Free Republic

Chapter 9 Of Free Will 1. God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that it is neither forced, nor, by any absolute necessity of nature, determined to good, or evil.a2. Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom, and power to will and to do that which was good and well pleasing to God;b but yet, mutably, so that he might fall from it.c3. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation:d so as, a natural man, being altogether averse from that...

Vatican City, May 16, 2008 / 09:53 am (CNA).- Pope Benedict has composed a prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan to celebrate the Day of Prayer for the Church in China, which will be observed on May 24.In a letter written to the Catholic Church in China last year, the Holy Father expressed his hope that May 24, the memorial of Our Lady Help of Christians, who is venerated at the shrine of Seshan in Shanghai, would become a day of prayer for the Church in China. The full text of the English-language version of the Holy Father's prayer...

Caritas Internationalis emergency response efforts are underway in Myanmar's Ayeyarwady division and Yangon districts, two of the areas hardest hit by Cyclone Nargis, for an estimated 40,000 people who will receive vital relief, including food, shelter, water, medical care and psychological support. Catholic Relief Services is supporting Caritas Internationalis and partners on the ground after one of the worst cyclones to hit the region in decades struck this delta region on May 2. To date, 1,000 people have received food, and another 16,000 people are expected to receive relief supplies in the coming days. More than 100 local volunteers have...

Chapter 8 Of Christ the Mediator 1. It pleased God, in his eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and man,a the Prophet,b Priest,c and King,d the Head and Savior of his church,e the Heir of all things,f and Judge of the world:g unto whom he did from all eternity give a people, to be his seed,h and to be by him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.i2. The Son of God, the second person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance...

After modeling a seeker-sensitive approach to church growth for three decades, Willow Creek Community Church now plans to gear its weekend services toward mature believers seeking to grow in their faith. cut Since 1975, Willow Creek has avoided conventional church approaches, using its Sunday services to reach the unchurched through polished music, multimedia, and sermons referencing popular culture and other familiar themes. cut .....surveyed congregants at Willow Creek and six other churches, suggested that evangelistic impact was greater from those who self-reported as "close to Christ" or "Christ-centered" than from new church attendees. In addition, a quarter of the "close...

Motorcyclists in town for the Harley-Davidson spring bike rally are being pinched at the pump like all drivers. The economy is down, gas costs are up and the bike rallies are traditionally the start of the tourist season, when prices at hotels begin to rise. An organized campaign One group has specific goals this week - to save as many bikers' souls as possible. And the Baptist missionaries are playing to people's pocketbooks to do it. At the Citgo gas station on U.S. 17 Business South and Farrow Parkway, bikers can get $10 worth of gas, a "Biker Bible" and...

Evangelical Writers Challenged to Avoid Alienating the Unchurched Evangelical writers nearly always alienate non-evangelicals in their works, noted long-time Christian writer and editor Tim McLaughlin. Fri, May. 09, 2008 Posted: 12:04:29 PM EST PORTLAND, Ore. – “I have a bone to pick with you,” a Christian writer told a group of fellow evangelical writers Thursday. Evangelical writers nearly always alienate non-evangelicals in their works, noted long-time Christian writer and editor Tim McLaughlin. While most writers write to impact non-believers, as well as believers, the phrases they use and how they ignore some faith passages are real obstacles to reaching the...

Chapter 7 Of God’s Covenant with Man 1. The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God’s part, which he hath been pleased to express by way of covenant.a2. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works,b wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity,c upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.d3. Man, by his fall, having made himself...

The video has pictures of earth’s universe and its grandeur. The pictures and images are of space Nebulas and show the magnificent awesomeness of our solar system.

Chapter 6 Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof 1. Our first parents, being seduced by the subtilty and temptation of Satan, sinned, in eating the forbidden fruit.a This their sin, God was pleased, according to his wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory.b2. By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion with God,c and so became dead in sin,d and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body.e3. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this...

ROME, MAY 13, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Most journalists covering the Church have a hard time grasping its scope, and its real nature "slips through their fingers," said an organizer of a seminar that aims to give the press tools for reporting on Catholicism.John Wauck explained to ZENIT the difficulties journalists have when they are assigned to report on the Church and he spoke about the seminar he is helping to organize. Wauck is the president of the organizing committee for "The Church Up Close: Covering Catholicism in the Age of Benedict XVI," offered by Rome's Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.The...

