This post is meant as a bit of an ad/preview of what is available at the other blog I am involved in, Areopagus Blog. Please consider adding it to your reading list.
-Mark

Fun With Transubstantiation
“Transubstantiation,” a word that strikes fear of idolatry into the hearts of some and a call home to Rome in the case of others. This odd term, which deals with the Catholic/Orthodox doctrine of the “Real Presence” of Jesus in the Eucharist (Lord’s Supper) is one that has been a dividing point for Christianity since the Reformation. It has split Christianity in the West assunder, and yet, it is one of the most fiercely defended dogmas of the Catholic Church.

As a personal aside, Real Presence is what brought me back to the Catholic Church. I could no longer deny it as untrue and thus had but one option, returning home to Rome. I’ve been spending much of my free time (what free time you might say, since I am runnign for State Rep, well… I read at night, and in my twisted brain, I read theology for fun… I know… its messed up, but I digress.) reading books on theology. I’ve been spending a lot of time on what is known in Catholic circles as “resourcement” and “orientalism” in Protestant circles, basically studying the roots, early centuries fo the Church.

A class I took with Dewey Wallace at GW sparked my original interest in the topic, and eventually caused me to rejoin the Church. I am currently reading a book called “The Mass of the Early Christians” that is a book of primary sources of the early Church that talks about what the early worship of Christians looked like. One inescapable conclusion that becomes apparent was that the dogma of Real Presence or Transubstantiation was widespread within one generation of Jesus. Writings in the Didache, St. Justin Martyr, Oriegen, Cyprian, and Tertullian are used to drive the point home.

The strongest evidence comes from St. Ignatius of Antioch, a likely contemporary of both Peter and John, making his claim to having heard proper teaching extroadinarily strong.

“Let no man decieve himself. For both the beings of heaven, the glorious angles, and the rules both seen and unseen, incur condemnation if they do not believe in the blood of Christ… Consider those who hold a different opinion regarding the grace of Christ that has come to us — how opposed they are to the will of God. They have no regard for love; no care for the widow, the orphan, or the oppressed; the eslaved or the free; the hungry or the thirsty.

They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, in His goodness, raised up again. Those therefore, who speak against this gift of God, incur death in the midst of their disputes. Yet it would be better for them to treat it with respect that they also might rise again.”

-SMYRNAEANS 6-8

“Take care, then, to have only one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup to show forth the unity of his blood; one altar, as there is one bishop, along with the priests and deacons, my fellow servants. All this is so, so that, whatever you do, you may do it according to the will of God”

-PHILADELPHIANS 4

Now the Catholic Church does not hold that St. Ignatius was in any way perfect in his interpretation of the Faith, but if he is wrong on what he obviously considers such a major point of theology, then the Church has been wrong from the very begining and there is no real “true” church to return to. We can only wander in the dark hoping to pick up a few good bread crumbs because the Church never physically existed in any plausible manner, as it had taught heresy (Real Presence) from the begining.

I accept the other option. The Church has been right from the begining and that Ignatius being instructed by St. Peter and St. John learned the correct teaching, Real Presence.

Anyway, discuss amongst yourselves.

**SAVE THE GOP READERS CAN SEE THE DISCUSSION OVER AT AREOPAGUS BLOG**

BOSTON - Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a bill Tuesday that would make Massachusetts the first state to require that all its citizens have some form of health insurance.

The plan — approved just 24 hours after the final details were released — would use a combination of financial incentives and penalties to dramatically expand access to health care over the next three years and extend coverage to the state’s estimated 500,000 uninsured.

Welcome to the beginning of universal healthcare in the U.S., folks. It only takes one state to do it before many others will begin to follow suit.

But, here are the real nasty details:

The plan hinges in part on two key sections: the $295-per-employee business assessment and a so-called “individual mandate,” requiring every citizen who can afford it to obtain health insurance or face increasing tax penalties………

Individuals deemed able but unwilling to purchase health care could face fines of more than $1,000 a year by the state if they don’t get insurance.

It’s really hard to imagine that a little over 200 years ago, Massachusetts was the setting of a “tea party” that took place in an agressive movement for freedom and liberty. So if I were a resident of Massachusetts, which you could never pay me to be, and I decide that I don’t need to be insured, the government can come in and fine me $1,000? Is that freedom? Is that liberty? I always thought the Left was all about “choice”, but apparently that’s only when you’re deciding whether or not to slaughter your child.

Romney pushed vigorously for the individual mandate and called the legislation “something historic, truly landmark, a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”

Nice…….. and you want to be the Republican nominee for President?

One of my pet peeve’s are national media trying to understand local races. They just can’t do it! So for those of you who want an idea of the conditions on the ground in DeLay’s district, read this article in the Houston Chronicle.

Those who acknowledged interest in the seat or were mentioned as contenders included Harris County Judge Robert Eckels, state Rep. Robert Talton, Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace, Houston City Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, former state District Judge John Devine and lawyer Tom Campbell, who ran against DeLay in the March Republican Primary.

Names you’ll not hear in the national media.

I sure hope so. I am sick and tired of John McCain and I’m tired of Bush’s false conservatism. This bill McCain is pushing is simply amnesty renamed. I have no problem with a guest worker program, but only after all the border is sealed, businesses are heavily fined for employing illegals, and the 11 million invaders are out of this country.

Supporters of a guest worker program that would let illegal immigrants stay in the United States said Tuesday they don’t have enough Senate votes to overcome objections from conservatives who oppose the measure on grounds it amounts to amnesty.

As negotiators worked on a compromise to let those who have been here longest remain, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said a majority in the 100- member Senate support his and Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s proposal to provide green cards to illegal immigrants after they’ve worked in the U.S. for six years.

But it takes 60 senators to overcome opponents’ parliamentary tactics, and McCain said he doesn’t have that many.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/04/04/D8GPA2KG9.html

Check this out