"The Successor to Peter"
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2 TIMOTHY 2:1-3 ENSURING a FUTURE for the FAITH “You
2 TIMOTHY 2:1-3 ENSURING A FUTURE FOR THE FAITH “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”1 postolic succession is essential to a healthy church. However, whenever we speak of “apostolic succession,” it is important to define what is meant. When I speak of apostolic A succession, I imply adherence to the model provided in Scripture. I do not refer to the aberrations, however popular they may be, that occur in contemporary church life. By “apostolic succession,” I mean that there is a continuation of the Apostles’ doctrine, the apostolic message. Our Catholic friends, Orthodox Christians and numerous Protestant communions as well, hold to what they call “apostolic succession.” By this term these religions infer that they depend upon being able to trace the ordination of priests back to Peter; this is succession of the office. Tragically, we are aware of the scandals that have marked many of the churches holding to this particular aberration. Those who perpetuated and attempted to cover over crimes which were committed by priests were certainly not living as Peter would have lived. It is obvious that God could not approve of their actions. They would argue, however, that because of succession of ordination leading back to Peter, then doctrine and full fellowship are ensured.2 Among some evangelical churches, and especially touted by certain Baptist groups, a form of apostolic succession that has caused great harm to the cause of Christ is promoted. -
Shared Beliefs Between Roman Catholics and Protestants
May 27, 2018 Shared Beliefs between Roman Catholics and Protestants Recommended Book • Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences by Norman L. Geisler and Ralph E. MacKenzie (Baker Books, 1995). • James Akin, Roman Catholic, Catholic Answers Senior Apologist “This book offers a comprehensive and balanced discussion and should retire older, sensationalistic works.” Summary of Agreements “What evangelicals have in common with Roman Catholics… this includes the great fundamentals of the Christian faith, including a belief in the Trinity, the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, the creation and subsequent fall of humanity, Christ’s unique atonement for our sins, the physical resurrection of Christ, the necessity of God’s grace for salvation, the existence of heaven and hell, the second coming of Christ, and the verbal inspiration and infallibility of Scripture.” (Geisler, Roman Catholics and Evangelicals, p. 155) Areas of Agreement Shared Beliefs on the Bible High View of Scripture • “The [Catholic] Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures.” (Vatican II) Scripture is inspired (“from God”) • Inspiration deals with the source of the Bible: it’s from God (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21). • Prophets were mouthpieces for God (2 Sam. 23:2; Heb. 1:1; Dt. 18:18; “thus says the Lord” x 1700). 1 • First Vatican Council: The Old and New Testaments were “written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit… they have God as their author.” Scripture is infallible (“cannot fail or be broken”). • Jesus said it has divine authority (“it is written,” Mt. 4:7). • Jesus said it cannot perish (“not on jot or tittle will pass away until all fulfilled,” Mt. -
The Holy See
The Holy See LETTER OF THE HOLY FATHER POPE BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS, PRIESTS, CONSECRATED PERSONS AND LAY FAITHFUL OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA - Declaration (30 June 2007) [Chinese (China), Chinese (Taiwan), English, Italian] - Explanatory Note (27 May 2007) [Chinese (Cina), Chinese (Taiwan), English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish] - Compendium [Chinese (China)/English, Chinese (Taiwan)/English, English] Greeting 1. Dear Brother Bishops, dear priests, consecrated persons and all the faithful of the Catholic Church in China: "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in 2 Christ Jesus and of the love which you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven ... We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy" (Col 1:3-5, 9-11). These words of the Apostle Paul are highly appropriate for expressing the sentiments that I, as the Successor of Peter and universal Pastor of the Church, feel towards you. You know well how much you are present in my heart and in my daily prayer and how deep is the relationship of communion that unites us spiritually. -
Monasticism Old And
