Framework for Revival Project Unity: Getting Back Together Again As A Catalyst For Revival

1. Framework for Revival Project Unity: Getting Back Together Again As A Catalyst For Revival

2. In the Gospel accounts, we see people get converted. In the book of Acts, we see God’s people get together. Even to the point of sharing everything in common, which included the apostles teaching (Acts 2:42). Throughout the book of Acts, we see God’s people get going. And as God’s people were going with the Christian message, we see them getting back together again to resolve doctrinal disputes (Acts 15)—particularly how God’s grace (v.11) and God’s law (v.20) work out in the salvation of mankind. Notice that Peter and the Church leaders address these issues. Someone has once said, if we are always worried about getting together, we’ll never get going and if we’re always concerned about getting going, we’ll never get together. Certainly getting going and getting together are two sides of the same coin. These are not mutually exclusive concepts. We must get together as we are getting going with the gospel message.

3. One of my favorite mentors, Dick Woodward, makes the point that, “We cannot win a lost world if we lose each other!” The high priestly prayer of Jesus in John 17 expresses that those who belong to Christ should be one in the same way that Christ, the Son, is one with His Father—having the same doctrinal and missionary heart. • Since “unity” was the catalyst for the spiritual life recorded in the book of Acts, unity is also the springboard for revival today. I have listed a series of prayers that I trust God would answer, even using this project—my very small lunch—to feed thousands. • Prayers: • That the Great Commission would be realized as we are faithful to teach and obey everything the Lord has commanded (Matthew 28:18-20). In the same vein, may we guard our doctrine closely. Jesus expresses in his high priestly prayer, “Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). To be ignorant of the Scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ; to be ignorant of Christ impedes our worship, confuses our mission, and robs God!

4. 2. That Christians united in the apostles teaching rejoice in God’s truth (John 17:9-14), so that the world would know full well that we are sent from God (John 17:8). 3. That the Lord would add to the number of those being saved (Acts 2:47). 4. That Catholics would know and live their faith. 5. That Catholics and Protestants would seek unity (not well meaning but misguided ecumenism where agreeing to disagree out of “love” is just another name for “tolerance” or “indifference.” Bad theology cannot masquerade as charity). 6. That non-Christians would be attracted to the joy found in a unified body of believers. 7. That the Church would have a renewed and restored relationship. * Note: This PowerPoint presentation runs most effectively with the Greek font (Bwgrkl) installed on your computer. If you do not have the Greek font you can download it at: http://www.bibleworks.com/fonts.html

5. #1 The Question of Authority Scripture (The word of God written) alone [Protestant] OR Scripture and Tradition (The word of God spoken, The Word of God living) [Roman Catholic]? #2 A Conversation About the Pope Is the notion of the Pope biblical? #3 The Question of Justification What is the difference between the Catholic and Protestant understanding of the doctrine of Justification? #4 The Question of Mary Something about Mary…Just another woman or something greater? *Note from author: It is my intention to grow the number of subject headings as I add to this project over time.

6. Sola Scriptura and Tradition? Is Sola Scriptura scriptural? What role should Tradition play?

7. Protestant: Sola Scriptura over and against Tradition. -Interpretation A: The Bible alone is our sole basis for faith and practice. -Interpretation B: The Bible is our final basis for faith and practice. -Luther: “Scriptura sui ipsius interpres” or in English, “The Bible is its own interpreter”(Commentary on Psalms, Luther). Catholic: Sola Scriptura is unbiblical and nowhere taught in the Bible or in the life of the early Church. The Bible and Sacred Tradition together are taught as authoritative. -Interpretation A: The Holy Spirit guided the biblical authors to write what he wanted them to write. “The inspired books teach the truth. Since therefore all that the inspired authors or sacred writers affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures” (CCC 107, citing Dei Verbum 11).

8. -Interpretation B: The Bible is not all I need. The Bible actually teaches the contrary. And, the “bible alone” theory was not believed by anyone in the early Church. St. Irenaeus: “As I said before, the Church, having received this preaching and this faith, although she is disseminated throughout the whole world, yet guarded it, as if she occupied but one house…For, while the languages of the world are diverse, nevertheless, the authority of the tradition is one and the same.” (Against Heresies, ~180 AD) St. Irenaeus: “What if the Apostles had not in fact left writings to us? Would it not be necessary to follow the order of tradition, which was handed down to those to whom they entrusted the Churches?” (Against Heresies, ~180 AD). Origen: “The teaching of the Church has indeed been handed down through an order of succession from the Apostles, and remains in the Churches even to the present time. That alone is to be believed as the truth which is in no way at variance with ecclesiastical and apostolic tradition.” (The Fundamental Doctrines, ~220 AD).

