C
captainmike
Guest
that i’m planing on submitting to my local paper. i live in a predominantly Baptist area, but there are a lot of Catholics here, too. here goes:
Recently, a Baptist man informed me that I am going to Hell. It bothered me to hear that, especially since I grew up Baptist myself. And what offense condemns me to Hell? The fact that I’m Catholic, of course.
Sadly, the man I encountered speaks for many Christians. Many, if not most, Baptists (and Evangelicals) believe that Catholics need to be “saved.” This partially explains why non-Catholic Christian churches often send their missionaries to predominantly Catholic countries.
My view is, it’s unfortunate that we Christians can’t focus on the beliefs that we have in common rather than on our theological differences. We should be working together to change the decadent and increasingly atheistic world in which we live and to counter the emergence of non-Christian faiths (has anyone noticed that [CITY IN WHICH I LIVE] now has a mosque?).
And what beliefs do Baptists and Catholics share? How about these:
We believe in one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe in Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, who died for our sins and was raised from the dead.
We believe that Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father.
Because we share these beliefs, we can and should call each other Christians. Some sects that call themselves “Christians” do not affirm one or more of these essential Christian beliefs.
Are there differences between Baptists and Catholics? Sure. But I contend that even these differences are exaggerated.
For example, Baptists disagree with Catholics on the necessity of baptism. But you will never meet a Baptist who voluntarily leaves this life without having been baptized.
Baptists disagree with the Catholic notion that what we do–not just what we believe–can affect where we spend eternity. But, like Catholics, Baptists repent whenever they fall into sin, and they know that their faith must manifest itself in good works.
Baptists criticize Catholics for asking Mary to intercede for us with God. Yet Baptists ask their earthly mothers to pray for them all the time.
Baptists reject the Catholic view that the Pope teaches “infallibly.” But Baptists believe that the apostles wrote infallibly, thereby producing the Bible.
Baptists disagree that God uses priests to forgive sins. But Baptists believe that Christ empowered his apostles to perform miracles and cast out demons.
Baptists are uncomfortable with the Catholic teaching on purgatory. But Baptists sometimes mistakenly believe that purgatory is a “second chance” to get right with God. It isn’t. At the moment of death, we will know whether we are bound for Heaven or Hell.
Baptists reject the Catholic notion that the bread and wine in the Mass actually become the Body and Blood of Christ. But Baptists believe in a God who walked on water, healed the blind and sick, created the universe, and has no beginning and end.
Baptists don’t like the fact that we Catholics “cross” ourselves with our fingers. But Baptists put crosses on their Bibles, the walls and doors of their homes, and on and in their churches.
The point is, we Baptists and Catholics hold the same essential Christian beliefs, and thus should call each other Christians. We certainly have meaningful theological differences, but we worship the same God and have the same redeemer, Jesus Christ. And even on the issues upon which we disagree, our differences are not as great as we sometimes think.
Baptist brothers and sisters (including the one who condemned me to Hell), let’s work together as Christians to evangelize a world that greatly needs to hear our good news.
Recently, a Baptist man informed me that I am going to Hell. It bothered me to hear that, especially since I grew up Baptist myself. And what offense condemns me to Hell? The fact that I’m Catholic, of course.
Sadly, the man I encountered speaks for many Christians. Many, if not most, Baptists (and Evangelicals) believe that Catholics need to be “saved.” This partially explains why non-Catholic Christian churches often send their missionaries to predominantly Catholic countries.
My view is, it’s unfortunate that we Christians can’t focus on the beliefs that we have in common rather than on our theological differences. We should be working together to change the decadent and increasingly atheistic world in which we live and to counter the emergence of non-Christian faiths (has anyone noticed that [CITY IN WHICH I LIVE] now has a mosque?).
And what beliefs do Baptists and Catholics share? How about these:
We believe in one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe in Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, who died for our sins and was raised from the dead.
We believe that Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father.
Because we share these beliefs, we can and should call each other Christians. Some sects that call themselves “Christians” do not affirm one or more of these essential Christian beliefs.
Are there differences between Baptists and Catholics? Sure. But I contend that even these differences are exaggerated.
For example, Baptists disagree with Catholics on the necessity of baptism. But you will never meet a Baptist who voluntarily leaves this life without having been baptized.
Baptists disagree with the Catholic notion that what we do–not just what we believe–can affect where we spend eternity. But, like Catholics, Baptists repent whenever they fall into sin, and they know that their faith must manifest itself in good works.
Baptists criticize Catholics for asking Mary to intercede for us with God. Yet Baptists ask their earthly mothers to pray for them all the time.
Baptists reject the Catholic view that the Pope teaches “infallibly.” But Baptists believe that the apostles wrote infallibly, thereby producing the Bible.
Baptists disagree that God uses priests to forgive sins. But Baptists believe that Christ empowered his apostles to perform miracles and cast out demons.
Baptists are uncomfortable with the Catholic teaching on purgatory. But Baptists sometimes mistakenly believe that purgatory is a “second chance” to get right with God. It isn’t. At the moment of death, we will know whether we are bound for Heaven or Hell.
Baptists reject the Catholic notion that the bread and wine in the Mass actually become the Body and Blood of Christ. But Baptists believe in a God who walked on water, healed the blind and sick, created the universe, and has no beginning and end.
Baptists don’t like the fact that we Catholics “cross” ourselves with our fingers. But Baptists put crosses on their Bibles, the walls and doors of their homes, and on and in their churches.
The point is, we Baptists and Catholics hold the same essential Christian beliefs, and thus should call each other Christians. We certainly have meaningful theological differences, but we worship the same God and have the same redeemer, Jesus Christ. And even on the issues upon which we disagree, our differences are not as great as we sometimes think.
Baptist brothers and sisters (including the one who condemned me to Hell), let’s work together as Christians to evangelize a world that greatly needs to hear our good news.