what's the Catholic view of Protestants?

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fatman

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I stumbled onto this site today, and I can’t stop reading the various posts concerning the divide between Catholics and Protestants. While I realize that I’ve wandered into an online community of predominantly Catholic apologetics, I’ve been quite intrigued, perhaps even surprised, by the seemingly fervent desire to “convert Protestants.” However, I haven’t quite been able to guage what you Catholics (or the Catholic church) really think of Protestants like myself – is one’s identity as a Catholic/Protestant ultimately a salvation/sanctification issue? (And if not, why pursue conversion of protestants with such intensity?) Is one’s eternal reward ultimately at stake here?

Thanks,

Andrew
 
While you can be saved as a Protestant, assuming you are ignorant of the necessity of the Lord’s Church to be saved, it isn’t a safe bet, so yes, we do feel a need to convert Protestants and heal the schism, because that is what the Lord wills in John 17. He wants us to be one Church. The apostles say the same thing over and over.

So ask yourself which Church they were talking about…did your church exist at that time? Or was it created by men?

However, please don’t take any of this as an attack. God gives everyone their faith and I am grateful that the Lord gave you your faith in Him. I wouldn’t want to insult that faith. I simply want to build it up…to make it full.
 
This catholc beleives that they should all come home, to the church Founded by Jesus upon the apotles.
 
I think for the most part the Church teaches that we are “united in purpose (spreading the Gospel), divided in practice (doctrines regarding salvation, the nature of Jesus, the rule of faith, etc…).” However, things run much deeper than that. The Catholic Church believes that it is the One True Church founded by Jesus Christ upon Peter, the Rock “Upon this Rock I build my Church”. Because Jesus promised Peter that His Church would never succumb to the wiles of the devil “and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it,” there was no need for dogmatic reform. Did the Church need to clean up its act regard the behavior of the clergy, you bet it did. Did it need to modify its dogma regarding salvation, the authority of the bible, the sacremental principle? No, this corpus of doctrines were established by the Church which had the authority, given to it by Christ, to establish these things. As such, NOONE has the right or authority to change them, not even the leaders of the Church. That is why Martin Luther was condemned as a formal heretic by the Church.

That in effect is the dividing line. Protestants, those “protesting” against the authority of the Roman Pontiff, believed that Martin Luther was a great leader and their “patron saint”. Rome, however, considers Martin Luther a tool of the devil. He was formally excommunicated on July 15, 1520.
 
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fatman:
While I realize that I’ve wandered into an online community of predominantly Catholic apologetics, I’ve been quite intrigued, perhaps even surprised, by the seemingly fervent desire to “convert Protestants.”
Andrew
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The answer to your question is in your question. The Catholics that are interested in posting to this forum are not a standard cross-section of the Catholic Church. Apart from the good people here, I can not see “Catholic’s who try to convert Protestants” compared to “Protestants who try to convert Catholics” as being fervent. It is a matter of perspective and I have been on both sides.
 
Hi: 👋

I belong to a mixed marriage if you will. I am Catholic and our children are Catholic, my whole family is Catholic. My husband is from the Bapist Protestant group and all his family is protestant in one denomination or another. Even my inlaws and sister inlaw belong to the SAME BAPTIST denomination but different churches - that teach different things. :confused: :confused:

My opinion of Protestant’s is that they have a great love of their Lord, great desire to be with their own kind and great love of their scripture … but in my experience, they truly despise (and that is a strong word - I know) us Catholics. Not all … I would say the worst are the Baptist (sorry anyone who is Baptist … it is just MY OPINION FROM MY EXPERIENCE). :eek:

I have heard too many CATHOLIC BASHING sermons - more than I can stomach in these churches. To the point not even my husband will not return to these churches.

