Attending Protestant church?

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HabemusFrancis

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I have a friend who belongs to a baptist church. He is a nice guy and was keen to invite me along. He knows I am Catholic but does not have a problem with that. He even respects Lent as a holiday, though he and his faith do not observe it.

Is it fine to go to his church service with him? It seems more of an “Extra curricular” to my Catholic faith. Aren’t I still honoring Jesus by going to this baptist church with a friend who is firm in the faith?
 
It is certainly fine to attend a baptist wedding, baptism, or other special occasion. It is fine to attend a time or two because you’ve been invited.

A few cautions:

It is not ok to regularly attend.

It is also important that you understand the missionary mindset of Baptists. From a young age, they are taught to invite people to their church, their bible studies, their church camps and vacation bible school. It is their method of encouraging conversion to their denomination. It is not always a simple invitation as it appears to you.

Invite him to attend mass with you as reciprocation in reciprocation for inviting him to baptist church. See what he says.
 
Sure, once in a while is OKAY, but not a regular thing.

And we are not to receive their communion.

Also, as pointed out, I would invite him to the Mass. And walk him through it from time to time, at the appropriate times…why we do this or that, etc, etc.

Pax
 
Along these lines, some people have also asked if the service could take the place of the Mass. It doesn’t; don’t forget to go to Mass if it’s obligatory. 🙂
 
1ke said:
It is also important that you understand the missionary mindset of Baptists. From a young age, they are taught to invite people to their church, their bible studies, their church camps and vacation bible school. It is their method of encouraging conversion to their denomination. It is not always a simple invitation as it appears to you.
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Agree with poster, except:
Hard to find fault with this, as it is what Catholics should be, but fail to do.
 
I experienced this too. I was being invited in bible study in a protestant group. I always say No but in a nice way.

I think it’s fine to attend but as much as possible, don’t. For me, I don’t attend such activities. I always think of it as endangering my faith. Some doctrines and dogmata of the Catholic Church are different in their teachings. It can lead into confusions.
 
I agree with all the posts. Striker_eureka9 brought up something that cannot be underestimated. The enemy will use every opportunity to water down your Catholic faith. The passion of love (not the virtue) is working against you as they give a public witness to their heresy. This passion will prompt you to desire to be one with the group in some way. Fine, to have a holy friendship, which is rare, but in most cases the doctrine and love you have will confuse you. It will become evident if go regularly.

CCC 2518 The sixth beatitude proclaims, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” “Pure in heart” refers to those who have attuned their intellects and wills to the demands of God’s holiness, chiefly in three areas: charity; chastity or sexual rectitude; love of truth and orthodoxy of faith. There is a connection between purity of heart, of body, and of faith:

To go more than rarely would constitute as a sin against the ninth commandment.
 
HabemusFrancis said:
I have a friend who belongs to a baptist church. He is a nice guy and was keen to invite me along. He knows I am Catholic but does not have a problem with that. He even respects Lent as a holiday, though he and his faith do not observe it.

Is it fine to go to his church service with him? It seems more of an “Extra curricular” to my Catholic faith. Aren’t I still honoring Jesus by going to this baptist church with a friend who is firm in the faith?
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Yes, of course you can go, he has invited you after all. Just be informed of your faith and be cautious for theological errors. Be respectful of it all and you should be fine. They are worshiping and following the same guy we are. They are Christians just like us, only they lack full communion with the Church and all of its truths.
 
This one really hits home.

In my teenage days I was friends with the Baptist minister’s son and he invited me to join him as his guest at his Sunday morning church service. My mother allowed it provided that I attended my own church Saturday night.

If your host is perfectly okay with your being Catholic, it seems like the respectful thing to do.
 
Absolutely. It perfectly fine to attend non-Catholic services.
Remember that attendance is only after first having attended Sunday Mass.
Just as non-Catholics are not to receive Communion at Mass, do not partake of any Communion service offered. We are not yet in union and have a different understanding of what the Eucharist means.

Reciprocate by extending an invitation to Mass. This is a good way to improve ecumenical understanding.

If you are expected to bring your own Bible with you, I recommend using an RSV which is pretty consistent across denominations.
 
