[Claud]

Calvin’s conclusion is that these practices are nothing more than idolatrous superstitions, rooted in ancient Roman paganism

If these practices are "rooted in ancient Roman paganism"...then why are they found in every ancient Church, even the ones that, geographically, had zip zero nada to do with Rome? For instance, we have the St. Thomas Christians of the Malabar Coast of India. Nowhere near Rome. Do they invoke the saints? Why yes they do. We have the Ethiopian Christians way down in Africa evangelized from Egypt in the 4th century--again, not much contact with Rome. They also invoke the saints.

If the ancient, pure religion was corrupted by Roman paganism...and "syncretistic" practices were introduced, then why in Sam Hill did none of the ancient writers complain about it? We have Christian authors from the 90s on, minutely dissecting every heresy from Gnosticism to Nestorianism. Did any of them see firsthand this "corruption" and call it out? Fight it? Show me where. Give me chapter and verse.

Calvin was a devotee of St. Augustine....did he not read St. Augustine's homilies on the feast days of the saints?

[CynicalBear]

>>.then why are they found in every ancient Church, even the ones that, geographically, had zip zero nada to do with Rome?<<

Wait, wait, wait. That can't be. Catholics tell us over and over that there were no "churches" other than the Catholic Church until after Luther.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Calvin was a devotee of St. Augustine....did he not read St. Augustine’s homilies on the feast days of the saints?”

Augustine of Hippo November 354 – 28 August 430

Augustine was born after syncretic paganism was incorporated into catholicism.

[Resettozero]

Calvin was a devotee of St. Augustine....did he not read St. Augustine's homilies on the feast days of the saints?

On Sundays, I used to read the comics but never was much of a cartoonist.

If the ancient, pure religion was corrupted by Roman paganism...and "syncretistic" practices were introduced, then why in Sam Hill did none of the ancient writers complain about it?

You mean like the Holy Spirit wrote via John in The Revelation of Jesus Christ? To the seven churches in Asia?

Let's face it: paganism is paganism whether it started in Rome or Babylon or earlier.

[virgil]

“Syncretistic” Maybe the Jews were “syncretistic” when they came up with that idea about monotheism. They just borrowed it from the Egyptians. That tale about the flood...it came from Gilgamesh.

[ifinnegan]

“If these practices are “rooted in ancient Roman paganism”...then why are they found in every ancient Church, even the ones that, geographically, had zip zero nada to do with Rome?”

They are actually universal pagan practices that are nearly identical from culture to culture.

Rome was just the local iteration at the time.

[caww]

...."then why are they found in every ancient Church, even the ones that, geographically, had zip zero nada to do with Rome?"....

Maybe if you'd look past Rome and before you'd see that God spoke to Israel about these idols. More than once. Not to mention pagan idols have always been....mans heart will not rest unless he has something to worship. In many cases of old they created their own idol Gods because they did not know Him as God.

There's no excuse to day for praying to or having idols....we have his word and he's clear about this matter.