9. What the Catholic Church Teaches “And such is the forces and power of the Word of God that it can serve the Church as her support and vigor and the children of the Church as strength for their faith, food for the soul, and a pure and lasting font of spiritual life.” Hence, “access to Sacred Scripture ought to be open wide to the Christian faithful.” …The Church forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful…to learn ‘the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ,’ by frequent reading of divine Scriptures. ‘Ignorance of the Scripture is ignorance of Christ.’ …Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit.’ …And Holy Tradition transmits in its entirety the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit… As a result of the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, ‘does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments and devotion and reverence…’ …The task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome…’ Yet this Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it…” (CCC, 131, 133, 81, 82, 85, 86).

10. Common Protestant Objections • How can Catholics teach that Scripture and tradition must be accepted and honored with ‘equal sentiments of devotion and reverence’ when Jesus himself condemns tradition? For example, Jesus is outraged that “You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” “…How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition” (Mark 7:8-9). • Catholic Response: • * What the Catholic Church means by Tradition is not corrupt traditions taught by men, rather Tradition is the sacred faith of the apostles that has God as its source of revelation. In Mark 7:8-9, Jesus is condemning the Saducees and Pharisees for following corrupt traditions of men that nullify the Word of God. • * In numerous places in the New Testament, Christians are exhorted to closely adhere to the sacred Traditions handed down by the Apostles. • * Scriptural Evidence…

11. 1 Cor 11:2 – Paul refers to Sacred Tradition when he writes… NIV 1 Corinthians 11:2 I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you. NAS 1 Corinthians 11:2 Now I praise you because you remember me in everything, and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. RSV 1 Corinthians 11:2 I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you. BNT 1 Corinthians 11:2 VEpainw/ de. u`ma/j o[ti pa,nta mou me,mnhsqe kai,( kaqw.j pare,dwka u`mi/n( ta.j parado,seij kate,ceteÅ NAB 1 Corinthians 11:2 I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you.

12. 2 Thess 2:15 – Paul again refers to Sacred Tradition… NIV 2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. NAS 2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us. RSV 2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter. BNT 2 Thessalonians 2:15 :Ara ou=n( avdelfoi,( sth,kete kai. kratei/te ta.j parado,seij a]j evdida,cqhte ei;te dia. lo,gou ei;te diV evpistolh/j h`mw/nÅ NAB 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.

13. 2 Tim 2:2 – Paul to Timothy regarding oral passing of Apostolic teaching… NIV 2 Timothy 2:2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. NAS 2 Timothy 2:2 And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. RSV 2 Timothy 2:2 and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. BNT 2 Timothy 2:2 kai. a] h;kousaj parV evmou/ dia. pollw/n martu,rwn( tau/ta para,qou pistoi/j avnqrw,poij( oi[tinej i`kanoi. e;sontai kai. e`te,rouj dida,xaiÅ NAB 2 Timothy 2:2 And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well.

14. 1 Cor 15:1-2 – Paul again urges the oral transmission of apostolic teaching… NIV 1 Corinthians 15:1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. NAS 1 Corinthians 15:1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. RSV 1 Corinthians 15:1 Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, 2 by which you are saved, if you hold it fast -- unless you believed in vain. BNT 1 Corinthians 15:1 Gnwri,zw de. u`mi/n( avdelfoi,( to. euvagge,lion o] euvhggelisa,mhn u`mi/n( o] kai. parela,bete( evn w-| kai. e`sth,kate( 2 diV ou- kai. sw,|zesqe( ti,ni lo,gw| euvhggelisa,mhn u`mi/n eiv kate,cete( evkto.j eiv mh. eivkh/| evpisteu,sateÅ NAB 1 Corinthians 15:1 Now I am reminding you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. 2 Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

15. 2. What about 2 Tim 3:16-17 as a proof text for Sola Scriptura? NIV 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Catholic Response: * This passage correctly points out, and Catholics believe, that Scripture is profitable for equipping one for good works. However, this passage does not say anywhere that God’s complete revelation concerning Christian belief and practice is to be found only in the written Bible. * In fact, numerous times in Scripture the reader is given the disclaimer that not every important theological and spiritual truth appears in written form in the Bible. * Scriptural Evidence…

