wheeloficeandfire

Why could God not have revealed himself to every nation at the world at the same time as he did to Israel?

I often hear that the purpose of the Old Covenant was to prepare the world for Christ, but if so, why was it not given to all nations and not just Israel?

Time the Catholic Church has been present in the USA: <400 years

Time the Catholic Church has been present in Italy: just short of 2000 years

Loved the climactic scene with Phillip and Thomas Becket in Pillars.

Thanks for the AMA Mr. Follett, been a fan for years now!

How did it feel to transition from writing thrillers like Eye of the Needle to historical epics like The Pillars of the Earth and back again to thrillers like Night over Water (my personal favorite of those)?

Hello Bishop Barron,

So, I have a few questions as a longtime inquirer into the Catholic faith, I would be very happy if you could answer at least some:

​

1) What is your take on the various sayings of Jesus reported in the synoptic gospels that seem to indicate a promise to return to Earth within a generation? (for example Luke 21:32, Mark 13:30, Matthew 24:34) How can they be plausibly reconciled with the nearly 2000 year wait for Jesus' return?

2) How would you argue for the truth of Christ's resurrection with someone who does not accept the canonical gospels or Paul as necessarily historically reliable? Many arguments seem to go: "Well, Paul says 500 people saw the risen Christ, they couldn't have been wrong." or "The tomb was empty and the disciples saw Christ risen, what else could explain it?"

3) How would you answer claims that the Catholic Church has, in fact, changed teachings on faith and morals? For example in Matthew 5:34 Jesus says "But I say to you, swear not at all." and we find many early church fathers interpreting this to mean a total prohibition on swearing of oaths, yet today, as far as I know, the Catholic Church does not forbid the faithful to swear oaths such as those sworn by jurors or holders of government offices.

​

Another alleged change is on the salvation of non-Catholics. The bull *Unam Sanctam* by Pope Boniface VIII, written in 1302, says: " We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff. " This certainly sounds like Boniface using the language of an excathedra definition, which is infallible. How can this and the similar content of the bull *Cantate Domino* of the Council of Florence, which states: " It firmly believes, professes, and proclaims that those not living within the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics cannot become participants in eternal life, but will depart “into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels” [Matt. 25:41], unless before the end of life the same have been added to the flock " be reconciled with the teaching of the current Catechism that those who are not visibly members of the Catholic Church may yet be saved if they are under 'invincible ignorance' of the Catholic faith?

​

4) What advice would you give to someone struggling to fully believe in the dogma of transubstantiation? I have read all the quotes from Church Fathers and John 6 which support it, and yet on a visceral level when I attend or watch a Mass I find it incredibly hard, if not impossible, to truly believe that the wafer and wine have become the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ once the words of consecration have been spoken.

​

5) The Trinity is nowhere clearly defined in the New Testament, and many saints of the Pre-Nicene period seem to hold a subordinationist view, such as Justin Martyr who calls Christ "God in the second degree." Were they simply wrong?