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Major_Tom
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Ahhh, I see where you’re going. James, even if he was the son of Joseph and Mary, would still be a half-brother of Jesus, if Jesus was born of the Mary/Holy Spirit.
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Major_Tom
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You know, I suppose it’s possible to accept the Trinity and still consider oneself Unitarian. The main tenet, if I had to boil it down, is that the individual is free to pursue their own free and responsible path in seeking God.
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hellopeople
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Paul called himself an apostle. Obviously he didn’t just think that the original 12 were apostles. So it is quite easy to think that James the brother of Jesus is different than James the apostles.
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Major_Tom
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That’s what Witherington Jr. suggest in his text, previously mentioned.
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PRmerger
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Nope. I can see your poor catechesis (not your fault, probably) from your posts. You demonstrate a very uninformed understanding of Catholicism.
Did you know, prior to coming to CAFs, what the Immaculate Conception was, just from your Catholic education?
(I’m assuming you know, now, that the Immaculate Conception is NOT the miraculous conception of Jesus, right?)
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PRmerger
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So can you be a Unitarian and, from your own free and responsible path in seeking God, believe that there are many gods?
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Major_Tom
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You know, that would have been my answer. Please edify me.
IS this the question that establishes proper cathechesis?
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Major_Tom
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I’d have to say that that one’s out of bounds. Hence, the “uni-” prefix to Unitarian.
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PRmerger
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PRmerger
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So this statement you made is incorrect?
“if I had to boil it down, is that the individual is free to pursue their own free and responsible path in seeking God.”
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Major_Tom
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PRmerger
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“The Blessed Virgin Mary…”
The subject of this immunity from original sin is the person of Mary at the moment of the creation of her soul and its infusion into her body.
“…in the first instance of her conception…”
Source here.
Still waiting for your source for the Middle Ages crossing yourself thing. (Yes, I know it hasn’t even been 24 hours since I asked for your source.
)Do you not think that it demonstrates how poorly catechized you were? I mean, the Immaculate Conception is a very, very basic teaching.IS this the question that establishes proper cathechesis?
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PRmerger
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Of course!
I was just letting inkaneer know that you were baptized Catholic.
Not at all. I rarely use sarcasm. Rarely. (So please refrain from examples of past posts in which I have succumbed.Is that sarcasm I detect…?
)I was simply stating that you feel you know the Catholic faith well.
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Major_Tom
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Very good question.
There is one god. He has expressed himself to people thru the many world religious traditions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, etc.) You are free to explore God thru the tradition(s) that are best for you.
Now I suppose that, if you identify with the Hindu tradition, one might say that you are being polytheistic. However, I believe that Hinduism acknowledges that there is one god, manifesting itself in the many other godly forms.
I’ve been told that some Unitarians are atheist. Frankly, I haven’t reconciled that. I can understood reconciling agnosticism with Unitarianism, but I can’t wrap my arms around atheism and Unitarianism.
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Major_Tom
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Got it!Of course!
I was just letting inkaneer know that you were baptized Catholic.
Not at all. I rarely use sarcasm. Rarely. (So please refrain from examples of past posts in which I have succumbed.
I was simply stating that you feel you know the Catholic faith well.
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PRmerger
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How do you know this?
Again, how is it that you come to your belief, if you’re not certain that Scripture is inspired?
Do you believe God is Love? If so, why?
Do you believe we’re made in the image and likeness of God? If so, why?
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Roy5
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**Unitarians amd Mainline Protestants **
Just for the record, I find that millions of mainline Protestants would agree in large measure with the Unitarians when it comes to treasuring freedom of belief. Bible study groups in mainline churches permit people to interpret scriptural passages in many different ways, without approved" or “heretical” ways.
Just for the record, I find that millions of mainline Protestants would agree in large measure with the Unitarians when it comes to treasuring freedom of belief. Bible study groups in mainline churches permit people to interpret scriptural passages in many different ways, without approved" or “heretical” ways.
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How do most mainline Protestants differ from Unitarians? Let me suggest 4-5 likely ways, depending upon the individual congregation.
1. Most mainline Protestants focus considerably attention upon Jesus, while many Unitarian churches lift up other religious leaders (Buddha, etc) as of equal importance.
2. Most mainline Protestant churches have a very diverse membership, ranging from conservatives theologically speaking to very liberal, almost identifical with Unitarianism.
3. Worship in most mainline Protestant churches will include traditional hymns such as "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" or "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" which are sung by people who may not always agree with them literally. Mainline Protestants have a big appetite for symbolic traditions. Some will even recite creeds that they may not believe in - heretical Episcopalians, for example - because they are valued as part of tradition. Like the English who know that the monarchy is archaic but support it anyway because of its emotional pull. Unitarians are more literalistic, and hymns are re-written so that they can be sung by freethinkers without qualms.
4. Traditional mainline church still value baptism and communion, while most Unitarian churches place far less (if any) emphasis on those two Protestant sacraments/ordinances.
5. Unitarians as a whole are a more intellectual crowd, less diverse than mainline Protestants, and often social activists, taking very liberal positions on such issues as abortion and gay rights. You will rarely find an uneducated person among Unitarians, and there is very little demographic 'cross section' among them. Few African-Americans, for example. This is not stated necessarily as a criticism, but as an observation. Unitarians are inclined to be much less tolerant of traditional Christianity than mainline Protestants. If a Unitarian argued for the Trinity he might be viewed as a 'heretic'. Among most mainline Protestants there is a wider spectrum of beliefs and the tolerance that goes along with it. There would also be more diversity in patterns of worship. Mainline Protestants are more likely to be more divided on social issues - abortion, gay issues, etc.- and they range from very low to quite high when it comes to liturgy.
Most evangelical Protestants, like traditionalist Catholics, would look upon Unitarians as non-Christians in that they do not believe that Christ was God incarnate, that he died for our sins and that he rose from the dead.
But they're all children of God and merit our respect.
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Sir_Knight
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Why then, does the NT go into so much detail (Acts 20:17,28; Eph. 4:11; etc.) explaining the hierarchical structure of the Church?
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PRmerger
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Indeed! And, if I may say so, the reason you believe this is because Catholicism has clearly taught this for 2000 years.
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Sir_Knight
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Being a Catholic, I have no interest in an* Episcopal* point of view.Sir Knight, I pray you are having a blessed day. You wrote, “Even if it did, I’d rather stick with official church teaching as found in the CCC rather than something on youtube.” Well my friend THE LINK WORKS; youtube.com/watch?v=5cTr8OoGMA0. Please copy and paste the link.
This is a message from Rev. Msgr. Eric R. Barr, Episcopal Vicar for Clergy and Religious for the Diocese of Rockford, IL. Bishop Thomas G. Doran is the bishop of this diocese. The Rockford Diocese covers 11 counties in Northern Illinois. Msgr. Barr’s e-mail is : vicarforclergy@rockforddiocese.org and his telephone numbers are: (815) 399-4300 and Fax (815) 399-5266.
I believe one of the main roles of this forum is to share and educate each other according with official teachings of the church, not to propagate our own interpretations or agenda. The message from Rev. Msgr. Eric Barr, who is an church official representing Bishop Thomas G. Doran, should be considered of great importance. If you have any concerns about the validity of the message of Msgr. Barr you are welcome to contact the Diocese of Rockford, IL @ www.rockforddiocese,org. I encourage all my friends to listen to his message using that link.
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