Pope Stirs Controversy with Evangelicals

[Guest shiloh357]

VATICAN CITY (Worthy News)– Pope Francis created a controversy amongst Evangelicals this week, when he stated in his weekly address, that those who believe they can maintain a "personal" and "direct" relationship with Jesus Christ outside the "mediation of the Church" was "dangerous and harmful."

 

In his weekly address from St. Peter's Square, the Pope said, "No one becomes Christian on his or her own! Is that clear? No one becomes Christian by him- or herself."

 

"Christians are not made in a laboratory. A Christian is part of a people who comes from afar. The Christian belongs to a people called the Church and this Church is what makes him or her Christian, on the day of Baptism, and then in the course of catechesis, and so on," the Pontiff continued.

 

"We are able to live this journey not only because of others, but together with others. In the Church there is no 'do it yourself', there are no 'free agents'," the Pope added.

 

http://www.worthynews.com/16807-pope-stirs-controversy-amongst-evangelicals

[OldSchool2]

VATICAN CITY (Worthy News)– Pope Francis created a controversy amongst Evangelicals this week, when he stated in his weekly address, that those who believe they can maintain a "personal" and "direct" relationship with Jesus Christ outside the "mediation of the Church" was "dangerous and harmful" ...

 

From Catechism of the Catholic Church: "Outside the Church there is no salvation"

#846 "... all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his body ... Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it, or remain in it".

Men enter the Church through baptism "as through a door" -- see Mark 16:16, John 3:5.

[JTC]

I followed the link above all the way to the actual speech the pope gave. It wasn't as harsh as you're making it sound here. My background is in Catholicism and even though I left it at 18, the last 31 years of being a Protestant Christian has not been what I expected from the Bible, and from all the evangelists that were popular 30 years ago. We Christians like to say there are no coincidences, God is causing everything to happen. If this be so, then a little over 1 year ago I wound getting Verizon TV service by what seemed like a coincidence. I was a victim of the Sandy Superstorm, and before it I had no TV for awhile. When Verizon got their FIOS cable in my building they offered me a great deal on Internet, phone, and TV. I didn't want TV but they made it too good to turn down. Two channels came with it I never heard of, Telecare & EWTN which are both Catholic channels. I wasn't interested in watching them at first, but they offered a pleasant alternative to the almost non stop sex and violence that most of us shamefully watch. I never knew much about Catholicism because in my day the mass was said in Latin, and you weren't really allowed to ask questions. In some CC you still can't ask questions, but the 2 TV channels made me aware that the CC is trying to change. And actually that's what Pope Francis is trying to do. He's trying to change the church, and also bring together all people who believe in the one and only God there is. I have never been interested in a pope in my whole life. But I am interested in what pope Francis is doing. He's trying to bring peace to our shattered world. I have to say I hope he succeeds. I also think Jesus would take sides with men who want peace. Even when Jesus was arrested and being taken to His death, He still sided with peace. I say this because He cured the ear of the slave who one of His disciples had cut off.

I had problems with Catholicism at 18, and I still have some problems with them. But I also have problems with Protestantism. I just want to make the point that what has been quoted here of the pope's speech is very biased. He didn't say anything in a harsh way. He said what he must say as the leader of the Catholic church. How many different Protestant denominations say the same things? I've heard many say you have to belong to their church to be saved. I heard that from so many denominations that I stopped listening. Pope Francis didn't say anything all that different. His real speech is here:

w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences/2014/documents/papa-francesco_20140625_udienza-generale.html

[OldSchool2]

... I had problems with Catholicism at 18, and I still have some problems with them. But I also have problems with Protestantism. I just want to make the point that what has been quoted here of the pope's speech is very biased. He didn't say anything in a harsh way. He said what he must say as the leader of the Catholic church. How many different Protestant denominations say the same things? I've heard many say you have to belong to their church to be saved. I heard that from so many denominations that I stopped listening. Pope Francis didn't say anything all that different. His real speech is here:

w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences/2014/documents/papa-francesco_20140625_udienza-generale.html

I'm having problems accessing your link, and I suspect evangelicals and others are having problems when the Pope says there is no salvation without the church when the Catholic Catechism specifies that church is the Roman church.

Pope Benedict made a similar claim that didn't go over well with other religious denominations, including the Eastern Orthodox.

