Replies

There is the Roman Catholic Church of over 2000 years founded by Christ on the Rock of Peter and it contains a coherent Catechism informed by scripture, traditions, and divine revelation.

All the other brands of Christianity as heretical beliefs as does 35, 000 of them that spring up like wild mushrooms that later wither and die. This goes to the Jeremiah Wrights, Al Sharptons, Jesse Jacksons, Bishop Jakes, Billy Grahams, Joel Osteens, Rev Moon, Jimmy Swaggarts, Jim Jones’, David Koreshs, and right down to the corner street First Utilitarian Church, Mormons, Scientologists, or whatever. These are the evil heresies spawned by the Reformation and filth of Henry VIII. Everything evolves. Or as Chesterton put it, he who believes in everything believes in nothing.

The Reformation was the best thing that ever happened to the Catholic Church. Before Jan Hus and Martin Luther, the church was overly obsessed with control of the government and had some pretty bad Popes and leadership as a consequence.

Afterward, it concentrated on spiritual matters, became tolerant and a force for good, including beating back the Muslim hordes who decided to re invade Europe where John Calvin and his gang became more interested in eradicating the perceived heresies than saving Christianity from a far greater threat.

All the other brands of Christianity as heretical beliefs as does 35, 000 of them that spring up like wild mushrooms that later wither and die.

As a Protestant with a doctorate in theology from a Jesuit university, I have a great deal of respect for your point of view. However, you do yourself no favor by lumping together the likes of Jeremiah Wright, Mormons, and Scientologists with an almost universally revered figure such as Billy Graham.

Unlike Jimmy Swaggart and his ilk, there was never a hint of scandal surrounding Graham, who lived a modest lifestyle and was responsible for leading many to Christ over a long and honorable career as an evangelist.

You might be interested to learn that Billy Graham reached out to the Catholic Churches in the cities where he held his crusades, and was roundly criticized by strict fundamentalists for having Catholic priests on his platform along with ministers of other denominations.

I believe that the Catholic understanding of "separated brethren" is more charitable than you allow. Many Protestants have been drawn to the current Pope, who reaches out not in a self-assured spirit of superiority, but of humility.