To: RoosterRedux
I don't trust the Pope and I don't trust Martin Luther.
I'll add, Heck, I don't even trust myself!"
In the case of the Pope, his infallibility only extends to solemnly proclaimed teachings on Faith and morals intended to be binding on the whole Church. In other areas, he may have authority (Church legislation, laws of Vatican City), mere human expertise on a subject in which he is well-versed (Theology, Philosophy), or regular run of the mill human opinion. The infallibility part is only part of God's promise to St. Peter regarding the Gates of Hell.
The Church is a composite Institution, and is Holy in as much as it is Instituted by Christ, but still full of sinners, often sinning in the name of the Church. Through a continuous line of Bishops going back the Apostles, God Himself has touched every one of them. In part because of my Faith in the Gospel of St. John (chapter 6), I believe God meant for mere men to provide us with His Body and Blood under the form of bread.
Your instinct to test everything is a good one. And while God IS completely accessible, he has decided to place a veil so that we can live by Faith, and the risk is to use accessibility to God to justify ourselves. It is a risk for every man.
122 posted on
09/11/2014 5:44:01 AM PDT by
Dr. Sivana
("If you're litigating against nuns, you've probably done something wrong."-Ted Cruz)
To: Dr. Sivana
Ditto to what you said and double dittos to the “Heck, I don’t even trust myself.”
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