Do you have an ecumenical spirit?

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goodcatholic said:
Interfaith dialogue
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This can be good and helpful. I like what @(name removed by moderator) and @Rob2 wrote above.
goodcatholic said:
tolerance for other denominations, other faiths and philosophies. Respect for those who follow different theologies.
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This is definitely what set people off. Tolerance and respect for others have come to mean different things nowadays. People are told we have to be tolerant, which means so much compromise that everything is relative and there is no Truth at all. Respecting others can almost be code for saying that everyone’s faith is good and there are many ways to heaven.

I don’t think this is what you meant, but I can understand why people took it that way. Tolerance and compromise have become hot-button words. Respecting people and respecting their beliefs, in the sense that their false beliefs have merit, are two different things.
goodcatholic said:
I sometimes think the more you get into apologetics and debate on theology the more rigid you become. By defending your faith, you cement boundaries and have no desire to compromise with fellow Christians and other religions.
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I think that the more apologetics and theology you learn, the better you understand why we believe what we do, and that can only help when talking with someone of another faith. Instead of reacting in anger when someone insults a Catholic doctrine, you can calmly point out the errors in their thinking and give the reasons for it. It also helps cement yourself more firmly to the Truth and to not be swayed by ear-tickling ideas.

Also, our boundaries should be firm. Catholicism is vastly different than any brand of Protestant. Even Episcopalians and Anglicans fall short. Our belief that we have the Real Presence makes us quite distinct, as well as beliefs about the Pope, Apostolic Successions, Authority, etc. Catholicism is unique and must be protected and cherished.

I have no hatred of Protestants since I was one, so I believe we must dialogue with our fellow Christians, but there is no compromising the point that we have the Fullness of the Truth. Be careful with your bolded part above…dialoguing with other faiths does not mean compromising our beliefs at all, but it must be done with charity. Like it was said upthread, I think journey is the better word here.

continued…
 
goodcatholic said:
I see myself more as Christian than Catholic. My concern is some people have a very separatist view of Catholicism. “we’re gonna make Catholicism great again” type view. Putting up walls. Keeping out visitors. Treating Catholicism like a country to belong to. An elite country full of patriotic Catholics who want to stay ‘purebred’.
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This is the wrong attitude about those in the Church. Catholics are Christians. Also, there is so much pushback against Catholic beliefs, so much pressure to compromise on moral and social issues, that sometimes we might feel that we are putting up walls. But I think most Catholics are just fighting to stay afloat against the waves of relativism. We need to remain firm against allowing “political correctness” in the Church.
goodcatholic said:
My fear is the danger of reinforcing our identity as Catholics. Enjoying our separate identity as if we are elites who don’t wish to respect “inferior theologies”.
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Again, I think we should be Proud of our identity as Catholics. It’s utterly unique. And I’m including the Orthodox in that statement, so no one take offense, please. I suffered so much push-back from becoming Catholic. The reason I continued on is because I believe Catholicism offers something completely unique: real authority that I can trust and the Real Presence of Christ. Other theologies are inferior, or rather, incomplete. But that doesn’t mean that our fellow Christians are inferior. They often are a better example of the Faith, and that’s to our shame.
goodcatholic said:
I suspect that people who engage in apologetics as Catholics may well develop skill,. knowledge and be able to put those who propose “inferior theologies” in their place. My fear however is that it leads to intellectual pride and arrogance. We need to stay grounded. Faith is more than intellectual warfare. We need to see our brothers and sisters in other Christian denominations as human beings who may well be living closer to the core of Gospel teachings than us.
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Intellectual pride and arrogance should be avoided, but it isn’t pride to believe that we do have the Fullness of the Truth and other theologies are incomplete and inferior to ours.

I certainly agree with the bolded part. We usually don’t win people to Christ by bludgeoning them with our theological knowledge. The Gospel is about a Person, not a doctrine. And I love your last sentence. Many Catholics don’t seem to believe that a non-Catholic Christian could be living out the Gospel and be close to Jesus’ heart.

But it’s not wrong or prideful to try and win other Christians to the Church…we should be reaching out to them to bring them back.
 
Reading The Imitation of Christ by Thomas á Kempis is a great help in maintaining humility.

John Wayne converted. Good enough for me, pilgrim!
 
