Pope Affirms Right to Convert Non-Believers to Christianity

Pope Benedict XVI said Saturday that the Roman Catholic Church has the indisputable right and duty to convert anyone to Christianity.

The Church’s central mission is evangelism, the pope firmly told a Vatican body responsible for encouraging Catholic missionary activity, according to Agence France-Presse.

Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Gospels, called on the conversion of “all nations,” Benedict said,” and this commission remains “an obligatory mandate for the entire Church and for every believer in Christ.”

"This apostolic commitment is both a duty and an inalienable right, the very expression of religious freedom with its moral, social and political dimensions," the pontiff said.

Benedict’s address comes two months after he baptized a prominent Muslim author into the Catholic Church during an Easter service that was broadcasted worldwide. The baptism of Egyptian-born, Italian writer Magni Allam infuriated some Muslims who saw the act as an assault on Islam.

But the Vatican had said no hostility was intended in baptizing Allam during a broadcasted Easter ceremony, according to The Associated Press.

While Benedict may assert the right of Christians to convert non-believers to the faith, he has also been ramping up efforts to reach out to moderate Muslims for interfaith dialogues.

The Vatican will host a meeting in Rome with leading Muslim religious leaders and scholars in November to encourage more dialogue between Catholics and Muslims.

Many believe the pope’s increased effort on holding interfaith conversations resulted from Muslim anger towards him after he quoted a 14th century Byzantine emperor who linked Islam with violence in a 2006 speech at Germany’s Regensburg University.

That same year, Benedict traveled to Turkey, visiting Istanbul’s famous Blue Mosque, in an effort to show tolerance of other religions and to demonstrate a spirit of cooperation for peace in light of the rise in Muslim-Christian clashes worldwide.

But Benedict, like his predecessors, remains enthusiastic about promoting missionary zeal among Catholics.

The Vatican published in December a doctrinal note reaffirming the mission of all Catholics to pursue conversion of non-Catholics, including other Christian denominations.

What I find profoundly ironic is that while Catholics love to quote John 6:51-56 in support of their error, they conveniently forget to also cite v. 6:63.

Before we get to 6:63, the verb "eats" of "eats my flesh" in 6:54-58 is not the Greek verb used to denote human eating, but instead the gnawing of animals - why would Jesus go out of the way to emphasize physical eating if He meant merely "spiritual feasting" on His words? Just to confuse or scare away His disciples?

"It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life." John 6:63

This references John 3:6 - "What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit." Peter and the rest remained because they were not afraid of His WORDS - the words were eat my body. It was a command. Yes, they were not afraid of such a command because they recognized the Christ, the "Lamb of God" (John 1:29), and they knew that they must eat the Lamb, as their forefathers did at Passover.

In Luke 22:18, in the very act of instituting the Lord's Supper, Jesus said, "For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come." Jesus clearly says it was "fruit of the vine", and He gave it to them while He was yet living

You're mistaken here. This is part of the Passover celebration - the Jewish ritual required 4 cups of wine. Jesus, as a Jewish Rabbi, ceased the ritual sacrifice with the third cup. Ask a Jew you know what it would mean if they stopped their Passover celebration with only 3 cups - it borders near sacrilege. Jesus' ceasing demonstrates the sacrificial nature of his death - the Passover sacrifice he celebrated was not complete until the Lamb was slain. "It is finished" marks the completion of the Passover celebration.

John 22:19-20 is the institution of the last supper. Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you." Yes, He is giving the Apostles His Body and Blood before He died - this supports my position, since His Sacrifice exists outside time. It is the interplay between Kairos and Chronos. God exists outside of time, as does His sacrifice. The "do this in remembrance of me" is a rough translation - a more proper one is probably "offer this as my memorial offering." The sacrifice of the Lamb is one in perpetuity which we are called to take part of - that is the entire reason for the Mass.

The other major place in the NT besides the Gospels where the Lord's Supper is dealt with is in I Corinthians 11. In this passage, again, Catholics like to pull a verse out of context (in this case v. 26 - "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come."), while ignoring the surrounding context and the lexical analysis. I've seen Catholic apologists point to this verse and argue that the act of "shewing" the Lord's death till He comes means that the act is occurring again and again in the transubstantiated Eucharist. I've seen Catholic apologists point to this verse and argue that the act of "shewing" the Lord's death till He comes means that the act is occurring again and again in the transubstantiated Eucharist. Of course, this is not what "shew" (Gk. kataggelo) means. the words actually means "to proclaim, announce, report, or publish",

The words of the Mass are "when we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus Christ," so I'm not sure where these Catholics you speak of struggle with the translation. But you need also look at 1 Cor. 11:28-29

A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself

The Greek word for "examine" translates better as "test and find true" - part of that examination requires discerning the body of Christ in the Eucharist.

