Could you check something?

[Maksymilian]

Hello,

Over the past few days, I have been typing out a response to a comment that my friend left on my blog. It is about five pages, and it deals solely with Catholicism.

If anyone could take the time to look over it, make sure nothing in there contradicts our faith, and maybe even give some advice for some points that I could add to help argue my points.

You can find it here: july.crewshifflet.com/response.html

 

[Contarini]

Hello,

Over the past few days, I have been typing out a response to a comment that my friend left on my blog. It is about five pages, and it deals solely with Catholicism.

If anyone could take the time to look over it, make sure nothing in there contradicts our faith, and maybe even give some advice for some points that I could add to help argue my points.

You can find it here: july.crewshifflet.com/response.html

The one point I’d question is the statement that non-Catholics are missing out on the Eucharist, backed up by the (correct) claim that many Protestants don’t believe in the Real Presence. There are two problems here:

1. The Catholic Church recognizes that the Eastern Churches not in communion with Rome do have the Real Presence; and
2. The Catholic Church does not recognize that those of us Protestants who do believe in the Real Presence actually have it. From your Church’s perspective, the question of whether a separated community has the Real Presence depends on the validity of apostolic succession within that community.

However, these are nit-picking points.

I think the main point you need to make is that your critic’s position is itself one particular religious point of view–one shaped by modern individualism. Why assume that religion is a matter of individual faith? Why shouldn’t the community you belong to matter?

Edwin

 

[Maksymilian]

I think the main point you need to make is that your critic’s position is itself one particular religious point of view–one shaped by modern individualism. Why assume that religion is a matter of individual faith? Why shouldn’t the community you belong to matter?

Edwin, could you reword that please? I don’t quite understand what you mean by it.

 

[Contarini]

Edwin, could you reword that please? I don’t quite understand what you mean by it.

I mean that your critic is assuming that what matters is what the individual believes. That is what modern Westerners tend to think. In other words, individualism is itself a product of our particular culture and our particular community. In this culture, to say “there is one true Church” seems arbitrary and arrogant.

But if there is a God and God wants us to know and love Him, why shouldn’t He want us to know and love Him by coming together in a particular community–a “Church”? I don’t see any a priori reasons why that’s impossible. In fact, it seems quite probable. We are, as Aristotle said, “social animals.” We form communities as humans. It’s part of who we are. So why shouldn’t it be an important part of how we relate to God?

Edwin

 

[Maksymilian]

I mean that your critic is assuming that what matters is what the individual believes. That is what modern Westerners tend to think. In other words, individualism is itself a product of our particular culture and our particular community. In this culture, to say “there is one true Church” seems arbitrary and arrogant.

But if there is a God and God wants us to know and love Him, why shouldn’t He want us to know and love Him by coming together in a particular community–a “Church”? I don’t see any a priori reasons why that’s impossible. In fact, it seems quite probable. We are, as Aristotle said, “social animals.” We form communities as humans. It’s part of who we are. So why shouldn’t it be an important part of how we relate to God?

Edwin

Thank you Edwin. That makes a lot more sense!

Anyone else? Suggestions?