Defending the Faith: Bishop Schneider's Exploration of Heresy

Bishop Athanasius Schneider returns to discuss his latest book, "Flee from Heresy," available through Sophia Institute Press. In this conversation, we will explore various heresies throughout Church history, including Lutheranism, Protestantism, Freemasonry, Communism, Socialism, and theological misunderstandings concerning the Holy Eucharist and Our Blessed Mother Mary.

A Catholic prelate, Bishop Schneider serves as the Auxiliary Bishop of Astana in Kazakhstan. He is a member of the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross of Coimbra, founded in Portugal in 1131.

Early Life and Background

Born in 1961 in the Soviet Union as Anton Schneider, he comes from a devout family actively involved in the underground Church during that time. His mother, Maria, courageously sheltered Blessed Oleksa Zaryckyj, a Ukrainian priest martyred by the Soviet regime. As a boy, Schneider and his siblings attended clandestine Masses, traveling long distances in secrecy. In 1973, after making his first Holy Communion in secret, Schneider and his family emigrated to West Germany.

Exploring Heresies in Church History

Bishop Schneider's book delves into both ancient and modern heresies. Heresy is defined as disagreeing with a known dogma of the Church. For example, while the Church has always taught that Original Sin wounds human nature, Martin Luther claimed in the 16th century that Original Sin completely corrupted human nature, and that we can only do evil without God's grace, which he saw as merely covering our sins rather than transforming us.

Luther also rejected the Catholic understanding of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, viewing it as a human invention rather than a spiritual event. He denied the doctrine of transubstantiation, instead teaching that the bread in the Eucharist remains bread while also becoming the body of Christ. He did not believe that Baptism gives us new life in Christ and restores the soul's beauty but held that one only needs to declare oneself a child of God. While Luther recognized Mary as the Mother of God, he did not recommend prayer to her or the saints. Regarding the veneration of sacred images, the Church teaches that showing respect to these images is not idolatry, as they lead us to the persons they represent. Luther, however, agreed with the 8th-century heresy that veneration of images equates to idolatry.

Bishop Schneider also addresses contemporary issues such as Communism, Socialism, liberation theology, and the criteria for Papal infallibility.

Conclusion

Bishop Schneider's book, "Flee from Heresy," is an essential read for those interested in understanding the historical and theological challenges the Church has faced.