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Sources of the Protestant Devolution
Catholic Stand ^ | November 6, 2014 | Matthew Tyson

Posted on 11/06/2014 2:29:33 PM PST by NYer

In June of this year, the largest Presbyterian denomination in America voted to allow their clergy to perform same-sex “marriages” within the church, thus joining the ranks of other Protestant denominations, such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Episcopalian Church, and United Church of Christ.

This “evolution” of theology and “modernizing” of church doctrine is a trend that I predict we’ll continue to see in non-Catholic Christian circles for years to come, and not just with marriage. Today, nearly all Protestant denominations support and even advocate the use of artificial birth control, and many allow at least some level of support for abortion.

Of course, not all Protestants are willing to “move with the times”, so to speak; there remains, especially among the more conservative groups, quite a bit of dissent. However, it cannot be denied that many modern day Protestant denominations are falling further into the depths of secularism.

While it pains me to see Christians turning their backs on the sanctity of life and marriage, I have to admit that whenever the media lights up with news of another Protestant church endorsing an otherwise wholly unchristian act, I find myself entirely unsurprised.

The reason for my utter lack of shock lies, interestingly enough, within two of the critical tenants of Protestant Theology: the doctrines of sola scriptura (scripture alone) and sola fide (faith alone).

Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide

As Catholics, the Bible is not our sole source of authority, nor was the Catholic Church based upon it. In fact, what we now call “The Bible” — the collected Old Testament and New Testament writings — was put together by the Church herself, and is meant to enrich and support our doctrine and Tradition.

(Consider too that the Gospel is the written testimony of the teachings of the apostles, which, due to apostolic tradition and the God-given teaching authority of the Church, precedes the written text. Thus, any authority of the Scriptures is derived from the recognition of the Church.)

Yet, the Protestant Reformation severed the Tradition from the Bible, and put all other authorities beneath it. By doing so, they created a type of religious relativism (unwittingly, I’m sure) that opened the door for an “anything goes” mentality. So long, of course, as it can be found — or not found — in the scriptures.

For years, sola scriptura was a major weapon against Catholic theology, claiming that our practices were either absent or directly forbidden by Sacred Scripture. However, since the latter part of the 20th century, the charges that “Jesus never said (x)” or “That’s not in the Bible” have turned on themselves and have now become, “Jesus never said (x) was wrong, so that means (x) must be okay.”

This idea blends well with many in my generation, the millennials, who wish to hold on to some shred of spirituality but cannot bring themselves to relinquish the desires of the flesh. It is also a base notion of “Progressive Christianity”, which is basically the feel-good parts of following Christ without any actual sacrifice.

The same problem goes for sola fide. Though the only place in the Bible where the words “faith” and “alone” appear next to one another is in James 2:24 (“See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone”), it still remains a significant tenant of Protestant Christianity. However, much like sola scriptura, it has seemingly evolved into an even more bastardized version of itself that states, “As long as I’m a good person and believe in Jesus, I’m okay.”

The Beginning of the End?

Now, understand, I’m not among the ilk who believe that Protestants can’t go to Heaven, though the path is significantly more challenging (and not in a “take up your cross” kind of way). I do believe, however, that Christianity was never meant go in this direction. And I certainly believe that, should things continue in the manner they’re going for the modern-day Protestants, they’ll eventually have nothing left to call Christian at all.

Of course, perhaps that’s the only logical conclusion Protestantism could possibly come to. It is, after all, a theologically incomplete Christianity; and perhaps that is why it has such difficulty standing the test of time. Consider the continuous splintering Protestantism has seen since the days of Luther, that continues today. Sooner or later, it will be dust; and displaced Christians will be left with two choices: return to Holy Catholic Church or give themselves to the world.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Mainline Protestant; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; gaymarriage; homosexualagenda; protestant; samesexmarriage; solafide; solascriptura
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To: boatbums

There’s a lot of both going on here, just from a quick skim of the comments. nice try, though.


261 posted on 11/07/2014 1:23:21 PM PST by goodwithagun (My gun has killed fewer people than Ted Kennedy's car.)
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To: af_vet_1981; CynicalBear
We must obey all his words, not just a subset used to derive new doctrines.

Matthew 5:27-30 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.

262 posted on 11/07/2014 1:31:41 PM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: verga; CynicalBear

263 posted on 11/07/2014 1:37:55 PM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: boycott
Your original post:

I never knew such a rift existed between Catholics and Protestants as what I see here on FR. It shouldn’t. And, in real life, I just don’t see such a rift.

I am Christian. I don’t care of one is Catholic or Protestant. We both share the belief that Jesus is Lord.

Now you say this...

Mormonism isn’t Christianity. The life, death, and resurrection is all part of Christianity. If they don’t accept all that as true, they’re not Christian.

IIRC mormons do believe this....in addition to a bunch of other non-biblical stuff....aka a church based in Rome.

264 posted on 11/07/2014 1:39:34 PM PST by ealgeone
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To: NYer; Alex Murphy

Good to see the good old Catholic doctrines of higher criticism and evolution are totally unimplicated in theological modernism. [/satire]


265 posted on 11/07/2014 1:40:58 PM PST by Zionist Conspirator (Throne and Altar! [In Jerusalem!!!])
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To: GreensKeeperWillie
But 99% of faithful Catholics regularly dismiss the ramblings of our incomplete brethren. We have heard it all before; our skin is thick and we are born for battle.

