Please help me Answer this to a Protestant Friend

[tparsons]

He poses the question:

“Where do your theological opinions differ with the Church and other theology?” regarding Theolegoumena (or theological opinions).

Thank you!

 

[Scoobyshme]

Tell him you differ from Catholic theology nowhere. You differ from non-Catholic theology on all those points that differ from Catholic theology.

 

[tparsons]

Tell him you differ from Catholic theology nowhere. You differ from non-Catholic theology on all those points that differ from Catholic theology.

This is what he said when speaking on dogma and doctrine:

Your church is way too complicated. That must be why Catholics are willing to give blind obedience to the Pope, they make it WAY too hard for people to think for themselves!

All that Latin makes Catholic text read like a medical record.

So your idea of “dogma” roughly corresponds to what I recently referred to as “core beliefs” that are common to all Christians?

Is the male-only priesthood a dogma, or just Canon? What about the funny clothes? Transubstantiation?

Who gets a vote?

Where do your theological opinions (we don’t need Greek names for it!) differ with the Church and other theology?

 

[jemfinch]

Your church is way too complicated. That must be why Catholics are willing to give blind obedience to the Pope, they make it WAY too hard for people to think for themselves!

If that’s the case, then why has the vast majority of theologians since the beginning of the Church have been Catholic?

All that Latin makes Catholic text read like a medical record.

Or, you know, like Latin. It’s not as if there aren’t translations into the vernacular.

So your idea of “dogma” roughly corresponds to what I recently referred to as “core beliefs” that are common to all Christians?

Yes.

Is the male-only priesthood a dogma, or just Canon?

Dogma. Only males can receive the sacrament of the Holy Orders.

What about the funny clothes?

Just tradition, and not funny.

Transubstantiation?

Dogma. One of my favorite ones, in fact.

Who gets a vote?

No one gets a vote. The truth is not decided by popular vote. The Holy Spirit decides with the leaders of the Church (as they did at the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15) what the Church will teach.

Where do your theological opinions (we don’t need Greek names for it!) differ with the Church and other theology?

If they’re theological opinions, then the Church doesn’t hold a stance on them, obviously.

Jeremy

 

[Scoobyshme]

Your church is way too complicated. That must be why Catholics are willing to give blind obedience to the Pope, they make it WAY too hard for people to think for themselves!

The doctrines/dogma of the Church are the fullness of Divine Revelation on earth.

All that Latin makes Catholic text read like a medical record.

Latin is a :“dead” language, i.e., it doesn’t change like “living” language. Take English, for example. When I was growing up, if someone said, “You’re bad!” I would have thought I was in trouble. These days, it means you’re good (at least in some circles). This won’t ever happen with Latin, since meanings won’t change with the times. For many centuries, Latin was THE language of literature and business. Before that, it was Greek. That’s why most of the New Testament was written in Greek. All this is a moot point, however, since competent English translations are available to all.

So your idea of “dogma” roughly corresponds to what I recently referred to as “core beliefs” that are common to all Christians?

Not knowing what you, personally, consider “core beliefs” I can’t answer this one. I suspect that this is probably not the case, however, since there are beliefs which we consider core, e.g., the Eucharist, Confession, etc., that most non-Catholic denominations don’t believe.

Is the male-only priesthood a dogma, or just Canon? What about the funny clothes? Transubstantiation?

The male-only priesthood is not dogma. It is a matter of discipline. It could change, but won’t. There’s no reason for it to change. As a side note, there are some married priests. Usually, they were Episcopalian’s or Anglican’s who converted over and were ordained as priests. Being married before that, the Church still recogizes their marriage as sacramental.

Who gets a vote?

The only “voting” that’s done is when the cardinals elect a new pope. We don’t “vote” on doctrine or dogma. The Pope has the final word.

 

[heisenburg]

What exactly are those core beliefs supposedly held by all of protestantism… this is not meant as a slap to anyone, but there is no agreement on anything.

Some say Water Baptism is required, others don’t, Some say communion is good, others say it is evil, No denomination seems to agree what Faith Alone, or Scripture Alone really means from denom to denom. Same thing with the Trinity, Repentance, sin, all the way to where some large, well established denominations don’t even believe Jesus was God, but an Angel.

So no, when someone says ‘core beliefs’ this is a laughable premise because there is no unifying core believe, except for maybe that a man named Jesus exists. And some don’t even agree on that at times.

In Christ

 

[NotWorthy]

All that Latin makes Catholic text read like a medical record.

In regards to Latin, I believe that was one of the wisest and most inspired decisions the Church has ever made.

You see, Latin is a dead language, so the meanings of words don’t change. So a teaching of the Church in 1500 has the exact same meaning today.

Just look at our English language to illustrate my point.

If I told you “That car is hot”

In the 70’s you’d think the air conditioner was broken.
In the 80’s you’d think it had been stolen.
In the 90’s you’d think it looked great.

 

[Ilroy]

Is the male-only priesthood a dogma, or just Canon? What about the funny clothes? Transubstantiation?

The male-only priesthood is not dogma. It is a matter of discipline. It could change, but won’t. There’s no reason for it to change. As a side note, there are some married priests. Usually, they were Episcopalian’s or Anglican’s who converted over and were ordained as priests. Being married before that, the Church still recogizes their marriage as sacramental.

You are mistaken on this one. The male only priesthood is a Doctrine and possibly a Dogma. Not sure if it’s been Dogmatically defined or not. This cannot change.
The non-married priesthood is a discipline in the Latin Rite of the Church with the exceptions you noted. The Eastern Rites of the Church allow married priests.

 

[Scoobyshme]

You’re right! I was thinking married priesthood, not male-only priesthood! DUH! I gotta read what’s there more closely! Thanks!

 

[MarcoPolo]

He poses the question:

“Where do your theological opinions differ with the Church and other theology?” regarding Theolegoumena (or theological opinions).

Thank you!

Does your friend ever use true/untrue as his measure for religion? Or just specious sarcasm like “Latin is hard” and they wear “funny clothes”??? Seriously, what kind of nonsense is that.