"It is dogma that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. It is dogma that Jesus is True God and True Man. It is dogma that Jesus was crucified, died, was buried, and on the third day, rose again. These are all dogmas of the Catholic Church. Most Christians would say that one must base one's faith and one's life on them."
These are not dogmas but authenicated facts through Scripture and historical documented facts.
"The Church teaches that Sacred Tradition and Scripture are in perfect harmony, when rightly understood, and that one must accept both."
God's Word teaches that if doctrines of the Church conflict with the teachings of Christ and God's word you are to reject the teaching of the Church.
You totally misunderstand the concept of God's grace. Remember you are a Christian first before you are any denomination. Paul said in Ephesians to be swayed around by doctrines was to be immature in your faith.
Ephesians 4: 11-16
"11The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 14We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love."
To get mired in doctrinal controversy only undermines the Holy Spirit's primary work of unifying the Body of Christ and allowing it to reach its full potential.He teaches Christians to be sober and mature minded.
Attached here is Romans Chapter 5 which deals with the concept of grace. Remember doctrines that add to or take away from the truth of God's Word are not truth at all.
Romans 5:
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,a 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,d 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.e 10For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. 12Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— 13sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. 15But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. 16And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 17If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 18Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. 19For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21so that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Dear DarthVader,
"These are not dogmas but authenicated facts through Scripture and historical documented facts."
They most certainly are dogmas. They are dogmas that are supported by Scripture, but they are nonetheless dogmas. In fact, that they are dogmas in part because they are so readily accessible through Scripture.
Yet, not everyone who claims to be a Christian believes in all of these dogmas.
"God's Word teaches that if doctrines of the Church conflict with the teachings of Christ and God's word you are to reject the teaching of the Church."
I don't remember that in my Bible. In my Bible, the Church is called the pillar and foundation of truth. I'm unclear just how the pillar and foundation of truth could be in conflict with the truth.
"You totally misunderstand the concept of God's grace. Remember you are a Christian first before you are any denomination. Paul said in Ephesians to be swayed around by doctrines was to be immature in your faith."
Well, actually, no, not quite. In becoming a Christian at Baptism, I also became, at the same moment, a member of the Body of Christ, the Church. I was not a Christian before I was a member of the Church.
For Catholics, we believe that the Body of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is not a "denomination," it is the Body of Christ. We recognize that there are those who are outside the visible Church who are nonetheless joined to the Body of Christ, but even here, we recognize that they enjoy some partial membership with the Catholic Church.
Thus, there is no difference between being a Christian and being a member of the Catholic Church, even if imperfectly.
"To get mired in doctrinal controversy only undermines the Holy Spirit's primary work of unifying the Body of Christ and allowing it to reach its full potential.He teaches Christians to be sober and mature minded."
Are you referring to the question of the nature of God vis-a-vis the doctrine of the Trinity? Do you think that it is "getting mired in doctrinal controversy" to believe that the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity is true, and that things like Arianism or modalism are untrue, and worse, dangerous heresies to be avoided?
"Attached here is Romans Chapter 5 which deals with the concept of grace. Remember doctrines that add to or take away from the truth of God's Word are not truth at all."
Thanks. However, Catholic teaching is that no Catholic dogma or doctrine adds to or takes way from the truth of God's Word. It isn't permitted for Catholics to believe that. To believe that is to embrace some of the fundamental precepts of Protestantism as true.
I understand if you disagree. I'm not asking for your agreement, and I'm not really even trying to persuade you to agree. But you said that you're a Catholic. I'm only trying to point out that to the degree that you believe these things, you are believing things that vitiate Catholicism.
sitetest