So when these cardinals and bishops from around the world sat down with Leo XIV at the Vatican to discuss the family in light of Amoris laetitia, they were preaching to the choir. Among the names of those attending at the Pope's invitation are names like Cupich, McElroy, Tobin, Cobo, Hollerich, Fernández, Tagle, David, and others who had a hand in setting the agenda of the previous pontificate on the veru questions the document addressed. None of those who questioned it have been summoned. While I do not have a stake in this, the glaring omission of any visible critics of the document seems to say a great deal about the Leo style and agenda when dealing with Francis' legacy.
The document which sparked such intense debate seemed designed to allow more radical interpretations of its own words -- especially after the bishops of the Buenos Aires Pastoral Region interpreted it as allowing, following a process of accompanied pastoral discernment, access to the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist for some Catholics who are divorced and civilly remarried “when a person judges that he or she would fall into a further fault by harming the children of the new union.” Then in 2023, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith confirmed that this interpretation was the intent. In my mind, this is one more instance when more talk seems to be code for keeping Francis legacy alive without really dealing with the objections. I am sure that many more traditional Roman Catholics hope that this does not become the Leo way of dealing with things.
R.C. Sproul, quoting in “Getting the Gospel Right,” said, “The historic Protestant view of the marks of a true church are; the preaching of the Gospel, the due administration of the sacraments, and the presence of church discipline.” Is it no wonder why the Catholic Church is plagued by contentious secondary issues and high drama related to differences between the Vatican and the Cardinals and Bishops? Each Pope is unofficially “infallible “ in being the final voice of the RCC, but each of them often disagree with their predecessors. Also, since many Catholic teachings are extra Biblical, and derived from tradition and ecclesiastical edicts, they will run into problems with unity of interpretation and dissension within the rank and file clergy. The words of Paul in 1Corinthians 1:10 fell on deaf ears centuries ago, and his pleading for church unity seems to have gone unnoticed. “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.” How sad that the Catholic Church could never simply stick to the Gospel, administer the sacraments, and avoid building a monolithic organization with all the ceremonial pomp and materialistic treasures it has accumulated. I humbly submit that this was not what Our Lord Jesus had in mind for the church He started before ascending into the clouds over Jerusalem. Soli Deo Gloria
ReplyDeleteLeo is the Antichrist! What more despicable description could be given?!?
ReplyDeleteCarl, according to 2 Thessalonians, the Anti Christ is not yet revealed, nor will he appear on the world stage as the “man of sin” until there is a general falling away from the word of God. The Bible also refers to ‘many anti-Christs” with reference to those who practice lawlessness, but the real “Lawless One, the Anti Christ, is going to be one specific man who seeks to be worshipped as God, and will appear to possess signs and wonders, and lure many people, but not true believers, to follow him. Perhaps, the Anti Christ will reveal himself in the near future? Perhaps, he is already born and waiting and watching? Who can know, except God? Who can discern if we are yet in the end times, or not? This is a mystery. Nevertheless, we are to continue on, walking by faith, and following our Lord’s command…to “occupy”, as the days are evils indeed. Soli Deo Gloria .
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Brief Statement of 1932 explanation of the Antichrist:
ReplyDelete"As to the Antichrist we teach that the prophecies of the Holy Scriptures concerning the Antichrist, 2 Thess. 2:3-12; 1 John 2:18, have been fulfilled in the Pope of Rome and his dominion. All the features of the Antichrist as drawn in these prophecies, including the most abominable and horrible ones, for example, that the Antichrist as God sitteth in the temple of God, 2 Thess. 2:4; that he anathematizes the very heart of the Gospel of Christ, that is, the doctrine of the forgiveness of sins by grace alone, for Christ’s sake alone, through faith alone, without any merit or worthiness in man (Rom. 3:20-28; Gal. 2:16); that he recognizes only those as members of the Christian Church who bow to his authority; and that, like a deluge, he had inundated the whole Church with his antichristian doctrines till God revealed him through the Reformation — these very features are the outstanding characteristics of the Papacy. (Cf. Smalcald Articles, Triglot, p. 515, Paragraphs 39-41; p. 401, Paragraph 45; M. pp. 336, 258.) Hence we subscribe to the statement of our Confessions that the Pope is the very Antichrist. (Smalcald Articles, Triglot, p. 475, Paragraph 10; M., p. 308.)"
Thus Lutherans (that is those who accept the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as the written Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and of practice; and who hold a quia confession to the Book of Concord of 1580) will recognize the pope as the Antichrist.
Others, including Lufauxrans, may not.
I understand the position about the Pope being the Anti-Christ in the minds of many Christians, including Lutherans. But which one? Which Pope? Some of them? All of them? The conclusion that the Pope is the Anti-Christ does not find support in the scriptures. The Papal system, even in the eyes of the Catholics who historically revere him, never required the faithful to worship him, nor does the Pope actually deny Christ. The end times Anti- Christ who has not yet appeared on the world stage, will be one man, as described in 2Thessalonians, and he will according to scripture gather many followers, and will demand he himself be worshipped in place of Christ. As a believer, my brother, you will recognize him by his words, his powers, his lies, his signs and wonders, his pride, and his demand to be worshipped as God. I will not contend over this issue, my brother, as you are not alone in believing the Pope or the Papal system is representative of the Anti-Christ. I can only point you to what the word of God says about the Anti-Christ. Soli Deo Gloria
ReplyDeleteIn his _Christian Dogmatics: A Handbook of Doctrinal Theology for Pastors, Teachers, and Laymen_ discussion of antichrists and the Antichrist (https://archive.org/details/Mueller/page/94/mode/1up), J.T. Mueller writes, in part:
ReplyDelete(p. 94): "According to Holy Scripture all those who reject the teachings of God's Word are antichrists, 1 John 2, 22, among whom the most perverse is the great Antichrist, "who opposeth and exalteth himself aboYe all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God,' 2 Thess. 2, 3. 4."
(pp. 580-581): "All false teachers must be regarded as antichrists (adversaries of Christ), since our Lord insists that in the Church no other doctrine should be taught than that of Holy Scripture, Matt. 28, 20; John 8, 31. 32; 17, 20; 5, 39; Rom. 16, 17; 1 Pet. 4, 11; 1 Tim. 6, 3ff.; 2 Tim. 3, 15-17; 2 John 10; Rev. 22, 18. 19. All who disregard this divine command are insurgents and adversaries of God, Luke 11, 23.
"In its narrower sense the [Greek] term however, denotes the great Antichrist, whose coming is foretold in 2 Thess. 2, 3-12. In 1 John 2, 18 this Antichrist is carefully distinguished from the 'many antichrists,' and his appearance is represented as a sign of the last times. In him antichristianism culminates, 2 Thess. 2, 7 f."