Northern Virginia Catholic Bible Study & Apologetics
Every Tuesday, 7PM-8PM
This meeting format is lecture and Q&A. It is free.
House rules/notes…
Our meeting/classes are In-Person at St. John Neumann Catholic Church 11900 Lawyers Road, Reston, VA 20191 https://saintjn.org/ (usually held downstairs in Room 5), or ONLINE via Zoom (see #2).
To sign up for Zoom notifications and to receive the Meeting Recaps, go to www.meetup.com/catholicbiblestudy and join us! The Zoom Logon is the same every week: Zoom ID: 861 1782 2081 Password: 406952.
After each meeting, I send out Meeting Recaps of what we discussed. Please remember these recaps are unedited and without the pictures. The edited version with pictures will be posted on our website before the next class at www.catholiccatacombs.org. Taylor will notify everyone at that time and provide a link.
Questions encouraged. If you have questions, we ask that you keep them on topic and brief. You can ask in the chat box during the class, or email through Meetup.com, or email me at ron@hallagan.net afterwards.
Respectfulness. We will be discussing differences between religions and between Christian denominations, and we agree to be respectful at all times. Protestants especially are our friends and brothers-in-Christ; in fact, I personally owe part of my return to the faith to them!
No politics. It would be easy for us to self-destruct, but that’s not our goal. Our goal is to learn/understand/apply the Bible and our Catholic faith.
Catholic Prayer & Fellowship. Are you interested in praying the rosary, etc. with other Catholics during the week? Follow fellow member Jason Goldberg at https://www.meetup.com/online-catholic-prayer-fellowship-and-spirituality/. Daily/weekly prayer is saintly!
“The Chosen” TV series. All of us seek a relationship with Jesus Christ, which is not always easy. It can help if we have seen and heard Him. The Chosen captures Jesus better than any show I have ever seen. Highly recommended.
RSVP Reminder: Please RSVP whether you are attending the meeting or just reading the Recaps afterwards. The more RSVPs, the more Meetup will give exposure to “Catholic Bible Study” – a good thing!
Catholic Catacombs website: www.CatholicCatacombs.org
Bible Study Format: Each week of the month has a repeating topic, as noted below.
Each meeting: 5 min greet, prayer, 10-15 min Catholic topic, 40-45 min main topic.
Week 1: Gospel Week Â
Week 2: Bible Week (Gen to Rev): We are in The Book of 1 Samuel.
Week 3: Survey Topics Voted on by Members:
x 1) Jesus’ Greatest Parables x 2) Hell, Purgatory, Heaven x 3) Comparative Religions
4) Great Women in the Bible 5) Book of Revelation 6) Fathers, Heresies, and Church Councils
Week 4: Member Questions:
What is “conscience?” To answer this we must also define our soul, free will, and our passions, and how these relate to each other.
Purgatory. How do I live my Christian faith at work when my faith is not accepted there?
What should our response be to those who ask us about priestly sex abuse?
What about the atheist who leads a good life? Can I be a person be good apart from God?
Miracles since the NT
What’s the difference between Charity and Love? What are the highest forms of charity?
Was King David good or bad? Was Emperor Constantine good or bad? Was he a Christian? What is a prophet?
Why does God allow suffering?
What do you think a day in the life of God is like to Him?
What is Tradition? Is Tradition equal to Scripture in importance? (2Thes2:15)
Today
1. Apologetics: heresy and pope
2. Angels & Demons concluded – temptation of humans
3. The Creed
Opening Prayer
Thank You, Father, for the hedge of protection that You bring in response to our faith.
Thank You that through the righteousness of Jesus we can confidently trust in
Your peace and safety for our lives and homes knowing that Your angels are always on guard.
We believe today, in Jesus' Name!
As you taught us to pray…
Our Father
Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily Bread;
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Survey – more to come, but one change is that we will be moving “in person” meetings to twice a month, although Zoom will continue each week. We will discuss which two weeks of the month you prefer in person next week.
