I've always wanted to ask

[petra22]

WHAT??? That’s the first I’ve heard of that! When did that happen? Is it widespread? I’ve never seen that before! Am I going to have to take a drive up to our local Anglican Catholic Church now? If I can’t do Lutheranism, then I’ll go over to the Anglicans. That’s heresy. When did this happen and why didn’t anyone say anything? Anyway, I’m here for the conversation, which tends to be quite illuminating, indeed. This neat little tidbit above, for example, has inspired me to do some online research into the subject. I don’t see how the LCMS could violate one of the foundational principles of the Augsburg Confession and its Apology. Just shot my pastor an email inquiring about this matter.

WOW! The things you learn on CAF!

 

[JonNC]

WHAT??? That’s the first I’ve heard of that! When did that happen? Is it widespread? I’ve never seen that before! Am I going to have to take a drive up to our local Anglican Catholic Church now? If I can’t do Lutheranism, then I’ll go over to the Anglicans. That’s heresy. When did this happen and why didn’t anyone say anything? Anyway, I’m here for the conversation, which tends to be quite illuminating, indeed. This neat little tidbit above, for example, has inspired me to do some online research into the subject. I don’t see how the LCMS could violate one of the foundational principles of the Augsburg Confession and its Apology. Just shot my pastor an email inquiring about this matter.

PM me

Jon

 

[LutheranScholar]

PM me

Jon

PM has been sent. I’ve had some time to breathe and I don’t want to jump ship too quickly if there is hope of reformation in the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod. I won’t condone heresy ( nor will I shirk my congregational responsibilities. I’ll wait until next year ( when church officers make their annual vows) before I quit my secretarial duties, if the LCMS chooses to continue on this course), but I need to know exactly what the deal is. I voted for President Harrison just so this sort of thing wouldn’t happen. Anyway, yeah, the level of depth and knowledge on these boards are extremely impressive.

 

[Zabdi_Premjit]

For my non-Catholic brothers and sisters of all faiths:

I’ve noticed many of you have been at Catholic Answers Forums for many months (or years), what is it about these forums that keeps you returning to them again and again?

PS…We LOVE having you here! :flowers::hug1:

The Eastern Catholic Forum is a good place to get (name removed by moderator)ut from posters familiar with a wide range of rites and traditions. Not only can I get information about my Byzantine rite (with added commentary on any variations that have developed between Catholic and Orthodox variants), I can also get information about non-Byzantine rites of the East. I can also get information about Latin Catholics in term that make more sense to me.

Also, the Eastern Catholic forum has historically had Catholics and Orthodox mixing, which can create a nice dynamic. Admittedly, when it comes to Eastern Christians in communion with Rome and Eastern Christians not in communion with Rome, we are more similar to each other than most Rome/non-Rome pairings, so I often don’t even remember I am on a “Catholic site.” \

On another note, I have always had a big interest in religion in general, so I visit sites and fora of many faiths all the time.

 

[Bill_Martin]

PM has been sent. I’ve had some time to breathe and I don’t want to jump ship too quickly if there is hope of reformation in the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod. I won’t condone heresy ( nor will I shirk my congregational responsibilities. I’ll wait until next year ( when church officers make their annual vows) before I quit my secretarial duties, if the LCMS chooses to continue on this course), but I need to know exactly what the deal is. I voted for President Harrison just so this sort of thing wouldn’t happen. Anyway, yeah, the level of depth and knowledge on these boards are extremely impressive.

I’m so wrapped up in US politics right now that I couldn’t figure out whether you were talking about William Henry or Benjamin Harrison. Sigh…

 

[LutheranScholar]

I’m so wrapped up in US politics right now that I couldn’t figure out whether you were talking about William Henry or Benjamin Harrison. Sigh…

Not to worry. I’ve asked several questions about this issue since last night and nobody’s responded to my questions yet, so I’m just going to move on. Googling " Unconsecrated seminarians in the LCMS officiate at the Lord’s Supper" hasn’t produced much except the Church’s official position that " no one shall preach the Gospel or administer the sacraments without a rightly ordered call." Dr. Matthew Harrison has been the conservative LCMS president for several years now lcms.org/president.

