Posted on 02/28/2007 6:28:51 PM PST by NYer
Preacher Draws On Work of V.S. Solovyov
VATICAN CITY, FEB. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The Antichrist is the reduction of Christianity to an ideology, instead of a personal encounter with the Savior, says the cardinal directing the retreat which Benedict XVI is attending.
Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, retired archbishop of Bologna, delivered that message during a meditation Tuesday, drawing on the work of Russian philosopher Vladimir Sergeyevich Solovyov.
The cardinal's meditation came during the weeklong Spiritual Exercises being attended by the Pope and members of the Roman Curia. The retreat ends this Saturday. The Holy Father suspended his usual meetings, including the general audience, in these days.
According to Vatican Radio's summary of his preaching, the cardinal explained that "the teaching that the great Russian philosopher left us is that Christianity cannot be reduced to a set of values. At the center of being a Christian is, in fact, the personal encounter with Jesus Christ."
Quoting the work "Three Dialogues on War, Progress and the End of History," Cardinal Biffi told his listeners that "the Antichrist presents himself as pacifist, ecologist and ecumenist."
"He will convoke an ecumenical council and will seek the consensus of all the Christian confessions, granting something to each one. The masses will follow him, with the exception of small groups of Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants," he said.
The cardinal added that Solovyov says in that work: "Days will come in Christianity in which they will try to reduce the salvific event to a mere series of values."
No cross
In his "Tale of the Antichrist" Solovyov foresees that a small group of Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants will resist and will say to the Antichrist: "You give us everything, except what interests us, Jesus Christ."
For Cardinal Biffi, this narrative is a warning: "Today, in fact, we run the risk of having a Christianity which puts aside Jesus with his cross and resurrection."
The 78-year-old cardinal said that if Christians "limited themselves to speaking of shared values they would be more accepted on television programs and in social groups. But in this way, they will have renounced Jesus, the overwhelming reality of the resurrection."
The cardinal said he believes that this is "the danger that Christians face in our days … the Son of God cannot be reduced to a series of good projects sanctioned by the prevailing worldly mentality."
However, "this does not mean a condemnation of values, but their careful discernment. There are absolute values, such as goodness, truth, beauty," Cardinal Biffi said. "Those who perceive and love them, also love Christ, even if they don't know it, because he is Truth, Beauty and Justice."
The preacher of the Spiritual Exercises added that "there are relative values, such as solidarity, love of peace and respect for nature. If these become absolute, uprooting or even opposing the proclamation of the event of salvation, then these values become an instigation to idolatry and obstacles on the way of salvation."
Cardinal Biffi affirmed that "if Christianity -- on opening itself to the world and dialoguing with all -- dilutes the salvific event, it closes itself to a personal relationship with Jesus and places itself on the side of the Antichrist."
Well, yeah, but I don't claim any particular wisdom or insight in not being swayed into following the Antichrist. I don't follow anyone. I'm way too cynical about humans and human run institutions.
I follow Christ as well as it is given to me to understand Him. By definition (mine) that means I also am trying to follow God as Jesus is God's Son and He is also God in the flesh.
And to those, particularly in the Islamic "community," who challenge the whole idea of the trinity and of God having a Son, I like to remind people of Niels Bohr's response to Einstein's famous quote "God doesn't play dice with the universe."
"Who are you to tell God what he can do?"
This sounds a whole lot like what little I know of Rick Warren's "Purpose Drive Life" stuff. Is anyone more familiar with that stuff and can comment on that idea? As I say, I really haven't looked closely at his stuff, just heard him a few times on talk shows.
Oh hi Maeve. I love your locals on Celtic
Woman. :-)
Hi. I.I. Nice, but mistaken.
I agree but the fact is that Rome will be the center of the religious activity of the Tribulation and thus, it would stand to reason that a Pope would lead the spiritual deception.
If what I've been told is correct, the next Pope is supposed to be an evil man. He would be the type to lead the church into destruction. It will be interesting to watch things unfold if this is true. I pray not, but...
If the man is a Pope he is an evil man.
The only question is if he is the last one.
I'm thinking you're really saying any Pope is evil? I don't believe that. But I do believe the next Pope very well could be.
No, you were correct that I was saying that every Pope is evil.
Any man who would lead millions of people into deception and eternal damnation is evil by any definition.
The last Pope will just have more power to deceive with signs and wonders (if in fact the false prophet is a Pope, which he might not be)
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