It has been some time since I wrote anything of substance on GetToMass.com. Recently my time has been sucked up preparing for the arrival John655 which could be any day now as my wife will be considered full term on Wednesday even if his due date isn’t for another 3 to 4 weeks.
This morning I started to listen to a CD by Ken Hensley called “Calvin, Inside the Protestant Mind” I’m only on the 4th track of the first CD but Ken brought up the topic of “unified spiritual authority” and how that is the main issue with Protestantism during the reformation and today.
Today you see Protestantism inside and outside of the Catholic Church. On the outside you have the differing denominations Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Assemblies of God, etc. You also have the non-denominational Christians, and there are those who believe Jesus is God but then act as their own authority when it comes to what they believe. Their beliefs are built on their heart and their feelings and then at times adjusted with actual facts.
Within the Catholic Church you also have Protestants of a different nature. They are the “But Catholics”. I’m Catholic but, and then you’ll hear their dispute’s with the Church on issues of celibacy, an all male Priesthood, teachings on contraception and abortion, teachings surrounding the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or Transubstantiation.
Ultimately all these issues come down to the foundational topic mentioned above, unified spiritual authority on earth being placed upon the Pope. Does it matter whether someone calls himself a Catholic or not, if they aren’t willing to accept magisterial teaching? Who has the greater burden, the disbeliever who considers them self in or outside of the Catholic Church? How should theological dissent be displayed, and when does that dissent become sinful? In some instances dissent is needed, Martin Luther raised some legitimate issues with how the Catholic Church acting in his day, but the path he ended up choosing was certainly beyond what should be considered proper, but upon hearing more of the times I can see how it easily occurred.
I know I get very upset when I hear people like Nancy Pelosi or Joe Biden speak as though they know Catholic doctrine and call themselves Catholic, when from my perspective they are out in left field if even on the field at all. But I also felt equivalent disease when it came to how the SSPX Bishops handled their situation. The SSPX Bishop appeared to be much closer to the faith I know and understand, but they still acted in an apparent disobedient manner and were excommunicated in 1988 while those who are clearly not obedient (Pelosi) to the faith appear free to call themselves Catholic with no repercussions. With the excommunication of the four illicitly consecrated SSPX bishops being lifted by Pope Benedict recently, one could wonder if they was actually fighting from within the Church the whole time with their apparent dissent.
Then the question arises as to whether or not I should even worry about these situations, for I am not the judge. My job is to follow Christ and to follow him as a child, in an obedient and trusting manner and God knows I have not always done that.
I would love to hear people’s thoughts on how dissent should be handled and when does dissent become sinful. May we all follow Christ’s lead and respond to His prayer for us from John 17:21 that we may all be one as He and the Father are one.
Dissent
This morning I started to listen to a CD by Ken Hensley called “Calvin, Inside the Protestant Mind” I’m only on the 4th track of the first CD but Ken brought up the topic of “unified spiritual authority” and how that is the main issue with Protestantism during the reformation and today.
Today you see Protestantism inside and outside of the Catholic Church. On the outside you have the differing denominations Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Assemblies of God, etc. You also have the non-denominational Christians, and there are those who believe Jesus is God but then act as their own authority when it comes to what they believe. Their beliefs are built on their heart and their feelings and then at times adjusted with actual facts.
Within the Catholic Church you also have Protestants of a different nature. They are the “But Catholics”. I’m Catholic but, and then you’ll hear their dispute’s with the Church on issues of celibacy, an all male Priesthood, teachings on contraception and abortion, teachings surrounding the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or Transubstantiation.
Ultimately all these issues come down to the foundational topic mentioned above, unified spiritual authority on earth being placed upon the Pope. Does it matter whether someone calls himself a Catholic or not, if they aren’t willing to accept magisterial teaching? Who has the greater burden, the disbeliever who considers them self in or outside of the Catholic Church? How should theological dissent be displayed, and when does that dissent become sinful? In some instances dissent is needed, Martin Luther raised some legitimate issues with how the Catholic Church acting in his day, but the path he ended up choosing was certainly beyond what should be considered proper, but upon hearing more of the times I can see how it easily occurred.
I know I get very upset when I hear people like Nancy Pelosi or Joe Biden speak as though they know Catholic doctrine and call themselves Catholic, when from my perspective they are out in left field if even on the field at all. But I also felt equivalent disease when it came to how the SSPX Bishops handled their situation. The SSPX Bishop appeared to be much closer to the faith I know and understand, but they still acted in an apparent disobedient manner and were excommunicated in 1988 while those who are clearly not obedient (Pelosi) to the faith appear free to call themselves Catholic with no repercussions. With the excommunication of the four illicitly consecrated SSPX bishops being lifted by Pope Benedict recently, one could wonder if they was actually fighting from within the Church the whole time with their apparent dissent.
Then the question arises as to whether or not I should even worry about these situations, for I am not the judge. My job is to follow Christ and to follow him as a child, in an obedient and trusting manner and God knows I have not always done that.
I would love to hear people’s thoughts on how dissent should be handled and when does dissent become sinful. May we all follow Christ’s lead and respond to His prayer for us from John 17:21 that we may all be one as He and the Father are one.