Study Guides for Monasticism Old and New These guides integrate Bible study, prayer, and worship to explore how monastic communities, classic and new, provide a powerful critique of mainstream culture and offer transforming possibilities Christian Reflection for our discipleship. Use them individually or in a series. You may A Series in Faith and Ethics reproduce them for personal or group use. A Vision So Old It Looks New 2 It is hard to be a Christian in America today. But that can be good news, the new monastics are discovering. If the cost of discipleship pushes us to go back and listen to Jesus again, it may open us to costly grace and the transformative power of resurrection life. In every era God has raised up new monas- tics to remind the Church of its true vocation. The Finkenwalde Project 4 Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s project at Finkenwalde Seminary to recover for congregations the deep Christian tradition is a prominent model for young twenty-first-century Christians. Weary of the false dichotomy between right belief and right practice, they seek the wholeness of discipleship in what Bonhoeffer called “a kind of new monasticism.” Evangelicals and Monastics 6 Could any two groups of Christians—evangelicals and monastics—be more different? But the New Monasticism movement has opened a new chapter in the relations of these previously estranged groups. Nothing is more characteristic of monastics and evangelicals than their unshakable belief that one cannot be truly spiritual without putting one’s faith into practice, and one cannot sustain Christian discipleship without a prayerful spirituality. -
Papal Primacy Church and Papal Infallibility Apostolic Succession
The Catholic Faith Papal Primacy Papal Primacy Compare Matthew 16:13-19 with Isaiah 22:19-22. Papacy: The supreme jurisdiction and ministry of the Pope as shepherd of the whole Church. As successor of St. Peter, and therefore Bishop of Rome and Vicar of Christ, the Pope is the perpetual and visible principle of unity in faith and communion in the Church (CCC 882). Primacy (Pope): The successor of St. Peter as Bishop of Rome and Supreme Pontiff of the universal Catholic Church. The Pope exercises a primacy of authority as Vicar of Christ and shepherd of the whole Church; he receives the divine assistance promised by Christ to the Church when he defines infallibly a doctrine of faith or morals (CCC 880-882). Church and Papal Infallibility Infallibility: The gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church whereby the pastors of the Church, the pope and bishops in union with him, can definitively proclaim a doctrine of faith or morals for the belief of the faithful (CCC 891). This gift is related to the inability of the whole body of the faithful to err in matters of faith and morals (CCC 92). Magisterium: The living, teaching office of the Church, whose task it is to give as authentic interpretation of the word of God, whether in its written form (Sacred Scripture), or in the form of Tradition. The Magisterium ensures the Church’s fidelity to the teaching of the Apostles in matters of faith and morals (CCC 85, 890, 2033). Apostolic Succession Apostolic Succession: The handing on of apostolic preaching and authority from the Apostles to their successors the bishops through the laying on of hands, as a permanent office in the Church (CCC 77, 861). -
Chapter 13 Protestant Christianity - Teaching Tips
Sullivan, Religions of the World (Fortress Press, 2013) Chapter 13 Protestant Christianity - Teaching Tips Chapters 11-13 could be taught in a comparative sense, since the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics and Protestants wrestled with some of the same issues. They obviously did not agree on a number of the issues and hence the division. The student however could be best served by looking at the similarities and differences. For this reason the same comparative grid that was used in Chapter 12 is also useful for this chapter. Here is a suggested outline to get your started: Doctrinal or Practical Roman Catholic Eastern Orthodox Protestants Emphasis Apostolic Succession All Popes must have They believe that this Most protestants focus some direct line to doctrine ensures an on continuity with the either Peter or Paul, unbroken line from teachings of the the early apostles Christ to church apostles as opposed to leaders direct succession from the apostles Clergy A very patriarchal Priests and Bishops Most Protestants do system where all must be male, but not require celibacy as clergies are males. deacons can be a condition to become They must also be women. This order a minister. Some celibate. however is dormant. churches practice Priests and deacons female ordination, may marry before including some ordination but not Anglicans. after. Bishops, on the other hand, must be celibate. The Eucharist Catholics believe In the Orthodox For most protestants similar to Orthodox church the Eucharist the Eucharist is seen on the Eucharist. The takes on heightened as an ordinance. This Eucharist is known as mystery. -
What Pope Francis Brings to Latin America by Daniel H
