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Evangelicals, Catholics finding harmony
July 31, 2005
BY RICHARD N. OSTLING
"…Summarizing the situation, Noll – a historian at Wheaton College – said he sees ‘‘quite serious differences, but not differences of life and death as they were regarded for at least four centuries.’’
He says three events in particular fostered harmony:
*Catholicism’s Second Vatican Council (1962-65), which encouraged contacts with Protestants and abolished for good the papacy’s onetime hostility toward democracy and freedom of conscience in religion.
*The U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 liberal ruling on abortion, which provoked joint social activism, now reinforced by the same-sex marriage issue.
*The 1978 election of Pope John Paul II, who became a hero to evangelicals for helping topple European communism and for speaking effectively on behalf of Christian tradition…"
‘‘The admiration for John Paul II is simply astounding given [evangelicals’] historic real hatred for the papacy,’’ says William Shea of the College of the Holy Cross…"
‘’…When John F. Kennedy made his famous speech that the Vatican would not tell him what to do, evangelicals and Southern Baptists breathed a sign of relief. But today, evangelicals and Southern Baptists are hoping that the Vatican will tell Catholic politicians what to do.’’
Yet both Noll and Shea believe the evangelicals are much closer to Catholicism on central Christian teachings than more liberal Protestants.
suntimes.com/output/religion/cst-nws-rel31.html
July 31, 2005
BY RICHARD N. OSTLING
"…Summarizing the situation, Noll – a historian at Wheaton College – said he sees ‘‘quite serious differences, but not differences of life and death as they were regarded for at least four centuries.’’
He says three events in particular fostered harmony:
*Catholicism’s Second Vatican Council (1962-65), which encouraged contacts with Protestants and abolished for good the papacy’s onetime hostility toward democracy and freedom of conscience in religion.
*The U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 liberal ruling on abortion, which provoked joint social activism, now reinforced by the same-sex marriage issue.
*The 1978 election of Pope John Paul II, who became a hero to evangelicals for helping topple European communism and for speaking effectively on behalf of Christian tradition…"
‘‘The admiration for John Paul II is simply astounding given [evangelicals’] historic real hatred for the papacy,’’ says William Shea of the College of the Holy Cross…"
‘’…When John F. Kennedy made his famous speech that the Vatican would not tell him what to do, evangelicals and Southern Baptists breathed a sign of relief. But today, evangelicals and Southern Baptists are hoping that the Vatican will tell Catholic politicians what to do.’’
Yet both Noll and Shea believe the evangelicals are much closer to Catholicism on central Christian teachings than more liberal Protestants.
suntimes.com/output/religion/cst-nws-rel31.html