Why is Jesus never on the cross in a Protestant church?

[Huguenot]

Hugenot, whatever feels comfortable for you is ok. I will not apologize for sticking with my faith of the Catholic church, and your right, either it is black or it’s white. Just as if either you are Protestant or you are Catholic. There is no in between with myself here.
I am not the one pushing you away. I am very passionate about my faith and stand steadfast in it. People have a hard time with this. My best friend is Jewish, I have Protestant friends also but we have our differences, that’s all. Protestants are more open to change and more open to the ‘easier’ worshiping. I like where I am and for you to say this to me is not very kind knowing I am very passionate and I know I am in the right place.

Did I say you shouldn’t be where you are ? it seems rather the countrary to me ; if you are a passionate Catholic, then shouldn’t you be happy to know that a Protestant sometimes go to Mass and can participate with her whole heart at some parts of it ? because that was what I wanted to emphasize in my message … that in France we have contacts with each other …
There is a week, every year, where some Protestants and Catholics even exchange pulpits : a Catholic priest comes to preach in a Protestant church, and the next year the Protestant minister of that Protestant church preaches in this Catholic one, and so on … ( don’t be afraid : the Protestant minister doesn’t “say Mass”, nor does he celebrate the Eucharist ) ; usually, quite a lot of members of their congregations “follow” their priest or minister, which means that a lot of Protestants attend Mass one year and a lot of Catholics the Protestant service the following year …
I didn’t say anything about your not wanting to attend a Protestant service : it’s your right … I just spoke about me, saying that although I’m a Protestant I sometimes attend Mass, and well yes I found your reaction quite hostile, which is totally unexpected for me …

 

[Huguenot]

Do you mean going on with life in general??? Or just staying here at the forums. I hope it’s the latter.

I meant staying on the forum !!!

 

[elt1956]

Did I say you shouldn’t be where you are ? it seems rather the countrary to me ; if you are a passionate Catholic, then shouldn’t you be happy to know that a Protestant sometimes go to Mass and can participate with her whole heart at some parts of it ? because that was what I wanted to emphasize in my message … that in France we have contacts with each other …
There is a week, every year, where some Protestants and Catholics even exchange pulpits : a Catholic priest comes to preach in a Protestant church, and the next year the Protestant minister of that Protestant church preaches in this Catholic one, and so on … ( don’t be afraid : the Protestant minister doesn’t “say Mass”, nor does he celebrate the Eucharist ) ; usually, quite a lot of members of their congregations “follow” their priest or minister, which means that a lot of Protestants attend Mass one year and a lot of Catholics the Protestant service the following year …
I didn’t say anything about your not wanting to attend a Protestant service : it’s your right … I just spoke about me, saying that although I’m a Protestant I sometimes attend Mass, and well yes I found your reaction quite hostile, which is totally unexpected for me …

Hi Huguenot. Glad you are writing here. I don’t know about European communities Catholic or Protestant, Jewish etc. and the practice of their Faith. Heck I don’t even know a lot about the communities in the US. But do you think that the understanding/acceptance of Religious differences in European countries is a bit more open/understanding there? Just asking.

 

[Huguenot]

Hi Huguenot. Glad you are writing here. I don’t know about European communities Catholic or Protestant, Jewish etc. and the practice of their Faith. Heck I don’t even know a lot about the communities in the US. But do you think that the understanding/acceptance of Religious differences in European countries is a bit more open/understanding there? Just asking.

I don’t know if this forum is representative of inter-religious (non)understanding in the United States ; if it is, well, I’d say that except in Northern Ireland the relationship between Catholics and Protestants is better, at least in France and in Germany ( I’m French but I’ve also lived in Germany )…
Knowing the differences doesn’t prevent us from doing things together …

 

[elt1956]

I don’t know if this forum is representative of inter-religious (non)understanding in the United States ; if it is, well, I’d say that except in Northern Ireland the relationship between Catholics and Protestants is better, at least in France and in Germany ( I’m French but I’ve also lived in Germany )…
Knowing the differences doesn’t prevent us from doing things together …

I think it is called being loving.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

I am in Australia and saw not only a crucifix in a non Catholic Church (Uniting Church) but a large picture of The Sacred Heart…I felt really happy!!! Blessings this Lent - Barb

 

[Huguenot]

I think it is called being loving.

but I love yoooooooooooooooouuuuu:hug3:

 

[kalt]

No argument intended nor needed. How do you know what I want? Are you in my head? If you speak with other catholic posters on here I am sure you would have a different opinion.’

I have to apologize because my whole reaction to this thread stems off of the fact that I was being told that going to a protestant service would prove to be empty, meaning it has nothing to offer them. I take offense to that. Everything we do in our service is sacred and important to our worship of God. To tell me that it is an empty experience puts me on edge.

This thread is not about the eucharist nor it’s importance in Mass. I was just reacting to being told that my worship of God is empty.

