Blog about the Catholic faith
Can Catholics become pastors? In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and Anglicanism, pastors are always ordained. In Methodism, pastors may be either licensed or ordained. Pastors are to act like shepherds by caring for the flock, and this care includes teaching. Can...
Do Quakers have religious leaders? Quakers do not have elaborate religious ceremonies and rituals. They regard these as unnecessary; they sometimes call them empty forms. They do not have clergy. Did Quakers believe women’s suffrage? One small Christian denomination played an outsized role in the...
Was the Catholic Counter-Reformation successful? Perhaps the most complete victory for the Counter-Reformation was the restoration of Roman Catholic domination in Poland and in Hussite Bohemia. In Italy, Spain, and the southern Netherlands (the future Belgium), Protestant influence was also largel...
How do you know if a church is right for you? You can often get a good feel for a church by visiting its website. Most churches will provide information about how the church got started, doctrinal beliefs, a statement of faith, plus information about ministries and outreaches. How do you know if...
Where does the Bible say that God is unchanging? God is unchanging in His existence. There has never been a time when God was not. There will never be a time when He will cease to be. Psalm 102:27 says, “But You are the same, And Your years will have no end.” His nature is infinite, never evolving...
Contents show Do Catholic priests have to be virgins? Do priests have to be virgins? There’s a long church history on the question of celibacy and the clergy, some of which you can see in the New Catholic Encyclopedia: bit.ly/bc-celibacy. So no, virginity is apparently not a requirement, but a v...
Did the soldiers voted for Jesus robe? The soldiers voted for Jesus’ robe. Our redemption was a purchasing back to God by Jesus. Prophecies in the Scripture provide evidence that Jesus was God’s Son. How did the soldiers handle Jesus clothes? Pilate’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s p...
What was the church in Philippi known for? The first Christian church in Europe was founded at Philippi (built on top of a tomb of a Hellenistic hero) which had become an important early Christian centre following a visit to the city by Paul the Apostle in 49 CE. Lydia was notable as the first Europ...
Why does Jesus compare us to sheep? God compares us to sheep in the Bible because we need His protection. We need to stick together as fellow Christians. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36 ESV)....
Does praying to God really help? Yes and no. Research consistently shows that prayer can have numerous benefits. Clearly, people pray because it makes them feel better, or makes them feel hope, or makes them feel love, or makes them feel just a welcomed hair shy of being utterly powerless. Shou...
Tips for Increasing Church Attendance Create a Welcoming Environment. Offer Online Services. Ask Your Congregation for Feedback. Encourage Church Members to Bring Friends. Share Videos on Social Media. Promote Small Groups. Challenge People to Serve. Focus Your Church’s Prog...
How many generations have there been since Jesus? Averaging 25 years per generation, there would have been about 81 generations including Jesus’s own. At an average of 20 years per generation, there would have been 101 generations since Jesus’s birth, including his own. What is the lineage from ...
What is the biblical way of fasting? WHAT IS FASTING? Fasting is a spiritual discipline that is taught in the Bible. Jesus expected His followers to fast, and He said that God rewards fasting. Fasting, according to the Bible, means to voluntarily reduce or eliminate your intake of food for a speci...
How are Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy similar and different? The Roman Catholic Church is more focused on law, logic and the central authority of the Pope, while the Eastern Orthodox Church is more concerned with maintaining the mystery of faith and governing through consensus. What ar...
What is biblical manna made of? Manna was almost certainly trehalose, a white crystalline carbohydrate made of two glucose molecules joined together. It is one of very few naturally occurring molecules that taste sweet, although it is only half as sweet as sugar. What does manna symbolize in the...