Beginning Apologetics – The End Times Class 7 (Purgatory I)

The notes pages are here.  The audio is here.

Sorry, but that’s all there is!  However, my homily from last Sunday is here and here, if you just need to read something else!

A Question Came up…

And I was actually able to answer it!  Here it is:

Hi Deacon Chip,
Hope that you and your household are having a great week.

I know that you might think that this is a really silly question (which is why I did not post it on your blog}, but it has been nagging at me since we discussed it.

Why will there be a new earth and a new heaven? I understand the need for a perfect earth, but I don’t understand why we don’t just go to heaven instead of staying here? Also, isn’t heaven already perfect? So, why the “new heaven”? Also, if some will be on the new earth and some will be in the new heaven, will we be able to just go back and forth to either  place: will there truely be a “stairway to heaven?”

If the answer is “I don’t know”, I will understand. It’s just that these questions keep bothering me, so I had to ask.

Thank you for your time, and for all that you do for us in this class.

And my answer:

 I have your answer!  And it isn’t nearly as complex as I’d feared; I just forgot for a minute.

Take a look at the verse that references that re-creation you’re referencing (2 Peter 3:12-13):  “12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire13 But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth ¹ in which righteousness dwells.”  The footnote for vs. 13 refers one to Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22:
“Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; The things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind.”  and “As the new heavens and the new earth which I will make Shall endure before me, says the LORD, so shall your race and your name endure.”

It’s not a “new heaven” that will be created, but “new heavens”, plural.  Remember the cosmological model of the ancients; they conceived of the earth as flat, and the “heavens” being all that stuff they saw when they looked up (see the picture here;  it’s weak, but it works for the explanation.  All these verses refer to all of Creation (heavens and earth) being burned up as in a fire and recreated without corruption or imperfection (cf. Romans 8:19-22).  It’s all of one piece; all of the created world will be destroyed and recreated without the imperfections introduced after the Fall of Adam and Eve.

Does that make sense?

Beginning Apologetics The End Times Class 6 (The Rapture III)

Here’s the audio for this class; here are the presentation notes, and here is the powerpoint notes file.

I didn’t capture the questions from the class this week; my beautiful assistant wasn’t available!  If there is a specific question you desired to have answered, PLEASE drop it in the comments box below!

God bless!

Beginning Apologetics – The End Times Class 5 – The Rapture II

Thought I’d go ahead and post this week’s efforts.  The audio file is posted here; the notes file is here, and the PowerPoint is here.

An interesting question, actually, a few of them, came up during the class and after.  The first (which I disparaged a bit before taking it seriously — Sorry, Gail) was from the review of the problems with the Dispensationalist view of the church, which we discussed on 10/4.  I was asked for the Scripture references that name the Church as the New Jerusalem.  The citations are listed in the text; but to review briefly, here they are:

Rev 21:2 – “I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”  Connect that to the moniker of the Church as the Bride of Christ; If the Holy City is adorned as the Bride, and the Church is the Bride, then the Holy City is the Church.

Rev 21:9-14 - 

⁹ One of the seven angels who held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰ He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. ¹¹ It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal. ¹² It had a massive, high wall, with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed and on which names were inscribed, (the names) of the twelve tribes of the Israelites. ¹³ There were three gates facing east, three north, three south, and three west. ¹⁴ The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”

The Holy City has gates named after the 12 patriarchs; that’s the way into the city.  The foundation of the city is the Twelve Apostles…now, what else has as its foundation the Twelve?  That’s right, class…The Church!

Eph 2:19-22 - 

¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, ²⁰ built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. ²¹ Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; ²² in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Another description of the “household of God (The Church) as equivalent to the Holy City that descended from heaven in John’s vision, built upon the Twelve Apostles.  I know it’s convoluted a little bit, but this is how we interpret Scripture.  These all add up to the Church being referred to as The New Jerusalem!

A second question was brought up again after class by a very attractive member of the class (at least to me); she asked how we could explain to a Rapturist/Dispensationalist that their view of Israel , namely, their fixation on the new Jewish secular state of Israel, was misplaced.  After all, she pointed out, God gave them that land as their eternal home, For ever and ever!  I briefly covered this when Emma Conroy brought it up, but to reiterate:  The Covenant between god and Israel was not made in the Promised Land.  Israel became the Covenant people of God when, at Mount Sinai, Moses received the law, and the People of Israel agreed to abide by it in exchange for their covenant relationship with God. 

