Keep studying and praying. The main issue is authority. Does the Catholic Church have the authority conferred by Christ to teach without error by the guidance of the Holy Spirit?
Well, authority is an issue for me as well. Clements letter to the Corinthians is quite clear that the Bishop has authority and the laity has an obligation to submit to the Bishop. Even if they disagree. Clement is to close to Apostolic teaching for me to not pay attention to it. Also as I’ve study scripture it is quite clear that Judiasm has a long history of Oral tradition. In fact, while studing Jesus Rabbinic background it seems clear that he up held Jewish Oral tradition in interpreting the Torah. He also made new or exegete appropiate understanding of Torah. When studing the New Testiment it’s clear that the Oral Tradition came first. According to Eusibius Mark who was a coworker of Peter wrote down his gosple in a maner to get the most Theological impact rather than chronilogical order. He did this through the Oral teachings of Peter quiet similar to how the Jews look at Talmud. The letters of the New Testiment are deffinately apostolic teachings as they exegete the Old Testiment. Very Talmudic. Jesus did say do what the Pharasees teach because they sit in the seat of Moses but not to act like them. Oral Tradition has authoritative meaning in Jesus’ teaching and the early christian church. I’ve looked at scripture Sola Scriptura and have hit road blocks in understanding it wasn’t until looking at context of scripture that some of these have lifted. Which is why I’m seriously reevaluating my initial decision to leave the Catholic Church. On the other hand I don’t believe I would be “saved” had it not been for protestant intervention into my life. I definately would not have study scripture to the level I have. I’ve made the rounds of protestant theology and found them lacking at certain points on the other hand. They seem to get the main point. Believe in Jesus. Study the word. Live a life honoring to God. It’s departures from this protestant theoligy starts breaking down and we get to weird extreems. Authority is an issue. I understand now more than before why Catholics accuse Protestants of being their own Popes. Authority ultimately stops with each christian under protestant theology. And often personal preferences becomes “Gods Revelation” Such as no musical instruments in church, or shouting and convulsing in services, or some say you may divorce others say not. Calvanism vs. Armenianism. ect… Yeah I have a problem of the authority issue when it comes to protestantism. I’m really struggling here. However, I want to be obediant and not lead myself or family astray so I want to be clear of the things I believe.
I recommend that you start by reading on these topics in th eCAF library, then do a “search” of threads where they are addressed. I think your doubts place you in need of more study.
Sometimes I think the Church is too merciful too, and accepts too much mischief from dissenters, but then I have to remember that I’m not the Pope. I have to trust the Church even though I personally agree with a lot of what you say. It has always been the Church’s policy to forgive, even the most unforgivable sins. That’s why I brought up the example of the Donatists
Most people could not read or write them, so Bibles had to be read aloud during the Liturgy of the Word. A Bible had to be copied by hand by monks working for 7 months from dawn to dusk, costing the equivalent of 300K today. No wonder why Bibles have to be kept under lock and key! They were stolen for money them. In my opinion modern protestantism would have been imposible without the print.
Hi Sambos
Amen! I mean I could not have put that any better myself! I mean that is it.... bingo! Now I am also by researching, finding out differnt things that resemble the catholic church....however I am still not sure.......
Yet, in my heart I am drawn and yet I am not. what is up with that? I study and then come across something that alarms me, then I cease the study and first thing I know......I am drawn back to the study! I do not beleive that this is my flesh driving this search. However I am sometimes overwhelemed by the drawing.....
I also beleive that we here in western culture are so sidetracked with STUFF that is why we sometimes just cannot see what missionaries in other countries have seen. Most of these countries have so little to distract them and we have so much that draws us away from our living God! anyway so where are you now in your search? Are you going back? and what is the avenue of your drawing? Thanks so much and God Bless...To be fair, most atheists I’ve talked to found plenty wrong with the Catholic Church even before the Inquisitions - their main criticisms of Christians are not over theological differences between branches.
However, I thought both Pharisees and Saducees sat in the Sanhedrin. Also Jesus said that the Pharisees “sit in Moses’ seat”. Why wouldn’t the Pharisees want to see Jesus killed? I mean we see Paul at the stoning of Stephen and the rabble laid their cloaks at his feet. He also goes on a persecution spree of Christians. He calls himself a Pharisee of Pharisees. As far as the Reformation, the Church was pulling itself apart long before! I mean there were 3 Popes at once! Orders were at each others throats! The Reformation was a natural child of print (as you’ve suggested), and of reason. Unfortunately, the church’s involvement in politics allowed for power hungry people to see the church as a means to obtain privilage (the church then the congress today). I think the inquisition would have occured without the protestants. Think of the excuse the spanish used to eliminate their Jewish population. It was a terrible time in general both Catholics and Protestants were to blame. However, the protestants encouraged the masses to study scripture for themselves. To know the word provided by God. As far as the apochryphal writing, well protestants didn’t entirely do away with it until the 1800’s. They just didn’t believe it to be Cannon. In other words, they agreed with the early Jewish scholars who “cannonized” their scriptures at the end of the 1st century. No debate there! New Testiment was universally accepted. However, I agree there is good information in the apocryphal works of the old testiment.