Celibacy is a discipline. It can and has changed. Eastern Rite Priests have always been married. However, ask any Latin Rite Priest: he will tell you that celibacy is a gift.

Imagine that.
 
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Funny how the Church is lambasted over celibacy - when Jesus was celibate and Saint Paul - Saint Paul!!! - teaches that it is the best way.
 
My amateurish original post has put me in strife here. Being able to articulate ones’ pov is so important. You have to choose your words so carefully because people like to point out the error of your ways. I understand because I do it too.
Would I be right in concluding that CAF mainly consists of Conservative Catholics? Ones who defend the Church right down to the letter of the law? Nothing wrong with that. It s good to see it has so much support. My problem with this is that a forum can become a kind of echo chamber. Boring. I try to fill that gap when I see it. Just as if I was visiting a forum full of borderline dissenters I would try to supply the conservative voice.
There are always two sides to a story in my opinion. But there are people who think there is only one. I admire your confidence but I also wonder whether you have chosen a too dogmatic path.
 
goodcatholic said:
You have to choose your words so carefully because people like to point out the error of your ways.
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There’s an art to debate and Apologetics. You may want to consider starting a Blog. You’ll always receive feedback here on CAF and that’s the point.
goodcatholic said:
There are always two sides to a story in my opinion. But there are people who think there is only one
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Correct, there’s Right and Wrong. There’s also only one Truth.
goodcatholic said:
I also wonder whether you have chosen a too dogmatic path.
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The Catholic Church is full of Dogma and Doctrine.

http://m.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/what-are-dogma-doctrine-and-theology#.W0wNbBYpDYU
 
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You can never fully master it. But you do get better the more you practice.

Proverbs 27:17

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
 
Just make dismissive, dogmatic statements and you’ve mastered the art of Apologetics on CAF? 🙂
 
hey Cruciferi
If I ignore your posts now and then, don’t take it personally. OK?
 
It’s called Catholic Answers because people come here with questions and they’re hopefully given solid theologically correct answers.

Not everyone likes the Truth but that’s their problem. They will have to decide whether to accept or reject the Truth.
 
I post here for the benefit of the anonymous readership not just the visible posters.
 
I went door knocking in the style of the JWs some years ago, it was a profound experience. It was part of a churches together initiative, my partner was an Anglican. I introduced myself at the door by saying, I am Eric from the Catholic Church, and my partner said, I am John from the Anglican Church.

People were surprised and inquisitive as to why we should be together, and they asked us lots of questions about our faith. Unity is powerful.
 
ShowersofRoses said:
People at my parish are encouraged to attend the sunrise Easter service in our town and pray with all the local Christian denominations. It’s a lovely tradition and many of the Protestants there are incredibly grateful for members of the Catholic church showing up.

Our diocese also recommends ecumenical discussion and prayer groups. Ecumenical does not mean compromise. It can mean putting your foot in the door by loving each other and giving a helping hand.
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There was a recent prayer service in San Francisco, which as you might guess is quite diverse in its religious bodies. The new RC Bishop was up front sitting next to the host pastor (it was held in an African American Baptist church), the guest preacher, and a Mormon. People who spoke and prayed included Muslims, Hindus, a Brahma Kumari Sister, Jewish rabbis, a Chinese Presbyterian, several Protestant clergy, a priest from Grace Episcopal Cathedral, a Japanese Buddhist, and on and on.

The service ended with prayer, and a blessing (in Hebrew and English) over the about-to-be inaugurated Mayor. The Bishop was there, laying hands on her along with perhaps 30 or 40 other faith leaders. It was a momentous occasion to see all circled in prayer and blessing. No compromise, just sharing of faith, and prayer and blessing.

THAT is Interfaith/ecumenism in real time.
 
Many of us are reacting to the liturgical abuses and free-for-all mentality of the 60s and 70s. Since the Church is indefectible, it is correcting itself.

Anyway, if you do not believe the doctrines, why even call yourself Catholic? I grant you that activists are always pulling the Church toward society, instead of pulling society toward the church.
 
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po18guy said:
Anyway, if you do not believe the doctrines, why even call yourself Catholic?
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Is it an all or nothing deal? You have to accept absolutely everything? Of course I accept most of the doctrines but give me some space to be myself and questions things at my own pace.
 
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