God gave them The law.  Following its commandments made one a part of Israel.  Complaining about how big the folks in the Promised land appeared was what made an Israelite wander in the desert for forty years, till everyone in that generation was dead!  And god took the People of Israel out of the land on several occasions (as Susie Lovato pointed out – seven).  The Babylonians came and dragged them off to captivity for 80-odd years; the Assyrians had a turn at them, and several others brushed Israel from the land.  But at no time did the Jews stop being a Covenant people!  It’s kind of like our roles as parents.  Our children are our children; we have a covenant with them to care for them and provide for their needs, as long as they obey the rules.  But nothing is implied in that relationship that says they won’t be punished for wrong-doing.  A mild infraction of the Covenant might warrant a time-out., or loss of privileges, or even a spanking; a more serious one, maybe involving civil law enforcement, might mean forcible separation from the family and imprisonment.  that child does no tstop being a part of the covenant just because s/he is in jail;s/he does, however, forfeit for a time the privileges of membership in the family covenant.

Finally, Ann Marie asked me to go over again the question of who’s left behind at the time of the Second Coming.  This refers to the passages from Matthew 24: 38-41 and Luke 17:22-37.  Many of our Dispensationalist separated brethren will refer to these passages as support for their interpretation of 1 Thess 4:17 as referring to a secret rapture. The problem comes in looking at who is taken, and who is left behind in each of the examples cited.  These passages refer to God’s judgment on sin!  Sodom was destroyed because there were no righteous people in it except Lot and his family (who were told to leave).  After Judgment, those left behind were…the righteous!  the same thing applies to Noah and his family at the time of the flood.  God judged the world wicked except for Noah and his offspring; therefore God cleansed teh face of the earth of the unrighteous, and left behind…wait for it…the righteous!

So much for wuestions this week.  Please let me kno wif there are others; I will do my best to answer them!

Beginning Apologetics – The Rapture I

Here is the audio for today’s class. Here is a handout from the PowerPoint slide show, and here are my presentation notes.  You should find links active in the pdf for the presentation notes; if not, please let me know via email at chip.jones@stann.cdom.org.

On another note, I would appreciate any feedback anyone wants to offer about the class.  Is the pace too fast or too slow?  Is the content form outside the text too much/not enough?  Are you getting what you need? 

Don’t feel compelled to write me an “attaboy” message; if I don’t hear from you, and you keep coming to class, I will assume you like what we’re doing.  If there is something you wish we were doing, though, by all means, tell me.  We’ll get right on it!

As always, if you have questions, please direct them to me on Facebook, or at the email address above.  And remember we don’t have class next week (Fall break!).  Please be safe; I look forward to seeing everyone on October 18!

Beginning Apologetics – The End Times III: The Second Coming (part II)

Folks,

Three classes down, and no one has been hurt, yet!  Here’s the audio file for the class; hope it’s useful.  Here’s the outline in Word 2007 format; if you need the converter, you can find it here.  Finally, here are the notes pages for the PowerPoint presentation I used.  If you’re listening at home, I would recommend printing the presentation and taking notes on it, or printing the outline and following it.

There were two questions asked before and during this class; the first was about a reference from 1 Peter 4:6: “For this is why the gospel was preached even to the dead ²that, though condemned in the flesh in human estimation, they might live in the spirit in the estimation of God.”  The question was whether this verse could serve as a proof text for praying for the dead, in the same sense that 2 Macc 12:44-45 can be used.  I have searched a few of the resources I have at my disposal, and I would have to say that I don’t think so; 2 Macc 12:44-45 is a proof text for Purgatory, while the verse above really aims in a different direction.  This verse refers to, it seems, the effectiveness of the Gospel even for those who are now dead (but who heard the Gospel preached while alive).  It’s not a reference to use, so much, about things that will help the dead who are not yet in Heaven; it’s more a reference to the effectiveness of the Gospel on the souls of those who have already died.  Prayer for the dead aims to improvethe lot of the dead; this verse refers to the Gospel’s positive effect in general on them. Convoluted answer; if anyone can do better, throw it out there in the comment box!

The other question, which was also a comment, was about a particular verse and its applicability to those who have left the Church.  I am still trying to find the specific reference, and when I do, I’ll answer it here!

See y’all next week; take care, and God bless!

