I am one of those weird people that thoroughly enjoys it when the Mormons and JWs come knocking on the door. I love meeting people but I also enjoy the discussion that generally follows. I have found that the greatest weaknesses of both groups is their inability to reconcile their beliefs and doctrine with church history. For example: both groups affirm the 66 books found inside the Protestant Bible, yet, both groups refuse to recognize the Early Church that wrestled with them and ultimately canonized them. They love the baby but not the 9 months of labor.
I'm currently reading a book (Vintage Church) written by Mark Driscoll, pastor of one of the largest churches in America. I am about 50 pages in and he has (very articulately) stated why the Roman Catholic Church is not a good model for the church and why it is very dangerous to the 'True Church.' I am not ignorant to the many people who simply think that having been baptized as an infant as a R.C. and living a life ignorant to the scriptures and the call of God upon their life equates to being a Christian. I am also well aware of many of the atrocities that has been done by the R.C. church (along with many Protestent churches and leaders), throughout the centuries. However, this gives us no right to dismiss our history and the saints who lived out and carried on the faith.
As a result, I have pretty much stopped engaging in theological discussions about free will vs. predestination, Wesley vs. Calvin, God's sovereignty and knowledge, etc. Why? Because at the end of the day, the folks over at Eastside Baptist are my brothers and sisters in Christ... and the people over at St. Joseph's R.C. church are as well... and while we may differe somewhat in our beliefs about God and look a little different from one another, may we unite, in love, under the Lordship of the Triune God we serve.
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I took a discipleship class through my church that used an outdated book that, in my mind, contained some interpretations of Scripture that may have been wrong and even harmful. I remember one chapter in particular that was all about "How to Witness to a Roman Catholic," as if Catholics were not Christians and needed to be led to Jesus. (And I agree with your disclaimer, that there probably *are* people who identify as Catholic - and in any other denomination, for that matter - who don't really follow Jesus with their hearts and lives as well as their words - but again, who are we to judge that?) My main problem with that chapter came in the form of a personal illustration in my life - my boyfriend is a Catholic, and a very devoted one, and he is a better Christian than I am. And yet this book was telling me to witness to him. That just struck me as being...off.
ReplyDeleteThe predestination thing...a well-meaning friend's exposition of Romans 9 caused a huge spiritual rift between me and God that totally destroyed my relationship with him for a long while. I'm *still* trying to reconcile Scripture, particularly Romans 9, with the view of a loving God that it took me so utterly long to accept because of my flawed conception of a father, etc. My friend had basically told me that that view of a God who loves unconditionally and is a tender Father was wrong, and that if I believed that, I was worshipping a false god. It broke my heart, and I felt like I had lost my best friend. I'm still not sure how Romans 9 works back to God's incredible love, but I do know that, as per the usual trend of the Bible, there must be an explanation for it. It probably doesn't come down to the black/white that most people see; Scripture is made of stories and people and experiences, and it is nuanced and complicated and deep. It cannot always be explained in convenient botanical acronyms. ;) I find both comfort and anxiety in the mystery of God, but in the end, I have to believe that he is first and foremost a Father, and that he will take care of us.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Cate. If we lived to be 1,000 years old, I am sure there would continue to be many things that would remain a mystery as strive to wrap God in a box. St. Anselm was known for using the phrase, "fides quaerens intellectum," which translates "faith seeking understanding." Having faith in the midst of not always being able to understand. Continue to wrestle Cate!
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