Cooperative work?

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I am interested in here how some of you feel about cooperative work with evangelicals…

Catholic churches sometimes particpate in Billy Graham Crusades - how do you feel about join efforts to evanglize unbelievers?

How about social work?

How do you feel about ECT and the Gift of Salvation documents?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to respond!
 
Welcome Pastor VW,

Will address only the social work question. The downtown Catholic church teams up with the First Baptist (Southern) church in Columbia, SC on Thanksgiving and Christmas to feed the homeless and needy, usually about 3,000 people. The same Catholic church also feeds the homeless one Saturday each month and other denominations frequently join in to help with the costs and the labor.
 
Aren’t we all brothers and sisters in Christ… 👍

Even if seperated by some truths… Even Christ said in response to an apostle’s question about those that didn’t believe like they did. "If their not against us, their for us…

I would say when in doubt as to the type of cooperative work, check with your priest…

Lots of non-catholic christians stand in legal protest at prolife rallys…

also, what better opportunities to evangelize your faith to them… 👍
 
Space Ghost - FYI PastorVW is not Catholic.

Pastor - I can only answer to the social work in the communities that I have witnessed. In many cases there is a great deal of cooperation between Catholics and Protestants. Near my hometown there are I believe 13 different Christian churchs and the Catholic church that team together on things like the community food pantry. If you are looking to work with a Catholic parish in your area, I would suggest contacting the priest there and discussing it with him. He could probably direct you to a group of parishoners that are involved in ministries of that sort.
 
There really is more that unites than divides us and where big social/moral issues are at stake, we need to roll up our sleeves and concentrate on the big picture.
 
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PastorVW:
I am interested in here how some of you feel about cooperative work with evangelicals…

Catholic churches sometimes particpate in Billy Graham Crusades - how do you feel about join efforts to evanglize unbelievers?

How about social work?

How do you feel about ECT and the Gift of Salvation documents?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to respond!
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Pastor, in what way do Catholic Churches participate in Billy Graham Crusades?

Evangelize unbelievers to believe in what? Having been one, I don’t subscribe to the theory that Protestantism is okay. It has some of the truth, but not all of the truth; therefore, it is deficient and unacceptable as a belief system. Besides, Protestantism offers thousands of different answers to the same questions.

Cooperation in social work is very good, and is where Catholics and Protestants can find common ground – as long as there is no approval of any Protestant theology implied.

What are ECT and the Gift of Salvation documents?

The Catholic Church does not teach “instant salvation” (that one can be saved through the “sinner’s prayer” or a one-time acceptance of Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior, etc.), or salvation through faith alone (Sola Fide).

Peace be with you,

Jay Damien
 
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Katholikos:
Pastor, in what way do Catholic Churches participate in Billy Graham Crusades?

Evangelize unbelievers to believe in what? Having been one, I don’t subscribe to the theory that Protestantism is okay. It has some of the truth, but not all of the truth; therefore, it is deficient and unacceptable as a belief system. Besides, Protestantism offers thousands of different answers to the same questions.

Cooperation in social work is very good, and is where Catholics and Protestants can find common ground – as long as there is no approval of any Protestant theology implied.

What are ECT and the Gift of Salvation documents?

The Catholic Church does not teach “instant salvation” (that one can be saved through the “sinner’s prayer” or a one-time acceptance of Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior, etc.), or salvation through faith alone (Sola Fide).

Peace be with you,

Jay Damien
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Thanks for your reply!

Catholic Churches have been involved in the same way as other churches in every crusade I have been involved in. I know that several years ago the Bishop of San Antonio strongly encouraged participation.

In reality most conversions are people brought by particpating churches and they are directed back to those churches for follow up - so differences are not as much of a problem as one might think.

As for instant salvation, well I sure don’t think that unconditional eternal security is Biblical. Salvation is spoken of in the past tense (you have been saved), the present tense (you are being saved), and the future tense (you will be saved).

I definiately believe that one must continue in the faith in order to ultimately be saved (even most Baptists believe this - if someone doesn’t continue in the faith, they will just say they were never “saved”). I believe in Salvation by Faith Alone - but the faith that saves NEVER ALONE. It will ALWAYS be result in repentance and a transformed life. The Grace that Justifies always Sancitifies.

The ECT and Gift of Salvation documents are joint statements by Catholic and Evangelical leaders, re: cooperation on social issues and evangelism.

The ECT document can be found at firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9405/mission.html

The Gift of Salvation document can be found at:
firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9801/articles/gift.html

The evangelicals who signed this document have been attacked by some in our community. I have no problem agreeing with both documents.

Take a look and let me know what you think!

Vince
 
Pastor Vince, Thanks very much! I look forward to studying these documents.

Have you read Richard John Neuhaus’ conversion story, “How I Became the Catholic I Was,” also published in First Things? I found it very interesting. (Father Neuhaus is editor of First Things, as I’m sure you know.)

firstthings.com/ftissues/ft0204/articles/neuhaus.html

Have you read the Avery Dulles article on the Lutheran-Catholic Joint Declaration on Justification at First Things?

firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9912/articles/dulles.html

I’d be curious to know how the current understanding of the majority of Lutherans, with whom Sola Fide originated in the 16th century, impacts the beliefs of other Protestants. Or does it?

JMJ Jay
 
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