Should Catholics attend nondenominational or eucumenical bible studies?

[Michie]

*You are in the Catholic forum*

Every day, Catholics are invited by coworkers, neighbors, and even family members to "eucumenical" Bible studies. Should they go? Certainly all of us would benefit from more study of Scripture, but as someone who has been a part of a number of Protestant Bible studies- I've even taught them - I discourage Catholics from attending them because of the foundational premises and principals in operation at these studies...

Continued below.
Should Catholics Attend Non-denominational or Ecumenical Bible Studies? | Defenders of the Catholic Faith | Hosted by Stephen K. Ray

 

[anna ~ grace]

Thanks, Michie! I often struggle personally with how to balance trying to be graciously friendly with all Christians, and also being specifically Catholic. Drawing a line can be hard for me. As it's easy to want to please everybody, and it's easy to get a bit blurry in the process.

 

[Sketcher]

If any Catholic wants to come to my group to study Scripture and its context - because we also emphasize that - they are welcome to do so.

 

[mothcorrupteth]

As an EO, I go to Protestant studies. I don't assert my point of view unless asked, but I also don't take everything seriously. I'm mostly there because the leaders are longtime friends of the family. I am much more hesitant to go to something an acquaintance or coworker invites me to, and I wouldn't recommend somebody go if they aren't well versed in theology and know how to spot the biases of the sect in question. I personally am very familiar with the biases of Wesleyanism and Calvinism and why I disagree with them, but I am not as familiar with, say, Lutherans, so I would be much more wary of the social pressures involved with going to a Lutheran gathering.

Obviously, I can't speak for Catholic authorities, but I would argue these are reciprocal ethics that should apply to everybody in a religiously liberal republic such as ours. I don't pressure acquaintances or even friends to come to EO events. If they show an interest in coming, I try to prepare them as best I can for aspects of our doctrine that might surprise them. (I don't expect my priest to press them on doctrinal and practical differences, but I want to head off any suspicion that we're playing the old foot-in-the-door technique.) Many Protestants do not observe the same manners, though, so... If I were Catholic, I would say, "There's no problem with going per se, just so long as you know to watch your six and you feel confident in your ability to do so and there's no overt social pressure for you to convert to their point of view."

(And I want to point out, I'm not pretending unethical pressuring is beyond Orthodox; I've seen a priest in Georgia--the state, not the country--pressure a bit too much. It's just, Protestants do it more, in my experience.)

 

[Dave-W]

I've seen a priest in Georgia--the state, not the country--pressure a bit too much. It's just, Protestants do it more, in my experience.)

Agreed. Because many protestants and evangelicals are taught that the RCC and the EOC are evil beyond belief. My own dad once told me that "Catholicism is the FALSEST of false religions because they name the NAME of Christ."

HUH???????

My bible says in Acts 2.21 (quoting Joel 2.32) that "All who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved." And I believe it.

But that attitude is rife in protestant circles, and they will try to "convert" you to being Christians. (or what they think REAL Christians should be)

They do it with us Messianics as well.

 

[anna ~ grace]

As an EO, I go to Protestant studies. I don't assert my point of view unless asked, but I also don't take everything seriously. I'm mostly there because the leaders are longtime friends of the family. I am much more hesitant to go to something an acquaintance or coworker invites me to, and I wouldn't recommend somebody go if they aren't well versed in theology and know how to spot the biases of the sect in question. I personally am very familiar with the biases of Wesleyanism and Calvinism and why I disagree with them, but I am not as familiar with, say, Lutherans, so I would be much more wary of the social pressures involved with going to a Lutheran gathering.

Obviously, I can't speak for Catholic authorities, but I would argue these are reciprocal ethics that should apply to everybody in a religiously liberal republic such as ours. I don't pressure acquaintances or even friends to come to EO events. If they show an interest in coming, I try to prepare them as best I can for aspects of our doctrine that might surprise them. (I don't expect my priest to press them on doctrinal and practical differences, but I want to head off any suspicion that we're playing the old foot-in-the-door technique.) Many Protestants do not observe the same manners, though, so... If I were Catholic, I would say, "There's no problem with going per se, just so long as you know to watch your six and you feel confident in your ability to do so and there's no overt social pressure for you to convert to their point of view."

(And I want to point out, I'm not pretending unethical pressuring is beyond Orthodox; I've seen a priest in Georgia--the state, not the country--pressure a bit too much. It's just, Protestants do it more, in my experience.)

Friends of the family and family is where I might draw a line, too. Maybe. I'm at a point where I've given up seeking to debate or push anything. It doesn't seem to help, and has an opposite effect. I back 100% off, and let them ask the questions, if they have any. With co-workers, the motives can be more to convert us, rather than fellowship, and that's difficult. I've had to turn down a kind yet persistent Pentecostal co-worker a couple of times.

