The Christian Church

[catsrus]

.originally posted by Steadfast
The Pope must return to the position of primus inter pares and give up any arrogation of “supremacy”. This would include the repeal of the dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and Papal Infallibility.
2. Sola Fide and Sola Scriptura must be accepted as permissible if debateable positions by both the Roman Church and the Churches of the East.

These two things would go a long way toward establishing a rapprochement.

So, according to you, The One, Holy Catholic Church must turn her back on the Author of her inception, apostatize and become heretical.
OR, all who call themselves Christian can return to The One, Holy Caltholic Church from which they seperated.

 

[Cardinalsong]

If all churches would become Baptist Churches then we would all be like the churches that were started immediately after Christ resurrection, the way that God intended His Church to be.

forever Baptist
allischalmers

:bigyikes:

 

[Steadfast]

So, according to you, The One, Holy Catholic Church must turn her back on the Author of her inception, apostatize and become heretical.

Um, no.

OR, all who call themselves Christian can return to The One, Holy Caltholic Church from which they seperated.

There’s the rub.

We feel exactly the same way about solutions proposed by “the other side”.

 

[gracelife]

They divide it seems sometimes just for fun.

I doubt “they” think it’s fun. People are sincere in seeking purity of doctrine. Perhaps many are misled in the process, but the aim was not just to divide for fun. Churches which divide are troubled by much hurt, sadness and anger.

Others frankly do not see a need to reconcile to Rome.
Only God, if he wills, will show them through grace.

 

[inJESUS]

USA is very prolific when it comes to sects. Anyone can invest in a church ( without taxes?) and get followers who don’t “like” some doctrines in the Catholic Church. If these people READ Jesus praying for our unity, they’d have realized that they should not have started the schism. If anyone will have his own views, then no wonder we’ll get 30000 sects.

 

[Image_of_God]

One thing I know that needs to happen is that we need to stop dividing the Church into groups, such as in Protestantism, in my opinion.

We need to realize first, that it is not the Lutheran Church, nor the Latin Church, nor the Greek, nor the Egyptian, nor the Episcopalian Church, but the Catholic Church. The creation of Protestantism, does not, as I think, contribute to this idea very much. The Protestant Reformation, is what encouraged the continunous schism we see every year.

I just wish, that we would know that through baptism, we would all realize that we are called to be united with Christ’s Vicar, for this is what Christ willed.

The somewhat Protestant idea, that anyone who believes in Christ is the Church, even though they might believre different doctrines, does not contribute well with Jesus’ prayer. All Christians are called to be completely one, from what Jesus prayed. That means one in doctrines, one in faith, and one in apostolic succession.

I think that if more Protestants read the writings of the Church Fathers, without any editing, they will realize that many Protestant ideas, just roughly 500 years old, are not what the early Church believed.

 

[rr1213]

One thing I know that needs to happen is that we need to stop dividing the Church into groups, such as in Protestantism, in my opinion.

We need to realize first, that it is not the Lutheran Church, nor the Latin Church, nor the Greek, nor the Egyptian, nor the Episcopalian Church, but the Catholic Church. The creation of Protestantism, does not, as I think, contribute to this idea very much.

At the time of the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s, the Church had already been divided for over 500 years. The Protestants were not the first to split the Church, I’m afraid that the Catholics and Orthodox take that prize.

 

[Image_of_God]

At the time of the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s, the Church had already been divided for over 500 years. The Protestants were not the first to split the Church, I’m afraid that the Catholics and Orthodox take that prize.

It would be important to note that the Great Schism, is little like the Protestant Reformation.
The Great Schism happened mainly, because, of the cultural differences between the Latin and the Greeks. It cannot be held entirely in blame to these People see as their varying beliefs cause the Schism.
However the Protestant Reformation was a right out protest. In the Great Schism, no one tried to change much, but in the Reformation, people were messing with traditions that had existed 1,500 years earlier.
That is why the Catholic and Orthodox Christians are so much closer in doctrine and theological issues than Protestants.
For example, their are some Protestant who think praying to the saints for intersession is a sin. However, the Orthodox and Catholic Christians have been praying for interssession for centuries.

 

[Image_of_God]

USA is very prolific when it comes to sects. Anyone can invest in a church ( without taxes?) and get followers who don’t “like” some doctrines in the Catholic Church. If these people READ Jesus praying for our unity, they’d have realized that they should not have started the schism. If anyone will have his own views, then no wonder we’ll get 30000 sects.

I would agree. People who go out creating new sects, are causing more obstacles to unity.

 

[simbagizmo]

Matthew 7:13-27
Luke 13:23-28

 

[rr1213]

It would be important to note that the Great Schism, is little like the Protestant Reformation.
The Great Schism happened mainly, because, of the cultural differences between the Latin and the Greeks. It cannot be held entirely in blame to these People see as their varying beliefs cause the Schism.
However the Protestant Reformation was a right out protest. In the Great Schism, no one tried to change much, but in the Reformation, people were messing with traditions that had existed 1,500 years earlier.
That is why the Catholic and Orthodox Christians are so much closer in doctrine and theological issues than Protestants.
For example, their are some Protestant who think praying to the saints for intersession is a sin. However, the Orthodox and Catholic Christians have been praying for interssession for centuries.

