What does everyone, Protestant Catholic, and Orthodox think of this ?

Question

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican said on Tuesday Christian denominations outside Roman Catholicism were not full churches of Jesus Christ.

...described Christian Orthodox churches as true churches, but suffering from a "wound" since they do not recognize the primacy of Pope.

..."wound is still more profound" in Protestant denominations.

"Despite the fact that this teaching has created no little distress ... it is nevertheless difficult to see how the title of 'Church' could possibly be attributed to them," it saidThe document said the Council's opening to other faiths recognized there were "many elements of sanctification and truth" in other Christian denominations, but stressed only Catholicism had all the elements to be Christ's Church...

The text refers to "ecclesial communities originating from the Reformation," a term used to refer to Protestants and Anglicans.

I didn't have enough room for the whole article, but you get the point.

Mark

Logic and Doctrine usually are diametrically oposed fields of study, however lets apply logic to what is contained in the document.

According to the documenet, The Pope says my Church is not a Church. This is because my beliefs are wrong. My beliefs (regarding salvation) are taken from the Bible, and only the Bible. Logically then the Pope must believe the Bible to be wrong. If the Bible is wrong, logically that must also mean that the Roman Church is wrong by his own statement and Logic.

I guess that Protestant, Orthodox, and Catholic alike are all in this togeather.

Answer 1

Here is the full text of the new document that states nothing new: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070629_responsa-quaestiones_en.html

Most Christian denominations believe that each of them is the fullest version of the Church of Christ.

While the Catholic Church also believes that she is "the highest exemplar" of the mystery that is the Church of Christ, she does not claim that non-Catholic Churches are not truly Christian. The Catholic Church teaches:

Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.

Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church.

All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

The problem stems from the Catholic church getting thoroughly corrupt in the 16C, teaching doctrines highly opposite to what the New Testament says. Then taking a worldly approach to people splitting off by trying to reimpose catholicism by using violence through various catholic monarchs. In the UK we had to see off the Spanish Armada, but the Protestants in some countries, like France, were badly persecuted.

Now they have corrected much of the doctrinal perversions of that time, but its hard to "make up". Although there are many protestant denominations, and that is sad, its pretty obvious that God is very much at work in them, some in wonderful ways that is not true in all ways in the Catholic church. It, like many old denominations looks a bit set in fixed rituals at times. An issue as I see it with a fixed a rigidly-structured church is you do get stability, but they can stifle God's actions with the organisational structures.

Answer 3

First of all earlier than I reply, each Christian whether or not they wish to confess it or no longer is a "denominational" Christian. And we will be able to be that manner till we're all united in Heaven. Then we will be able to be a "common" church. Right now if a character says he attends a nondenominational church, he nonetheless has a denomination. The denomination of nondenominations. I attend a unbiased Baptist (or baptistic in train) church, that's self sustaining, self-governing and self aiding which each nearby (unbiased) church within the New Testament was once. There was once no Protestant or Catholic hierachy of church buildings financially tied in combination like the best way the Vatican or the Southern Baptist Convention does it. That isn't biblical. one million) Everything within the Bible might not be "primary" to be stored, however it's most likely primary or God should not have incorporated it. I do not consider God makes errors for that reason no Christian has the proper to mention what's "primary" within the Bible or what is not. If it is in there, it is primary. two) Again, if it is within the Bible it is foundational, or God should not have incorporated it, irrespective of whether or not it is foundational to anybody's salvation or no longer. three) Salvation is not won. There is none well however God so being a "well" character or being a well church member or side of a few different faith does not reduce it. Salvation is bought through God's grace via our possess person alternative to consider through religion who Christ rather is (God within the flesh) that we are sinners deserving to be ceaselessly separated from God within the lake of fireplace (Rev 21:eight), and that Christ's loss of life and resurrection was once enough to pay the endless penalty for us.

Answer 4

he is just a man. he is trying to make himself even with God. there is nothing about the pope that is Christlike. i can't recognize any man who thinks he is better than everyone else. he needs to stop playing church. if he keeps going on the path he is on he will have a lot to answer for on the day of judgement. he has no right judge people. if he was so Holy and if he really loved the Lord than how come he is not out on the streets praying for people, laying hands on them doing what Christ did. catholics have a lot of teachings that are not biblical. i really feel bad for people for following the pope. the pope does what he thinks is best and not what God thinks. God Bless....Are Roman Catholics Christians? They are, if they have trusted in Jesus alone for the forgiveness of their sins. However, if they believe that the are saved by God's grace and their works, then they are not saved -- even if they believe their works are done by God's grace -- since they then deny the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice.
Being a Christian does not mean being a member of the Roman Catholic Church. It means being a member of the body of Christ, which is accomplished by faith and trust in Jesus alone for the forgiveness of your sins. It means that you do not add your works to His work. Sincerity doesn't forgive sins. Membership in a church doesn't forgive sins. Doing works of penance doesn't forgive sins. Praying to Mary doesn't forgive sins. Forgiveness is received in the faithful trust and acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. You must trust Jesus, God in flesh, for the forgiveness of sins, not a manmade ritual and certainly not the Catholic saints. Even though the Roman Catholic Church affirms the Trinity, the deity of Christ, and His physical resurrection, it greatly errs in its doctrine of salvation by adding works to salvation.

The official Roman Catholic doctrine of salvation is that the grace of God is infused into a baby at baptism -- making him/her justified before God.1 This justification can be lost through sin and must be regained by repeated participation in the many sacraments found in the Roman Catholic Church. These sacraments increase the measure of grace in the person by which he or she is enabled to do good works, which are in turn rewarded with the joy of heaven:

Answer 5

The appalling state of protestantism - the wildness of fundamentalism,etc. - and the failure of Lutheranism to uphold Christianity in the Nordic states leads me to conclude this is the correct position. Other than the Lutheran Church in America,protestantism has been very bad for Christianity. It's time to take note of the obvious: these "branches' are like branches torn from a tree. Dead or dying or - in the case of fundamentalism - better off dead,since no one is doing more to bring Christianity into disrepute today.

Answer 6

Sure, but they still teach in Catholic school that the believers are the church!

Why can't we focus on the similarities and not the differences? I only pull that "one true church" stuff when some Fundamentalists insists that I am not a Christian.

This guy is going to overturn Vatican II and undo all the good that it's done for so many years, including losing a lot of Catholics in the process.

Answer 7

They are saying what almost every denomination of Christian churches says: That they are the only "true" church. It doesn't surprise me. Catholics did not support the Reformation when it happened and don't support Protestants and Anglicans now. And vice versa.

Answer 8

I find that the Pope can not claim divine authority.
I find that the, "church of 'GOD'", was built by Jesus and not the Romanism church.
I find that that system is referred to in Revelation as the beast out of the sea.
I find that she for this church is called she, received her power for Pagan Rome.

Need I go on?

Answer 9

It's only a wound for those who believe the Pope to be correct. It's not a wound for me, who does not believe in the power and primacy of the pope.

Answer 10

Have been reading similar gimcrackery (Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, D&C etc....) coming from Joseph Smith the Mormon "prophet".