Wouldn't of been great if all christians united under one church? Is it possible?

[Moro_Rock]

The church should come together as one. Unfortunately due to a variety of factors it won’t be through a purely Christian faith. As my username says I am a “Christian-Baha’i”. I would encourage everyone not to judge before doing a little reading on the Baha’i faith and Baha’u’lluh’s messages he delivered from God. One central message is that of a unified humanity - one flock and one shephard. Many bible readers will know that many prophets of the old and new testament spoke of the coming “one shepard”. I am not tied to one church as I was raised Catholic, a practicing Methodist & Baha’i. Overall I am a seeker of truth, and in that search I found Baha’u’lluh and the Baha’i faith. I am so happy I did. A great book that any Christian could benefit from reading is “The Wine of Astonishment” by WIlliam Sears as it speaks to the truths about Baptism, the Trinity, the Eucharist and other things that have confused the leaders of the Christian faith for thousands of years. It’s an amazing read so far. I’m almost done. Remember that Christ’s strength is in his message! Not in or from his miracles, resurrection, etc.

With love and respect…ChristianBahai

 

[Moro_Rock]

The church should come together as one. Unfortunately due to a variety of factors it won’t be through a purely Christian faith. As my username says I am a “Christian-Baha’i”. I would encourage everyone not to judge before doing a little reading on the Baha’i faith and Baha’u’lluh’s messages he delivered from God. One central message is that of a unified humanity - one flock and one shephard. Many bible readers will know that many prophets of the old and new testament spoke of the coming “one shepard”. I am not tied to one church as I was raised Catholic, a practicing Methodist & Baha’i. Overall I am a seeker of truth, and in that search I found Baha’u’lluh and the Baha’i faith. I am so happy I did. A great book that any Christian could benefit from reading is “The Wine of Astonishment” by WIlliam Sears as it speaks to the truths about Baptism, the Trinity, the Eucharist and other things that have confused the leaders of the Christian faith for thousands of years. It’s an amazing read so far. I’m almost done. Remember that Christ’s strength is in his message! Not in or from his miracles, resurrection, etc.
Christianity is based on the Person of Christ , otherwise He would just be
another teacher with another philosophy to proclaim !
With love and respect…ChristianBahai

 

[Moro_Rock]

The church should come together as one. Unfortunately due to a variety of factors it won’t be through a purely Christian faith. As my username says I am a “Christian-Baha’i”. I would encourage everyone not to judge before doing a little reading on the Baha’i faith and Baha’u’lluh’s messages he delivered from God. One central message is that of a unified humanity - one flock and one shephard. Many bible readers will know that many prophets of the old and new testament spoke of the coming “one shepard”. I am not tied to one church as I was raised Catholic, a practicing Methodist & Baha’i. Overall I am a seeker of truth, and in that search I found Baha’u’lluh and the Baha’i faith. I am so happy I did. A great book that any Christian could benefit from reading is “The Wine of Astonishment” by WIlliam Sears as it speaks to the truths about Baptism, the Trinity, the Eucharist and other things that have confused the leaders of the Christian faith for thousands of years. It’s an amazing read so far. I’m almost done. Remember that Christ’s strength is in his message! Not in or from his miracles, resurrection, etc.

Christianity is based on the Person of Jesus the Christ. He was not just another teacher with a different message. He was and is the Second Person of
the Blessed Trinity who took on a human nature

With love and respect…ChristianBahai

 

[Moro_Rock]

The church should come together as one. Unfortunately due to a variety of factors it won’t be through a purely Christian faith. As my username says I am a “Christian-Baha’i”. I would encourage everyone not to judge before doing a little reading on the Baha’i faith and Baha’u’lluh’s messages he delivered from God. One central message is that of a unified humanity - one flock and one shephard. Many bible readers will know that many prophets of the old and new testament spoke of the coming “one shepard”. I am not tied to one church as I was raised Catholic, a practicing Methodist & Baha’i. Overall I am a seeker of truth, and in that search I found Baha’u’lluh and the Baha’i faith. I am so happy I did. A great book that any Christian could benefit from reading is “The Wine of Astonishment” by WIlliam Sears as it speaks to the truths about Baptism, the Trinity, the Eucharist and other things that have confused the leaders of the Christian faith for thousands of years. It’s an amazing read so far. I’m almost done. Remember that Christ’s strength is in his message! Not in or from his miracles, resurrection, etc.