I agree with much of what you are saying here. Yet, the fact remains. The Catholic and Orthodox Churches split the Church and neither are in communion with the other. Schism, by any other name, is still schism. Also, your comments about cultural differences is applicable to many of the various protestant denominations as well. Yes, theological differences abound there, but in some instances the differences arise out of cultural or national heritage as opposed to dispute over doctrine.

 

[theguidedheart]

Yeah, but let’s be honest here. Protestants will be exceedingly resistant to letting go of Protestant approachs and view of God and the Church. On the other hand, Catholics would not even accept the possibility of letting go of Catholic approaches to God and the Church.

I think its a deeper answer than just that - we are centuries into Protestantism already, and what was started at the onset has already disintegrated into dozens of different offshoots - and with each generation, the new generation is bred into these news ideas of Christianity even deeper, and grows farther and farther away from Catholicism - I read a post on here from a guy who said his Church is no longer meeting on Sundays, but instead they are going out into the world to do work for Christ - think about this… first it was getting rid of Papal authority, then it was getting rid of the True Body and Bloody of Christ, making it only symbolic, then it was getting rid of the Lords Supper entirely, then it was dropping Mary completely, and confession, etc etc etc - to the point that newer churches are saying, ‘Well why even meet at Church and read the Gospels anymore?’ Its a great example of how these new generations of Christians are so far away from Catholicism that its only a myth - a good example is ME - I was not raised Catholic, and knew not 1 doctrine of Catholic teaching other than those basics which are embraced by the entire Christian community. But more importantly, THE HISTORY of our Church was lost in my upbringing, I had no clue that the Catholic Church was the original Church - I thought a denomination was a denomination, a choice of preference, and that was it. Thank God with time, and age, and God’s guidence I found Truth in the Catholic Church, and was able to learn about this history that was hidden from me my entire life - not in a malicious way, but out of ignorance of the truth faith. So many Protestants are raised so far out on the fringes of Chrsitianity that its hard to look back towards the center and even see Catholicism anymore. They can only see what is around them, and by this point the true teachings of the Church have been diluted beyond recognition.

Peace

 

[rr1213]

I think its a deeper answer than just that - we are centuries into Protestantism already, and what was started at the onset has already disintegrated into dozens of different offshoots - and with each generation, the new generation is bred into these news ideas of Christianity even deeper, and grows farther and farther away from Catholicism - I read a post on here from a guy who said his Church is no longer meeting on Sundays, but instead they are going out into the world to do work for Christ - think about this… first it was getting rid of Papal authority, then it was getting rid of the True Body and Bloody of Christ, making it only symbolic, then it was getting rid of the Lords Supper entirely, then it was dropping Mary completely, and confession, etc etc etc - to the point that newer churches are saying, ‘Well why even meet at Church and read the Gospels anymore?’ Its a great example of how these new generations of Christians are so far away from Catholicism that its only a myth - a good example is ME - I was not raised Catholic, and knew not 1 doctrine of Catholic teaching other than those basics which are embraced by the entire Christian community. But more importantly, THE HISTORY of our Church was lost in my upbringing, I had no clue that the Catholic Church was the original Church - I thought a denomination was a denomination, a choice of preference, and that was it. Thank God with time, and age, and God’s guidence I found Truth in the Catholic Church, and was able to learn about this history that was hidden from me my entire life - not in a malicious way, but out of ignorance of the truth faith. So many Protestants are raised so far out on the fringes of Chrsitianity that its hard to look back towards the center and even see Catholicism anymore. They can only see what is around them, and by this point the true teachings of the Church have been diluted beyond recognition.

Peace

I would agree with much of what you say here. With the passage of time, some aspects of Protestantism, especially liberal Protestantism, have moved further and further away from a catholic viewpoint of the world and the church. Ironically, considering that they were among some of the first to part from the Catholic Church (other than the Orthodox), conservative Lutherans and Anglicans can be more “Catholic” in their beliefs than many of the later waves of Protestantism.

 

[santaro75]

Yeah, but let’s be honest here. Protestants will be exceedingly resistant to letting go of Protestant approachs and view of God and the Church. On the other hand, Catholics would not even accept the possibility of letting go of Catholic approaches to God and the Church.

I agree with what you are saying here. that is why i think that Only GOD can bring it back together. Everytime we try, we just get in the way.

I think to pray in faith and just go about with our lives without giving it too much thought, you will find one day that God will do the impossible.

 

[Image_of_God]

I agree with what you are saying here. that is why i think that Only GOD can bring it back together. Everytime we try, we just get in the way.

I think to pray in faith and just go about with our lives without giving it too much thought, you will find one day that God will do the impossible.

.

However, God does act through people to bring about good things. If no one thought about it too much, then how do you think that these Orthodox-Catholic, World Churches, etc. dialogues came up?

Certainly, Jesus taught much about the unity of the Christian faith.

 

[santaro75]

I believe that God intentionally waits until it seems impossible then makes it happen. Just so you know who’s handy work it was.