Beware of Bible studies!

  • Thread starter Thread starter cestusdei
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
There seems to be a gaping hole in most Catholic parishes when it comes to reading/studying Scripture. In fact precious few feel the need to do anything other than attend Mass on Sunday. It’s all they’ve ever known and have been taught. their faith has essentially been stagnant since they completed Confirmation. They will easily be drawn into the social climate of a Protestant bible study - it fills a void many people experience in their “version” of Catholicism (ie - show up to mass every Sunday and leave their faith there until they return next week). I think there are several reasons for this:
  • Too few priests
  • Overworked priests
  • The notion among the laity that the priest is responsible for everything
  • The notion among the laity that their only responsibility is to attend Mass.
  • Lack of “community” of believers - people in the parish don’t even know one another
  • Poor catechesis of laity
  • Termination of catechesis after Confirmation
I attend a bible study with my wife and several other couples from an Evangelical Free church. It has made my Catholic faith grow incredibly. In addition to attending Mass, I also attend the service at the “E - free” church with my wife. You cannot really compare Mass and a “service”, but one thing you can say is that there is a tremendous level of community in the Evangelical church. This is a good thing. We Catholics need to develop our parishes to foster such unity. And that doesn’t mean we dump all the responsibility on our Priests! Lay people need to rise to the occasion and develop the sense of community within their parish. People will become more involved; they will feel more accountable; they will attend studies, adorations, retreats, etc. and will become more Catholic as a result.
 
Philthy–I hear you but only somewhat agree with you. I am not an apologist and I am relatively new to this “defend our faith” business. But I would respond that you are using very Protestant perspectives to judge the Catholic Church. My sense is that Catholics view their spiritual development as a deeply personal and private activity, whereas Protestants are much more concerned with fellowship and evangelization and more public displays of their faith . In my experience, many Catholics are not interested in Bible study or social activities with the Church. Many parishes have such activities but only a fraction of the parishioners participate. Certainly, that is not a reason to discontinue such efforts. But it indicates that not all Catholics are in a place in their spiritual journeys (or in their lives) to be wanting that. Besides, at a Protestant church, the members either go to church and are very active or they have fallen away. There is not the middle ground in Protestant churches comparable to Catholics who attend just attend Mass. (At least that is the way it seems to me.)
 
40.png
Philthy:
There seems to be a gaping hole in most Catholic parishes when it comes to reading/studying Scripture. In fact precious few feel the need to do anything other than attend Mass on Sunday. It’s all they’ve ever known and have been taught. their faith has essentially been stagnant since they completed Confirmation.
.
.
.

We Catholics need to develop our parishes to foster such unity. …Lay people need to rise to the occasion and develop the sense of community within their parish. People will become more involved; they will feel more accountable; they will attend studies, adorations, retreats, etc. and will become more Catholic as a result.
Click to expand...
I SEE that this is turning around now!

Look at LIFETEEN!!!

I’m 34 and didn’t have the benefit of Lifeteen 20 years ago, but 3 months ago I attended an overnight retreat at the Church called CRHP (Christ Renews His Parish) …!!! … awesome!! Seems like the best tool to catch all of the Catholics that didn’t get Lifeteen!

That was the 5th men’s CRHP retreat.
The 5th women’s CRHP retreat was this past weekend - my wife attended … begrudgingly … she’s now an extremely EXCITED Catholic!!!

This has been a great tool for increasing the church community.

i attend meetings with my CRHP brothers once a week. We will be putting on the next men’s CRHP retreat. It’s just been great. I’m going to Wednesday morning mass (6:30am) now and attending the scripture study afterward (well not EVERY week, but i’m trying here :D) this study is of the next Sunday’s mass readings. WOW! … I get SO much more out of mass now that I go in with a primer.

I know that a neighboring Catholic Church came to our parish to put on our first CRHP retreat, but I’m not sure who contacted who.

I did a search on “Christ Renews His Parish” and found that it’s ALL OVER THE PLACE!!

This may be what your parish needs, too!!

michel
 
Phil,

The Evangelical Free church is exactly one of the churches to watch out for. They have a reputation for attempting to convert Catholics. I suggest you reconsider your participation. Maybe you know your faith well enough, but many do not.
 
Michel–so glad to hear another positive report about CRHP! Another parish put on a retreat for us, both the men and the women, and we’re getting ready to put on our first retreats in our own parish in a few months. It’s such a positive experience. Through faith sharing you see that other people have problems and suffering just like you–even the ones you thought were the most put-together, and maybe you compared yourself to them and felt bad.

One thing that may add to the previous discussion about building community–CRHP results in a deepening relationship with Christ–one might dare say a personal relationship–but you didn’t hear that from me on this Catholic board! j/k 😉

I’m very positive about it–and our priest is the one who brought it to the parish; he’s very involved in the process. I was just reading an article about the real intentions of Vatican II–part of which is to empower the laity–in a good way, not the way it actually took place in America–but to let each Christian know that it’s his or her responsibility to live and spread the Faith.

