Posted on 12/14/2011 10:41:59 AM PST by Alex Murphy
Amid the hubbub surrounding the Gingrich surge, this is one question that has perplexed commentators of all religious and political persuasions. There’s no consensus about where to find the Catholic in Newt.
At this point, the question is not where it is exactly, but where to begin looking.
So, let’s review speculation about the Catholicity of Newt Gingrich. I’ll also advance my own hypothesis and give it a professorial flourish by using a suitably big word.
Hypothesis number one: The new Catholic Newt is simply being American.
Playfully characterizing Gingrich as a “religious flip-flopper” draws attention to how Gingrich, like many other Americans, has seemingly changed his religion to suit prevailing fashion. Perhaps there’s also an ironic part to this interpretation in that Gingrich has supposedly made use of the religious market place to embrace a religion that would take umbrage if treated as a “commodity.”
It might be reasonable enough to see Gingrich’s Catholicity as a kind of epiphenomenon reflecting American cultural propensities--after all, Newt is indeed American. But conversion as “flip-flop” seems to preclude understanding conversion as a turn toward something; it’s not just a lurching back and forth from one view to another. It also makes the Catholic in Newt hard to locate.
Hypothesis number two: Professor Newton Leroy Gingrich has recognized Catholicism’s intellectual appeal.
Reading oneself into Catholicism has a long and venerable history. For some generations, it was Karl Adam’s The Spirit of Catholicism or Ronald Knox’s The Belief of Catholics that opened up a new intellectual vista. For later generations, it was Thomas Merton’s The Seven Storey Mountain or Malcolm Muggeridge’s Something Beautiful for God that made Catholic spirituality accessible and real.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The Nicene Creed has that one line about one holy catholic and apostolic church, and the definitions of what those terms mean is where we differ, and probably will continue to differ. At the same time, there are other mysteries that the Lord will make clear one day, and are not worth endless disputations for which we must give account on that Day. His sheep know His voice.
“The term *heretic* comes to mind for starters.”
My personal favorite was when a FR Catholic called me “anaethema”. That was a first!
Well, since the Pharisees called Jesus demon possessed, a glutton, and a drunkard, I figure we’re just keeping good company.
That’s a good way to look at it...
The “glutton” one seems funny to me since Jesus is always pictured as this waifish guy who has zero percent body fat, I guess because he was always walking the countryside. How funny would it be if, when we get to see him, it turns out he is “husky”?
Hypothesis number five: he married a Catholic girl (wife #3).
Well, I’ll tell you. I think He had to be what is referred to as *ripped* these days.
We’re talking a carpenter here. And He sure had the wherewithal to make a whip of cords and drive the money changers out of the Temple and overturn their tables. I can just imagine how that played out.
Those guys would not have left their money unless they felt threatened.
I wish I could have seen that one.
No, not a wimp.
Prove it
I have non-Catholic friends. I am not a bigot.
How can you put ALL Catholics in one bucket?
That would be like saying ALL _______________let’s say policeman__________watch for women drivers, so they can confront a woman.
Or you fill in the blanks with an occupation and an assertion/allegation.
Ascribing intent would also be mind reading, attributing motive. Some posters frequently take affronts personally - which is either thin-skin or belief, i.e. “insults to my religion or religious figures are insults to me, personally” - neither are compatible with town square debate.
Good for you, now why does the Presbo cult of yours state that the kids born into it are automatically part of the elite Brahmin caste?
Prove it? Read how the Opers are making steps to deny the Trinity as not fitting in thet OP mindset. Go do your own homework.
That is a simple definition to call any group that breaks away from established beliefs and quite correct to call in many cases.
it is NOT the same as someone proclaiming that Newt is unsaved because he is Catholic. What authority does anyone have to claim that?
or The Christian churches and their faithful will be forced to make a choice between standing on their religious principles and speaking their true views, thus becoming persona non grata and facing increasing legal penalties, or abandon some of the core tenets in their faith with are anathema to marxism, thus diluting their ability to be an effective method of societal innoculation. --
normally it is not used about a person, because though an adjective it isn't personal to my mind, so it was an incorrect usage if used to describe a person like you, whether or not you are dedicated to evil :)
I agree — but that example I gave looked like a blatant attempt at pushing someone to do that especially when it was not directed to a person
Some with control issues need an audience, and need the "you go girl" support of a crowd.
You’ve got that right.
It's been pretty obvious on these threads that heretic = damned in Catholic thinking and according to official Council of Trent declarations. You know, all those *anathemas* decreed for not agreeing with them?
it is NOT the same as someone proclaiming that Newt is unsaved because he is Catholic. What authority does anyone have to claim that?
Who said Newt was unsaved because he was Catholic?
So what kind of a catholic is newt ?An unsaved one like most of the others going to church with him ..
33 posted on Wednesday, December 14, 2011 1:49:26 PM by RnMomof7
33 posted on Wednesday, December 14, 2011 1:49:26 PM by RnMomof7
Just wow. Try reading comprehension lessons.
RnMom did NOT say he was unsaved BECAUSE he was Catholic.
Try reading again noting this.....
An unsaved one like most of the others going to church with him.
Not BECAUSE of being Catholic. Making an observation is not saying that they are unsaved BECAUSE they have a certain religious affiliation.
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