What in heavens is going on with WJMJ? The radio station, heard at 88.9 FM in the Hartford area, is owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford but offers air time to programming from other religions. Earlier this month, Protestant leaders were informed that most or all of their programming would be dropped as the station went to a more Catholic format. The Rev. John Gatzak, executive director of the archdiocese's Office of Radio and Television, said last week that the station would become more active in Catholic evangelization. He said it was becoming an affiliate of EWTN Radio,...

Beijing - The son of American evangelist Billy Graham said Friday he is opposed to missionary work at this summer's Beijing Olympic Games. Franklin Graham, also an evangelist, was speaking to reporters Friday during a visit to Beijing for meetings with the Communist Party-controlled Protestant church movement. He said he wanted to encourage authorities to resolve conflicts with the church, but would not criticize policies that critics say limit the church's independence and religious rights. While some Christian groups have said they plan to proselytize during the August games, Graham said he was against that because Chinese law does not...

Chapter 5 Of Providence 1. God the great Creator of all things doth uphold,a direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things,b from the greatest even to the least,c by his most wise and holy providence,d according to his infallible foreknowledge,e and the free and immutable counsel of his own will,f to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.g2. Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the First Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly;h yet, by the same providence, he ordereth them to fall out, according to...

Women's Ordination Was Non-Negotiable When the Church of England’s General Synod voted to allow the ordination of women to the Anglican priesthood in 1992, it caused a seismic row in the Anglican church. A number of clergy, including five bishops, eventually left to join the Catholic Church. Among them was Fr. Peter Geldard, who, as chairman of the Church Union, led the opposition to the ordination of women and opened the debate by speaking against the then-Anglican archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey. The debate took place not merely in the synod itself but throughout the media in the days and...

Chapter 4 Of Creation 1. It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,a for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness,b in the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things therein whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days; and all very good.c 2. After God had made all other creatures, he created man, male and female,d with reasonable and immortal souls,e endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after his own image;f having the law of God written in their hearts,g and power to fulfill it:h...

Chapter 3 Of God’s Eternal Decree 1. God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass:a yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin,b nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.c 2. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions,d yet hath he not decreed anything because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to...

Thank you, Pastor Gruen for the opportunity to ask you some questions. 1. Did you ever hear the rumor that you recanted "aberrant practices "? If so what was your reaction?I was more disappointed, than shocked. I was disappointed that Mike Bickle and/or his I-hop staff would willfully, deliberately spread lies and it continues to this day. I receive several e-mails a month asking if I recanted, etc. (See e-mail I received this week in question #7.)2. What were you going through when you wrote your report?I really received tremendous support locally, and was not attacked by other ministers, so...

Father Terry Rassmussen, pastor of St. Joseph in New Hope, finished reading, closed the Book of the Gospels, and stepped away from the ambo. From the congregation, Ginny Untiedt stepped forward. Clad in a white robe, Untiedt bowed as Father Rassmussen laid his hands on her head and blessed her. She looked up, walked to the ambo and began preaching for the last time.As many as 29 parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis have used lay preachers at Mass during the past 25 years. In January, however, Archbishop Harry Flynn instructed pastors to discontinue the practice. He...

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Latin is online at the Vatican. Without fanfare, the Vatican's www.vatican.va site has made hundreds of papal and other documents available in a new Latin-language section. The Latin area went live May 9. Visitors clicking on "Sancta Sedes" (Latin for "Holy See") are taken to a menu of documents arranged by pontificate or Roman Curia office. Also posted is the complete neo-Vulgate Latin version of the Bible and Latin editions of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Code of Canon Law and the documents of the Second Vatican Council. The papal pages -- "Summi Pontifices"...

Chapter 2 Of God, and of the Holy Trinity 1. There is but one only,a living, and true God,b who is infinite in being and perfection,c a most pure spirit,d invisible,e without body, parts,f or passions;g immutable,h immense,i eternal,k incomprehensible, l almighty,m most wise,n most holy,o most free,p most absolute;q working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will,r for his own glory;s most loving,t gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin;u the rewarder of them that diligently seek him;w and withal, most just, and terrible in his...

