Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: OLD REGGIE
Since you appear to find it necessary to answer for conservenator , perhaps you can elaborate on this statement: "In contrast the Catholic Church is truly universal, professing one faith to all of the world's peoples." Maybe, especially, you can tell me if "profess" is synonymous with "practice".

I freely answer any and al questions posed here about which I have an opinion or feel I can contribute. All are free to do the same.

As for the universality of the Catholic faith in its professing of one faith to all peoples, it should be remembered that the lanugage of the Church remains Latin. All written communications about the faith, beliefs, practices, anything, are written in Latin and the meaning of the Latin is the ruling meaning. By this I mean, if there is ambiguity in what a certain teaching of the Church, or directive from the Church means in English, or Swahili, the Church will go to the original language of Latin and decide what is really meant.

This is one aspect of the universality -- we are all teaching and praying and worshipping from one set of documents, translated into all of th world's tongues, and yet one. There is not a Catechism in Chinese that teaches diferently fom a Catechism in Spanish. They are all based upon, and (ideally) faithfully reflect the one teaching of the one church.

Another aspect of this universality is that the faith was spread to other cultures and peoples "on the ground" with teachers. Christian communities did not spring up in various locales in the world which were later collected under one governance. If this were the case we could expect the local organic growth of conflicting theories, like we see in Protestantism. Rather the faith was spread with local adaptations and focus, but retaining the oneness.

Now is "professing" synonymous with "practicing"? Ideally yes, but not always, or not necessarily. There is always dissent and non-standard practice, but this doesn't mean that there is not a clear defined orthodoxy and practice.

SD

147 posted on 10/11/2001 8:57:40 AM PDT by SoothingDave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 141 | View Replies ]


To: SoothingDave
I freely answer any and al questions posed here about which I have an opinion or feel I can contribute. All are free to do the same.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Dave, I'm sorry if I mislead you on this question. I welcome your replys at all times and I, also, jump in whenever I feel it is appropriate.
------------------------------------------------------------

Now is "professing" synonymous with "practicing"? Ideally yes, but not always, or not necessarily. There is always dissent and non-standard practice, but this doesn't mean that there is not a clear defined orthodoxy and practice.
------------------------------------------------------------

This is "smoke". There are dramatically different beliefs and practices among the laity of the RCC throughout the world. Whether there is a "Book" behind this is irrevelant. If the Church and its' people don't go by this "Book" what is it worth?
174 posted on 10/11/2001 10:51:45 AM PDT by OLD REGGIE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 147 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson