Questions about Catholics (From a Protestant)

[ChristIsSovereign]

1. What do you think verifies the Catholic Church as the true Church of Christ?

2. What is your ultimate source of belief in such?

3. What is your position on the authority of Scripture?

Honest questions. I'm curious.

 

[Decanus]

1. What do you think verifies the Catholic Church as the true Church of Christ?

2. What is your ultimate source of belief in such?

3. What is your position on the authority of Scripture?

Honest questions. I'm curious.

1. The Pope as the successor of Peter

2. The words of Jesus

3. Scripture is authoritative but only correctly interpreted through apostolic tradition and the Church's magisterium

 

[JesusLovesOurLady]

2. The words of Jesus

I'm no expert, (which is why, I didn't reply to this) but I would have put, the supernaturally infused Virtue of Faith for No. 2, I could be reading this wrong though.

 

[Decanus]

I'm no expert, (which is why, I didn't reply to this) but I would have put, the supernaturally infused Virtue of Faith for No. 2, I could be reading this wrong though.

Well, once i'd given my answer for number 1, I felt that number 2 was asking why I believed my answer to the first question. Perhaps I am reading the questions wrong also

 

[JesusLovesOurLady]

Well, once i'd given my answer for number 1, I felt that number 2 was asking why I believed my answer to the first question. Perhaps I am reading the questions wrong also

Hmm...

Maybe I'd put the Crucifixion, because it is from Our Lord's Crucifixion that all graces flow (through the One True Church) including the grace of the supernaturally infused Virtue of Faith.

 

[The Grouch]

1. What do you think verifies the Catholic Church as the true Church of Christ?

2. What is your ultimate source of belief in such?

3. What is your position on the authority of Scripture?

Honest questions. I'm curious.

1. Scripture
2. Scripture
3. See 1 & 2

1. Scripture teaches that jesus built his church on peter. Historically the catholic church has a valid lineage of succesion back to st peter... the only church to do so.. all other churches were established by men who were not st peter and thus they are not the church of christ

2. My ultimate source of this belief is scripture and historical facts that back this up

3. The bible is the written word of God, you dont get any more aithoritative than that

 

[ChristIsSovereign]

1. Scripture
2. Scripture
3. See 1 & 2

Do you believe in scripture above divine tradition or do you believe them to be equal?

 

[Decanus]

Hmm...

Maybe I'd put the Crucifixion, because it is from Our Lord's Crucifixion that all graces flow (through the One True Church) including the grace of the supernaturally infused Virtue of Faith.

I think the OP is asking why Catholicism specifically. A lot of churches would probably give that answer I reckon.

 

[The Grouch]

Do you believe in scripture above divine tradition or do you believe them to be equal?

I believe that the bible is the infallible word of God but we are fallible human beings so we need as infallible means of understanding the bible and this is why christ gave and left us his Church. Note Christ gave us a church not the new testiment...the church he gave us then gave us the new testiment... the authority of the bible rests on the authority of the church and the authority of the church rests on Christ who was given all authority by the Father.

The bible is the word of God, the infallible teaching of the Church is the word of God and Jesus Christ is the literal word of God who became flesh and dwelt among us

Scripture testifies to the church, christ and God, the church testifies to scripture to christ and to God. Christ testifies to the scriptures the church and to God... God glorifies the son, the son glorifies his church the church glorifies the scriptures

Equal!!

 

[ChristIsSovereign]

I believe that the bible is the infallible word of God but we are fallible human beings so we need as infallible means of understanding the bible and this is why christ gave and left us his Church. Note Christ gave us a church not the new testiment...the church he gave us then gave us the new testiment... the authority of the bible rests on the authority of the church and the authority of the church rests on Christ who was given all authority by the Father.

The bible is the word of God, the infallible teaching of the Church is the word of God and Jesus Christ is the literal word of God who became flesh and dwelt among us

Scripture testifies to the church, christ and God, the church testifies to scripture to christ and to God. Christ testifies to the scriptures the church and to God... God glorifies the son, the son glorifies his church the church glorifies the scriptures

So you have to read the Bible in the exact way the Church tells you to?

 

[The Grouch]

So you have to read the Bible in the exact way the Church tells you to?

We do not read the bible in a "way" rather we read the bible let it speak to us as individuals as if the holy spirit were speaking to us one on one.