 

[Tommy999]

For my non-Catholic brothers and sisters of all faiths:

I’ve noticed many of you have been at Catholic Answers Forums for many months (or years), what is it about these forums that keeps you returning to them again and again?

PS…We LOVE having you here! :flowers::hug1:

I found out about CAF after stumbling onto a Catholic radio station while channel-surfing one day back in 2014 when they were playing a Gregorian chant (I find those fascinating) and later the guy on the Catholic Answers program mentioned CAF and how you didn’t have to be Catholic to join and that it was a great place to ask more questions.

I’ve been on CAF ever since off-and-on and have had many questions answered and issues clarified. I appreciate everyone (especially the gracious and patient folks) who have provided many useful answers and insights.

I have always respected Catholicism and found it intriguing but complicated. I have been an evangelical most of my life who came to know Christ as my Savior in a Billy Graham crusade and currently am a member of a conservative Methodist congregation.

At times I embrace Catholicism, its rich history, Tradition, structure, and the emphasis on a faith community and not just “me and Jesus” and can picture myself at RCIA some day, while other times I am a bit fearful of it and have concerns about all the regulations that remind me a little of the Pharisees, although I realize that Catholics don’t view it that way.

As an analogy, part of me feels like I’m travelling from Oklahoma (evangelical background) to Miami (Catholicism) and have made it to Tampa (Methodism), which I like very much and consider it my home. Will I ever make it to Miami? Only God knows.

However, I have benefited spiritually and intellectually from my time on CAF and consider it time well spent. That’s why I keep coming back, along with having met some very nice people of many faiths along the way, especially Catholics.

I have even found myself defending Catholicism a few times if a family member or friend says something that I know is out of line about the Catholic faith.

 

[Peter_J]

I found out about CAF after stumbling onto a Catholic radio station while channel-surfing one day back in 2014 when they were playing a Gregorian chant (I find those fascinating) and later the guy on the Catholic Answers program mentioned CAF and how you didn’t have to be Catholic to join and that it was a great place to ask more questions.

I’ve been on CAF ever since off-and-on and have had many questions answered and issues clarified. I appreciate everyone (especially the gracious and patient folks) who have provided many useful answers and insights.

I have always respected Catholicism and found it intriguing but complicated. I have been an evangelical most of my life who came to know Christ as my Savior in a Billy Graham crusade and currently am a member of a conservative Methodist congregation.

At times I embrace Catholicism, its rich history, Tradition, structure, and the emphasis on a faith community and not just “me and Jesus” and can picture myself at RCIA some day, while other times I am a bit fearful of it and have concerns about all the regulations that remind me a little of the Pharisees, although I realize that **Catholics don’t view it that way.
**

Then how did Vatican II happen?

Perhaps Catholics aren’t as monolithic a group as you “realize” us to be.

 

[PJM]

I found out about CAF after stumbling onto a Catholic radio station while channel-surfing one day back in 2014 when they were playing a Gregorian chant (I find those fascinating) and later the guy on the Catholic Answers program mentioned CAF and how you didn’t have to be Catholic to join and that it was a great place to ask more questions.

I’ve been on CAF ever since off-and-on and have had many questions answered and issues clarified. I appreciate everyone (especially the gracious and patient folks) who have provided many useful answers and insights.

I have always respected Catholicism and found it intriguing but complicated. I have been an evangelical most of my life who came to know Christ as my Savior in a Billy Graham crusade and currently am a member of a conservative Methodist congregation.

At times I embrace Catholicism, its rich history, Tradition, structure, and the emphasis on a faith community and not just “me and Jesus” and can picture myself at RCIA some day, while other times I am a bit fearful of it and have concerns about all the regulations that remind me a little of the Pharisees, although I realize that Catholics don’t view it that way.

As an analogy, part of me feels like I’m travelling from Oklahoma (evangelical background) to Miami (Catholicism) and have made it to Tampa (Methodism), which I like very much and consider it my home. Will I ever make it to Miami? Only God knows.

However, I have benefited spiritually and intellectually from my time on CAF and consider it time well spent. That’s why I keep coming back, along with having met some very nice people of many faiths along the way, especially Catholics.

I have even found myself defending Catholicism a few times if a family member or friend says something that I know is out of line about the Catholic faith.