I’m very pumped about CRHP, as you can see. 🙂
Love,
Donna
 
In looking back over Fidelis’ great list of Catholic Bible studies (thanks again–it could take me years to get through these :)), I found another one to add to the list–Jeff Cavins’ Great Adventure Bible Timeline series–I think I ordered it from www.getfed.com. I’m looking forward to getting started and getting a good overview of the Bible–I never did get a thorough understanding of the events in the Old Testament–this should help.

Blessings,
Donna
 
We’ve had some good Bible studies at my parish. Led by either a priest or the DRE. I have to admit that I’d be interested in an interfaith one, though. In part because the Catholic ones just aren’t all that well attended (unfortunately) and because I think defending my POV could be fun. (I lived in the Baptist Belt as a kid, and that helped motivate this child of lapsed Catholics to learn about the Faith, upon hearing the weirdest stories about it.) But then I’m also curious about the perceived problems with the Collegeville guides.
I have a concern about a group known as LOVE HOLY TRINITY
Click to expand...
Any more info about this, Susan? I’ve never heard of it.

Any knowledge about the Vineyard churches? One has popped up right near me.
 
40.png
Lamb100:
In looking back over Fidelis’ great list of Catholic Bible studies (thanks again–it could take me years to get through these :)), I found another one to add to the list–Jeff Cavins’ Great Adventure Bible Timeline series–I think I ordered it from www.getfed.com. I’m looking forward to getting started and getting a good overview of the Bible–I never did get a thorough understanding of the events in the Old Testament–this should help.

Blessings,
Donna
Click to expand...
DOH!! :banghead: How did I forget that one?! That’s one of the best. Thanks for the reminder.
 
Watch out for the Vinyard churches. They love to recruit Catholics. Never heard of the other group.
 
hey speaking of protestants and bible studies, i had a baptist say this to me yesterday:

The Christian who sins is not in risk of losing his Salvation. The thing to remember is the use of the word ‘true’ Christian. Man sins. It has been that way for thousands of years. The ‘true’ Christian has a justified, righteous spirit that walks in corrupt, weak body

Am I reading this wrong or does this sound like Gnosticism?
he is trying to tell me that we do not desire to sin. And since all sin starts with desire, we don’t sin because we don’t desire it. But our bodies sin because they are corrupt.

i am actually floored that someone believes this.
 
my experiece in my first bible study was a sad and a dissapointed one. i was invited by my friend to bible study, she is baptist an everyone else was except me. even do things were keep as neutral as possible , comfrontation happens to a point that i have to defend my catholic church. at the time i was lost but thanks to catholic answers online i was able to find answers, an this help with there questioning. finally the moderator didn’t like the idea that i wasn’t using the bible to answer the question on the workbook :eek: :(so i decided after a long discussion not to attend anymore. since them our friendship is not the same, but is there idea was to make me change my faith they basically lost there time. at the moment iam doing one of scott hahn what a differences even do iam doing it on my own i truly enjoy this one more.:bowdown: god bless all
 
Mayra–your courage in defending and standing up for your faith is a true inspiration to me. You go, girl!

Dan-Man–hmm…I’ll have to think on that one…and that’s hard to do this late at night! Having been various kinds of Protestant most of my life, I have a confusing mixture of ideas still in my head, which really get to me sometimes if I try too hard to figure out justification, rather than just trusting God to let me know in His own time. This sort of makes my head spin! But it would be fun to get a discussion going about these concepts you raised. Your friend’s analysis does sound a little like what St. Paul said about having two natures–one that wanted to do good, and the other that couldn’t do it, you know, “oh wretched man that I am”…I guess that’s where these ideas come from. But on the other hand, it does indeed sound like gnosticism. So, my two natures (Catholic and Protestant) are at war in my mind. Does anyone else want to chime in to help clear it up?
 
to lamb 100 : i wish i will have an answer to your question but honestly i don’t. i been catholic since i was born so is my family. imagine been raised in puerto rico where you have a catholic church in every corner. the only seen that i can said is that after this experience with this bible study, i can appreciated what been catholic is. is not only make me go back to mass, but also help me find answers as a catholic:yup: . things that i forgot now are refresh in my mind. now i can understand scott hahn when he said that us catholic we don’t know what we got:tiphat: . is amazing takes a protestant to let you know.🙂 god bless you all an thank you lamb :blessyou:
 
cestusdei,
I would like your opinion. I was going to sign up for a Bible Study at a neighboring Catholic Parish but found out the leader is Baptist and her husband is Catholic. Now I’m kind of leery about going. Do you think I should attend?
 
What kind crazy pastor would let a Baptist lead a Catholic bible study?
 