Saturday, May 10, 2008 The Hypocrisy of Catholic Answers I had to break my hiatus to share two interesting campaigns by Catholic Answers. It appears from the two campaigns that the Catholic Church has a problem: the majority of Catholics are ignorant of their faith and susceptible to a variety of prey including Mormons, liberal Catholics, homosexuals and the dreaded “anti-Catholics�. In fact, according to Catholic Answers, the Mormons have been quite successful in gaining Catholic converts: “Many people have been doing just that—especially Catholics. In fact, in recent years the majority of converts to Mormonism have been Catholics....

But why am I opposed to this 'Healing Revival' so soon after it has been announced? -It is because I already know Todd Bentley's ministry all too well, and this whole thing centers around him.

I have been to the outpouring in Lakeland twice with my family. I was wondering if any other Freepers have been as well. We went when it was still in Ignited Church which holds 700. It has moved to a church in Auburndale that holds 3,000, they then moved it to the Lakeland Convention Center that holds 9,000 and then to Lakeland Tigers Baseball stadium that holds nearly 12,000. Tonight it will be at Lakeland/Linder Airport, Sun and Fun Grounds. We have seen lots of healings and miracles. It has been going on for over 35 days and will be...

A couple quick notes from these pages' core competence... Having just seen the Patriarch of the West (OK, the title's currently in abeyance, but still...), a spiritual father of the East is about to roll onto these shores. Next week, the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir begins a weeklong Stateside swing in New York, with subsequent stops in Philadelphia, Houston, and Washington; along the way, the 88 year-old head of the 9 million-member global fold will meet with both UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and (for the second time) President Bush. Among other highlights, Sfeir -- officially "the 76th...

Chapter 1 Of the Holy Scripture 1. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable;a yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation.b Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church;c and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the...

Preface In 1643, during a period of civil war, the English "Long Parliament" (under the control of Presbyterian Puritans) convened an Assembly of Divines (mostly Puritan ministers, including a few influential Scottish commissioners) at Westminster Abbey in London. Their task was to advise Parliament on how to bring the Church of England into greater conformity with the Church of Scotland and the Continental Reformed churches. The Westminster Assembly produced documents on doctrine, church government, and worship that have largely defined Presbyterianism down to this day. These documents included a Confession of Faith (1646), a Larger Catechism (1647), and a Shorter...

Chapter 6The Temple "The order of the house of God has been, and ever will be, the same, even after Christ comes; and after the termination of the thousand years it will be the same; and we shall finally enter into the celestial kingdom of God, and enjoy it forever. - Joseph Smith1Although it was not mentioned in Chapter 4, the ordinance of baptism for the dead is performed by the Latter-day Saints in buildings they call temples. Various other ordinances, notably the Endowment and marriage for eternity, are also performed there, both for the living and the dead. Therefore,...

NEW YORK (CNS) -- For the first time, representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participated in a papal prayer service -- and it all started over coffee. In an interview with Catholic News Service and other reporters before the start of the ecumenical prayer service at St. Joseph's Church in New York April 18, Father James Massa, executive director of the U.S. bishops' Secretariat of Ecumenical and Interrreligious Affairs, said that during a coffee break at a recent meeting a representative of the Latter-day Saints asked him if there was any possibility of their participation in...

The Pope is set to make an historic apology when he visits Sydney in July - to the tens of thousands of Australians sexually and physically abused by predatory Catholic priests. Church sources have told The Daily Telegraph there is mounting expectation that Pope Benedict XV1 will use his Australian trip to express his shame and regret over the church's long-running abuse scandal - and may also meet with victims. The likelihood of an apology increased yesterday when one of the Catholic church's most senior figures, the bishop of Maitland-Newcastle, Michael Malone, gave his backing for a papal apology. Bishop...

The Catholic Church is taking steps to prevent LDS Church members from performing baptisms for Catholics, after their deaths. In a 2NEWS interview, Catholic Bishop, John Wester explains the church’s decision. The order was issued in a letter by the Vatican Congregation for Clergy. The Vatican’s directive calls the LDS practice of baptisms for the dead a “detrimental” practice and it directs each Catholic Bishop to “not cooperate with the erroneous practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.” Bishop John Wester told 2NEWS’ Brian Mullahy that he views the letter as an “internal” document and that the...

