First Timer - looking for kid help

[nowakca1]

Hi. My name is Carol. I am a mom of four boys.

My college son has met a girl who belongs to a “Church that only follows what the bible says”. He has been given documents from this church saying that Jesus did not endorse “tradition” nor was the Papal succession a creation blessed by Jesus.

He says he is keeping an open mind … Where can I find information to help him see the Catholic view?

Thank you and God Bless! C

 

[japhy]

This web site, first of all, has a lot of great resources. I would also suggest the “Compendium to the Catechism of the Catholic Church” (a much thinner book than the actual Catechism).

The girl and her “Bible-only church” are following their interpretation of the Bible. And as for where they got that Bible from… the Catholic Church! The Church continued its existence outside of what was written in Scripture, and continued after the last word of what would later be called “Scripture” was written. If they looked at how the first and second century Church worshiped, and what they believed about the bishop of Rome and the Eucharist, they might be surprised!

The Bible – or at least, the New Testament – was not written as a guide for how to do Sunday worship, but rather as a testimony of the early Church. What was accepted as the “canon” of Scripture was those books which were allowed to be read during the worship of the Church (that is, at Mass). Simply because Scripture doesn’t record a particular practice or event does not mean the practice or event didn’t happen or isn’t apostolic.

 

[Mike_Dye]

Hi. My name is Carol. I am a mom of four boys.

My college son has met a girl who belongs to a “Church that only follows what the bible says”. He has been given documents from this church saying that Jesus did not endorse “tradition” nor was the Papal succession a creation blessed by Jesus.

He says he is keeping an open mind … Where can I find information to help him see the Catholic view?

Thank you and God Bless! C

Hi Carol, I would send him to the very book that his friend uses as her “sole authority”. In that very Bible he should be able to read that Jesus indeed hand picked Peter and the apostles and gave them authority, ie. “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven” etc.( Apostolic succession ). In the conclusion of Johns Gospel John writes that if everything that Jesus did were recorded individually, he doubts the whole world would hold them. (Tradition)

 

[canne]

hello, the catholic answers library will have all the resources you need. You mentioned tradition and the Papacy, so I would start there…print these catholic.com/library/Apostolic_Tradition.asp
catholic.com/library/Peter_and_the_Papacy.asp

and
catholic.com/library/What_Your_Authority.asp
from the Catholic answers library and direct him to the Library site to address anything else his new friend gives him or you could send him information as you feel is needed.

catholic.com/library.asp

 

[nowakca1]

Thanks for the guidance.
God Bless you all -
Carol