Posted on 08/19/2005 1:29:58 PM PDT by redgolum
Pope Benedict XVI criticized the "contradictory positions" of Christian Churches which he said caused them to fail in their duty to provide leadership to society on important ethical questions.
The 78-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church highlighted the consequences of a lack of disparate Christian viewpoints in an address to an ecumenical gathering of Christian Church leaders in Cologne.
The pope, who is making the first foreign visit of his pontificate, reiterated what he called his "firm commitment" to making full Christian unity a priority of his papacy.
He told the Church leaders, who included Germany's Protestant Churches as well as Orthodox Christians, that as a German he was aware of the "painful situation which the rupture of unity" had caused for families of mixed denominations.
He said that while the Churches had made a "common stand" on such matters as protection of the right to life and the promotion of justice and peace, "I am well aware that many Christians in this country, and not only in this country, expect further concrete steps to bring us closer together.
"I myself have the same expectation. It is the Lord's command, but also the imperative of the present hour," he said.
He called on Church leaders to demonstrate "patience and perseverance, in complete fidelity to the dictates of one's conscience" in carrying on ecumenical dialogue.
Speaking later, Bishop Wolfgang Huber, head of the Evangelical Church in Germany, said it had been an excellent meeting with the pope.
"In Germany we have many families of mixed denominations and that means we cannot leave this topic to one side. We have to give them a home in our churches.
"I am greatly encouraged and confident that we will go on and continue to find answers to these questions."
Ping for comment.
Yes, interesting indeed. In the US there appear to be many Evangelicals who are more or less on the same page morally with the Catholic Church - but the "mainstream" Protestant groups are, for the most part, pro-abortion, pro-gay, anti-family and generally left wing. Of course, they're losing members like mad, so maybe they won't even exist in a few more years.
He is a very humble man. Given the sad state of affairs in different denominations (?) of the Lutheran Church, there are those who now seek guidance. Full text at this link.
Benedict XVI's Ecumenical Meeting with Leaders of Other Christian Churches - Full Text
***criticized the "contradictory positions" of Christian Churches***
He's right on this.
But he might as well be talking to a brick wall.
Theological liberals are "true believers" in the worst sense of the word.
Well, it passed SpellCheck so it must be okay.
Doesn't disparate mean dissimilar? We've got no lack of those, do we?
I'll bet especially those from around the Berchtesgaden and Chiemsee area.
Thanks for posting this!
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If you are referring to the book by Eric Hoffer bearing that title I heartily agree; particularly considering how much of their agenda mirror's the Nazi's "final solution."
* Thank you Pope Benedict. This true statement is heard too infrequently. I was born during the Papacy of Pius XII. Including him, we Chrsistians have had amazing Popes; brilliant and pious. All about us we watched various denominations corrupt and collapse while these excellent Popes safely steered the Barque of Peter through troubled waters.
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