According to Catholic teaching, the Church is defined as the body of all believers in Christ, including her ministers and her lay members, and even non-Catholic Christians who have been properly baptized. “Falling” is not the same thing as being utterly defeated by Satan or “the gates of hell;” Christ’s forgiveness extends to all believers who confess his name and repent of their sins, and by his grace the church is perpetually renewed. Even when our priests, bishops, popes, and ordinary members fail, Christ’s Church still prevails, because the mistakes of a few do not diminish the saving grace of God towards the whole.Jesus when speaking of the Catholic church prophesied that the gates of hell will not prevail against us. What specifically does he mean? Many priests and even popes have fallen. If they are not “the church” then who is?
But many popes have gone to hell, so how does this promise apply?According to Catholic teaching, the Church is defined as the body of all believers in Christ, including her ministers and her lay members, and even non-Catholic Christians who have been properly baptized. “Falling” is not the same thing as being utterly defeated by Satan or “the gates of hell;” Christ’s forgiveness extends to all believers who confess his name and repent of their sins, and by his grace the church is perpetually renewed. Even when our leaders fail us, Christ’s Church still prevails.
I’ll have to take your word for it. Must be nice to have a crystal ball.But many popes have gone to hell, so how does this promise apply?
Er, I was referring to the Revelations of Saint Bridget. I hope you were not being sarcastic.I’ll have to take your word for it. Must be nice to have a crystal ball.
Even if they have, the Church has prevailed. The Pope is only infallible when he makes decisions as the Pope, not in his life on Earth itself…although we can’t really judge the state of another person’s soul.But many popes have gone to hell, so how does this promise apply?
Very good analysis! I had never thought of it that way before. So we are not “defenders”, but “attackers”.It is significant that Jesus was with His disciples in Caesarea Philippi because when He made this promise to Peter, they were literally standing in front of the Gates of Hell.
In ancient seige warfare, the army would frequently attack the gates of a walled city with all force in order to storm it. Therefore in Jesus’ imagery, the Church is on the offensive and the Gates of Hell protecting the Evil One will not withstand the onslaught of Good and Right led by the Prince of Peace.
This is my understanding exactly. Popes can make mistakes, they are human after all. However when making doctrine decisions they will not err. Here is a good article about it:Even if they have, the Church has prevailed. The Pope is only infallible when he makes decisions as the Pope, not in his life on Earth itself…although we can’t really judge the state of another person’s soul.
a Gate is meant to keep one out. In other words, we are on the offensive and gates set up by satan will not stop us or keep out from moving forward for God’s kingdom.Jesus when speaking of the Catholic church prophesied that the gates of hell will not prevail against us. What specifically does he mean? Many priests and even popes have fallen. If they are not “the church” then who is?
With all due respect, 1newcatnolic, this promise was made to Peter and, logically, to his successors upon the founding of the Catholic Church. I realize the Catholic Church was not called Catholic at that moment, but the protestant churches were still a millennium and centuries away, so this particular promise does not extend to any other Christian denomination that is not in communion with the Pope or to any other world religion.According to Catholic teaching, the Church is defined as the body of all believers in Christ, including her ministers and her lay members, and even non-Catholic Christians who have been properly baptized.
Among the prerogatives conferred on His Church by Christ is the gift of indefectibility. By this term is signified, not merely that the Church will persist to the end of time, but further, that it will preserve unimpaired its essential characteristics. The Church can never undergo any constitutional change which will make it, as a social organism, something different from what it was originally. It can never become corrupt in faith or in morals; nor can it ever lose the Apostolic hierarchy, or the sacraments through which Christ communicates grace to men. The gift of indefectibility is expressly promised to the Church by Christ, in the words in which He declares that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The Church is the Bride of Christ. The Popes are temporary leaders of the temporal Church here and now. The Bride of Christ is Eternal. Those who are part of the Eternal Church are: The Saints in Heaven (the Church Victorious ) the Church in Purgatory (the Church Suffering) and the Church on Earth (the Church Militant). The Church Militant stands for those who work and strive to bring the message of Salvation and Mercy to the world in this present age. Those who work and strive to bring the message of Salvation and Mercy to the world include lay people who are called to live their lives for Christ in their own special ways.Jesus when speaking of the Catholic church prophesied that the gates of hell will not prevail against us. What specifically does he mean? Many priests and even popes have fallen. If they are not “the church” then who is?
I like this idea. I actually just remembered reading from the Revelations of Saint Bridget that priests and bishops are actually BRIDES of the Church, not the Church itself. Thanks for reminding me.The Church is the Bride of Christ. The Popes are temporary leaders of the temporal Church here and now. The Bride of Christ is Eternal. Those who are part of the Eternal Church are: The Saints in Heaven (the Church Victorious ) the Church in Purgatory (the Church Suffering) and the Church on Earth (the Church Militant). The Church Militant stands for those who work and strive to bring the message of Salvation and Mercy to the world in this present age. Those who work and strive to bring the message of Salvation and Mercy to the world include lay people who are called to live their lives for Christ in their own special ways.
Sometimes the Church Militant has been led by weak and sinful men. Sometimes She has been led by good and great men.
But in the end the Church - The Bride of Christ - will be the Church Victorious and the Gates of Hell will not prevail against Her.