Free Republic

NORFOLK Old Dominion quarterback Blake LaRussa, a former walk-on who will forever hold a place in Monarchs lore for leading a historic upset of Virginia Tech, is walking away, at the height of his career. The redshirt junior from Bishop Sullivan Catholic announced Wednesday that he will forgo his final season of eligibility and enroll in seminary school. "It has been an incredible journey with Old Dominion football, but I would like to announce that I will be moving on from football after I graduate this spring and will be going into full-time ministry," LaRussa said in a statement released...

Much of the scholarly discussion about the circumstances of JesusÂ’ death relates to the question of who was responsible for his arrest and crucifixion.Who was responsible? The Jews or the Romans?Historically, the primary responsibility has been placed on the Jewish leadership and the Jews in Jerusalem. Throughout the centuries, this has sometimes had tragic consequences, resulting in anti-Semitism and violence against Jews.More recent trends in scholarship have shifted the blame to the Romans.The tendency to blame the Jews, it is said, arose in the decades after the crucifixion with the churchÂ’s growing conflict with the synagogue and its desire to...

(Screenshot: Comedy Central)As we mentioned, Stephen Colbert, heir to David Letterman's chair on "The Late Show," openly talks about his Catholic faith. It's a surprise to those who know the comedian only as the satirical conservative host of "The Colbert Report."In this April 2009 episode on Maundy Thursday, Colbert hosted Bart Ehrman, a prominent New Testament scholar and biblical critic.As Ehrman points out contradictions he's found in the Bible, notably in the crucifixion of Jesus, Colbert takes him to task in his usual acerbic tone. But under the caricature, Colbert presents the divinity of Christ in ways that leave...

Mary: Mother of God? This article is prompted by an ad in the Parade Magazine titled: "Mary Mother of God: What All Mankind Should Know." The offer was made for a free pamphlet entitled "Mary Mother of Jesus" with this explanation: "A clear, insightful pamphlet explains the importance of Mary and her role as Mother of God." This is quite a claim, to say the least! Nowhere in the Bible is Mary said to be the mother of God. I touched on this subject in a series on "Mary Co-Redeemer with Christ" printed recently. Question: If Mary is the Mother...

A new pro-life group comes out swinging today, and it chose a powerful spokeswoman for their cause. Gianna Jesson survived a saline abortion 31 years ago, and has fought to stop the barbaric practice of leaving such living infants to die by abortionists unwilling to face the failure of their procedure. Jesson testified in 2001-2 to get Congress to pass the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, and now she joins Born Alive Truth to point the finger at the only current member of the Senate to have voted against such a bill:

Am I the only one who marvels at the futility of Man as he tries to explain the origin of the universe? The time and effort expended upon this pursuit could be far better spent upon issues that actually lack an answer. Trying to find a new explanation for the cosmos via science is like trying to reinvent the wheel. For the sake of argument let’s assume that the universe happened by accident just as many so-called scientists claim. With this as a starting point we can make the assumption that there was a source of crude matter from which...

Alabama 1901, Preamble. We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution.Alaska 1956, Preamble. We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land. Arizona 1911, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution... Arkansas 1874, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government... California 1879, Preamble. We, the...

No Time Out for Christmas! It seems there is no time out in the nation's Cultural War. Not even Christmas is sacred. The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) is protesting Time magazine's publishing of statements against the virginity of Our Lady in the cover article of its December 13 edition. The American TFP is strongly objecting to what it considers a most unwarranted attack on Mary and the Catholic faith. The Time article cites authors that call into question the circumstances of Our Lord's birth with declarations like: "Critics may also have alleged that...

<p>WASHINGTON — TheSupreme Court (search), in a new rendering on separation of church and state (search), voted Wednesday to let states withhold scholarships from students studying theology.</p> <p>The court's 7-2 ruling held that the state of Washington was within its rights to deny a taxpayer-funded scholarship to a college student who was studying to be a minister. That holding applies even when money is available to students studying anything else.</p>

When Paul wrote that Jesus emptied himself and became a servant and yet he was God, in what ways did he retain or not retain his powers of being God? by R. C. Sproul     The concept of "emptying" was a raging controversy in the nineteenth century, and elements of it remain today. The Greek word used by Paul in the second chapter of Philippians, kenosis, is translated as "emptying" in most Bible versions. The question is, Of what did Jesus, in his human (incarnate) state, empty himself?      The popular view in certain circles in the nineteenth century was...

Preaching abundant living The Rev. Della Reese Lett teaches lessons of material success and personal empowerment in her own church. Della Reese, who played a down-to-earth heavenly being on "Touched by an Angel" isn't acting as she stands in front of a congregation on Sundays in West Hollywood. She's preaching — in her own church. And her message has no mention of sin, no mention of good and evil and no endorsement of sacrifice if it means doing without. She talks about abundant living, not in the hereafter but in the here and now.

"Jesus, by proclaiming his own divinity, proclaimed the divinity of all mankind." -- Dr. Raymond Charles Barker