All Hallows Eve is coming!

[Eucharisted]

that is CCD day so we will have our annual All Saints Fiesta, saint costume contest, skits on lives of the saints by Jr. high classes, procession, and party

Sounds fun!

 

[pnewton]

that is CCD day so we will have our annual All Saints Fiesta, saint costume contest, skits on lives of the saints by Jr. high classes, procession, and party

My son gets to wear his costume on the 30th for a saints parade at his school. I hope they do not suspend him for a styrofoam sword.

 

[josie_L]

I think you have a misunderstanding on what Martin Luther believed about justification by faith alone. The Reformers did not believe that mental ascent alone saves sinners. What do you think about this quote from Luther?

“There is no justification without sanctification, no forgiveness without renewal of life, no real faith from which the fruits of new obedience do not grow.”

The Pope and Luther are saying the same thing in different ways. Do you seem to agree?

If that is truly what Luther was saying then what argument did he have against the Catholic church which had always preached this? Faith working in love, or faith and works means the same thing. And I can tell you this there are quite a few Christians today who believe in faith alone as being just faith and absolutely no works in order to be justified, they claim to be doing this under the impetus of the reformation.

p.s. I’m going to scrounge up something I remember Luther said, which highlights the changes wrought in society after the introduction of faith alone.

 

[2nd_Adam]

If that is truly what Luther was saying then what argument did he have against the Catholic church which had always preached this? Faith working in love, or faith and works means the same thing. And I can tell you this there are quite a few Christians today who believe in faith alone as being just faith and absolutely no works in order to be justified, they claim to be doing this under the impetus of the reformation.

p.s. I’m going to scrounge up something I remember Luther said, which highlights the changes wrought in society after the introduction of faith alone.

I think many modern day Protetstants are not following the beliefs of historic confessional Protestant Reformers. They bought into the 2nd Great Awakening in America with Charles Finney’s altar calls, sinner’s prayer conversion which is called decisional regeneration. These type of professing conversions are usually false in the light of James chapter 2, faith without works is dead. Next time you discuss these issues with Protestants who hold to a conversion through mental ascent alone, ask them to show you in the Bible where it teaches to “ask Jesus into your heart” and you will be automatically saved apart from a change in affection toward God.

 

[Christ_Imitator]

Actually, I am being serious about this.
A friend and I were going to dress up for halloween this year, for the first time in a while, and I said I would be a priest and she could be a nun just to be funny. But, we decided not to do that.

 

[Gertabelle]

Just curious - straw survey. How many here would attend or send their children to a Church-sponsored Hallowe’en party, if one were taking place at your parish?

I just found out our parish is having their annual Barn Dance on Oct. 30. And yes, we will definitely be attending that event! In costume!

 

[JonNC]

If that is truly what Luther was saying then what argument did he have against the Catholic church which had always preached this? Faith working in love, or faith and works means the same thing.

The Catholic Church may have always taught it, but in Luther’s place and time, they weren’t preaching it, as witnessed by the abuses (note I didn’t say errors) of indulgences and the like. There was an air of semi-pelagianism. Luther, at first, tried to alert the pope of the problem (it is often forgotten that he did try at first to work through the Church to fix abuses).

And I can tell you this there are quite a few Christians today who believe in faith alone as being just faith and absolutely no works in order to be justified, they claim to be doing this under the impetus of the reformation.

And they are wrong. One only need read the Lutheran Confessions to know the importance of receiving faith in a responsible way.

We believe, teach, and confess also that all men, but those especially who are born again and renewed by the Holy Ghost, are bound to do good works.

9] 4. In this sense the words necessary, shall, and must are employed correctly and in a Christian manner also with respect to the regenerate, and in no way are contrary to the form of sound words and speech.

