Category: Radio Shows

A reader writes:

I watched the Luther movie last week and then heard your comments on it during the CA show last week.

You made a comment when Tetzel said ‘ that for money, he would forgive any man who ravaged the virgin Mary herself.’ that Tetzel probably never said that.

You were right.   It was Martin Luther who said it.

In his book Table Talk (1569), section CCCCLI, Luther writes "Had one ravished the Virgin Mary, or crucified Christ anew, the pope would, for money, have pardoned him."

Much obliged for the primary source!

Actually, though, it warn’t me who said that. It was Mr. Decent Films, Steven Greydanus. (You can tell when it’s him speaking on the show ’cause he dasn’t use words like "warn’t.")

To tell you the truth, I remembered reading Luther alluding to one ravishing the Virgin Mary, but I couldn’t remember in what context he was using the phrase in. Even when a devout Protestant, I found his very use of the phrase repulsive. Don’t know if it was a phrase he used a lot or just in this case. Also don’t know if it was unique to him or if others of his age also used it.

I do know that Luther was regarded as a remarkably crude fellow by other in his day.

You should see some of the cartoons he had drawn.

(Maybe I’ll scan them and post them sometime.)

A reader writes:

I watched the Luther movie last week and then heard your comments on it during the CA show last week.

You made a comment when Tetzel said ‘ that for money, he would forgive any man who ravaged the virgin Mary herself.’ that Tetzel probably never said that.

You were right.   It was Martin Luther who said it.

In his book Table Talk (1569), section CCCCLI, Luther writes "Had one ravished the Virgin Mary, or crucified Christ anew, the pope would, for money, have pardoned him."

Much obliged for the primary source!

Actually, though, it warn’t me who said that. It was Mr. Decent Films, Steven Greydanus. (You can tell when it’s him speaking on the show ’cause he dasn’t use words like "warn’t.")

To tell you the truth, I remembered reading Luther alluding to one ravishing the Virgin Mary, but I couldn’t remember in what context he was using the phrase in. Even when a devout Protestant, I found his very use of the phrase repulsive. Don’t know if it was a phrase he used a lot or just in this case. Also don’t know if it was unique to him or if others of his age also used it.

I do know that Luther was regarded as a remarkably crude fellow by other in his day.

You should see some of the cartoons he had drawn.

(Maybe I’ll scan them and post them sometime.)

LISTEN TO THE SHOW.

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Highlights:

• Info on Lent.
• Must a gentleman wait until Easter 2006 to become Catholic?
• If you’re in mortal sin, will God hear your prayer?
• Can one join a fraternity at college even though they have secret rituals?
• Why does the priest add water to wine at Mass?
• Bible Code!
• What is the unforgivable sin?
• Can a Mass be said for more than one person?
• How to explain to someone why the Church doesn’t sell all its material assets and give the money away? (My answer begins: "I’d tell him to grow up . . . ")
• What are the Knights of Malta?
• Does Isaiah say a "maiden" or a "virgin" will be with child?
• Can one spring a soul from puragtory by fulfilling the conditions of a plenary indulgence?
• Can Catholics be Masons and why should one do about it if they are? What about Masons wanting to become Catholic?
• Is the water mixed with wine at Mass a symbol of baptism?
• Is there a verse against donating blood?
• How do we know the Catholic faith is pleasing to God?

LISTEN TO THE SHOW.

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW.

Highlights:

• Info on Lent.
• Must a gentleman wait until Easter 2006 to become Catholic?
• If you’re in mortal sin, will God hear your prayer?
• Can one join a fraternity at college even though they have secret rituals?
• Why does the priest add water to wine at Mass?
• Bible Code!
• What is the unforgivable sin?
• Can a Mass be said for more than one person?
• How to explain to someone why the Church doesn’t sell all its material assets and give the money away? (My answer begins: "I’d tell him to grow up . . . ")
• What are the Knights of Malta?
• Does Isaiah say a "maiden" or a "virgin" will be with child?
• Can one spring a soul from puragtory by fulfilling the conditions of a plenary indulgence?
• Can Catholics be Masons and why should one do about it if they are? What about Masons wanting to become Catholic?
• Is the water mixed with wine at Mass a symbol of baptism?
• Is there a verse against donating blood?
• How do we know the Catholic faith is pleasing to God?

