Catholic Perspective on Paul

#11 Paul on Matrimony and Marital Roles

Mon, 22 Aug 2009 10:32:07 -0500

How do we understand Paul’s doctrine of matrimony and marital roles when he writes: * Saint Paul: “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church” (Eph 5:23) * Saint Paul: “Let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands (Eph 5:24). Listen and find out! It’s actually very beautiful and encouraging for both husbands and wives.

#10 The Celibacy and Fatherhood of Paul

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:32:07 -0500

The Apostle Paul was celibate and yet he called himself a “father”. Learn how the Catholic discipline of celibacy and spiritual fatherhood are related in Saint Paul and in the Catholic Church.

#9 Was Paul a Catholic Priest?

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:32:07 -0500

Was Paul a Catholic priest? Yes, he refers to his "priestly ministry" in Romans 15:15-16. He adminstered the sacraments, called himself a "steward of the mysteries", and he was even celibate! Join us as we look at the priestly language in Paul's Epistles.

#8 Paul on Eucharistic Sacrifice and Transubstantiation

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:32:07 -0500

Join us as we examine the origin of the Eucharist in Old Testament typology. Saint Paul deeply understood this continuity and speaks of the Lord's Supper and the "table of the Lord" with sacrificial language. We'll also take a look at how the Council of Trent examined specific passages in the epistles of Paul with respect to transubstantiation and the Real Presence.

#7 Did Paul teach Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead?

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:32:07 -0500

No doubt, this podcast episode should raise some eyebrows among the Protestants listening to this podcast series. Many non-Catholic students of Paul’s writings assume that purgatory is the farthest thing from the mind of Paul. However, the Catholic Church finds in the Paul one of the most persuasive arguments for purgatory.
Join us as we make the case for Paul's doctrine of Purgatory and prove that he did in fact pray for the dead!

#6 Paul's doctrine of Confession and Mortal Sin

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:32:13 -0500

Evangelicals and other kinds of Protestants in their commendable zeal often distill the writings of Saint Paul to such an extent that they miss the complexities and nuances of the Apostle. This is especially the case when it comes to Saint Paul’s doctrine of salvation. As a result, the Evangelical doctrine of “once saved always saved” misses the nuances of Paul’s doctrine. Paul does in fact teach that “nothing can separate us from the love of God” (Rom 8:39). However, he also clearly states that certain Christians have “fallen from grace” (Gal 5:4). What does the Apostle mean when he says that certain Christians have fallen from grace?

#5 Saint Paul on Baptism and being Born Again

Wed, 05 Jul 2009 10:13:41 -0500

“Are you a born again Christian?”
In this episode we examine what Paul taught about being “born again” in the context of the sacrament of baptism - as the Apostle calls it “the washing of regeneration” (Titus 3:5). We also find in Paul the doctrine of original sin, the custom of infant baptism, and also the relationship of the sacrament of baptism to the sacrament of confirmation. Join us as we plow through about 25 Scriptural passages in the works of Saint Paul as they touch upon the sacraments of baptism and confirmation.

#4 Justified by Faith or by Faith Alone?

Wed, 02 Jul 2009 10:12:58 -0500

Learn how Martin Luther doctored the text of the Bible by putting a word in Saint Paul’s mouth so as to justify Luther’s own peculiar doctrine of justification. Saint Paul uses the word “alone” more than any other New Testament author, but he never uses it in conjunction with faith. The only place in Scripture where the word “faith” and the word “alone” exist together is within the Epistle of James: “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24). Here we find the phrase “faith alone,” but it is categorically rejected – James asserts that Christians are not justified by faith alone.

#3 Did Paul believe in the Catholic Church?

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:12:43 -0500

This podcast examines Saint Paul’s insistence “that there be no divisions” in the Church. Paul could not conceive of Christians naming themselves after human church leaders. Paul exhorted the Corinthians not to tolerate those who claimed to be “Pauline” Christians. Nor should there be any “Apollonian” or “Petrine” Christians. Given Paul’s insistence against name-bearing sects, we safely conclude that he would fiercely condemn the practice of certain Christians who identify themselves as “Lutherans” or “Calvinists”. Even the word “denomination” comes from the Latin de nomine meaning “of a name”. This denominational arrangement is completely foreign to the teachings of Paul. For this reason, the Catholic Church never accepted a “denominational” understanding of Church.

#2 Will the real Paul please stand up?

Wed, 29 Jun 2009 10:12:18 -0500

In this second podcast, we explore the history of Pauline interpretation extending from the heretic Marcion in the second century on through Martin Luther, and finally in the liberal German revisionism of F.C. Baur. As Saint Peter wrote two thousand years ago, within the writings of Saint Paul, "There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures" (2 Pet 3:16). Mindful of these words we observe how thinkers have reshaped Paul in their own image according to their own prejudices.

#1 Rabbi Saul becomes Saint Paul

Wed, 28 Jun 2009 10:11:41 -0500

In this talk we look at the Apostle Paul's background as a Jewish Rabbi and the significance of his conversion for first century Christians and its importance for us today. In particular we examine the details of Paul's conversion and discover the how it led to the foundational doctrine of Catholic Christianity - that the Church is the Body of Christ.