10] 5. Nevertheless, by the words mentioned, necessitas, necessarium, necessity and necessary, if they be employed concerning the regenerate, not coercion, but only due obedience is to be understood, which the truly believing, so far as they are regenerate, render not from coercion or the driving of the Law, but from a voluntary spirit; because they are no more under the Law, but under grace, Rom. 6:14; 7:6; 8:14.

11] 6. Accordingly, we also believe, teach, and confess that when it is said: The regenerate do good works from a free spirit, this is not to be understood as though it is at the option of the regenerate man to do or to forbear doing good when he wishes, and that he can nevertheless retain faith if he intentionally perseveres in sins.

[bookofconcord.org/fc-ep.php#IV. Good Works.](http://www.bookofconcord.org/fc-ep.php#IV. Good Works.)

Jon

 

[CatholicZ09]

Well, I’m going to my friends house for a party and to watch some classic horror movies. I hope I don’t stay too long though since the next day I have to get up for church!

 

[Benjamin8o8]

I’m just going to watch scary movies, and keep the souls in purgatory in mind. As well as pray for them.

 

[historyb]

Are you going to dress up as a saint or an angel and give out holy cards, Bibles, or candles in exchange for candy, or are you going to go to a big party and sing and dance and have fun, or are you going to stay at church all evening, or are you going to stay at home all evening, or something else?

Staying at Home to watch old horror classics and Abbott and Costello movies, also handing out candy to the kids that come by and handing the rest out to me

 

[josie_L]

The Catholic Church may have always taught it, but in Luther’s place and time, they weren’t preaching it, as witnessed by the abuses (note I didn’t say errors) of indulgences and the like. There was an air of semi-pelagianism. Luther, at first, tried to alert the pope of the problem (it is often forgotten that he did try at first to work through the Church to fix abuses).

Hi Jon, did Luther himself practice “faith working in love” towards others (even though the theology that he taught believed that we should)? If not, then I’m not sure the crux of the matter was that he saw abuses and therefore felt duty bound to fix the problem, in fact, why didn’t he come back into the Church once the abuse of selling indulgences was rectified? The answer to that question is because he had other reasons for leaving the Church which were based in major part to irreconcilable theological differences. I mean he went so far in preaching “sola fide” that he added the word “alone” (which the Bible expressly states is a big no no) and sought to get rid of the epistle of James in sacred scripture (it was only at the behest of the other reformers that it was kept as part of the canon). Why would a man who believed that “faith working in love” but expressed as “sola fide” justifies us (which the Church expressed as faith and works) need to make changes to the Bible if he truly understood the Church’s theological position and/or for that matter scripture?

God bless Jon.

 

[amontoya]

We’ll probably just watch some scary movies on tv. All the kids in town go up to greek circle at the university to get candy. We stopped buying candy years ago, because nobody ever shows up.

 

[jmcrae]

We’ll probably just watch some scary movies on tv. All the kids in town go up to greek circle at the university to get candy. We stopped buying candy years ago, because nobody ever shows up.

We don’t get very many kids, either, but we still buy a nice bag of candy. We both work from home, and it’s fun to have a candy dish full of Hallowe’en treats when clients come to visit.

 

[pnewton]

I will be going to Mass first. I have already told my son that Mass will proceed trick or treat this year. I work all day Sunday and that is my only option.

 

[JonNC]

=josie L;5834615]Hi Jon, did Luther himself practice “faith working in love” towards others (even though the theology that he taught believed that we should)? If not, then I’m not sure the crux of the matter was that he saw abuses and therefore felt duty bound to fix the problem, in fact, why didn’t he come back into the Church once the abuse of selling indulgences was rectified?

One could ask the same about Pope Leo X. The answer is probably not as well as he should have, but far be it from me to make that judgement. Most of the rectification of these abuses came at Trent, and Luther was already dead.

The answer to that question is because he had other reasons for leaving the Church which were based in major part to irreconcilable theological differences. I mean he went so far in preaching “sola fide” that he added the word “alone” (which the Bible expressly states is a big no no) and sought to get rid of the epistle of James in sacred scripture (it was only at the behest of the other reformers that it was kept as part of the canon).

