Catholic Answers Live

“Are Christians just Protestants?” This question opens a discussion on the diverse identities within Christianity, addressing misconceptions about faith. The conversation also touches on whether Jesus had blood-relative brothers and the Catholic understanding of Mary’s perpetual virginity, alongside the differences between Catholic and Orthodox beliefs regarding the Immaculate Conception.

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Questions Covered:

03:15 – Are people who call themselves Christian just protestants?

05:35 – My Protestant friend said Jesus had blood-relative brothers. I said if that were true, Jesus would not have entrusted Mary to John’s care at the foot of the cross. Was that a good defense?

16:10 – I’m protestant. The bible says Jesus had brothers so how do Catholics come to the conclusion that Mary was a virgin all her life?

35:00 – I’m Eastern Orthodox. What is the Catholic argument for the Immaculate conception rather than the Orthodox believe in the Dispassionate Conception, and the Catholic belief in original sin versus the Orthodox idea of ancestral sin.

51:43 – What covenant did Jesus fulfill?

“Why does it matter if Mary is sinless?” This question opens a discussion on the significance of Marian doctrines in Catholic faith. The conversation also touches on early church beliefs regarding Mary’s perpetual virginity, responses to biblical passages that challenge her sinlessness, and how to cultivate a personal relationship with Mary and the saints.

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Questions Covered:

03:05 – Why does it matter for a catholic to believe Mary is sinless

13:05 – Did the early church believe in the perpetual virginity of Mary or is that a doctrine that developed over time.

17:07 – My Protestant friend cites Luke 2:48 (where Mary asks Jesus how he could do that to them at the finding in the Temple) to show she is not sinless.

23:40 – How can I have a more personal relationship with Mary, or other saints? Is that even possible in the same way it is with Jesus?

32:55 – My evangelical friends object to papal statements that say people who deny certain Marian doctrines are outside the faith. They say this is adding additional criteria for salvation. How do I respond?

42:50 – In John 20 Christ tells Mary Magdalen not to touch him because he hasn’t risen to his Father yet. But later he tells Thomas to touch him. Why the different answers?

46:30 – I’m about to start OCIA. I want to lean more into a relationship with Mary. But I grew up in an Evangelical background, and it feels strange. I keep on thinking about how I need to make sure I’ve giving more reverence to Jesus.

52:38 – How is it that Jesus and Mary could experience the effects of original sin when they didn’t have original sin?

“Can you explain the Assumption?” This question opens a discussion on the Marian dogmas, addressing common struggles with understanding them. The episode also touches on discerning the differences between Orthodox and Catholic beliefs regarding Peter’s role, as well as the Catholic teaching on the death penalty and its evolution under Pope Francis.

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Questions Covered:

05:25 – I have been looking into the Catholic Faith for a while. I have struggled with the Marian dogmas, especially the Assumption.

17:34 – How do you discern whether or not the Orthodox or Catholics are correct, specifically whether or not Peter is first among equals or infallible?

29:55 – Why is it that Catholics say you can’t spread ashes, but when it comes to saints you divide up their body parts?

35:37 – Can you explain the Catholic teaching on the death penalty? Did it change with Pope Francis?

41:35 – I am sympathetic to Catholic traditions and have tried to go through OCIA. But my husband has decided that our family is not going to be Catholic. I want to be a respectful spouse.

50:58 – I’m trying to love my wife back into the faith. She was raised Catholic but stopped practicing. She goes to a Protestant church where the sermons are peppered with anti-Catholic remarks. I think this creates a major barrier for a lot of people to become Catholic.

“What obstacles keep us from healthy relationships?” This question opens a discussion on the challenges individuals face in becoming marriage-ready, alongside insights on how media representations can influence perceptions of relationships. Other topics include the moral considerations of premarital intimacy for older couples and the implications of annulment on family planning.

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Questions Covered:

03:40 – What obstacles keep people from being marriage ready?

31:38 – I’ve noticed in a lot of media relationships are not portrayed in a healthy way. What would be good to see in stories and shows to model healthy relationships?

36:55 – My friend is a widower and is now dating a widow. He asked if it is a sin to have premarital sex in old age and in their circumstance?

49:21 – I’ve been married for 8 years and am going through the annulment process for my previous marriage. Should we wait until that annulment is complete before we try to conceive a child?

“What makes Isaiah’s prophecies unique?” Isaiah’s writings from the 700s B.C. present some of the first clear and explicit predictions of the Messiah, including titles like “Wonderful Counselor” and “Prince of Peace.” Additionally, the discussion touches on how Daniel 7 influenced Jewish expectations of the Messiah and addresses objections regarding Jesus’ fulfillment of these prophecies.

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Questions Covered:

00:30 – You point to Isaiah, writing in the 700s B.C., as providing the first clear and explicit prophecies of the Messiah: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” What makes these passages different from what came before?

20:15 – Some Jews read Daniel 7 and concluded that the Messiah would be a heavenly “Son of Man,” hidden with God before creation. That later became Jesus’ favorite title for himself. What would that title have communicated to his original audience?

34:00 – One major Jewish objection is that Jesus did not establish universal peace, restore the Davidic throne in Jerusalem, or complete everything associated with the messianic age. How can Christians say he fulfilled the prophecies?

42:45 – A skeptic might respond that Jesus intentionally acted out certain prophecies or that the Gospel writers shaped their narratives to make him appear to fulfill them. How much of the evidence can those explanations account for?