Although my husband has always Attended Mass with us … he is re-learning the truth, rather than the untruth’s that he has heard all his life attending protestant churches. He had even told my inlaws, never once while attending Mass for over 20 years have I heard any BAD thing said about another denomination from the Priest. :love:

My heart is truly sad, because I know that his family talks amonst themselves and talks about me and our faith … but My husband is 1000000 supportive of me and our children. Even he has mentioned he may become Catholic that he see’s and feel’s truth and God at our Mass. I pray for oneness … because that is why our Lord, and Savior, has told us that we need to do …

:amen:
 
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MGEISING:
Even my inlaws and sister inlaw belong to the SAME BAPTIST denomination but different churches - that teach different things. :confused: :confused
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this seems to happen in the catholic church also. though it is one church, from parish to parish you can be taught different things. i know that you will say that the one’s teaching differently (fr. mcbrien for example) are wrong, but then the question remains why aren’t they silenced by the authority? also, there are “liturgical abuses” from parish to parish but couldn’t this just be the same as people belonging to the same protestant denomination yet getting slightly different interpretations? just an observation here, not an attack.
 
As they deny the teachings of the Catholic Church and refuse to follow the Holy Father, they are schismatics.

Or that is my understanding from the “Orthodox are not schismatics” thread.
 
I would like to say that I have generally been accepted on this site. I have had people try to assist me in joining the Catholic Church and I thank them for it. If I believed that if people were not Lutheran they might spend life in eternal torment, I would want to help them also.

I remember the story of Lazarus where he was in torment after his death but it was too late to go and tell his brethren about his errors. So I am glad that they see fit to help me in this lifetime.

I have had some horrible comments made to me when I was trying to explain my position or defending my faith. I take this in stride. I do not think that it helps anyone when such action is taken and usually hardens their harts to any possibility of conversion.

And Bengal_fan, I assume that you are referring to the Cincinnati Bengals. If you are you and I have something in common I have been a Bengals fan for as long as I can remember.

Between being on this website and supporting the Bengals sometimes I wonder if I am mildly masochistic.
 
***Originally Posted by MGEISING
Even my inlaws and sister inlaw belong to the SAME BAPTIST denomination but different churches - that teach different things. :confused ***

I have thought about this often, and for the most part … if we call ourselves Catholics, we are to follow the Catholic Faith (everything) not just what we want (Cafetaria Catholics).

I think we can put a lot of the blame on our Bishops. Many of them aren’t leading us the way they should, possibly because they are too busy with other matters.

And I think the other reason why this happens is lack of adult Catechesis … people just don’t know any better. I didn’t, until I started studying the faith and learning what was acceptable and what wasn’t. I even got out of a parish I absolutely LOVED and because an active member.

Catholics are SUPPOSE to follow what the Magesterium and our Holy Father teaches … there is a LEADER (to which we are all under an umbrella).

My feeling is that is the main difference … and there is similarity that people go where they want … but again … I think two things account for that … failed leadership and lack of catholics knowing their faith!

:o
 
Not to sound too technical, but if you do not submit entirely to the Pope and the Magisterium, you are one of 3 things.
  1. Schismatic, which means you are separated from full communion over issues of authority of the Pope and the Magisterium.
  2. Heretic, which means you are separated from full communion over matter of dogma.
  3. Infidel, which means you are separated from full communion over a matter of faith in Christ.
Schism and heresy are further classified as material or formal.

A material (schismatic or heretic) is one that is so without full consent. Ie, you were born and raised a baptist. Because you haven’t been taught the full truth of the Catholic Church, you could not have made a conscious choice to be Catholic. This makes you a material heretic. It sounds aweful, but that is the bottom line. Only God can judge to nature of your intention to discover the truth.

A formal (schismatic or heretic) has made a conscious decision to break with the church over matters of authority (schismatic) or dogma (heretic). Still, God is the judge of your intentions, so I will make no comment about the state of your salvation. It just seems to follow that if God established a Church to effect salvation on the world “Go forth and make disciples of all men,” and you refuse to submit to that Church once you are fully aware of its nature… Well, I wouldn’t want to be you on Judgement Day.
 
