Were the Catholic Church to conform...

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…what beliefs would it have?

What would have to be removed, what would have to be added, what would have to change? To remove all “error” in your opinion, so you could be in perfect union with the Catholic Church.

The answers need not be Scripturally based, but should not, of course, come in opposition to Scripture… and no answer should come in direct opposition of another.

If it’s simply not possible in your opinion, due to Historic events, then that may be the answer as well.
 
What would have to be removed, what would have to be added, what would have to change? To remove all “error” in your opinion, so you could be in perfect union with the Catholic Church.
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Well, I don’t know much about the Catholic Church. I am still learning. 🙂 Right now I have a hard time accepting the Church’s teaching on sexuality (assuming I am not mistaken about it, of course!). Specifically, I have a hard time with the idea of being opposed to homosexuality and I have a hard time with the idea of being opposed to masturbation, et. al. within marriage. I suspect the two are deeply linked. 😉

Regarding 90% of what I learn, I am simply stunned and impressed by the Catholic Church. So I am continuing to learn more and study more.
 
I can provide a number of things that I can think of that would make unity easier besides a general recognition that the Church can err and that making an error does not mean that the gates of hades have prevailed.
  1. Remove the doctrine of papal infallibility. Since it was not defined until 1870, it is really impossible to know what might have been infalliby defined before then. I also think it is dangerous to require complete obediance to one individual without any check or balance. While I don’t believe any Pope has been the anti-Christ or beast of Revelation, I could not think of anything he would desire more than a unified Christianity under one person to whom complete obediance is required and who can claim infallibility for his pronouncements. If the Church happens to be wrong on the matter of infallibility, all of Christianity could be deceived by the devil deceiving the Pope.
  2. Recognize that not everything that Church proposes for belief is required for belief. That would mean that the Church could define truths but recognize that belief in them is not essential to be a Catholic. Most particularly for me are the Marian dogmas. It is not necessary to believe everything that might be true especially if a persin is willing to concede that they might be true but he can’t be sure.
  3. Stop defining matters of discipline the violation of which is considered a mortal sin, such as the requirement of weekly Mass attendance. These are essentially Church created sins and the Church should not be adding difficulties to being Christian.
  4. Recognize that it can be better to leave things as mysterys rather than overdefining something. For example, the Church defines the Real Presence in terms of transubstantiation. It appears to me that the early church believed more in general concepts. If you overdefine those general concepts you exclude people who can accept the general but not the greater definition.
 
As someone who is learning and struggling with some hard issues in her faith…I believe the the previous two posters were extremely insightful.
  1. I know the church is built for unity, but sometimes there are special circumstances. You have to bend a little bit. There’s no bending on whether God is almighty. But…the lesser issues. (e.g. contraception)…can’t there be a bend? stuff like that makes people either be disobedient or consider if they can really stay in their Catholic religion and be happy. Btw. I’m not saying you should throw it at people…but in a marriage where neither spouse is trying to use the other and the marriage is generally open to children and methods are non-abortive…what’s the big deal?
2)Mortal and venial sins. If you seriously think i’m dying and going to hell for eating meat willingly on friday during lent…we have an issue. And it’s really disheartening to be in a religion where its felt that if i don’t follow things that are little rules…going to church every single sunday…no allowance for wednesday instead, etc. they believe i’m going to hell. The idea of falling from grace from anything other than just turning from God completely and never looking back is in general extremely scary to me.

I think that denominations of Christian…whether Catholic or Protestant get too caught up in debating the specifics instead of what they can do for God. (i.e. mission work, evangelization)
 
**Were the Catholic Church to conform…
…what beliefs would it have?
**

**Conform to WHAT?

Something (Church or otherwise) can’t just conform all by itself. It must conform TO something else.**
 
bpbasilphx said:
**Were the Catholic Church to conform…
…what beliefs would it have?
**

**Conform to WHAT?

Something (Church or otherwise) can’t just conform all by itself. It must conform TO something else.**
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I think what the OP is asking is how would the church have to change in order for you to be in communion with it.

In my case, I accept and profess all that the Catholic church teaches. Those things that I have problems with, I inform myself about. If there is a teaching that something is sinful, for instance sex outside of marriage, I find it easier to follow when I understand the reasoning. But first I accept the teaching because it is presented to me by the church which is guided by the Holy Spirit to all truth, so I know it is God’s will.
 
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