Methodists to Reinstate Defrocked Minister

Associated Press ^ | Friday, Apr. 29, 2005 - 11:51 AM | FOSTER KLUG Associated Press Writer

[Rytwyng]

.the Papal Bull of Adrian the 4th ...which authorized the English conquest of Ireland?

I don't have much problem with that one. Were it not for this most felicitous event, Ireland would never have known the young British priest known as Patricius (St. Patrick), our Patron Saint and evangelist.

Your timing is off. Saint Patrick lived in the late 300s/early 400's. Adrian's Bull was issued in 1154 or 1155. Ireland was already a thoroughly Christian nation long before the Bull.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Hardly celebrated, but be happy in your church and I will be happy in mine.

[longtermmemmory]

The "young" denominations are lost.

What happened did some of the original pannel resign and the new pannel take over?

[agrace]

ping

[Mark in the Old South]

Friend you are the one who implied the Catholic Church did so. No point getting technical now that you are being called on it.

You make your little smear then object when the error is pointed out to you? Unbelievable! I will make a prediction right now. The official policy against Homosexuality will be intact in the Catholic Church long after the UMC has started approving of child molesters and chicken sacrifices.

[irish_links]

"..One other question, how do you explain the apparent worship of Saints.."

The concept of sainthood in the Catholic Church is as follows: saints are men who lived Christ-like lives, who embodied the teachings of Christ, who were in God and God was in them. We believe that they are in heaven with God now and have a special intimate knowledge of the divine.

We do not worship saints, we revere them (a special type of love, devotion and respect), for they have lived the lives that we wish to live. We also believe that they may intercede with God on our behalf. That is to day, they have the ability to pray with us to God with respect to our petitions to Him, adding to the love that is inspired by those prayers if they are for the right things.

We revere St. Mary above all the other saints, for she lived the most Christ-like life of any human being: she was chosen by the Holy Spirit to be the Mother of God and is without sin, either original or by commission. Because she has such a special relationship with Christ and loves us and the Church as only a mother can, many have a special devotion (reverent love) for her. Pope John Paul II was most devoted to her, for example.

[B Knotts]

Generally, a baptized Christian wishing to enter the Catholic Church would go through the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults). Usually, this starts in the fall, and runs up until Easter, when one would receive First Communion and Confirmation, if one chooses to enter the Church. RCIA, in addition to its preparatory function, can be merely an inquiry to determine if one really wishes to enter. There's no obligation to do so.

The tricky thing, in the U.S. at least, is finding a good parish, where RCIA will be taught by faithful Catholics. The best advice would be to find a Catholic FReeper in your area who can make a recommendation.

I feel for the Methodists; I know there are many who are trying to do their best to keep to the Word of God (my dad is Methodist). There is a struggle between orthodoxy and "progressivism," along similar lines in most every church and/or denomination.

[One Proud Dad]

"I'm not certain what line of thought you are following with regard to ecclesiastical officials and bishop members of the College of Cardinals. It may be a variation of the "catholics worship Mary and the Saints" canard. I don't know."

I heard that all the Cardinals had to line up and swear allegiance to him before his first mass. Of course I picture a King Arthur thing kissing of the ring and all...

[Luna]

Jesus preached about justice and inclusiveness?

Excellent point. They have to create a "tolerant" Jesus that accepts their choices, otherwise they won't be able to reconcile their behavior with the true teachings of Jesus. Just another way people rationalize their deviant behavior.

[One Proud Dad]

Thank you for you answers.

My wife too has been asking the same type stuff. Our small southern Methodist Church is fairly conservative and traditional, but I don't like what I am seeing in the main body of the organization.

[TontoKowalski]

I heard that all the Cardinals had to line up and swear allegiance to him before his first mass.

I'm not a Catholic, but isn't the Pope a political leader as well as a religious one. He is the head of a sovereign nation, Vatican City, isn't he?

As such, allegiance from one's "deputies" is expected, I would think.

[MEGoody]

"The United Methodist Church reversed itself Friday, deciding to reinstate a lesbian minister who was defrocked after revealing her relationship with another woman."

The liberalization of the UM church is why hubby and I left it.

[MonroeDNA]

Let me guess: Fat, with short hair.

[TontoKowalski]

You're in a tough spot. We left the UMC about three years ago. It was a tough thing to do... I loved those people, and I was especially close to our pastor.

When I found out that our conservative congregation was expected to fund a portion of a gay retreat, it was the last straw.

[AppyPappy]

The official policy against Homosexuality will be intact in the Catholic Church long after the UMC has started approving of child molesters and chicken sacrifices.

The unofficial policy seems to be the problem.

[MEGoody]

"But it is in no way a national policy of the Methodist church."

True, not on paper. But this proves that in practicality, the UM church has a 'policy' of allowing homosexual ministers.

[One Proud Dad]

Ah, a good point.

[Mark in the Old South]

Re: "The unofficial policy seems to be the problem."

No doubt, alas that is a sword that cuts across all denominations. But right now the worse are the Episcopalians, Presbyterian USA and UNC. You do not see the Catholic Church "considering" this kind of thing but you do in the UMC. That is a big big difference. IF they will consider it they will approve it. The fact it is in committee should concern you. Unless you plan on sleeping through all this until UMC is where the Episcopalians are. I used to be Episcopalian and figured the fight in committees would go on for years more. WRONG. The only reason it isn't policy is they are afraid YOU will cut and run. They want to boil that frog nice and slow.

Gay priests are a problem but the child molestation problem in the Catholic pales besides other groups with a public trust. There are more such cases in the Texas public school system than in the Catholic Church in this country. Not that this makes it okay but sinners have been going into ministry for a long time. It is an old fight and will continue to be so.

[irish_links]

OPD:

I appreciate your interest. Battles between orthodoxy and heterodoxy (let's call it what it is, heresy) seem common to all the established U.S. Christian denominations. Certainly the Roman Catholic Church is no exception to the rule. And, as the scandals that have rocked it reveal, it is made up of very fallable individuals, indeed.

Why then be Catholic? It's a difficult question. What the Church offers that other don't is access to the holy sacraments and to teachings that make the bold claim to the one and undilluted Truth, as emodiend of the ancient deposit of faith. It's pretty inspiring once you explore it.

Catholic orthodoxy is not everyone's cup of tea, obviously. But it may be worth a try if you find yourself drawn to it.

Good luck in your journey

Irish_Links

[One Proud Dad]

I agree, the woes of the Catholic Church just grab headlines and any attempt to bash a Christian organization is foremost on the medias' agenda rather than report on all of the pedophile cases in the nations school systems over a year.