This may or may not be true, and again, if one understands Luther’s faith alone, you can see that it was a reaction to the works based salvation being taught by some at the time.
As for “adding” the word alone, this has been discussed over and over, that it has to do with translating into German, as proven by the fact that it does not appear in English Bibles. As for James, I have heard this before, but I’ve never seen evidence that Luther wanted to remove it from the canon. He, like many others, questioned it’s authorship, but he also said he liked it. So, Josie, if you have a source, I’d like to see it.

Why would a man who believed that “faith working in love” but expressed as “sola fide” justifies us (which the Church expressed as faith and works) need to make changes to the Bible if he truly understood the Church’s theological position and/or for that matter scripture?

Other than the order of the OT, I would not agree that Luther changed the Bible.

Jon

 

[fgj]

Hello everyone,last year i didnt take my kids out for halloween because i was told at a retreat i attended not to take part in this festival because it was satanic.Now i do understand i could celebrate it in a different way and not dress up so demonic or maybe attending a parish halloween party.Now from reading all these posts Im a little confused wether its right for me to take part in this festival and take my kids out trick or treating or not.I have read about the celtics and were it comes from but now i would like to know why is it ok for Christians to take part of this as non believers do.Could someone help me understand this maybe provide a link,it will be appreciated thanks…Felipe

 

[jmcrae]

Hello everyone,last year i didnt take my kids out for halloween because i was told at a retreat i attended not to take part in this festival because it was satanic.Now i do understand i could celebrate it in a different way and not dress up so demonic or maybe attending a parish halloween party.Now from reading all these posts Im a little confused wether its right for me to take part in this festival and take my kids out trick or treating or not.I have read about the celtics and were it comes from but now i would like to know why is it ok for Christians to take part of this as non believers do.Could someone help me understand this maybe provide a link,it will be appreciated thanks…Felipe

It’s only Satanic if you yourself make it Satanic. The original purpose of the day was to make fun of the Devil by dressing up as him and doing funny things, including going door to door looking for food, etc. It eventually became a children’s festival with dressing up and going door to door for candy. It takes place on the Eve of All Saints as part of the All Saints Day celebration, in which we rejoice in so many Saints in Heaven, whose names we don’t know.

 

[JonNC]

It’s only Satanic if you yourself make it Satanic. The original purpose of the day was to make fun of the Devil by dressing up as him and doing funny things, including going door to door looking for food, etc. It eventually became a children’s festival with dressing up and going door to door for candy. It takes place on the Eve of All Saints as part of the All Saints Day celebration, in which we rejoice in so many Saints in Heaven, whose names we don’t know.

 

[fgj]

It’s only Satanic if you yourself make it Satanic. The original purpose of the day was to make fun of the Devil by dressing up as him and doing funny things, etc. It eventually became a children’s festival with dressing up and going door to door for candy. It takes place on the Eve of All Saints as part of the All Saints Day celebration, in which we rejoice in so many Saints in Heaven, whose names we don’t know.

Excuse my ignorance but can you get more into detail.Are we making fun of him because of Jesus resurrection and overcoming death.

 

[jmcrae]

jmcrae;5836885:

It’s only Satanic if you yourself make it Satanic. The original purpose of the day was to make fun of the Devil by dressing up as him and doing funny things, etc. It eventually became a children’s festival with dressing up and going door to door for candy. It takes place on the Eve of All Saints as part of the All Saints Day celebration, in which we rejoice in so many Saints in Heaven, whose names we don’t know.

Excuse my ignorance but can you get more into detail.Are we making fun of him because of Jesus resurrection and overcoming death.

Yes - we are making fun of him because he has been defeated by Christ on the Cross, as witnessed by the many Saints in Heaven, whom we are celebrating and acknowledging on All Saints Day.