IMO... It's better to be Protestant, but tell me why it's better to be Catholic

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spn82756 said:
I am Catholic because I feel it is the right choice. But…to more knowledge is given…to more is expected. Many Catholics are Catholic in name only. I’m not sure it’s fair to say that it’s easier for Catholics to get to heaven. God knows what’s in everyone’s heart. Never should we consider ourselves to be better than anyone else of a different Christian faith…lest we become as the man in the Gospel that thanked God that he wasn’t like the sinner that bowed his head while the proud man made his claim to God looking proudly to heaven.
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👍👍👍👍👍
 
This thread is full of false ecumenism. Ecumenism is not a warm and fuzzy kind of thing where all Christian faiths are to be considered equal. The Catholic Church, and ONLY the Catholic Church possesses the Fullness of Truth. Any Church not in accord with the Catholic Church is in some degree of error. I will probably be called “uncharitable” for pointing this out. This is not to say that our separated brethren are not Christians, but their faith is an incomplete Christianity. The purpose of ecumenism is to draw Protestants back into communion with the True Church.
 
One_in_Christ said:
IMO…it’s better to be Protestant, but tell me why it’s better to be Catholic. But remember, Catholics and Protestants are one in Christ for those who actually are known by God through Christ. Please try to keep your responses grounded in official Catholic teaching. I’ll start:
  1. It’s better to be Protestant because historic Protestant theology rest in the finished work of Christ for our eternal standing before God, We are justified by the person and work of Jesus Christ who earned our complete forgiveness and reconciliation for us, We are saved from God to God, and for God on the basis of the work of Jesus Christ. Therefore, historic Protestant theology teaches that we have eternal peace with God because of the merit of Jesus Christ.
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It’s good to be Protestant but even better to be Catholic because the Catholic has all of the above plus the Eucharist too.
 
CWBetts said:
This thread is full of false ecumenism. Ecumenism is not a warm and fuzzy kind of thing where all Christian faiths are to be considered equal. The Catholic Church, and ONLY the Catholic Church possesses the Fullness of Truth. Any Church not in accord with the Catholic Church is in some degree of error. I will probably be called “uncharitable” for pointing this out. This is not to say that our separated brethren are not Christians, but their faith is an incomplete Christianity. The purpose of ecumenism is to draw Protestants back into communion with the True Church.
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Christians are all equal in the eyes of God.
 
CWBetts said:
This thread is full of false ecumenism. Ecumenism is not a warm and fuzzy kind of thing where all Christian faiths are to be considered equal. The Catholic Church, and ONLY the Catholic Church possesses the Fullness of Truth. Any Church not in accord with the Catholic Church is in some degree of error. I will probably be called “uncharitable” for pointing this out. This is not to say that our separated brethren are not Christians, but their faith is an incomplete Christianity. The purpose of ecumenism is to draw Protestants back into communion with the True Church.
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Carl, you are not being uncharitable, you are absolutely correct in your assessment of some in this thread, As Catholics we are here to witness to the full Truth of Christ’s revelation nothing less. To encourage ecumenism, unity yes. We are not close to being there yet, we continue to pray and hope for Christ’s desire for his flock,unity and full communion with His Apostolic Church. God bless and peace, Carlan
 
CWBetts said:
Sorry, try again. This is just saying that once one is truly in the Church, that is, the Church founded by Christ, there is no difference. This is not license to separate from the Apostolic Church.
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👍
 
One_in_Christ said:
Okay, would you agree that being born from above is not a Catholic nor Protestant issue.
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Mostly. Both believe firmly in being born from above, so far as I know. The waters are troubled, though. For example, some Protestant groups will deny that a practicing Catholic can be born from above.
Maybe we are talking about which tradition grows us closer to God through Christ, or how we mature as Christians, or how do we grow in obedience. How do we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ once we were converted seems to be the issue.
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Perhaps. To lack the participation in the foretaste of the heavenly liturgy is like a dimension that is lacking, though, to me, and not just a more or less of the same kind of thing. Catholics see that the sacraments/liturgy as a place where Jesus acts, where the Paschal mystery is. (I’m bad at explaining this type of thing.) Protestants do have the sacrament of Baptism and marriage, but they don’t have all the others. I see each sacrament as planned by God. So, though, are our works of charity, and Protestants do have those.