I agree with you. Saying that a Protestant service is completely empty is a mistake. It’s not in line with Catholic teaching on Christian chruches.

A Protestant service doesn’t have the real presence in the Eucharist, and that difference is very important to Catholics. That’s the point I was making.

 

[Huguenot]

I agree with you. Saying that a Protestant service is completely empty is a mistake. It’s not in line with Catholic teaching on Christian chruches.

A Protestant service doesn’t have the real presence in the Eucharist, and that difference is very important to Catholics. That’s the point I was making.

some do : the Lutherans believe in the real presence ( I’m not saying this to defend myself since I don’t believe in it and I’m not a Lutheran … )

 

[drewish1991]

It’s just as accurate to say “Why do Catholics never have an empty cross? Do they not care about the resurrection, only His death? To just focus on just the suffering parts is not right at all.”

Protestants are not trying to say Jesus didn’t suffer and die and Catholics are not trying to say Jesus is still dead. We are looking at the same thing from different angles is all.

amen

 

[moondweller]

some do : the Lutherans believe in the real presence ( I’m not saying this to defend myself since I don’t believe in it and I’m not a Lutheran … )

But there’s a difference between consubstantiation and transubstantiation. “Real Presence” is an ambiguous term. Lutherans believe there’s a kind of spiritual presence while RCs claim that through the power vested in its priesthood the host actually becomes the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ. Like you, I don’t believe it (either one, actually).

Where do you live in Germany?

 

[Righteousone]

Did I say you shouldn’t be where you are ? it seems rather the countrary to me ; if you are a passionate Catholic, then shouldn’t you be happy to know that a Protestant sometimes go to Mass and can participate with her whole heart at some parts of it ? because that was what I wanted to emphasize in my message … that in France we have contacts with each other …
There is a week, every year, where some Protestants and Catholics even exchange pulpits : a Catholic priest comes to preach in a Protestant church, and the next year the Protestant minister of that Protestant church preaches in this Catholic one, and so on … ( don’t be afraid : the Protestant minister doesn’t “say Mass”, nor does he celebrate the Eucharist ) ; usually, quite a lot of members of their congregations “follow” their priest or minister, which means that a lot of Protestants attend Mass one year and a lot of Catholics the Protestant service the following year …
I didn’t say anything about your not wanting to attend a Protestant service : it’s your right … I just spoke about me, saying that although I’m a Protestant I sometimes attend Mass, and well yes I found your reaction quite hostile, which is totally unexpected for me …

Well your wrong. My reaction isn’t ‘hostile’ toward you or anyone, so stop saying that. If you love the Mass so much, why not be a Catholic?? Pardon me for the confusion here…

 

[Bible_Believer]

Pardon me for horning in, but Righteousone…all along, it has seemed like you have some kind of a chip on your shoulder…YES…you have been snippy and curt in about every post you’ve made, which confuses me, since you are supposedly in such harmony with God in your church…I would think you would be showing more of an example of the way God wants us to behave.

 

[Huguenot]

But there’s a difference between consubstantiation and transubstantiation. “Real Presence” is an ambiguous term. Lutherans believe there’s a kind of spiritual presence while RCs claim that through the power vested in its priesthood the host actually becomes the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ. Like you, I don’t believe it (either one, actually).

Where do you live in Germany?

I used to live in Germany, in the region called Black Forest ( Schwarzwald ), now I’m in my country again …
Well I must admit I don’t really know the difference between transsubstantation and consubstantion, but according to what I’ve understood it is more than “spiritual presence” ( which was the conception of Calvin ) …

Do you really live on the Moon ?

 

[Huguenot]

Well your wrong. My reaction isn’t ‘hostile’ toward you or anyone, so stop saying that. If you love the Mass so much, why not be a Catholic?? Pardon me for the confusion here…

For me there is no confusion … the fact that I am Protestant doesn’t imply I reject everything in Catholicism ; you know what ? sometimes I even agree with the pope …
Yes, there are things I like in Mass, so why would it be wrong for me to attend from time to time even without wishing to become a Catholic ? Is it forbidden ( by the Catholic Church ) for a Protestant to attend Mass ? If it is then sorry I didn’t know and a lot of French Protestants don’t know either …( all I know is that it is forbidden to take the Eucharist so I don’t )

And to make my case worse, I’ve even been to Orthodox services …

For me going to Mass doesn’t mean I want to become a Catholic, there is one thing I agree with you on : there ARE differences, I don’t deny or minimize them, but it is my choice to have relations with other Christians …

I don’t feel confused at all, I WANT to have contacts with Catholics, to know them better, and attending Mass is one way of doing so ( even if it is not the only one … )

 

[moondweller]

I used to live in Germany, in the region called Black Forest ( Schwarzwald ),

In Bavaria, right? That part of Germany pretty much remained Catholic.

now I’m in my country again …

Paris?

Well I must admit I don’t really know the difference between transsubstantation and consubstantion, but according to what I’ve understood it is more than “spiritual presence” ( which was the conception of Calvin ) …

Yes, it’s more involved but they don’t go as far as the Catholics.

