[Revolting cat!]

Excallent article!

[EarthBound]

Great post here Alex, a lot of insight into both sides of the Christian coin.

[Smogger]

bump.

insightful.

[Resolute Conservative]

“In fact, it’s likely that Jimbo will give him the sandwich because he is concerned for the tramp’s soul and wants to share the gospel with him and make sure he is saved.”

Not shared by all Baptists. Most of us would give him a sandwich because he IS HUNGRY and take the opportunity to witness, big difference in what he said.

I wonder if “Jimbo” is his real name or this is a vain attempt at degrading Jim by making light of his name because of his belief. Hmmm.....

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Good Read.

Alex, thanks for posting.

[NYer]

Great article!

Conversion Story - Fr. Dwight Longenecker

[marshmallow]

Furthermore, in the culture wars in which we are now engaged, Catholics and Protestants need to be allies.

I used to think that we could all pull together against a common enemy, too.

This presumes of course, that both Catholics and Protestants regard godless secularism as a greater threat to the common good than they do each other.

After a few years on the FR religion forum, however, I'm afraid I've lost my innocence and I'm no longer sure that this is the case.

[Grunthor]

Very good read, thank you for posting this.

[the invisib1e hand]

Jimbo's hip, friendly, and fun to be with

Could the missing ingredient be suffering?

[HarleyD]

From my quick read, I think Dr. E might have touched upon what I see as an error in this article. The author states:

For Catholics, this way of understanding the world, God, the cosmos, and everything is rich and multilayered. The Church is not only a symbol of the Body of Christ -- it is the Body of Christ....The Catholic imagination and the Catholic soul are nurtured in a multitude of different sacraments, sacramentals, signs, and symbols. As a result, all physical things are part of God's plan of salvation. ... In contrast, my nephew-in-law Jimbo, as a good Baptist, shares a radically different perspective on the whole shooting match. Jimbo, like every Protestant, has grown up within a basic religious paradigm that is more systematic....He says Protestant theologians, rather than seeing how physical things and human culture connect us to God, emphasize the radical separation between God and the physical world. The Protestant focuses primarily on man's alienation from God, the fact of sin, the need for redemption, and the need for man's response.

While I would agree this may be the way most Protestants see the world today, it only belie their poor teaching. For Protestants everything in the world is corrupted to some extent EXCEPT the word of God. The scriptures are the focal point through which one can fully understand God. There may be room for discussion on the holiness of sacraments such as the Lord's Supper and baptism but that is about it.

Contrast this with the author's assertion of the Catholic view that one can have all sorts of dfferent things and you can readily see the problem. Candles, beads, water, are all corrupt means through understanding God. Signs and symbols are meant to draw people away from God, not to Him. Only His word is given to draw us to Him.

Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Psa 19:8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.
Psa 19:10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Psa 19:11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.
Psa 19:12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.

The word of God is perfect, it restores the soul, it makes us wise, it brings us joy, it enlightens us, helps us to fear the Lord, and it helps us to understand the nature of God. No candles or holy water will do such a thing.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Perhaps this "everything as symbol" explains the understanding of the Bible as spiritual allegory rather than factual history.

Orthodox Judaism has had its own "physical sacraments" for over 3300 years without reducing the Torah to mythology. Hmm.

[epow]

Therefore the fundamental differences between Catholicism and Protestantism are not doctrinal or ethical.

I disagree with the part about doctrine. I am an independent Baptist and I have worked with Catholics, lived in the same house with Catholics, and demonstrated against abortion on the same protest lines with Catholics. And whenever we have discussed doctrinal issues it has quickly become evident that although we hold the same basic Christian ethical and moral standards, we have two very different doctrines regarding how a person is saved from eternal damnation and made an eternally secure member of Christ's body.

My conversations with Catholics on that subject have convinced me that Catholic salvation doctrine, at least as understood by those who I talked with, is basically salvation through good works, ideally beginning at baptism as an infant and progressing to final fruition by works of charity, righteousness, and obedience to Church doctrine and dogma throughout life. OTOH, protestant salvation doctrine encompasses both sola fide and sola gratia i.e., unearned and unmerited salvation imparted to the believer by grace through faith alone. The salvation doctrine of many protestant denominations, especially Baptist, is also closely associated with the doctrine of eternal security of the believer, IOW once saved always saved, while other protestants don't accept it.

IMHO most of the the other doctrinal differences between the two major branches of Christianity (except probably Sola Scriptura) can be dealt with to at least some degree of mutual satisfaction without either side saying or implying that the other does not represent authentic Christianity. But the plan of salvation is so critically important, and there is such a wide gulf between the two views of the most fundamental and important doctrine of all that I don't believe that there can ever be a reconciliation of the two doctrines without one side or the other admitting it's error and accepting the doctrine of the other, and I can't imagine that happening.

[narses]

+

Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:

Add me / Remove me

Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.

Therefore the fundamental differences between Catholicism and Protestantism are not doctrinal or ethical.

Except it is. Most protties accept divorce, artificial contraception, women in the pulpit and a host of other doctrinal errors.

[Ciexyz]

Faith sharing bump.

[TradicalRC]

Interesting article. The author is straightforward about who he is and strives to give certain objective observations about the different faith traditions. It is a bit sweeping but he does seem to grasp some fundamental zeitgeist within the theologies.
What did you think?