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Articles on Theology

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The Beast Acheron, 1475. Simon Marmion (Flemish, active 1450–1489) Getty Museum

The Christmas when all the sodomites died

There is an obscure medieval legend that says once upon a time in Bethlehem, a child was born whose holiness was so great it required the slaughter of all the ‘sodomites’ in the world.
A woman prays in front of a statue of the martyred Catholic archbishop of El Salvador, Oscar Romero, known for his embrace of liberation theology. Vlady Chicas/picture alliance via Getty Images

After 50 years, ‘liberation theology’ is still reshaping Catholicism and politics – but what is it?

The influential movement, which is still controversial both inside and outside Catholicism, must be understood in the context of Latin American history.
An 11th-century mosaic shows Epiphanius of Salamis, Clement of Rome, Gregory the Theologian, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and Archdeacon Stephen. St. Sophia of Kyiv/Wikimedia Commons

The ‘fathers of the church’ died around 1,500 years ago, but these ancient leaders still influence Christianity today

Catholics, Protestants and Eastern Orthodox Christians recognize the authority of the ‘fathers’ to guide teaching on doctrinal issues.
A chaplain prays for a COVID-19 patient in Los Angeles while on a video call with the patient’s daughter in November 2020. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

How the role and visibility of chaplains changed over the past century

Chaplaincy emerged as a professional field in the mid-20th century. In the years since, their roles have evolved and they have also come to include many diverse religious traditions.
Bearers carry the relic and the statue in honor of St. Anthony of Padua during a procession in Rome, Italy. St. Anthony of Padua was proclaimed a doctor of the church in 1946. Stefano Montesi - Corbis/Getty Images Europe via Getty Images

Why are some Roman Catholic saints called doctors of the church?

Saints are recognized for exceptional virtue and faith. But some also are commemorated for their scholarship.
Pope John Paul I, who was pope for about a month before his death, has moved one step closer to sainthood. AP Photo/Claudio Luffoli

What’s a ‘miracle’? Here’s how the Catholic Church decides

To qualify as a Catholic ‘saint,’ someone must have two miracles credited to them. But how does the church define a miracle in the first place?
Luca Signorelli’s Sermon and Deeds of the Antichrist ( c. 1499 and 1502). Wikimedia Commons

Five things to know about the Antichrist

The Christian tradition says the Antichrist will come before the end of the world as we know it. So it’s good to know some background on him … or her … or them.

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