This was our sixth anniversary show, with Karl, Ros, and me doing the honors.

LISTEN TO THE SHOW.

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HIGHLIGHTS:

• A two-and-a-half minute snippet of the very first Catholic Answers Live.
• Which Church history books would you recommend?
• Is there any room in the liturgy for "charismatic praise"?
• Are the sacraments of the Society of St. Pius V and of the Society
  of St. Pius X valid?  Do you see these groups becoming denominations
  like the Old Catholic Church?
• How Jimmy and Karl Keating so cooly handle odd or aggressive
  questions on the show.
• Can attending frequent daily Mass replace one’s Sunday obligation?
• Must a child have a saint’s name to be baptized?  Any web resources
  to find saint’s names?
• What are the "Seven Sister" churches?
• When young Jesus was teaching in the temple (Luke 2), were the
  teachers really amazed or was this just hyperbole?

LISTEN TO THE SHOW.

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HIGHLIGHTS:

• Does Jesus suffer anew in the Mass?
• Where does the GIRM say lay ministers can do more than one duty at Mass?
• Is the Holy Spirit the Love shared by the Father and the Son?
• Can laity give the blessing of throats on St. Blaise Day?
• What is the difference between religious priests’ vow of celibacy and diocesan priests’ promise of celibacy?
• Why isn’t the KJV authorized by the Catholic Church?
• How to square it when two councils say different and contradictory things.
• If God is really Present in the Eucharist, why can’t we confess our sins to Jesus when we take Communion?
• Must we take saints names at Confirmation?
• Can parochial schools turn over sacramental preparation for children to their parents?
• Should Catholics study The Purpose-Driven Life? What to do if your parish is doing this?
• How do you know if you’re called to a vocation?
• Are relics of the True Cross true?
• If Judas hadn’t betrayed Christ, would we have been saved?
• When Jesus forgave those who crucified him, was Judas included?
• Where is the best discussion of the dating of Christ’s birth? Did the Church Fathers believe it was December 25th?
• Can a mortal sin be accidental? Can Protestants who don’t believe in mortal sin mortally sin?

LISTEN TO THE SHOW.

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Does Jesus suffer anew in the Mass?
• Where does the GIRM say lay ministers can do more than one duty at Mass?
• Is the Holy Spirit the Love shared by the Father and the Son?
• Can laity give the blessing of throats on St. Blaise Day?
• What is the difference between religious priests’ vow of celibacy and diocesan priests’ promise of celibacy?
• Why isn’t the KJV authorized by the Catholic Church?
• How to square it when two councils say different and contradictory things.
• If God is really Present in the Eucharist, why can’t we confess our sins to Jesus when we take Communion?
• Must we take saints names at Confirmation?
• Can parochial schools turn over sacramental preparation for children to their parents?
• Should Catholics study The Purpose-Driven Life? What to do if your parish is doing this?
• How do you know if you’re called to a vocation?
• Are relics of the True Cross true?
• If Judas hadn’t betrayed Christ, would we have been saved?
• When Jesus forgave those who crucified him, was Judas included?
• Where is the best discussion of the dating of Christ’s birth? Did the Church Fathers believe it was December 25th?
• Can a mortal sin be accidental? Can Protestants who don’t believe in mortal sin mortally sin?

LISTEN TO THE SHOW.

