There's some truth in that. But what I was saying was that out of that will come improvement and correction. Contrast that with a super powerful structure that increases in error and power and you end up with an apostate religion, filled with corruption and no way to fix it.
I don't know either. I'm fairly new here myself. It may be that there is no point because like you just said you put a premium on one central voice, the Pope, and his pronouncements are at least equal to scripture. So there is probably nothing worth discussing. The actual theology would be worth discussing but the built in structure - the Pope, the priesthood, and the corruption kind of render all that moot.
Understanding The Protestant /Catholic Divide
Discussion in 'Other Christian Denominations' started by AustinC, Oct 28, 2021.
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If Protestantism was a single belief it would be far more convincing I reckon.
If I gave up Catholicism, I’d have to found my own church on my own interpretation “ The Cathodian Church “. I’d be Elder Cathode preaching my hairy chested opinion of scripture.
That would be fine until some member of my flock decides to have a different opinion of scripture from me and breaks away forming the Reformed Cathodians taking half my flock with him and endangering their souls to hell. Because everyone would know that The Cathodian Church is the true Church that teaches scripture rightly.
I don’t know bro, seems like a terrible folly on my part, especially all those poor people trusting my fallible opinion of scripture. -
Well my College dictionary has the following definition of Holy Father, n. a tilte of the Pope.
Jesus taught, ". . . But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. . . ." Matthew 23:8-10.
All the Catholic Church Bible translations have a footnote excusing addressing some others as father contrary to Christ's instruction.
Now there are spiritual fathers, 1 John 2:13, ". . . I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. . . ." Nowhere are they called "father" by an individual. Though that may be supposed by some interperters, the Apostle Paul called Timothy his son in the faith, 1 Timothy 1:2, ". . . Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: . . ."
The use of "Holy Father" is found in John 17:11, in Jesus' prayer, ". . . but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. . . ." -
But, the body of Christ is not splintered. It remains strong. You will find the body of Christ in many sects, even some are found in Rome (a small remnant, but there is some).
While the vast majority in Rome are tares, you will also find tares in the line of Protestantism. Some sects have more tares than others. So, your only fault here is your incapacity to see the vast amount of tares growing in Catholicism. In fact, it is so bad that you don't recognize your pope is a tare..not wheat. That should cause you to feel terror for your sect. Your head is a tare, not wheat. -
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Yes Cathode, there is a huge diversity of teaching in Protestantism. But really, if my only other choice is to wrap myself up in a system that I know is corrupt I would rather not do that. And, most of the groups you speak of have a few basic central doctrines that they are in agreement on. The Puritans, in Owen's time came up with 16 principles that they determined were the minimum things to agree on among different groups for fellowship. That's not really that complicated. Your current Pope is all over the place on everything from politics to theology in a way I have never seen an individual church do. If they did - we'd just split.:)
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I have found that when talking to interested Roman Catholics, it is better to talk about what biblical soteriology is then to try to dissect and dismantle Roman soteriology. In this was the truth is the subject being examined, not the falsehood. -
The music ministry isn’t too bad either. -
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Squire Robertsson AdministratorAdministrator
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