Beginning Apologetics – The End Times: The Second Coming I

I apologize for the delay, folks.  The audio for the class is posted here.  Please provide me with some feedback; if you’re not getting what you’d like out of the class, tell me, and I will adjust.  This is not just for me; it’s for all of us!  Gid bless; see you Sunday!

Beginning Apologetics 8:

The End Times

The Second Coming

I.             The Second Coming – What is it?

A.           Christ’s return at the end of time

B.           The Last Judgment

C.           Prophesied in various places in Scripture

1.            Matthew 24

2.            Revelation

3.            1 John

4.            2 Thessalonians

5.            Luke 21

6.            Others

II.           Who Gets it wrong? And Why?

A.           Many Protestant denominations mess this up

B.           Stems from a misunderstanding of the prophesies of the Book of Daniel

C.           Compounded by the missing books in Protestant Bibles (1/2 Maccabees among others)

1.            (How many books are in the Bible (73)

2.            How many are the Protestants missing? (7)

3.            What are they?

a)            1 Macc

b)            2 Macc

c)            Wisdom

d)            Sirach

e)            Judith

f)             Baruch

g)            Tobit

D.           Lack of familiarity with events around the destruction of the Jewish Temple in AD 70

III.          What signs will precede the Second Coming?

A.           Sources of the Signs

1.            Matthew 24 lists a bunch of them (we’ll review which)

2.            Problem is:

a)            some are things that happen before the destruction of the Temple

b)            Some are things that happen at the end of time

c)            Some could relate to both!

B.           The Thousand-year reign (The Millenium)

1.            There is no official Catholic definition of the Millennium

2.            Common view follows St. Augustine (City of God, Book XX, esp. ch 7 9 ) (found here: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf102.iv.XX.7.html)

a)            The number 1,000 is figurative; representa time between first and second coming of Christ

b)            Between the two, Christ is reigning through His Church, and the power of Satan is diminished.

c)            Closer to the Second Coming, Satan’s power grows (which will bring severe trial for the Church

Pull quote: Rev 20: 7-9 – “

7 ⁶ When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison.

8 He will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, ⁷ to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.

9 They invaded the breadth of the earth ⁸ and surrounded the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them.

Pull quote:  CCC 675:

Before Christ’s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers.⁵⁷⁴ The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth⁵⁷⁵ will unveil the “mystery of iniquity” in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh.⁵⁷⁶

C.           The Rise of the Anti-Christ

1.            References:

a)             1 John 2: 18 – 23: 

18 Children, it is the last hour; ⁹ and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour.

19 They went out from us, but they were not really of our number; ¹⁰ if they had been, they would have remained with us. Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number.

20 But you have the anointing that comes from the holy one, ¹¹ and you all have knowledge.

21 I write to you not because you do not know the truth but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth.

22 ¹² Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.

23 No one who denies the Son has the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.

b)            2 Thess 2:3-4

3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For unless the apostasy comes first and the lawless one is revealed, ³ the one doomed to perdition,

4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god and object of worship, so as to seat himself in the temple of God, ⁴ claiming that he is a god–

c)            2 Thess 2:9-10

9

the one whose coming springs from the power of Satan in every mighty deed and in signs and wonders that lie,

10

and in every wicked deceit for those who are perishing because they have not accepted the love of truth so that they may be saved.

d)            Rev 13 – Read it on your own

2.            This guy is the Ultimate false Prophet; he will simultaneously persecute the Church AND seduce the masses

D.           A Mass Apostasy

1.            References:  2 Thess 2:3; Rev 13:3; Matt 24:11-12; Luke 18:8 (“But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”)

2.            There will be a massive falling away from the Christian faith; Many will be deceived by false prophets (including the Antichrist.

E.           The Conversion of the Jews

1.            Reference:  Romans 11 (read the pull quote in the text)

2.            The Jews will accept Jesus as the Messiah

F.           The preaching of the Gospel to the Whole World

1.            Reference:  Matt 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a witness to all nations, ⁸ and then the end will come.”

2.            Undoubtedly means more than simply broadcasting the Gospel through media/Internet (though some believe it means exactly that!)

3.            Refers to evangelization that will implant the Gospel in every nation and will greatly diminish the influence of non-Christian religions.

