Nat Crawford - Executive Coach, Speaker, Leader

Well, folks, this is the last week focusing on the areas of agreement and disagreement between Roman Catholics and Protestants. You can go back and read part 1  and part 2 to get caught up if you missed. As you can see there are some important areas of agreement and many pivotal areas of disagreement. This week, we'll look at the last of these areas of disagreement: Mariology and Purgatory. Mariology  - Catholics hold Mary, the mother of Jesus, in high esteem. They first believe Mary was a virgin before, during, and after Jesus' birth. Protestants and Catholics agree on Mary's virginity before Jesus' birth. Catholics believe Jesus' birth caused her no pain and no change in her womb or hymen. Catholics view of her permanent virginity is drawn from Scripture (Luke 1:34), tradition, and reason. Protestants use Scripture and common sense reject Catholics position. Next is the immaculate conception. Catholics believe Mary was free from the "stain of original ...

Last week we started looking at the areas of doctrinal disagreement between Roman Catholics and Evangelicals. To read it, click here . There are some major differences in the areas of Scripture, infallibility of the pope, and justification. This week we'll look at our two more important topics: Sacramentalism (the sacraments) and Ecclesiology (the church).  Sacramentalism - The Catholic Church declared infallibly that the sacraments "of the New Law were not all instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord...let him be anathema." This excommunicates virtually all Protestants. Sacraments, or holy thing, has two aspects: the outward symbol and the grace it conveys. The Catholic Church states, "The sacraments...not only point externally to salvation; they contain and betwo the salvation they signify."  Catholics have seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, [holy] order, and matrimony. Baptism, communion, and holy orders hold importa...

Now we turn our focus to important areas of disagreement between Roman Catholics and Evangelicals. The goal here is not to be divisive or to put down anyone. Rather it is to take an honest look at the key differences and why each denomination holds to their views. On that note, let the fun begin. Apocrypha - A serious divide between Catholics and Protestants is over the Apocrypha. The Apocrypha is an additional eleven pieces of text that the Roman Catholic Church add to the Protestant canon of Scripture. It was adopted and made infallible at th Council of Trent in1546. Any who reject these are anathema. Issues are both doctrinal and canonical. Doctrinally the Apocrypha supports prayers for the dead resulting in a belief in purgatory. Canonically the Apocrypha does not test the true test of canonicity. Catholics support the Apocrypha for eleven reasons: 1) There is reference to events mentioned and mirrors some general thoughts found in it. 2) The New Testament quotes the Septua...

Last week we started looking at the areas of doctrinal agreement between Roman Catholics and Evangelicals. To read it, click here. We saw there is much agreement about revelation of Scripture, God, and human beings. We also observed a good amount of agreement on mankind. This week we'll look at our agreement about Christ, Salvation, the Church, ethics and last things. Christ - Both Catholics and evangelicals share a creedal sources, Athanasian and Chalcedonian, for the doctrine of Christ. Central to theology of Christ is He was Son of God, who became man to redeem humans to God. This redemption was through is death and resurrection.Christ is found in the Old Testament through prophecy and would be through three offices: Prophet, Priest, and King. It is by the Old Testament that Christ and His work is understood, thus central to the New Testament. To understand Christ, one must understand both the deity of Christ and the humanity of Christ. Jesus was wholly God as well as the So...

This past Summer I was able to attend a lecture from a former Catholic about the important areas of agreement and differences between Roman Catholicism and Evangelicalism. In addition to this lecture I read a lengthy, but thorough book by Norman Geisler called  Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences. I had the distinct "pleasure" reducing the book down to a 3,000 words. I have received many requests for a copy of this summary. So over the next few weeks I will be adding them on the website. Enjoy. Areas of Doctrinal Agreement Revelation Catholics and Protestants disagree the apocrypha belongs in the Old Testament, but do agree that the current sixty-six books are Divinely inspired. This revelation can be known by everyone. [1]   The Old Testament laid the foundation for Salvation. The New Testament is the completion of God's plan for salvation. [2]   There is both general revelation, which is seen by everyone, so mankind would be without...

