Protestants: The 1500 yrs

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Doubt is often a motivation to learning. If you doubt something you are thinking about it. If you want to find the answers from what someonelse claims are fact, then ask SAY’S WHO. Pray and read, the Holy Spirit is promised to guide you. Searching has never offended God.
 
No I simply stated facts. 👍 😃 Your opening post suggested the “Catholic teachings needed reform”
Hi Gary I had to go back to reread my opening post. But I see I did write “if Catholic teachings needed reformed”. “If” being the key there. I’m interested in the Protestant perspective of the 1500 yrs and I am grateful for the answers I have received thus far. God bless you and peace.
 
I am a firm believer that if anyone wants to know exactly what a specific Faith believes, they should get their information directly from the Source, rather than those from other faiths.
I highly recommend the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” (dark green cover);
and “Catholicism for Dummies” by Frs. Trigilio and Brighenti.
Both are available through Amazon books, and many Catholic internet catalogues.
CCC is a great source to go to for answers about Catholic catechism. But how does CCC explain to me how Protestants answer the 1st 1500 yrs? This is the non Catholic forum with lots of Protestants here to provide answers.
 
Well…I’m going to dwelve into this…coming from a 20+ year tradition as a Protestant…before I came back home last year.

As a Protestant…it was really easy to ignore the first years before the reformation. We tended to gloss over a lot of that…not getting too deep into it…other then obviously that the CC had really gone wrong which was “fixed” by Luther. It’s interesting that Radical brought up the real presence because actually Luther did not have a problem with the real presence…

Things such as the Catholic bible vs.“our” bible…well the Catholics added of course…:rolleyes:

We did not believe that Peter was the start of the Church…we prefered to concentrate on Paul…

But once I started investigating history…well…that’s part of what started me home.

Of course some (not all) Protestants do not view Catholics as christian…

But then of course it’s going to depend on what denomination of Protestant you talk about…some have more developed theology then others.
Yes, I have experienced these things… .especially glossing over the first 1500 years and believing that Luther “fixed them” and concentrating a lot on Paul; but I am learning some things:thumbsup:
 
👍

Assuming this question is open in goodwill, allow me an opinion, by addressing it.

Personal perspective on anything is based on personal understanding.

We see no further than the eyes we are given.

Catholics are steeped in the indoctrination that their view is the only view that constitutes the Church founded by Christ.

I say indoctrination in order to underline the default perspective Catholics adopt when the word Church is presented.

So, it is not surprising then to hear a Catholic mantra, given a Catholic teaching.

Catholics believe, starting with Peter, history speaks in support of the Catholic Church, as the legitimate Church intended by Christ.

But, was the Catholic Church the Church of day one?

The Catholic Church says yes; but, history says no.

Is the Catholic view the longest held within the Christian Church?

The Catholic Church says yes and history says yes.

Two thousand years of Catholic tradition.

Age may be contributory to wisdom or senility; but is not authoritative per se, by either.

If it is, the Christian upstart fails, given comparison to Judaism.

History shows that the Christian Church is expressed in Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox denominations.

If a denomination should prefer to label itself as Church, as Catholics choose, so be it.

Reformation is not a singular event born in 1054, but an ongoing process, since Matthew 16:18.

The 1054 Reformation was another advent in that process.

Is every Christian who is not Catholic lost to God?

I don’t think so, though perhaps the Catholic Church does; but, probably does not.

And if not, then Catholics agree that non-Catholic Christians have access to the Father through Christ.

By comparison to that significance, everything else is one’s own window dressing, isn’t it?

The contributions of Catholic thought to the Christian Church are ineffably profound – for which, all Christians are grateful – but, history demonstrates God does not want the Keys to rest with Catholics exclusively; regardless, of the Catholic spin on events, attempting to convince others [or themselves], otherwise.

Interestingly, your observation that your Protestant friend found your question made no sense to her is similar to my experience with Catholics. My questioning of their view makes no sense to them.

Thank you, for posing the issue; though, likewise, I would not be surprised that my thoughts probably don’t make sense to the Catholic in you.

At the very least, we all are surrendered to Christ and His judgement.

🙂
Yes Curious, of course the question is in good will. 👍

You are right the Catholic Church does not say every non Catholic Christian is lost. The only places I know where the Catholic Church might announce definitively that someone is lost to God and that’s only if we say “could not” is a tense of “can not”, is where She says in CCC 846 and Lumen Gentium, “Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.”

