Commiting theological mistakes unintentionally

[Yurito3g]

thank you very much!!!
I do agree completely,I ought to learn on top of all.
I decided that i will refrain from discussing theology until I know better
Could you please recommend me some good books to read??
I really want a profound understanding of the faith and am planning in the future to get a degree in theology.

 

[francisca.chapter3]

Could you please recommend me some good books to read??

Read your bible.

And no, it is not a sin if unintentional. Besides, who in the world has figure out God? Only the Holy Spirit understand God completely. The Holy Spirit is given to those who believe in Jesus Christ, The Messiah, The Son of the Living God.

If you believe that, then to you is given A Helper (The Holy Spirit) to teach you about God.

Romans 8

Life Through the Spirit

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,
4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

 

[Gorgias]

Yurito3g:

Could you please recommend me some good books to read??

Read your bible.

Better yet, sign up for a good Catholic Bible study!

 

[francisca.chapter3]

Better yet, sign up for a good Catholic Bible study!

Right.

And read it at home too.

If one has time to read other theologians books, why not read the bible instead.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Hi - unfortunately I think many people confuse the CCC with “the teaching of the Church,” which it is not. The CCC is an attempt at explaining that teaching. So unless you have a suggestion beyond “look at the Catechism,” I will rest on the greater tradition which helps to untie what the CCC is saying in the relevant paragraphs.

Thank you so much for saying this.

I do not deny what Pope John Paul said regarding the doctrinal value of the text, and the CCC is, in a very real sense, “one big encyclical” on anything and everything Catholic, but still, there is so much more to “the teachings of the Church” than just the Catechism. It is just a starting point.

 

[kapp19]

PM me…

-K

 

[Gorgias]

If one has time to read other theologians books, why not read the bible instead.

Because the Church has never made the claim that later Reformation communities have made – namely, that one might read the bare text of the Scriptures and glean proper doctrine from it (that is, personally interpret the Scriptures for oneself). We believe that this charism of interpretation and teaching was given by Christ to the apostles, and therefore, to the magisterium.

 

[francisca.chapter3]

francisca.chapter3:

If one has time to read other theologians books, why not read the bible instead.

Because the Church has never made the claim that later Reformation communities have made – namely, that one might read the bare text of the Scriptures and glean proper doctrine from it (that is, personally interpret the Scriptures for oneself). We believe that this charism of interpretation and teaching was given by Christ to the apostles, and therefore, to the magisterium.

In the past, not all people had access to the bible. Nowadays we are encoraged to read the bible (the bare text as you call it).

If one doesn’t even read the bible, how in the world one can understand the doctrine “gleaned” from it by the magisterium?

If one read those theologians work, they should be well versed with the bible, lest they misinterpret the interpretation being interpreted by the theologians. Ignorance is a fertile ground for the devil’s deceit.

The devil makes us feel like we are safe under the cover of the magisterium.We still need to read the bible, of all books. It is the most important.

And yes, the Word of God is alive. It speaks to each individual person in each of their various life situation. One need not understand all magisterum theological definitions and doctrines, yet a person, guided by the holy spirit, understands the testimony of God in the bible.

 

[Gorgias]

In the past, not all people had access to the bible.

It’s called “the Mass”. Readings directly from the Bible, and scripturally-sourced prayers. There’s generally always been access. (Moreover, until relatively recently in our history, there was rampant illiteracy, so the notion of “lack of Bibles in homes” is a non sequitur.)

If one doesn’t even read the bible, how in the world one can understand the doctrine “gleaned” from it by the magisterium?

Read the magisterial documents themselves.

For that matter, the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 gives the answer: “how can I [understand what I’m reading], unless someone instructs me?”…! St Paul recognizes this dynamic, too: “how can they call on [Jesus] in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?”

The Church – in its magisterium, and its clergy, at a minimum – has been preaching Christ for millennia.

The devil makes us feel like we are safe under the cover of the magisterium.

That’s quite an assertion! Perhaps, on the other hand, the devil makes us feel safe if we have a Bible in our hands and no one to teach us…

a person, guided by the holy spirit, understands the testimony of God in the bible.

I see that you self-identify in your profile as “Roman Catholic.” Yet, this is not what the Church teaches. Nor is it what the Bible teaches.

 

[francisca.chapter3]

Well, I am not saying read the bible at home without going to mass, neither do I say disregard those who teach.

I am saying, read your bible first, before reading theology books & bible interpretation by others.

Mass reading in church need to be continued at home. To understand deeper, one need to read the whole passage/ story which many times too long to read the whole story in mass.

Nobody say we are not allowed to read “the bare text”. We are allowed and even as catholics we are encouraged to read the bible at home too.

 

[Gorgias]

I am saying, read your bible first, before reading theology books & bible interpretation by others.

I disagree. That’s kind of like saying “read an automobile manual before even catching a glimpse at any car.” You’d have little context with which to grasp what you’ve read, and chances are, you’d be awash in confusion and misunderstanding!

 

[francisca.chapter3]

How can one read the interpretation of say “Romeo & Juliet” without really know the story?

Surely it will be better for him to know the story first, lest he will be tossed by many versions of interpretations, and get confused.