[WIP]

I was only 15yrs old when I entered a Francisian convent in the UK. Five years later I left or should I say The Lord rescued me from the that church. I was told by a priest that "I had put my hand to the plough and looked back" and therefore not fit for Heaven.This caused me to turn to living an immoral life and tried suicide three times before I was saved.   The Catholic church will have a lot to answer for one day.

[gdemoss]

Please understand the significance of 400 years. The protestant reformation is over. It failed. God is changing gears again. 1611-2011 it was a good run.

And I saw in the sky as it were the head of a ram with two horns. Returning home I heard the news...a new pope. And I said Lord is it so? He said AMEN. It is time to begin.

The Red sea covers the land again and the Egyptians all drown. Welcome to the house of the rising sun!

And the host of heaven said AMEN!

Watch Frances and pray. Dominoes take awhile to set up but only a short time to fall.

[ayin jade]

Please understand the significance of 400 years. The protestant reformation is over. It failed. God is changing gears again. 1611-2011 it was a good run.

 

 

I disagree with that and everything else you posted. I do not see protestant reformation as a failure. I see the rcc as a failure. I prefer looking to Jesus, not to a man who is a pope and not to a church that is filled with false doctrines as the rcc is.

[Guest shiloh357]

Please understand the significance of 400 years. The protestant reformation is over. It failed. God is changing gears again. 1611-2011 it was a good run.

And I saw in the sky as it were the head of a ram with two horns. Returning home I heard the news...a new pope. And I said Lord is it so? He said AMEN. It is time to begin.

The Red sea covers the land again and the Egyptians all drown. Welcome to the house of the rising sun!

And the host of heaven said AMEN!

Watch Frances and pray. Dominoes take awhile to set up but only a short time to fall.

the protestant reformation didn't fail and it is still going strong

[gdemoss]

You are free to disagree. These things are a matter of perspective. From Shiloh's frame of reference he sees it going well and you may too Sheba. I see things different.

The six churches warned in revelation to repent of their evil deeds and doctrines all pretty much think they are doing well too until the coming of the Lord takes them by surprise and they experience that which Christ said he would do unto them.

Not to worry for those who have put on Christ and walk IN Him will not be hurt. God is good and will not suffer His harm. There will be no question as to who God approves of then. Just as Moses stood and watched Korah swallowed up by the earth so has Gods work upon the earth already began. Soon he will shake the heavens too.

We are instructed to prepare by provoking each other unto good works. I pray you bith be blessed with a large measure of His Spirit to carry you to your intended end in glory!

Peace.

[JTC]

I have to agree with Gary. I should say I thank Gary for agreeing with me.

Someone asked me which protestant churches ever said you have to belong to them to be saved?  My memory has become so poor and this happened 20 - 30 years ago. I don't recall the names, and I hate to argue and fight. That's not of God. You have your opinion and I have mine.

 

Maybe it wasn't specific names. But within the Baptist churches, if you didn't get baptized as per their instructions, you weren't saved. Then there were the churches who insisted that if you didn't speak in tongues, you didn't have the Holy Spirit. Then some churches insisted you must read the KJV of the Bible because all the others are wrong. The 1st church I joined was a charismatic church, I went out on a date with a Baptist woman who told me all those so-called spiritual gifts were of the devil. Especially when someone prays for you and you go down under the power of the Holy Spirit. That's of the devil too.

 

One of the man thing your typical Catholic has against us is that we all interpret the Bible differently. They feel at least they all interpret the Bible the same. But I do have problems with them too. I didn't mind a few statues, especially wen they admit it's just a statue. But some churches get carried away with them. And I hate when the main statue is of Mary. They claim Mary was taken to Heaven when she died. Maybe she was. She is the Mother of our Lord, and maybe Jesus wanted her there. But I think they have put Mary where Jesus belongs, and I hate the statue of the mother holding the child. That does seem to come from the Babylon Mystery religion. But Christmas and Easter also come from pagan religions, and we observe them. And btw, without John's Gospel Catholicism wouldn't have a solid leg to stand on. Although even Catholics deny that. 

 

Pope Francis is trying to unite all people who worship God in Spirit and in truth. It's a monumental undertaking. It's such a big job he might as well try to build the Empire State building all by himself, in the Vatican square. But I support him, and I hope he succeeds.

Amen