Catholic or Christian

Hey, cupcake, I'm not a Roman Catholic.

 

Who said anything about necessity?
It is a benefit because we are a visual people and it is easier for us to maintain our focus if we have something to look at, so why not use a picture that is going to remind you of Christ to help you focus?
As for the quote from Acts, it is a condemnation of images used as the object of worship.

After rereading and checking out his source I can roundly discount Shea's document as he misrepresents Vatican II LG14 which opens with "This Sacred Council wishes to turn its attention firstly to the Catholic faithful." This document is refering only to those who claim membership in the RCC. It doesn't have anything to do with non-RCC christians.

The Vatican II document can be found at http://benedettoxvi.va/archive/hist...s/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html

 

Umm... Lutherans. For the reasons stated in other posts by myself and Rooself.

 

Pretty much any Evangelical (especially Pentecostal) who reads the New Testament, I'd think. I think the Catholic-genre churches have a pretty unique take on John 20:23. Their understanding is that forgiveness of sins was bestowed on the Apostles by Jesus, for them alone, and for those in the line of apostolic succession.

In the Reformed tradition, we believe all the work for forgiveness has been done, so we take the form of assuring God's forgiveness for confessed sins.