National Catholic Register Bloggers feed from Jimmy Akin

How can Jesus’ death save people who died before his time?

2013-06-18

By Jimmy Akin | On the Cross, Jesus offered his life as a sacrifice to make it possible for us to be saved. But what about the people who lived before he made that sacrifice? How can they be saved? How did his death relate to them? Let’s...

Is it okay to pray when you have doubts about God?

2013-06-14

By Jimmy Akin | It’s great to have strong faith, to feel confident in what you believe. That way you can “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). But...

Pope Francis and the Vatican "gay lobby"—10 things to know and share

2013-06-12

By Jimmy Akin | Pope Francis recently made the news by, apparently, acknowledging the existence of a "gay lobby" at the Vatican. What did he say? What did he mean? And what will he do in the future? Here are 10 things to know and share . ....

Was James, not Peter, the head of the Church after Jesus?

2013-06-10

By Jimmy Akin | Some claim that it was James, not Peter, who was the leader of the early Church after the time of Christ. What evidence can they provide for this claim? And what evidence is there against it? Which James? "James" was a...

Is the Catholic Church the one true Church? (7 things to know and share)

2013-06-6

By Jimmy Akin | In today's brave new world of ecumenism, the Catholic Church no longer claims to be unique, right? After all, Vatican II didn't say that the Church of Christ is the Catholic Church. It merely said that the Church of Christ...

Did Pope Francis poke Protestants in the eye?

2013-06-4

By Jimmy Akin | In a recent column, Presbyterian Bill Tammeus appeared to accuse Pope Francis of "intentionally offering a poke in the eye to people outside your faith tradition." He asks if Pope Francis is "saying that I, as a Presbyterian,...

5 thoughts on the Worldwide Eucharistic Exposition

2013-06-2

By Jimmy Akin | This Sunday I went out for breakfast after Mass, which is something I very rarely do. I almost never eat out, but I decided to do so as a way of celebrating the Lord's Day. While I was waiting in the restaurant, I was reading...

It's My 20th Anniversary as an Apologist (Wanna Help Me Celebrate?)

2013-06-1

By Jimmy Akin | June 1 is a special day for me, and it has been for the last 20 years. One reason is that it's the memorial day of St. Justin Martyr, who is one of the main patron saints of apologists. As an apologist, that makes it special...

How Does Forgiveness Work Before and After Christ?

2013-05-30

By Jimmy Akin | Jesus died on the Cross so that people could be forgiven their sins. But if he died in A.D. 33, what about all the people who lived and died before that time? Were their sins forgiven? And if their sins were forgiven, does...

Are Babies Atheists?

2013-05-29

By Jimmy Akin | One of the most common topics in discussion between Christians and atheists is the question of what atheism actually is. For a long time, the word has been defined as the view that there is no God--i.e., the claim "God does not...

12 things to know and share about the Holy Trinity

2013-05-26

By Jimmy Akin | The Church teaches that the Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian Faith. But how much do you know about this mystery? What is its history? What does it mean? And how can it be proved? Here are 12 things to...

Did Pope Francis Say That Atheists Can Get to Heaven by Good Works?

2013-05-24

By Jimmy Akin | Color me annoyed. The press has been going nuts about remarks concerning atheists that Pope Francis made at one of his daily homilies. As usual, the press is hyping the remarks as if they are earthshaking, unprecedented, and...

Is God telling us fictions about the past?

2013-05-22

By Jimmy Akin | Wouldn't it be great if scientists invented a device that enabled us to have a clear window into the past--so that we wouldn't just have to read about the past in books? Instead, with the new device--let's call it a Time...

8 things to know and share about Pentecost

2013-05-18

By Jimmy Akin | The original day of Pentecost saw dramatic events that are important to the life of the Church. But where did the feast of Pentecost come from? How can we understand what happened on it? And what does it mean for us...

Pope Francis and lying to save life

2013-05-16

By Jimmy Akin | Back during World War II, some people lied to save Jewish lives. More recently, Lila Rose has used undercover tactics to expose Planned Parenthood. At issue is the question of whether it is ever okay to lie, particularly when...