Yes, I understand this IS Catholic teaching to accept such people.So what does all this mean? Reading the whole article makes it sound like Pope Francis is saying that we should accept people who do not believe Catholic teaching and even those who undermine it?
But what does he mean by accepting? Does he mean we should never excommunicate advocates of heresy and sin? Does he mean we shouldn’t do horrible mean things to them?Yes, I understand this IS Catholic teaching to accept such people.
He’s really reminding us, not really telling us anything new.
If there are a couple of things I learned from Br Jr they are these: Children are not responsible for the actions of their parents, grandparents, etc. And heresy does not necessarily make one a heretic. We don’t accept the actions of Luther, for example, but we can’t say no Lutherans will be saved. We can however have a dialogue concerning one another’s beliefs and try to find common ground. And where we find differences, to respect them. And we expect the same in return. IOW we are all brothers. And have been since before Vatican II.But what does he mean by accepting? Does he mean we should never excommunicate advocates of heresy and sin? Does he mean we shouldn’t do horrible mean things to them?
Because I feel like Catholics seem to bend over backwards not to marginalize even those who vote their advocacy of abortion and I feel like he is rebuking us for something which is soooo not a problem, while in the meantime all this bad stuff happens, iyswim.
I don’t think he’s talking about Protestants, etc. He says: “The thinking of the doctors of the law, which would remove the danger by casting out the diseased person.]” To me, that indicates that he’s talking about Catholics, right? So, to me, he’s saying, Yeah, there are some really bad Catholics who are leading many astray, but since God loves them, we should never consider doing anything about them except to be supernice to them.If there are a couple of things I learned from Br Jr they are these: Children are not responsible for the actions of their parents, grandparents, etc. And heresy does not necessarily make one a heretic. We don’t accept the actions of Luther, for example, but we can’t say no Lutherans will be saved. We can however have a dialogue concerning one another’s beliefs and try to find common ground. And where we find differences, to respect them. And we expect the same in return. IOW we are all brothers. And have been since before Vatican II.
I didn’t take his preaching to nominal Catholics into consideration so you may be right. I’ll have to think about this a little more.I don’t think he’s talking about Protestants, etc. He says: “The thinking of the doctors of the law, which would remove the danger by casting out the diseased person.]” To me, that indicates that he’s talking about Catholics, right? So, to me, he’s saying, Yeah, there are some really bad Catholics who are leading many astray, but since God loves them, we should never consider doing anything about them except to be supernice to them.
This is why I feel like the Pope is rebuking people for something which they are not doing, and I can’t figure this out.