Upcoming major holy days in the Church
May 9 – The Ascension of Jesus Christ (40 days after the Resurrection)
May 19 – Pentecost (10 days after Ascension, 50 days after Resurrection, replaces the Jewish Pentecost)
Q: What happened on these days in Jewish history that Jesus elevated/fulfilled in the New Covenant?
Passover (death “passes over” the Israelites) 🡪 Last Supper (life “passes over” death)
40 days after Passover Moses ascends Mt. Sinai 🡪 40 days after Easter Jesus ascends to Heaven
50 days after Passover 10 Commandments (Pentecost) 🡪 50 days after Easter the Holy Spirit comes (Pentecost)
Quote of the Week:
"St. Augustine says, that to prevent the sheep from seeking assistance by her cries, the wolf seizes her by the neck, and thus securely carries her away and devours her. The Devil acts in a similar manner with Christians. After having induced them to yield to sin, he seizes them by the throat, that they may not confess their guilt; and thus he securely brings them to Hell. For those who have sinned grievously, there is no means of salvation but the confession of their sins." —St. Alphonsus Liguori, p. 138
Apologetics and Exegesis Terms
Exegesis is the study/interpretation of the Word of God. If Jesus IS the Word of God, then you might also say that exegesis is the study/interpretation of Jesus. In a way, then, Jesus is also the exegesis of the Father! A more down to earth definition: exegesis is the study and interpretation of the Word of God (Scripture). It is what we do every week. You are all exegetes.
Catholic Apologetics– apologetics means to defend a belief, so Catholic Apologetics is the art of defending the Catholic faith using reason, tradition, and Scripture.
Apologetics of the Week
What is a heresy?
Heresy is when someone who has professed the faith in Christ teaches things that are not part of the faith. For instance, Arias was a Catholic priest who preached that Jesus wasn’t equal to God. Gnosticism taught that only the spirit was good and that the physical parts of our nature were evil. Note that it is only a heresy as long as they claim to be Christian but teach something else.
Is Mormonism a heresy?
No, since Mormonism was never considered a part of Christianity. For one, it is non-Trinitarian.
What beliefs would be considered outside the strict teachings (dogma) of Christianity?
You can start with the Nicene Creed. That’s why the Creed was written.
Why is the pope called the head of the church; isn't Jesus the head?
Jesus is the founder and head of the Catholic Church - the Body of Christ - forever! When he gave the keys to Peter…
Jesus said to Peter, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on Earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on Earth shall be loosed in heaven." – Matt 16:19
… he was using OT language. The kings of Israel had what we would call a “Prime Minister,” who was given the authority to rule day-to-day matters in the kings name. The Prime Minister was given “the keys to the kingdom.” This is the role Jesus gave Peter and the popes after him. When “Head of the Church” is used for the Pope, it is merely an expression, not literal. In a sense, you could say he heads up the “visible Church.”
CONCLUSION of Angels & Demons
We talked about angels, guardian angels, fallen angels (demons), and demonic possession. The last thing we should discuss is temptations caused by the devil. We have been taught that we each have a guardian angel.
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” – Matt 18:10
Some think that Jesus’ reference to “little ones” means children, but most scholars agree Jesus is talking about all believers, even those who are “small in standing,” such as those new to the faith, the vulnerable, and children.
I bring this up because when we lose sight of the reality of the devil’s active presence in the world, our souls are all the more in peril because we become defenseless in a battle we don’t even realize is being fought. Why would the devil tempt the Savior—or any man, woman, or child?
The matter is quite simple. The devil does not primarily tempt us because we are weak sinners and are more than likely to fall. Being a bully is child’s play. No, it’s because he perceives that human beings—especially those who are in God’s grace and those who have the effects of Christ’s sacraments in their souls—are superior to him and occupy higher places in this universe created by God. And he’s right – because of what Jesus did. God became human, showed his love for humans by dying for them, took his humanity back into the Trinity, and then offered them continual forgiveness. The devil’s pride does not accept this humiliation, and so he does whatever he can to drag us down.