Sure, here goes (may be lengthy).

For infidelity (namely agnosticism and atheism):

27 The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for:

The dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is called to communion with God. This invitation to converse with God is addressed to man as soon as he comes into being. For if man exists it is because God has created him through love, and through love continues to hold him in existence. He cannot live fully according to truth unless he freely acknowledges that love and entrusts himself to his creator.[1]

28 In many ways, throughout history down to the present day, men have given expression to their quest for God in their religious beliefs and behaviour: in their prayers, sacrifices, rituals, meditations, and so forth. These forms of religious expression, despite the ambiguities they often bring with them, are so universal that one may well call man a religious being:

From one ancestor [God] made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him - though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For “in him we live and move and have our being.”[2]

**29 ** But this “intimate and vital bond of man to God” (GS 19 # 1) can be forgotten, overlooked, or even explicitly rejected by man.[3] Such attitudes can have different causes: revolt against evil in the world; religious ignorance or indifference; the cares and riches of this world; the scandal of bad example on the part of believers; currents of thought hostile to religion; finally, that attitude of sinful man which makes him hide from God out of fear and flee his call.[4]
**
30 ** “Let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.”[5] Although man can forget God or reject him, He never ceases to call every man to seek him, so as to find life and happiness. But this search for God demands of man every effort of intellect, a sound will, “an upright heart”, as well as the witness of others who teach him to seek God.
 
I’ll have to do the rest later, I have a son in the hospital now and my wife needs my shoulder. 👍
 
🙂 thanks.

I think sometimes people forget that there is an incredible source that should be read often, if not daily, with scripture, to help them understand what the faith is all about.

And, the great thing is - people can buy one or find it online. so if anyone wants to have a question answered … what better source … something that is documented, not what is said by another individual … (even a priest, nun, non catholic pastor) etc. and find what ACTUALLY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHES!

Thanks

Apologia100 … I think you should change you name to Apologia101 :o
 
From the Vatican II document Lumen Gentium;
  1. The Church recognizes that in many ways she is linked with those who, being baptized, are honored with the name of Christian, though they do not profess the faith in its entirety or do not preserve unity of communion with the successor of Peter. (14*) For there are many who honor Sacred Scripture, taking it as a norm of belief and a pattern of life, and who show a sincere zeal. They lovingly believe in God the Father Almighty and in Christ, the Son of God and Saviour. (15*) They are consecrated by baptism, in which they are united with Christ. They also recognize and accept other sacraments within their own Churches or ecclesiastical communities. Many of them rejoice in the episcopate, celebrate the Holy Eucharist and cultivate devotion toward the Virgin Mother of God.(16*) They also share with us in prayer and other spiritual benefits. Likewise we can say that in some real way they are joined with us in the Holy Spirit, for to them too He gives His gifts and graces whereby He is operative among them with His sanctifying power. Some indeed He has strengthened to the extent of the shedding of their blood. In all of Christ’s disciples the Spirit arouses the desire to be peacefully united, in the manner determined by Christ, as one flock under one shepherd, and He prompts them to pursue this end. (17*) Mother Church never ceases to pray, hope and work that this may come about. She exhorts her children to purification and renewal so that the sign of Christ may shine more brightly over the face of the earth.
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Jesus prayed that we would all be one.

Our aim is toward achieving His desire for His Church.
 
They just seem weak to me:) My mother is a Protestant…my dad a Catholic. He has more character than she will ever have. Sorry to say it…but it is true.

Catholics are more ethnic…and have more heart. My opinion.
 
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tudie:
They just seem weak to me:) My mother is a Protestant…my dad a Catholic. He has more character than she will ever have. Sorry to say it…but it is true.

Catholics are more ethnic…and have more heart. My opinion.
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Hi Tudie:

I have seen both in all walks of life! 🙂
 
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