Hans Kung, the German bad-boy theologian, has a big problem with the doctrine of papal infallibility, like yourself, and yet he remains a priest in good standing–or pretty good standing–or let’s say he’s still a certified Catholic priest, anyhow!

I and many other Catholic converts have a problem with, or do not connect with, or seriously question Catholic doctrine about Mary, like you, but we are Catholics still (and in fact still ask for her prayers, if the truth be told, and you tell me if that makes me a great hypocrite or not).

And then there’s the Bible thing, which I instructed you on in another comment whose patronizing tone was perhaps regrettable (so I’m a know-it-all–gimme a break). The church has no means of correcting tradition from the Bible, you say, and that’s a big problem. I would say it is the same Church that certified the Bible which certifies tradition–so the one is not intrinsically more authoritative than the other. In practice, in the development of doctrine in the church, and indeed in all things, the Bible guides and regulates tradition. Thank God for that!

I guess to swim the Tiber you have to accept that the Bible is not the be-all and end-all of revelation; that revelation continues through the Church inspired by the Holy Spirit (which revelation will of course never go against Holy Scripture).

In all these things, where we Catholics have doubts and questions, we defer to the authority of the Church. The Catechism says we are to accept everything with perfect docility, but as I see it, it is impossible to will oneself to believe something; but not impossible to have humility about one’s own notions, and to be obedient in attitude as opposed to proudly rebellious (like, say, a certain German Augustinian monk of the 16th century, in my humble estimation).

Now I want to talk about the Eucharist, but everything I come up with starts to sound like a sales pitch, which is definitely not worthy of this subject–but you’re missing out on it, and you don’t have to. Christians have been sharing the body and blood of Christ every Sunday since earliest times, and may I be so presumptuous as to say that you should too.

–Dave

General Comments: I do think the early church resembled little the churches we have today, but then I attended a Messianic Synagogue for a while. :p And anyway it doesn’t change your point.

For what it’s worth, I’m tired of Catholic bashing and went to mass several months ago myself. I found it much like the LCMS services I grew with. (Boy I’m glad I was an educated Lutheran so all this communion controversy can’t trip me up! XD)

I attended mass partly because I know several Catholic families who have visited or are members of the Protestant bible studies I attend locally, so it seemed a good exercise in cross cultural communication, so to speak. And, I plan on doing it again! (Dun dun DUUUUUN!)

I also regularly attend an international Baptist church which was a big change for me, well, not as big as it would have been if I hadn’t attended a reformed EFREE church for a few years inbetween. (I move around a lot, I mean, to different physical places.)

Anyway, I’d better tell people about Jesus so they can be saved! Let’s not contemplate the act of belief as a work. Oh no. Too scary that the mystery of grace might just be beyond total 100% human comprehension…

Excellent! One comment and one question.

First, you said the Catholic church built Christianity for its first 400 years. What is the timeline there?

Second, nice list at the end of the essay but you forgot Tolkien!

Bravo, again.

Yeah. JRRT is one low profile RC. Easy to miss. Apologies.

I am a Catholic simultaneously mourning the death and celebrating the life of our beloved Holy Father. I have been saddened and hurt over the past few days after reading comments by a few non-Catholic Christians on bulletin boards saying that the Pope is surely going to burn in hell because of his wrong theology. Your post is comforting and inspires me to a greater appreciation of the depth of tradition in the Church to which I belong.

Thank you for trying to understand the complexities of Roman Catholic theology and for respecting our form of faith. And thank you for sharing your reflections with other Christians. God bless you.

About the East/West Schism: didn’t that take place in 1054? Or are there two E/W schisms?