Protestants and Catholics: In your opinion are we Brothers in Christ?

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Yes,

“All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church” (CCC 818)

I think this quote speaks for itself.
 
:confused: yes i do but here is the rub.how can we be brothers/sisters when some do not consider an infant baptism valid,making all who are baptized as infants wanna be christians?it through the waters of baptism we are born again as sons and daughters of the most High God.
 
fbl9 said:
:confused: yes i do but here is the rub.how can we be brothers/sisters when some do not consider an infant baptism valid,making all who are baptized as infants wanna be christians?it through the waters of baptism we are born again as sons and daughters of the most High God.
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Thats true honestly I used the quote to show that we should consider all fellow Christians to be brothers, no weather their Baptism is valid or not is a different issue all together.
 
There needs to be an “other” option. Some Catholics are my brethren in Christ…some aren’t. Just as some Protestants are and some aren’t.
 
cascherman said:
This is an off-shoot from the thread - What I love about Protestants/Catholics

This post…

inspired me to make a thread asking this question:

Do you when it comes down to the YES or NO, consider our 500-year-long separated brethren truly to be your brothers (and sisters) in Christ? Or do our differences prevent you from seeing us as brothers in Christ?

What comes to mind is a debate with Matt Slick and Mark Bonocore, where as a preface to the debate Matt Slick tells Mark that he just wanted him to know he believes he (Mark) is on his way to hell. Obviously not every Protestant thinks that about Catholics and vise-versa but it is obvious Matt Slick does not consider Catholics his ‘brothers’.

My answer is heck yes, Protestants are no question our brothers and sisters in Christ. To ignore what God has done through some Protestants would be like ignoring God. We debate and argue but when it comes down to it, we are still brothers. I argue with my family all the time but they are still my family.

So let it be known for me.
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I would very much like to say yes but unfortunately I believe that the differences have become just too mounting. I blame much of this on how the Catholic church has been even more scrutinizing over the past few years against Protestants. Even things that Catholics and mainline Protestants have been discussing in dialogues for the past several years are now in jeopardy because of Catholics unreasonable attitudes toward listening and debating with others. It’s sad.
 
Claire_from_DE said:
I’m Catholic and **consider anyone who loves Jesus as my brother in Christ. ** If they love Jesus and are baptized, they are blood brothers. If they are Catholic, they are living at home. If they are Protestant, they are living in other houses in the yard. If they aren’t baptized, they are camping in the yard. If they are baptized but don’t love Jesus, they are brothers who are wandering around in the yard. **Let’s all meet for BBQ and praise songs in the yard next Saturday!/**QUOTE]

👍 🙂
I’m Protestant and I totally consider ***all who love and follow Jesus ***as my Christian brother or sister, and we really do have so much more on, in and thru to agree than to disagree than many Catholics & Protestants seem to realize or want to admit.
Father, Son, Holy Spirit, one God in Three Divine Persons… seems like an abundance of agreement to me !!!
We’ll all have a great time at the BBQ and an even greater time in heaven some day :yup: :gopray2:

BTW just FYI since I’m relatively new around here:
I refuse to ever be drawn into an arguement over the fine points and I get very frustrated with all bickering on both sides on all Christian forums everywhere.
I just state my comment and let God do the rest. He’s the final judge, not any one of us here or anywhere. else. ❤️ :grouphug:
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moondweller said:
Being “in Christ” has nothing to do with being either “Catholic” or “Protestant.” :tiphat:
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Then what are you? What does “bac” mean in your profile? :confused:

Being “in Christ” has everything to do with Catholicism. Jesus Christ is our Center! And I also know that Protestants also love Jesus. So I don’t get what you’re saying. 😦
 
holdencaulfield said:
Yes,

“All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church” (CCC 818)

I think this quote speaks for itself.
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Amen! :yup:
 
fbl9 said:
:confused: yes i do but here is the rub.how can we be brothers/sisters when some do not consider an infant baptism valid,making all who are baptized as infants wanna be christians?it through the waters of baptism we are born again as sons and daughters of the most High God.
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holdencaulfield said:
Thats true honestly I used the quote to show that we should consider all fellow Christians to be brothers, no weather their Baptism is valid or not is a different issue all together.
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If their baptism is not valid that means they are not our brothers in Christ. The baptism has to be valid for that person to be “born again,” therefore making them our brother/sister in Christ. That was a good quote you used from the Catechism.
 
ScottishColleen said:
There needs to be an “other” option. Some Catholics are my brethren in Christ…some aren’t. Just as some Protestants are and some aren’t.
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If a person is Catholic that means, more than likely that they are baptized. And if they are baptized, they are your brother/sister in Christ whether you like that person or not. And same goes with a Protestant. If you know of a protestant person who loves Jesus very much but they are not baptized, then they are not your brother in Christ.
 
SIA said:
I would very much like to say yes but unfortunately I believe that the differences have become just too mounting. I blame much of this on how the Catholic church has been even more scrutinizing over the past few years against Protestants. Even things that Catholics and mainline Protestants have been discussing in dialogues for the past several years are now in jeopardy because of Catholics unreasonable attitudes toward listening and debating with others. It’s sad.
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What does that have to do with whether someone is your brother in Christ? Have you read the other posts in this thread? Do you know what “brother in Christ” means? Do you realize that a simple water baptism in the Trinitarian formula makes somene your brother in Christ?

