A few weeks ago, someone presented a Scripture verse to me that, on face value, seemed to support the idea that one is absolutely unable
Some non-Catholics, especially of the Calvinist tradition, believe that a person whom God has justified will do good works automatically, a teaching that is part
Many people, including my past self, say the word grace without knowing exactly what it is or what it does. We sometimes think of it
The idea that we are all predestined to heaven or hell when we die is rather disconcerting. However, all Christians (and Muslims, too) agree that
The Bible can be frustrating sometimes. It is not a catechism or a treatise on systematic theology, so it doesn’t always present its teachings in
Have you ever heard someone object to the Catholic Church’s teaching on justification? In a nutshell, the Church believes that a working faith justifies, not
Romans 4 is one of the most hotly debated passages in scripture because it is used as a proof text for different doctrinal points on
Speaking to other denominations about the Catholic doctrine of justification can be incredibly fruitful. One element of justification that can easily be misunderstood is Infused
The concept of justification is one of the most discussed and debated topics among Christians. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), the
Surrendering to the power of the Holy Spirit can seem like an esoteric activity, something to talk about, write about, and perhaps pray about. It
My exploration of the “faith alone” controversy began in a discussion with a non-Catholic coworker. One morning, this friend asked me to go to his
“Just offer it up!” It’s an iconic reference that’s become a Catholic spiritual cliché. Dollars to donuts, it was your Mom’s response when you complained
We Catholics are familiar with Lent as a time of fasting and penance. We are told every year that during this time we ought to