G.          The Appearance of the sign of Christ in the sky

1.            Reference Matt 24:30: “And then the sign of the Son of Man ¹⁷ will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn…”

2.            Generally believed to refer to a cross

H.           Frightening signs in the sky; severe natural and man-made calamities

1.            References:

a)            Matt 24:29: ¹⁶ “Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

b)            Luke 21:25-26: 25 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens ⁸ will be shaken.

2.            SOME of this occurred in AD 70 (the destruction of the Temple).

3.            Should be assumed that even the things that have already happened will have multiple fulfillments/occur to a greater extent.

4.            History repeatedly reports upheavals in nature in times of widespread wickedness.

5.            We should expect a peak in natural calamities in the time of supreme evil before the Second Coming

6.            Man-made calamities (such as the Destruction of the Temple) will obviously increase in times of increased evil.

IV.           Why were we given the signs of the Second Coming?

A.           Well…why were we NOT?

1.            NOT for calculating the exact date of His return

a)            Christ flatly states (Matt 24:42) the NOT ONE can know the date of the Second Coming.

b)            The exact sequences are not given

c)            The time intervals are not given

d)            Many of the signs have multiple fulfillments; cannot know if we are expecting a greater fulfillment

B.           So…Why were we given the signs?

1.            To remind us of the fragility of this life

2.            To remind us that, even if we don’t live to see the Second Coming, we will still have a personal “end of the world” at our own death.

3.            To help us to understand the need for vigilance and discernment

4.            To remind us that while Satan is powerful, God is MORE powerful.

 

Beginning Apologetics – How To Answer Tough Moral Questions 5/6 – Contraception

Audio of Classes:   Session 5
                                      Session 6

How to Answer Tough Moral Questions

Contraception

February 15/22. 2009

•I.Introduction

•A.  The controversy surrounding the Church’s teaching on contraception has created a great crisis in the Catholic Church.

•1.    Stubborn refusal on the part of many to accept Church’s absolute prohibition on all types of contraception.

•2.    Polls indicate the vast majority of the laity, and a large % of clergy, reject Church’s teaching on contraception.

•B.  Humanae Vitae (1968) was greeted by a chorus of dissent.

•1.    Secular media condemned HV as hopelessly out of date.

•2.    Response of many bishops = lukewarm; some openly opposed it

•3.    Public dissent weakened the Church at a time of fighting secularism and the sexual revolution

•4.    History will record that HV was one of the most important documents of all time; rebellion against it was one of greatest tragedies suffered by the Church.

•II.History

•A.  Humans have a strong sexual instinct. Not surprising that people would want to contracept to avoid responsibility.

•1.    Ancient Egyptian docs (1900 – 1000 BC) give recipes for contraceptives.

•2.    Onanism (premature withdrawal) common in ancient world. Gen 38:9-10 (1500 years BC)

•3.    Ancient Jewish Talmud mentions contraceptives, as do Aristotle (Greek) and Pliny (Roman historian)

•4.    Contraception was widespread in ancient world. And the Church condemned it

•a)     Didache

•b)    St. Hippolytus (Refutation of all Heresies): condemned women who take drugs to make themselves sterile

•(1)  St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom all condemned contraception.

•(2)  All Church Fathers who mention contraception condemn it. NOT ONE APPROVES IT.

•(3)  Likewise, NO Catholic Bishop or theologian condoned it until modern times.

•B.  Problem of contraception isn’t new; dates back to the beginning of the Church. Reasons for becoming so entrenched toady:

•1.    Birth control pill appeared on the market in the 1960’s.

•2.    Sexual revolution.

•3.    World-wide uprising against authority.

•4.    Governments began to lift restrictions against contraception.

•5.    Counterfeit moral systems were substituted to justify sexual sins.

•C.  A Deluge of evil influences drowned out the Church’s defense of the truth until she seemed like “a voice crying out in the wilderness”.

•III.Methods of Contraception

•A.  Barriers: condoms/diaphragms

•B.  Spermicides: kill a sperm cell before it can fertilize an egg

•C.  Birth Control Pills

•1.    Hormones (estrogen/progesterone) with three functions:

•a)     Prevent ovulation

•b)    Prevent fertilization

•c)     Prevent implantation (abortifacient)

•D.  Intra-uterine devices (IUDs)

Change the character of the uterine line to prevent implantation (abortifacient)

•E.  New products:

•1.    Depo-provera = injectable depot-forming progesterone

•2.    Norplant

•3.    RU-486 (abortifacient)

•F.   Sterilization

•1.    Vasectomy

•2.    Tubal ligation

•G.  Correction/Explanation

•1.    There may be some conditions for which a woman needs to take hormones found in birth control pills.

