Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory (2 Timothy 3:16).
I think it’s time I drew this blog to a close. There’s always more to say, and indeed on some topics there was so much to say that I couldn’t write a succinct enough post.
I tried writing a post about Mary in Scripture, for example, but that topic involves more than just looking at scriptural evidence – it involves looking at how we read Scripture in the first place. When modern Protestants say that Catholic teaching about the Mother of God is not in the Bible, that’s because they are interpreting the Bible differently than the Catholic Church does.
So, a post about Mary in Scripture required looking at how the Apostles, Church Fathers, and even the Reformers interpreted the Bible, and contrasting that with how most modern Protestants read the Bible today. That was a far bigger project than I anticipated, and I could not make it wieldy enough for a blog post, or even a series of posts.
And that was one topic among many. So, it’s not for lack of material that I’m closing up here.
Rather, it’s because I’ve run out of steam for this kind of polemical blogging. There’s only so much you can write about in a blog post, and I often felt that I was barely touching the surface of things. To walk with Christ in the Church He established, to read the Scriptures in the context of her apostolic teaching, to reach out and touch the garment of Christ in her sacraments, and to rest on His bosom through the prayer life she nurtures – that is to know the meaning of your life, the fullness of being a new creation in Christ.
It is to know, with heart, soul, mind, and strength, that the Catholic faith is the religion of the Incarnate God. Every doctrine, every practice, every moment of the Mass, is a proclamation that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.
But that is so easily lost if all I’m doing is arguing.
I’m not making an absolute end – if I were in a band I’d call this an “indefinite hiatus.” I’ll leave open the possibility of responding to public, Reformed attacks on the Catholic faith. But I have no intention of posting further in any regular way. I may one day, if the Lord so leads me, and my family so permits me, write a book.
But as for now, life is busy enough without writing. My wife and I have four young children, homeschooling the two eldest, and I’ve just undergone a big change from teaching high school in Kelowna to landscaping in the Fraser Valley. We are very happy to be back in familiar territory among family and long-established friends. All this makes it a good time to wind things up here.
Below you can find links to all the posts I’ve written about the Catholic Church and her teachings, topically arranged (most posts fit more than one category, and thus are mentioned more than once). There’s a chronological list at the bottom. I’ve also included some resources I’ve found helpful over the years.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
My Top 5
The Sin of Becoming Catholic
On Denying the Gospel for the Sake of God’s Glory
That’s Not in the Bible!
The One Teaching that Christ’s Disciples Couldn’t Stand
Fragrant Mary on the North Wind
Catholicism in the Bible
On Scripture and the Bereans
Flashes, Thunders, and Shakes: The Bible on Prayers to Saints
King David’s Clean-Heart Gospel Passion
The Intrinsic Evil of Contraception
The One Teaching That Christ’s Disciples Couldn’t Stand
Is Venerating Images a Form of Idolatry?
Mary and the Perfect beauty of Scripture
Does Rome Teach a False Gospel – or the Plain Message of Scripture?
What Christ Said About Purgatory
Sola Scriptura
From Sola Scriptura to a Radical Surrender of Fate
On Scripture and the Bereans
The Scriptures, the Spirit, and the Sheepfold: A Reply to Dr. Wes Bredenhof
That’s Not in the Bible!
The Sin of Becoming Catholic
Does the Devil Make You a Catholic?
Justification and the Gospel
King David’s Clean-Heart Gospel Passion
On Denying the Gospel for the Sake of God’s Glory
Does Rome Teach a False Gospel – or the Plain Message of Scripture?
On the Gospel Coalition’s Salvation by Works
A Brief Response to “Catholicism Made Me Protestant”
Mary, Images, and the Saints
Fragrant Mary on the North Wind
Flashes, Thunders, and Shakes: The Bible on Prayers to Saints
Strange Distractions from the Gospel
Is Venerating Images a Form of Idolatry?
Mary and the Perfect beauty of Scripture
The Protestant Mary-Worship Problem (feat. the Book of Praise)
Feminism and Power vs. the Blessed Virgin Mary
Church History
With Faces Thitherward
Don’t Let Your Hatred of the Catholic Church be Greater than Your Love for Christ
The Protestant Mary-Worship Problem (feat. the Book of Praise)
Who Does the Name “Catholic” Belong to?
Feminism and Power vs. the Blessed Virgin Mary
Conversion Stories
With Faces Thitherward
On Becoming Catholic (Arenda)
How Life is Different Now that We’re Catholic
Going Deeper with Jesus in the Catholic Church
I’ve Changed My Mind
Called to Communion Posts
With Faces Thitherward
The Scriptures, the Spirit, and the Sheepfold: A Reply to Dr. Wes Bredenhof
King David’s Clean-Heart Gospel Passion
On Denying the Gospel for the Sake of God’s Glory
Chronological Order
2016
With Faces Thitherward
From Sola Scriptura to a Radical Surrender of Fate
2017
On Scripture and the Bereans
Fragrant Mary on the North Wind
The Scriptures, the Spirit, and the Sheepfold: A Reply to Dr. Wes Bredenhof
Flashes, Thunders, and Shakes: The Bible on Prayers to Saints
On Becoming Catholic
Don’t Let Your Hatred of the Catholic Church be Greater than Your Love for Christ
2018
King David’s Clean-Heart Gospel Passion
That’s Not in the Bible!
On Denying the Gospel for the Sake of God’s Glory
The Sin of Becoming Catholic
The Intrinsic Evil of Contraception
Strange Distractions from the Gospel
How Life is Different Now that We’re Catholic
Going Deeper With Jesus in the Catholic Church
I’ve Changed My Mind
The Protestant Mary-Worship Problem (feat. the Book of Praise)
2019
The One Teaching that Christ’s Disciples Couldn’t Stand
Is Venerating Images a Form of Idolatry?
Mary and the Perfect beauty of Scripture
Who Does the Name “Catholic” Belong to?
Does Rome Teach a False Gospel – or the Plain Message of Scripture?
On the Gospel Coalition’s Salvation by Works
What Christ Said About Purgatory
Feminism and Power vs. the Blessed Virgin Mary
Does the Devil Make You a Catholic?
A Brief Response to “Catholicism Made Me Protestant”
Other Resources
Catholic Answers YouTube Channel
Called to Communion
Dr. Lawrence Feingold (a Jewish atheist convert to Catholicism – can’t be beat)
Dr. Brant Pitre (Catholic New Testament scholar) – YouTube Channel
Shameless Popery
Catholic Nick
Jimmy Akin (or just google “Jimmy Akin + whatever Catholic issue you’re interested in” and you’ll find good answers)
Church Fathers
Sixteen Seasons 
God bless you and Arenda and all of yours, Jeremy. We need to be “ready to give an answer” to everyone who asks us a reason for the hope that is in us. Some, indeed, are called to a full-time apostolate of apologetics – but I think it is a specific call.
jj
Thanks, John, and thanks for the regular encouragement. God bless you and Susan, too.
May God bless you and your family, Jeremy, especially in your new location and work. I’ve enjoyed your thoughtful and well written posts, and I thank you for the time you’ve spent writing them. Thank you, and say hi to Arenda for me!
Thank you for your kind words, Amber. May God bless you and your family, too.
I just found your blog, by way of CTC. I’m a convert too You’ve got some wonderful apologetic here. Would love to see you continue blogging. Whatever you do, God bless!