I’m a Catholic and am part of a Christian homeschool co-op for the last year. The founder, an Orthodox Evangelical, is putting together a statement of faith for the group and has asked for my (name removed by moderator)ut b/c as a she knows that some of my views differ from hers. I can agree with all the statements she has come up with, with the exception of one that is somewhat troubling to me. That is:
We believe that each person must repent, turn away from his sins, and accept Christ as Lord and Savior.
I don’t disagree with it entirely, but the part about accepting Christ as Lord and Savior somewhat troubles me, in that what if someone is never given the opportunity to know Jesus (i.e. a young child raised in a different religion, American Indians prior to colonial settlement, etc). Could someone help me to better understand what the Catholic Church’s stance is on “accepting Christ as Lord and Savior”?
God bless,
Georgea
Well, you’re saying you’re a Catholic. Are you what they call a cradle Catholic? If so, you were claimed in the name of Christ at your infant Baptism, then you ‘accepted’ Christ as your Lord and Saviour when you came to the age of reason, and were confirmed into the Church and at last had your first Holy Communion/Eucharist.
If you were an adult convert, like me, it can get fairly complex, depending on what religion, if any, you came FROM. For instance, during most of my adult life, I was a Buddhist, but when I was a teenager, I was baptised at a 4 square Baptist Church, and during that ceremony I was ‘born again’ and took Jesus and my personal Lord and Saviour in their sense of it. It’s probably true enough. When I was Buddhist, I never renounced Christ. I just added Buddhist practice. Now I am solely Catholic. As a Catholic, I reaffirmed my acceptance of Christ as my Lord and Saviour, just as a cradle Catholic youngster. I was confirmed, sealed, and took my first Communion/Eucharist.
As Catholics we ‘accept’ Jesus Christ, and are ‘born again’ every single Sunday!!! When we take the Lord and Saviour into ourselves, the very Body of Christ! Happy are we who are called to His Supper!
So…you can tell your friend that you have accepted Christ in every way that you can accept Christ, and you continue to do so on a constant basis.
The one tricky thing to look for is the word ‘saved’, because we have a little bit different concept of that. I wish I could see the letter you’re talking about.
It’s a little odd that a school group wants a “statement of faith” to begin with, unless their co-op only allows a particular religion. Why don’t you show them this:
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
one in Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered, died, and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in fulfilment of the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
See if you can sign this, and whether that will satisfy their needs. That way you know that you are not committing heresy.
Worth a try. At a bare minimum, you can not agree to anything which would contradict anything above in any way.
Otherwise, I’d find a new co-op.
Peace be with you,
Steven
