Question for Catholics from an ex-Protestant in search of a denomination

[timothyu]

This is starting to sound like draft picks

 

[Jared H]

This is starting to sound like draft picks

They've got a Jewish fullback I'm gonna need Martin Luther on defensive tackle!
(I barely understand sportsball so I hope that joke works.)

 

[timothyu]

(I barely understand sportsball so I hope that joke works.)

Don't ask me Never been a follower of gladiator sports.

 

[Jared H]

There is another choice other than Protestant/Catholic/Orthodox. George Fox and the early Quakers, though nothing like what passes today as Quakerism, were against Protestantism, and sola scripture, and strongly against Catholicism with its hierachy. They believed that scripture is secondary to the revelation from the Holy Spirit, of course always confirmed by scripture but in that order.

I recommend you read Fox's Journal as he wandered the land looking for answers to similar questions to the ones you have, and what was revealed to him about organised religion and 'steeple houses'. The drawback is finding anything likewise in the flesh.

There is a link with the Nazarene church over the doctrine of entire sanctification which they used to espouse which like most other truth has gone down the pan.

Started reading his Wikipedia entry and saw this:
"Toward the end of his life he wrote a letter for general circulation pointing out that Abel, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses and David were all keepers of sheep or cattle and therefore that a learned education should not be seen as a necessary qualification for ministry."
It's funny considering I raise poultry.

 

[timothyu]

It's funny considering I raise poultry.

So you are saying compared to them, you are for the birds?

 

[Jared H]

Indeed honk honk

 

[bmjackson]

Quack.

 

[Jared H]

Quack.

We actually had a couple ducklings hatch a week ago!

 

[bmjackson]

We actually had a couple ducklings hatch a week ago!

Duck eggs are nice.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Started reading his Wikipedia entry and saw this:
"Toward the end of his life he wrote a letter for general circulation pointing out that Abel, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses and David were all keepers of sheep or cattle and therefore that a learned education should not be seen as a necessary qualification for ministry."
It's funny considering I raise poultry.

What kind(s) of poultry?

I have just about a dozen or so chickens and their rotating batches of chicks now. I used to raise chickens, ducks, muscovies, geese, and guinea fowl on the farm - free-ranging on pastures.

 

[Sola1517]

Thanks for your reply and the linked videos. I'll make sure to check those out.
I'm curious as to what you mean by more progressive in theology?

Open minded, but not so open that their brain falls out.

 

[Halbhh]

While I've developed severe doubts about the ability of Protestantism to maintain long-term social & theological stability and to avoid fractiousness

Turns out that's only human, and present in all churches, as best I can tell. I can't tell you how many endless disputes I read about in the modern Catholic church for instance, but I don't put special emphasis on their fractiousness. They are only human, just like any other people. It's not like they are worse than other churches. Rather, the same, in that way. Certainly better than many though, since they do have a good big-tent aim which many of them adhere to even while others are so partisan against others in their own church you want to grab them by the lapel and ask them what are they thinking, even though you aren't even in that particular church. The same goes for every church really. But, back to the big tent tendency -- it's a very good thing, and many large churches have it.

Welcome to CF. Glad to see you here.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

I was raised Nazarene but I think I'm completely convinced at this point that I can't be Protestant. Now I just have to figure whether I should be Catholic or Eastern Orthodox. I really struggle, as many do, with the current corruption of the Church & the Papacy. I understand that it was the result of an agenda of infiltration & subversion, but I'm struggling to understand the doctrine of the infallibility of the Church and how it could have even been corrupted in the first place if it truly possessed the singular legitimacy in the way (I think) they claim it does. I can easily get around the fact that humans & our institutions are inherently flawed, but the way Catholics argue for the singular legitimacy of their Church seems to imply that such corruption shouldn't have been possible if they were correct.

I'm also still confused about the way they treat Mary, but that's much less serious a hangup than the aforementioned.

Any input is appreciated. I want to get cleared up on this before proceeding to examine the doctrinal differences between Catholicism & Orthodoxy.
Thank you.

There still is a third option, the Church that gave the world monasticism, the Oriental Orthodox. If you live near a big city, chances are good there is a Coptic Church in your area.

The Voice In The Desert - Oriental Orthodox

 

[~Anastasia~]

There still is a third option, the Church that gave the world monasticism, the Oriental Orthodox. If you live near a big city, chances are good there is a Coptic Church in your area.

The Voice In The Desert - Oriental Orthodox

That's worth mentioning.

While in the end I did not choose OO but went instead with the Councils (precious little separates us in either doctrine or practice!) ... I still find the spiritual teachings of the OO to be beneficial. If I'm recognizing him, I think the video you posted is of one of my favorite teachers.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

If I'm recognizing him, I think the video you posted is of one of my favorite teachers.

Yes he has been getting a lot of notoriety lately. I think the fact he does a lot of the "How to" informal sermons (reminiscent of some Protestant traditions) besides traditional homilies gives him a good deal of range and crossover appeal.

 

[Messerve]

If I understand correctly, it's their hermeneutics that I disagree with, as well as Sola Scriptura.

Oh okay, that's what I figured but I wanted to make sure it wasn't bitterness or something, as others have pointed out. It's always a bad idea to make a major change when you're acting only on temporary emotions.

Personally, I think Sola Scriptura is mostly true. I don't follow traditions just because they've always been done... If the Bible is really the Word of God, then it has to be unchanging. God doesn't change. That can't really be said of the theological positions of Church leaders across history - of any denomination.

At the same time, I do believe God can speak to us through the Holy Spirit through others and even on rare occasions in dreams or visions. Yet, all of that should be in harmony with His Word, or we can't say it's from Him ultimately.

This is why I have chosen to call myself non-denominational. First and foremost I study the Word and go directly to God for better understanding and continual sanctification. If you understand the Word correctly, then what others teach you doesn't matter so much. But few people have the time to really delve into the Greek and Hebrew and ancient culture to gain the bigger picture of the words written.

 

[Messerve]

Started reading his Wikipedia entry and saw this:
"Toward the end of his life he wrote a letter for general circulation pointing out that Abel, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses and David were all keepers of sheep or cattle and therefore that a learned education should not be seen as a necessary qualification for ministry."
It's funny considering I raise poultry.

I agree. D. L. Moody.

However, if you have the opportunity to get that education, it's a very valuable thing.

 

[Lily76_]

Welcome dear brother

 

[Dave-W]

What kind(s) of poultry?

We actually had a couple ducklings hatch a week ago!

Poultry in motion ....

 

[Dave-W]

There is another choice other than Protestant/Catholic/Orthodox. George Fox and the early Quakers,

Sorry - Quakers are definitely protestant.

The only other group that seems to have no consensus on whether they are protestant or not are the Messianics. We have our origins in Orthodox and Chassidic Judaism, NOT any church group.