I agree with everything you said except Constantine. I suggest you delve deeper into this part of history. Constantine did not run the Church off the rails. On the contrary, he prevented schisms from occurring. If he wasn’t such a great defender of the Church the Eastern Orthodox would not venerate him as a Saint.It was written, at best guess, around 150AD, which means it doesn’t pass the “witness to Jesus” test.
BTW, the Protoevangelium of James is what it is called. Genesis 3:15, “I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and hers…” is considered the Protoevangelium (First Gospel).
The Proto of James is actually writings that reflect Catholic traditions at the time. It is good teaching, but that doesn’t mean it was inspired. Notice that this was a Catholic tradition long before any Dogma’s were set forth on this issue of Mary’s Perpetual Virginity.
The Didache (“The Teachings of the Twelve” circa 60-90AD) is another good example of books that are good Catholic books, although they are not considered inspired works. Others would be St. Clement’s letter to the Corinthians (circa 96AD) and St. Ignatius 7 Epistles (circa 110 AD).
To your question, all of these are great books to evangelize Protestants, because they reflect the teachings of the Early Church - before Constantine ran the Church off the rails!!!
Matthew 3:9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
I agree. The Constantine comment was just a joke, and I thought I was clear enough with the wink to indicate that. Sorry.
Sorry I didn’t get your joke. Constantine is sort of a hobby for me but I promise to study more.
However, he sided with the Arians because they had misled him into believing they had abandoned Arianism. St. Athansius knew they hadn’t abandoned Arianism so he looked like the troublemaker.From what I understand, nothing written after the death of St. John the Apostle is considered scripture. It is considered written after the deposit of faith.
Yes, there are saints… and there are canonized saints!Sorry I didn’t get your joke. Constantine is sort of a hobby for me but I promise to study more.
Lastly, since Constantine was Baptized just prior to death he may indeed be a Saint since Baptism wipes away all mortal and venial sin as well as the temporal effects of the sins. If one dies with a clean slate they would go straight to Heaven.
True, but that was not the ONLY criteria. It is accepted among many that the Didache and St. Clement’s letter to the Corinthians were written prior to St. John’s Revelation.
Not in any major way, why?
Well, he did get baptised literally right before he died, which means, unless he snuck a bunch of sin in between there somehow on his deathbed, he dies with a clean slate, which was apparently his plan all allong (the cheeky devil) so who knows?
I understand that. But I am talking about canonized saint. I would never consider him among that elect group.
As I understand, waiting for baptism until the end of one’s life was a common practice for a time in those first centuries of Christianity. Conatantine was not alone in this practice by any stretch of the imagination.
oh no, I wasn’t arguing for his sainthood either. I interpreted your comments about him to mean that you wouldn’t consider him that because of how he lived his life (which certainly wasn’t saintly) and pointed out the deathbed baptism thing because in that case, how he had lived wouldn’t matter. As to why someone would do that, I’m with you, it sounds like a crazy idea. What if you got hit by a car (or wagon)?! But apparently it was a popular thing among some back then.
for me perpetual virginity is easier than persons from stones. Our Father can and has done it.
Wow. I didn’t see that conclusion coming. That’s awesome how you delivered that.
Just remember… “non canonical” does not necessarily mean “non-truth”