Why/how are post-schism councils valid? I thought all the sees had to be represented in order for councils to make infallible statements. Since the Orthodox still have valid orders, there are apostolic sees that have not participated in councils with the West for nearly a millennium. What am I missing?
Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
It’s time again to discuss another section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. My previous attempts at this have met with deafening silence, but I think I have more Protestant readers now, so maybe I’ll get more comments this time.
What we’ve covered so far:
"I Believe" – "We Believe" (CCC 26-184)
"I Believe in God the Father" (CCC 198-421)
Now, let’s take a look at "I Believe in Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God" (CCC 422-682). I invite all my Christian readers, Protestants in particular, to tell me what they find interesting, challenging, or contrary to their beliefs about the Church’s interpretation of this part, or previously mentioned parts of the Apostles’ Creed.
I’ve been meaning to make a regular practice of presenting parts of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and asking people to respond, but life interfered (in good ways, like marriage). My previous "Conversations" post is here.
I’m helping out with the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) program at the Ryan Catholic Newman Center. We’re going through the Catechism’s explanation of the Apostles’ and Nicean Creeds. I’m going use these "Conversations" to highlight each portion.
We’ll start with Chapter 1: "I Believe in God the Father" (CCC 198-421). I invite all my Christian readers, Protestants in particular, to tell me what they find interesting, challenging, or contrary to their beliefs.
Jollyblogger has initiated
the Carnival of the Reformation. The motto of the carnival is “Post Tenebras
Lux”. That’s Latin for “After the Darkness, Light”. I find it appropriate
that it was posted today, All Saints Day. Yesterday was Reformation Sunday. Today,
on the feast honoring the saints of the Church, let’s shed light on the darkness
of the Reformation. I encourage my Catholic readers to humbly and respectfully respond
to the carnival’s theme of sola scriptura.
Readers of Shaun Pierce’s article on sola fide might find this interesting.
In 1997, the Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
produced this document:
JOINT DECLARATION ON THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION
The doctrine of justification was of central importance for the Lutheran Reformation of the sixteenth century. It was held to be the “first and chief article” and at the same time the “ruler and judge over all other Christian doctrines.” The doctrine of justification was particularly asserted and defended in its Reformation shape and special valuation over against the Roman Catholic Church and theology of that time, which in turn asserted and defended a doctrine of justification of a different character. From the Reformation perspective, justification was the crux of all the disputes. Doctrinal condemnations were put forward both in the Lutheran Confessions and by the Roman Catholic Church’s Council of Trent. These condemnations are still valid today and thus have a church-dividing effect.