PROTESTANTS! Answer me this....

[jmcrae]

Well…are the three councils mentioned previously thought to have infallibly declared the canon or was it at Trent? The link I provided seems to indicate that it was at Trent. So, what is the verdict?

The canon of the New Testament was declared closed by Pope Innocent I in 405 AD - not in a Council, but by an infallible Papal Declaration to the Universal Church.

Trent re-affirmed and closed the canon of the Old Testament during the late 1500s to try to prevent the Protestants from removing seven books from it, not to mention hacking and slashing the books of Daniel and Esther. But since the Protestants no longer recognized the authority of the Church by that time, they went ahead and chucked them out anyway, which is why Protestant Bibles are seven books shorter than Catholic Bibles, and why the Protestant version of the book of Daniel is missing the Canticle of the Creatures along with the last two or three chapters, and why the Protestant edition of the book of Esther contains none of her beautiful prayers, and indeed, practically no mention of God whatsoever.

 

[cherirose]

Just because something has been around a long time doesn’t mean its always been right.

You’re right, but why do you think you or Martin Luther or John Calvin or anybody else has the right, authority, or word from the Holy Spirit to make such a profoundly important decision about the Catholic Church? That is amazingly arrogant! I don’t mean you, personally, are arrogant, but that attitude, in general, is shocking–although I, too, certainly never thought of it that way when I was an evangelical Protestant.

The Catholic Church has been around since the beginning, along with the Orthodox branch. The HS promised to guide the apostles into ALL truth and gave them the authority to found His Church and appoint successors and teach and work miracles and minister to the faithful. Martin Luther didn’t even intend to start what he did. He had great respect for the Church itself and recognized its authority. Those things weren’t the issue for him, and neither should they be with us. Reformation needed to happen within the Church and ONLY within the Church–and it has happened since then, I might add, and continues within the Church today as the Church recognizes her problems and works to overcome them.

No one had or has now the authority to separate themselves from apostolic authority. The only reason Protestants are truly Christian (separated brethren) is that they came directly from the Catholic Church, they submit to fundamental teachings that make Christianity what it is (like the Trinity) and don’t branch into major heresies, such as denying the combined divinity and humanity of Christ, and because they came from the Catholic Church. They have kept the essence of the Catholic faith (at least the old, creedal churches did; many denominations are departing now from that historic, Protestant orthodoxy).

As a side note…Merry Christmas!

 

[queenofpeace]

There would be difference like interpreting the parables of the First and Second Reading, and the Gospel during Mass, but the message of the Gospel remains the same.

However, any Church document like Papal Encyclicals, Vatican II Documents, and other Magisterium document about a doctrine, or dogma is same. The Seven Sacrament are affirmed by the Holy See in the Vatican, as well as basic beliefs and practices.

A Catholic layman may disagree with contraception, but the Church Authority is always against it. Doctrine and dogma are unchanging but discipline within certain practices of the Church can change. If the Vatican wants to allow married men in the Latin Rite to become priest, it can happen.

The Church itself cannot change doctrines and dogmas. Women priesthood would never be acceptable because Jesus did not establish women priests. Nor will the Church allow gay marriages because the Church forbids it and does not recognized it.

I think I answered that remark from the post above.

Scripture is pretty clear that infant baptism was a common practice during the Apostolic age. The Holy Spirit guides authoritive Holy men to the Truth.

Jesus made it pretty clear in the Scripture that he would be with them and they would not error in terms of moral and faith.

John 14:16 - Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit would be with the Church forever. The Spirit prevents the teaching of error on faith and morals. It is guaranteed because the guarantee comes from God Himself who cannot lie.

John 14:26 - Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit would teach the Church (the apostles and successors) all things regarding the faith. This means that the Church can teach us the right moral positions on such things as in vitro fertilization, cloning and other issues that are not addressed in the Bible. After all, these issues of morality are necessary for our salvation, and God would not leave such important issues to be decided by us sinners without His divine assistance.

John 16:12 - Jesus had many things to say but the apostles couldn’t bear them at that point. This demonstrates that the Church’s infallible doctrine develops over time. All public Revelation was completed with the death of the last apostle, but the doctrine of God’s Revelation develops as our minds and hearts are able to welcome and understand it. God teaches His children only as much as they can bear, for their own good.

John 16:13 - Jesus promises that the Spirit will “guide” the Church into all truth. Our knowledge of the truth develops as the Spirit guides the Church, and this happens over time.

I’ve learned a lot. thank you.

 

[santaro75]

This is one of our major differences. Most protestants believe the Bible to be the inspired-inerrant Word of God as the catholic church does. Although Christ gave His church pastors and teachers, we don’t believe that men are incapable of error. There is no promise in scripture that is given to the church that it will not error. The scriptures warn that false teachers will come into the church and decieve many.

yet you believe that the authors of the bible were infallible in their writing.

 

[Mannyfit75]

I’ve learned a lot. thank you.

From my posts? Your welcome.