How do you view Roman Catholics?

[MichaelNZ]

I was reading the bulletin of a Lutheran church here in NZ and there was an article about the Pope's call for unity between Roman Catholics and Lutherans. This got me thinking, how do conservative Lutherans like LCMS and WELS view these statements? I have read that Luther taught that the Pope is the Antichrist. Is this still believed by conservative Lutherans today?

So how do conservative Lutherans view Roman Catholicism? Apostate religion? Church with problems? Just as good as Lutheranism? Would you be willing to let your children marry Roman Catholics (without renouncing their faith in Rome)?

 

[Andrewofthetribe]

I love them and I love their holy mother. I shall never speak against them with hate in my heart. They have suffered terribly at the hands of my church controlled by kings and queens. Recently I saw a bright light and their mother was protecting them. I believe we are going to have a new eve and it will come from our catholic brothers and sisters.

 

[Maddox]

As someone who was a member of Lutheran church for couple of decades before I had extra 5 mins at work to resign by email I would vote for it being just as valid, true and based on truth as the Lutheran church. So no worries.

 

[KevinC1129]

Seeing as how they hold to the Trinitarian mode of baptism and believe in the historic creeds of the church, I believe they are Christian, but are in serious error in some of their teachings and dogma; the most serious being not believing in justification by faith alone. I also believe a person can be saved without having a perfect understanding of how it comes about, and that's were I would place the Catholics who are truly saved.
Scripture is clear that there are few who will be saved as opposed to many, so as to answer that part of the question, I chose some are saved; just as I would say some Lutherans, some Baptists, some Methodists, some Non-denoms, etc. are truly saved, not all. Salvation comes only through Christ, not the church you attend or are a member of.

 

[MichaelNZ]

Seeing as how they hold to the Trinitarian mode of baptism and believe in the historic creeds of the church, I believe they are Christian, but are in serious error in some of their teachings and dogma; the most serious being not believing in justification by faith alone. I also believe a person can be saved without having a perfect understanding of how it comes about, and that's were I would place the Catholics who are truly saved.
Scripture is clear that there are few who will be saved as opposed to many, so as to answer that part of the question, I chose some are saved; just as I would say some Lutherans, some Baptists, some Methodists, some Non-denoms, etc. are truly saved, not all. Salvation comes only through Christ, not the church you attend or are a member of.

Thanks for the reply.

So would you work at trying to convert Roman Catholics to Lutheranism and pray for their conversion, or would you just leave them alone and hope they have sufficient faith to be saved?

 

[KevinC1129]

I would have a discussion with them, sharing my beliefs and why I believe what I believe, pointing to Scripture. I may ask them some questions about their faith, just to get an idea if they have an understanding of the Gospel; if they didn't, I would share the Gospel with them, just like I would anyone else, if the Lord led me in that direction.
I wouldn't do this just because they were RC though, I would do it with anyone who didn't understand the Gospel. If anyone got offended because I shared Law and Gospel with them, I think that's a pretty good indication of where their heart is.
Personally, I would love to have someone share the Good News with me, if they didn't know if I was a Christian or not.

 

[Resha Caner]

It seems I'm the only one marked as Lutheran who has replied so far. I voted for the second one, but if I could I would change the wording to: It's a church with problematic teachings and God hasn't told me how many members of the RCC are saved.

 

[Nova Scotian Boy]

Lutherans view RC as Brothers and sisters. There are great errors within Rome and they are not small. However, they have the sacraments albeit there teaching on them is corrupted. There are Christians in Rome not because of its teaching but in spite of it. I oppose their teaching, I oppose the pope. They add works to salvation, they deny sola find etc. The thing is this Lutherans are also opposed to Protestantism for the same reasons. Are there Christians in the Protestant churches, yes, but it's not because of their teaching but despite it. Lutherans look at Protestantism and RC and see them as 2 sides of the same coin and see no real theological difference in them.

