Well, obviously I do not get my teaching from the RCC... I get mine directly from this Book that was published by none other than Jesus Christ Himself... and sorry to have to let you in on this, but Jesus is the only way unto salvation not the RCC
To say that one cannot be saved except thru the RCC is quite high minded, is it not?
Hi Ted,
#1 - The teachings of the Catholic Church do not contradict scripture. They may contradict YOUR understanding of scripture, but YOUR understanding of scripture is not scripture.
#2 - Jesus never published a book, nor wrote anything down. His Apostles wrote, with the authority that he gave them, and the inspiration that the Holy Spirit imparted to them. The only reason you have this book is because the Church compiled it, published it, and protected it.
#3 - The idea that you simply get your teaching from the bible and nothing else is both unbiblical, and intellectually dishonest. You must interpret what you read just like every other human being. The way that you interpret it is influenced by all sorts of things in your life that form your worldview. In fact, the differences between the world you live in and the world that the bible was actually written in make it highly unlikely that you would interpret it as the people who wrote it meant it or those who received it understood it.
#4 - According to the Bible the Church IS Jesus Christ. Thus saying that the Church is the way of salvation, and saying that Jesus Christ is the way of salvation are the same thing. More over, the Church as the body of Christ is how we are individually, and corporately united with Jesus Christ, thus saying you can be saved without the Church, is saying that you can be saved without being united to Christ.
#5 - The Roman Catholic Church does NOT teach that non-Catholics are automatically condemned, or that non-Catholic Christians aren't saved. Quite the opposite. The Church teaches that non-Catholic Christians are genuine Christians and can be saved just as any Catholic can be. (I don't say that anyone IS saved simply because that's not for me to judge.)
The Catholic Church teaches that Christ has made salvation available through the Church, but even those who have separated themselves from the Church, or denied the visible unity of the Church, still receive salvation through the Church. All baptized Christians, by virtue of their baptism have been brought into the Church, even if they break unity by heresy and schizm.
#6 - Jesus Christ speaks to us through many messengers. He speaks to us through the scripture, he speaks to us through ministers that he has ordained, he speaks to us through friends and family. He may even speak to us through strangers we meet on the street. He also speaks to us personally.
But Mary, does have a special place in the relationship of every human being to God, because Jesus came into the world through her. She needed a redeemer, just as we all do, but she was chosen to be the point in all humanity through which divinity became human. It was because she said yes to God, that Jesus became flesh. By virtue of that alone, she has a special role.
However, the Kingdom of Heaven is a fulfillment of the Davidic kingdom of the old testament, and we see in that Kingdom that the Queen Mother also has a special role.
Mary's role is exemplified in the Gospels by the wedding at Cana where when the wine ran out she informed Jesus and said to the servants "do whatever he tells you". In this event, she did not tell Jesus what to do, she simply presented the problem to him, and then she said to the people "do whatever Jesus tells you."
She continues to do this today.
