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Pope Francis “Doesn’t Want to Convert Evangelicals”?
Patheos ^ | 7/11/14 | Fr. Dwight Longenecker

Posted on 07/11/2014 7:14:59 PM PDT by marshmallow

After meeting with a group of Pentecostal Evangelicals Pope Francis reportedly wants to preach in a Protestant church in Rome. This article reports on the meeting held in Rome with Pope Francis and TV Evangelist Kenneth Copeland and other Evangelical leaders including theologian Brian Stiller and Anglican bishop Tony Palmer.

The Pope wants to go to the Evangelical church and apologize for all the times Catholics have been nasty to Protestants. That is, of course, very wonderful and we will be waiting not only for them to graciously accept the apology, but to offer their own in return. I’m reminded of the time Pope John Paul II on Ash Wednesday of the Jubilee Year led a service of public penitence for sins committed by Catholics against lots of people…including Protestant Christians.

This loving and humble gesture was met with silence by Protestants and not a peep from any Protestant leaders that I remember with a similar apology in return.

Stiller says Pope Francis is interested in dialogue with Evangelicals, but he doesn’t want to convert them.

Francis has also shown a great openness to evangelicals. According to his understanding of evangelism asked the Pope replied that he was not interested in converting evangelicals to Catholicism. He wished that people find Jesus in their own community.Instead of a lot of time to spend with the debate about different schools of thought, one should focus on “love to show Jesus”.

That is Brian Stiller’s memory of the conversation. You can read the first hand account on Brian’s blog here. Does the pope really not want to convert Evangelicals? Is it okay to just “find Jesus in your own denomination?” As usual with Pope Francis, a private conversation has been reported publicly and now it’s open season for everyone to pick it apart........

(Excerpt) Read more at patheos.com ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Ecumenism; Evangelical Christian; Ministry/Outreach
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To: Popman
17th century 30 years' war (Catholic vs. Protestant): at least 40% of population decimated, mostly in Germany.

Not sure why you're putting that on your list; many of the people who were "decimated" were quite Catholic, and many of the people doing the decimating were quite Protestant.

I'm of German heritage, and I (or rather, people related to me) can trace our ancestry back to the 1650's or so ... at which point it abruptly stops. The records were burned; the churches most likely burned with them.

The Thirty Years' war wasn't purely about religion, of course -- the Catholic French and the Protestant Swedes were on the same side -- but it was bad enough for Europe mostly to give up warring over religion.

41 posted on 07/12/2014 4:07:57 PM PDT by Campion
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To: Brian Kopp DPM; BlackElk

Yes, this is a similar comparison to what I posted in post #25.

It is these major discrepancies that I speak of when I say this man isn’t just a “bad” pope like the ones we’ve had in the distant past. This man speaks CONTRARY to the Catholic Faith. No pope has EVER spoken contrary to the Catholic Faith even if they were guilty of the most heinous of sins.

With each passing day, it is clear that this man is a Modernist. And a Modernist is not a Catholic. And the Pope must be Catholic.

He gives new meaning to the question: Is the pope Catholic?


42 posted on 07/12/2014 4:19:21 PM PDT by piusv
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To: delchiante

The Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother—Paul, an apostle, to the Galatians...


43 posted on 07/12/2014 5:57:38 PM PDT by avenir (I'm pessimistic about man, but I'm optimistic about GOD!)
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Comment #44 Removed by Moderator

To: JPX2011
Many of us await the next conclave. Meanwhile Francis is the one and only pope reigning as we write. There will be plenty of time to evaluate his stewardship and our faithfulness after Francis is gone. Meanwhile, for good or for ill, he is in charge. We are not. We are not Congregationalists calling clergy according to our tastes, offended or not.

As a former Jesuit provincial, one thing Francis is not is a moron. Your vulgar characterization of his exercise of the Petrine ministry is offensive.

45 posted on 07/12/2014 8:05:39 PM PDT by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline, Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Society: Rack 'em Danno!)
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To: gusty
You must miss the frequent RF debates here, most of which are due to the incessant posting by RCs promoting their elitist one church, then whining when her presumption and their false claims - one of which is that you invoking Jn. 6:53,54 as literal, so that those who deny the "Real Presence" are lost - are challenged and reproved .
46 posted on 07/12/2014 8:06:06 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: If You Want It Fixed - Fix It
The pope converts no one - the Holy Spirit does!!!

That is quite an example of the sophistry RCs will engage in to defend the pope or their church.

47 posted on 07/12/2014 8:11:21 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: xzins
My sense is that the Pope is saying that Protestants are already Christians, so no conversion to Christ is necessary.

But which is obviously not the historical teaching, nor consistent with presumption that all other churches are deficient in grace, though overall evangelicals manifest far more evidence of regeneration than the fruit of Rome.

Moreover, the pope in the beginning evidenced no need to even trying to actually convert atheists.

"Proselytism is solemn nonsense, it makes no sense. We need to get to know each other, listen to each other and improve our knowledge of the world around us." "Each of us has a vision of good and of evil. We have to encourage people to move towards what they think is Good."

"And I repeat it here. Everyone has his own idea of good and evil and must choose to follow the good and fight evil as he conceives them. That would be enough to make the world a better place."

. The Son of God became incarnate in order to instill the feeling of brotherhood in the souls of men. All are brothers and all children of God. Abba, as he called the Father

Your Holiness, you said that you have no intention of trying to convert me and I do not think you would succeed.

"We cannot know that, but I don't have any such intention."

http://www.repubblica.it/cultura/2013/10/01/news/pope_s_conversation_with_scalfari_english-67643118/?ref=search

Now i am off to bed.

48 posted on 07/12/2014 8:19:31 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: BlackElk
As a former Jesuit provincial, one thing Francis is not is a moron. Your vulgar characterization of his exercise of the Petrine ministry is offensive.

Offensive? Yeah. Sorry about that. mea culpa. But not wrong.

49 posted on 07/12/2014 8:25:21 PM PDT by JPX2011
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To: gusty

May the better team win!


50 posted on 07/12/2014 8:27:47 PM PDT by aposiopetic
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To: All

Pray for the UNITY of ALL Christian believers according to John 17.


51 posted on 07/13/2014 3:51:25 AM PDT by Biggirl (“Go, do not be afraid, and serve”-Pope Francis)
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To: marshmallow
The Pope wants to go to the Evangelical church and apologize for all the times Catholics have been nasty to Protestants.

He can start by registering at Free Republic and apologizing for all the times his followers here have snarked about "Bible-thumpers," "snake-handlers," and "brain-dead Bibliolators."

Then he can issue a statement saying it's still all right to believe Genesis 1-11 is actual history. Just watch the heads of the Genesis-hating papolators on this forum explode then!

52 posted on 07/13/2014 7:14:03 AM PDT by Zionist Conspirator (Throne and Altar! [In Jerusalem!!!])
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To: JPX2011
Just as soon as protestants stop calling me a pagan who believes in superstititious hocus pocus.

I don't think Catholics are pagans who believes in superstitious hocus pocus. I think they're enlightenment rationalists who believe in higher criticism and evolution.

But then, I'm not a Protestant.

53 posted on 07/13/2014 7:16:27 AM PDT by Zionist Conspirator (Throne and Altar! [In Jerusalem!!!])
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To: JPX2011
If all protestants were to convert to Catholicism

. . . then they must first accept higher criticism and evolution. Who wouldn't prefer islam?

54 posted on 07/13/2014 7:18:15 AM PDT by Zionist Conspirator (Throne and Altar! [In Jerusalem!!!])
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