Posted on 07/20/2007 8:52:53 AM PDT by Between the Lines
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Instead of taking offense at a recent Vatican statement reasserting the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, evangelicals should seize the chance to respond with equal candor that “any church defined by the claims of the papacy is no true church,” according to a prominent Southern Baptist leader.
The Rev. R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote on his blog that he appreciated the document’s clarity in voicing a key distinction between Catholics and Protestants over papal authority.
He said those differences are often forgotten “in this era of confusion and theological laxity.”
“We should together realize and admit that this is an issue worthy of division,” Mohler wrote.
“The Roman Catholic Church is willing to go so far as to assert that any church that denies the papacy is no true church. Evangelicals should be equally candid in asserting that any church defined by the claims of the papacy is no true church.
“This is not a theological game for children, it is the honest recognition of the importance of the question.”
This month, the Vatican released a document restating the contention that the Roman Catholicism is the one, true path to salvation. Other Christian communities are either defective or not true churches, the document said, restating the views of a 2000 document.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which Pope Benedict XVI headed before becoming pope, said it issued the new document because some contemporary theological interpretations of the Second Vatican Council’s ecumenical intent had been “erroneous or ambiguous” and had prompted confusion and doubt.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
The pope has no say so or influence in mine or anyone else’s salvation nor does any man. Reciting endless liturgies will not secure my place in heaven.
Different strokes for different folks, but I cannot pray to anyone except God in the name of his Son. The whole sainthood thing is just not right in my reading of the Bible.
Only accepting the Lord and attempting to live by his will will get me in the gate.
The Roman Catholic Church acts just like the Pharisee’s and the Sanhedren ...
Can I get an Amen here?
I'm a Catholic and I agree. I'm trying hard to think of a Catholic who thinks that reciting endless liturgies will secure a place in heaven. Can you think of one?
I declare this post to be in violation of Irving's Law.
-A8
Very good response by the Southern Baptist!!!
Amen!
I don't want to wish ill on others, but I have no desire to be forced to accept bad theology, such as the claims of the RCC that they are the "one true church" or that "the pope is the direct representative of Christ on Earth". It really is a blessing when their leader makes these claims because it makes the divisions among us clear.
Then why do you do them? Albeit every denomination has “processes” but why do you let them eat up so much of the time that could be spent on the Bible, praying, or witnessing.
I am just curious, not bashing unless you infer that me not being Catholic and truly not understanding the hold the Vatican has one you all is bashing.
Essentially what the Church had in mind. To state the differences without wishy-washy diplomacy speak.
I agree.
I think it's interesting that among other Christian groups we don't see this claim of exclusivity.
I would have thought that you could have extrapolated that by accepting I mean receiving Gods grace via his Son as it says in John 14:6 (KJV), Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. It also says one must receive the Lord to receive everlasting life in many other places.
I believe that mandates an acceptance of some sort, correct?
There are some that do.
Whom?
where as the protestants prefer to emulate the gnostics
i think what’s interesting there is that they trivialize Christ teachings and their own faith by accepting disenting views as equally valid.
There was a time when the Vatican’s soldiers would have hauled this man off and burned him at the stake. There are some on this forum who long for those days.
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