According to the Catholic Church's teachings, the devil tempts us in several ways:
1. Through the World: The devil uses "wicked persons, places, or things in the world" to tempt us. He uses the allure of worldly pleasures and sinful influences to draw us away from God.
2. Through the Flesh: The devil exploits the "strong passions and evil inclinations" of our own bodies and human nature, which have been weakened by original sin. He stirs up our sinful desires and impulses.
3. Directly: The devil, being a highly intelligent spiritual being, is wiser than us. He can directly assault our minds and wills, furnishing the imagination with its sinful subject-matter and stirring up the lower powers of the soul.
4. Through Doubt and Deception: The devil is "subtle, instilling doubt about God's wisdom and intentions, and playing on our ambition and pride." He tries to undermine our trust in God and lure us into sin through deception.
However, the Church also teaches that the devil's power is limited - he "cannot force our consent" to sin. With God's grace and the help of prayer, we can resist the devil's temptations.
St. John Chrysostom tells us:
We still have an eternal advantage that he does not have (forgiveness). So we should recognize, even when we feel very weak and prone to give in, whether in small matters or great ones, that we are only being tempted by the devil because we are greater in dignity than him. To be sure, his nature as a pure spirit is more noble than ours, but our destiny is to fill the places of the fallen angels in the kingdom of heaven. This means that in the final account we will reign and rejoice, and he will not.
Being tempted by the devil means that we are more powerful than we realize, because of Christ. So when we are tempted, we should call upon Jesus’ power, his precious blood, his mother and the holy angels, to come to our aid. And if we fall, we should immediately do powerful things—that is, seek forgiveness out of love for God, and get to confession. (And don’t forget holy water, which reminds the devil of baptism, so that he flees in shame.)
In tempting us, the devil only shows his envy and frustration. In resisting him, or in seeking pardon when we don’t, we show the great good we already possess. We also show the peace of knowing that we will be forgiven yet again and go on to struggle one day at a time until that happy day when we pass from our wandering in the desert of this life into the Promised Land of bliss.
And there, just like Jesus in the desert, the angels will “minister to us.” (Matt 4:11)
Late question from member: I know that Satan is very sneaky, and he pretends to be an angel of light. Is there a specific checklist to determine if a vision or revelation is from God? If so, what does the checklist consist of?
A quick, short answer is that if it is for the promotion of the self, beware; and if it is at the expense of love of neighbor, run! That being said, we are talking about “discerning” the truth of our spiritual communications/messages.
Discernment. According to the Catholic Church's teachings, discernment is essential to determine whether our spiritual experiences and communications come from God or from the devil. Here is a step-by-step explanation:
1. Rely on God's Word and Church Teaching
The first indispensable aid in discernment is to evaluate our experiences and communications against the Word of God in Scripture and the doctrine of the Catholic Church. This helps us recognize God's voice and distinguish it from other voices that may be misleading.
2. Cultivate Humility and Openness to the Holy Spirit
Discernment requires the gift of the Holy Spirit, which we must humbly ask for and develop through prayer, reflection, reading, and seeking good counsel. We must remain vigilant, avoid presumption, and trust in God’s grace rather than our own power.
3. Seek Spiritual Direction
Having an experienced spiritual director who is learned in the spiritual life can be invaluable. They can help us recognize the presence of the Spirit and correctly discern God's will for us. Openness to spiritual guidance is prompted by the desire for self-knowledge and a readiness to be advised.
4. Examine the Fruits
The presence and action of the Holy Spirit will ultimately bear good spiritual fruits - peace, joy, love, and growth in virtue. In contrast, communications from the devil will lead to confusion, anxiety, and a turning away from God.
In summary, by grounding ourselves in Scripture and Church teaching, cultivating humility and openness to the Holy Spirit, seeking spiritual direction, and examining the fruits, we can discern whether our spiritual experiences and communications come from God or the devil. This requires vigilance, but the Church assures us that the Holy Spirit will guide us if we humbly seek His wisdom.
THE CREED Primer
The word CREED comes from the Latin credere, “to believe,” and is a list of propositions to which a Christian believer assents in their mind and heart.
