Vatican insults other churches saying 'Catholicism is the only true church'

[Shammu]

Vatican insults other churches saying 'Catholicism is the only true church'
11.07.2007
Source: AP ©

The Vatican set itself on a collision course with other Christian faiths yesterday, reaffirming the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church in a corrective document that it said was designed to clear up recent "erroneous" doctrine, AFP reports.

The document's central claim, that the Catholic Church is "the one true Church of Christ," is likely to revive a debate that has dogged the Vatican's relationship with rival denominations for decades.

For the second time in a week, Pope Benedict XVI has corrected what he says are erroneous interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, reasserting the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church and saying other Christian communities were either defective or not true churches.

Benedict approved a document released Tuesday from his old office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which repeated church teaching on Catholic relations with other Christians.

While there was nothing doctrinally new in the document, it nevertheless prompted swift criticism from Protestants, Lutherans and other Christian denominations spawned by the 16th century Reformation.

"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," said the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, which groups 75 million Reformed Christians in 214 churches in 107 countries.

"It makes us question whether we are indeed praying together for Christian unity," the alliance said in a letter to the Vatican's key ecumenical official, Cardinal Walter Kasper, charging that the document took ecumenical dialogue back to the pre-Vatican II era.

One of the key developments from Vatican II, the 1962-65 meetings that modernized the church, was its ecumenical outreach.

Another key change was the development of the New Mass in the vernacular, which essentially replaced the old Latin Mass. On Saturday, Benedict revived the old Latin Mass, saying it was wrong for bishops to deny it to the faithful because it had never been abolished. Traditional Catholics cheered the move, but more liberal ones called it a step back from Vatican II.

Benedict, who attended Vatican II as a young theologian, has long complained about what he considers the erroneous interpretation of the council by liberals, saying it was not a break from the past but rather a renewal of church tradition.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said it was issuing the new document on ecumenism because some contemporary theological interpretations of Vatican II's ecumenical intent had been "erroneous or ambiguous" and had prompted confusion and doubt.

The new document - formulated as five questions and answers - restates key sections of a 2000 text the pope wrote when he was prefect of the congregation, "Dominus Iesus," which riled Protestant, Lutheran and other Christian denominations because it said they were not true churches but merely ecclesial communities and therefore did not have the "means of salvation."

"Christ 'established here on earth' only one Church," said the document released as the pope vacations at a villa in Lorenzago di Cadore, in Italy's Dolomite mountains.

The other communities "cannot be called 'churches' in the proper sense" because they do not have apostolic succession - the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ's original apostles - and therefore their priestly ordinations are not valid, it said.

The Rev. Sara MacVane, of the Anglican Centre in Rome, said there was nothing new in the document.

"I don't know what motivated it at this time," she said. "But it's important always to point out that there's the official position and there's the huge amount of friendship and fellowship and worshipping together that goes on at all levels, certainly between Anglican and Catholics and all the other groups and Catholics."

The document said Orthodox churches were indeed "churches" because they have apostolic succession and that they enjoyed "many elements of sanctification and of truth." But it said they lack something because they do not recognize the primacy of the pope - a defect, or a "wound" that harmed them, it said.

Vatican insults other churches saying 'Catholicism is the only true church'

[David_james]

Why did you post this dw? 

[Soldier4Christ]

Why did you post this dw? 

Why not post it. It is news and it is no different than the many posts we have on others doing something similar.

[Maryjane]

I am Italian, raised Roman Catholic..attended catholic schools...When I was 16, I question the the priest on the Staion of the Crross...My Grandfather paid much money to this school, so of course they gave me their time and listened to me as well as tried to give reason for mary being the focal point of the cross...Catholics do not read thebible..catholics do what the church instructs through much religious practice...I was given the answer that Mary was blessed for having Jesus and that through her she would plead with Jersus for us...I took the bible to school and went into the priest office and showed him scripture...the verse of scripture..'No man cometh to the Father accept through Jesus...Mary is never mentioned...I also gave scripture "Let the dead bury the dead" and asked them why they were being paid to pray dead people into heaven when they have no right to and why did they clean dead bones and worship the dead for all that know the Lord are saints......My parents were called into the office for a meeting and were instructed to give me correction...My father looked at the scriptures and took me out of the school and left the church...His family turned their back on him for becoming a christian and was not included in the family...When my grandfather died, my father was not welcome at his funeral and cried because my grandfather did not know the Lord only religion and my grandfather had people pray him to heaven...There is no religion but to be grafted on to the vine paid by precious blood that Jesus shed...The church is made up of all who believe and have received what Jesus has done and have fellowship with Jesus and know His Word...The caholics know religion that is made for priest to bring themselves in high esteem and the congregation is in the dark...I have been invited to minister in catholic churches which claim to be Spirit filled...and have told them the same...We are not under denomination or religion man has made up...but under the blood of Jesus that makes us free and it is not by any other than Jesus and to pray to any other is sin....

