Why do Catholics Have a Pope? (A Protestant explains the papacy) [Ecumenical]

Crosswalk ^ | Sarah Jennings

[verga]

Darn good presentation and representation of Catholic Teaching, she shouild be commened for such and unbiased and accurate portrayal.

[ArrogantBustard]

The author did a good job of using RCC sources to make RCC arguments.

Nothing quite like getting one's information from primary sources, understanding it, and presenting it accurately. Her efforts are commendable. Other authors would do well to learn from her.

Not very persuasive to this Reformed Protestant.

That, of course, is a personal matter.

[verga]

I read recently that the Aramaic word for Rock used in this context is describing a small rock such as a pebble. There is a seperate word in Aramaic for describing a large rock such as a boulder (I don’t know what that word is, though). Essentially, when Jesus said he would build his house upon the rock that was Peter, he was referring to Peter as a small rock. Wouldn’t it make more sense that he would prefer to build the church on a boulder (metaphorically, of course)

You have the languages reversed. Hebrew has one word for Rock the is Kephas. Greek has three Petros- Masculine Petra- Feminine, and Lithos- which means small pebble.

The way that Greek Grammer works you can't use the masculine and masculine again in thesame sentence, you need to use the Feminine.

The arguement that if Jesus mean to Call Simon "Rock" then he would not have used the feminine does not hold. Rock is Rock is rock, masculine Feminine or neuter. I*f jesus had meant ot call him pebble then he would have used the word Lithos (where we lithography from)

[geologist]

Thank you, so much for posting this article.

One of the things I love about Free Republic is how informed (we can become) from others that post here. So much information. Perspectives from many slants. Thought provoking, and it does tend to make cohesive ones own beliefs in ways that likely would not occur, without the stimulus of challenging ideas. It causes us to consider, actually grow in information and widen our knowledge base.

Attacks aren't effective, in understanding relative new information ... it does not mean that questioning is disagreeing, rather it is for clarifying and clearing some confusion on some point.

We do know how small is our knowledge in the realm of the knowledge available in regard to the Bible.

Commentary is often plenteous and diverse on many subjects; hence, the many protestant denominations that all claim the better truth for one, etc.

Anyway ... thank all the posters for their comments that are not of a satirical sort.

[geologist]

“It’s hard confronting one’s own sinfulness, and it bugs me that I am not such a beacon of Love that I do not draw more people to what I have experienced as real, well, happiness I suppose is the word, as a Catholic.”

---

I like your post ...

Yes, confronting one’s own sinfulness is very hard
and it burdens me too that I am not such a beacon of love and light that I draw more people to what I have experienced as real, truth, peace,...

by coming to God, bowing down continually before Him who is HOLY HOLY HOLY... WORTHY WORTHY WORTHY ... in everything I do in trust and believing in Jesus Christ our Lord and redeemer.

I laughed at your tag line.

Once I believed that I was ‘right’ about everything too.
It is a stage I grew out of ... you will also ... probably.

[SarahJennings]

I know this is an older thread, but I’m the original author of the article, and wanted to set the record straight. :) I’m actually a practicing Catholic (former evangelical Protestant). Crosswalk.com, however, is an evangelical Protestant website, and I was thrilled that our executive editor was willing to post this. Thank you! - Sarah Jennings

[maryz]

It's a fine article and you can be justly proud of it!

BTW, welcome to Free Republic! :)