Papacy – Reason and Theology

The Medieval Church on Papal Infallibility with Michael Lofton

Michael discusses the medieval church and their views on papal infallibility and how they relate to the First Vatican Council.

by Michael Lofton

Medieval Conditions for Papal Infallibility

Contemporary conditions for papal infallibility are occasionally seen as contrived and have been likened to someone who shoots an arrow at the wall and then paints a target around it. A concrete example is the First Vatican Council’s conditions for papal infallibility, which some skeptics see as having created a manufactured system to reconcile papal […]

by Michael Lofton

Responding to Eastern Orthodox Objections to the Papacy

Erick Ybarra responds to Eastern Orthodox Objections to the Papacy.

by Andrea Cusumano

Rule of the True Christian Faith Against All Heresies

If anyone wishes to detect the deceits of heretics and to keep a sound and effective faith (Heb. 4:12), in the same sense in which it was taught and passed down by Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles, he ought, with the Lord’s help, to fortify his faith by the authority of Scripture, and […]

by Michael Lofton

Pope Leo, Philip the Legate at Ephesus 431 and Ehrman on 1 & 2 Thessalonians (with Michael Lofton)

Michael discusses Pope Leo and Anatolius, Philip the Legate at the Ephesus 431 and Bart Ehrman on 1 & 2 Thessalonians.

by Michael Lofton

Papal Primacy: The Case of Pope Leo, Aetius and Anatolius

The following is my summary of events that took place during the reign of Pope Leo the Great, which Martin Jugie examines in greater detail in his study “The Roman Primacy in the East at the Time of St. Leo the Great.” During the reign of Pope Leo the Great, the pro-Chalcedonian Archdeacon Aetius was […]

by Michael Lofton

The Burden of Proving the Papal Dogmas

Roman Catholics have the challenge of demonstrating the doctrines of the First Vatican Council on the papacy were “always” taught by both “East and West.” Suppose you were to ask a Roman Catholic how they would demonstrate this. You would probably be told how this or that pope taught this or that doctrine, and an […]

by Michael Lofton

A Micromanaging Magisterium?

Someone recently asked me if luck was a concept compatible with Christianity. I explained it goes against the Biblical concept of divine providence. At that point, the person asked me whether this was just my opinion or something the magisterium teaches. I explained it was my opinion and to my knowledge luck is not directly […]

by Michael Lofton

Papal Supremacy, Essence/Energies and the Filioque: The Inadequacy of Implicit Argumentation.

Much ink has been spilled on how to properly understand the First Vatican Council’s teaching on Papal supremacy, which Canon 331 in the Code of Canon Law summarizes as being “supreme, full, immediate, and universal ordinary power…”. The profuse number of documents addressing this doctrine are abundant, partly due to the problem of ultramontanism within […]

by Michael Lofton

Ryan Grant on Papal Canonizations and Robert Bellarmine

Michael Lofton and Erick Ybarra interview Ryan Grant on Papal Canonizations and Robert Bellarmine.

by Michael Lofton

Pre-Schism Heretical Popes

Michael and Craig discuss pre-schism heretical popes including Liberius, Zosimus, Hormisdas, Vigilius and Honorius.

by Michael Lofton

Fr. Patrick on Catholicism and Primacy

Michael and Erick discuss Catholicism and primacy with Fr. Patrick Ramsey. He is the author of The Church: Deifying Relations available here: https://www.amazon.com/Church-Deifying-Relations-John-Ramsey/dp/172182300X/ref=pd_rhf_se_p_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=NPZDPN3291FQFBG14CE4

by Michael Lofton

Can a Heretical Pope Can Be Deposed?

Michael discusses the Pope Francis/Scalfari incident where he purportedly denies the deity of Christ and then discusses can a heretical pope be deposed in conjunction with examining Robert Bellarmine’s treatise on this topic.

by Michael Lofton

Guest Edward Siecienski on Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy

Guest Edward Siecienski speaks about Catholic and Orthodox relations, with a focus on the papacy and the filioque.

by Michael Lofton

Purgatory, Mary, Justification, Islam and more, with Guest William Albrecht

In this video, Michael and Craig interview guest William Albrecht and discuss a wide range of topics from purgatory in the early church to the Old Testament canon.