When the leader of your church insults protestants by refusing to acknowledge what they are–churches and calls them “communities”
It is important to recognise
- how and why he IS the leader.
- why Protestants aren’t churches
You asked awhile back in this thread, give examples of apostolic Tradition. Well, here is one example
Irenaeus was born in Smyrna (today in Turkey). He was taught by Polycarp (also of Smyrna) who was a disciple of St John the apostle. Irenaeus went on to become bishop of Lyon (today in France)
From Irenaeus against heresies (177 AD) from a Protestant translation, (emphasis mine)
10 Now the Church, although scattered over the whole civilized world to the end of the earth, received from the apostles and their disciples its faith
[snip]
Having received this preaching and this faith, as I have said, the Church, although scattered in the whole world, carefully preserves it, as if living in one house. She believes these things everywhere alike, as if she had but one heart and one soul, and preaches them harmoniously, teaches them, and hands them down, as if she had but one mouth.
[snip]
the preaching of the truth shines everywhere, and illumines all men who wish to come to the knowledge of the truth
3 The tradition of the apostles, made clear in all the world, can be clearly seen in every church by those who wish to behold the truth.
[snip]
But since it would be very long in such a volume as this to enumerate the successions of all the churches,
I can by pointing out the tradition which that very great, oldest, and well-known Church, founded and established at Rome by those two most glorious apostles Peter and Paul, received from the apostles, and its faith known among men, which comes down to us through the successions of bishops, put
to shame all of those who in any way, either through wicked self-conceit, or through vainglory, or through blind and evil opinion, gather as they should not. For every church must be in harmony with this Church because of its outstanding pre-eminence, that is, the faithful from everywhere, since the apostolic tradition is preserved in it by those from everywhere.
3
When the blessed apostles had founded and built up the Church, they handed over the ministry of the episcopate to Linus. Paul mentions this Linus in his Epistles to Timothy. Anencletus succeeded him. After him Clement received the lot of the episcopate in the third place from the apostles: He had seen the apostles and associated with them, and still had their preaching sounding in his ears and their tradition before his eyes—and not he alone, for there were many still left in his time who had been taught by the apostles. In this Clement’s time no small discord arose among the brethren in Corinth, and the Church in Rome sent a very powerful letter to the Corinthians, leading them to peace, renewing their faith, and declaring the tradition which they had recently received from the apostles, which declared one almighty God, maker of heaven and earth and fashioner of man, who brought about the Deluge, and called Abraham; who brought out the people from the land of Egypt; who spoke with Moses; who ordained the Law and sent the Prophets; and who has prepared fire for the devil and his angels. Those who care to can learn from this Writing that he was proclaimed by the churches as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and so understand the apostolic tradition of the Church,
[snip]
Evarestus succeeded to this Clement, and Alexander to Evarestus; then Xystus was installed as the sixth from the apostles, and after him Telesphorus, who met a glorious martyrdom; then Hyginus, then Pius, and after him Anicetus. Soter followed Anicetus, and Eleutherus now in the twelfth place from the apostles holds the lot of the episcopate. In this very order and succession the apostolic tradition in the Church and the preaching of the truth has come down even to us. This is a full demonstration that it is one and the same life-giving faith which had been preserved in the Church from the apostles to the present, and is handed on in truth.
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/richardson/fathers.xi.i.iii.html (Protestant source, with Protestant footnotes)
Protestantism came from the rebellion against the Church of Rome in the 16th century. And Protstantism has continued to divide at will ever since.
Read Rm 16:17-20. Paul says division from this Church (the Church of Rome) is not serving Our Lord, but those who do it serve their own appetites. And He says it’s evil. Look at how Irenaeus words follow that teaching, highlighted above in red.
eek