We speak as bishops, as teachers of the Catholic faith and of the moral law. We have the duty to teach about human life and dignity, marriage and family, war and peace, the needs of the poor and the demands of justice. Today we continue our efforts to teach on a uniquely important matter that has recently been a source of concern for Catholics and others. It is the teaching of the Catholic Church from the very beginning, founded on her understanding of her Lord's own witness to the sacredness of human life, that the killing of an unborn child...

VATICAN CITY, 7 MAY 2008 (VIS) - In the general audience, held this morning in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 20,000 faithful, the Holy Father used the occasion of the visit to Rome of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians, to focus his remarks on ecumenical dialogue. The Patriarch, who was present at the audience, also made a brief address in which he reflected on the same theme, also dwelling upon the history of the Armenian people. Greeting the Patriarch in English, Benedict XVI referred to the statue of St. Gregory the Illuminator,...

NEW YORK — Several years ago while he was still mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani and Cardinal Edward Egan of New York reached a private understanding. Giuliani agreed to refrain from receiving Communion because of his strong support for abortion rights. But when the pro-abortion politician breached his private commitment in just about the most public manner conceivable — by receiving the Eucharist at the April 19 Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York — Cardinal Egan decided an equally public rebuke was required. In an April 28 statement posted on the archdiocesan...

A good friend recently pointed out a web site which has scans of Catholic comic books from the 1940s through the 1960s. On the one hand, they are fun and a great snapshot into mid twentieth- century Catholicism. On the other hand, it is remarkable how much serious content they bring with them. The images pictured here come from a 1948 issue on the Mass, which starts with Old Testament typologies, gives a short history of the development of the rites, and then establishes that the earthly liturgy takes place within the context of the joining of heaven and earth....

Last week, the West Coast Call to Action had its conference in San Jose. This blogs links to a video of the Closing Liturgy. Here’s a direct link to the video.Playing “spot the liturgical abuse� is not the point. Nor is snarking at the average age of the participants. (Just heading off the predictable commentary at the pass here. Let’s go deeper.)What I am just not grasping, despite my pretty strong powers of empathy, is the gestalt at work here.Why does everyone think the giant liturgical puppets are so awesome?This has got to be one of the oddest things...

Shortly after his historic victory in Paraguay's mid-April elections, President-elect Fernando Lugo -- the retired bishop suspended from ministry after he declaring his run for office -- received a courtesy call from the papal nuncio to the Latin American country, Archbishop Orlando Antonini. While the Paraguay church's initial reaction to Lugo's expected defeat of its long-reigning Colorado party was little more than acknowledgment that it happened, Antonini called on the president-elect bearing a gift from B16: not a decree of excommunication, but a pen adorned with the papal coat of arms. The prelate-politico was reported to be emotional as...

Pope Benedict will text message thousands of young Catholics on their mobile phones during World Youth Day in Sydney in July, hoping going digital will help him connect better with a younger audience. The Pope will text daily messages of inspiration and hope during the six-day Sydney event while digital prayer walls will be erected at event sites and the church will set up a Catholic social networking Web site akin to a Catholic Facebook. The Catholic Church said it decided to use technology to connect to the estimated 225,000 young Catholics expected to attend the World Youth Day (WYD)...

5.7.08 Join the Celebration Webcast Tonight Tonight from 6:30-8:00 PM Arizona time, we'll be having a time of celebration at Community Church of Joy in Glendale, AZ. This will be an exciting time to discuss the 4.26.08 experience, hear stories of what God has begun in the hearts of many across the nation, and begin to pray, "What next, Lord?" If you're in Arizona, please join us at CCOJ, Loop 101 & 75th Avenue! Otherwise you can join us via live webcast by clicking here. Interact with us! We will be answering your questions during the celebration, so please feel...

Christ Our Hope A Look Back at Pope Benedict's 2008 Missionary Journey to the US Michael J. Matt Editor, The Remnant (Posted May 5, 2008 www.RemnantNewspaper.com) When Pope Benedict looks through the window of his papal apartment, over the Piazza San Pedro and out to the world beyond, consider what he sees… Christians and Muslims comprise half the world’s population. Half of that half, however, is suffering an identity crisis so severe that Islam recently replaced Catholicism as the world’s largest religion. The Vatican’s Monsignor Vittorio Formenti, compiler of the Annuario Pontificio, recently confirmed that “For the first time in...

