Basic Catholic Beliefs

[InHisSpirit]

Howdy everyone. Sorry to crash your section, but I wanted to ask ya'll about your faith. i have attended a few Catholic services and my husband's family is Catholic. I have always found the beauty of the services wonderful and have always been curious and interested in the Catholic church. Any info ya'll would like to give me about your faith would be appreciated. Also, ifs okay can I ask questions here about specific posts you make? I promise I will not argue anything at all. I am interested. I have grown up Baptist and attended a Baptist College so my knowledge outside of that denomination is only what has been taught by Baptists. Anyway, I am rambling now.

Thanks in advance. God Bless.

 

[MikeK]

Welcome. Go ahead and ask anything

 

[stivvy]

Being brought up baptist is a huge advantage to you in understanding the Catholic faith. You have a great structure in understanding the scripture and now you can see how it applies to all we are and the wholeness of our faith.

We are of scripture, but also of Tradition. All that drives our faith and opens our hearts to the presence of the Holy Ghost. With the Holy Ghost in our hearts and filling our souls, we practice our faith through our works as Jesus has called us to do. He says that if we would only have that little bit of faith in us, we can do mighty things in this world, and that is what are doing. We are moving mountains through our faith. Changing one person's life or saving one soul is huge and we do that through our faith.

We are children of God and we must represent in all that we are. That is what is meant to be Catholic IMHO.

 

[Miss Shelby]

If you want it broken down to the most basic, I would say the Church teaches salvation through Grace alone through the passion death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the atonement of sins. That's what it all boils down to.

 

[InHisSpirit]

The basic of Baptists is also the birth, life, death and ressurection of Christ for the atonement of sin.

So what makes us different? Prayer to Saints? View of servants of the church?

 

[InHisSpirit]

This is going to be very informative, I can tell already.

 

[Miss Shelby]

The basic of Baptists is also the birth, life, death and ressurection of Christ for the atonement of sin.

So what makes us different? Prayer to Saints? View of servants of the church?

What makes us different in a nut shell is authority. Baptists and Protestants in general adhere to Sola Scriptura, bible only authority. The Catholic Church adheres to Tradition, Scripture as governed by the Magisterium as authority. We believe that the Bible is a product of Tradition, which has exisited and developed since the time of Christ's resurrection. Through that we have the veneration of saints which means simply that they are alive in heaven, apart of Christ's body, our Christian family and we can ask them to pray for us.

After the reformation, and the inception of bible only theology, this belief died out and it's why a lot (not all though) of Protestants don't believe it.

 

[Antigone]

The basic of Baptists is also the birth, life, death and ressurection of Christ for the atonement of sin.

So what makes us different? Prayer to Saints? View of servants of the church?

Well, obviously Baptist churches don't have saints, so there's a difference. Also the way Mary is regarded.

I'll leave the precise theology to others - Warrior Angels' usually really handy when it comes to research - but I just wanted to tell you your kids are CUTE.

 

[ConanTheLibrarian]

Catholic Answers is a great source of information. Be warned, however, they were a factor in my own decision to become Catholic.

http://www.catholic.com/

 

[Miss Shelby]

The basic of Baptists is also the birth, life, death and ressurection of Christ for the atonement of sin.

Christ's birth and life is def. fundamental to the teaching of salvation, you are correct. I should have worded it that way. The Incarnation, God becoming man, is very central to salvation.

tidbit: Every time you see Mary and Jesus pictured together, it's to symbolize the Incarnation. God becoming man. A lot of folks think it's to place emphasis on Mary, but it's really to place emphasis on Jesus being fully human and fully God.

 

[chestertonrules]

The basic of Baptists is also the birth, life, death and ressurection of Christ for the atonement of sin.

So what makes us different? Prayer to Saints? View of servants of the church?

Catholics believe that Jesus founded a Church.

We believe that Jesus established a hierarchy on earth and a liturgy to help us follow him faithfully.

We believe that Jesus wants all Christians to be united in faith and that this unity is only possible if we acknowledge a single source for discerning his will.

We believe that this truth is evident in the fact that once splits from the Church begin, they continue. There are now over 20,000 protestant denominations. As you know, there are even many different baptists denominations.

Each of these denominations claims to have the correct interpretation of scripture.


