PAUL M. WILLIAMS [23/12/16] IS ROMAN CATHOLICISM TRUE CHRISTIANITY? – PART 12 THE ECUMENICAL AGENDA Introduction At last, we arrive at the final teaching part in our series looking at the Roman Catholic Church. The fundamental question running throughout this teaching series, the very title of this series has been ‘Is Roman Catholicism True Christianity?’ We began this teaching series by asking a question; ‘are the differences that separate Protestants, Catholics just minor matters of insignificance?’ In the first part of this teaching series we pointed out that if one was to do a Google search to identify the world’s largest religion, one would find that at the top of the list would be Christianity, representing some 2.2 billion people (more than 30% of the world’s population!!). The natural question that arises when being met by such figures is; what type of Christians!! When one looks at the breakdown of these figures, one finds that according to the figures from Pew Research, approximately, 50% of the 2.2 billion Christians are in fact Roman Catholic, with just fewer than 37% comprising of Protestants. Sadly, for many today, the only difference separating these two main Christian groups is one of history and tradition. Indeed, a call goes forth in our day in ever increasing sound, for these Christian groups to unite, after all they will say, don’t we all agree on the fundamentals of the faith!! Sadly, many within Evangelical circles, influential leaders and ministers are regurgitating the same erroneous sentiments!! For those familiar with Church history, for more than a thousand years, Roman Catholicism dominated Western Christianity with its popery and tradition. Western Europe waned under its iron grip and the light of the true gospel of Jesus Christ whilst flickering in obscure places, generally was eclipsed by the shadow of Rome. Yet, dawning on the horizon, as the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, God was at work across Europe preparing the ground for what would be known as the Protestant Reformation. Next year (2017) marks the five-hundredth anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. For five hundred years, the Church of Jesus Christ has been free from the poisoned chalice of Rome and the gospel has shined forth its light across the world!! However, since the middle of the last century, a full scale attempt has been underway to try and reverse the Protestant Reformation and to bring back home to Rome, the separated Church of Jesus Christ. This movement is known as the Ecumenical Movement and is being spearheading by the Roman Catholic Church in conjunction with the World Council of Churches. The Ecumenical Movement The World Council of Churches (WCC) was formally constituted at Amsterdam, Holland, on August 23, 1948. The goal of the WCC is to unite together the worlds Christians from every denomination. It has as its motto, “oikoumene”, which is a Greek word meaning ‘this inhabited world’ from where we get our English word ecumenism. Concerning its purpose, the WCC states: "The primary purpose of the fellowship of churches in the World Council of Churches is to call one another to visible unity in one faith and in one eucharistic fellowship, expressed in worship and common life in Christ, through witness and service to the world, and to advance towards that unity in order that the world may believe". - World Council of Churches, Self-Understanding and Vision, Purpose https://www.oikoumene.org/en/about-us/self-understanding-vision As it stands, the Roman Catholic Church is not a member of the WCC, yet the two organisations work very closely together for the same common goal of “Christian unity”. Between the years 1962-65, Roman Catholic bishops from around the world convened in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, to hold a solemn general council, known as the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. It had as its aim to address relations between the Catholic Church and the modern world. On 21st November 1964, the Decree on Ecumenism was solemnly proclaimed by the Second Vatican Council and brought into effect by Pope Paul VI. The introduction of this document is very enlightening to say the least: The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council. Christ the Lord founded one Church and one Church only. However, many Christian communions present themselves to men as the true inheritors of Jesus Christ; all indeed profess to be followers of the Lord but differ in mind and go their different ways, as if Christ Himself were divided. Such division openly contradicts the will of Christ, scandalizes the world, and damages the holy cause of preaching the Gospel to every creature. In recent times more than ever before, He has been rousing divided Christians to remorse over their divisions and to a longing for unity. Everywhere large numbers have felt the impulse of this grace, and among our separated brethren also there increases from day to day the movement, fostered by the grace of the Holy Spirit, for the restoration of unity among all Christians. - Decree on Ecumenism, Introduction http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19641121_unitatis- redintegratio_en.html Another powerful UK Ecumenical body that exists to unite the Church as one visible body is ‘Churches Together in England’. In 1990 members of 20 churches in England worshipped together in the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Southwark where their representatives formally signed the Basis and Commitment of Churches Together in England: `Churches Together in England describe themselves as: “…a visible sign in England of the Churches' commitment as they seek a deepening of their communion with Christ and with one another, and proclaim the Gospel together by common witness and service. Its strength comes from people from different traditions finding new ways to work and worship together. - What is Churches Together in England? http://www.cte.org.uk/Groups/233854/Home/About/About.aspx Founding member Churches include: Church of England, Baptist Union of Great Britain, Methodist Church, Independent Methodist Churches, United Reform Church, Wesleyan Holiness Church, Salvation Army, the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales)!! Recent members include Church of God of prophecy (2005), New Testament Church of God (2006) and Elim Pentecostal Church (2009)!! On paper, such goals as those of the World Council of Churches, the Roman Catholic Church and Churches Together in England, seem to be very noble and commendable. However, one has to pause and ask the question; what is this unity based upon? Is the unity that is being called for, the same unity that Jesus prayed for? One will not, the reference in the above article to “the Gospel”. What gospel is this? Some 52 000 words on in our study, having surveyed the religion of Roman Catholicism, we can concur with 100% accuracy and confidence that Roman Catholicism does not have a gospel and cannot by any stretch of the imagination, be considered Christian if by Christian, we mean that taught and defined in the New Testament!! Whether, by its claim to be the only true Church of Jesus Christ by virtue of the fact that it alone is the God appointed Church, its bishops, the only God appointed successors of the apostles and its pope the only supreme head of the Christian Church who by his authority can infallibly define dogma and authentically interpret the Word of God consisting of both Scripture and Tradition. Whether by its claim to be the recipients of the sacramental system which it maintains as necessary to impart divine life and saving grace to those who are the recipients of them in true faith. Whether it be the Marian dogma’s concerning Mary’s perpetual virginity, Immaculate Conception and bodily Assumption, and the unbiblical place to which Mary is venerated in prayers of devotion to her and the titles afforded her such as – Mother of God, Queen of Heaven, Advocate, Helper, Benefactress and Mediatrix. Just one of the above would be bad enough to put a group professing Christianity firmly outside the stables of orthodoxy and true Christian fellowship; yet Rome bears the shame of having them all to its name and yet in the days in which we are living in, is received into the Church without any questions being asked!! This ought not to be the case!! Roman Catholicism as we have demonstrated at every step of this teaching series is thoroughly unbiblical in its beliefs, doctrines and practices. If there was one religious organisation that deserves to be labelled with the word cult, it is the religion of Roman Catholicism that masquerades as Christ’s true Church on earth and yet in belief and practice is an absolute contradiction of all that the New Testament teaches!! Who were the subjects of Christ’s high priestly prayer when He prayed “that they all may be one”? 20Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (Joh 17:20-21) The answer to the question is given in the text; “…them which shall believe on me through their word”. Which word was this? The word of the apostles, that same gospel which Rome flatly denies and contradicts. The first Church received the word of the apostles and continued steadfastly in their doctrine (Acts 2:41-42).