I’m not sure I am answering the question you wished me to answer, though…

I’ll take this opportunity to add my voice to those who say Trent was a council that made reforms. Reforms were needed.
 
One_in_Christ said:
IMO…it’s better to be Protestant, but tell me why it’s better to be Catholic. But remember, Catholics and Protestants are one in Christ for those who actually are known by God through Christ. Please try to keep your responses grounded in official Catholic teaching. I’ll start:
  1. It’s better to be Protestant because historic Protestant theology rest in the finished work of Christ for our eternal standing before God, We are justified by the person and work of Jesus Christ who earned our complete forgiveness and reconciliation for us, We are saved from God to God, and for God on the basis of the work of Jesus Christ. Therefore, historic Protestant theology teaches that we have eternal peace with God because of the merit of Jesus Christ.
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Yes, we are all brothers/sisters in Christ. Your points about the Protestant theology of justification do not differ from Catholic teaching. You might enjoy reading the remarkably beautiful joint statement on justification issued by Lutherans and Catholics. It is posted in full on the official Vatican Web site: vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_31101999_cath-luth-joint-declaration_en.html

Here is a little tidbit from the much longer statement:
15.In faith we together hold the conviction that justification is the work of the triune God. The Father sent his Son into the world to save sinners. The foundation and presupposition of justification is the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ. Justification thus means that Christ himself is our righteousness, in which we share through the Holy Spirit in accord with the will of the Father. Together we confess: By grace alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works.
 
One_in_Christ said:
Your last statement really puzzles me. Why would Judaism come before Protestantism. One rejects Jesus as the Christ, and the other receives Jesus as the Christ. Did you know Jesus called unbelieving Jews as children of the devil? Could you please explain why Judaism comes before Protestantism?
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Because if none of the original Apostolic Churches got it right, Protestantism is too splintered to have gotten it right.

And if you are wondering, I would not consider Islam.
 
bryan123459 said:
Yes, we are all brothers/sisters in Christ. Your points about the Protestant theology of justification do not differ from Catholic teaching. You might enjoy reading the remarkably beautiful joint statement on justification issued by Lutherans and Catholics. It is posted in full on the official Vatican Web site: vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_31101999_cath-luth-joint-declaration_en.html

Here is a little tidbit from the much longer statement:
15.In faith we together hold the conviction that justification is the work of the triune God. The Father sent his Son into the world to save sinners. The foundation and presupposition of justification is the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ. Justification thus means that Christ himself is our righteousness, in which we share through the Holy Spirit in accord with the will of the Father. Together we confess: By grace alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works.
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Hello Bryann, the statement points out the common understanding of our justification,however it does not cover all that either church teaches about justification.
It covers a consensus on basic truths of the doctrine.

So we have been dialogging and examining divisive questions and condemnations and seeing them in a new light and this is very good, however,we are still very far from the unity whuch Christ hopes for His flock. We keep praying,👍:)God bless, Carlan
 
CWBetts said:
So by your reasoning,everything is ordained by God? WRONG. The Protestant Reformation was straight from Hell.
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That’s not good for Christian unity. Should Catholics and Protestants go back 500 years and kill each other in the name of God?
 
phoooiee said:
Now this makes more sense to me. We should all try to learn from one another. I as a Catholic am all for understanding, as long as it doesn’t require me to renounce any part of Catholicism. Unfortunately, some aspects of Protestantism would require me to renounce part of my Catholic faith, including the Protestant view of justification. It is not up to me or you to decide what Catholics can and cannot look at within range of still remaining Catholic. It is my choice as a Catholic to follow my religion faithfully and let the wisdom of Church authority speak on this matter.

As much as I can’t resist a debate, I just have to bow out of this one. Thanks for all the discussion.
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You are welcome. And thanks for the Christian fellowship. We can only learn from each other by continuing to discuss and fellowship with each other as One in Christ. Isn’t this encouraged by Vatican II? Maybe our view of justification is not as far apart as it appears.
 
spn82756 said:
aye yiiii yiiii yiiii yiiii…

Does anyone here dispute that we are all Christians? Brothers and sisters in Christ?

When I get the answer…I’ll make my next post. It’s so profound and yet so ignored.
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We are brothers and sisters in Christ because there is only one family of God in which Christ purchased with His blood.
 
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