Catholics believe all the bible. Our church services and liturgy have remained consistent for 2000 years. We believe that the real presence of Christ's body and blood are in the bread and wine because that is what he said and that is what the early Christians believed and taught. We prayer the Our Father at every mass because Jesus told us to. We seek forgiveness of sins from priests because Jesus gave his disciples the authority to forgive or retain sins. We think he did that for a reason. We ask the saints to pray for us because we think they are alive and in heaven given that Jesus met with Elijah and Moses then told his apostles that God is the God of the living, not the dead. In addition, Revelations tells us that the saints are gathered in heaven offering prayers for us.


This is a brief synopsis.

I was born again in a baptist church and I was raised Methodist, by the way.

Best Regards

 

[stivvy]

Very good points folks!

Also, just note that many who think of Catholisism and the saints think of two seperate entities. In all reality, our observance of the saints and their lives, are simply that we are all one family and they have lived this life we are living and are now family members who are alive in God's precense.

Through our weekly liturgy, we join with them at the throne of God for proper worship of God.

There is more to the observance of the lives of the saints and their place in our lives, but really don't read into the saints any more than that.

 

[Rhamiel]

OK, lets start with the basics, the Catholic Church believes in the free will of mankind, that it is through His Grace that we can do anything good but we have the ability to reject Gods grace.
Ok now for grace, God gives us His grace in two ways, through mystical revelation, and the sacrements, the sacremets are not just symbols of faith but have a real effect on us. oh and by mystic revelation I mean the personal way God talks to all of us I know the term "mystic" has gotten a bad rap the last few houndred years but that is all it means really well in the christian sense.
Purgatory, well we are sinners forgiven by Christ, but most of us still have that little urge to be selfish or lust or whatever sin you are inclined to, well nothing unclean can enter heaven so there must be a state of being before we are in heaven where Christ corrects the little defects of our souls, we call this purgatory, most people think it will not be the most pleasant of things, like getting a joint poped back into place or cyropractor who has to hurt you a bit to get your back where it should be.

 

[Catholic Christian]

Howdy everyone. Sorry to crash your section, but I wanted to ask ya'll about your faith. i have attended a few Catholic services and my husband's family is Catholic. I have always found the beauty of the services wonderful and have always been curious and interested in the Catholic church. Any info ya'll would like to give me about your faith would be appreciated. Also, ifs okay can I ask questions here about specific posts you make? I promise I will not argue anything at all. I am interested. I have grown up Baptist and attended a Baptist College so my knowledge outside of that denomination is only what has been taught by Baptists. Anyway, I am rambling now.

Thanks in advance. God Bless.

The best short version of the Catholic Faith is a booklet called "Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth", published by Catholic Answers. The booklet is online for FREE. Here is the link:
http://www.catholic.com/library/Pillar.asp

Its about a 15 minute read. Let me know what you think.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Hello and Welcome!

Here is something to consider, the sacraments.
Baptism
Confirmation
Confession
Ordination
Marriage
Communion
Last Rites
[aka Annointing of the sick]

All of which can be found in scriptures.

Interesting to note, when you read about the sacraments, you will understand the stepping stones of the faith.

Bless you.

 

[InHisSpirit]

Okay, great responses. A few questions.

1. In regard to Mary. i have heard time and time again that Catholics worship Mary. Is this the case? I have a great deal of respect for Mary, I don't think I would have been able to do what she did.

2. Alright, now the saints. From what I have gathered the Catholic church believes the Saints are already with Christ in heaven. I can see that. Revelation does show the presence of them during the last days and even the return of Moses and Elijah. However, my question is once we pass into death how do Saints hear us? God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all are all knowing and all seeing, etc... The Saints were basic folks who God used and did extraordinary things through. Without God's power on earth they would have been me or you. How is it they would have the power to hear us on earth?

3. And last. Jesus said no one comes to the Father except through me. So, I really don't understand seeking forgiveness through priests. I always understood the power given to the disciples as having the power to heal.

Okay that's all for now. Thanks for the info and dealing with this ole baptist girl.

 

[chestertonrules]

What makes us different in a nut shell is authority. Baptists and Protestants in general adhere to Sola Scriptura, bible only authority. The Catholic Church adheres to Tradition, Scripture as governed by the Magisterium as authority. We believe that the Bible is a product of Tradition, which has exisited and developed since the time of Christ's resurrection. Through that we have the veneration of saints which means simply that they are alive in heaven, apart of Christ's body, our Christian family and we can ask them to pray for us.