16. John 16:12-13… NIV John 16:12 "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. NAS John 16:12 "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. RSV John 16:12 "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. BNT John 16:12 :Eti polla. e;cw u`mi/n le,gein( avllV ouv du,nasqe basta,zein a;rti\ 13 o[tan de. e;lqh| evkei/noj( to. pneu/ma th/j avlhqei,aj( o`dhgh,sei u`ma/j evn th/| avlhqei,a| pa,sh|\ ouv ga.r lalh,sei avfV e`autou/( avllV o[sa avkou,sei lalh,sei kai. ta. evrco,mena avnaggelei/ u`mi/nÅ NAB John 16:12 "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. 13 But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming.

17. 2 John 1:12… NIV 2 John 1:12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. NAS 2 John 1:12 Having many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that your joy may be made full. RSV 2 John 1:12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink, but I hope to come to see you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. BNT 2 John 1:12 Polla. e;cwn u`mi/n gra,fein ouvk evboulh,qhn dia. ca,rtou kai. me,lanoj( avlla. evlpi,zw gene,sqai pro.j u`ma/j kai. sto,ma pro.j sto,ma lalh/sai( i[na h` cara. h`mw/n peplhrwme,nh h=|Å NAB 2 John 1:12 Although I have much to write to you, I do not intend to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and to speak face to face so that our joy may be complete.

18. 3 John 1:13… NIV 3 John 1:13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. NAS 3 John 1:13 I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink; RSV 3 John 1:13 I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink; BNT 3 John 1:13 Polla. ei=con gra,yai soi avllV ouv qe,lw dia. me,lanoj kai. kala,mou soi gra,fein\ NAB 3 John 1:13 I have much to write to you, but I do not wish to write with pen and ink.

19. NIV John 20:30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. NIV John 21:25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. NIV Malachi 2:7 "For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction-- because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty.

20. * When the phrase “the word of God” or “the word of the Lord” appears in the Bible it does not refer only to written Scripture. The “word of God/the Lord” often refers to verbally transmitted Divine revelation (Gen 15:4), verbally given Divine instruction (Num 15:31), verbally communicated Divine commands (Deut 18:18), preached Divine proclamations (2 Kings 7:1), and finally, the “Word of God” refers not only to the word of God written, but also, to the Word of God living, the Divine Flesh and Blood—the Incarnation (John 1:1, 14). * NIV 2 Peter 1:20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. * After all, according to the Bible, What is the pillar and foundation of truth? A. The Bible B. The Church C. God D. All of the above

21. Answer: B. The Church NIV 1 Timothy 3:15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. NAS 1 Timothy 3:15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. RSV 1 Timothy 3:15 if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. BNT 1 Timothy 3:15 eva.n de. bradu,nw( i[na eivdh/|j pw/j dei/ evn oi;kw| qeou/ avnastre,fesqai( h[tij evsti.n evkklhsi,a qeou/ zw/ntoj( stu/loj kai. e`drai,wma th/j avlhqei,ajÅ NAB 1 Timothy 3:15 But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.

22. 3. Name one Tradition that is necessary for my salvation that is not contained in the Bible? • Catholic Response: • * There are at least two: • The declaration of which books belong in the Bible and which do not. Since the Bible does not have an inspired table of contents, it was the Catholic Church in the 4th and 5th centuries who decided, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which writings conveyed Apostolic truth and were inspired by God and which were not. This is part of the Apostolic Tradition of the early Church that is not contained in the written Bible. • The authentic and true interpretation of the various passages contained in the written Bible. Since the Bible is not self-interpreting, we look to the Tradition of the Apostles—communicated in the writings of the early Church Fathers and present in the teachings of the Church’s Magisterium throughout the course of history, for the correct interpretation of crucial Biblical texts in order to formulate doctrine.

23. 4. What about Acts 17:11 as a proof text for Sola Scriptura? NIV Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Catholic Response: * If you follow the argument, you will see that if the Bereans were proponents of Sola Scriptura, they would have ended up like the rest of the Thessalonians! “Searching the Scriptures” was not enough by itself for the Bereans. They were different in that they eagerly welcomed the spoken word of Paul. * NIV Galatians 3:2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law (Torah), or by believing what you heard? * NIV John 5:39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, * NIV Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. * NIV 2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

24. * NIV Acts 8:30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. 31 "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. * NIV 2 Timothy 3:14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. MORE QUOTES FROM CHURCH FATHERS: * St. Hippolytus of Rome: “Let us believe, then, dear brethren, according to the tradition of the Apostles.” (Against the Heresy of a Certain Noetus, ~200 AD) * St. Irenaeus: “The path of those, however, who belong to the Church, goes around the whole world; for it has the firm tradition of the Apostles, enabling us to see that the faith of all is one and the same.” (Against Heresies, ~180 AD).

