United by what we share in common. With the Orthodox churches we theologically have the most in common; then such bodies as the Anglo-Catholics and Lutherans; then the Reformed churches. Let us say the confessional churches, which might include the Methodists. Then such bodies as the members of the Southern Baptist Convention, which might not recite the Apostle’s Creed, but accepts most of its tenants. Then Pentacostals of every stripe. Then liberal Protestant bodies of every denomination. With evangelicals of ever kind there is a great overlap, but most in the notion that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God., which faith is expressed in the Nicene Creed in the term “consubtantial,” which is no more than a one-word, philosophical expression of that dogma.
RE: RE: Then such bodies as the members of the Southern Baptist Convention, which might not recite the Apostle’s Creed, but accepts most of its tenants.
I have news for you. Some Southern Baptist churches DO recite the Apostle’s Creed. And even when in their worship services, some don’t, they ACCEPT ALL OF IT. I don’t understand where the use of the words “most of it” comes from.
By the word “most”, c an you clarify which one of the tenets of the Apostle’s Creed ( and even the Nicene Creed ) they do not accept?
I should know, I’ve been to many of their worship services and spoken to many of their pastors.
I’ve even had the chance to speak to one of their ( now deceased ) leaders, Rev. Adrian Rogers.
There is only one tenet that they might disagree with with the Roman Catholic Church — the word “catholic”.
Roman Catholics understand it as THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH with the Pope at the head.
The non-Catholics understand it to mean the universal church (the body of Christ) that will exist from the time it was founded until Jesus returns. Members of this church are all who have by Grace through faith in Jesus Christ, believed in Him and accepted Him as Lord and Savior REGARDLESS of whether they are members of the Roman Catholic church or not.
But going back to the original discussion...
Vatican I states thusly:
Therefore, if anyone says that it is not by the institution of Christ the Lord himself (that is to say, by divine law) that blessed Peter should have perpetual successors in the primacy over the whole Church; or that the Roman Pontiff is not the successor of blessed Peter in this primacy: let him be anathema.
You are saying that Roman Catholics can be united with those who are anathema by virtue of what you share in common?
I find this to be most strange. How can you be united and at the same time anathema?
The heretic Arius shared many tenets of the Christian faith with the Orthodox Christians at that time, EXCEPT for his denial of the deity of Christ. He was ANATHEMA and condemned as a heretic. There was no talk of being united by what was shared in common.