Do you really live on the Moon ?

Well, in a way. My house sits on the side of a place called “Moon Mountain.” Hence, “Moondweller.”

 

[JonNC]

But there’s a difference between consubstantiation and transubstantiation. “Real Presence” is an ambiguous term. Lutherans believe there’s a kind of spiritual presence while RCs claim that through the power vested in its priesthood the host actually becomes the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ. Like you, I don’t believe it (either one, actually).

Where do you live in Germany?

No, Lutherans don’t believe it is a spiritual presence. We believe that the true body and blood of Christ are truly and substantially present in the Eucharist. Nothing ambiguous, the true, real body and blood of Christ.

 

[Righteousone]

Pardon me for horning in, but Righteousone…all along, it has seemed like you have some kind of a chip on your shoulder…YES…you have been snippy and curt in about every post you’ve made, which confuses me, since you are supposedly in such harmony with God in your church…I would think you would be showing more of an example of the way God wants us to behave.

Well, I don’t believe an independant baptist would understand me anyway, and to tell you the truth, why is it always the baptists that say we Catholics are never in harmony with our church b/c we are forthright in what we say and what we know to be the truth revealed to us by Jesus himself. The Catholic church is the truth revealed to us by christ himself and the sooner you can see this, the more understanding you will have about me and the passion of my faith.
Non-Catholics are constantly telling Catholics how they are not in harmony with their church, just an excuse to aggravate the situation if you ask me.

 

[kalt]

No, Lutherans don’t believe it is a spiritual presence. We believe that the true body and blood of Christ are truly and substantially present in the Eucharist. Nothing ambiguous, the true, real body and blood of Christ.

I just want to add that Catholics don’t believe that they find the real presence in the Lutheran Eucharist (correct me if I’m wrong.), and that’s why we would choose a Catholic Mass. It’s about what we believe, not about what others believe.

It seems (not you, JonNC) that a few people here believe that Catholics make their faith decisions based on what they don’t like about other faiths. The Catholic Church isn’t a protestant church, meaning we aren’t protesting anything. Our Church was founded to fulfill OT promises. It wasn’t founded in reaction to something it didn’t like about another, related faith. It’s not an off-shoot of another Christian denomination.

And it’s still that way today. We aren’t Catholics because we reject Protestantism. Being Catholic is a positive choice–meaning that it’s a choice made in the affirmative, not the negative. I’m not a Catholic because I don’t believe in Methodist teachings. I’m Catholic because I believe in the fullness of the truth I find in the Catholic Church.

If I could have one wish granted, it would be that non-Catholics could understand that the Catholic Church doesn’t exist in protest of other Christian denominations.

It’s like saying that England is pro-England becuase it is anti its former colonies, when in reality it was always pro-England. On the contrary, the former colonies are pro-former-colonies, because they were (at one time) against their former ruler, England.

We really aren’t making our faith decision out of a negative reasoning. It seems as if you think we choose Catholicism because we reject Protestantism. We choose Catholicism, and Protestant beliefs have nothing at all to do with that choice.

 

[JonNC]

I just want to add that Catholics don’t believe that they find the real presence in the Lutheran Eucharist (correct me if I’m wrong.), and that’s why we would choose a Catholic Mass. It’s about what we believe, not about what others believe.

It seems (not you, JonNC) that a few people here believe that Catholics make their faith decisions based on what they don’t like about other faiths. The Catholic Church isn’t a protestant church, meaning we aren’t protesting anything. Our Church was founded to fulfill OT promises. It wasn’t founded in reaction to something it didn’t like about another, related faith. It’s not an off-shoot of another Christian denomination.

And it’s still that way today. We aren’t Catholics because we reject Protestantism. Being Catholic is a positive choice–meaning that it’s a choice made in the affirmative, not the negative. I’m not a Catholic because I don’t believe in Methodist teachings. I’m Catholic because I believe in the fullness of the truth I find in the Catholic Church.

If I could have one wish granted, it would be that non-Catholics could understand that the Catholic Church doesn’t exist in protest of other Christian denominations.

It’s like saying that England is pro-England becuase it is anti its former colonies, when in reality it was always pro-England. On the contrary, the former colonies are pro-former-colonies, because they were (at one time) against their former ruler, England.

We really aren’t making our faith decision out of a negative reasoning. It seems as if you think we choose Catholicism because we reject Protestantism. We choose Catholicism, and Protestant beliefs have nothing at all to do with that choice.

I totally understand, and I’m not offended by that at all. You are right, the CC does not find our Eucharist valid, even though we believe yours is. I just wanted the poster to know what we believe, as he was misinformed. It is like when noncatholics get on here and accuse Catholics of worshipping Mary, a few of which I have corrected, not because I agree with all Catholic Mariology (I happen to agree with much of it), but because they are wrong in their interpretation of your belief.
Jon