In case you will be in the Lincoln area on December 7, 2013. Craig Hazen along with a handful of others will be speaking at Oasis Conference Center about 20 minutes outside of Lincoln. Craig Hazen is the founder of Biola's apologetics program. Main Session topics will include: • Evidence for the Resurrection • Comparing Christianity to other world religions • Discussing your beliefs in a respectful way Breakout Sessions will include: • Tactically deconstructing a worldview to determine its merit • Philosophical arguments for God’s existence • The reliability of the Scriptures • Objective morality Full details here . Hope to see you there!

A quick note to my readers: The Searching Apologist has found a new home. I, and my family, have been asked to teach apologetics at First Evangelical Free Church here in Lincoln, NE. After much excitement, prayer, discussion, and godly counsel we said "yes!"  My first class will be teaching alongside a friend and brother in Christ - Brian Abbot. We'll be co-leading a class titled "How Do We Know The Bible is Real?" We'll be tacking the following topics: How did we get the Bible? How do we know we have the right Bible? Is the Bible a reliable source of truth? Can we trust the Bible to guide our lives? Please join us as we work through this topic and see the incomparable nature of divine revelation. We'll be meeting Sunday mornings at 9am from September 15th through October 6th.  For location and additional information, check out E. Free's website . And yes, I will blog more...

I had been wondering what to write about next when my oldest son, Simon asked "Why do we say 'amen' after we pray?" I was blessed because I had just researched this very same topic. Christian or non-Christian, we all say "amen" at junctures in our lives. We're familiar with it, but few know why we say it. It's not saying "Peace out, God" or "I'm good here." No sir. It is saying, "I lay aside my request, my will and submit it to your will , God." This realization is so important because it removes us from the assumption that prayer is purely an opportunity get goodies from God. Rather it is a chance to communicate, listen and ultimately submit to God's will.  Remember, Jesus taught us how to pray:      Our Father who is in heaven,      Hallowed be Your name. 10       ‘Your kingdom come.       Your will be done ,      On earth as it is in heaven. 11       ‘ Give us this d...

Okay, first I know this seems like a weird topic to target in July. Maybe, but I have a reason. A month ago I boarded a plane for Los Angeles. It was in LA that I spent two weeks learning from the greatest minds in apologetics, as well as being at the "Star Trek Convention" for Christian apologists. It was great. On a personal note, I walked away from my time with some great friends and a renewed (and challenged) belief in Christianity. It was during one of my lectures the topic of Halloween came up. Hence, this is why I blog now. So, should Christians "celebrate" Halloween? By celebrate I really mean partake in it. Okay, a brief history lesson to understand where Halloween comes from. It originally was a Celtic feast of Samhaim. It was a night that Druids believed the separation between the natural and supernatural was breached. Druids believed demons and witches were released to bully humans. Those concerned with the Druids beliefs would camouflage themselves...

Are There Any "Good" People? The second issue raised is how could a loving God send "good" people to hell? The nature of this question is troublesome because it is subjective in its understanding and in its measurement. How would someone measure and record their good and bad deeds? It is impossible. Would such a recording, if possible, be subject to bias for at least a 51% ratio of good to bad? It is highly unlikely someone would willingly put forth a case to condemn oneself to eternal punishment. This problem is minor in comparison to the subjective nature man would judge goodness. One must ask, “What is good? What is bad?” Without an objective guide, cultures and individuals will determine good or bad. What this does is put an individual like Osama Bin Laden and his actions behind September 11th in comparison to the child who steals a piece of gum or Hitler’s attempted genocide of the Jews. Some would say “Bin Laden is bad compared to me, but he’s got a few mor...

Again, I will start with an apology for my tardiness in blogging. The selling and purchasing of homes, as well as reading and writing of papers for graduate work, as well as being a father and husband have been my focus for a few months. Moving on, there is much discussion today about hell and its fairness. Today this debate carries on in secular circles as well as "Christian" circles. After a far-too-long hiatus, I want to tackle the topic of the fairness of hell. Do you realize every minute 107 individuals die world-wide.[1] That means on average 154,080 people die every day. The number of people who have died since Adam and Eve is incalculable. The thought of those who will not be saved from God's judgment and hell is a sobering, and frankly depressing. But there are those in today's culture who are challenging the fairness of hell - even the existence of hell. This challenge first comes from the atheist and agnostics. John Lennon encouraged his listener's t...