CLALS WORKING PAPER SERIES | NO. 11 Religion and Democratic Contestation in Latin America What Pope Francis Brings to Latin America by Daniel H. Levine MARCH 2016 Pullquote Daniel H. Levine is professor emeritus of political science at the University of Michigan. His numerous publications include Religion, Politics, and Society in Latin America (Lynne Rienner, 2012), The Quality of Democracy in Latin America (coedited with José E. Molina, Lynne Rienner, 2011), Popular Voices in Latin American Catholicism (Princeton University Press, 1992), and Religion and Politics in Latin America: The Catholic Church in Venezuela and Colombia (Princeton University Press, 1981) TheCenter for Latin American and Latino Studies (CLALS) at American University, establishd in January 2010, is a campus-wide initiative advancing and disseminating state- of-the-art research. The Center’s faculty affiliates and partners are at the forefront of efforts to understand economic development, democratic governance, cultural diversity and change, peace and diplomacy, health, education and environmental well-being. CLALS generates high-qual- ity, timely analysis on these and other issues in partnership with researchers and practitioners from AU and beyond.. Cover photo credit: Catholic Church England and Wales / Flickr / Creative Commons 2 AU CENTER FOR LATIN AMERICAN & LATINO STUDIES | CHAPTER TITLE HERE Table of Contents I. Introduction ...............................................................................2 II. Setting the Scene ......................................................................4 -
One True Church by Holy Scripture by Apostolic Succession by Church
Simple extensional proof of the Catholic Church claims to be the One True Church One True Church By By By By Common sense Holy Scripture Apostolic Succession Church Fathers and Reason Hundreds of genuine Jesus said in Matt. 16:18 There is a well Jesus Christ said in Matt historical documents the gates of hell shall not documented unbroken 16:18 that the gates of exists today written by prevail against his line of Popes from St. hell shall not prevail many writers from the church. That is his Peter on, down against his church. If hell 1st century and onwards church can never be through every century succeeded and his and are available to all destroyed. to the present 265th church fell away or for reading. Pope. apostatized in century X, then it makes Jesus Christ a liar. Matthew 28:20 "I will Sample writings which be with you always, to mention the Catholic Where were all the the end of the age"-That By the time St. John church: 30,000+ existing man is there will never be a finished the book of made churches before time when the church is revelation in 100AD, St. Ignatius of Antioch the 16th century? not. Implies perpetuity. the Catholic church (35-110AD) wrote of the was already into its Catholic church by name 5th Pope. in 110AD in his letter to All the 30,000+ non- the Smyrneans Catholic sects post 16th John 16:13 "the Holy 1. Peter 30-67AD century, are man made Spirit will teach you all 2. -
5 Myths About the Teaching of the Catholic Church on Homosexuality
5 Myths about the Teaching of the Catholic Church on Homosexuality Rev. Philip Smith (Parochial Vicar, Most Blessed Sacrament Church and Corpus Christi University Parish, Toledo, OH --- Diocese of Toledo) Myth: The Catholic Church encourages a negative attitude towards people who identify as homosexual. Catholic Church Teaching: The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that persons with homosexual tendencies “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided” (CCC 2358). The Catholic Church continues Jesus’ mission in offering salvation to all people including those with same-sex attractions. The Catholic Church welcomes parishioners with same-sex attractions as God’s beloved sons and daughters and strives to share with them the joy of the Good News of God’s unconditional love. Myth: The Church condemns persons with same-sex attractions and believes that persons with same-sex attraction should just “pray the gay away”. Catholic Church Teaching: While the Catholic Church teaches that homosexual acts are morally unacceptable, the Church teaches that homosexual inclinations are not sinful in themselves. The Church recognizes that in a significant number of persons their homosexual desires are “deep- seated” and that these desires will accompany them throughout their life. The Catholic Church does not endorse an approach that requires all persons with same-sex attractions to become “straight” or heterosexual. The Catholic Church teaches that God calls all persons, including those with same-sex attractions, to live the virtue of chastity. For persons with same-sex attractions, living chastely includes not engaging in homosexual acts. -
The Ancient History and the Female Christian Monasticism: Fundamentals and Perspectives
