In what follows, a fictional “Pastor Mark” reflects a contemporary Evangelical voice and “Cardinal Cajetan” is an actual person, who was writing during the controversies sparked by Martin Luther. Many early Christian writings were penned as mock dialogues, imaginary back-and-forth conversations about theology, church practice, you name it. Cajetan’s words, here, with minor adaptation for flow are otherwise a direct quotation drawn from his letter to Pope Clement VII in 1532; hence, the imaginary hybrid dialogue. In “Part 1” Cajetan attempted to show pastor Mark that “faith” is not to be understood equivocally with “conviction of belief,” as though they are one in the same. Here, in “Part 2,” we engage with the idea that God forgives your sins if and when you muster up a deep conviction of belief in that forgiveness. If that common teaching is true, we still wonder how much and how strongly must one believe?
Pastor Mark: Thanks again for speaking to me from the grave like this. Who knew?!
Cardinal Cajetan: Word to your mother. Death can’t keep me down. (This line is not original.)
Mark: OK. You said that there is a second flaw with my doctrine of faith. Let me reiterate; I’ve been preaching for years that if you “believe in Jesus ... Read More »