With love and respect…ChristianBahai

Christ’s message is Himself !
“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”
Everything that He was, everything that He said, everything that He did -

 

[mlz]

Did they really all belong to “one” church or were there just no other choices?

I’m sure there were just as many people then who disregarded the churches teachings on important issues as there are today. The only difference is that today they choose a different church, back then they just stayed catholic because there was nothing else to be.

If it were socially acceptable for those people to pick another faith or leave Christianity all together then I’m sure they would have. I think the “Protestant revolt” as you put it was more about people feeling empowered to openly acknowledge that they disagreed with what the church taught.

When the church was just as much a political power as it was a religious institute, when there were real life altering repercussions to openly disagreeing with teachings or leaving the church altogether, then I think that saying “all Christians belonged to one church” is misleading.

You can’t really leave if there is no other place to go.

Honestly, do you really think the Lord intended His Church to be divided or would that be the work of the evil one? The witness of one Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church is what our Lord would want for the world to see. This was one of the last things He said, “…that they be one”

Blessings,
mlz

 

[Abu]

ChristianBahai #9
Ignore the blinders of taught doctrine!
WIlliam Sears as it speaks to the truths about Baptism, the Trinity, the Eucharist and other things that have confused the leaders of the Christian faith for thousands of years.
There can be no question that Christ is God and founded a Church to which all are called to belong if they become aware of this fact.

Such is the cacophony from the unknowing.

From the acceptance of the reality of God to the truth of Catholicism is based on the history of Christ Himself.

Quadratus writes (circa 123 A.D.) that in his day there were still persons around who had been cured or raised from the dead by Jesus – prime witnesses. [Eusebius, *Church History, 4.3, 1.2; See Free From All Error, Fr W. Most, p 12].

Even Adolf von Harnack, a rationalist historian of high repute among Rationalists and Protestants, wrote that the Synoptic Gospels were written before 70 A.D. – before the fall of Jerusalem, and accepted the tradition that St Luke derived his information on the infancy of Jesus from Mary His Mother. Theologische Quartalsch, Tubingen 1929, IV, p 443-4].
[See *Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine, The Saint Austin Press, 2001, Sheehan/Joseph p 89, 93].

Not only are the facts of Jesus miracles recorded by His own Apostles who were present – Saints Matthew and John were companions of Christ, and Saints Mark and Luke lived in constant contact with His contemporaries.

His miracles “were so frequent, the eyewitnesses so numerous, and the evidence so stark, that not even Christ’s enemies disputed the fact of their occurrence. Instead they ascribed them to the power of the devil, or defied Him to perform another one in His own favour.” (See Mt 12:24; 27:39-42; Jn 11:47). Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine, Sheehan/Joseph, Saint Austin Press, 2001, p 104].

It was Jesus who said to His apostles “he that hears you hears Me” (Lk 10:16)

All four promises to Peter alone:
“You are Peter and on this rock I will build My Church.” (Mt 16:18)
“The gates of hell will not prevail against it.”(Mt 16:18)
I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven." ( Mt 16:19)
“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.” (Mt 16:19) [Later to the Twelve].

Sole authority:
“Strengthen your brethren.” (Lk 22:32)
“Feed My sheep.”(Jn 21:17).

Thus did the Son of God entrust His Catholic Church to teach His truths without error.

 

[Zachary]

Know that the thoughts I present are gathered from hundreds of hours of reading and study. Not just one book. Many books a few of which explain the old and new testament in the ways Christ & God intended them not as CHurch leaders have interpreted them. I have not dismissed thousands of years of Church teachings either. I have read the latest word of God as sent down through Baha’u’llah, which has clarified the scriptures so men of our age can understand better what Christ & God intended humanity to know and understand. The Baha’i teachings state that God’s messengers have always come “…to educate the souls of men, and refine the character of every living man…The most vital duty, in this day, is to purify your characters, to correct your manners, and improve your conduct”. I have asked many tough questions about my religion, and that is what brought me to explore the Baha’i faith.

“Sugary thinking” you say? How wrong you are to call the “spoken word of God to humanity - to you as well” in such a lackadaisical, human tone. Ignore the blinders of taught doctrine! Read and understand better what you think you already know. If anyone commenting actually set aside for a minute what they have been taught is “true and fact” to hear from God what is “true and fact” we would have a lot more people who would grow to know God better through a recognition of his message for humanity in our age. The message from Baha’u’'lah and the Baha’i faith.

