As I understand it, Rome has attempted to finesse the issue of “no salvation outside the Roman church” when beholding the obvious Christly witness of the life of devout Protestants, as declaring such people to possibly be somehow Roman Catholic after all. As a wascally Protestant I don’t see that as worth arguing with Rome about, if that’s the formula they want to use to arrive at Christian comity. When we see some of them, in turn, exercising direct trust in Jesus Christ we don’t call them honorary Protestants, however....
Anyhow, the witness of the bible itself is also a witness of people that everyone in Christendom would call genuine Christians. So in a sense the Roman Catholics could say that Christians who believe in Christ through the bible’s witness are “Roman Catholics” if that’s what the church really was from the word go. It’s funny the egotism that Roman Catholics project on Protestants, though, by assuming that A Pope Is An Inseparable Part Of Christianity and then since Protestants aren’t doing more than affirming the historical Peter to be the first Christian, then They Must Be Their Own Proud Popes. Well there are stuck up Protestants but there are stuck up Roman Catholics too. And I wonder how many of these Roman Catholics are actually familiar with practicing Protestants rather than just viewing them from afar through the wrong end of a telescope?
The same could be said on the other side
Personally, i know born-agains, Lutherans (devout and liberal), Jehovah's Witnesses and some Baptists (mix of devout and liberal) --> and the difference between what they thought I as a Catholic believed in, and what we Catholics DO believe in, was quite different
i'm sure it is the same on the other foot
however, the theme of this article is what I appreciate -- we have differences, there are massive differences between Presbyterians and Catholics, but not as massive a difference between a conservative Presbyterian/Catholic and a liberal one
On the social issue despite our differences we need to be sensible enough to recognize a common enemy -- secularism and Islam. If we stand by while gaylords win over one or the other, we are fools.
I'd rather have an argument with a believing Presybterian than with a liberal, "gay marriage", "pro abortion" Presbyterian (or Catholic for that matter).
Jesus started one church, the Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church is the only part of that Church has stayed steadfast and loyal to the church Christ founded 2,000 years ago. He did not start 35,000 PROTESTants churches. They were all started by mortal men. That is the difference in the Catholic Church and the Ecclesial communities.
“To be deep in history is to cease to be protestant”
~ Cardinal John Henry Newman
Former Protestant, Catholic Convert
Leading Theologian of the 19th Century