•2.    This use would fall under the principle of double effect; the INTENT has to be to ONLY to treat the medical condition, NOT to contracept. 

•3.    If ANY other means of treating condition are available, they should be chosen FIRST.

•IV.Church Teaching on Contraception

•A.  Church teaching is based on the natural law.; public revelation enriches/enlightens.

•B.  HV teaches the following:

•1.    Marriage and intercourse are by their nature designed for procreation and rearing children.

•2.    Our sexual instinct must be kept under control even in marriage.

•3.    Sexual acts are noble and worthy in marriage, even if couple infertile due to factors outside the will.

•4.    For legitimate reasons (physical/economic/social/psychological) a couple may limit the number of children through moral means.

•5.    The marital act (yuck!) has two essential meanings/purposes, both of which must be safeguarded/respected:

•a)     Unitive (love-giving)

•b)    Procreative (life-giving)

•c)     A spouse who pressures his partner to have intercourse without regard to her condition violates unitive/love-giving aspect.

•d)    A couple who engages in intercourse while contracepting attacks the procreative/life-giving aspect

•6.    Direct sterilization is prohibited.

•7.    No action taken before/during/after intercourse intended to render it infertile is permitted.

•8.    Both Direct sterilization AND contraception are intrinsically evil, always wrong, no matter the circumstances/intentions.

•9.    When a necessary medical treatment renders a person infertile, this is not immoral (double effect).

•10. If spouses have legitimate reasons to limit number of children, NFP is permissible. (Explain NFP)

•11. There is an essential difference between NFP and contraception:

•a)     With contraception, intercourse is perverted from natural purpose/meaning by blocking the procreative aspect.

•b)    With NFP, intercourse takes place in an entirely natural way. Women are periodically infertile; couple chooses to have sex only during those times.

•c)     Nature eventually renders a woman infertile; sexual relations remain moral after that time.

•d)    Limiting family size only becomes evil when our intentions or our methods are evil in themselves.

•V.Answering Objections to the Church’s Teaching

•A.  Two Categories: Christian/Non-Christian

•B.  Christian objections break down further into Catholic and non-Catholic

•C.  Catholic objections

•1.    I accept the Church’s authority, but the teaching on contraception has never been proclaimed ex cathedra.”

•a)     Arises from a misconception that the only infallible doctrines are those proclaimed by the solemn Magesterium (general councils/ex cathedra definitions)

•b)    The Church also teaches infallibly through the ordinary Magesterium. (ref. CCC 891-892, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium 25); most infallible teachings come from here.

•c)     Church’s teachings against contraceotion have a 2000-year history; Bishops virtually unanimous in condemning contraception.

•d)    Vademecum for Confessors on Certain Aspects of the Morality of Conjugal Life, section 4, describes teaching as “definitive and irreformable”.  This means infallible.

•e)     Clear papal teaching is still always binding even if one does not accept HV as infallible. 

•2.    “I have a right to follow my conscience.”

•a)     Yep.

•b)    But before the right comes the duty to properly form one’s conscience.

•3.    “I am choosing the lesser of two evils.”

•a)     This only works when the only choices are BOTH evil.

•b)    There is a NON-evil choice available: Natural Family Planning.

•4.    “It might be wrong, but I am doing it for a good intention.”

•a)     Some pastors will misguide couples and tell them that it’s OK to contracept if both spouses agree.  It may lessen their subjective guilt – they really just didn’t know – but it’s still objectively evil. (example of murder)

•b)    Some pastors will say that we shouldn’t disturb couples who contracept “in good faith”. Quoting theological concept that it’s better to leave people alone if there is no hope they will accept the Church’s teaching, otherwise we turn an objective sin into a subjective one. Must be properly understood.

•(1)  MUST not presuppose that someone will not accept the Church’s teaching.

•(2)  A confessor may NEVER tell a penitent that contraception is OK. At most, he can defer the question until the penitent is more open.

•(3)  Even if he decides to leave someone “in good faith”, he must patiently catechize, exhort and admonish in hope of bringing the person to the truth.