 

[mothcorrupteth]

Friends of the family and family is where I might draw a line, too. Maybe. I'm at a point where I've given up seeking to debate or push anything. It doesn't seem to help, and has an opposite effect. I back 100% off, and let them ask the questions, if they have any. With co-workers, the motives can be more to convert us, rather than fellowship, and that's difficult. I've had to turn down a kind yet persistent Pentecostal co-worker a couple of times.

Yes, I have a good buddy I've known from Kindergarten who has physical and mental disabilities. I acquiesced out of politeness to one request to go to his "cornerstone" church, knowing what its reputation was in the community, but after that I've politely avoided going back. I had a very traumatic experience with Charismatics in college, and I can't take it, and I have the habit of crossing myself when I have troublesome thoughts, so I just know it would trigger them to start applying pressure. No thank you. I'm not pro-ecumenical. I just believe in basic mutual respect, and I'll give that even to Oneness Pentecostals, but don't dare put me in a room where I suspect at any moment I could be pushed over by some Holyghost (1 word) berserker who's got it in his head that he has to cast demons out of me.

 

[chevyontheriver]

If any Catholic wants to come to my group to study Scripture and its context - because we also emphasize that - they are welcome to do so.

And would you be seeking to convert me from being a papist?

 

[Lady Bug]

I had been invited to go to such studies in the past but I've always held back because I'm not sure they'd welcome a Catholic interpretation of any particular Scripture in the midst of other peoples'. Besides, I think the mindset of these particular nondenominational Bible studies is "let us all read the Bible for ourselves and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us into what it means," which will amount to hodgepodge of various interpretations that will never harmonize. Heaven forbid you want to interpret the "rock" as being Peter - I somehow don't think that will be tolerated - unfortunately I'm a wimp and have been all my life and wouldn't know how to stand against the aggressive anti-Catholic sentiment behind such people at the study.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I had been invited to go to such studies in the past but I've always held back because I'm not sure they'd welcome a Catholic interpretation of any particular Scripture in the midst of other peoples'. Besides, I think the mindset of these particular nondenominational Bible studies is "let us all read the Bible for ourselves and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us into what it means," which will amount to hodgepodge of various interpretations that will never harmonize. Heaven forbid you want to interpret the "rock" as being Peter - I somehow don't think that will be tolerated - unfortunately I'm a wimp and have been all my life and wouldn't know how to stand against the aggressive anti-Catholic sentiment behind such people at the study.

It's funny that they probably would be very much in favor of everyone being able to decide for themselves what a particular passage of the Bible means ... until one gets too Catholic on them.

 

[Sketcher]

And would you be seeking to convert me from being a papist?

We'd probably explain why we are not papists, and why we believe what we believe. What you do with that is up to you.

 

[Sketcher]

I had been invited to go to such studies in the past but I've always held back because I'm not sure they'd welcome a Catholic interpretation of any particular Scripture in the midst of other peoples'. Besides, I think the mindset of these particular nondenominational Bible studies is "let us all read the Bible for ourselves and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us into what it means," which will amount to hodgepodge of various interpretations that will never harmonize. Heaven forbid you want to interpret the "rock" as being Peter - I somehow don't think that will be tolerated - unfortunately I'm a wimp and have been all my life and wouldn't know how to stand against the aggressive anti-Catholic sentiment behind such people at the study.

Levels of aggression are highly variable. As for Peter, there are Protestant interpretations with him as "rock" but they do not believe it to include the primacy of Rome. I don't believe I can get further into that in this subforum, but I can answer questions about that elsewhere.

 

[chevyontheriver]

We'd probably explain why we are not papists, and why we believe what we believe. What you do with that is up to you.

So you would try, OK. Probably enough reason to avoid such things. But you could come to the study I attend. You might get a different perspective.

 

[charsan]

I been invited and I always try to politely decline. I figure I am a Traditional Christian and a recovering evangelical from way back and I don't need to exposed to that stuff.

 

[Sketcher]

So you would try, OK. Probably enough reason to avoid such things. But you could come to the study I attend. You might get a different perspective.

What I said is that we would present our views. Some Protestants will be more aggressive about it than others, I like to think that I'm on the more chill end of the spectrum. My dad's side of the family is Catholic, and the campus ministry I went to, while thoroughly Protestant, welcomed Catholics who stayed Catholic. I like to think that it sharpened their faith a bit.

 

[Gnarwhal]

Let's consider the same premise under a different context:

Should a person go to McDonalds when they have a chef with three Michelin stars already prepared to cook whatever you can imagine for you?

Well, of course you can but it's never going to compare to the satisfaction, depth, breadth, complexity, or beauty that the chef has to offer.