Protestants and Catholics are in agreement on 95+ % of Christian doctrine.
We tend to focus on the differences, but Christ pleads for unity in the church.
As a protestant (Calvary Chapel), I place less emphasis on the efficacy or necessity of the sacraments for salvation.
I think both sides should be earnestly working toward unity. I have been reading the magazine, First Things, for 35 years and their project, Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT) seems to be on the right track.
Reading Matthew Bates, book, “Beyond the Salvation Wars” now. I recommend it.
I agree with you completely. The goal should be total unity. I understand why that's difficult, but we could start by trying to genuinely understand and respectfully discuss with the other side instead of calling each other "heretic" or "idolater" lol. Thanks for the book recommendation brother, God bless!
As a Long time Pentecostal, I have found the “letters” on this subject both informative and thought provoking.
I have been a Pentecostal for over 40 years, and have heard many arguments against the Catholic Church and the Catholic faith, and have family members that would tear me apart if I were to say anything positive about the Catholic Church.
Much of their position is based upon how they perceive the way the Pope is revered, and the part that he would play in End Times events.
And a lot of their understanding is based upon ignorance and complete misinformation.
And btw, I don’t believe for a second that the Pentecostal Church has all of the answers, despite what some may think and believe.
Thank you for your comment brother and appreciate you reading! Glad you liked the letters. I think there's definitely a lot of ignorance on both ends. I myself am only still beginning to learn the true differences between denominations haha.
Let me say first that your work is fantastic but I disagree with the picture here.
Non-denominationalism is NOT Protestantism. It is what I call "Baptist with 15 pieces of flare". (Baptists aren't Protestant either btw.) Sadly that (Bw/15PoF) is the face of American Christendom, fodder for caricature of ACTUAL Protestantism.
If you wanna see what Protestantism ACTUALLY is, read the 39 Articles of Religion, the 2 Books of Homilies, the Book of Common Prayer. The Tradition you say is only found in Rome is there too. With room for disagreement, and that is allowed. I don't agree on the view the Homilies have against iconography for example; nevertheless they are educated. Sadly it has been abandoned in many areas. And the Western Anglicans are not the only ones who have abandoned their traditions and distorted their identities.
I am glad to see that you have published this in a way that free subscribers are able to not only read it but are able to give feedback.
I am no peace-at-any-price wimp and yet I wish to remind all who read this that a vast number of baptised Christians were not initiated into the Body of Christ as Catholics.
We cradle Catholics were not possessed of some sort of superior virtue by reason of the community of faith to which our family and community belonged. They cannot be rightly condemned for the denomination of their parents, nor for the scandals in the Catholic Church in their lifetimes.
I was "baptised/filled/released (choose your own word)" in the Holy Spirit in London amongst the Catholic Charismatic Renewal community associated with Westminster Cathedral in the late 1970s
I love my fellow Christian men and women regardless of denomination and am convinced that the Lord Himself showed be His love for non-Catholic Christians when I was a primary school boy in beach-side suburban Dee Why in Sydney, NSW Australia more than 75 years ago.
We don't worship or idolize the Pope, except he has never once repudiated the claim to sit in the seat of the true God and being the presence of Jesus Christ Himself on earth, nor gave up the claim that there is no salvation outside the church, backed by our man St. Thomas Aquainas, who said your salvation depends on your obedience not to God, nor God's grace, but obedience to the Pontiff.
Thank you for the kind words Grant, if I'm ever in Kansas or Oklahoma I'll take you up on that offer! I think denominational Protestants do have the same struggle as nondenominational Protestants, in the sense that even though there might be more clarity, it really isn't clear where that authority comes from, as there's not (to my understanding) a hierarchical structure like you'd find in Catholicism. I think some branches of protestantism are closer to Catholicism than others, of course (most classical protestants believe in the real presence, for example).
This is definitely an endless topic of conversation haha. Thank you for the kind words brother and hopefully we can get that coffee some time.
Protestants and Catholics are in agreement on 95+ % of Christian doctrine.
We tend to focus on the differences, but Christ pleads for unity in the church.
