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.

Doctors of the Church

Catholic Christians believe that the promise of the Spirit of Truth to guide believers in truth is found in the constant faith of the Church as preserved in the writings of the Doctors of the Church also, equally "faithful people." The Doctors of the Church are eminent Christian teachers who are proclaimed to be worthy of the title. The Church recognized these faithful people and teachers for their contribution to the belief and understanding of the faith. Doctors of the Church must be canonized a saint, known for their learning, and must be proclaimed such by either the Bishop of Rome or an ecumenical council.

Ephrem The Syrian, St.

Personal: Deacon, monk
Noted for his defense of the Church, the mysteries of Our Lord and the honor of the Virgin Mary.
Named in 1920 by Benedict XV
Place and dates: 306?-373
Writings: Wrote exegetical works and hymns

Athanasius, St.

Personal: Eastern theologian
Named in 1568 by Pius V
Place and dates: 293-373
Writings: See Post-Apostolic Fathers' list

Cyril of Jerusalem, St.

Personal: Eastern theologian
Named in 1882 by Leo XIII
Place and dates: 315?-387?
Writings: See Post-Apostolic Fathers' list

Basil, St. (the Great)

Personal: Eastern theologian
Named in 1568 by Pius V
Place and dates: 329?-379
Writings: See Post-Apostolic Fathers' list

Gregory of Nazianzus, St.

Personal: Eastern theologian
Named in 1568 by Pius V
Place and dates: 329?-389
Writings: See Post-Apostolic Fathers' list

Ambrose, St.

Personal: Western theologian
Named in 1298 by Bonaface VIII
Place and dates: 340?-397
Writings: See Post-Apostolic Fathers' list

Jerome, St.

Personal: Western theologian
Named in 1298 by Bonaface VIII
Place and dates: 345?-419
Writings: See Post-Apostolic Fathers' list

John Chrysostom, St.

Personal: Eastern theologian
Named in 1568 by Pius V
Place and dates: 349?-407
Writings: See Post-Apostolic Fathers' list

Hilary of Poitiers, St.

Personal: Pagan, convert in 350
Bishop of Poitiers, 353
Defended the decrees of the Council of Nicaea
Named in 1851 by Pius IX
Place and dates: 315?-368?
Writings: De Trinitate: against the Arians
De Synodis
Commentary of the Psalms
Commentary of Matthew's Gospel

Augustine, St.

Personal: Western theologian
Named in 1298 by Bonaface VIII
Place and dates: 354-430
Writings: See Post-Apostolic Fathers' list

Cyril of Alexandria, St.

Personal: Named in 1882 by Leo XIII
Place and dates: 376-444
Writings: See Post-Apostolic Fathers' list

Peter Chrysologus, St.

Personal: Called chrysologus (golden-mouthed) because of exceptional preaching eloquence
Archbishop of Ravenna, 433-450
Named in 1729 by Benedict XIII
Place and dates: 406-450
Writings: Many sermons survive

Leo The Great, St.

Personal: Pope, 440-461
Confirmed the doctrine of the Incarnation (Council of Chalcedon, 451)
Held the doctrinal primacy of Rome
Persuaded Atilla the Hun not to invade Rome
Named in 1754 by Benedict XIV
Place and dates: 461
Writings: 143 surviving letters
96 sermons

Gregory I, St.

Personal: Western theologian
Named in 1298 by Bonaface VIII
Place and dates: (The Great) 540?-604
Writings: See Post-Apostolic Fathers' list

Isidore of Seville, St.

Personal: Encyclopedic knowledge
Archbishop of Seville
Conversion of Visigoths
Organizing the church in Spain
Named in 1722 by Innocent XIII
Place and dates: 560?-636?
Writings: De Natura Rerum
Etymologies: an encyclopedia
Chronica Majora: a compilation from church historians
Biographies
A summary of Christian doctrine

Bede The Venerable, St.

Personal: English Benedictine monk
Prolific writer
Named in 1899 by Leo XIII
Place and dates: 673?-735
Writings: Ecclesiastical History of the English People (731)
On the Reckoning of Time (725)
Historia Abbatum (725)

John Damascene, St.