I think the note from December 14 is, with respect to Non-Catholic Christians, is more accurately referring to restoring Unity among all Christians. Just a few days ago, the Karekin II, the Catholicos of the Armenian Church of the East, was in Rome discussing the path to restoring Full Communion with Rome. This is no small miracle when you realize that the Armenian Church split with Rome after the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD. In 1996, the former Leader of the Armenian Church came to Rome and signed a document with Pope John Paul II ending the differences in Christological Doctrine from the Council, or the understanding of that Doctrine by the Armenian CHurch vs. Rome. What you are seeing is the Holy Spirit gradually bring about a restoration of Full Communion between the Catholic CHurch and The Bishop of Rome and the Armenian Eastern Church.

http://www.zenit.org/article-22509?l=english

At the feast of Pentecost, which was Sunday May 11, the Pope also discussed Church Unity again. So, conversion of non-Catholics is not a technical theological term applied to Protestant-Christians who are received into Full Communion with the Catholic CHurhc as the Catholic Church dos “Not re-baptize” Protestant Christians who were baptized into a Protestant Confession using the Trinitarian formula, water, and having an orthodox view of the Trinity as expressed in the Creeds (Apostles and Nicene)

http://www.vatican.va/news_services/or/or_eng/text.html

Cheers

What the Pope exhorts his own to do, Rome has historically denied to others. Of course, as according to her interpretation only her interpretation can be right, and all conclusions reached by those without by reasoning from the Scriptures (Acts 17:2, 11) must be fallible (and thus any decision to trust Rome is also), who can argue? An autocracy can do what it wills. But the Almighty “autocrat” took away it’ s secular power to enforce it’s unBiblical doctrines.

If special civil recognition is given to one religious community in the constitutional organization of the State, the right of all citizens and religious communities to religious freedom must be recognized and respected

Religious communities have the right not to be prevented from publicly teaching and bearing witness to their beliefs by the spoken or written word.- Declaration on Religious Freedom, “Dignitatis Humanae,” December 12, 1965

It is insanity to believe that Freedom of Conscience and Freedom of Worship are the inalienable rights of every citizen. From this foul-smelling fountain of Indifferentism flows the erroneous and absurd opinion — or, rather, MADNESS — that freedom of conscience must be asserted and vindicated for everyone. This most pestilential error opens the door to the complete and immoderate liberty of opinions which works such widespread harm both in Church and State. Pope Gregory XVI

In this age of ours, it is no longer expedient that the Catholic religion be the only religion of the State, to the exclusion of all other cults whatsoever. ERROR CONDEMNED by Ven. Pope Pius IX

That it is against the will of the Spirit to burn heretics [at the stake] is condemned as false. Pope Leo X

Even if my own father were a heretic, I would gather the wood to burn him at the stake. Pope Paul IV

One cannot charge with the sin of separation those at present born into communities separated from full communion with the Catholic Church and, in them, brought up in the faith of Christ; and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers. For, men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church.

..In certain circumstances, it is allowable, indeed desirable, that Catholics join in prayer with their separated brethren.

The special position of the Eastern churches: These churches though separated from us nevertheless possess true Sacraments, whereby they are still joined to us in closest intimacy. Therefore, some worship in common is not merely possible, but is encouraged. - Decree on Ecumenism, “Unitatis Redintegratio,” Nov. 21, 1964

If any clergyman or layman shall go into the synagogue of the Jews or to the meetings of heretics to join in prayer with them, let them be deposed and deprived of Communion. III Council of Constantinople (Ecumenical)

Is it permitted for Catholics to be present at, or take part in, conventions, gatherings, meetings, or societies of non-Catholics which aim to associate together under a single agreement all who in any way lay claim to the name of Christian? In the negative! It is clear, therefore, why this Apostolic See has never allowed its subjects to take part in the assemblies of non-Catholics. There is only one way in which the unity of Christians may be fostered, and that is by furthering the return to the one true Church of Christ of those who are separated from her. Pope Pius XI

(1 Cor 5:12-13) “For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? {13} But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”

(Eph 6:12) “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

(2 Cor 10:3) “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:”

(Acts 17:2) “And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,”

(2 Cor 4:2) “But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”

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