Catholic for a Reason #4 Engaging with Protestants
Game Plan for the Evening • Prayer for Christian Unity • Aren’t we all just Christians, why bother? • Significant Common Ground and Significant Differences – Common Ground – The Magisterium: Scriptural Basis, Apostolic Succession, Infallibility – Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition – Faith and Works: Justification, Salvation, and Grace – The Sacraments: The Eucharist, Confession • Common misunderstandings that you can clarify: – Mary – Saints – Priesthood of the Baptized • What does it mean for us to be “one” as Jesus desired?
Prayer for Christian Unity Lord Jesus Christ, at your Last Supper you prayed to the Father that all should be one. Send your Holy Spirit upon all who bear your name and seek to serve you. Strengthen our faith in you, and lead us to love one another in humility. May we who have been reborn in one baptism be united in one faith under one Shepherd. Amen.
What’s the point? • Jesus prayed for this! – I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours,and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them.And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are…“I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one” –John 17:9-11, 20-22 • The Scandal of Disunity • Confusion • Evangelization and unified Christian witness
Who are we talking to?
Who are we talking to? The Basics and The Five Solae • The Absolute Supremacy of God’s Word • The Absolute Supremacy of the Grace of Christ • The General Priesthood of Believers • Sola Gratia – By Grace Alone • Sola Fide – By Faith Alone • Solus Christus – In Christ Alone • Sola Scriptura – By Scripture Alone • Soli Deo Gloria – For God’s Glory Alone
Common Ground • We all believe in the Trinity • We believe the Bible to be the Word of God • The Incarnation and Historical Details of the Christian Faith – Christ is the Son of God – He came to save us from sin and death – He really lived in history and worked miracles – He really was crucified, died, was buried, rose on the third day, and ascended into heaven • Baptism – With water and the Trinitarian formula – The import of mutually recognized baptism is that we Catholics are members of the Body of Christ with our Protestant brothers and sisters.
Common Ground • Sola Gratia – We both believe that it is through the grace of Christ that salvation is achieved • Desire to evangelize • Care for the poor and marginalized • Care for the environment • A belief that the human person is created in the image and likeness of God • Depending on the ecclesial community your friend or family member is a part of, there may be more agreement on issues than you think.
Differences • The Magisterium • Scripture and Tradition • The Sacraments: The Eucharist • Justification, Salvation, and Grace • Morality
What’s with the Pope? The issue of the Magisterium • When Christ established his Church, he set up a living, continuing, authority to teach, govern, and sanctify in his name. • This authority is called “Apostolic” because it began with the 12 Apostles, starting with Peter, and continued with their successors. • It was this Apostolic authority that would preserve and authentically interpret the revelation of Jesus Christ.
What’s with the Pope? The issue of the Magisterium • OT: We see God’s design to provide a living, continuing authority in the Mosaic Priesthood (2 Chronicles 19:11; Malachi 2:7) • Scriptural Basis: Matthew 16:13-19 – “…And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” • Why would Jesus give this authority to Peter and not intend for it to be passed on? If the early Christians needed an authoritative leader, later Christians would as well. • Scriptural Basis: Acts 15 – The Council of Jerusalem – Paul requests a council to decide whether Gentiles had to follow the Mosaic law as well as the law of Christ. – It is after Peter speaks that the discussion ends.
