Can i be a christian and not be a Roman Catholic

[Caesar]

So if someone was to find a Bible and reads it ,and they accepted Christ as Lord ,and they repent of there sins and there is no Roman Catholic priest to enable them to become a part of the Roman church and this person dies they are then a heretic and go to hell?
Is this what you are saying Caesar

But they can misunderstand the Bible, cant they? They have no guidance in it’s message.

On another level, if they truly desire to be Baptized into Christ’s Church, that is the Baptism of Desire

 

[VociMike]

So if someone was to find a Bible and reads it ,and they accepted Christ as Lord ,and they repent of there sins and there is no Roman Catholic priest to enable them to become a part of the Roman church and this person dies they are then a heretic and go to hell?
Is this what you are saying Caesar

I won’t answer for Ceasar, but no, that is certainly not the case. God does not demand that we know what we cannot know. That is why the Catholic Church has been the greatest engine of evangelization in the world, because Christ desires that all should know the truth.

Remember, for every person who discovers the bible but has no access to the Catholic Church, there are a lot more who do have access to the Church. They are the ones to whom God is revealing the truth of which the bible is only one component.

 

[Caesar]

Nope, I’m not a relativist. Personally, I think the fullness of Christianity is to be found outside of the Catholic Church. Recognizing that I’m posting at Catholic Answers, I didn’t want to just come out and say that. Moreover, I recognize that Catholics are Christian and therefore I’d rather have someone attend a Catholic Church than no church. I’ve told people that in person as well. Relativism is not the issue, Caesar.

Then what was the purpose of Christ founding the Church? If the Faith is to be found in full anywhere (perhaps you believe it is also found in Islam or maybe Hinudism?), then the Church serves no purpose.

There is ONE Truth. All of these differant Christian groups contradict each other, preach differant variations on the Truth. Some say the Eucharist is symbolic, others say it is Real. Some say Christ’s message changes over time to better suit society (modernism), other say it never changes. Who is right? Is the Church Christ founded right?

This is an issue of relativism, because to say that all Christians are right is saying that there is no single Truth.

 

[VociMike]

Nope, I’m not a relativist. Personally, I think the fullness of Christianity is to be found outside of the Catholic Church. Recognizing that I’m posting at Catholic Answers, I didn’t want to just come out and say that. Moreover, I recognize that Catholics are Christian and therefore I’d rather have someone attend a Catholic Church than no church. I’ve told people that in person as well. Relativism is not the issue, Caesar.

This is not an antagonistic question, but where exactly in the Protestant realm do you believe can be found the fullness of Christianity? Is there one particular denomination or church or set of interpretations that has the fullness, or is the fullness found in every denomination and church?

 

[Caesar]

If all Christians believed the same thing, they would all be Catholic

 

[SemperJase]

The fullness of the Christian faith is to be found only in Christ’s Church, under His Holiness the Pope. There is but one true faith- and then there is heresy.

Just to clarify, one does not have to be “Roman Catholic” to be have the fullness of faith. There are many different rites that are in commion with the pope. The Latin rite (aka Roman rite) just happens to be the largest.

 

[Caesar]

Just to clarify, one does not have to be “Roman Catholic” to be have the fullness of faith. There are many different rites that are in commion with the pope. The Latin rite (aka Roman rite) just happens to be the largest.

Yes, I raised a complaint about this a few months before the Forum Crash. It isnt correct to refer to the Roman Catholic Church in cases that the teaching belongs to the entire Catholic Church.

I almost never use the term Roman Catholic unless I am purposely reffering only to the Roman Rite.

 

[Malcolm_McLean]

Yes, I raised a complaint about this a few months before the Forum Crash. It isnt correct to refer to the Roman Catholic Church in cases that the teaching belongs to the entire Catholic Church.

I almost never use the term Roman Catholic unless I am purposely reffering only to the Roman Rite.

If someone says “Roman Catholic” then it is usually pretty clear that they are an anti.
However some Anglicans insist that they are Catholic, because they see themselves as part of the universal church, not as a sect possessing exclusive truth. It is not obvious that this is entirely illegitimate.
Rather than argue about the point, it is best to accept “Roman Catholic”. HQ is, after all, in Rome.

 

[Caesar]

If someone says “Roman Catholic” then it is usually pretty clear that they are an anti.
However some Anglicans insist that they are Catholic, because they see themselves as part of the universal church, not as a sect possessing exclusive truth. It is not obvious that this is entirely illegitimate.
Rather than argue about the point, it is best to accept “Roman Catholic”. HQ is, after all, in Rome.

If they refer to the “Roman Church”, they are usualy anti-Catholic, since for some reason many of them dont like using the word “Catholic”.

 

[rr1213]

This is not an antagonistic question, but where exactly in the Protestant realm do you believe can be found the fullness of Christianity? Is there one particular denomination or church or set of interpretations that has the fullness, or is the fullness found in every denomination and church?

I don’t know. As Protestants, we generally do not think that our particular denominations have the entire truth to the exclusion of other Christian denominations. As a Protestant, I also think that the Catholic Church is in error on some serious issues meaning that the fullness is not there exclusively either (let’s save the discussion of those issues for other threads). I think that there are sincere Christians doing God’s will in most Christian denominations, although probably there are more in some than in others. The Church is universal, catholic, visible and invisible, yet spans multiple denominations. I can’t say this without sounding presumptious, and I don’t want to be presumptious, but I think that when Christ addresses his Church in heaven there will be believers of all Christian faiths and he won’t refer to it as the Catholic Church, the Episcopal Church, the Methodist Church, the Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Church…

 

[jemfinch]

I don’t know. As Protestants, we generally do not think that our particular denominations have the entire truth to the exclusion of other Christian denominations.