DebChris said:
This is a good way to improve ecumenical understanding.
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I disagree. “Man is the way of the Church” according to Saint Pope John Paul II. By his path into the Baptists, he becomes their way imperfectly in Christ, due to imperfect communion. The New Law, the life in the Spirit, is centered for the attainment of the perfection of charity. (cf. 1700)

As a good mother, the Church has posted doctrinal assessments with different denominations through collaborative workshops. The good way to understand ecumenical activity is the adaptation of those workshops, within the way of perfect communion. I thoroughly disagree with the advice: of prompting to subject his heart to false doctrine, which is against the ninth commandment.

here is the link to the workshops: vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/index.htm
 
animalis said:
I disagree. “Man is the way of the Church” according to Saint Pope John Paul II. By his path into the Baptists, he becomes their way imperfectly in Christ, due to imperfect communion. The New Law, the life in the Spirit, is centered for the attainment of the perfection of charity. (cf. 1700)

As a good mother, the Church has posted doctrinal assessments with different denominations through collaborative workshops. The good way to understand ecumenical activity is the adaptation of those workshops, within the way of perfect communion. I thoroughly disagree with the advice: of prompting to subject his heart to false doctrine, which is against the ninth commandment.

here is the link to the workshops: vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/index.htm
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Note that I stated that a person must attend Mass before going to a non-Catholic service.
I never underestimate having a strong Catholic Faith background and prayer life.
I have been in many discussions with my non-Catholic brothers and sisters. Many of these discussions take place in the workplace.
I have also attended non-Catholic services with the continued blessing of my confessors.
In the process of these discussions I have disabused my non-Catholic brothers and sisters of misconceptions that they have of the Catholic Church.
I have listened as members of the Assembly of God prayed for the conversion of Catholics. After their service, as I talked about the Resurrection of Our Lord and Saviour, one of those same members replied, “I didn’t know Catholics believed that!”
I reach people who might not otherwise have anything to do with the Catholic Church; who would not go to collaborative workshops.

As the invitation to a non-Catholic service as been extended, so too extend the invitation to Mass.
One of the best conversations I had was with a Baptist who asked me about the Hail Mary, and why we pray the rosary. He did so in a respectful manner, and listened as I gave the Biblical references even though I didn’t have my Bible with me. At the end of the conversation, he came to the question I knew he would ask. Do we as Catholics ever pray directly to God?

If you know your Faith, you don’t need to worry about being swayed by a false doctrine.
 
thephilosopher6 said:
They are Christians just like us, only they lack full communion with the Church and all of its truths.
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All the truths consist in the New Law. One of which is “the law of prayer is the law of believing”. If the action consists in prayer he assents to what they believe. This is a false way of looking at ecumenism.

The Second Vatican Council decreed, “When such actions are undertaken prudently and patiently by the Catholic faithful, with the attentive guidance of their bishops, they promote justice and truth, concord and collaboration, as well as the spirit of brotherly love and unity.” (UR, 4) To pray with them would be rash, rather the focus: “All Catholics must therefore aim at Christian perfection.” (UR, 4) This means avoidance of violation of the commandments. The Council called on clergy to take the role: “It is most important that future shepherds and priests should have mastered a theology that has been carefully worked out in this way and not polemically, especially with regard to those aspects which concern the relations of separated brethren with the Catholic Church.” (UR, 10)
 
DebChris said:
If you know your Faith, you don’t need to worry about being swayed by a false doctrine.
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This does not pertain to passions in themselves. This pertains to following the ninth commandment.
 
DebChris said:
If you know your Faith, you don’t need to worry about being swayed by a false doctrine.
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Ahh, but that begs the question: how would you know that a doctrine you’re hearing is false or not? I mean, if there’s a ‘hole’ somewhere in your knowledge of the faith, or you’re ‘fuzzy’ on some point of doctrine, how would you know if you’re hearing conflicting doctrine in that area? :sad_yes:
 
Just remember that some of the more Evangelical churches look forward to saving Catholics who belong to the “Whore of Babylon”…I hope you’re well catechized in the Catholic faith…those churches will pick certain verses…take others out of context…many of them know how easy it is to fool Catholics because most are poorly catechized and bible illiterate…and of course Baptist churches always have alter calls at the end of their service for people to come down and accept Jesus Christ as their personal lord and savior…I’m not trying to insult
those denominations because that is what they truly believe…just know what could happen
 
How many of us live in a Catholic community, surrounded only by people who believe as we do?
Don’t forget the power of the Sacraments that we have received, and the strength that they afford us. The basic tenets of our Faith are contained in the Nicene Creed. I depend on the power of the Holy Spirit to guide me.
That is how falsehoods can be spotted.
Does what is being said line up with Scripture, Tradition, and the magisterium?

