The Perils of Ecumenical Straight-Talk

NOR ^ | May 2015 | David Mills

[NRx]

The attempt to describe to a conservative Protestant the differences between the Catholic Church and his tradition usually ends in one of two ways: He will be your good friend or your enemy. He can become your enemy even when he has asked you to explain the differences, and even when you’re careful to ring your description with declarations of the respect and admiration you feel for conservative Protestants. In only a few cases, in my experience, will he respond neutrally, in a way that leaves your relationship unchanged. It’s not easy to predict who will react which way. I’ve found that in almost as many cases the polemicist will remain friendly and the nice guy will get angry. The relation improves in about four cases out of ten, and declines in six, though some people may be better at these discussions than I am and make friends with a higher percentage of the people with whom they talk. What one might call the apostolate of ecumenical clarification is a risky enterprise.

[ealgeone]

Show in the Word the immaculate conception without resorting to allegory. And please, don't reference Luke as the catholic encyclopedia online has already said the IC is not found in Scripture. Don't reference the ECFs as they are not unanimous in their position on this.

What does that leave you? Nothing

This is why we Christians reject roman catholic appeals to tradition.

[RnMomof7]

Deuteronomy 22:10
Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together.

2 Corth 614Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?…

Ephesians 5:11
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

[sitetest]

I think that some folks missed the point. But thanks, good article. It tracks with my own experience. Four in ten? Not a bad batting average.

[redgolum]

From personal experience, I can have a great debate with those who know their faith and can answer “why”. The ones who have never really thought to deeply about what they believe and why get very offended when challenged.

I have many “real life” friends who love to argue religion with me. I have some I can’t talk about it without them getting the feeling they are being attacked.