Posted on 07/10/2007 8:57:47 AM PDT by f150sound
LORENZAGO DI CADORE, Italy - Pope Benedict XVI has reasserted the universal primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says Orthodox churches were defective and that other Christian denominations were not true churches.
In the latest document — formulated as five questions and answers — the Vatican seeks to set the record straight on Vatican II's ecumenical intent, saying some contemporary theological interpretation had been "erroneous or ambiguous" and had prompted confusion and doubt.
It restates key sections of a 2000 document the pope wrote when he was prefect of the congregation, "Dominus Iesus," which set off a firestorm of criticism among Protestant and other Christian denominations because it said they were not true churches but merely ecclesial communities and therefore did not have the "means of salvation."
"Christ 'established here on earth' only one church," the document said. The other communities "cannot be called 'churches' in the proper sense" because they do not have apostolic succession — the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ's original apostles.
This should be a fun thread. Incoming!
Yeah well, let us know how the whole Pope-thing goes for you guys.
And Protestant leaders don’t consider Catholics Christian. Ho hum.
Whatever.
I don’t recall Christ being picky as to what denomination his followers were...............
The roman catholic church has no room to talk, pedophiles amongst them, worshipping of one man ‘the pope’ being called ‘holy father’ is absurd. Anyone who knows the content of the Bible knows, that the ONLY Holy Father resides in heaven. Jesus taught not to worship idols. The catholic church has distorted many verses in the Bible to fit their own agenda. Besides, in the endtime, their cult, and hypocracy will be exposed.
Oh boy, here we go again...
I think we settled this issue a few centuries ago. Perhaps the Pope should worry more about the evil in his “church” in the form of sodomites and pedophiles. We know there is no salvation for them unless they repent.
And everyone is entitled to his opinion.
As a Protestant, this doesn’t bother me one bit. The Pope holds no sway over me. Although various groups of Christians have whupped on each other in the distant past, it would seem that we have learned to stop trying to force our views on each other. Muslims are another story.
When he stands before the Lord on the last day and sees multitudes of “non-Roman Catholic” believers headed into Paradise, he will realize that he is not infallible.
While I practice Catholic (Italian-Irish wife would have it no other way), I will leave it up to my Lord Jesus Christ to judge me and whether I am worthy of salvation.
I was born and raised Methodist. Not too long ago I realized how liberal they are. The Pope can list that denomination as defective as well.
APf
Before the flame wars start, remember this is AP, hardly a very credible source. Read the actual documents yourself before flaming away at each other.
Most Protestant leaders (who are believers) don't think that your church defines you as a Christian or not... but whether you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
That's a hard concept for some to grasp.
That was a jerky thing to say.
Perhaps a Catholic scholar would help this Protestant understand. There is a passage in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that does state that other non-Catholic Christians can be received into heaven; if prodded I could produce the citation. How is that to be reconciled with today’s statement? Is the Pope changing the Catechism?
As a non-Catholic, I’m glad he says this. It is more honest and will lead to less confusion.
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