I made myself a bit unclear. I'm not as articulate as some; please excuse me! When I metaphorically referred to a family, I meant God as the father/parent having the authority over his children, that is, all of us; and that the children do not have authority over one another as peers. I did not refer to the Catholic Church, as I wished to be inclusive of all of us.
What we believe as Catholics is that God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit do have the final word. As you believe that one can interpret individually with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we believe our Church heirarchy has the same capacity to receive that Guidance.
As the father is to a family, so is God to us. As a mother is often the one at home, taking care of the children, instructing them, but with the father still head of the household. Thus the Church is often referred to as Mother. Mater et Magistra, (Mother and Teacher) is the name of an encyclical of Pope St. John XXIII as well.
I'll reply to the next part as soon as I can. My eyes need a rest right now. Thank you for your thorough and courteous answer!
God bless you!
Oh but we do have the authority to reprove, rebuke, and exhort.
2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
>>What we believe as Catholics is that God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit do have the final word.<<
I would question that statement. Catholics rely on the "magisterium" to not only interpret but also to require beliefs not found in scripture which we all agree are the words of God. What assurance do you have that what the Catholic Church teaches is the word of God? Catholics are reduced to faith in their "magisterium" because they cannot prove that what the Catholic Church teaches as tradition is exactly what the apostles meant when they claimed they were teaching tradition.
>>As you believe that one can interpret individually with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we believe our Church heirarchy has the same capacity to receive that Guidance.<<
But Catholics restrict that interpretation to the "church hierarchy". Even the apostles didn't make that distinction.
Acts 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
They didn't restrict us to be in subjection so some earthly "magisterium" to tell us what scripture means.
1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
We rely on the Holy Spirit given to us all to open our eyes and enlighten us as to truth. No where in scripture do the apostles teach to be in subjection to some "hierarchy" or "magisterium". In fact, just the opposite is true. We are warned about false prophets and false teachers.
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
>>Thus the Church is often referred to as Mother.<<
And that falsely. The "church" is not our mother.
Galatias 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
The term "mother church" is a false man made believe. Not once in scripture is some "church" referred to as our mother.
>>Mater et Magistra, (Mother and Teacher) is the name of an encyclical of Pope St. John XXIII as well.<<
See 1 John 2:27 above.
Your posts are very edifying, and I thank you. Fellow Catholic here! :-)