Are protestants to be considered heretics?

[aaronjmagnan]

There is an interesting thread below that brought be to the question:
If protestants are teaching something other than Church doctrine, even changing it, can we consider them just as heretical as the gnostics, etc…?

Just a thought.

God bless,
Aaron

 

[sweetchuck]

technically they are, but it is terribly uncharitable and unecumenical to call them so considering the connotations assocated with the word. Plus, considering their upbringing, they have not been subjected to the fullness of the truth. It is our job to offer them that, without calling them names that will drive them away from dialogue.

I think before we should start (or continue) calling names, we should learn how to evangelize like the Protestants do. They have a great strength in their evangelization, and we should pray for the same strength. I’ll be honest, Catholics don’t do enough to educate themselves, learn the Bible, moral principles, the teachings of the Magisterium, and go out and spread the good news.

 

[Genesis315]

They are most definitely heretics; however I would guess the vast majority are only material heretics in that they profess heresy through no fault of their own. A formal heretic on the other hand would be culpable for their heresy (this would probably apply to some protestants and some cafeteria Catholics).

As for being as heretical as Gnostics, I don’t think they are. Most Protestant sects have an understanding of God much, much closer to the Truth than the Gnostics held.

 

[Scotty_PGH]

aaronjmagnan:

There is an interesting thread below that brought be to the question:
If protestants are teaching something other than Church doctrine, even changing it, can we consider them just as heretical as the gnostics, etc…?

Just a thought.

God bless,
Aaron

There are a thousand reasons to answer “yes,” but I’ll just provide one.

From the Council of Trent:

It is heretical to deny that the sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist truly, really and substantially contains the body and blood together with the soul and divinity of Jesus Christ our Lord, and hence Christ as a whole; and to assert that he is in it only symbolically, figuratively or potentially.

 

[TPJCatholic]

How does it help to toss names around like that? Are we not supposed to be working towards unity? How will we ever attain unity if we use offensive labels and names for those people whom we desire to unite with?

I am not saying we should waterdown our faith or beliefs…I am saying we should present the reasons for our joy…not reasons for superiority.

 

[Fidelis]

Scotty PGH:

There are a thousand reasons to answer “yes,” but I’ll just provide one.

From the Council of Trent:

The anathemas of Trent applied directly to those who (like the first “Reformers”) denied essential points of the Catholic faith. Present day Protestants, even though they, through error, ignorance, upbringing, or tradition hold the same or similar heretical views are not formal heretics. They are seperated brethren whom, through one or more of the factors above, do not hold the fullness of the Faith as once and for all handed down from the saints.