Our understandings and how we have been taught regardless of the religion I agree plays a large part. Take the above Catholic quote. Considering I would think if a non Catholic had such an understanding, that they would enter. It might only be the Catholic who had such a belief at one time but after a change in belief does not remain and never returns, who the Catholic Church might be saying is lost. I’ve had it explained it’s as if one is going to jump off a cliff and is told the consequenses.

In any case thank you for addressing my question. I strived in good will to understand so I had no trouble in making sense of your thoughts. 🙂 Peace.
 
Hail,

As a student, these were questions which often plagued my mind. As a student, we’re obliged to ask why. So I did. The answer played a major factor into bringing me into the CC. It has been a bit bothersome, at times, since I’m still somewhat influenced by Protestant teachings.

I worry that if my cup is full of bad water, would that water contaminate the good water? I’ve been mostly trying to throw away that bad water, so there is none of its foulness left. 😦 But it’s hard, because the water sticks to the cup and brings with it doubt and insecurity. How can I join Catholicism like this?

It’s not good. Not good at all.

-MontChevalier
 
I think it is a valid question. One thing that we should acknowledge is that God moves at his own pace…Why, for example, did it take X millennia for Christ to come if the old covenant wasn’t sufficient?
Good point. But we have it on Scripture that the Messiah will come.
  • Where is it in scripture that Christ’s Church will be split and that it is His desire that there be schism?
  • Where is it in scripture that doctrinal errors will creep into the Church hence necessitating a reformation?
  • Where is it in Scripture that Christ approves of division when He specifically prayed for unity?
A second thing to keep in mind is that the errors were not sufficient so as to render the CC non-Christian…it is simply that errors were introduced.
What errors?
Thirdly, the “1500 years” is simply inaccurate. It is not as if the alleged errors were fully in place by 50AD. Take the Catholic Marian doctrines as an example…Mary is given very little attention by the earliest ECFs…her perpetual virginity is first mentioned in the Protoevangelium of James some time around 170 and that work is hardly credible and was in fact rejected by popes and Jerome.
Since the doctrine of the Trinity was not pronounce till some 300 years later therefore it is an error?
Tertullian denied her perpetaul virginity and included her among Chirst’s non-believing family (when they came to take charge of him).
And why should Tertullian’s view be the one to be believed as opposed to the rest of the Church, specifically the Church’s magisterium?
The Marian doctrines seem to have taken centuries to form via accretion.
Have you heard of development of doctrine. If you go by this reasoning you do not believe in the Trinity either This can be classified as accretion as well.
Take the belief in a real somatic presence as another example…I have referenced repeatedly on these threads the opinion of biographers of Augustine that Augustine did not believe in a real somatic presence…
Did he not?

When St Augustine was having trouble in believing the Eucharist, he heard a Voice say to him:

Eat me. I am the bread of the strong.
But you will not transform me and make me part of you.
Rather I will transform you and make you part of me.

St Augustine also said that Christ carried Himself in His own hands at the last supper when He said “This is my Body”.

St Augustine:

“That Bread which you see on the altar, having been sanctified by the word of God IS THE BODY OF CHRIST. That chalice, or rather, what is in that chalice, having been sanctified by the word of God, IS THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. Through that bread and wine the Lord Christ willed to commend HIS BODY AND BLOOD, WHICH HE POURED OUT FOR US UNTO THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.” ( Sermons 227)

“What you see is the bread and the chalice; that is what your own eyes report to you. But what your faith obliges you to accept is that THE BREAD IS THE BODY OF CHRIST AND THE CHALICE [WINE] THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.” (Sermons 272)
Conservative Catholics will, of course, insist that he did hold to a real bodily presence (they have little choice given that Augustine is a Doctor of the CC) but I will go with the opinion of the renowned scholars over theirs…so WRT to the alleged error of a real somatic presence…
Whatever renowned scholar you read was probably not as scholarly as you thought.

And another thing, St Augustine, Doctor of the Church though he may be is not the magisterium. His writings still have to be assesed against tradition and the deposit of faith.
 
