Of course we'll disagree on this Mark, For I see the Reformation as God removing the true believers from the paganism which the leadership within the church had brought in and refused to rid itself of. Big difference between "quitting and splitting".
Big guffaws. You are blaming the Reformation on God? You have a greater sense of humour than I had previously believed.
Had the church done as God required of it then the history may have played out differently. But the reality is the church refused to act on what God clearly stated and thus He acted by raising up those who were willing to do as HE required....unfortunately the leadership continued to resist and so the natural outcome would be the Reformation as it did play out.
You are blaming Joel Osteen and Rick Warren on God?
So we will differ on just exactly what the catholic church is about...and I am convinced it serves Rome and it's leadership for power and authority... and they have nothing to do whatsoever with the true worship of Jesus Christ...at best lip service.
Yes, we will disagree. You confuse the Catholic Church with 'Rome' and until the scales drop from your eyes, you will not understand just what the Church of Jesus Christ actually consists of.
Try not to twist my words to say what you want them to say Mark. You know I didn't say God was to "blame" for the Reformation which implies it was a bad thing. (You know that sort of communication was in the Garden of Eden as well.) The Reformation began because bad men within the church would not comply with God's will for His church
So let me elaborate further... that because the church leadership (man) refused to obey God and instead allowed and encouraged pagan practices within His church, and indulgences with horrible and grotesques tortures by Bishops if the people didn't comply,... God raised up men to speak out against it's practices, ( Martin Luther's 95 propositions against the doctrine of indulgences comes to mind), and with that these words ring true:
"If the work be of God, who shall stop it?... if it be not, who can forward it? ....Not my will, nor theirs, nor ours; but Thy will, O holy Father, which art in heaven.”
You confuse the Catholic Church with 'Rome'
No I most certainly do not Mark....... And since Jesus said..."My kingdom is not of this world" can the authority of a vicar/pope/magesterium extend beyond those of his superior?"...of course not... but the Roman Catholic Magesterium and the Pope would of course and do say otherwise as follows:
"We declare, we proclaim, we define that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff." ...(Pope Boniface VIII, the Bull Unam Sanctam, 1302).
"....The strong and effective instrument of salvation is none other than the Roman Pontificate." ....(Pope Leo XIII, Allocution for the 25th anniversary of his election, February 20, 1903; Papal Teachings: The Church, Benedictine Monks of Solesmes, St. Paul Editions, Boston, 1962, par. 653).
"There is but one universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved." .....(Pope Innocent III, Fourth Lateran Council, 1215.)
You will not understand just 'what' the Church of Jesus Christ actually consists of.
I do most assuredly understand 'WHO' the church of Jesus Christ truly consists of...and that is all those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior..which is not a earthly building or location.
So then yes we will indeed agree to disagree.