Who's "we," and what "biblical form of Christianity" are you talking about?
Lots of anti-Catholic invective on this thread, and very little effort expended in actually coming to grips with the point of this thoughtful article from a thoughtful website.
So I have a question for you. Suppose, tomorrow morning, Pope Benedict woke up, slapped his forehead, and said, "Ach! I really AM ze Antichrist!" An announcement is made, to the effect that not joining the Reformation was a big mistake, and all Catholic churches, and presumably all Catholics, after a suitable period of transition, will be joining the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Of course that implies signing up to all doctrinal aspects of the OPC faith.
So here's my question. Do you think the Wisconsin Evangelical Synod Lutherans (as sternly conservative and rooted in the 16th C. group of Lutherans as OPC'ers are sternly conservative Calvinists) will join, also?
How about any of the really hardcore, violently anti-Catholic, "fundamental independent Baptist" churches? (You know, the folks who say they aren't Protestants, they're Baptists?) Will they join up with the now 1.2 billion strong OPC?
What about the conservative wing of the Mennonites and the other continental Anabaptist groups? Nobody can accuse them of liberalism, cultural, religious, or otherwise. Will they join?
Now do the same experiment with Rome joining the WELS instead of the OPC, and ask yourself if the OPC would join. For that matter, would even the LCMS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, also a sternly conservative Lutheran Church) join?
Notice I haven't even bothered to consider the über-liberal Protestant groups like the PCUSA, the ELCA, or Episcopalians.
Suppose Pope Benedict woke up tomorrow and said, “The Eucharist is NOT what we have been proclaiming. The Scriptures are correct. There was ONE OFFERING, ONE TIME, FOR ALL. We ARE saved by grace through faith. It is NOT of works, lest any man could boast. I am NOT infallible. Obviously. I shall make the truth known today and apologize to those who have been right all along. Beginning with God and His Word.” What would the “faithful” do about this?
Lots of anti-Catholic invective on this thread,
So here's my question. Do you think the Wisconsin Evangelical Synod Lutherans (as sternly conservative and rooted in the 16th C. group of Lutherans as OPC'ers are sternly conservative Calvinists) will join, also?
How about any of the really hardcore, violently anti-Catholic, "fundamental independent Baptist" churches? (You know, the folks who say they aren't Protestants, they're Baptists?) Will they join up with the now 1.2 billion strong OPC?
What about the conservative wing of the Mennonites and the other continental Anabaptist groups? Nobody can accuse them of liberalism, cultural, religious, or otherwise. Will they join?
Now do the same experiment with Rome joining the WELS instead of the OPC, and ask yourself if the OPC would join. For that matter, would even the LCMS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, also a sternly conservative Lutheran Church) join?
Notice I haven't even bothered to consider the über-liberal Protestant groups like the PCUSA, the ELCA, or Episcopalians."
The leftover tendencies of Rome have you captivie, my FRiend. Join the same group that Paul joined.
Bwahahahaha! Post a Protestant-baiting thread on a site that is majority protestant and what do you expect, reasoned dialogue? Come on.
Several responses to your post, not one straight answer. Of course you know as well as they do that the answer ABC, Anything But Catholic. Because you know that the OPC and the Freewill Baptists share exactly the same beliefs, except for a common understanding of grace and really, who needs grace?