What’s with the Pope? The issue of the Magisterium • Historical Basis – Evidence from the early Church – St. Clement of Rome ( Epistle to the Corinthians , 80 A.D.) – Ignatius of Antioch ( Epistle to the Romans, 110 A.D.) – Hermas ( Vision circa 140 A.D.) – Dionysius ( Epistle to Soter [Bishop of Rome], between 166-174 A.D.) – Irenaeus ( Against Heresies, between 180-190 A.D.) • Irenaeus was taught by St. Polycarp who was a disciple of St. John the Apostle) – Cyprian ( Epistle to Cornelius [Bishop of Rome], 252 A.D.) – Optatus ( The Schism of the Donatists, 367 A.D.) • Apostolic Succession: – Traceable line of all Popes from Peter to Pope Francis
What’s with the Pope? The issue of the Magisterium • Papal Infallibility – Infallibility vs. Impeccability – The Catholic Church has never taught that the Pope is incapable of sinning. – Infallibility is not magic – Infallibility does not solely belong to the Pope, but to the body of bishops as well, when in unity with the Pope. (Luke 10:16, Matthew 18:18)
What’s with the Pope? The issue of the Magisterium • Vatican II and Infallibility – When bishops, maintaining the bond of unity among themselves and with Peter’s successor, and while teaching authentically on a matter of faith or morals, concur in a single viewpoint as the as the one which must be held conclusively. This authority is even more clearly verified when, gathered together in an ecumenical council, they are teachers and judges of faith and morals for the universal Church. Their definitions must then be adhered to with the submission of faith. (Lumen Gentium 25) • Infallibility belongs to the Pope by virtue of his office when he proclaims by a definitive act some doctrine of faith or morals.
Scripture and Tradition
Scripture and Tradition: Church Fathers The Links in the Chain of Succession • Eusebius of Caesarea (150 A.D.) • Irenaeus (189 A.D.) • Clement of Alexandria (208 A.D.) • Origen (225 A.D.) • Cyprian of Carthage (253 A.D.) • Athanasius (330 A.D.) • Basil the Great (375 A.D.) • Augustine (400 A.D.) • John Chrysostom (402 A.D.)
Faith and Works: Justification, Salvation, and Grace • Scripture: Romans 5:1 • What is justification anyway? – “ not only a remission of sins but also the sanctification and renewal of the inward man. ” – Council of Trent • Lutherans and Catholics can basically agree on this now after the Joint Declaration of 1999 but the basic disagreement still exists between Catholics and many other ecclesial communities. – Through “faith alone”? What about works? • We are saved by Faith + Hope + Charity • Assurance of salvation: “Once saved, always saved”…or are you? • Grace…it’s not magic.
The Sacraments • Catholic understanding – Visible signs which produce invisible grace and realities • Protestant understanding – Signs of something sacred that do not cause anything • The Eucharist • Confession
The Sacraments: The Eucharist • Scriptural Passages – John 6 / 1 Corinthians 10:15-18 / 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 • Catholic and Protestant understandings – Transubstantiation (Catholic) – Consubstantiation (Lutheran) – Reformed (Calvinists) – Memorialism (Ulrich Zwingli – Swiss Reformer) • Early Christians on the Eucharist
The Sacraments: Confession • Is confession in Scripture? – Old Testament – New Testament • Defending the Sacrament of Confession – Why do we go to a priest? – Doesn’t confession imply that Christ’s work was insufficient, i.e., “I was not saved”? – Wasn’t confession invented in 1215 at the 4 th Lateran Council? • Early Church Fathers on Confession
Common Misunderstandings • Mary • Prayer “to” the Saints • Priesthood of the Baptized and the Ministerial Priesthood
Mary and the Saints • Prayer “through” not “prayer “to” • Honor is not Worship – Dulia – Saints – Hyperdulia – Mary – Latria – God
Priesthood of all Believers and the Ministerial Priesthood • One Priesthood of Jesus Christ: Heb 7:22-25 – Participation in Jesus’ priesthood: 1 Peter 2:5-9, Exodus 19:6 • Ministerial Priesthood – Hiereus – Romans 15:15-16 – Universal and Ministerial Priesthood are not mutually exclusive • 1 Peter 2:5-9 and Exodus 19:6 – Either/Or vs Both/And • I EITHER go to the priest OR I go directly to God • I go BOTH to the priest AND to God – Two Definitive Texts • John:21-23 • Matthew 16:18-19
Recommend
More recommend