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Is it permissible for someone not
  ordained to give a short"commentary" after the priest delivers the homily?
• After death, what happens to a person’s guardian angel?
• Does the Church support illegal immigration? 
• In the past few decades, is the Church’s language harsher toward the Society of St. Pius X than toward Protestants?  If so, why?
• To whom should one address a parish’s questionable liturgical practices: the pastor or the bishop?
• What is the proper posture for the congregation after Communion? Must that posture be uniform?
• Does the embryological development of the human fetus prove Darwinism?
• What was the intended nature of the marriage of Mary and Joseph? Did Joseph have children from a previous marriage?
• Does mortal sin not repented of result in damnation?  Is
  Confession always required for one to return to a state of grace?
• Is salvation possible for non-Christians?
• Is Mel Gibson a member of a specific Catholic sect?  Would this affect how Jews react to The Passion of the Christ?
• Was a dietary law imposed on Gentile Christians in Acts 15:29?  Is it still in effect?  If not, how is this reconcilable with it being a decision of Holy Spirit?
• 
  Commentary on the films The Passion of the Christ and The Gospel of
  John.
• When did the tradition of godparents start?
• How does one know if one’s contrition is perfect?  Is perfect contrition "difficult" to obtain?
• Can the Anglican Communion claim apostolic succession?

LISTEN TO THE SHOW.

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HIGHLIGHTS:

• At the conclusion of an exorcism, is the
  expulsion of the demon apparent?  Are there exorcists present in every diocese?
• Did Bishop Raymond Burke recently assert that all pro-abortion politicians should refrain of Communion?  Why single out abortion as a Communion disqualification?
• Countering the Protestant notion of salvation by "faith
  alone."
• Where in scripture would one find the distinction between mortal and venial sins?
• Can one prove the truth of transubstantiation over consubstantiation?
• Can priests in the Society of St. Pius X validly celebrate the sacrament of penance?  How about those in the Charismatic Episcopal Church?
• How many precepts of the Church are there?  Can they change?
  Who determines them?
• Is confession required before Communion if one misses Mass?  What are valid reasons for missing Mass?
• Must there be "full" knowledge or consent for a sin to be
  mortal? What if an individual knows that an act constitutes grave matter in the eyes of the Church yet chooses to ignore that fact?
• What Christian sects are custodians of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre?  Would the marriage of a Catholic in a Greek Orthodox church be valid?
• What is the minimum age for an extraordinary minister of Holy
  Communion?
• Is Catholic Family News a trustworthy publication?
• What are the "Lost Gospels"?
• To which scripture passages do proponents of the Rapture appeal? How should those same passages be properly interpreted?

 

LISTEN TO THE SHOW.

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HIGHLIGHTS:

• What is the purpose of the brown
  scapular?
• What is the precise dating of the Christmas season?
• How does a previous, unconfessed abortion by the bride affect the validity of a later marriage?
• In the early centuries of the Church, how did the administration of the sacraments–particularly matrimony–differ from modern day practice?
• Was the Rabbinical meeting at Jamnia in c. A.D. 90 a council?
• How to counter the accusation that Catholics worship "graven images" in violation of the Ten Commandments.
• Can the promise of John 16:13 that the Spirit "will teach you all truth" be applied to all Christians personally?
• Must confession be performed in a confessional?
• What is the motive for the different postures in Mass?
• What is the Lutheran teaching on infant baptism?
• Do the scripture study classes of Bible Study Fellowship International follow a Protestant approach?  Did the Church ever sell indulgences?
• What is the point of Catholic religious statues?
• May Catholics still not join the Masons?
• Were there any miraculous occurrences in the life of Mary or her Parents before Jesus’ conception?
• Is it morally licit to receive artificial insemination or have embryos implanted in oneself in order to bear a child for an infertile couple?
• May a Catholic fulfill his Sunday obligation at a parish far from home on a regular basis?
• Has the ossuary of James "the brother of Jesus" been proved
  inauthentic?
• What criteria did some Jewish contemporaries of Jesus use to reject
  Him?
• If a priest does not fully believe in Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist, can he validly consecrate the Sacrament?