Priests in the United States are as varied as the country in which they live -- some are past retirement age, others were not born Catholics, and others have sought the priesthood after other careers or vocations. "The Class of 2008: Survey of Ordinands to the Priesthood" was performed by the Georgetown University-based Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. The annual survey was prepared for the U.S. bishops' Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. "We are blessed with the enthusiasm the newly ordained will bring to the mission of the Church," said Cardinal Sean O'Malley, chairman of the...

Vatican City, May 6, 2008 / 11:03 am (CNA).- Today Pope Benedict appointed members to the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts and the Congregation for the Clergy. Among the appointees are two American archbishops and one cardinal.  The Council for Legislative Texts’ main task consists of interpreting the laws of the Church – both the laws concerning the Latin Rite and the common laws of the Eastern Catholic churches.The new appointments are: Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; Ivan Dias, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; Lluis Martinez Sistach, archbishop of Barcelona, Spain; Oswald...

The April 15-20 visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States offered Americans, and the rest of the world, grist for further evaluation of the pontiff not only as a man but also as a messenger. Caricatures of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who became the current pope, have abounded. As prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, a Vatican office that oversees the orthodoxy of priests, prelates, and theologians, he was called “the pope’s Rottweiler”, “Inquisitor”, and even “Nazi”. As pontiff, he has been called “panzer pope” and “enforcer”, among other epithets. Benedict is the third pontiff...

Archbishop Venables to the Gathered Convention in Fort Worth, TX May 3, 2008 After introduction by Bishop Jack Iker, Archbishop Venables began with Scripture, choosing Acts 2: especially verses 36 and 37: where the crowd responds, “Brothers, what shall we do?” These are my notes on his 90-minute presentation. This (scripture) is an example of the first church meeting. When God’s Spirit moves you, it moves you here (pointed to his head) and here (pointed to his heart). In 1969 when I was 20 years old, a friend spent a whole night, until 4:00 am telling me about this man...

Click the video for 15 minute overview for OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER. This is short excerpt from the hour long" His Show." You are invited to hear about the signs, wonders, miracles, decreasing crime, increasing prosperity, and dramatic church growth that results from this simple but powerful strategy. Learn how you can mobilize on going 24/7 prayer in your city by harnessing the momentum from the National and Global Days of Prayer.

Bill Donohue may not be tired of the culture wars–or internecine Catholic wars. The head of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights is often over the top in denunciations of anti-Catholicism, real or perceived, and of other Catholics who Donohue sees as not toeing the proper Catholic line. But even Donohue may have outdone himself, and done in his own organization, if his latest press release prompts an IRS investigation. The May 2 release is “Catholic Dissidents Advise Obama,” and it draws down on Obama’s Catholic National Advisory Committee, which includes several Commonwealers, such as Cathleen Kaveny and...

As you read today's column, you may be tempted to say, have we not been down this road many, many times? The answer is yes, we have. But since the question continues to be raised of how bishops should respond to Catholics in public life who support abortion legislation, I thought it would be helpful once again to highlight a number of issues for the record. All of these points have been addressed before by me, and collectively by the bishops of the United States. The first is the Church's position on abortion. In my column in the Catholic...

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Easter Season which culminates with the Solemnity of Pentecost, is a privileged time for deepening our communion with the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity who, as we profess in the Creed, is “Lord and giver of Life”! Divine Love is the “giver of life” and without Him it would be absurd for us Christians to speak of life in the spirit. Only with the Spirit of God can our life rise heavenwards and become life “for God” and “in God”. With the gift of the Spirit we are no longer...

Mexico City, May 2, 2008 / 03:12 pm (CNA).- During celebrations marking the International Day of the Child, Archbishop Chavez Botello of Antequera-Oaxaca said having children should not be considered an obstacle to be overcome in life, as “there is no reason a mother cannot be a successful woman. What greater success is there than to give life?” he asked. “Giving life is the greatest triumph that we can obtain over death; the human being carries within himself the innate anxiety to be fulfilled by giving life. It has been proven that marital problems are more common in couples without...

One third now more likely to vote and be more active in community and Church. A poll taken immediately following the conclusion of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the United States shows that it had a powerful impact on public attitudes toward the pope, the Church, and a willingness to live their faith more fully.The nationwide poll of 1,013 adults was commissioned by the Knights of Columbus and conducted by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion between April 22 and April 24, 2008.  Marist conducted a similar poll  prior to the pope’s visit, allowing before-and-after comparisons.Among the highlights of...