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Protestants aren't proper Christians, says Pope
Daily Mail ^ | 11th July 2007 | SIMON CALDWELL

Posted on 07/10/2007 6:55:28 PM PDT by indcons

Pope Benedict XVI declared yesterday that Christian denominations other than his own were not true churches and their holy orders have no value.

Protestant leaders immediately responded by saying the claims were offensive and would hurt efforts to promote ecumenism.

Roman Catholic- Anglican relations are already strained over the Church of England's plans to ordain homosexuals and women as bishops. The claims came in a document, from a Vatican watchdog which was approved by the Pope.

It said the branches of Christianity formed after the split with Rome at the Reformation could not be called churches "in the proper sense" because they broke with a succession of popes who dated back to St Peter.

As a result, it went on, Protestant churches have "no sacramental priesthood", effectively reaffirming the controversial Catholic position that Anglican holy orders are worthless.

The document claimed the Catholic church was the "one true church of Christ".

Pope Benedict's commitment to the hardline teaching comes days after he reinstated the Mass in Latin, which was sidelined in the 1960s in an attempt to modernise.

The timing of the announcement fuelled speculation that the pontiff - regarded as an arch-conservative before his election in 2005 - is finally beginning to impose his views on the Catholic Church.

The Vatican said it was restating the position set out by the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 2000 in a document called Domine Jesus because theologians continued to misunderstand it.

At that time, Anglican leaders from around the world made their anger felt by snubbing an invitation to join Pope John Paul II as he proclaimed St Thomas More the patron saint of politicians.

Bishop Wolfgang Huber, head of the Evangelical Church in Germany, said the Vatican document effectively downgraded Protestant churches and would make ecumenical relations more difficult.

He said the pronouncement repeated the "offensive statements" of the 2000 document and was a "missed opportunity" to patch up relations with Protestants.


TOPICS: Catholic
KEYWORDS: catholics; pope; protestants; vatican
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All I'll say in response to Pope Benedict is that we need to be focusing on Islam instead of sniping at each other.
1 posted on 07/10/2007 6:55:30 PM PDT by indcons
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To: indcons
Roman Catholic- Anglican relations are already strained over the Church of England's plans to ordain homosexuals and women as bishops.

Well, gosh, that just goes to prove their point, now, doesn't it?

2 posted on 07/10/2007 6:57:26 PM PDT by kingu (No, I don't use sarcasm tags - it confuses people.)
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To: indcons

Focusing on the LORD wouldn’t hurt either.


3 posted on 07/10/2007 6:57:36 PM PDT by ovrtaxt (The FairTax and the North American Union are mutually exclusive.)
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To: indcons
I read this earlier today and my first thought was how Benedict was erasing all the progress of uniting the church that John Paul made.

My second thought was that I’m glad that who is or isn’t a ‘proper Christian’ isn’t a choice of the pope, that decision is God’s.

4 posted on 07/10/2007 6:58:54 PM PDT by mnehring (Virtus Junxit Mors Non Separabit)
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To: indcons

Well, you have to be kind of an idiot to belong to a religion you didn’t think was the one true one.


5 posted on 07/10/2007 6:59:09 PM PDT by Krankor (kROGER)
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To: indcons

I agree....lots of panes in the glass house of the Pope....


6 posted on 07/10/2007 6:59:54 PM PDT by rightwingextremist1776
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To: indcons

*rolls eyes*


7 posted on 07/10/2007 7:00:01 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 (Sic Semper Tyrannis * U.Va. Engineering '09 * Friends Don't Let Friends Vote Democrat * Fred in 2008)
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: Krankor
Well, you have to be kind of an idiot to belong to a religion you didn’t think was the one true one.

That's the difference between a Christian and a Catholic...

9 posted on 07/10/2007 7:00:49 PM PDT by danneskjold
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To: indcons
Protestant leaders immediately responded by saying (that they would never ever ever say such a thing like that ABOUT Catholics /SARCASM )the claims were offensive and would hurt efforts to promote ecumenism.
10 posted on 07/10/2007 7:00:59 PM PDT by badpacifist
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To: indcons

One could reasonably argue that “Thou shall have no other god before me” includes any number of Popes...


11 posted on 07/10/2007 7:01:28 PM PDT by null and void (...and there'd be world peace and fuzzy puppies for everyone. And then we could eat them...)
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To: danneskjold

Hopefully I don’t understand what you are saying. Please expand.


12 posted on 07/10/2007 7:03:18 PM PDT by ItisaReligionofPeace
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To: indcons

Divisions have weakened Christianity. Unity is strength.


13 posted on 07/10/2007 7:03:23 PM PDT by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)
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To: ItisaReligionofPeace

You understood perfectly. Unfortunately.


14 posted on 07/10/2007 7:05:40 PM PDT by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)
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To: indcons

Pope: Other Christian Denominations Not True Churches
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1863775/posts

Pope: Other Christians not true churches
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1863645/posts

Vatican says other Christian churches “wounded” (Non-Catholics not fullly Christian)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1863612/posts

Vatican reiterates hardline on primacy of Catholic Church
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1863549/posts

and, related:

Protestants and the Pope
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1863618/posts


15 posted on 07/10/2007 7:05:59 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: ItisaReligionofPeace
I have heard some Catholics (granted, not all) say that Catholicism is the only way to Heaven. It is much less likely to hear that proclamation from a Baptist, Episcipalian, etc...

If you are offended, I apologize...It is just my opinion based on my observations...

16 posted on 07/10/2007 7:06:55 PM PDT by danneskjold
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To: danneskjold

So, then, you concede Osama bin Laden’s brand of Islam is just as much the one, true religion as the Anglicans?


17 posted on 07/10/2007 7:07:02 PM PDT by Krankor (kROGER)
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To: danneskjold

The Pope didn’t say anything about who’s going to Heaven and who isn’t. He simply said that the only legitimate apostolic succession rests with the Roman Catholic Church. And in that, he is stating the simple truth. You don’t even have to be Catholic, or believe that that matters, to acknowledge that.

Sorry if that offends anybody, but it’s the fact.


18 posted on 07/10/2007 7:11:17 PM PDT by Argus
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To: mnehrling
my first thought was how Benedict was erasing all the progress of uniting the church that John Paul made.

And some folks consider that a good thing. I can see why the ECT crowd would be unhappy.

19 posted on 07/10/2007 7:11:53 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: Krankor
So, then, you concede Osama bin Laden’s brand of Islam is just as much the one, true religion as the Anglicans?

No, I believe I'll limit it to Christianity...

20 posted on 07/10/2007 7:13:48 PM PDT by danneskjold
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