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The Catholic and “ Christians”: Handout Deacon James H. Toner Our Lady of Grace 15 September 2011: I. The Gospel according to Jack Chick. II. (Scripture Alone) is the doctrine that the Holy Bible is the Word of and is the only infallible rule of faith and practice for Christians. Some Protestants accept limited ministerial teaching “if it accords with the bible,” don’t think that the bible contains all spiritual knowledge, don’t deny the oral teaching of the apostles (until it was superseded by the written Bible, they say), or insist that the bible will always be interpreted properly. During and after the Protestant Revolt of the 16th century, the idea of SS had to advanced, for Church authority was denied. III. SS, however, fails every test: A. It is not taught in the Bible, although we know scripture is inspired and inerrant. (Protestant prooftexts are 2 Tim 3:16-17 and Rv 22:18-19 [cf. Dt 4:2—does that rule out the NT?]. But nothing there suggests that all we need is scripture alone. B. In fact, scripture clearly teaches the need for the Church and (1 Tm 3:15; 2 Tm 1:13-14, 2: 2, 3:14-17; 1 Thess 2:13, 2 Thess 2:15, 1 Cor 11:2, 15:1). Condemned are customs, human precepts, and certain ceremonial traditions which replace the teaching of Christ (Mt 15:8-9//Mk 7:6-8). Political ideology, for instance, must not replace divine commands (Acts 5:29). Sacred Tradition is the doctrine, life, and worship of the Church, which is handed down from the Apostles and their successors. C. Christ left us a living Church (cf. Mt 28:19, 16:18-19, John 16:13, Luke 10:16), not just 73 books, the message of which can be, and has been, often twisted. D. We need teaching and teachers: 1 Tim 3:15; Acts 8:31; 2 Pt 3:16, 1:20 (). E. SS produces division, for everyone can decide for himself what anything means. There are now about 40,000 Protestant denominations. F. SS cannot respond to critical issues such as cloning, or embryonic stem cell research, organ transplantation, just war issues, and so on. IV. Scripture is the written part of Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium (Mt 16:19, Lk 11:52) is Teaching Authority of the Church (see CCC #85, 890, 2033): ORAL TESTIMONY and PREACHING, LITURGY, CHURCH WITNESS—as time passed … WRITTEN PROCLAMATION/HOLY BIBLE (written part of Sacred Tradition). SACRED TEACHING (“ left us with his Church—made up of a Pope, bishops, and councils—all of which are needed to administer and interpret Scripture” (Scott & Kimberly Hahn, Rome Sweet Home, p. 74). Tradition “is the living transmission of the message of the Gospel in the Church” (US Catholic Catechism, p. 25). “Sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of the Word of God, which is entrusted to the Church” (Dei Verbum 10). Interpreting the Word of God “has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church. . . . This Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. . . . Working together . . . they all contribute effectively to the salvation of souls” (DV 10). V. A helpful analogy: Material sufficiency (the bible has all bricks [or at least the elements of clay and water] needed for salvation). Formal sufficiency: (the bible has everything necessary and it’s all perfectly arranged and self-teaching). Sacred Tradition is a blueprint (or memory [anamnesis: CCC #1103]). The Magisterium is the trowel and mortar in ordained hands! Catholics can agree to MS but not to FS. We need the Church Christ gave us (Col 1:18)!

VI. Ten really, really, really Catholic verses

1. Luke 1:28—Kecharitomene. (Also in Acts 6:8 and John 1:14—but there it is pleres charitos): full of grace. Keep in mind that, as a good Jew, Jesus would have honored His mother (4th commandment). Shouldn’t we? 2. Luke 1:48—blessed 3. Matthew 16:13-19 (cf. Is 22:20-23)—keys/rock. Change of name. Aramaic language 4. Romans 10:14-15—sent. Sent by whom? Apostolic tradition (2,000 years). 5. 2:2, 19; 3:1, 8; 15; 14:13—deeds (and see James 2, 17, 24; Matthew 5:1-12; Gal 2:16 --believe [6:9--do]; Rom 10:9-10--believe [2:6--do]); Titus 2:14. We Catholics do not believe that we work our way to heaven! We do believe that “deciding for Christ” and “declaring for Christ [saying we’re Catholic]” means that we should be “doing for Christ” (cf. Mt 7:21). Spiritual and corporal works of mercy. 6. John 15:4-5—abide in the Lord. “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” (John 6:56). Just a symbol? Read all of John 6 and 1 Cor 10:16 and 11:27. 7. Proverbs 3:5-6—do not rely on your own insight. Whose, then? 8. Colossians 1:24—redemptive suffering. 9. Colossians 1:24 (deliberately repeated)—“his body, that is, the church.” See also Eph 1:22-23. See also the Catechism, #763-766 (many biblical references). 10. 2 Maccabees 12:38-45—prayers for the dead (CCC #958, 1032). Not in your bible? Remember the Septuagint, the 46 books of the OT? First and Second Maccabees were in the canon of the bible until removed from (some) Protestant in the 16th century.

VII. But how about . . . 1. Romans 3:23—all have sinned. 2. Mt 12:46 (and see Mt 13:55; Mk 3:31-34; Lk 8:19-20; Jn 2:12, 7:3, 5:10; Acts 1:14, 1 Cor 9:5)— brothers of the Lord. Neither Hebrew nor Aramaic had a special word meaning “cousin [the son of my uncle].” Close family, friends, political allies, and so on are often called “brothers” (2 Sam 1:26, Amos 1:9, Gn 14:14, 11:26-28, 29:15; 1 Chr 23:21-22, Dt 23:7, Neh 5:7, Jer 34:9, 2 Kgs 10:13-14). “Who are my mother and brothers?” asked the Lord? Answer: Mt 12:46-50 and Luke 8:21. John 19:26-27 tells us that Jesus, on the cross, gave his mother into the care of . . . John. 3. Gal 2:11-21—St. Paul upbraids St. Peter. Confusion of infallibility (John 14:26 and 16:13) and impeccability. 4. Call no man “father”! (Mt 23:9). Cf. Exodus 20:12 and 2 Kings 2:12. 5. But priests and deacons wear vestments! See Exodus 28:2-5. 6. But the Mass “kills Christ” every time! See 2 Peter 3:8. We re-present the paschal mystery. It happened once. 7. Those “special days”: Gal 4-9. A reference to the liturgical calendar of Israel (Sabbath, New Moon, and others) which some wanted the newly forming Christians to adopt. But the old ceremonial and judicial laws were no longer binding because of Christ. 8. Baptism is a mere symbol and, besides, you “pour”! (sigh!) Read the Bible! 1 Peter 3:21, John 3:5, Acts 2:38, 22:16.) 9. Purgatory? Revelation 21:27. C. S. Lewis, the great Christian writer (but not Catholic) believed in Purgatory. 10. “Catholics hate the Bible.” This concept is so wretched—and so transparently nonsensical—that all we can do is cite Scripture and Church teaching—“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (8th Commandment/Augustinian numbering). Very Readable References: Dave Armstrong, Catholic Verses; David Currie, Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic; Scott and Kimberly Hahn, Rome Sweet Home; Al Kresta, Why do Catholics Genuflect?; Karl Keating, Catholicism and Fundamentalism; Patrick Madrid, Where is That in the Bible?; Amy Welborn, Prove It! Church (especially good for teenagers).