The idea that God had to rely upon man’s invention of the printing press to spread the truth to humanity is funny, I’ve heard protestants argue that it was only after the printing press got invented did true Christianity have a chance to sprout.
Good point! 👍
 
Yes during the 1500s reforming was needed. Those who left the Catholic Faith were heretics or schismatics. Those who reformed “within” the Catholic Church are Saints - St. Charles Borromeo, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Philip Neri, and Pope St. Pius V, etc.
We know the saying - do not throw out the baby with the bath water.
Excellent point 👍 and one I often make myself.

A reform that causes division and splintering is no reformation but a deformation.
.
And 500 years later we see the the extent of the deformation.
 
I agree, the reformation did bring the needed change. Sad truth is that was done from inside the church as stated by you, by those who chose to remain “in” the church. To weigh the good of the reformation can only be done by viewing them seperate from the CC in the 500 years since the reformation.

God Bless, Gary
Sad truth? Nay. Joyous truth. It reinforces the fact that Christ is with His Church and continues to guide her. If anything, this highlighted that the Church is indeed Christ’s church.
 
Hail,

As a student, these were questions which often plagued my mind. As a student, we’re obliged to ask why. So I did. The answer played a major factor into bringing me into the CC. It has been a bit bothersome, at times, since I’m still somewhat influenced by Protestant teachings.

I worry that if my cup is full of bad water, would that water contaminate the good water? I’ve been mostly trying to throw away that bad water, so there is none of its foulness left. 😦 But it’s hard, because the water sticks to the cup and brings with it doubt and insecurity. How can I join Catholicism like this?

It’s not good. Not good at all.

-MontChevalier
Do not worry. Trust in God. He has taken you this far in His desire for you to know His truth. He will never let you down.But be prepared, for He is sure to use you in His mission to draw people to Himself.
 
👍
Personal perspective on anything is based on personal understanding.
Yes, but Truth is independent of it. Truth is simply that - truth, whether your understanding is erroneous or not.
We see no further than the eyes we are given.
No we don’t. We see beyond that if we so wish. If we pray for it, we will see with the eyes of God.
Catholics are steeped in the indoctrination that their view is the only view that constitutes the Church founded by Christ.
No that is not merely indoctrination. That is simply fact supported by Scripture and History. Protestants who converted to Catholic attest to this; that Scripture and History was their undoing.
I say indoctrination in order to underline the default perspective Catholics adopt when the word Church is presented.
Hardly since most of the people in this forum were far from indoctrinated but rather had to do much studying and research by themselves.

If you apply yourself to this task you will find that to be so as well.
Catholics believe, starting with Peter, history speaks in support of the Catholic Church, as the legitimate Church intended by Christ.
But, was the Catholic Church the Church of day one?
Yes. Yes. and another Yes.
The Catholic Church says yes; but, history says no.
Quite the contrary. History says yes. And this is what so many protestants found to their chagrin (and finally to their joy) - that the Church of the Early Christian is the Catholic Church.

Now it seems you have not done any studying of Church History. I recommend you start pronto.
Is the Catholic view the longest held within the Christian Church?
Yes
The Catholic Church says yes and history says yes.
Hey, that was quick. You came around to our thinking rather quickly 😃

If the history says Yes with the Catholic Church then the Catholic Church is the church of day one.
Two thousand years of Catholic tradition.
Again, top marks. Two thousand years. And guess when that 2000 years began 😉
Age may be contributory to wisdom or senility; but is not authoritative per se, by either.
Or more to the point. Age is a proof that she is what she claims to be- the Church that Christ founded all those ages ago. 🙂
If it is, the Christian upstart fails, given comparison to Judaism.
Quite wrong. Because the Christian does not claim to be Jewish. She claims to be Christian. So therefore her start has to start with Christ.
History shows that the Christian Church is expressed in Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox denominations.
Very faintly in some so called “evangelical” churches, a little bit more lucidly in the Lutheran and some Anglican traditions and even more clearly in the Orthodox but fully and brightly in the Catholic Church.
If a denomination should prefer to label itself as Church, as Catholics choose, so be it.
And no one is stopping them. They can call themselves whatever they want but to claim they are the Church that Christ started would be an outright lie. Still, they can proclaim this lie as they please but that proclamation will not suddenly turn it into truth.
Reformation is not a singular event born in 1054, but an ongoing process, since Matthew 16:18.
The 1054 event was not a reformation but a schism between the east and the west.
The 1054 Reformation was another advent in that process.
It seems you really do not know history since you keep saying. So better take my advice and start studying a.s…a.p
Is every Christian who is not Catholic lost to God?
No. God will seek him/her out. But one must be pliant. One must truly listen to God instead of insisting on one’s own will.