40.png
cestusdei:
Studying the Bible is a great thing. Now we have some excellent Catholic resources to do it. BUT I strongly advise not attending “interfaith” or “ecumenical” Bible studies. A few are legitmately ecumenical. But most are designed to convert you to the church that sponsors them. They love to get uninstructed Catholics to join the study. When you bring up a Catholic point you are told that this is “non-denominational”. But when they bring up an anti-Catholic point then that is just fine. They will draw you away from the Church and leave you the impression that we have no response to what they say. We do. Catholics wrote the Bible and we have a venerable history of scripture scholarship. So be warned. These groups 9 times out of 10 are traps designed to proslytize you. Go to a good Catholic Bible study, start your own, or study it on your own using good Catholic materials.
Click to expand...
Or one can go to inter-faith and do come Catholic converting on them. Worked for me, I have a co-worker from my work sponsered bible prayer group seriosly looking into converting. The big key is to know the issues and the answers for the issues of other denominations. I also being a recent convert know what the other denominations are missing, and what they could never understand till it happens( Eucahrist)

As for being converting to another denomination. The only true thing that would allow someone to leave the Church is not believing in the Eucahrist. This is the 1 true thing that no other chruch can give you that the 1 true Church can. With Him and Him alone in that form one could never be enticed from the Church, it is just impossible in my mind.

So I say read some Scott Hahn books, and go envangalize.
 
40.png
Dan-Man916:
hey speaking of protestants and bible studies, i had a baptist say this to me yesterday:

The Christian who sins is not in risk of losing his Salvation. The thing to remember is the use of the word ‘true’ Christian. Man sins. It has been that way for thousands of years. The ‘true’ Christian has a justified, righteous spirit that walks in corrupt, weak body

Am I reading this wrong or does this sound like Gnosticism?
he is trying to tell me that we do not desire to sin. And since all sin starts with desire, we don’t sin because we don’t desire it. But our bodies sin because they are corrupt.

i am actually floored that someone believes this.
Click to expand...
Yes, that is Gnosticsm. Fundamentalist Protestants, and especially Fundamentalists with a Calvinistic bent to look at the flesh as evil, and that their “regenerated spirit” is trapped in the corrupt flesh. Their faith is really anti-Incarnational, flesh and spirit are an opposed duality. Pure Gnosticism.

Ask the Calvinistic Fundamentalist to interpret this scripture, and then watch out!No one born of God commits sin; for God’s nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God.
1John 3:9
The Fundamentalist that believes in the “Calvinst” version of “Once Saved, Always Saved” will invariably interpret this scripture in the exact opposite way that the Apostle John intended it to be understood. He will interpret the word “cannot” to mean that the true Christian is literally incapable of committing a sin that is displeasing to God (because grace is “irresistible”).

John wrote this epistle because of the heresies that the Gnostic Docetists were spreading were corrupting the faith of this community. The Docetists believed that matter was evil, and that Christianity brought about a regenerated spirit that was trapped inside evil matter. Since the evil flesh could not corrupt the “regenerated spirit” of the Christian, there was no need to worry about sins of the flesh. Go ahead and have sex with a whore – sexual sins can’t affect the regenerated spirit. John is saying the “antichrists” are wrong, that being a Christian means that one is born of God, and that a Christian cannot willfully commit sin. John certainly does not mean that a Christian is incapable of committing a sin that is displeasing to God! An interpretation that the “true” Christian is incapble of committing sin because of irresistible grace makes mincemeat of the whole epistle – “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1John 1:8)”.

Being born of God does not give one a license to sin. The Docetists were antinomians, and they believed in a form of Gnostic OSAS. The heresy of OSAS is nothing new, and if you understand what John was condemning in this epistle, you will understand that this epistle can be used to lay waste to both of the flavors of Protestant “Once Saved, Always Saved” heresy.

This would be a good topic for a new thead! Protestant Gnosticism.
 
matt,

this baptists’s reasoning for his statement is Romans 8:10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.

so he says while our spirit will not desire to sin, the body is dead so that it does sin.

this is so weird, i honestly don’t know how to answer back except to say how incredibly ignorant this person’s interpretation of the Scriptures is.

By the way, are you the same Matt from the “other” place (b-net)?
If so, good to see you again. you don’t go over there much anymore.
 
40.png
Dan-Man916:
matt,

this baptists’s reasoning for his statement is Romans 8:10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.

so he says while our spirit will not desire to sin, the body is dead so that it does sin.

this is so weird, i honestly don’t know how to answer back except to say how incredibly ignorant this person’s interpretation of the Scriptures is.
Click to expand...
The Baptist is giving you a Gnostic interpretation of scriptures. Baptists can be as Gnostic as Calvinists in their dualistic tendencies, i.e. flesh=evil spirit=good

Protestant Gnostic tendencies are rooted in a misunderstanding of the grace bestowed upon the world by the Incarnation.
By the way, are you the same Matt from the “other” place (b-net)?
Click to expand...
Yep, its me. 👋
 
hi matt,

thanks for the answers. by the way, that discussion is going on on the baptist board over there. i’ve given up for now,

too frustrated that they will not answer me on whether or not the Christian who accepts Christ and then goes out and murders, lies, steals, committs adultery, has other gods (sex money power), etc will still be saved.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top