My (mini) Theology in a nutshell.

pescador said:

Of course you realize that in the days of the Bible, very, very few people were literate. In those days there were few great theologians, Bible scholars, etc. People had to rely on what they heard in the synagogues or from the letters from apostles, evangelists, and others that were read aloud.

Now we have churches on every corner and many different Bible translations to teach us God's ways. Of course, they don't always agree on many points so one must decide for themselves (unless you're Catholic).

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fhansen said:

Catholics also have to decide for themselves-if what the Church and Scripture are saying are true-or at least they should do so. Members of other denominations are obligated to do the same.

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Either way we all choose our source of truth-and determine whether or not the commentators are giving is the right scoop.

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Albion said:

Yes, but this isn't the issue I was addressing. You say that Catholics and others 'have to' or 'should', but I am commenting on those people who insist that they don't need to listen to anyone outside of themselves as they create, in effect, a denomination and creed of their own with one member, themselves.

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fhansen said:

Catholics also have to decide for themselves-if what the Church and Scripture are saying is true-or at least they should do so. Members of other denominations are obligated to do the same. Either way we all choose our source of truth-and determine whether or not the commentators are giving us the right scoop-even if we're the only commentator/interpreter. But we don't live in a vacuum and none of us would've even heard of the Christian faith if not for those who've preceded us and it's really impossible to be totally uninfluenced or unimpacted by previous beliefs and theology, going back to the beginning, in fact. The Catholic Church for its part actually teaches that just being a card-carrying member isn't enough. Ultimately love of God and neighbor, above all the virtues, made attainable by grace, actually defines justice or righteousness for a Christian-and for all men.

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Albion said:

Yes, but this isn't the issue I was addressing. You say that Catholics and others 'have to' or 'should', but I am commenting on those people who insist that they don't need to listen to anyone outside of themselves as they create, in effect, a denomination and creed of their own with one member, themselves.

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pescador said:

"The Catholic Church for its part actually teaches that just being a card-carrying member isn't enough. Ultimately love of God and neighbor, above all the virtues, made attainable by grace, actually defines justice or righteousness for a Christian-and for all men." also applies to Protestants of course. If you don't love God and your neighbor then you're not following the teachings of Jesus Christ.

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fhansen said:

True enough, but easier said than done as I see it, of the quality and quantity of love that God desires. If a person perfectly loved God with their whole heart, soul, mind, and strength and their neighbor as themselves all sin would be excluded, the law fulfilled. And it's a challenge that grows or increases; the more we do the more capable we are of doing, and the more of it that's expected of us, grace leading to more grace, so to speak. And there're no limits to that love, a primary aspect of God's very nature.

At any rate in Catholicism love isn't a sort of side-benefit or obligation, but it takes center stage as the heart and soul of the faith and the very definition of righteousness for man. We'll be judged on it according to the church. So regardless of who teaches this truth, it's of great benefit to keep it firmly in mind as I see it. "Thou shall love." To phrase it differently.

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