Posted on 07/10/2007 6:55:28 PM PDT by indcons
Pope Benedict XVI declared yesterday that Christian denominations other than his own were not true churches and their holy orders have no value.
Protestant leaders immediately responded by saying the claims were offensive and would hurt efforts to promote ecumenism.
Roman Catholic- Anglican relations are already strained over the Church of England's plans to ordain homosexuals and women as bishops. The claims came in a document, from a Vatican watchdog which was approved by the Pope.
It said the branches of Christianity formed after the split with Rome at the Reformation could not be called churches "in the proper sense" because they broke with a succession of popes who dated back to St Peter.
As a result, it went on, Protestant churches have "no sacramental priesthood", effectively reaffirming the controversial Catholic position that Anglican holy orders are worthless.
The document claimed the Catholic church was the "one true church of Christ".
Pope Benedict's commitment to the hardline teaching comes days after he reinstated the Mass in Latin, which was sidelined in the 1960s in an attempt to modernise.
The timing of the announcement fuelled speculation that the pontiff - regarded as an arch-conservative before his election in 2005 - is finally beginning to impose his views on the Catholic Church.
The Vatican said it was restating the position set out by the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 2000 in a document called Domine Jesus because theologians continued to misunderstand it.
At that time, Anglican leaders from around the world made their anger felt by snubbing an invitation to join Pope John Paul II as he proclaimed St Thomas More the patron saint of politicians.
Bishop Wolfgang Huber, head of the Evangelical Church in Germany, said the Vatican document effectively downgraded Protestant churches and would make ecumenical relations more difficult.
He said the pronouncement repeated the "offensive statements" of the 2000 document and was a "missed opportunity" to patch up relations with Protestants.
Just for the record, Jews do not believe in the God of Abraham. Abraham worshipped the triune God.
“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” (John 8:56)
Jews and Muslims are at precisely the same place when it comes to God because they fail to recognize Jesus Christ as divine Savior and Lord.
That's kind of the whole point of this section of the catechism. Christians, by virtue of our understanding of Christ and His Revelation have a more advantageous position regarding salvation than say a animist in some remote jungle. Conversely, the Jews enjoy a special relationship with the Lord which can never be supplanted by any other people. The Muslims, by virtue of their adherence to monotheism are more progressed theologically, than say a polytheist in Bangladesh.
The Church doesn't say "Muslims are in first place over the Jews" it says that in some way, God has called out to a people other than those called in the OT and NT. Imperfect as it may be, and it is highly defective, the Muslims believe that they believe in the same God as Abraham did. That's a start, and from there we trust that God has a plan for these people.
Here’s where ya started goin wrong:
“blood brother of Jesus..”
Muslims profess to worship the God of Abraham, I can’t tell what’s in their hearts. If and it’s a big if, they do worship the same God that we do, they have a highly defective understanding of His nature and His message of salvation. That said, I know of several Muslims who converted to Christianity, but no Buddhists that have so something in the Muslim religion must have an aspect of truth that allows them to see the truth of Christ more easily than other non-Christian and Jewish religions.
This is far different than calling any man "father" as a term of reverence which contradicts Christ's own admonition not to call any man father.
Do you doubt Christ told us not to call any man father (outside of those who are actually related to us)? Is this another case where the words don't really mean what they're saying?
Or is Jesus warning us against trying to usurp the fatherhood of God?
Last week we had the thread written by an RC priest about priests being "another Christ."
Certainly this seems to be what Christ is cautioning men not to do.
read the NT - James the Just was the leader of the Apostles after the crucification = Peter and John were, basically, head councilors - and Paul referred to the three, derisively as "The so-called Pillars of the Church."
But there's a problem, see, James was the BLOOD brother of Jesus - and we must shove him aside, along with other BLOOD relatives who were appointed, one after the other, to take James' position after he was thrown from the parapet of the Temple by Temple Priests and stoned to death n the courtyard - in 62AD. that would show a Blood line succession - and that would negate the power take over by the Roman Gov't that became the Roman Catholic Church over 300 years after Jesus...Shhhh
Amen
Yes, I remember now, His descendents ended up royalty in France along with Mary Magdalene’s children.
AMEN!
That's gnosticism.
All men are equally fallen. The length of the walk towards Christ and the quality of the pavement is not what matters; only the destination.
I am an artist - and familiar with, long before "the daVinci Code", the secret-messages-in-plain-sight that the medieval/Renaissance artists, writers, troubadours, etc, used to give witness to their beliefs that were in conflict with the Roman Church - in a time when disagreeing with the RC could get you roasted as a heretic.
This 'code' is historical fact. Those who did not follow the RC used these codes as a method of communication to safeguard what they believed was the truth about Jesus Christ and his ministry - which they believed were revealed in the early scriptures, long before the Roman Gov't, through the Council of Nicea, 325 years AFTER the crucification....many books that were and had been used as scripture in those 325 years were tossed out, burned, declared heretical by the council.
And so were any who professed belief in them!
The code would include such things as a certain color robe to signify a certain person, or objects - for ex: a little alabaster jar in the painting, looking like nothing but a 'little jar' to the unknowing eye, would be a symbol for Mary Magdalene. Likewise, a tower way off in the background would signify the same Mary - for reasons I wont bother to go into there - there is plenty of information on all of this for anyone who seriously wants to learn...not just ask a question that really isn't a question, but a thinly veiled derisive remark?
Wrong. God has called out only His elect from both the OT and the NT. The elect did not change from one testament to the next, but the true object of the elect's worship came into focus. The elect (and only the elect) are those whom God the Father predestined to believe in the Triune God of all creation, thus cleansing them by unmerited grace through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" -- Ephesians 1:4-7"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
I cannot fathom why anyone (especially a Christian) would want to say that the God of Islam is their God too. The god of Islam is none other than Satan himself.
Anyone who claims they worship the god of Islam is worshiping Satan.
For all you people who feel the need for icons, please note that the God of Christianity is the the guy depicted on the right and the God of Islam is the guy on the left.
.
Any Questions?
Clear enough?
No I was serious, not making a thinly veiled derisive remark. What is the symbolism in the picture you posted?
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