Agabus (mark adams)

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Catholic America: Are Catholics Christians?

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While walking from St. Luke’s the other day, some out-of-staters pulled up in their car and asked excitedly, “Where is the Christian Church?” “You’re right here in front of one.” I replied, expecting clarification with the name of a specific denomination. Instead, I heard this: “No, that is a Catholic Church, we are looking for a Christian one.”

Read the rest of the story: Catholic America: Are Catholics Christians? – On Faith at washingtonpost.com.

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Written by admin

September 27th, 2008 at 12:48 pm

Posted in In the news

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2 Responses to 'Catholic America: Are Catholics Christians?'

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  1. There also are groups like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Jehovah's Witnesses whose theology has teachings about Jesus that some find quirky. I would say that all followers of Christ deserve to be called Christian until their practice proves they are not.

    I found that particular sentence interesting. So this Roman Catholic believes the Mormons and JWs should be called Christians even though their Christology is completely out-of-step with historical Christianity (ie., Jesus is not God)?

    This brings up an interesting thought for me: the writer of this article seems to think that practice supersedes doctrine in classifying a person as a Christian:

    I would say that all followers of Christ deserve to be called Christian until their practice proves they are not.

    I would ask, "Does it not matter what Christ a person is confessing to follow, despite their works?" If a person says, "I'm following Jesus – who is not God, but this rock over here", and yet their works are as righteous as anybody else, are we to embrace them as a fellow brother in Christ? I think not.

    I believe that we should not deny another person's confession. However, when their belief about Jesus falls outside the foundational tenets of Christianity (death, burial, resurrection from the dead; in nature, fully God and fully man; et al.), I will begin to doubt whether we are truly following the same God. The outflow of works from a person is not just the physical actions a person performs, but includes the reason for those actions as well.

    Granted, God saves us even in our bad theology (which I'm thankful for!), yet God nevertheless calls us to know him intellectually and personally. He has revealed enough about himself for us to have accurate knowledge of what the right and wrong beliefs about him are. If someone is rejecting those clear revelations from God, even when that person is calling their god Jesus, may we legitimately call them a brother in Christ? I would have to say no.

    PS: Ignorance God's scriptural revelation is not the same as willful rejection of such.

    Michael W

    27 Sep 08 at 6:50 pm

  2. Those are good questions. Essentially, the term, Christian, is confessional: Jesus is the Christ, and I'm his follower. But it is used casually in the main.

    admin

    28 Sep 08 at 11:35 am

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