With love and respect, ChristianBahai

Jesus said it all already, the Church he founded and the apostles he left it with already provided the clarity. We dont need 100s of hours of reading and new interpretation. Thats precisely why there are 40,000 denominations and not the One Jesus founded.
hy

 

[Moabiter]

Isn’t the Church - the Body of Christ - in one sense still one, albeit badly hurt by these schisms? And the fullness of that Body (one, holy, catholic, apostolic) being the Roman-Catholic part?

Isn’t that Catholic teaching?

In any case, repairing that damage and working towards reunion has to be a paramount concern for every Christian. For that’s what Jesus Christ insists we do (the scripture citation currently escapes me).

 

[KCCatechist]

Lets recall what the council of Trent said about those people that deny the teachings of the catholic church, it said they are anathema.

 

[mlz]

Lets recall what the council of Trent said about those people that deny the teachings of the catholic church, it said they are anathema.

As a former Protestant I can tell you that many Protestants simply Don’t Know the teachings of the Catholic Church. In fact most likely haven’t a clue what it is therefore they Ryan aren’t denying the teaching of the Church. It is so important to reach out in love to our brothers and sisters through our common baptism to help them know what the Catholic faith is. Radio is an excellent way and has helped so many-EWTN also

Blessings,
mlz

 

[KCCatechist]

As a former Protestant I can tell you that many Protestants simply Don’t Know the teachings of the Catholic Church. In fact most likely haven’t a clue what it is therefore they Ryan aren’t denying the teaching of the Church. It is so important to reach out in love to our brothers and sisters through our common baptism to help them know what the Catholic faith is. Radio is an excellent way and has helped so many-EWTN also

Blessings,
mlz

yes, we are always called to evangelize to those that do not know the church with a message of God’s love.

 

[weller2]

IcAt

You’re just making a big assumption that is essentially unprovable. It’s possibly true from some, however, the Reformation prompted much of the schismatic disorder we have today.
Also you’re applying 20/21st century things (socially unacceptable) to a time that didnt view things as we do now. No alternative in 500AD wasn’t even a thing.

Early Christianity was much more diverse than it is now: webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/heresies.html

These movements are now called heresies, but the truth is that back in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th century, you’d have much difficulty in deciding what was heresy, and what was orthodox. You had movements who believed in one god, in two gods, in many gods; who believed that Christ was all-man, or all-God, or both, or neither. A lot of 2nd century movements, for example, are considered heretical, because Tertullian disagreed with them and labeled them such; but then, Tertullian himself was a member of a movement later condemned as heretical (Montanism). What is now conidered orthodoxy has developed gradually, over many years and many councils.

The New Testament canon was not established until 4th century. (Ironically, the idea of having a fixed biblical canon came from a heretic, Marcion of Alexandria). If you were a Christian in Asia Minor in 3rd century and your church read Gospel of Thomas, then you wouldn’t know that the text your using is non-canon, because there was no canon! There was some general consensus, sure, but it was rather nebulous.

It isn’t until 325 that you have a first standarized creed (Nicene), which spells out what Christians should believe.

Contrast that with situation now, when virtually everyone (Unitarian Universalists aside) accepts Trinity, Nicene Creed and the same Biblical Canon. If the same God, the same Creed and the same Scripture don’t make one Church, then what does?

 

[Abu]

weller2 #29
If the same God, the same Creed and the same Scripture don’t make one Church, then what does?

The presumption is false, as shown by thousands of different Protestant sects teaching different ideas.

Even the Orthodox Churches don’t follow Christ’s mandate on divorce and remarriage, nor assent to Christ’s Chief Vicar the Pope so that some questions of moral action re IVF etc may be undetermined.

We only know which books belong to the Bible through the authoritative decision of the Church in the fourth century. Anyone is able to have a Bible today because the Catholic Church collected the writings and made an infallible declaration on the canon of the Scriptures as to which books are the inspired Word of God. Most non-Catholic Bibles are missing seven books and thus many also miss out on vital truths as they follow the error of “Scripture Only”.

Where else do you find, from the first, the faithful “remained faithful to the teaching of the Apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.” (Acts 2:42)?
So, as Jesus commanded, His Church has the Eucharist (Holy Mass), His seven sacraments, the primacy and infallibility of the pope, Her Tradition and Her Sacred Scriptures. Where else can you enjoy the fullness of truth and worship except in His Church?