We give thanks to God that in recent years many Evangelicals and Catholics, ourselves among them, have been able to express a common faith in Christ and so to acknowledge one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. We confess together one God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; we confess Jesus Christ the Incarnate Son of God; we affirm the binding authority of Holy Scripture, God’s inspired Word; and we acknowledge the Apostles’ and Nicene creeds as faithful witnesses to that Word.
Hey dianaiad,
As a die hard Mormon, why are you here again? I have discussed Mormonims with many Mormon missionaries. I understand the Mormon claim.
I am not sure if that has always been true. I am sure that when Luther came on the scene, the catholic church was just a little annoyed with him. And lets face, Luther took many catholics with him. And I don’t think that Luther and the Pope at that time ever saw eye to eye.
Now however in the interest of ecumenicalism, all is well. However, protestantism with its women pastors, same sex marriages, pro-abortion policies, and liberal biblical interpretations is quite far from catholicism. Mormons are much closer to catholics in moral ideas than most protestant sects are.
I didn’t see the Lutherans or many of the liberal protestant sects allying themselves over Prop 8 in california with the mormons and catholics. One can not deny the major differences between catholicism and protestantism. And if catholics believe that they are united in christ with them, that would smack as an insult to catholics who believe their church is true and the protestant sects false.
When catholics embrace same sex marriage, women pastors, liberal interpretations of the bible, they will be closer to their brothers and sisters. But there are real differences.
Here is a report from Finland:
yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/10/finlands_catholic_bishop_warns_of_rift_with_lutherans_over_gay_marriage_1074116.html
Teemu Sippo, Finland’s Catholic Bishop, says the issue of gay marriage will strain relations between Finland’s Catholic Church and the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Sippo says he is concerned that Finland will follow the example of Sweden’s Lutheran Church, which is poised to perform religious ceremonies for same-sex couples.
Sippo, whose church is known for its conservatism, says marriage is a sacrament and not just an administrative issue.
“The Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex couples. It doesn’t view it as morally acceptable,” says Sippo. "Everything that happens in Sweden usually reaches Finland sooner or later.”
That said, Sippo also lashes out at the custom of Helsinki city and other organisations to distribute free condoms to youths.
“Handing out condoms is like telling people to use them. I believe youths should instead be encouraged to practice abstinence,” adds Sippo.
Teemu Sippo was ordained as the new Roman Catholic Bishop of the Catholic Church in Finland at Turku Cathedral last month. Teemu Sippo, aged 62, is the first Finnish-born Catholic Bishop since the Reformation.
Finland is home to only some 10,000 Catholics. The whole country forms one single diocese.
YLE