Is there anything we can learn from Protestantism?

[MiserereMei25]

Is there anything from the reformation or in reformed theology we can learn and benefit from as Catholics?

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Patience.
.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

The Orthodox is “one Church” now? Seems like they have all been straying from each other right and left…

 

[1Lord1Faith]

Just the question itself makes me squirm in my chair. It implies that non-Catholic Christians may not be of any redeeming value to a Catholic. I hope I’m misunderstanding your question.

But to answer your question…yes. How that is not obvious, I don’t know.

A better question could be…What can Catholics learn from Protestants in regards to…something specific, like theology, church administration, etc…

 

[RealisticCatholic]

It was a mutual estrangement, hence the word “schism.”

The first thousand years, more or less, were technically in communion. But cultural estrangement happened as soon as Constantinople became center of the Empire. The Reformation was a very different situation, and more immediate and exacting.

 

[GospelOfMatthew]

How to structure a personal relationship with God

 

[ioannes_pius]

No. There is nothing. The fullness of truth is found in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ.

 

[Thom18]

What not to do.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

How to structure a personal relationship with God

I don’t think any of the great Catholic saints really needed Protestant guidance in this respect

 

[MiserereMei25]

Uhhhh I genuinely asked?

 

[Pitcairn17]

A love for Scripture, as opposed to tolerating the same Gospel excerpts read over and over on a one-year cycle as was true before the Council - the only part read in the vernacular.

 

[LateranBasilica]

Claiming there is nothing to be learned from other religions, be they Christian or not, is against Church teaching.
For yourself and @MiserereMei25
Please read and begin with Nostra Aetate

http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_...ts/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html

 

[CTBcin]

You mean like the way you guys strayed from the Orthodox?

I think you have things backwards. It was the Orthodox who strayed from the See of Peter; and as much as I admire the traditions of Orthodoxy, the fruits of this separation can be seen in the splintering of Orthodox factions, which rival that of even the Protestants.

As far as what we can learn from Protestants- nothing, doctrinally speaking. The fullness of the faith is already here. I do think we can learn a lot about fellowship and community, though.

EDIT: I was originally responding to something else, but I misread what was stated, so I scrapped it.

 

[CTBcin]

This document does not mention Reformed Theology, or even Protestantism in general, which is what the OP is asking about.

And the document does not talk about theology or doctrine, only “good elements” from other religions, which is pretty non-descriptive. So on it’s own, it does not refute what others have said about there being nothing to learn from Protestant theology.

 

[TULIPed]

Please forgive the topic reversal, but allow me - a cradle Reformed Protestant - to humbly share some of what I’ve learned from my Catholic brothers and sisters. I have learned:

1. That reverence and respect are a beautiful act of sincere worship;
2. That the liturgical worship is a beautiful and mysterious treasure;
3. The importance of the Eucharist and the reverence it’s due;
4. How to admire, emulate and study those Christians who came before us, e.g. St. Augustine;
5. To worship, even when I don’t feel like it;
6. How the Trinity is like a family;
7. That the fish at fish fries tastes better than I thought it would;
8. There are a lot of Catholics who don’t like Notre Dame football, and that’s ok;
9. Pope JP2 was a no-kidding great man of God; and
10. We all love, worship and bend the knee to Jesus Christ our great King and Savior.

Oh, and I’ve learned that I really like incense on Easter Morning. (Kneeling on the marble in the standing only area because we were late - not so much).

 

[MiserereMei25]

I do agree. I do admire how much Protestants talk about studying and reading AND praying with scripture.

 

[Atreju]

I think there are two seperate questions here.

“What can we, as the Catholic Church, learn from Protestantism”, as people have pointed out implies the Catholic Church does not have the whole Truth. But there is also:
“What can we, as individuals, learn from protestantism”, which I think is a more open question.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Please read and begin with Nostra Aetate

Which focuses on non-Christian religions.

Protestantism is different in that they, like Catholics, believe in Christ, but have broken away from the Catholic Church, keeping some Church teachings and changing others so they are wrong. Protestantism is therefore like a fragmented and partially incorrect/ partially missing version of Catholicism.
There’s not much to learn from Protestants, because to the extent they have information that is useful, we already know it through Catholicism.

 

[Glennon_P]

Thank you for your very gracious reply.

 

[phil19034]

How to structure a personal relationship with God

An individual Catholic might be able to learn that from a protestant or group of protestants, but we didn’t need the reformation to learn that.