Though what you’re saying is accurate with respect to the Episcopal church, I think, it doesn’t apply to all groups of Protestants, many of whom would eagerly insist that they have the fullness of Christian truth.

I think that there are sincere Christians doing God’s will in most Christian denominations, although probably there are more in some than in others.

We can agree on that

The Church is universal, catholic, visible

And that’s the way it was entirely for the first millennium of its existence.

and invisible, yet spans multiple denominations.

But denominations didn’t exist until the Reformation. I think anyone who wants to argue that the current disunity in Western Christendom is natural or appropriate has a hard task before him.

There are members of the Chuch in many denomoninations, but since the various Christian groups in Western Christendom are mutually contradictory, they cannot all be the Church, the pillar and ground of the Truth. There must be one group in which the Church subsists – one group that a person can point to and say, “Though the members of the Church have been dispersed by culture and by history, that Church – the one over there – that’s where it really lives.”

I can’t say this without sounding presumptious, and I don’t want to be presumptious, but I think that when Christ addresses his Church in heaven there will be believers of all Christian faiths and he won’t refer to it as the Catholic Church, the Episcopal Church, the Methodist Church, the Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Church…

He’ll probably refer to it as His wife

Jeremy

 

[happygal]

I don’t know. As Protestants, we generally do not think that our particular denominations have the entire truth to the exclusion of other Christian denominations. As a Protestant, I also think that the Catholic Church is in error on some serious issues meaning that the fullness is not there exclusively either (let’s save the discussion of those issues for other threads). I think that there are sincere Christians doing God’s will in most Christian denominations, although probably there are more in some than in others. The Church is universal, catholic, visible and invisible, yet spans multiple denominations. I can’t say this without sounding presumptious, and I don’t want to be presumptious, but I think that when Christ addresses his Church in heaven there will be believers of all Christian faiths and he won’t refer to it as the Catholic Church, the Episcopal Church, the Methodist Church, the Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Church…

Hi There

Isn’t it pointless to argue who’s have the fullness of the truth, this is not bringing us to a higher spiritual life. It is human being who always like to argue about this stuff and denying one and others practise, which i find it silly and ungodly.

I became a protestant not knowing about anything about Catholicism, but yet God heal me, answer to all my prayers, give me what i have asked from him, protesting me from any problems i face during work. It is enough for me to know that God does not choose who we are (be it a protestant/Catholic). We will be judge on our thoughts/deed/words/behaviour on earth when judgement days comes. So does God see his own creation being a Catholic you will face lesser judgement, or if we are protestant we will have heavier judgement…of course not!!!

 

[estesbob]

Hi There

Isn’t it pointless to argue who’s have the fullness of the truth, this is not bringing us to a higher spiritual life. It is human being who always like to argue about this stuff and denying one and others practise, which i find it silly and ungodly.

Our Church, founded by Our Lord and Savior Jeusus Christ, tells us that only OUR Church has the fullness of Truth. . I find nothing pointless with following the Teaching of the Church nor in proclaiming this TRUTH to others.

 

[Malcolm_McLean]

Our Church, founded by Our Lord and Savior Jeusus Christ, tells us that only OUR Church has the fullness of Truth. . I find nothing pointless with following the Teaching of the Church nor in proclaiming this TRUTH to others.

Only one Church can be true and entirely true. However a non-Catholic, even a non-Christian, can make some pertinent and very relevant points.

 

[happygal]

Our Church, founded by Our Lord and Savior Jeusus Christ, tells us that only OUR Church has the fullness of Truth. . I find nothing pointless with following the Teaching of the Church nor in proclaiming this TRUTH to others.

Happy to say i am in a church that also belongs to God and not other God…so what is the different between me and you. I aim Muslim, nor Hindus, nor Buddhist!!! I would suggest that whoever wanted to spend more time in arguing who have the truth, might as well look around for more unchurch pple , bring them to church, that is our primary role being a Christian Catholic. Which one is more important?? Winning lose soul or arguing with others RC have the truth. Think about it. Provided all American are either christian or catholic, then you can spend your time arguing about the truth…But if you really love God whole heartedly you would go further to serve in mission trip to help RC to win lose soul
Of course everyone have their own opinion , IMOP thing that does not help me to grow spiritually is pointless…Even thought rite now i am attending RCIA, i will not go around speaking to others about what is true and what is not true…because God have better thing for me to do then to spend time wrestling with such stuff.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I believe that Jesus Died on the cross for my sins and i have been baptized and try to follow his word,however since i am not a Roman catholic am i still a christian?

One becomes a Christian, a member of the Mystical Body of Christ, The Church, by being validly Baptized. One may then choose to separate themselves from that Church by their own actions after Baptism, they however remain Christians because of that Baptism.

 

[estesbob]

Happy to say i am in a church that also belongs to God and not other God…so what is the different between me and you. ter thing for me to do then to spend time wrestling with such stuff.

I held our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in my hands this morning and then followed his intructions to eat his body and drink his blood. That is a huge difference between Our Church and all other Christian Church’s. We enjoy the TRUTH in its fullness-they have settled for a plale shadow of it.

Other Church’s may very well belong to God-butthey were founded by a man. Why settle for anything less than the Church founded by Christ?

 

[LSK]

A Honda. Last I heard, Jesus and His apostles were all in one Accord.