If this thread had more to do with someone’s “feelings” about another person, it should’ve been made clear. But that is not my understanding of this thread. I think some of you think that if you take a liking to someone or if you think someone really loves Jesus that automatically makes them your brother in Christ. That is not what this is. Water baptism makes someone your brother in Christ; not how you feel about a person.
 
cascherman said:
Do you when it comes down to the YES or NO, consider our 500-year-long separated brethren truly to be your brothers (and sisters) in Christ? .
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Absolutely, although a substantial numbers of their denominations do not hold reciprocal views
 
Warning – I’ve read not one post in this thread… just voted and decided to add a word. Just off working a 15 hour day, and haven’t taken a day off in 4 weeks, so this is my little break.

I strongly believe that every human being, Christian or not, Jew, Hindu, Muslim, Mormon, Pagan, you name it… if you are human and created by my Creator, you are my brother and sister.

I have no idea why the Good God decided to throw me a bone and introduce me to the one true, holy Catholic church… surely, I never deserved the privilege. But at no time in all my studies and prayer and meditation has it been contradicted that all humans are my brothers in Christ, whether or not they were blessed with the conversion experience that I was gifted with…
 
AlegreFe said:
What does that have to do with whether someone is your brother in Christ? Have you read the other posts in this thread? Do you know what “brother in Christ” means? Do you realize that a simple water baptism in the Trinitarian formula makes somene your brother in Christ?

If this thread had more to do with someone’s “feelings” about another person, it should’ve been made clear. But that is not my understanding of this thread. I think some of you think that if you take a liking to someone or if you think someone really loves Jesus that automatically makes them your brother in Christ. That is not what this is. Water baptism makes someone your brother in Christ; not how you feel about a person.
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I agree with that to a point. yes, Baptism does join us in the Christian life but there still remains very serious differences in beliefs amongst Christians. I can consider myself a brother in Christ with another Christian but I would have serious reservations about someone who doesn’t believe that Christ paid it all for us and that we need a place of purging after we die to progress to heaven. I would also question those who believe and practice which is either not contained in Scripture or contrary to it. In those terms, I would say that brotherhood in Christ could be limited
 
SIA said:
I agree with that to a point. yes, Baptism does join us in the Christian life but there still remains very serious differences in beliefs amongst Christians. I can consider myself a brother in Christ with another Christian but I would have serious reservations about someone who doesn’t believe that Christ paid it all for us and that we need a place of purging after we die to progress to heaven. I would also question those who believe and practice which is either not contained in Scripture or contrary to it. In those terms, I would say that brotherhood in Christ could be limited
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You are contradicting yourself. First you say YES, we are brothers & sisters in Christ if we are baptized. Then you say no if we are Catholic. I know you did not say those exact words, but that is what you are saying. You don’t think that Catholics are Christians?

I do believe that Christ paid our debt in full. But that does not mean that we are “scott free” in what we do and say. We still have to be accountable for what we do. We have to make up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of His body which is the Church. And if you don’t believe that, then read your bible. Go to Colossians 1:24. I am not saying that Christ’s sufferings are lacking for our full salvation. I am saying that Christ is the Head and we are the Body or the Members. Since the Head suffered so too the Body has to suffer. We get to participate in our own redemption. Our own doing or works does not give us redemption but God allows us, as we are the Body of Christ, to participate in that redemption.

There is nothing that the Catholic Church teaches that is not in the Word of God. The Word of God was given to us in more than just the Bible. Do you seriously think that God’s Word would be contained in a book only? Do you think that the Bible came before the Church? The Word was revealed to us in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. The Apostles passed down the faith by word of mouth also, not just in writing in a book.

John 21:25
But there are also many other things
which Jesus did; which, if they were
written every one, the world itself,
I think, would not be able to contain
the books that should be written.

2 Thessalonians 2:14 - Douay-Rheims (2Thes2:15)
Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold
the traditions which you have learned,
whether by word, or by our epistle.

Besides, none of that really matters when we’re speaking about brotherhood. If you are baptized in Christ then you are my brother/sister in Christ whether we agree about a certain teaching or not. 🙂
 
I think yes. We are Christians so we are brothers in Christ. I have to say, I’m new to this forum, but I sure wish that we could remember some of Christ’s teachings that revolve around being loving and non-judgemental. Maybe we could handle each other with kindness?
 
I’m inclined to agree with Katie.

If none of us is perfectly knowledgeable or perfectly good, I’d be reluctant to assume that any of us is perfectly right.

Plumbing the depths of our own ignorance is difficult. We may know what a shotgun is and how it works. We may be expert in using it, have a licence to do so, and a manufacturers warranty confirming it is the genuine article.

But none of these things are of much account if using it is unnecessary, dangerous or morally wrong.
 
inchrist101 said:
Then why does the Catholic church teach that non-Catholics will not enter Heaven??
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Who told you that? That is not true. The Catholic Church never said such a thing.

Peter proclaimed to the Sanhedrin, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The Catholic Church says “there is no salvation outside the church” because of what Paul said. The Church being the Body of Christ. There is only ONE Church, the Catholic Church. But God knows your heart. If you are baptized and you are ignorant of the Truth and you love Jesus Christ, but you have to remember, you have to be baptized with water in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit, then only God can say whether you are His as being “born again” of water & spirit. And if you are not baptized then we put you in God’s mercy and hope & pray that you be saved.

Many people misinterpret what the Catholic Church says about there being no salvation outside the Church. It does not say anything about non-Catholics not being saved.

As far as being ignorant of the Truth, I think you are in the right place to know about the Truth. So there is no excuse of being ignorant. It is your choice if you choose not to be Catholic just because you want to be “right” and you want us to be “wrong” when we are not.

Please read this article from Catholic Answers.
 
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