After the reformation, and the inception of bible only theology, this belief died out and it's why a lot (not all though) of Protestants don't believe it.

FYI.

Thought you all might find this quote form martin luther interesting!

One should honor Mary as she herself wished and as she expressed it in the Magnificat. She praised God for his deeds. How then can we praise her? The true honor of Mary is the honor of God, the praise of God’s grace…Mary is nothing for the sake of herself, but for the sake of Christ…Mary does not wish that we come to her, but through her to God. (Explanation of the Magnificat, 1521).

It is the consolation and the superabundant goodness of God, that man is able to exult in such a treasure. Mary is his true Mother, Christ is his brother, God is his father. (Sermon, Christmas, 1522) Mary is the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of all of us even though it was Christ alone who reposed on her knees…If he is ours, we ought to be in his situation; there where he is, we ought also to be and all that he has ought to be ours, and his mother is also our mother. (Sermon, Christmas, 1529).

 

[chestertonrules]

Okay, great responses. A few questions.

1. In regard to Mary. i have heard time and time again that Catholics worship Mary. Is this the case? I have a great deal of respect for Mary, I don't think I would have been able to do what she did.

2. Alright, now the saints. From what I have gathered the Catholic church believes the Saints are already with Christ in heaven. I can see that. Revelation does show the presence of them during the last days and even the return of Moses and Elijah. However, my question is once we pass into death how do Saints hear us? God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all are all knowing and all seeing, etc... The Saints were basic folks who God used and did extraordinary things through. Without God's power on earth they would have been me or you. How is it they would have the power to hear us on earth?

3. And last. Jesus said no one comes to the Father except through me. So, I really don't understand seeking forgiveness through priests. I always understood the power given to the disciples as having the power to heal.

Okay that's all for now. Thanks for the info and dealing with this ole baptist girl.

1) Catholics venerate Mary, we don't worship her.

2) This is my opinion, so it is not church teaching. I think that when we die we exit time, ie. we are no longer constrained by the bounds of time, so in essence, we can seem to be everywhere at once for those still constrained.

3) John 20

21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

 

[stivvy]

...1. In regard to Mary. i have heard time and time again that Catholics worship Mary. Is this the case? I have a great deal of respect for Mary, I don't think I would have been able to do what she did.

You are on the same track as us then. We respect her as you do. We are just vocal about it and again, we express it in song. She is family and alive in Christ. We are proud of her and know she loves us too. No worshiping is happening here, just expressin our love of her and thanking her for what she did.

2. Alright, now the saints. From what I have gathered the Catholic church believes the Saints are already with Christ in heaven. I can see that. Revelation does show the presence of them during the last days and even the return of Moses and Elijah. However, my question is once we pass into death how do Saints hear us? God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all are all knowing and all seeing, etc... The Saints were basic folks who God used and did extraordinary things through. Without God's power on earth they would have been me or you. How is it they would have the power to hear us on earth?

The saints don't have any extra power that anyone else would have in our Holy Family. Again, remember, we are all family and we can talk to family anytime. We do not see the great lake between us and Heaven any longer. Jesus the Christ conquered that vast divide through His dieing on the cross. When one dies in our Christian family, they are still alive in heaven and still loves us and still prays for us and still watches over us and petitions God's graces on our behalf.

3. And last. Jesus said no one comes to the Father except through me. So, I really don't understand seeking forgiveness through priests. I always understood the power given to the disciples as having the power to heal.

You are soooo right. Everything is through Jesus and none other. A priest hears our confessions as Jesus demanded through His apostles. The priest doesn't forgive us, God does. The priest is our earthly counsel to God and is a tool of God just as one's parents are or all those special people God puts before you here on Earth. Again, you must think more spiritual and mystical than the secular world has taught you.

 

[Miss Shelby]

Okay, great responses. A few questions.

1. In regard to Mary. i have heard time and time again that Catholics worship Mary. Is this the case? I have a great deal of respect for Mary, I don't think I would have been able to do what she did.

We respect her deeply because without her Jesus would not have become human. A lot of people believe that the reason Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our sins is because he didn't sin. That's not totally true. It's because Hew as the prophisied Lamb of God, and He was also Man. He took his humanity from her, and thus was able to come into the world to save us from sins. Every teaching that we have regarding Mary goes back to Jesus being the Savior. Just as I said before, every time you see them in Catholic art or whatever, it's a way to respect and adore the incarnation, not Mary herself.