I was once invited to a church where I had concerns by things I saw. Moreover, she did not accept my return invitation. No, I didn’t go back.
That is not usually going to be the case. We share much more with our non-Catholic brothers and sisters than not. Our Catholic Faith is richer and generally I find non-Catholic services boring as result.

I am not suggesting for a moment becoming complacent. Continue to read Scripture. It takes 15 daily to read the Bible in one year. Daily Mass readings cover the Bible in 3 years. We contemplate on the mysteries of the Gospel when we pray the Rosary, the Gospel message that all Christians have in common.
 
Vatican II’s Document on Ecumenism calls the separation among Christians a great scandal. When I was overseas, I did have a Hindu ask me about this “great scandal.”
Jesus himself prayed for unity.

CCC821 Certain things are required in order to respond adequately to this call"
…
–conversion of heart as the faithful " try to live holier lives according to the Gospel" for it is the unfaithfulness of the members to Christ’s gift which causes divisions;
–prayer in common because “change of heart and holiness of life, along with public and private prayer for the unity of Christians, should be regarded as the soul of the whole ecumenical movement, and merits the name ‘spiritual ecumenism;’”
…

Again, the criteria for going to a non-Catholic service is to first attend Sunday Mass.
Because we are not in yet in full union, and because of the difference in belief there is no shared Communion service.

While there are those who try to dissuade worshiping with separating brothers and sisters out of fear, I find that it has strengthened my own Faith. It means continuing to learn and to grow. It means continued prayer, especially for the unity of the Church. People from other churches may challenge you concerning your Faith.
The Catholic Answers Bible was recommended for the Bible Study class that I took while overseas.
Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church if you haven’t done so already.
 
DebChris said:
–prayer in common because “change of heart and holiness of life, along with public and private prayer for the unity of Christians, should be regarded as the soul of the whole ecumenical movement, and merits the name ‘spiritual ecumenism;’”
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In regard to public prayer, this should be done under the auspices of the Catholic pastors.

If you go to the document in which the citation of Catechism is found it reads:

"In certain special circumstances, such as the prescribed prayers “for unity,” and during ecumenical gatherings, it is allowable, indeed desirable that Catholics should join in prayer with their separated brethren. Such prayers in common are certainly an effective means of obtaining the grace of unity, and they are a true expression of the ties which still bind Catholics to their separated brethren. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them”.(33)

Yet worship in common (communicatio in sacris) is not to be considered as a means to be used indiscriminately for the restoration of Christian unity. There are two main principles governing the practice of such common worship: first, the bearing witness to the unity of the Church, and second, the sharing in the means of grace. Witness to the unity of the Church very generally forbids common worship to Christians, but the grace to be had from it sometimes commends this practice. The course to be adopted, with due regard to all the circumstances of time, place, and persons, is to be decided by local episcopal authority, unless otherwise provided for by the Bishops’ Conference according to its statutes, or by the Holy See." (Unitatis redintergratio, 8)
 
The Peace of the Lord,

We are Catholics. We have our own traditions, celebrations, and weddings that are taught and practiced. If you were invited to go to a protestant activity, as much as possible do not, but if it’s persistent then attend BUT make sure that you’re faith is well-protected. Be cautious.

Jesus our Lord established His one true church through the disciples headed by Peter as the rock. This church should be the one attended and not other sects.

Remember that the Protestant Revolution was established by Martin Luther to protest against the teachings of the Catholic Church, then why would you attend there?
If you want me to mention some teachings of the Catholic Church that are different in these sects then I will.
  • Praying the Holy Rosary isn’t practiced by the baptist church
  • The Pope as the head of the Catholic Church
  • Other sects do not fully believe in Transubstantiation
  • The Bible of the Catholic church has 73 books. No more, no less.
If you really have to attend a protestant’s activity, be very very cautious.

God bless us all.
 
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