So many people have this intense battle of will with God just prior to their conversion ot His Church.
I don’t think so, though perhaps the Catholic Church does; but, probably does not.
The latter. Does not.
And if not, then Catholics agree that non-Catholic Christians have access to the Father through Christ.
And no one ever said otherwise. But the whole point of Christ establishing a Church is not just so we can have access to the Father through Christ. Christ’s plan was much more grand and much more magnificent than that. That is why He established a Church.
 
By comparison to that significance, everything else is one’s own window dressing, isn’t it?
No. Unless you call Christ’s action of establishing a Church as insignicant and a window dressing. Remember, never did Christ write a book. What He did was establish a Church. Think about that fact and mull over it.
The contributions of Catholic thought to the Christian Church are ineffably profound – for which, all Christians are grateful
Gratitude is not required. What is needed is for all Christians to return Home to the Church that Christ established on earth because this is Christ’s will.
– but, history demonstrates God does not want the Keys to rest with Catholics exclusively; regardless, of the Catholic spin on events, attempting to convince others [or themselves], otherwise.
Oh No. Very wrong understanding.
First. One cannot find that in the Bible. Where does it say in the Bible that the Keys will be taken from Peter and Peter’s successor. Nowhere.

Second. It is not spin. It is only your protestant bias and ignorance that is preventing you from seeing the truth. So again, I suggest you study.
Interestingly, your observation that your Protestant friend found your question made no sense to her is similar to my experience with Catholics. My questioning of their view makes no sense to them.
Well try us here on this forum. Your questions will make a lot of sense to us because we understand from what deficient understanding it arises from.

However, we do have the answers.

So I invite you to ask us your questions and we will be very happy to give you answers. 🙂
 
Hail,

As a student, these were questions which often plagued my mind. As a student, we’re obliged to ask why. So I did. The answer played a major factor into bringing me into the CC. It has been a bit bothersome, at times, since I’m still somewhat influenced by Protestant teachings.

I worry that if my cup is full of bad water, would that water contaminate the good water? I’ve been mostly trying to throw away that bad water, so there is none of its foulness left. 😦 But it’s hard, because the water sticks to the cup and brings with it doubt and insecurity. How can I join Catholicism like this?

It’s not good. Not good at all.

-MontChevalier
My brother what protestant teachings affect your thinking the most?

God Bless, Gary
 
Doubt is often a motivation to learning. If you doubt something you are thinking about it. If you want to find the answers from what someonelse claims are fact, then ask SAY’S WHO. Pray and read, the Holy Spirit is promised to guide you. Searching has never offended God.
Sounds perfectly logical to me. 👍 My only question then would be, how did you wind up in a Protestant denomination? What historical reading confirmed this thinking?

God Bless, Gary
 
My brother what protestant teachings affect your thinking the most?

God Bless, Gary
I would have to say the one about Purgatory.

The Bible isn’t quite as…specific on naming purgatory.

-MontChevalier
 
How does History disagree with the claim that the Catholic Church is the church of the Apostles?
👍

This issue is contentious, certainly.

Let’s pursue this slowly, yet deliberately.

Let me ask you this: how do you define the origin of the Catholic Church?

🙂
 
👍

This issue is contentious, certainly.

Let’s pursue this slowly, yet deliberately.

Let me ask you this: how do you define the origin of the Catholic Church?

🙂
Jesus Christ and His Apostles and the Keys are handed to Peter. Thats how its been defined for 2000 years. Which fulfills the messianic prophecy of the OT. But you would know all this if you studied scripture?

Contentious? No my friend but what is contentious is the heretical corrupt interpretation presented today, which by btw has also been presented since the first ecumenical council. So we are defending the Fatith, just as the forefathers have since the very begining. No different, heretics come along and will continue to. Cloaked as new-age, science, satan, radical and greater understanding. But in the end there is “One Truth” and that is the Catholic Church here on earth.

God Bless, Gary
 
👍

This issue is contentious, certainly.

Let’s pursue this slowly, yet deliberately.

Let me ask you this: how do you define the origin of the Catholic Church?

🙂
Since you are the one who is contesting the point, then let me put this slowly and deliberately.

How do you define Christ’s Church such that you think the Catholic Church is not historically Christ’s Church?
 
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