Looking for some civil discussion between Protestants and the Old Church. I have a few questions I am hoping to get answered. I was not raised in the church, and only recently (4 years ago) came to know Christ. I've only attended PCA (Presbyterian Church of America) since then, and know very little of other denominations especially Catholic. Help me understand the Catholic ways!
Is the authority of the Roman Catholic Pope threatened by the authority of the Bible? Why or why not?
The Pope is the one who pronounced what scriptures were... so how could the One put in Peter's chair who thru Tradition and the Holy Spirit - be in error or against that which only He could accept?
Why do Protestants use the 'authority' of the Pope by trusting his choice of canon - is more the question.
Who is the supreme leader of the Church: Christ or the Pope?
The Pope is the visible place of Jesus on earth.
Christ is the cornerstone and the chair of Peter is the foundation.
You cannot start a building without a cornerstone - nor can you build without the foundation.
So the two are equally important for a sound structure.
The chair of Peter remains the teacher - the shepherd that Jesus told Peter to be in His absence.
Do you think He meant only Peter?
Did you know Jesus quoted Jewish tradition without it being in the OT?
The chair o Moses existed only thru the oral knowledge that ppl had a leader to continue where Moses left off.
The same is with the chair of Peter spoken of in the earlier recordings of the church.
To follow another - Calvin for instance - is giving him the exact same spot as the Pope - because he still led ppl. In error - but he still gained a gathering who trusted him...so he put himself in his own seat of authority. Irony when you think about it.
Does the Pope (and the Catholic church) promote a works-based or faith-based salvation?
Youy cannot have one without the other.
Didnt Paul say you can have faith to move mountains but without love your empty?
What makes you believe faith is all you need?
St Jude or James [im so sleepy atm] said without works - that faith is dead.
Why? Because it is in works we show the love Paul spoke about.
So you just cannot have one without the other. You just cant.
Thats two apostles telling you faith alone - it just doesnt work without works.
Do all Catholic churches fall under the Roman Catholic church?
Yes... Eastern or Western - the head of the Church is the Pope.
Now culture is another matter altogether.
Where can I find the institution of the additional five sacraments by Jesus? In addition, can sins be forgiven without confessing to men?
Jesus breathed the Spirit on the apostles and said to go out and forgive or HOLD BOUND sins - and the same would hold in Heaven.
NOT the same thing as telling Peter to forgive sins against himself personally that he has to forgive 7 x 70.
You would think the two would cancel the other.
Breathing the Spirit on them alone was the beginning of His ministry for them...not all.
See the distinct difference?
The sacraments are all thru scriptures [NT] like when it was said - you received the baptism of the Lord - now i lay my hands on you to recieve the Holy Spirit... aka Confirmation.
Baptism - Jesus was baptized..and He said go out and do this.
Marriage - obvious.
Ordinations - examples - Judes was replaced - Paul was to go them to be accepted with them - Timothy was a Bishop...etc
Last Rites - its in there.
Im hald a sleep and have to do laundry so this is just keeping me awake til i go back to work. :/
Does the Catholic church still use the Latin Vulgate of Jerome?
Yes -
www.drbo.org
Was Mary without sin? If so, was she purified at the moment of conception? If so, is this an assumption based on the character of Christ or found in scripture?
She was foretold - in Gensis 6.
Yes she was to remain sinless and it was the promise of her sinlessness that helped Jesus overcome His own fears to allow the Passion and death.
She was pre-Baptized by the promise of the Lord... and had He not had His passion and death He couldnt have kept such a promise for her or anyone.
Ppl forget - the Holy Spirit only assisted the prophets in the OT - it wasnt until Jesus died we could have the Spirit again - BUT Mary was already full of grace but she didnt prophecy too much. Well - she did - but not of the coming.
She did say all shall call her Blessed.
Pronounced Bless-ed Not Blest.
It means venerable.
She was the New Eve - it took two - male and female to take us out of paradise - it took two male and female to bring us back.
Just as God created Adam and Eve spotless - He desired the same essence to have 2 sinless to bring us back.
If Mary was left sinful - she could not be equal to Eve - and women wouldnt have an equal reward.But we know women do...see other scriptures.
What is the Catholic view of paedocommunion (bringing children to the Lord's Table)?
The East does that...in infancy [some anyway] when baptized.
Do Catholics believe that true Christians can be found in any of the other denominations?
They really dont have a choice but be part of the Church since baptism is equal to all.
And they unknowingly conform to the Pope's teaching that scriptures are true and undeniably correct.
ya know - had not the Spirit led the Pope even back in the 300's - you couldnt possibly know if the scriptures were real or not.
irony - i tell you.
But those who rebuke her - we dont know what happens to them after life.
Its true not all can enter Heaven as some will say 'Lord, Lord'...
The Church allows for invincible ignorance.
IE - if you truly dont know due to the many years where folks did know better - they accept ppl are saved.
BUT if you are shown the truth and still deny it - well, it could be bad. We just dont know...where those souls go.
What is the Catholic stance on the sovereignty of God (all things, some, etc)?
The only thing God cannot do is go against Himself.
He cannot deny Himself - see Timothy.
Etc
Explain the requirement/need/benefit of praying to saints over directly to God.
Saints are just like the living on earth.
We ask one another to petition the Lord - so too can they petition the Lord.
Their prayers are like incense at the altar of Heaven.
Lets not forget - the book of life exists in heaven til the end of time - and NO MAN can see it. Obviously men are in heaven...and obviously they are concerned with us.
Cloud of witnesses above us.
And Saints in heaven will judge all nations.
Its not like they are ignorant of the earth or anything.