Personal: Named in 1890 by Leo XIII
Place and dates: 675-749
Writings: See Post-Apostolic Fathers' list

Peter Damien, St.

Personal: Benedictine monk
Cardinal and Bishop of Ostia
Ecclesiastical statesman and reformer
Named in 1828 by Leo XII
Place and dates: 1007-1072
Writings: Notable poet
Wrote reforms for popes, clergy, monks

Anselm, St.

Personal: Benedictine monk
Theologian
Philosopher; proposed famous argument for existence of God
Archbishop of Canterbury, 1093-1100
Named in 1720 by Clement XI
Place and dates: 1033-1109
Writings: Monologium (1077): God as highest being and His attributes
Proslogium (1078): Faith seeking understanding
Cur Deus Homo (1093): On the Incarnation and crucifixion

Bernard of Clairvaux, St.

Personal: Cistercian monk
Preacher of the Second Crusade
Founded over 90 monasteries
Named in 1830 by Pius VIII
Place and dates: 1090-1153
Writings: The Love of God (1127)
Consideration to Eugene III (1148)

Anthony of Padua, St.

Personal: Franciscan monk
Theologian
Exceptional intellectual and oratorical gifts
Named in 1946 by Pius XII
Place and dates: 1195-1231
Writings: Lector in theology: taught at Bologna, Montpellier, and Toulouse

Albert The Great, St.

Personal: Bishop of Ratisbon, 1260-1293
Introduced Greek and Arabic science and philosophy into the medieval world
Dominican, Order of Preachers
Teacher of Thomas Aquinas
Named in 1932 by Pius XI
Place and dates: 1206-1280
Writings: Summa Theologiae (1270): attempted to reconcile Aristotelianism and Christianity
Sentences: a commentary on Peter the Lombard
De Unitate Intellectus: against the Averrhoists

Bonaventure, St.

Personal: Franciscan friar
Philosopher, theologian
Cardinal archbishop of Albano
Assisted at Council of Lyons
Named in 1588 by Sixtus V
Place and dates: 1217-1274
Writings: Breviloquium (1254): Commentary on Sacred Scripture
Journey of the Mind to God (1259)
Life of St. Francis of Assisi (1263)

Thomas Aquinas, St.

Personal: Theologian
Named in 1568 by Pius V
Italian philosopher
Educated at Monte Cassino
Ordained a priest in 1250
Advisor and lecturer to the papal court, 1259-1268
Place and dates: 1225-1274
Writings: Eighty works are ascribed to him
Summa Contra Gentiles: "On the Truth of Catholic Faith," 1261-1264: one of his greatest works, closely reasoned treatise on the truth of Christianity
Summa Theologica: a summary of theology, (1265-1273)

Catherine of Siena, St.

Personal: Western mystic
Joined the Dominican Order in 1353
Convinced Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome from Avignon
Noted for works of charity and unity in the Church
Named in 1970 by Pope Paul VI
Place and dates: 1347-1380
Writings: Letters on spiritual matters
Dialogue: her ideals of reform and repentance

Theresa of Avila, St.

Personal: Western mystic
Foundress of the Order of Discalced Carmelites
Entered the convent in 1535
Founded the new order in 1562
Worked with the aid of St. John of the Cross, Spanish mystic and Doctor of the Church
Named in 1970 by Pope Paul VI
Place and dates: 1515-1582
Writings: The Way of Perfection: (1565) advice to her nuns
The Interior Castle: (1577) an eloquent description of the contemplative life
The Foundations: (1573-1582) the origins of the Discalced Carmelites

Peter Canisius, St.

Personal: Jesuit
Second great Apostle of Germany
Leader, Counter-Reformation
Named in 1925 by Pius XI
Place and dates: 1521-1597
Writings: Catechism (1560): instructed the faithful to defend their Faith

Robert Bellarmine, St.

Personal: Jesuit theologian
Cardinal archbishop of Capua
Revision of the Vulgate (1592)
Leader of the Counter Reformation
Named in 1931 by Pius XI
Place and dates: 1542-1621
Writings: Disputations on the Controversies of the Christian Fa