i'm catholic but i was wondering what gives the church the right to change doctrine and laws. does it say somewhere in the bible the we are?
2007-03-19 13:40:51 · 22 answers · asked by jimmy 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
NO ONE has the authority to change what the Word of God says.
http://www.bible.ca/catholic.htm
"But in Vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matthew 15:9
2007-03-19 13:43:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 4⤋
You can read the laws and doctrines of the church in the Bible. Anything more than those was created by this or that religious group, be they Roman Catholic, Jew, Gentile or other. If they made the rules or the doctrine .... why should they not have the right to change them when needed?
In the NT Jesus showed what he thought of the doctrine of that day when he spoke about the Pharisees and the other fanatic groups. We still have those types today. They just have different names.
Each church group or sect makes it's own rituals, rules and doctrines. Even the Roman Catholic Church.
Kev
2007-03-19 14:04:20 · answer #2 · answered by Hobgoblin Kev 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
these changes are very rare,when it happens it is through revelations. the church always strives to be in unison with god. the bishops and pope study the word of god all the time and pray about it, when a revelation occurs the understanding of a doctrine or creed may be perfected or slightly modified to be more in unison with god. doctrine is rarely ever changed,i can't think of any that has been. as for church law- church law is not the same as doctrine. church law such as fasting,eating meat on fridays etc can change to suit the times or culture. these laws do not teach about god but can benefit a person into becoming closer to god following certain practices. some sites you may enjoy are
www.scripturecatholic.com
www.salvationhistory.com
www.fisheaters.com
www.catholiceducation.org
www.newadvent.org
remember the church gave us the bible not the other way around.
2007-03-19 13:58:17 · answer #3 · answered by fenian1916 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
1 Corinthians 4:16 says, men should "learn not to exceed what is written".
Galatians 1:6-9 says, "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ." But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
Many verses in the Bible tell us to not change, distort, add to, or take away from the scriptures!
Catholics sometimes point to Matthew 16:19 where Peter was told, "whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (KJV)" They say that Peter was given the authority to make (new) laws for God.
This verse, however, is more accuratele translated in the New American Standard, and some other translations. NASB says, "whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."
The idea here is that Peter and the other apostles were to teach the things that have already been bound in heaven (by God). They were given the understanding of the scriptures and of the things Christ had taught. Compare this to the great commission in Matthew 28:18-20.
Jesus said HE has ALL AUTHORITY and the apostles were to teach the things HE had commanded!
Jesus never changes, therefore, our doctrine does not need to change! If a man has authority to establish new doctrine, then how does Jesus have "all authority". If a man has some then Jesus does not have all. Most is not the same as all.
The apostles were to teach what Jesus had commanded (Matthew 28:20). Paul declared "the whole council of God" (Acts 20:27). This does not leave any room for anything else. The faith "was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 3) This faith, or system of faith, was recorded for us in the Scriptures. A new system of faith does not have to be set up. God's word needs no rewritting.
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines..." (Hebrews 13:8-9)
2007-03-19 14:24:08 · answer #4 · answered by JoeBama 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It doesn`t....because the church was created before the bible. Church doctrine and the bible are not the samething. Check out the writings of the early church fathers, to get an idea of where church doctrine came from. The bible is a history book of old and new testament stories. Church doctrine has been created by the leaders of the church starting with the apostles. The authority was given to them from Jesus who stated on this rock i build my church(Peter)
2007-03-19 13:50:43 · answer #5 · answered by Therapist King 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Catholic Church doctrine cannot be changed. Perhaps you are confusing this with Church discipline. Church discipline can be changed such as with Vatican II. As for Creeds, those are simply statements of belief, they to do not change.
God bless,
Stanbo
2007-03-19 13:59:55 · answer #6 · answered by Stanbo 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is not in the Bible. The Catholic can add or change any doctrine they wish. The only people it affects now is catholics.
2007-03-19 13:44:29 · answer #7 · answered by Desperado 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Revelation verses 22:18-19, "I testify to everyone who hears the prophecy in this book (I refer that book to be the Bible, even though John referred to the book of Revelation): if anyone adds to them (to call that the word of God, the Bible, even though John referred to Revelation), God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book (Revelation); 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book." (New American Standard Bible)
2007-03-19 13:56:07 · answer #8 · answered by The Pirate 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actually the Bible says not to - it says in Revelations that no man should add or take away from the Bible
the problem is today we have to many people not liking this scripture, or can't really explain this one in their own natural mind - so they omit it - or some religions go as far as to make new bibles.
2007-03-19 13:48:44 · answer #9 · answered by ELM 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it is bad to change doctrines. Revelation 22:18-19
2007-03-19 13:48:17 · answer #10 · answered by arvin_ian 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I think that God gave us the Bible. And that is what we need to look for Truth. That doesn't mean that any other added books are "bad" just remember which came from who!
Personally I just stick with the Bible : )
2007-03-19 13:46:23 · answer #11 · answered by ommie 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