Which recourse to bombast is actually because they dares not try to refute this "ramblings ," as instead of being so it left the OP without a valid argument.

266 posted on 11/07/2014 1:47:14 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: NYer

Sources of the Protestant Devolution



Pope Stephen VI (896–897), who had his predecessor Pope Formosus exhumed, tried, de-fingered, briefly reburied, and thrown in the Tiber.[1]

Pope John XII (955–964), who gave land to a mistress, murdered several people, and was killed by a man who caught him in bed with his wife.

Pope Benedict IX (1032–1044, 1045, 1047–1048), who "sold" the Papacy

Pope Boniface VIII (1294–1303), who is lampooned in Dante's Divine Comedy

Pope Urban VI (1378–1389), who complained that he did not hear enough screaming when Cardinals who had conspired against him were tortured.[2]

Pope Alexander VI (1492–1503), a Borgia, who was guilty of nepotism and whose unattended corpse swelled until it could barely fit in a coffin.[3]

Pope Leo X (1513–1521), a spendthrift member of the Medici family who once spent 1/7 of his predecessors' reserves on a single ceremony[4]

Pope Clement VII (1523–1534), also a Medici, whose power-politicking with France, Spain, and Germany got Rome sacked.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bad_Popes

267 posted on 11/07/2014 2:13:30 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: NYer
Now, understand, I’m not among the ilk who believe that Protestants can’t go to Heaven, though the path is significantly more challenging (and not in a “take up your cross” kind of way).

Oh?

And what challenges might I see that a True Christian wouldn't??

268 posted on 11/07/2014 2:14:59 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: af_vet_1981
You raise a good point. Yet he did warn the specific churches, and look ... works, and it is found 12 times in the portion of Revelation (2, 3) dealing with the 7 churches.

And every one of those churches were CATHOLOIC!

(That's TRUE!

I read it right here on FR from a CATHOLIC!)

269 posted on 11/07/2014 2:17:30 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: free-in-nyc

Darned ol’ voice to text thingy!


270 posted on 11/07/2014 2:18:00 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Salvation
Your loss not to believe it.

Oh?

What will I lose?

271 posted on 11/07/2014 2:18:55 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Salvation

On the well-watered plain?


272 posted on 11/07/2014 2:19:27 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: verga

;^) cute!


273 posted on 11/07/2014 2:22:59 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: ctdonath2; narses

What HAS happened to narses?


274 posted on 11/07/2014 2:24:06 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: verga
Words mean things, I realize they don’t to prots, but to the rest of the world they actually do.


 
 
 
 

 
Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.


John 6:28-29
Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?
 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."


1 John 3:21-23
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.
And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.


James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
 

 
 
 

275 posted on 11/07/2014 2:26:25 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie
It appears he's taken his little bunch of cute pictures and stomped off of the porch!!!




The Blessed Virgin's Guide to Catholic Modesty

‎10‎/‎19‎/‎2014‎ ‎6‎:‎26‎:‎18‎ ‎PM · 150 of 325

narses to Jim Robinson; ConservingFreedom; Unam Sanctam; x_plus_one; Patton@Bastogne; Oldeconomybuyer; ...

Your site, your choice. You want to tolerate whackjobs who claim Catholics rape women and murder children, go ahead. It is your sandbox.

For me, I will find someplace without the whackjobs.

Vale.


276 posted on 11/07/2014 2:31:21 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie; narses

Yes, Narses was hurt, and has stopped posting because of the abuse. I guess I just don’t understand the sport. Going after trolls is one thing, but chipping away at good and descent FReepers for the fun of it? I don’t get that. I don’t understand accusing Baptists of homosexuality, or accusing Catholics of raping babies, just to see how much pain can be inflicted. It’s a disgusting game, and I really wish I hadn’t stumbled upon it.


277 posted on 11/07/2014 3:10:54 PM PST by BykrBayb (Where there is life, there is hope. - Terri Schiavo ~ Þ)
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To: Prophet2520
These threads are both sad and funny. Unfortunately this type of forum is not very conducive to actually weeding out truth from err, and people end up spending time on inconsequential details.

Welcome to Free Republic! And it's Religion Forum

You are absolutely right. Have been here for more than a decade and can testify to your assertion. Frank discussion goes by the wayside. No matter how many times one posts a valid defense, backed by solid apologetics, it is ignored and the same arguments resurface on another thread. Enjoy your stay. Always good to have new voices in the forum, regardless of their position.

278 posted on 11/07/2014 3:31:11 PM PST by NYer ("You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears." James 4:14)
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To: NYer

No such thing as a “Catholic Christian”


279 posted on 11/07/2014 3:57:14 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: DaveyB
"The author misses the point of the 5 solas. The protestants he is concerned about did not apostatize because they held to the five solas, but because they abandoned them. Roman Catholics have little to strut about as well, they have their scandals, their homo-lobby and their ongoing inclusion of the likes of Nancy Peolsi. This schadenfreude is to the author's shame."

Exactly Davey ...actually Rome apostatized a long time ago

280 posted on 11/07/2014 3:58:53 PM PST by RnMomof7
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