•c)     Leaving someone “in good faith” (a valid concept) is frequently misapplied to let people who know better off the hook.  If a couple know the Church’s teaching, they cannot contracept “in good faith”.

•D.  Non-Catholic Christians

•1.    Non-Catholic Christians will not want to hear about the Magesterium, or about natural law.  But they accept the authority of the Bible.

•2.    History: 

•a)     Before 1930, not ONE Christian denomination accepted contraception. No theologian, no denomination supported it before the 20^th century.

•b)    All the Protestant reformers condemned contraception as unbiblical.

•c)     The Anglican Church was the first Protestant denomination to allow contraception in 1930.  Ask: Why would they follow the Anglican Church?

•3.    Sacred Scripture: There is only one Bible passage that explicitly describes a contraceptive act.  Gen 38: 6 – 10 (Onan is struck dead for contracepting with his dead brother’s wife)

•a)     Levirate law prescribes a mild punishment for not raising up children for a dead brother

•b)    Onan was KILLED.

•c)     Reasonable to conclude that he was killed for his contraceptive actions.

•4.    Fruits of Contraception:

•a)     Any reasonable person can look at the results of widespread contraception and see it isn’t in accord with God’s will.

•b)    Many are seeing the connection between contraception and rampant divorce/sexual immorality.

•c)     Many in the pro0life movement see that the contraceptive culture planted the seed for the abortion culture.

•E.  Conclusion

•1.    Once Protestants recognize the evil of contraception, their next step should be to abandon the error of “Bible-alone”.

•2.    It was the Magesterium that has held the line against the evil of contraception, infallibly interpreting Sacred Scripture, the natural law, and Sacred Tradition.

•3.    The fruits of the 20^th century :abortion, widespread homosexuality, pornography, genocide, world wars, and massive apostasy from Christianity, coincide with the prevalence of contraception. 

•4.    Contraception is no the product of enlightenment:  it’s simply the product of an evil age.

Beginning Apologetics – How To Answer Tough Moral Questions 4 – Euthanasia

Here’s the audio for the 4th session, and the outline is below. 

I’ll throw in the audio for the 5th session too, since it really completed the Euthanasia piece, and because I haven’t finished the outline for Contraception!

Here’s the post on the online support resources for the class; this will keep you from having to order too many books.

And the outline for Euthanasia follws:  Thanks, and God bless!

How to Answer Tough Moral Questions

Euthanasia

February 2/February 8. 2009

•I.Introduction

•A.  Euthanasia is intentionally killing a person who is suffering, or whose life seems burdensome or meaningless.

•1.    Can be suicide or done by others

•2.    Self-inflicted – suicide

•3.    Done by others = murder

•B.  Euthanasia is becoming more popular/widespread

•1.    Legal in Holland, and in some states in the US

•2.    Push for legalization is strong

•3.    Practiced sometimes even where illegal with no fear of prosecution

•C.  Reasons for euthanasia’s wider acceptance:

•1.    Lack of faith in God

•2.    Suffering not meaningful – loss of belief in spiritual value of suffering

•3.    Weak resolve – people flee from least discomfort

•4.    Chronic disease – increase in length of survival of cancer, strokes, Alzheimer’s

•5.    Burden of disease – Fear of being a burden to loved ones, or fear that doctors won’t let one die

•6.    Medical Advances – Have made it possible to end people’s lives through relatively painless methods.

•D.  We must as Catholics be prepared to refute those who promote euthanasia. Must also be aware of morally permissible actions which could be mistaken for euthanasia

•II.Church Teaching on Euthanasia

•A.  Several documents apply:

•1.    Declaration on Euthanasia

•2.    Charter for Health Care Workers

•3.    Evangelium Vitae

•4.    Catechism of the Catholic Church

•B.  Common mentality today that we are masters of our own bodies.

•C.  Evangelium Vitae tells us (39) that life is a sacred gift from God, the Lord of our lives

•1.    We are only stewards

•2.    Therefore, human life must be protected from conception to natural death.

•D.  The Declaration on Euthanasia (DE) says in Part I:

•1.    Any deliberate attempt on innocent human life = crime of the utmost gravity.

•2.    We have a duty to lead our lives in accord with God’s plan, for the Kingdom of God.

•3.    To intentionally take one’s own life through suicide is the same as murder.

•a)     There may be serious psychological problems that diminish guilt or eliminate it.

•b)    Even so, suicide is still a serious objective evil.

