of France and then to the universal Church so that November 2nd became All Souls Day.

Saint Odilo, pray for us.

May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.

To discover the Jewish origins for praying for the dead, please see my book The Crucified Rabbi.

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Christian Cosmology and the Days of the Week

Dr Taylor Marshall — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:38:00 +0000

The seven days of the week are named after the seven “moving stars” of the heavens visible to the naked eye:

dies Solis (Sun)
dies Lunae (Moon)
dies Martis (Mars)
dies Mercurĭi (Mercury)
dies Jovis (Jupiter)
dies Venĕris (Venus)
dies Saturni (Saturn)

How did these associations come to be?

Well, it actually goes back to the domination of each hour of the day by one of the “seven moving stars” by order of how far each one is from the planet earth.

The Greek Stoics established this order correctly and it provided the template. The Babylonians before them likely new of the order but the Greek Stoics confirmed the template:

Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon

Notice these do not correspond to the order of the days of the week. Why?

Well, it is quite remarkable. We must return to the domination of each hour of the day by a certain star. The first hour of a day is dominated by Saturn, the second hour is dominated by Jupiter, the third by Mars, etc.

If you trace this out, you find that the 25th hour (the first hour of the new day) is the Sun.

Do it again and the 49th hour (the first hour of the second day) is marked by the Moon.

Do it again and the 73rd hour (the first hour third day) is marked by Mars.

You just keep doing this and the cycle spits out this order: Sunday, Moonday, Marsday, Mercuryday, Jupiterday, Venusday, and Saturday. A perfect match.

What does this mean for Christians? It means that the seven day week is mapped out in the cosmos. The seven day week is not an accident of history. Even pagans understood it as having a significant meaning. Genesis one says that the heavenly bodies are “regents” over day and night and so we should not be surprised that the cosmos is a divine clock that marks time properly.

The shifting of liturgical worship form Saturday to Sunday is also another sign of the New Creation. The Sabbath day is associated with Saturn, the “moving star” furthest from our planet. Saturn is eschatological because it is both last in order and farthest from our planet. However, in the New Testament, the day of the Sun becomes the chief day of worship because Christ rose on Sunday. The Sun is also the warmest and brightest of the “seven moving stars”. The sun establishes the year and marks the four season. It is no surprise then that the “day of the Sun” surpasses the “day of Saturn” with the incarnation of Christ. It marks the New Creation, the New Heavens, and the New Earth.

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