Then we examine what the spirit says to us according to the teachings of the church. If what was spoken to us by the spirit is in conformity with the church we can be sure this is the spirit of truth. However if what was spoken to us is contrary to the teachings of the church we can be sure it was the spirit of falsehood

I reference 1 John 4:6


"We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood"

We must listen to the Church that is the infallible teachins of the church who is protected by the divine hand of christ from all error as john says this is how we recognize the spirit of truth

Its quite amazing dont you think...You see how the scripture here testifies to the church and how the church testifies to christ (the divine hand) and how God is glorified within human hearts by the recognition of the truth... we then become extensions of that truth by testifying to the bible the church and Christ and we ourselves become glorified in the heart of God ?

Quite amazing

 

[ChristIsSovereign]

We do not read the bible in a "way" rather we read the bible let it speak to us as individuals as if the holy spirit were speaking to us one on one.

Then we examine what the spirit says to us according to the teachings of the church. If what was spoken to us by the spirit is in conformity with the church we can be sure this is the spirit of truth. However if what was spoken to us is contrary to the teachings of the church we can be sure it was the spirit of falsehood

I reference 1 John 4:6


"We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood"

We must listen to the Church that is the infallible teachins of the church who is protected by the divine hand of christ from all error as john says this is how we recognize the spirit of truth

Its quite amazing dont you think...You see how the scripture here testifies to the church and how the church testifies to christ (the divine hand)?

I wonder who exactly said the Church was protected by Christ's hand as to be infallible.

 

[The Grouch]

I wonder who exactly said the Church was protected by Christ's hand as to be infallible.

Well that was jesus Christ himself when he said

"You are peter (cephas/rock) and upon this Rock (cephas/peter) i will build my Chruch and the GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT TO YOU I GIVE THE KEYS (not just a key but ALL the keys) TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN WHATEVER YOU BIND ON EARTH SHALL BE BOUND IN HEAVEN WHATEVER YOU LOOSEN ON EARTH SHALL BE LOOSENED IN HEAVEN


this does not mean that what the church teaches effects heaven rather that heaven effects the church so that it teaches truth

 

[ChristIsSovereign]

Well that was jesus Christ himself when he said

"You are peter (cephas/rock) and upon this Rock (cephas/peter) i will build my Chruch and the GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT TO YOU I GIVE THE KEYS (not just a key but ALL the keys) TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN WHATEVER YOU BIND ON EARTH SHALL BE BOUND IN HEAVEN WHATEVER YOU LOOSEN ON EARTH SHALL BE LOOSENED IN HEAVEN

The interpretation of that verse determines your view of the Church.

Example: Orthodox Christians believe Peter was the Bishop of Antioch.

 

[Decanus]

The interpretation of that verse determines your view of the Church.

Example: Orthodox Christians believe Peter was the Bishop of Antioch.

But they also acknowledge him as Bishop of Rome and that Rome was the first among equals.

Rome was, and is still, the most important See.

 

[ChristIsSovereign]

But they also acknowledge him as Bishop of Rome and that Rome was the first among equals.

Rome was, and is still, the most important See.

So the Bishop of Rome was the Bishop of Antioch?

 

[The Grouch]

But they also acknowledge him as Bishop of Rome and that Rome was the first among equals.

Rome was, and is still, the most important See.

The church was initially founded in jerusalem on peter by christ himself. Peter then went to antioch and later to rome... the cheif apostle earthly head left jerusalem and with him the authority abided.. it rested with him in antioch and left with him when he came to Rome there he died and his authority passed on to the next bishop of Rome

 

[The Grouch]

So the Bishop of Rome was the Bishop of Antioch?

Yes Peter who BECAME the bishop of Rome WAS PRIOR to that the Bishop of antioch

 

[Decanus]

So the Bishop of Rome was the Bishop of Antioch?

The wording of this has thrown me off.

Peter WAS the Bishop of Antioch. He then left Antioch and became the Bishop of Rome. He was not both at the same time.

 

[ChristIsSovereign]

The wording of this has thrown me off.

Peter WAS the Bishop of Antioch. He then left Antioch and became the Bishop of Rome. He was not both at the same time.

Hm... I do believe that many early popes were Biblically sound, but I believe that became corrupted around 600 something AD? Someone I admire is Pope Gregory I.

Personal opinion.