In Part One I presented a descriptive survey of the unusual
Catholic phenomenon known as Marian apparitions. I explained how
the Catholic church specifically defines an apparition and
described its method of evaluating these elusive, ethereal visions.
I also surveyed some of the more important and popular alleged
apparitions of Mary at such places as Guadalupe, Lourdes, and
Fatima.
In the present article I will conclude my description of this
extraordinary phenomenon, discussing in detail the currently
reported apparitions in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia. I will also examine
how apparitions in general have influenced Catholic piety. Finally,
I will respond to some of the difficult theological questions this
phenomena raises, addressing them from an evangelical Protestant
perspective.
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*Glossary*
*apparition:* The sudden appearance of a supernatural entity
which directly manifests itself to a human person or group (a
supernatural vision).
*encyclical:* A letter of instruction from the Pope which
circulates throughout the church.
*indulgence:* The partial or complete remission of the
penalties still due to be paid for sins which have already been
forgiven in the sacrament of penance.
*Mariology:* (1) The totality of Catholic dogmas, beliefs, and
speculations regarding Mary, the mother of Jesus. (2) That branch
of Catholic theology concerned with the study of Marian doctrines.
*papal bull:* An official document, edict, or decree from the
Pope.
*purgatory:* In Catholic theology, a state of purification
and/or maturation one may experience after death for the purpose of
preparing one's soul to enter the presence of God.
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*MEDJUGORJE, YUGOSLAVIA 1981 -*
As the decade of the 1980s began, few people outside of
Yugoslavia had heard of Medjugorje (pronounced Med-ju-gory-ah): a
small and remote farming community nestled between the hills in the
province of Hercegovina, in southwestern Yugoslavia.[1] In the
summer of 1981, however, events transpired that would transform
this once-obscure community into an international pilgrimage
center. In fact, over a ten year period, some 10 to 15 million
people from five different continents have journeyed to
Medjugorje.[2] This is even more significant when it is recognized
that Yugoslavia is a Communist country....
Source File: crj0079a.txt
...archer Ken Samples, who specializes in Roman Catholicism, is presently evaluating the Medjugorje phenomenon. He presents a summary of his findings in the Winter and Spring 1991 issues of the CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL and are available in file form under the original CRI file names CRJ0078A.TXT and crj0079a.txt. *Harvest House Withdraws _Satan's Underground._* The February 19, 1990 issue of _Christianity Today (CT)_ reports that _Satan's Underground,_ Lauren Stratford's controversial story of satanic worship and ritual abuse, has been withdrawn from publication by Harvest House Publishers. Since its release in 1988, more than 130,000 copies of the book have been sold. In it, Stratford describes a horrid past of sexual abuse, pornography, prostitution, and eventually Satanism. She also alleges that two children she bore were killed in "snuff" films, and a third sacrificed in her pr...
Source File: crn0020a.txt
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