[Soldier4Christ]

There is no religion but to be grafted on to the vine paid by precious blood that Jesus shed...The church is made up of all who believe and have received what Jesus has done and have fellowship with Jesus and know His Word...

Amen!

We are not under denomination or religion man has made up...but under the blood of Jesus that makes us free and it is not by any other than Jesus and to pray to any other is sin....

Amen and AMEN!

[Shammu]

Why did you post this dw? 

Because it is news.

I know some people that are catholic.  Though they are catholic, in name only.  If you follow prophecy, you will see the seat of the false prophet is in the catholic church.

Now if you ask me if Pope Benedict XVI, is the false prophet I'd say no.  Pope Benedict XVI, doesn't fulfill the scripture, of the false prophet in my eyes. 

I woulld also be a false prophet, to say Pope Benedict XVI is the false prophet. No one knows who the false prophet, or the antichrist is yet.  Only after the Rapture of the Church, will it become known who is who.

[Shammu]

We are not under denomination or religion man has made up...but under the blood of Jesus that makes us free and it is not by any other than Jesus and to pray to any other is sin....

AMEN sister, AMEN

[David_james]

If you follow prophecy, you will see the seat of the false prophet is in the catholic church.

No it isn't. Roman Catholics are true Christians.

[nChrist]

Good Morning Brother David and All,

Going to church or sitting in church does not make one a Christian, and that is true of all churches and all denominations.

Now, keeping this in mind, Dreamweaver was talking about Bible Prophecy that is completely true. The Catholic Church and Rome are part of Bible Prophecy. This is a lengthy and difficult Bible Study with many complicated issues. A beginning study of Bible Prophecy takes years, but some of the issues are easily understood. Dreamweaver was not suggesting that all of the people in the Catholic Church are lost, rather the place of the Catholic Church in Bible Prophecy. There are many people in all of man's churches who aren't saved, but the Catholic Church is definitely and specifically mentioned in Bible Prophecy. In fact, the Bible mentions it in very negative and harsh terms. Along the same lines of thought, the Bible speaks of lost people in very negative and harsh terms, and that would include the lost in all churches. I hope this helps some. There are detailed studies of Bible Prophecy already on the forum if you want to do a detailed Bible Study. In the most blunt terms, Bible Prophecy calls the Catholic Church the "great harlot". Again, this does not suggest that there aren't any saved people in the Catholic Church.

Now, let's get back to reality and talk about the REAL CHURCH, THE CHURCH WHICH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST. There are members in this ONE and ONLY TRUE CHURCH from many churches and denominations. Membership does not depend on which brick and mortar church building a person attends or which name appears over the door. Membership depends solely on FAITH and ACCEPTANCE of JESUS CHRIST as LORD and SAVIOUR in the ONLY TRUE CHURCH. Many people sit in church pews most of their lives and aren't saved at all. The REALITY is that there are TRUE CHRISTIANS attending many different brick and mortar buildings. AND, there are many lost people attending many different brick and mortar buildings.

The ONE TRUE CHURCH, THE CHURCH WHICH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST is not made with human hands, and it doesn't bear any of man's names over the door. It's a living organism of believers who belong to JESUS CHRIST. All of the denominations, tags, and labels will be thrown out for eternity. SO, it boils down to one of two possibilities:  a person either belongs to JESUS CHRIST or they don't.

Love In Christ,
Tom

[Brother Jerry]

Now, let's get back to reality and talk about the REAL CHURCH, THE CHURCH WHICH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST

Amen to that.  And that is Biblical....the church is referred to as the Body of Christ and not a denomination.  I always felt that Christ would come down and smack us all in the face for calling ourselves Catholic, Baptist, or whatever.  He would have said call your selves children of God, Christians, or anything other than those man made titles that separate the church itself.

