Catholic Biblical Apologetics

Apologetics without apology!

What does the Roman Catholic Church teach about ...? ... and why?

This website surveys the origin and development of Roman Catholic Christianity from the period of the apostolic church, through the post-apostolic church and into the conciliar movement. Principal attention is paid to the biblical basis of both doctrine and dogma as well as the role of paradosis (i.e. handing on the truth) in the history of the Church. Particular attention is also paid to the hierarchical founding and succession of leadership throughout the centuries.

This is a set of lecture notes used since 1985 to teach the basis for key doctrines and dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church. The objectives of the course were, and are:

To present the biblical basis for the origin and development of the Roman Catholic Church.
To present the development of the canon of Scripture and evolution of biblical teaching in the Church.
To understand the role of paradosis/tradition in the oral transmission of revelation.
To study the Council of Jerusalem, described in the 15^th chapter of The Acts of the Apostles and its role in the development of doctrine in the conciliar movement in the Church.
To understand the revelation, doctrinal development and practice of the sacramental life in the history of the Church.
To study the role of the Holy Spirit as teaching authority in the Church.
To study the revelation and development of hierarchical authority in the Church.
To understand the hierarchy of truths in the Church as well as the role of private devotion and personal growth in holiness.

The course grew out of the need for the authors to continually answer questions about their faith tradition and their work. (Both authors are active members of Catholic parish communities in the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia. Dr. Robert Schihl was a Professor and Associate Dean of the School of Communication and the Arts at Regent University. Paul Flanagan is a consultant specializing in preparing people for technology based changes.) At the time these notes were first prepared, the authors were spending time in their faith community answering questions about their Protestant Evangelical workplaces (Mr. Flanagan was then a senior executive at the Christian Broadcasting Network), and time in their workplaces answering similar questions about their Roman Catholic faith community. These notes are the result of more than a decade of facilitating dialogue among those who wish to learn more about what the Roman Catholic Church teaches and why.

The Church: A Biblical Portrait - A New Testament Apologetic

Jesus Christ preached a Reign or Kingdom, the Kingdom of God (or of heaven).

Mt 4: 17: From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

"King, basileus" and "Kingdom, Reign, basileia" must be understood in the sense that Scripture gives them. A "King" is that physical person who rules some public society of people, not by the choice of the people, but his own right. A "Kingdom" is that society of people governed by a king.

The term "Kingdom (or Reign) of God" occurs 50 times in the three synoptic Gospels (14 times in Mark, 32 times in Luke, and 4 times in Matthew).

The term "kingdom of the heaven" occurs 32 times, mostly in Matthew for designating that kingdom beyond the earth which God decreed to build through Christ.

Mt 4:17,23: From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." ... He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.
Mt 9:35: Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness.
Mt 5:3,10: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ... Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Mt 6:10: ... your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Mt 13:24,31, 33,44,45,47: He proposed another parable to them. "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field." ... He proposed another parable to them. "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field." ... He spoke to them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast ... The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field ... Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. ... Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind."
Mt 18:23: "That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants."
Mt 20:1: "The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers ..."
Mt 22:2: "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son."
Mt 25:1: "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom."
Mt 6:10: " ... your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven."
Mt 10:7: "As you go, make this proclamation: 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"
Lk 9:2: He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal (the sick).
Lk 10:9: " ... cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God is at hand for you.'"
Act 1:3: He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

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