After all, everyone from the Pope down to the raving village atheist thinks the spiritual path they are journeying down is superior to all others. However, one may need to stop to reflect for a moment what is being said here. To the Protestant, the ideal that those of this persuasion endeavor to strive for can be found in Romans 10:13: “For whoseover shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” By this, it is believed that there is no mediator between God and man other than Christ Himself for those that believe Jesus as the only Begotten Son of God died in our place for our sins and rose from the dead so that those placing their faith solely in Him might have eternal life in Heaven.
However, official institutionalized Catholicism pretty much holds that theirs is the only game in town determining who it is that will be rewarded with the prize or gift of salvation. This the organization does in part through its system of sacraments. So what the Church is really saying when it denies communion to all but those on its own membership roles is not so much that we think it’s best if you participate in this solemn event with those that can better attest to the validity of your faith experience or worthiness of character but rather that you aren’t even a fellow Christian at all....
You can speak all you want, but if you aren’t Catholic you have no sway on the Catholic church.
And why should you?
Do the Protestants listen to the Catholics on doctrine?
For the record I am a Baptist.
“So what the Church is really saying when it denies communion to all but those on its own membership roles is not so much that we think it’s best if you participate in this solemn event with those that can better attest to the validity of your faith experience or worthiness of character but rather that you aren’t even a fellow Christian at all.”
I’m not interested in starting a Catholic vs. Protestant debate, as it’s my bed time and I have been sitting in front of the computer way too long today, so I will simply make a hit and run reply. My observation to this is that the author here demonstrates an obvious lack of understanding of Catholic sacramental theology; denial of the Eucharist to non-Catholics is not a statement that they are not Christians. For clarification I would suggest reading from a Catholic website such as Catholic Answers, as I have found in large part that non-Catholic Christians attempting to explain or refute Catholic teachings generally do not adequately understand it themselves. That’s my 2 cents.
As a Messianic Jew I think the new Pope is a nice person. His background in Argentina working with the poor puts him among the saints. His actions so far sneaking out to mingle reminds me of the movie staring Anthony Quinn “Shoes Of The Fisherman”.
We Unitarians don’t have opinions!
Whether that opinion is relevant in the matters of the Catholic Church is another thing entirely.
“For example, Pope Benedict repeatedly emphasized throughout his pontificate that Protestant churches especially were not real churches and at best could only be thought of as errant theological associations.”
All I seem to recall is the media misreporting what the Pope actually said, with headlines like “Pope says Protestants not real Christians”. For some strange reason.
“It follows that these separated churches and Communities, though we believe they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation. In fact the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation, whose value derives from that fullness of grace and of truth which has been entrusted to the Catholic Church”— Pope B16, Dominus Iesus”
What a monster.
Freegards
Which is the more garbled: his syntax or his understanding of Catholicism? It’s a tough call.
This fundamentally fails to recognize God Himself. He isn't dead to His Body. He chooses who will specific spiritual gifts. Even a conclave of Bishops lacks the power to give something they do not possess.
If they choose to select a particular person to lead their denomination, they have that authority, but it is only a worldly authority and not Divinely instituted. Within that constraint, there is nothing wrong with the last Pope resigning.
It further manifests the RCC isn't a Divinely established institution, but simply another denomination of believers who have formed a worldly institution.
The Body of Christ still has many different members and as a whole they form His Bride.
"Errant theological associations" is putting words in someone else's mouth. That's not a phrase the Pope used. The usual term is "ecclesial communities".
Meanwhile, Calvinist theologian John Gerstner calls the Pope's church a "synagogue of Satan". The official doctrinal statements of two American Lutheran groups call the Pope "Antichrist". There are many other examples. "Errant theological associations" seems pretty tame by comparison.
Its the first time I’ve noticed either of the secular/ protestant worlds want to get involved, in some way, in electing the Pope. Rick Warrens suggestion goes hand in hand with questions by an AP reporter to the State Department. The reporter compared the election of the Pope with Iran’s...
I don't really like the title. Who, really, is going to stop Protestants from having an opinion on the new pope? The thought police???
The question should be phrased: "When should Catholics care about Protestant opinions regarding the new pope?"
How would you prevent it?
People have opinions. It is the way we are made.
Take it up with God if you don't like it but I am pretty sure He took down the suggestion box on this issue quite a while ago.