You have to keep in mind all the talk in the news lately concerning Rome and Lutherans, they are talking about the Lutheran World Federation which is a worldwide communion of Lutherans. They consist of the most liberal and heterodox bodies in the world. They are Lutheran in name only. real Confessional Lutherans would not go into fellowship with Rome for anything short of Rome adopting all of Lutheranism teachings.

 

[SalusaSecundus]

The teach corrupted gospel but they still have the sacraments.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Lutherans view RC as Brothers and sisters. There are great errors within Rome and they are not small. However, they have the sacraments albeit there teaching on them is corrupted. There are Christians in Rome not because of its teaching but in spite of it. I oppose their teaching, I oppose the pope. They add works to salvation, they deny sola find etc. The thing is this Lutherans are also opposed to Protestantism for the same reasons. Are there Christians in the Protestant churches, yes, but it's not because of their teaching but despite it. Lutherans look at Protestantism and RC and see them as 2 sides of the same coin and see no real theological difference in them.

You have to keep in mind all the talk in the news lately concerning Rome and Lutherans, they are talking about the Lutheran World Federation which is a worldwide communion of Lutherans. They consist of the most liberal and heterodox bodies in the world. They are Lutheran in name only. real Confessional Lutherans would not go into fellowship with Rome for anything short of Rome adopting all of Lutheranism teachings.

Actually, you are not quite right; there are formal dialogues going in between the International Lutheran Conference; you will note our LCC National Bishop, Rev. Dr. Bugbee:
Roman Catholic Church and International Lutheran Council to begin dialogue

Roman Catholic Church and International Lutheran Council to begin dialogue
NOVEMBER 21, 2013 ONE COMMENT

Prof. Dr. Werner Klan, Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee, Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt, Cardinal Kurt Koch, Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, and Monsignore Dr. Matthias Türk

by Mathew Block

In addition to this, there are formal discussions underway in St. Louis, and also at our Sem in St. Catherines; less formal ones with the President Bugbee and the Bishop of Winnipeg in that city.

The discussions between the LWF and the Catholic Church, because of the moral and theological standards of the member Churches in the LWF will never result in reunion or fellowship.

Talks between the LCMS, LCC and the ILC are not intended to yield unity, but to give both sides of the discussion a better understanding of our differences as well as our similarities. No false ecumenism here.

 

[tampasteve]

I believe they have some corrupted teachings, but many or even most of the parishioners are saved and their sacraments are valid. As a lapsed Catholic myself, I have been pretty involved with many Catholic parishioners and priests.

 

[twin.spin]

Your answer can be best answered in the WELS q\a on such topic, which I have quoted in part and will leave it at that:
https://wels.net/faq/lutheran-and-roman-catholic-church-teachings/

"Both churches do confess what the Bible teaches, that God is triune. That is why, for example, our church will recognize the Christian baptisms that are performed in the Roman Catholic Church and we will not re-baptize such individuals who wish to join our church.

While there is a common confession in both churches regarding the Triune God, there is an obvious difference in what the churches teach when it comes to the saving work of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. We believe what the Bible teaches: that we are saved solely by the merits of Jesus Christ, and our works do not contribute in any way to our salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7). The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation is a cooperative effort between God and people. That teaching does not lead to salvation, as the book of Galatians especially explains. One hopes that members of the Roman Catholic Church reject what their church officially teaches about salvation and trust only in Jesus Christ for their salvation."​

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[CaliforniaJosiah]

I consider it a valid denomination, as "valid" as any Lutheran one. However, I disagree with a FEW of their dogmas.... additionally, I simply can't accept a few more as dogma (there is a big difference in those two statements) but I consider its Sacraments and clergy as valid and its members as my FULL and in every way EQUAL and equally blessed brothers and sisters in Christ.... just wrong about a FEW of its distinctive, new dogmas (I'd be a member there if that were not the case). I fully accept the denomination (even regard it as one of the best) and affirm MUCH it teaches and does.... I just don't agree with EVERYTHING in the way it is currently held and demanded (whether officially or popularly). This position got me into a LOT of trouble here at CF thus how often I post here.