Maryjane.
Let me say I am thankful that you and your father took a great leap.  While I was in the service I had an opportunity to speak to a young lady in Italy (Genoa) about church.  She attended a Catholic church because her family did.  She could not leave because of fear of being excommunicated. 

David
Let me say something about the Catholics church in general.  BEP pretty much already covered most of it.  But I am adding my two bits in from experience.  The Catholic church in the United States is quite different from that of Europe.  And the closer you get to Rome the more it changes.  You have testimony from Mary Jane and I can confirm that.  Here in the states the fear of excommunication is no where near as much as it is in Italy.  Nor is the actual excommunication near as bad here as it is the closer you get to Rome.  Excommunication here is basically just the church turning it's back upon you.  You still get to stay at home with your family, enjoy the family dog, go to the same grocery store, eat at your favorite restaurant and pretty much continue your life.  In Italy if you are excommunicated you may as well just about pack up and move to a different country.  Because everyone around you is the church.  And if you get excommunicated your family does not want to have anything to do with you, you community casts you out, and you become an outsider to the world you know.

It is definitely different here as far as Catholicism is concerned than it is over seas.  Yeah the doctrine is the same but the entity of the church is different.

[ibTina]

I am Italian, raised Roman Catholic..attended catholic schools...When I was 16, I question the the priest on the Staion of the Crross...My Grandfather paid much money to this school, so of course they gave me their time and listened to me as well as tried to give reason for mary being the focal point of the cross...Catholics do not read thebible..catholics do what the church instructs through much religious practice...I was given the answer that Mary was blessed for having Jesus and that through her she would plead with Jersus for us...I took the bible to school and went into the priest office and showed him scripture...the verse of scripture..'No man cometh to the Father accept through Jesus...Mary is never mentioned...I also gave scripture "Let the dead bury the dead" and asked them why they were being paid to pray dead people into heaven when they have no right to and why did they clean dead bones and worship the dead for all that know the Lord are saints......My parents were called into the office for a meeting and were instructed to give me correction...My father looked at the scriptures and took me out of the school and left the church...His family turned their back on him for becoming a christian and was not included in the family...When my grandfather died, my father was not welcome at his funeral and cried because my grandfather did not know the Lord only religion and my grandfather had people pray him to heaven...There is no religion but to be grafted on to the vine paid by precious blood that Jesus shed...The church is made up of all who believe and have received what Jesus has done and have fellowship with Jesus and know His Word...The caholics know religion that is made for priest to bring themselves in high esteem and the congregation is in the dark...I have been invited to minister in catholic churches which claim to be Spirit filled...and have told them the same...We are not under denomination or religion man has made up...but under the blood of Jesus that makes us free and it is not by any other than Jesus and to pray to any other is sin....

Praise THE LORD at such a young age you were for wanting to know the truth! God Bless you Sweetie!

[David_james]

sorry all, I guess I got a little defensive. Just Roman catholics are given such a bad name. No, there is nothing wrong with dw posting. But bep you're wrong, Bible isn't talking about the catholic church. Bible says Matthew 16:18
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

[Soldier4Christ]

Hi David,

Many take the verse of Mat 16:18 to mean a specific denomination. This a wrong assumption. When Jesus mentioned church He was talking about the body of Christ not a specific denomination. All too often mankind wants to attach this verse to their denomination and to exclude all other denominations as being of any value. The Church is not the denomination, it is the body of Christ, which are all those that believe in and have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. This is the one true Church.

[David_james]

Hi David,

Many take the verse of Mat 16:18 to mean a specific denomination. This a wrong assumption. When Jesus mentioned church He was talking about the body of Christ not a specific denomination. All too often mankind wants to attach this verse to their denomination and to exclude all other denominations as being of any value. The Church is not the denomination, it is the body of Christ, which are all those that believe in and have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. This is the one true Church.

Oh I do agree but since Roman Catholics are Christians, they are part of the body of Christ. Therefore the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

[Soldier4Christ]

As pointed out not all Roman Catholics are true Christians. The same applies to all denominations. People/denominations will be deceived. There will be false prophets and teachers that will enter them all. We should not put our faith in any denomination including the Roman Catholics. Our faith should be in God and God alone. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church not a pastor or priest.