Pope Francis: The Devil Works To Divide Christians

Breitbart.com ^ | October 9, 2014 | Thomas D. Williams, PH.D

[Biggirl]

Divisions among Christians “hurt the Church and they wound Christ,” Pope Francis said to tens of thousands of visitors gathered in Saint Peter’s Square Wednesday morning. During her journey through history, “the Church is tempted by the devil who tries to divide it,” the Pope said, and unfortunately, “she has been marred by serious and painful divisions.”

[Sacajaweau]

Heck....Our government works to divide Christians....homo marriages, abortion...and Obama promotes it every chance he gets.

[fwdude]

The pope forgets that sometimes division IS BIBLICALLY MANDATED. But what else can you expect from a church that bases doctrine on the popular tradition of the day and not on solid scripture?

[Biggirl]

Yet in Acts Chapter 2, you do NEED that UNITY as Christian believers in order to get the good news of the GOSPEL out.

[cripplecreek]

People who work to divide Christians should be shunned.

[defconw]

Only got to post 3 before his point was made. There are none so blind as those who will not see.

I am giving this forum one more presidential election then I am done with politics. Sick of it.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

and not on solid scripture?

Which Scriptures? Catholic? Protestant? Orthodox? Does the Bible tell us?

Did the BIble tell Luther to remove books from the Bible?

[defconw]

Doesn't matter for THEY are the way the truth and the light. You and I are just ignorant idol worshipers. ;)

[Roman_War_Criminal]

Christians will always be divided no matter what. How many sects are there really? Hundreds? How many Christians in name only? Millions?

The REAL definition of the “Church” is those who belong to Christ by way of John 14:6 & Romans 10:9-10...not some human made up organization or a building.

[Jim Noble]

Was Christ’’s last prayer before he went to the cross for division? In Mark 9:38, what did he tell his disciples NOT to do?

[Biggirl]

AMEN.

While you are right that the Christian faith is based on having relationship with Christ, do not also forget that we CANNOT neglect the need to meet in assembly as well:

1st John 1:7, Acts 2:42, and Hebrews 10:25, which all stress the importance of being with other believers in the Lord Jesus.

[Biggirl]

John 17 is devoted to the prayer of Jesus for the unity of those who follow Him.

[Biggirl]

Consider the Christian community like a giant family tree.

[fwdude]

Unity at the cost of theology was never Christ’s goal.

Hearing the Pope talk, it’s apparent that he thinks the remedy for our division is for everyone to convert to Roman Catholicism. Suggest that he convert to Evangelical Protestantism, and you will see a staunch case for disunity from this hypocrite.

[CynicalBear]

>>Which Scriptures? Catholic? Protestant? Orthodox? Does the Bible tell us?<<

If we use the original Hebrew and Greek we quickly discard the Catholic.

[Salvation]

**Divisions among Christians “hurt the Church and they wound Christ,” Pope Francis said **

Amen.....certainly true here.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

Amen!

[Jim Noble]

Pope Francis actually IS an evangelical Protestant.

[MrB]

Doesn’t Frank fall on the side of “popular tradition of the day”?

That’s where the “division” occurs, because the Scripture doesn’t change.

[piusv]

Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our catechesis on the Church, we now consider our fellow Christians who belong to other confessions or traditions. Divisions between Christ's followers are clearly contrary to his will, as expressed in his prayer to the Father that all might be one, so that the world might believe (cf. Jn 17:21). Christ desires us to be united in his love and in communion with one another; yet throughout history the Church has experienced temptations against this unity, leading to tragic divisions. We must not be resigned to these divisions, but must join our prayer to that of Jesus in imploring among all his followers constant openness to dialogue and appreciation of the gifts of others. In loving the Lord and sharing the riches of his love, we will better see what unites us rather than what separates us. By dwelling in the truth, and practicing forgiveness and charity, we will be ever more conformed to Christ's will, reconciled with one another, and led closer to the goal of full unity which he wills for all his disciples. - Francis, 10/8/14

In contrast with:

And here it seems opportune to expound and to refute a certain false opinion, on which this whole question, as well as that complex movement by which non-Catholics seek to bring about the union of the Christian churches depends. For authors who favor this view are accustomed, times almost without number, to bring forward these words of Christ: "That they all may be one.... And there shall be one fold and one shepherd,"[14] with this signification however: that Christ Jesus merely expressed a desire and prayer, which still lacks its fulfillment. - Pope Pius XI, Mortalium Animos, 1/6/28

The first statement is not a Catholic one.