2Tim 3
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness

 

[kapp19]

Surely it will be better for him to know the story first, lest he will be tossed by many versions of interpretations, and get confused

One problem is that this is not practical. Religious education needs to start from a young age. Supplementary materials can be very helpful for kids… Unless you really want to do it the seriously old school way - which I fully endorse for those with the mind and time to do it - and just have your kids begin to memorize Scripture front to back from the time they can speak… then unpack it as you go.

 

[Gorgias]

How can one read the interpretation of say “Romeo & Juliet” without really know the story?

You learn the meaning of the story by reading both together – text and interpretation.

Surely it will be better for him to know the story first, lest he will be tossed by many versions of interpretations, and get confused.

That’s why you go with someone who’s teaching the authentic teachings of the Church.

2Tim 3
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness

That’s nice and all… but it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll properly interpret Scriptures all by your lonesome. In fact, we see that people take the same passages and interpret them in wildly divergent ways!

 

[francisca.chapter3]

francisca.chapter3:

Surely it will be better for him to know the story first, lest he will be tossed by many versions of interpretations, and get confused

One problem is that this is not practical. Religious education needs to start from a young age. Supplementary materials can be very helpful for kids… Unless you really want to do it the seriously old school way - which I fully endorse for those with the mind and time to do it - and just have your kids begin to memorize Scripture front to back from the time they can speak… then unpack it as you go.

A nun who taught in my cathechism class when I was a kid only told simple bible stories, such as David & Goliath, Jesus parables, Adam & Eve, and so on. I got baptized thinking that whenever I had problem, I would pray and there a God who listens to my prayers.

Later when I was a teen, I kind of forgotten that simple faith and busy with my own effort at school, daily life. I still prayed & went to church, but didn’t rely much on that simple faith.

As an adult who has lived long enough to know the ups and downs of life, I look back into my life, I can see that there were moments whenever I had that simple faith. Those were the moments when I was at the highest points of my spiritual life. I therefore know the importance of making the teaching as simple as children’s bible stories that touch a heart.

Complicated theology sounds smart but how many people really follow those. And if they do, they usually do not understand those completely. They understand here and there only,. Very rare those who can follow everything.

But simple bible stories, they are easy to follow and they can’t go wrong. Whereas the complicated magisterium docs, they are easily misunderstood for those has no time, it takes much much much more effort to really understand those docs.

 

[francisca.chapter3]

In fact, we see that people take the same passages and interpret them in wildly divergent ways!

Our Church is meant to have unity but at the same time diverse, not uniform.

My own experience as a roman catholic who read the bible, people begin to suspect I am a protestant. This is because, in my opinion, no matter how diverse bible interpretation by readers, they sounds similar. This is because their source is similar (their bible).

Whereas theologians who intoduce foreign language such as “substace”, “forms”, “accidents”, they try to get everyone believe in uniformity, and condemn any diversity.

But the church is meant to diverse. Even since St. Paul v St. Peter. Yet, despite their divergent interpretation ( St. Paul & St. Peter), they were united and no schisms at the time.

The schism started when The Roman Emperor Constantine tried to get the Church uniform, because he wanted to use religion for political purpose. The effort to remove diversity in the church broke the unity.

Evidence of this opinion of mine (that The Church. Is meant to diverse): Eastern Churches. Despite they have bishops, they still breaks apart anyway.

But that unity is still there if we all read the bible, we will still have that similarity, despite diverse, the bible unites us.

 

[Gorgias]

Our Church is meant to have unity but at the same time diverse, not uniform.

In what way ‘diverse’, though? Doctrine? C’mon…

The schism started when The Roman Emperor Constantine tried to get the Church uniform , because he wanted to use religion for political purpose. The effort to remove diversity in the church broke the unity.

Umm…

Evidence of this opinion of mine (that The Church. Is meant to diverse): Eastern Churches. Despite they have bishops, they still breaks apart anyway.

The Church doesn’t claim that the separation of East and West is a good thing. You know that, right?

 

[kapp19]

But that unity is still there if we all read the bible, we will still have that similarity, despite diverse, the bible unites us.

Which Bible? The Orthodox, Catholic, or Protestant one?

Sorry - it is a nice thought - but it is not realistic. Nor is it realistic to have kids read the Beatitudes (let alone the “boring” stuff in the histories and wisdom literature) and all of a sudden understand how to treat mom and dad when they don’t get their way. Kids (and adults!) need some “shallow entry point”…

 

[mdgspencer]

I have encountered this myself. For example, the priest giving a sermon will say something theological incorrect. What I particularly dislike is his misconstruing something in the Bible, which personally I spend time on daily (and have even published articles on). One time I was disturbed when it was said that Saint Luke didn’t write the Gospel of Saint Luke.
But I don’t get upset at the priest. In fact it is generally about something not really important. Realizing he didn’t do this intentionally, I just write it off.
–However, in the years after Vatican II I heard things that were seriously wrong. But I don’t think this is commonly a serious thing any more. But of course the opening poster was asking about theological mistakes made unintentionally, not intentionally.

 

[anon91549587]

What if

1. a non christian has pre-marital sex, is it a sin ?
2. a non catholic christian stands in front of the blessed sacrament and calls it a symbol because of his upbringing.
3. a non catholic christian couple stays together because the bible gives a grey area and their churches follow that attitude towards the bible. Furthermore, they occasionally make out because they are taught from church it is okay. Will God hold them accountable?