Posted on 03/11/2013 11:33:25 AM PDT by xzins
First, let me acknowledge that I'm an outsider, that I don't have a vote, that it can easily be argued that outsider opinions simply don't matter, and that I don't even begin to approach any kind of expert knowledge regarding the Roman Catholic Church.
I am an ordained Methodist Elder with 33 years of experience under my belt. I have completed a career as a military chaplain with the US Army, and that gives me working experience with Catholic chaplains in which we all operated as a team supporting one another and helping one another. It was a willing cooperation, and the camaraderie was real, blessed, and cherished by me. This also applies to all of the other denominational chaplains with whom I worked. I learned so much from them, and the times and the missions are precious memories to me.
That is what qualifies me, I think, to at least state what I'd like to see in the next Pope.
I want a true believer in real Christian Unity. I understand theologians will get in on the discussion now to dissect "Christian Unity", but I'm speaking of reality. What is reality? Reality teaches us that there are a host of denominations all professing an historic, Trinitarian, real faith in the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.
My experience as a military chaplain with other Christians has affected my own understanding of Jesus' words in John 17: "22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
I cannot escape that Jesus is saying that when the world sees the unity of Christians it will know that He was sent by the Father, and that the Father loves both the Son and the followers of the Son. This is seen so clearly in the reverse: when they see discord, disunity, disarray, then it easy for the world to dismiss us, the Father, and the Son. They say, "Those people are always fighting each other; who wants to be a part of that?"
I so admire the unbroken history of the Roman Church. In itself it is a testimony of unity, and that unity is one of the evangelism strengths of the Catholic Church. I admire so many of the historic figures of Catholicism, I admire Catholicism's insistence on life and on the natural family, and I must admit that I admire many current Catholics. Not to dismiss the great names, but these would all be people whose paths have crossed mine: family, friends, and colleagues.
So, Father Dick, Father Jim, and Father George, I remember deployments, coordinated services, shared times, conferences and simply going out for dinner with the family. We weren't exactly the same, but we had a unity of effort and of friendship that, in Christ, left me with memories that shall not fade and left others with the impression that we were on the same team.
Christian Unity: We lift our prayer to the Lord.
Don’t we already have this, as much as possible, with recognition of trinitarian baptism, after Vat II?
He could call on the princes again, but I’m afraid they’re no longer there.
‘that we all be one’ is a great goal.
Xzins, the door is open for unity. :) If one believes that all christians ought to be unified, then it is left to one’s conscience to decide.
oh, can’t wait to get your take on this one....busy now...but will bookmark.
I’d like to see a Pope that follows the truth fiercely enough to get rid of the homos/pedophiles, instead of rotating them around in good standing.
If this doesn’t happen, the lamp grows dimmer.
I do think it would be of great value for there to be movement in the direction of Orthodox unity. Something like a permanent ‘Diet’, an assembly of clergy with several purposes: cultural exchange, mutual support of oppressed Orthodox Christians around the world, and unanimous consensus opinions (difficult, but not impossible).
Ecumenism with Protestants would be both tricky and limited, however, as it would demand they embrace the unified Orthodox consensus, which few of them would agree to.
I bet the Cardinals do not count his vote.
The Pope lost control of the Crusades in the Middle Ages, the Fourth Crusade being a major example.
Even so, who will answer the call? Are Protestants going to recognize the Pope’s authority to do such?
Are Catholics going to risk breaking the law of their states by organizing in a military manner outside their control?
Things like the Inquisition and Crusades are defensive tools that went out the window when Christendom was abolished in favor of secular nation-states.
Believers in Jesus Christ care about John 17 unity.
Ping!
Those ladies can really sing.
I agree: waters of forgiveness.
I think that’s probably what we all want!
Well, among other things...the next Pope has got his work cut out for him. I only hope that gets more support from the rest of the Church than did BXVI. Poor Benedict; the entrenched powers hated him because he was shining a light on their behavior.
This is a profound statement, xzins, and I love you for posting it.
To me, it's an if...then statement. Just like:
"If we forgive those who trespass against you, then Our Father will forgive us our trespasses",
He also says:
If the Church is in unity, then the world will know that You (the Father) sent Me."
That's how the Christians were defined in the beginning: "See these Christians, how they love one another."
The unity of Christians is either a "picture" of the unity of the Trinity, or, disunified, we are a "picture" of something else. Something menacing, disturbing, repellent and ugly.
Just a long way of saying... YOU ARE SO RIGHT ABOUT THAT!
xzins, I pray you get your wish. I would much prefer to see the acceptance and unity of coreligionists than the increasing acceptance of islam which is anti-christian from its core.
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