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Hi Sean,
Great to hear from you.
You said:
- How can these guys have such wonderful
insight into the Scriptures, and help me so much if
they aren't part of the true, meaning Catholic Church?
Well, I would first have to hear what they are saying.
Nevertheless neither I, nor any of my colleagues, would doubt that non-Catholic Christian
[pastors/teachers] can have some marvelous insights into the Scriptures.
The Well of Grace that comes solely from Christ, Our Blessed Lord doesn't
stop at the entrances and exits of Catholic Churches. No, we believe that there are
many, many, good, sincere Christians that have done marvelous things for the Kingdom
of Christ here in America, through their Baptism into Jesus' death. More well-known
examples are Billy Graham and James Dobson just to name a few. Remember their valid Trinitarian baptism makes them a part of the Body of Christ too, as imperfect as that union is.
Sometimes their words and actions put the lay Catholic and some ministerial priests
to shame, because of their effectiveness.
Nevertheless, we have to distinguish between:
- all the Truth that can only be found in the one Church Jesus established
on St. Peter and his successors, and
- the effectiveness of sincere non-Catholic Christian ministers who do
a lot with what portion of the Truth they have accepted which is in agreement
with the Church.
When faith-sharing turns into Bible Ping-Pong or Biblical
Tennis: for example:
- a Catholic quotes this verse
- a Protestant replies by quoting that verse
- a Catholic replies by quoting this verse, etc.;
we loose the meaning and purpose of faith-sharing.
Faith-sharing is not about winning arguments. Faith-sharing is about:
agreeing to agree and agreeing to disagree, respectfully;
something many Muslims have to learn!
As a priest-friend of mine says:
[faith-sharing] is just one beggar
showing another beggar where The Bread is.
The enemy in faith-sharing is not a person. The enemy in faith-sharing
is a void:
the absence or lack of Truth.
And this can be on both ends of the faith sharing dialogue. This is why it is important for Catholic evangelists who are dialoguing to:
- have a daily prayer life
- live the sacramental life of the Church
- read the Scriptures on a regular basis, and
- study and know what and why the Church believes and teaches.
Speaking for the group, we respect and appreciate the openness, efforts,
and the valid insights of non-Catholic Christian ministers when they share
the Word of God with the secular world in America.
In faith sharing discussions, we should always re-affirm what we agree
on, instead of thinking that:
We are Catholics; they are Protestants, and there is a big divide. We should
always acknowledge a list of teachings most mainline Protestant denominations
agree on, not only with us, but among themselves.
Regarding doctrinal differences with the Church, as a general principal to remember, probably
95-98% of the
differences between Catholics and non-Catholic Christians can be resolved by changing a faith sharing dialogue that only provides an either-or choice for an answer with one that provides a and-both choice for an answer.
Many times we will agree with a Protestant position in
a different context and also hold on to a teaching they are rejecting.
It's also extremely important to clarify each others terminology.
- What a Catholic means by justification can be totally different from what each, individual Protestant means.
- What a Catholic means by being saved can be totally different from what each, individual Protestant means.
Don't be hesitant in asking:
- What do you mean by justification?
- What do you mean by being saved?
Hope this helps,
Mike
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