Hi Tommy,

We’re delighted your with CAF!

A question for you to ponder:

Is it POSSIBLE that God can hold contrary Faith beliefs on the same defined issues?

God Bless you

Patrick

 

[steido01]

PM has been sent. I’ve had some time to breathe and I don’t want to jump ship too quickly if there is hope of reformation in the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod. I won’t condone heresy ( nor will I shirk my congregational responsibilities. I’ll wait until next year ( when church officers make their annual vows) before I quit my secretarial duties, if the LCMS chooses to continue on this course), but I need to know exactly what the deal is. I voted for President Harrison just so this sort of thing wouldn’t happen. Anyway, yeah, the level of depth and knowledge on these boards are extremely impressive.

We might consider this akin to those rogue Catholic dioceses where liturgical abuses take place but are tolerated or even quietly supported by the bishop. ‘Dirty laundry’ exists in every church body, and it’s better to discuss in PMs, if at all. But because this has been made public, I think I should address it publicly.

Unless you’re in an isolated area where this is taking place and you’ve exhausted the appeals available to you, take a breath and stow the reactionary ‘jumping ship’ talk. President Harrison is actively ending this unorthodox practice in the very, *very *few places where it has taken place.

For a long time, Synod bylaws left District Presidents (Bishops) with great leniency. This has largely been a blessing, as each district develops its own distinctive and effective modes of worship and care (This is in keeping with AC Article VII: “Nor is it necessary that human traditions, that is, rites or ceremonies, instituted by men, should be everywhere alike.”).

The difficulty comes as oversight essentially had stalled at the District level (being Lutheran, we’re understandably wary of granting a Bishop universal immediate jurisdiction!) So until recently, the bylaws left the Synodical President with little power to discipline dissidents. By the grace of God, that is changing with careful balance and consideration, as the LCMS charges the Synodcial President to defend doctrine more broadly. Despite her flaws, there is no better representative of Confessional Lutheranism than the LCMS. She is a steadfast and true church, comprised of broken and sinful humans.

 

[steido01]

For my non-Catholic brothers and sisters of all faiths:

I’ve noticed many of you have been at Catholic Answers Forums for many months (or years), what is it about these forums that keeps you returning to them again and again?

PS…We LOVE having you here! :flowers::hug1:

It’s an opportunity to fellowship with Christians outside of my tradition, while teaching and learning more about church history.

 

[LutheranScholar]

We might consider this akin to those rogue Catholic dioceses where liturgical abuses take place but are tolerated or even quietly supported by the bishop. ‘Dirty laundry’ exists in every church body, and it’s better to discuss in PMs, if at all. But because this has been made public, I think I should address it publicly.

Unless you’re in an isolated area where this is taking place and you’ve exhausted the appeals available to you, take a breath and stow the reactionary ‘jumping ship’ talk. President Harrison is actively ending this unorthodox practice in the very, *very *few places where it has taken place.

For a long time, Synod bylaws left District Presidents (Bishops) with great leniency. This has largely been a blessing, as each district develops its own distinctive and effective modes of worship and care (This is in keeping with AC Article VII: “Nor is it necessary that human traditions, that is, rites or ceremonies, instituted by men, should be everywhere alike.”).

The difficulty comes as oversight essentially had stalled at the District level (being Lutheran, we’re understandably wary of granting a Bishop universal immediate jurisdiction!) So until recently, the bylaws left the Synodical President with little power to discipline dissidents. By the grace of God, that is changing with careful balance and consideration, as the LCMS charges the Synodcial President to defend doctrine more broadly. Despite her flaws, there is no better representative of Confessional Lutheranism than the LCMS. She is a steadfast and true church, comprised of broken and sinful humans.

Thank you, Steido. Excellent points all and I agree. I do apologize for the knee- jerk reaction, of course. The issue seems to have been that of the Lay Ministry that has already been resolved last summer with President Harrison’s reelection and the program to bring the lay ministers into the Office of the Holy Ministry. I’d thought there was a fresh new issue ( and of course issues will continue to plague God’s Church until Jesus comes again) that was facing the LCMS ( I don’t know about you, but one Seminex issue was enough for one lifetime, right?). I breathed a deep sigh of relief when my Pastor answered my question this morning.