The reason for the Creed. The point of the Creed is to establish the most important foundations of the faith. However, as we will see, the creed is not comprehensive list of everything that we believe. For example, a few things not mentioned in any of the standard creeds of the Church are the Last Supper and Eucharist, the primacy of the pope, Purgatory, or much of the life and ministry of Jesus! A complete compendium of the faith is not the purpose of the Creed. For these, one needs the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC).
The Creed has two primary purposes:
As a tool to teach/catechize
To stop continual heretical movements that seek to change Christianity for a great variety of reasons.
The first line is one of the most succinct and profound statements of faith in the history of the Church – “I believe in one God” – and it is a line that immediately sets Christianity apart from so much that came before or after.
How did the creeds come to be?
The earliest creeds began organically as a part of the baptismal liturgy. The goal initially was to assemble the essential elements of faith into a clear, brief summary as “touchpoints” for catechumens to memorize, which was very necessary in an age when illiteracy was the norm. As is still the case today, a candidate for baptism (or his parents and godparents) respond to a series of questions that give the faithful the opportunity to confirm their belief in basic teachings of the Church.
By the second century, there was already developing a great need to respond to teaching errors as Christianity spread throughout the Roman empire. This is not surprising when you consider that virtually everyone in those days believed in gods (pagans). It would be natural for them to want to hold onto their cherished beliefs and perhaps combine the best of them with the best of Christianity.
This is especially true since Christianity is not an easy religion to learn nor to follow. For one, it’s leader – the Son of God – was crucified like a common criminal, which was a nonstarter for many. It also demands much from the believer in the way a person lives their life and treats others – it is an entirely new way of life. These made it desirable to replace the more difficult parts of Christianity with more comfortable and familiar pagan beliefs.
Christianity was also an easy target. Not only were Christians taught to be nonviolent, but due to persecution the first three centuries, they couldn’t stand up and defend themselves easily, nor communicate openly. In fact, we can see distortions happening right out of the gate in the first century, which was one of the reasons for Paul’s letters – to correct their continual failure to follow exactly what he had taught them. Eventually, a more formal, official creed became necessary to make it easier for followers to stay on the same page.
Once Christianity became legal in the Roman Empire in 313 AD, the Pope and bishops met in Nicaea in 325 AD and drafted the Nicene Creed, which is close to what we have today. At a similar meeting in 381 AD – the Council of Constantinople – the finishing touches were added to what is now our present-day creed. What we call the Nicene Creed is technically referred to as the Nicene-Constantinople Creed.
As has usually been the case in the history of the Church, councils were called in response to theological controversies at the time. More than simply academic disputes, these were controversies touching on the most fundamental beliefs that endangered believer’s souls. The bishops and others gathered at these councils in order to determine and publish the true/correct response to heresies.
The Creed tackles 4 key elements of the faith:
One God
The Unity of the Divine Essence in the Trinity
Key descriptions of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
The Salvation of Man
Early development of creeds
Various forms were used from the first century on, but as mentioned before creeds were primarily to help new converts learn the faith than to fight heresies. These “creeds” developed over time and there were many versions being used in various part of the Empire that different bishops created for their flocks. They differed in style, words used, or emphases, but not content.
One famous early creed we are familiar with is the Apostles’ Creed. It is an ancient profession of faith, dating back to the very early Church. One unconfirmed tradition holds that it was passed on from the Apostles themselves, with one statement of faith made by each. The Nicene Creed now actually carries greater authority as it was developed and affirmed by the universal Church in a council. There are no conflicts between them, just more detail in the Nicene Creed.
What are the main differences between the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed?
The Apostles' Creed is a shorter, more general profession of faith, while the Nicene Creed is more explicit and detailed in its articulation of Christian doctrine, especially regarding the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Again, the Apostles' Creed was originally used for a Baptismal liturgy, while the Nicene Creed is the common profession of faith used in the solemn celebration of the Mass. A comparison follows…
Closing Prayer
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God,
Thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who
wander through the world for the ruin of souls.
Hail Mary
Full of grace, the Lord is with thee
blessed are thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
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