•c)     We should not despair of the salvation of a suicide victim.

•4.    We must clearly distinguish suicide from the nobility of sacrificing one’s life to a greater good (soldier falling on a grenade, as an example).

•E.  Points from DE Part II

•1.    The please of gravely ill people for death are almost always cries for help and love.

•2.    We are never permitted to take innocent human life. No authority has the right to approve of euthanasia for any reason (goes against the divine law).

•F.   Points from DE Part III:

•1.    It is vital that the gravely ill/dying receive sufficient pain relief.  We should presume that those unable to express their wishes still desire pain relief.

•2.    In cases of extreme pain, heavy doses of medication may be used even when there is a great risk of hastening death. Shortening of life is an unwanted side effect (principle of double effect)

•3.    If needed for adequate pain relief, a person may receive high doses of pain medication even if it causes loss of consciousness.

•a)     But don’t deprive a person of consciousness unless absolutely necessary

•b)    Ensure that patients can take care of family obligations and receive the sacraments before they lapse into unconsciousness.

•4.    We believe as Christians that suffering has great redemptive value:

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking ¹⁴ in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church” (Col 1:24)
Those who unite their suffering to the suffering of Christ = powerful prayer warriors,

Some Christians even limit their pain medication for the sake of spiritual gain (considered heroic, not obligatory)

•G.   Part for of DE deals with ordinary and extraordinary treatment.

•1.    Extremely important because many Catholics agonize over how far they must go in treating the gravely ill/dying.

•2.    Ordinary means of treatment: medical procedures that are well-established, known to help, not excessively burdensome due to expense/side effects (will depend on factors such as patient’s age, condition, avail. technology)

•3.    Extraordinary means of treatment: procedures considered exceptional because they are experimental, expensive, or have serious physical/psychological side effects. (will depend on factors such as patient’s age, condition, avail. technology)

•4.    While we do not have the right to take our own lives, we do have a right to die with Christian/Human dignity.

•5.    Wea re allowed to forego extraordinary means and make do with iordinary ones; not equal to suicide, just accepting our condition.

•6.    When death is imminent, we can refuse forms of treatment that will prologn the dying process. Normal care must continue, including food, water, warmth, and hygiene. (CHCW: artificial administration of food/water if not burdensome, is considered ordinary care (section 120))

•7.    The gravely ill and dying may, if they wish, undergo extraordinary treatments, including new and experimental treatments.

•H.  We have clear guidelines from the Church in these matters, but their application is a matter of conscience.

•1.    We should get as much info as possible form our doctors and pastors, and make the best decision we can.

•2.    IF we are sincerely trying to follow Church teaching, we shouldn’t be tortured by scrupulosity.

•3.    WE MUST NOT keep second-guessing our decisions; God is reasonable in His requirements, and useless anxiety/doubt destroy peace of mind, and keep us from attentive prayer when we need it most.

•III.Answering Euthanasia Supporters

•A.  Even pagan doctors from centuries before Christ realized euthanasia = murder; they used natural law arguments alone.

•B.  Nowhere does either Sacred Scripture OR Sacred Tradition mention any exceptions to the 5^th Commandment because of suffering or terminal illness.

•C.  The same reasons justifying euthanasia are the same Hitler and Stalin used to justify their atrocities.

•D.  Reasoning opens the door to justifying any evil.

•E.  Hippocrates figured it out; should we be able to rather than pressing wonderful technologies into the service of the culture of death?

Apologetics: Links to Online Resources – Tough Moral Questions Class

Here are some links to support your studies; although you have probably Googled all of these publications already:

The New American Bible

Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Gospel of Life – Evagelium Vitae

On Human Life – Humanae Vitae

The Splendor of Truth – Veritatis Splendor

Charter for Heath Care Workers

Declaration on Euthanasia

Declaration on Procured Abortion

The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church – Lumen Gentium

 Apostolic Exhortation On The Role Of  The Christian Family In The Modern World – Familiaris Consortio

Instruction on Bioethics – Respect for Human Life – Donum Vitae

Vademecum For Confessors Concerning Some Aspects of the Morality of Conjugal Life

On Christian Marriage – Casti Connubii 

This is not an exhaustive list, but this list includes most of the publications we have referenced so far in our class.  If you find other things that you think are useful please send me a link; I will post it here (unless it’s really off the wall, then I will contact you to discuss it).