JUSTIFICATION: "BY FAITH ALONE"?

Eternal Word Television Network ^ | 1995 | James Akin

[trisham]

It was worth a try. It's just not all it was cracked up to be, I guess. :)

[FourtySeven]

Thanks for the ping! It's a good article. I would sadly agree however this is not a "Caucus", rather should be open for discussion.

Caucuses (or is it cauci?), IMO, should be threads where only the faith (or confession as the RM says) in question is discussed. If it isn't then the term "caucus" has no meaning, as defined on the Religion forum.

For example, the daily devotional threads are clearly caucuses. Any devotional thread to our Blessed Mother are clearly caucus. However, even if the term "Protestant" is USED, in relation to Catholicism, it cannot be a caucus, since there is no way to "lock" a thread to only Catholics to respond. In chat, for example, chat rooms can be "locked" with a password, so only people with a password can come in, and thus, any topic in the world could be discussed then, and it'd still be "closed", or a "caucus". But we can't do that here, on FR, or any discussion board for that matter, so the only limiting factor we can have is to simply not mention another faith.

Even by the act of comparison, the door is opened, IOW.

Just my two cents.

[annalex]

I think, and I think the Moderator would agree, that a reference to Protestantism (for example) in itself would not be disqualifying, but when the entire article is based on comparing the Protestant doctrine of Sola Fide with the analogous Catholic doctrine, in fairness, is has to be an open thread.

Besides, why equate open thread with abusive thread? We have examples of quite civil open threads. I posted several open threads myself, and they were not abused in any way:

The Protoevangelium of James
Filioque
Limbo
Indulgences: Spreading the Wealth
Merit
St. Irenaeus on Free Will (Adversus Haereses IV,37)
The Spiritual Exercises: The Incarnation (Second Week First Day)
The Spiritual Exercises: The Nativity
The Spiritual Exercises: AS TO EATING
Man to build Catholics-only town
Why Is the End of the World Inevitable?
On Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition
Communion of Saints

.

[mockingbyrd]

The only thing "dividing" anyone here is Titanites' view that this material makes for a good "Catholic Caucus" thread, and others (mine first and foremost) who say that it isn't "caucus" material.

I find that to be a very divisive statement. There really is no need to point fingers and play the blame game. I, for one, consider the source of such division to be outside this forum.

[Alex Murphy]

I, for one, consider the source of such division to be outside this forum.

What are you saying - that the "Caucus thread" rules were written by someone outside of the Religion Forum and Free Republic?

[mockingbyrd]

No. I am suggesting that Satan loves the division he sees here. While we all here are trying to worship God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we keep turning on one another instead of helping each other worship the One, True God.

There is much to be done in this world, there is much evil to combat. We here could be a great tool of the Lord. Satan recognizes that.

[Running On Empty]

Thanks for this post.

Having the experience of Protestant roots, and entrance into Catholicism, I appreciate what you are saying.

[mockingbyrd]

My pleasure....

[trisham]

I am suggesting that Satan loves the division he sees here. While we all here are trying to worship God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we keep turning on one another instead of helping each other worship the One, True God.

*************

Amen. Thanks, mockingbyrd.

[klossg]

What are your opinions on this James Akin FAITH ALONE thread?

I find that it is the language and meaning of the words in our discussion that puts us on opposite sides of a Sunni/Shiite like social-faith relationship. How a Catholic understands the word FAITH and how a protestant understands the words FAITH, HOPE and CHARITY is the crux of the discussion. I can believe in Faith Alone if it is defined as put forward by the article of that thread?

Anyone for agreement on this? How about mild, violent disagreement? I could live with agreeing on the differences in definitions of the words between us.

[mockingbyrd]

I am with you on the faith alone, I found this to be a great article.

[klossg]

Yes I think this is where we find out who are the men and who are the boys, so to speak. Is your religion about Christ or is there something more complex that would make it divisive.

Mk 9:38-41 "And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward."

[bornacatholic]

I think it is a great effort but I don't think he will succeed anymore than when he tried to make us all see Catholicism through the ideological prism of TULIP.

However, I really do love the man and he is really putting into practice his Christianity.