Tag Archives: protestant

All Saints Day

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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.

So Happy Together

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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.

Going It Alone

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There was a very interesting Marty Minto show recently. His Catholic producer, Shaun "Powerball" Pierce, received a booklet by R.C. Sproul called "Justification by Faith Alone". In it, Sproul examines what justification is according to Scripture, compares the Roman Catholic and evangelical stances on this core doctrine, and discusses the relationship of faith and works–all to show why "by faith alone" is so essential. As Sproul puts it, "The crucial issue of infusion versus imputation remains irreconcilable. We are either justified by a righteousness that is in us or by a righteousness that is apart from us. There is no third way." Pierce’s Catholic sensibilities were offended and a two-page response was the result. I’ve obtained his permission to reprint it here. I’d like to hear your reactions to it.

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What Would Benedict Say?

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I knew the Benedictines had gone ’round the bend of late, but this is just bizarre.

The [Presbyterian] Rev. Lynne Smith is believed to be the first woman in the United States to join a monastery founded by Roman Catholic sisters without converting from her original religion.

(Thanks, Open Book)

Update: The original news story link no longer works, so here’s another version.

First U.S. ecumenical community for women

Lynne Smith describes herself as a new monastic for the new millennium. Smith is a Presbyterian Benedictine — not just a baptized Presbyterian, but an ordained minister in the Presbyterian church. She is also a novice in the ecumenical community of Benedictine women of Madison.

Catholic Carnival, Where Art Thou?

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Why is there no Catholic carnival? Jollyblogger, a nice guy and a good
blogger, is organizing a Carnival of the Reformation. We need a
Carnival of the Counter-reformation! I don’t mean that in a spiteful
“me too” way. Carnivals are an excellent way to share ideas and promote
blogs.

From what I’ve seen in the blogosphere, the Protestants are beating the
pants off us. We’re fewer in number. We spend more time knocking each
other or the Church than defending the Faith. We are barely computer
literate, and in some cases borderline luddite. Where has “the new
evangelization” JP2 called for gone? Apparently not very far.