Athens Journal of History - Volume 3, Issue 3 – Pages 235-250 The Ancient History and the Female Christian Monasticism: Fundamentals and Perspectives By Paulo Augusto Tamanini This article aims to discuss about the rediscovery and reinterpretation of the Eastern Monasticism focusing on the Female gender, showing a magnificent area to be explored and that can foment, in a very positive way, a further understanding of the Church's face, carved by time, through the expansion and modes of organization of these groups of women. This article contains three main sessions: understanding the concept of monasticism, desert; a small narrative about the early ascetic/monastic life in the New Testament; Macrina and Mary of Egypt’s monastic life. Introduction The nomenclatures hide a path, and to understand the present questions on the female mystique of the earlier Christian era it is required to revisit the past again. The history of the Church, Philosophy and Theology in accordance to their methodological assumptions, concepts and objectives, give us specific contributions to the enrichment of this comprehensive knowledge, still opened to scientific research. If behind the terminologies there is a construct, a path, a trace was left in the production’s trajectory whereby knowledge could be reached and the interests of research cleared up. Once exposed to reasoning and academic curiosity it may provoke a lively discussion about such an important theme and incite an opening to an issue poorly argued in universities. In the modern regime of historicity, man and woman can now be analysed based on their subjectivities and in the place they belong in the world and not only by "the tests of reason", opening new ways to the researcher to understand them. -
A New Theory of Apostolic Succession
A New Theory of Apostolic Succession R. F. HETTLINGER MONG the few general agreements reached in the course of the long A and continuing debate on apostolic succession has been the conclusion that the earliest doctrine of episcopal succession affirms a continuity of teaching office rather than of sacramental grace. C. H. Turner in a famous essay thus described the idea of succession held by Irenaeus: The bishop of any Christian church is the head and representative of his flock, and has been regularly and openly put into possession of the cathedra or teaching chair, in succession to a predecessor who had in turn been recog nized in his time as the one proper possessor of the chair-and so on right back to the foundation of the particular local church.1 It is characteristic of this early period that the bishop traces his succession not ( as in later Western practice) through the bishops who consecrated him but through his predecessors in office. As Dr. A. J. Mason pointed out in the same volume, Irenaeus conceived of truth as abiding in the whole Church, "not in the line of bishops who govern it", although they are "the representatives of their Churches, and the responsible guardians of their traditions".2 In more recent years Dom Gregory Dix acknowledged that "There is in this way of reckoning the matter no emphasis whatever on the sacramental 'succession' of a bishop to those bishops from other Churches who had consecrated him to the episcopate by the laying on of hands" .3 The point at which the later conception of succession, in which the bishop is regarded as the recipient of a special charisma for government or for sacramental validity, replaced the more primitive idea is still a matter of disagreement among scholars, although most authorities agree that some such change took place in the latter years of the second century or in the first quarter of the third.4 The importance of this change of emphasis has also been variously estimated. -
Unit 4, Chapter 10 Answer
Gr.3 – Unit 4 Chapter 10 Answer Key 1. After his Resurrection, Jesus appeared to his followers and asked Peter three times: "__________?" a. Do you miss fishing and your boat b. Do you love me c. Why did you deny knowing me 2. When Jesus sent out the Twelve, the first Church leaders, he told them not to take __________. a. extra clothes or shoes b. any money c. both a and b 3. __________ is named after Saint Gregory the Great who lived and served the Church in the sixth century. a. Saint Gregory's Bread, a simple whole wheat bread, b. The Gregorian flag c. The Gregorian chant 4. Led by the Holy Spirit in his special role for the Church, the Pope __________. a. advises people how much money to give to charities b. is the highest Church teacher and guide c. tells bishops how many Catholic schools to maintain in their dioceses 5. The word bishop means "__________" because a bishop leads and has responsibility to care for a diocese. a. teacher b. overseer c. father 6. After Jesus was arrested near Jerusalem, three people asked Peter if __________. a. he had paid his taxes to the Roman government b. he knew how to speak Greek c. he knew or was a friend of Jesus 7. Although he didn't want to be, Saint Gregory the Great became the __________ and encouraged the development of beautiful music to help people worship. a. bishop of Jerusalem b. Pope c. head of a monastery 8. Many un-ordained people, including catechists, liturgical ministers, parish committee members, and __________ also lead or serve in various parish ministries.