Thomas Aquinas College Lectures & Talks “How Scripture Requires All Christians to be Catholic”
Dec 9, 2025
Brett Smith, a tutor and scholar at Thomas Aquinas College, passionately presents his journey from Baptist seminary to Catholicism. He argues that Scripture demands Christians to embrace Catholicism, highlighting the Church's visible nature through baptism and the Eucharist. Smith explores the significance of ordained ministers for sacramental validity, connects Jesus' authority on binding and loosing to church governance, and emphasizes the crucial role of the Eucharist in uniting believers. His insights challenge listeners to reconsider the necessity of a unified church for salvation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Conversion Through Scriptural Study
- Brett Smith recounts learning prophecy interpretations that painted the Catholic Church as corrupt in his youth.
- His Bible study over six years led him to convert, showing a personal journey from Protestant training to Catholic conviction.
Church Is A Visible Society
- Baptism and participation in the one bread make the body of Christ a visible society, not merely a private spiritual communion.
- Therefore the Church requires visible rites and communal structures to identify who truly belongs to Christ's body.
Binding And Loosing Defines Church Authority
- Matthew uses 'ekklesia' only in two Gospel passages, both tied to binding and loosing, linking church identity to authoritative decision-making.
- Binding and loosing implies both doctrinal and disciplinary authority within a visible, organized church.