Addressing the non-denominational viewpoint

[Church_Militant]

Recently, in a discussion with my non-Catholic Christian girlfriend, I am temporarily stumped on how to address the following situation…

-she believes that Christ established a community of believers. (Not an institutional church)

Make her back that up with her only authority…her Bible. She can’t do that and you have Matthew 16:18 and other verses that say otherwise.

Here’s a whole Bible study full of notes that will help you out.

Here’s a free MP3 Download of that same study by its author, John Martignoni. You can DL it and burn a CD for her to listen to. She’s used to Bible studies and this guy is very good.

One Church

 What the Bible says about the one true Church founded by Jesus

-she believes that as long as people accept Christ as their savior

they are Christians.Tell her to show it to you in the New Testament. She can’t because it’s nowhere in there. I wrote an article for my blog that deals with this.
Who REALLY Preaches “A Different Gospel”?

Can anyone lend some help on pointing me in the right direction in where to talk further discussions? I have no intention of just ending our relationship based on these differences, and I want to speak with command of the issues and with compassion and love.

Regards,
Phil

This may also be something that you will find helpful. Peter the Rock

 

[Nicea325]

she believes that Christ established a community of believers. (Not an institutional church

)

If the above is what Jesus founded,then why did he bother to pick 12 men to be the first leaders and have successors? Hmmmmm? Or did the Apostles create a false premise against Jesus’ wishes of only being a community of loose- believers?

 

[mackbrislawn]

Recently, in a discussion with my non-Catholic Christian girlfriend, I am temporarily stumped on how to address the following situation…

-she believes that Christ established a community of believers. (Not an institutional church)
-she believes that as long as people accept Christ as their savior they are Christians.

I’ll adopt, not a theological, but a logical, historical approach to this question.

Lut us suppose all there was to early Christianity was a dispersed community of believers…The question to be asked in this case is, "Could Christianity have survived this way? Or would it have been lost among all the other mystery cults at that time in the Roman empire?

So, what is it that made Christianity stand out, endure, and become the religion of the empire? I think the answer to this question was the strong centralized authority of the church. Without definite leadership, the community of believers would have ceased to be a community and would have quickly degenerated into multitudes of quarrelling sects. They would have nothing in common to hold them together. They wouldn’t even have had scripture, because it is only the bishops and the institutional church that determined for Chrisitanity what scripture is!

So, even if they do not realize it, those who today do not believe in an institutional church are nevertheless indebted to that very Church for the scriptures they hold in their hands. For without that Church, scripture could not have been canonized, and wouldn’t even have been copied down through the ages for us to have today. It is because of an institutional church that Europe was evangelized. Otherwise, Europe would have remained pagan, or even more likely, succumbed to Islamic invasions!

So, whether the institutional church is right or wrong, she owes her very belief in scripture, in Jesus, and God, to that very Church!

 

[Little_Mary]

You have a lot of great advice here but I am wondering if you address specific topics with her, would she become defensive? Would heated arguments ensue? That is never productive.

I don’t believe now is the time to try and “convert” her or argue with her, or proof text bible passages… Maybe just “take her temperature” and find out whether or not she respects your Catholic faith. Decide whether or not you respect hers.

From there, take it slow, talking about all the differences you have, and how it might affect a future family.

I speak from experience. I married a baptist. He agreed before we were married to raise our children Catholic and he has always had a respect for all different faiths, including the Catholic faith but he made it very clear that he would “never convert to Catholicism”. I respected that. So when the children came along, it was no problem. Eleven years after we were married he converted to Catholicism. Maybe I’m just lucky.

Just take it very slowly. Just my $0.02.

 

[po18guy]

One can neither teach, nor pass the faith along to others, until one has first learned the faith himself. Start there. Once you immerse yourself in Catholicism, you will fall head-over-heels in love with our Lord. Your girlfriend cannot help but be impressed with that.

Get a catechism and a copy of Catholicism for Dummies. Attend mass 100%. Receive the Sacraments faithfully. Take her along as you adore our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament outside of mass. Watch the Holy Spirit work within her heart.

If the Holy Spirit cannot convert someone, it is silly to think that we can.

 

[benidict]

Yes, there are many good responses on this thread, thanks for all the feedback!

GaryTaylor and benidict, isn’t it a good idea to prevent grievous hurt later in life to face these things right now while I’m still young?
Besides, CAF isn’t the only resource I consult on this matter, and the advice I seek from those I know from my parish and other catholics is along the same lines, yet not so dismissive as saying, “don’t bother trying to inform her, just go find a Catholic girl.” Yeah that would be easier, but life isn’t always easy.

my patron saint is Saint George, and I’ll defend my faith and argue my cause with her. If there is a point in the future where it becomes impossible then I’ll throw in the towel, but I have not yet begun to fight!
:knight2:

God Bless,
Phil

You are so right there my brother. Life is not that easy! but Catholic girls are not just good, they are the best! They are the only ones I know who are like a fine wine. If you can find one who is serious about her faith, then you will see that they positively Glow. I think they reflect the light of their mother… If I ever qualify to marry again, I most certainly would only marry a Catholic. But on the other hand, by all means inform her. It cannot hurt, and I admire your fire for the truth. Peace and prayers for you and her. oh yes, and I as a soldier have a particular fondness for St. George. Keep up the good fight.

 

[manualman]

I speak from experience. I married a baptist. He agreed before we were married to raise our children Catholic and he has always had a respect for all different faiths, including the Catholic faith but he made it very clear that he would “never convert to Catholicism”. I respected that. So when the children came along, it was no problem. Eleven years after we were married he converted to Catholicism. Maybe I’m just lucky.

I HAVE seen this work when the other person is ‘lukewarm’ about his/her beliefs. Was that the case with you? In my own experience among fired-up evangelicals, I can’t imagine a case where anyone I knew would be willing to have their infant baptized, taught Marian prayers, receive the Eucharist, go to Confession(!)…

But even with the lukewarm spouse, it’s an awfully dangerous game. I’d say you were blessed, not lucky!