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2025-01-06T16:01:44-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Church Must Change: Okay, Let’s Have an Honest Dialogue

Last updated on: January 6, 2025 at 4:01 pm By Dennis Knapp

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Progressives within the Catholic Church currently feel a certain degree of buyer’s remorse concerning the recently ended Synod on Synodality (SoS). All the hope reflected in the initial “listening sessions” that the Church change her views on women’s ordination and human sexuality evaporated with the release of the Final Document on October 29th, 2024. This document makes no mention of adjusting the Church’s view on sexual ethics and offers only a slim hope by stating women’s participation in the diaconate... Read more

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Synod of Synodality

Progressive Catholics

2024-12-28T09:37:57-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Triumph of Christian Conservatism in 2024: A Look Back

Last updated on: December 28, 2024 at 9:37 am By Dennis Knapp

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As we approach the end of the year, I wanted to highlight some articles from 2024, especially those articles that anticipate the ascendancy of Christian conservatism and the national downfall of progressivism. I also provide a post-mortem to assist progressives in how they ought to move forward. Have a great and happy New Year. January 2024 Let’s Stop the Extremist Rhetoric – It’s Unhelpful In this article, I started the year with an appeal to political progressives to stop their... Read more

General Christian

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2024 Year in Review

2024-12-26T09:41:13-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Does Mary Still Need to Help Wretched Sinners?

Last updated on: December 26, 2024 at 9:41 am By Dennis Knapp

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During my research for the current debate with Matthew Graham, I read the Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguori. Another Protestant pastor friend of mine claims that this work, above all other works on the Virgin Mary, crosses the line from hyperdulia (high honor) to latria (worship). After reviewing St. Ligouri’s work, I do not see idolatry. However, I do see high honor, the highest honor given a creature, due to Mary’s role as the Mother of God. What... Read more

General Christian

Relationships and Religion

2024-12-13T15:20:35-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Veneration Is NOT a Pagan Accretion: Reply 2

Last updated on: December 13, 2024 at 3:20 pm By Dennis Knapp

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For this article, I wish to respond to Matt’s criticism of my previous article. My goal in this part of the exchange is to unpack the following: Both Protestants and Catholics must address the silence concerning the veneration of the Saints (dulia) and the Virgin Mary (hyperdulia) in the earliest centuries of the Church, especially when compared to the 4th century and beyond. Matt’s contention that Gnostic and Hellenistic paganism infiltrated the early Church (4th century and beyond) and that... Read more

General Christian

History and Religion

2024-12-11T10:59:14-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Veneration Of The Saints and Virgin Mary Idolatrous: Reply 2

Last updated on: December 11, 2024 at 10:59 am By Dennis Knapp

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Guest writer: Matt Graham Summary Dennis’s Article In his last reply, Dennis claims that “the veneration of the Saints is directly linked to a proper understanding of the Incarnation.” He cites John Henry Newman saying the “veneration of the Saints grew naturally out of an understanding of the deified nature of gloried man, not out of some accretion from pagan religion or philosophy.” In support of this claim, he quotes St. Athanasius regarding the deification of man. This is followed... Read more

General Christian

History and Religion

2024-12-06T13:19:17-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Veneration of the Virgin Mary (& Saints) Is NOT an Accretion

Last updated on: December 6, 2024 at 1:19 pm By Dennis Knapp

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Special thanks to Matt Graham for his very thoughtful and honest contribution to this discussion. I hope we both grow in greater understanding through this continued dialogue. To start, I appreciate that Matt started on where we agree. I also appreciate that Matt sees the difference between latria, dulia, and hyperdulia. However, Matt veers a bit off track in his claim that the veneration of the Saints and the Virgin Mary entered the Church via pagan accretion. For this article,... Read more

2024-11-27T20:54:53-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Veneration Of The Saints and Virgin Mary Idolatrous: Reply 1

Last updated on: November 27, 2024 at 8:54 pm By Dennis Knapp

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Guest contributor: Matt Graham I want to thank Dennis Knapp for asking me to engage with him on this important topic. To kick things off, I would like to start by pointing out those things upon which we agree. This is helpful for friendly dialogue and for avoiding misunderstanding regarding where the disagreement really lies. Where we agree: Those who have distinguished themselves in their love and service to God or have been chosen by God for a special purpose... Read more

General Christian

History and Religion

2024-11-29T00:51:31-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Is Veneration of the Saints and Virgin Mary Idolatrous?

Last updated on: November 29, 2024 at 12:51 am By Dennis Knapp

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I recently watched a series of videos by Dr. Jordan Cooper, a Lutheran theologian and YouTuber, concerning the Catholic practice of venerating (praying to) the Saints and the Virgin Mary. Dr. Cooper considers this practice unbiblical and a historical accretion into Christianity via Roman pagan syncretism. In this article, I lay out the Catholic practice of venerating the Saints and the Virgin Mary and address Dr. Cooper’s criticisms. As an added layer of analysis, my Protestant friend Matthew Graham agreed... Read more

General Christian

History and Religion

2024-11-21T09:53:06-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Let the Bishops Individually Demonstrate Docility

Last updated on: November 21, 2024 at 9:53 am By Dennis Knapp

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Guest contributor: Todd Flowerday Recently, Dennis identified docility as a trigger word. He cited one dictionary definition: 1: easily taught a docile pupil 2: easily led or managed: tractable a docile pony Docile implies a predisposition to submit readily to control or guidance. A few questions on my part: Does teaching in the Church always go in one direction, popes to Catholics, bishops to dioceses, clergy to laity? Do adults (and even insightful youth and children) have something to teach... Read more

General Christian

Home and Religion

2024-11-19T19:25:39-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Unfortunate Catholic Trigger Words: Docility and Obligation

Last updated on: November 19, 2024 at 7:25 pm By Dennis Knapp

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In the US, two words seem to trigger negative emotions among Catholics more than any other: docility and obligation. Now, many US Catholics reading this will think I overstate the situation. They may feel no initial emotional response at all to words like docility and obligation. However, if they take the time to examine the role of docility and obligation in Catholicism, they will inevitably arrive at a strong emotional response. In short, US Catholics do not like others, including... Read more

General Christian

Catholic Theology

Docility

Obligation

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