As a protestant (Calvary Chapel), I place less emphasis on the efficacy or necessity of the sacraments for salvation.
I think both sides should be earnestly working toward unity. I have been reading the magazine, First Things, for 35 years and their project, Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT) seems to be on the right track.
Reading Matthew Bates, book, “Beyond the Salvation Wars” now. I recommend it.
I agree with you completely. The goal should be total unity. I understand why that's difficult, but we could start by trying to genuinely understand and respectfully discuss with the other side instead of calling each other "heretic" or "idolater" lol. Thanks for the book recommendation brother, God bless!
As a Long time Pentecostal, I have found the “letters” on this subject both informative and thought provoking.
I have been a Pentecostal for over 40 years, and have heard many arguments against the Catholic Church and the Catholic faith, and have family members that would tear me apart if I were to say anything positive about the Catholic Church.
Much of their position is based upon how they perceive the way the Pope is revered, and the part that he would play in End Times events.
And a lot of their understanding is based upon ignorance and complete misinformation.
And btw, I don’t believe for a second that the Pentecostal Church has all of the answers, despite what some may think and believe.
Blessings to you all in Jesus Christ.
Thank you for your comment brother and appreciate you reading! Glad you liked the letters. I think there's definitely a lot of ignorance on both ends. I myself am only still beginning to learn the true differences between denominations haha.
Many blessings to you too.
Let me say first that your work is fantastic but I disagree with the picture here.
Non-denominationalism is NOT Protestantism. It is what I call "Baptist with 15 pieces of flare". (Baptists aren't Protestant either btw.) Sadly that (Bw/15PoF) is the face of American Christendom, fodder for caricature of ACTUAL Protestantism.
If you wanna see what Protestantism ACTUALLY is, read the 39 Articles of Religion, the 2 Books of Homilies, the Book of Common Prayer. The Tradition you say is only found in Rome is there too. With room for disagreement, and that is allowed. I don't agree on the view the Homilies have against iconography for example; nevertheless they are educated. Sadly it has been abandoned in many areas. And the Western Anglicans are not the only ones who have abandoned their traditions and distorted their identities.
I am glad to see that you have published this in a way that free subscribers are able to not only read it but are able to give feedback.
I am no peace-at-any-price wimp and yet I wish to remind all who read this that a vast number of baptised Christians were not initiated into the Body of Christ as Catholics.
We cradle Catholics were not possessed of some sort of superior virtue by reason of the community of faith to which our family and community belonged. They cannot be rightly condemned for the denomination of their parents, nor for the scandals in the Catholic Church in their lifetimes.
Maybe: you could do some research on the similarities and differences between Catholicism and Pentecostalism??
That would make for an interesting read 😎
Well, I am a Catholic and a Pentecostal
I was "baptised/filled/released (choose your own word)" in the Holy Spirit in London amongst the Catholic Charismatic Renewal community associated with Westminster Cathedral in the late 1970s
I love my fellow Christian men and women regardless of denomination and am convinced that the Lord Himself showed be His love for non-Catholic Christians when I was a primary school boy in beach-side suburban Dee Why in Sydney, NSW Australia more than 75 years ago.
We don't worship or idolize the Pope, except he has never once repudiated the claim to sit in the seat of the true God and being the presence of Jesus Christ Himself on earth, nor gave up the claim that there is no salvation outside the church, backed by our man St. Thomas Aquainas, who said your salvation depends on your obedience not to God, nor God's grace, but obedience to the Pontiff.
Sure
Thank you for the kind words Grant, if I'm ever in Kansas or Oklahoma I'll take you up on that offer! I think denominational Protestants do have the same struggle as nondenominational Protestants, in the sense that even though there might be more clarity, it really isn't clear where that authority comes from, as there's not (to my understanding) a hierarchical structure like you'd find in Catholicism. I think some branches of protestantism are closer to Catholicism than others, of course (most classical protestants believe in the real presence, for example).
This is definitely an endless topic of conversation haha. Thank you for the kind words brother and hopefully we can get that coffee some time.
God bless you!