Pope: Other Christians not true churches

[Divine Discontent]

Italy - Pope Benedict XVI reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says other Christian communities are either defective or not true churches and Catholicism provides the only true path to salvation.

The statement brought swift criticism from Protestant leaders. "It makes us question whether we are indeed praying together for Christian unity," said the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, a fellowship of 75 million Protestants in more than 100 countries.

"It makes us question the seriousness with which the Roman Catholic Church takes its dialogues with the reformed family and other families of the church," the group said in a letter charging that the document took ecumenical dialogue back to the era before the Second Vatican Council.

It was the second time in a week that Benedict has corrected what he says are erroneous interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-1965 meetings that modernized the church. On Saturday, Benedict revived the old Latin Mass — a move cheered by Catholic traditionalists but criticized by more liberal ones as a step backward from Vatican II.

<snip of much larger article>
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070710/ap_on_re_eu/pope_other_christians;_ylt=At6G.OKM1KXkESOIkH_ErRPMWM0F

THIS IS MOST UNFORTUNATE.... what a bonehead move.

If you read this, recommend it so others will see it in the greatest thread, but this is where it belongs so I'm posting it here. I'm shocked the slippery slope this pope is sliding down - right into the dark ages.

[polmaven]

1. K & R - I'm rather distressed to learn

that after all these years, (57 of them) I don't belong to a "true" (read - "real") church after all. I was at a meeting at that imitation church last night, and my pastor was surprised to know she may as well hang it up too!

I agree with you. This Pope is bringing the Catholic Church right back to the dark ages. Apparently, since Protestant denominations don't believe in his supremacy, we are not really viable. What arrogance! "Obey ME!!!! I am HOLY and you are NOT!"


EDIT-----I tried to recommend, and got a message that posts from this forum cannot be recommended!

[Divine Discontent]

6. yeah, didn't know that

posts from this forum aren't able to be recommended --- apparently we're unworthy if we have faith in a higher power (jussss kiddn guys)

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. It IS unfortunate. This Pope is such an asswipe.

Maybe it just proves all the more that the Catholic Church is the one true not-church.

:shrug:

Ass.

Oh, well. Thankfully, I'm Protestant, so as far as I'm concerned the Pope can go hang himself.

[elshiva]

4. The Roman Catholic Church is

only ONE true church among a lot of true churches (the false churches are groups that call themselves churches but are merely a front for some lunatic rapist/killer like David Koresh and that crap). So, it is ok to talk about true and false churches BUT I don't think that on the whole the established mainline Churches like Episcopalian (I am an Episcopalian), Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, etc... are should be classified as some false lie equal to lunatics like Koresh.

Rabrrrrrr, you are very justly angry about the Pope's statements, I am too! However, it is not fair to tar all Roman Catholics as a Church. Yes, that is what the Pope said, but God spare us all from making generalizations about groups. There are a lot of great people in the Roman Catholic Church, like the nuns who actually giving food and medicine to poor people. I really think the Pope let good Catholics down with this, because it seems to lack all kindness and dignity.
:(

[Divine Discontent]

7. OUCH! LOL

your post is bitingly great...

www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable <<--- top '08 items & antib*sh stickers!

[supernova]

3. Somewhere I think the previous three Popes

are turning in their graves.

It's really sad when regressive people attain power.

[Divine Discontent]

5. DITTO! n/t

[RevCheesehead]

8. I'd love to hear a reply from the Orthodox Churches.

They have an entirely different view on what happened about 1,000 years ago. (And so do I.)

[supernova]

9. I would too

I can't imagine the Russian and Greek patriarchs are really feelin' the brotherly love right now.

[Divine Discontent]

10. the catholic church is falling apart under him

I have my opinion on what I think about that, but the bigger point is, this man is not being very Christian with these amazing redactions.

[Critters2]

11. The WARC has a good response to this

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches, at http://warc.jalb.de

Look at the column entitled "WARC Questions Vatican Statement..."

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. Lydia Veliko also has a good one, and she makes reference to the ELCA response,

which is also good.

I think Lydia's is now on the UCC website, but I'm too tired to look.

The ELCA one is here: http://www.elca.org/bishop/print/m_070711.html

[rug]

13. But according to the Lutheran statement nonsacramental churches are not churches.

'As Lutherans we uphold the Augsburg Confession, which states that, "The Church is the assembly of saints in which the Gospel is taught and the sacraments are administered rightly" (AC VII).'

[leftyladyfrommo]

14. Oh, come on. What else do you expect the Pope to say?

The Roman Church has been saying this for ever. When I was growing up Catholics were not even allowed to visit other churches. Now they can. Its a step. But I surely don't expect to see any great big changes in the churches philosophy coming from this Pope.

The Mormon Church believes the same thing. They even baptise the dead into the Mormon Church just so that they will get into heaven.

The Baptists think you have to be Baptist.

I don't think the more liberal protestant churches take such a hard stand on this stuff. I don't remember worrying about this problem growing up as a Methodist and a Presbyterian.