Hi LG,Thank you guys/ and galls , gratias ad omnes.
I bookmarked the page with the Church Father writings from New Advent. I’ll use that. I have an epistle by Clement somewhere in my documents.
All churches that have preserved the Apostolic succession see them that way. This includes the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental, and Coptic Churches. All these can trace their succession back to the apostles.
This is true. We interpret them in the light of what the Apostles believed and taught. Other Churches separated themselves from that about 500 years ago, and every generation gets further and further away from what the Apostles believed and taught.
Becuase Jesus sent the HS to guide the Church “into all truth”, and promised that the “gates of hell” (teaching error) would not prevail against the Church. It is His power and promises that preserve the Church.
They had to abandon the sacramental life of the Church beceaus it required a valid priesthood. When they disconnected from the Apostolic Succession, there were no longer any valid orders, and therefore, the sacraments could not be cathected.
Once they jettisoned the authority appointed by Christ, they had to find a way to justify this disobedience.
Yes, law stickling is condemnable. But you notice that Jesus upheld and practiced all the rituals given to the Jews by God?Human beings were made to connect to the Holy through ritual. This is why God provided these rituals. The Protestants have replaced the rituals that God instituted with their own inventions.
This is good. If doing so helps you to pose and resolve your questions it will help you. It will strengthen your faith, because there is no devil that Jesus has not triumphed over!
I don’t know that he often uses pagan philosphy as a source, but he is a professor, and is widely read. I am sure he uses whatever sources best help him make his point. If you read his book, Jesus of Nazareth, I think this is plain.
This is exactly the problem latingirl. People DO see the Bible as a teacher. Often on these threads you will see them use the phrase “the bible teaches”. However, this is a myth. The Bible does not teach. People teach. Jesus gave the authority for teaching to His apostles. Teaching is something that people do, not books, Holy though they may be. Teaching requires acts of the will, authority, discernment, and other characteristics not possessed of the Holy Writings, but which belong only to people. In reality, when they believe the “bible teaches” they are using their own opinion, and replacing the teaching authority appointed by Christ by their own. As long as they do this, they Holy Scripture will be used as a weapon against truth.
Yes, and it is a good question to ask. this is where good Apologists begin!
Yes. Remember how the disciples on the road to Emmaus recognized Him in the breaking of the bread?I was doubting whether priests had any authority at all to consecrate the Eucharist but even as he lifted the host into the air I said “My Lord and My God.” I suddenly remember that those were the same words uttered by Thomas upon feeling Christ’s wounded body. The Eucharist always does stuff like that.
This is true. There is no scriptural or historical evidence to support what you say here. This would constitute an “imaginal” interpretion.
This is more fiction.
comparing a man who owned nothing and was homeless to Bill Gates seems quite absurd.
More fiction.
On the contrary, there is quite a bit of evidence that disputes each of your imaginative interpretions.
Is that what you call His writing in the sand? If so, I agree. I have always imaginatively speculated that he was writing the secrets of the souls of those present - their sins.
It seems quite clear that you have done quite a bit of blatant passing over quickly
This is not what the Scripture says.
This is another falsehood.
No.
No, and No.
Apparently you are quite impressed with your own imagination.
No. Scripture tells us that it was because the people followed Him.
There ya have it!
Who do you think “they” are?
It was not about luxury, but about the woman’s faith and value of HIm. She was willing to give a years’ worth of wages, because she was grateful to HIm for saving her soul.
Don’t panic. Protestants throw a lot of stuff at you, but trust me, NONE of it sticks.
I had similar problems when I was growing up and learning about the faith. I highly suggest reading “This is the Faith” so that you can educate yourself about what it is that the Church teaches and how, specifically, these teachings differ from the protestants’.
you are overshadowed by the Power of God present in the eucharist. By it, our own puny human power is dwarfed. At Mass we enter into the heavenly banquet, and are there, as well as here at the same time. It is surreal. IT was meant to be!Wow, alot has gone on since I last checked this thread.
I will think up my questions, write them down and pose them individually. That’s good advice.
I also need to start…er finish reading the Gospels.
Can someone perhaps tell me why the Eucharist makes me feel odd…like everything at Mass suddenly gets surrealistic? Kind of frozen. I fear I’m becomming delerious.
Hey…
Parts of the Catholic faith can be found in the Bible… Yes!So then it IS found in the Bible.
Perhaps it’s because Protestantism is something entirely NEW.
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** The difference is doctrine & discipline, Tradition & traditons (i.e., customs, practices).
We wouldn’t say so. Do you believe in a development of doctrine? There’s definitely a further understanding in God’s Revelation. Won’t you agree? For example, it took some time for the Early Church to define the Trinity in the best of ways.