 

[Peter_J]

We might consider this akin to those rogue Catholic dioceses where liturgical abuses take place but are tolerated or even quietly supported by the bishop.

Etc.

I know what you mean. I’ve been in many conversations in which Eastern Orthodox (or sometimes RCs) bring up those abuses. I’m always left thinking "Hmmm, I don’t think you’ve proved what you think you’ve proved.

 

[Pulvis]

For me, I was born into a non practicing Southern Baptist family that did at least send me to Church on Sundays. Converted to Catholicism in my early 20’s, but never left my Baptist roots. Returned to full time Baptist some years ago due in large part to Dispensational Theology. I visit just to see how the Catholic Church is weathering the storm, and to occasionally answer questions and set straight false comments concerning Baptists.

 

[Tommy999]

Hi Tommy,

We’re delighted your with CAF!

A question for you to ponder:

Is it POSSIBLE that God can hold contrary Faith beliefs on the same defined issues?

God Bless you

Patrick

Hi Patrick,
May I ask what your question has to do with my explanation as to why I have kept coming back to CAF for the past two years? I am a bit confused, as I was likewise confused by Peter J’s reference to Vatican II in a previous post of his. I apologize that I am not well versed in Vatican II or where you all were going with your questions.

I was just trying to answer the OP’s question, which I thought was a very good one. It made me examine and ponder more closely why I have kept coming back.

 

[gcnuss]

For my non-Catholic brothers and sisters of all faiths:

I’ve noticed many of you have been at Catholic Answers Forums for many months (or years), what is it about these forums that keeps you returning to them again and again?

PS…We LOVE having you here! :flowers::hug1:

As a Lutheran pastor, I am very interested in the things we share, particularly the 1500 years before the Reformation. While there are differences in our beliefs, mainly in ecclesiology, we hold so much in common that I enjoy joining in discussion here. I appreciate the tenor of the discussion here and wish that I had more time to join in.

God’s blessings to you all.

 

[Zooey]

This is the place to find some of the nicest people on the internet.
I was at another site, & asked a question. Someone said, you should go over to Catholic.com and ask there, so I did.

And now, I have no idea what that original question was about! (I must be getting old!)
Haven’t been around much lately due to computer problems & health concerns. But I still say, this is a great place to talk to all kinds of people.

 

[Peter_J]

Hi Patrick,
May I ask what your question has to do with my explanation as to why I have kept coming back to CAF for the past two years? I am a bit confused, as I was likewise confused by Peter J’s reference to Vatican II in a previous post of his. I apologize that I am not well versed in Vatican II or where you all were going with your questions.

Hi Tommy. I don’t know who PJM is – well, okay, I know his screenname and what you quoted from him, but my point is I don’t think his post has anything to do with mine.

With my “Then how did Vatican II happen?” I intended (and maybe failed) to make a simple point: you had said “Catholics don’t view it that way”, which is a little bit of a stereotype. Many Catholics have concerns about excessive regulations and Pharisaical mentalities.

 

[prodromos]

I basically joined to keep the Catholics honest with regards to Eastern Orthodoxy. You would not believe the misinformation which has been propagated by some on these forums in the past. These days I don’t have nearly as much free time as I used to, so I don’t spend a lot of time here any more.

 

[Tommy999]

Hi Tommy. I don’t know who PJM is – well, okay, I know his screenname and what you quoted from him, but my point is I don’t think his post has anything to do with mine.

With my “Then how did Vatican II happen?” I intended (and maybe failed) to make a simple point: you had said “Catholics don’t view it that way”, which is a little bit of a stereotype. Many Catholics have concerns about excessive regulations and Pharisaical mentalities.

Thanks for clarifying your point, Peter.

When I made the statement, “*Catholics don’t view it that way”, * in post #46 that you commented on in post #47, I assumed that the majority of Catholics were obediently following the different rules and regulations that Catholicism requires of them. In other words, I was speaking in general terms. I had also made the assumption that most Catholics didn’t view their faith as having excessive regulations or a Pharisaical undertone to it. Was I wrong on that?

I never meant to imply that *all *Catholics felt that way, but I had assumed that the majority of Catholics obediently followed the different regulations of their faith. The ones I know in person (not many) don’t seem to complain about them, at least. .