Foreword
........................................ 9
A Word to the Wise .............................. 11
God and Covenant ................................ 13
The Story ....................................... 15
THE TRIUNE GOD
.................................. 19
The Trinity
..................................... 19
The Holy Spirit is God .......................... 24
Procession of the Spirit ..................... 25
Jesus Christ: Fully Human and Fully Divine ...... 26
Mary, Mother of God .......................... 26
Equality of the Three Persons ................... 33
CREATION AS SACRAMENT
........................... 35
SCRIPTURE
....................................... 41
The Relationship between Holy Scripture and the
Holy Church .................................... 42
Excerpts from: Dogmatic Constitution on Divine
Revelation (Dei Verbum) ..................... 42
How Scripture Should be Read ................. 44
The Church's Interpretation of Scripture ........ 46
The Canon of Scripture .......................... 48
The Evidence of Ancient Texts ................ 48
Proving the Bible and the Church Trustworthy . 49
Scripture Translations ....................... 49
How the Canon was Established ................ 50
New Testament Deuterocanonical Passages ...... 55
Excerpts from the Old Testament Deuterocanon-
ical Books .................................. 56
Private Interpretation of Scripture ............. 62
Sola Scriptura .................................. 65
Tough Questions about Scripture .............. 70
THE CHURCH
...................................... 73
The Church is One ............................... 74
The Church is Holy .............................. 79
The Church is Catholic .......................... 82
The Church is Apostolic ......................... 84
The Mystical Body ............................... 88
The Communion of Saints ......................... 91
Christ is the One Mediator ................... 94
Relics of the Saints ......................... 98
Church Authority and Infallibility .............. 99
Development of Doctrine ...................... 105
Papal Authority ................................. 107
The Rock ..................................... 108
The Keys ..................................... 110
The Shepherd ................................. 111
Tradition ....................................... 114
The Mass — Christ's One Sacrifice ............... 118
SACRAMENTS
...................................... 129
The Love of Christ .............................. 131
Sacramental Principles .......................... 134
Holy Matrimony .................................. 136
Divorce ...................................... 144
Birth Control ................................ 145
Abortion ..................................... 149
Baptism ......................................... 154
Baptism Prefigured in the Old Testament ...... 154
Establishment of Baptism ..................... 157
Marriage to the Bridegroom ................... 159
Regenerative Baptism ......................... 161
Necessary for Salvation ...................... 162
Immersion .................................... 163
Infant Baptism ............................... 165
Confirmation .................................... 166
Holy Orders ..................................... 167
Women's Ordination ........................... 169
Call No Man "Father" ......................... 170
Celibacy ..................................... 171
The Eucharist ................................... 173
The Eucharist Prefigured in the Old
Testament ................................... 174
The Establishment of the Eucharist ........... 179
The Eucharist in the Early Church ............ 185
Reconciliation: Reunion with the Church ......... 189
Anointing of the Sick ........................... 193
SACRAMENTALS
.................................... 195
Blessings ....................................... 195
Images .......................................... 196
Holy Water ...................................... 199
Ashes and Incense ............................... 203
SALVATION
....................................... 205
Salvation Through Faith and Works ............... 205
Works of the Law ............................. 210
Imputed Righteousness ........................ 214
Once Saved, Always Saved ........................ 216
Mortal and Venial Sin ........................... 220
Redemptive Suffering ............................ 222
Temporal Consequences of Sin .................... 225
Purgatory ....................................... 226
Indulgences ..................................... 229
Hell ............................................ 231
Heaven .......................................... 233
MARY
............................................ 237
Mary, the Sinless New Eve ....................... 238
Mary, Ark of the Covenant ....................... 243
Mary, Perpetual Virgin .......................... 244
Brothers of Christ ........................... 246
Mary, Queen of Heaven ........................... 249
Mary, Our Mother ................................ 252
Maternal Mediation .............................. 255
The Assumption of Mary .......................... 257
The Virtues of Mary ............................. 258
Martin Luther on Mary and Marian Veneration ..... 260
PRAYER
.......................................... 263
The Power of Prayer ............................. 263
The Sign of the Cross ........................... 264
Repetitious Prayer .............................. 265
Litany ....................................... 266
The Hail Mary ................................... 267
The Rosary ...................................... 268
The Sub Tuum Praesidium ......................... 269
Memorare ........................................ 270
Hail Holy Queen ................................. 270
Liturgy of the Hours ............................ 272
Our Father ...................................... 273
First Petition ............................... 275
Second Petition .............................. 275
Third Petition ............................... 276
Fourth Petition .............................. 276
Fifth Petition ............................... 277
Sixth Petition ............................... 278
Seventh Petition ............................. 279
APPENDIX
........................................ 281
Resources ....................................... 281
About the Author ................................ 282
Index ........................................... 283 |
