FK: "The point of all this is that YES, Catholics and Protestants, in my view, are looking at the same core from different angles."
The actual question then becomes how much are each of us permitting something to distract us from that singular, uncluttered, God-glorifying view of His grace? Is calling Mary a "co-redeemer" something that diffuses the glory of God alone and sends it back to the creature? I believe it is.
I agree with you completely. I feel terrible about what has been done to Mary. The Bible says Mary was a Godly woman which means she would have been humble. Such a good woman would never have wanted herself to be raised up in the way she has been.
But primarily I worry that the RCC teaches its members to disregard the Holy Spirit as a personal means of God instructing, leading and comforting His family. Instead the RCC teaches the Holy Spirit speaks to the magisterium and the magisterium then speaks to the congregation through the priest and the sacraments and finally God is filtered down to the individual believer.
Yes, that is the full impression I have gotten also. The Catechism appears to confirm it:
79 The Father's self-communication made through his Word in the Holy Spirit, remains present and active in the Church: "God, who spoke in the past, continues to converse with the Spouse of his beloved Son. And the Holy Spirit, through whom the living voice of the Gospel rings out in the Church - and through her in the world - leads believers to the full truth, and makes the Word of Christ dwell in them in all its richness."
This appears to virtually mandate that the Holy Spirit must go through the men of the Church in order to reach the believer.
And again this gets back to the incorrect definition of justification by the RCC...
Yes, and I agree with your list and your conclusion. The emphasis is on the physical rather than the spiritual, and on people rather than on God.
79: The Father's self-communication made through his Word in the Holy Spirit, remains present and active in the Church: "God, who spoke in the past, continues to converse with the Spouse of his beloved Son. And the Holy Spirit, through whom the living voice of the Gospel rings out in the Church - and through her in the world - leads believers to the full truth, and makes the Word of Christ dwell in them in all its richness."
FK: This appears to virtually mandate that the Holy Spirit must go through the men of the Church in order to reach the believer.
Great find, Forest Keeper! Amazing, isn't it, all the rigmarole the RCC inserts between the Holy Spirit and believers?
Since you've reposted this, I will again point out that this post is false. By restating it, you bear false witness against us.
The Catechism does not confirm this falsehood.
This appears to virtually mandate that the Holy Spirit must go through the men of the Church in order to reach the believer.
This appears to virtually mandate that the Holy Spirit must go through the men of the Church in order to reach the believer.
You misunderstand or misstate the paragraph you quoted. There's no such mandate in that quote. Point out the words that you think state it.
***Yes, and I agree with your list and your conclusion. The emphasis is on the physical rather than the spiritual, and on people rather than on God.***
Jesus left His Church and a list of instructions. We must follow them all and not cherry-picked verse.