25. INTERESTING FACTS: In Luther’s Commentary on the Psalms, Luther wrote, “Scriptura sui ipsius interpres”, or in English, “The Bible is its own interpreter.” It is not difficult to see where this idea has led. Which one of the twenty five thousand denominations ascribing to sola scriptura has the right interpretation of the Bible? Wait! Here is another denomination that is perhaps a little more faithful to teaching the Biblical text. That makes twenty five thousand and one. Surprisingly, Luther laments division in the Church. Just one year after his reaction, Luther lamented the wreckage his movement created and wrote this to Pope Leo X: “I never approved of a schism, nor will I approve of it for all eternity…That the Roman Church is more honored by God than all others is not to be doubted…Though nowadays everything is in a wretched state, it is not ground for separating from the Church” (The Facts about Luther, P. O’Hare, 356).

26. Furthermore, Swiss Reformer John Calvin wrote to Philip Melanchthon (Luther’s theologian): “It is indeed important that posterity should (not) know our differences; for it is indescribably ridiculous that we, who are in opposition to the whole world, should be, at the very beginning of the Reformation, at issue among ourselves” (The Facts about Luther, P. O’Hare, 293). My assessment: Although I enjoy singing A Mighty Fortress Is Our God and appreciate the positive contributions Luther has made to the Church, not the least of which is the corruption that Luther rightly despised. However, this was no excuse for theological wreckage. Luther was not kicked out of the Catholic Church anymore than the prodigal son was kicked out of his Father’s house. Under pressure for his theological wreckage, Luther ran away.

27. The Catholic position restated through the “Structure of the Church” and “How God speaks to us” from Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth: * Jesus chose the apostles to be the early leaders of the Church. He gave them his own authority to teach and to govern—not as dictators, but as loving pastors and fathers. That is why Catholics call their spiritual leaders “fathers.” In doing so we follow Paul’s example: “I became your father in Jesus Christ through the gospel” (1 Cor 4:15). The apostles, fulfilling Jesus’ will, ordained bishops, priests, and deacons and thus handed on their apostolic ministry to them—the fullest degree of ordination to the bishops, lesser degree to the priests and deacons. * As from the first, God speaks to his Church through the Bible and through sacred Tradition. To make sure we understand him, he guides the Church’s teaching authority—the magisterium—so it always interprets the Bible and Tradition accurately. This is the gift of infallibility. Like the three legs on a stool, the Bible, Tradition, and the magisterium are all necessary for the stability of the Church and to guarantee sound doctrine.

28. Papal Succession and the Pope? (AND BONUS MATERIAL!)

29. To Friend regarding our discussion:  Peter is the first “Pope”? 1. Roman Catholic Church is the authoritative structure that will remain until the Kingdom is fully achieved?  As I understand you, you are arguing for local bishop authority similar to the infant 1st Century church where bishops exercised divine authority; where there is little or no distinction between Peter and Paul, and for that matter the rest of the apostles who held the position of bishop (pastoral role); and where you see the Orthodox Catholics having a more ideal “bottom level” system. My comments: In brief, it appears you correctly point to the authority given to all the apostles (Mt. 18:18, note that there are no “keys” given here) and incorrectly neglect the specific scriptural references to Peter as a “chief” or “prime” minister (Mt 16:17-19; Is 22:20-24; Jn 21:15-17; Acts 2:1-41, 15:7-12) and being set apart from the beginning as the leader of the 12 apostles as the “rock” (Jn 1:42)—the only apostle given the “keys” to the kingdom (Mt 16:18).

30. What makes the fact that the RCC is authoritatively linked to Peter more surprising: -        The unbroken succession of the RCC for 2000 years! This certainly speaks to divine origin and guidance for my money. -        As for the comment: Absolute power corrupts absolutely. This is true from a human standpoint, except in a divinely orchestrated system where God gives his unfailing promise to uphold the RCC despite human corruption. -        RCC claims that the deliberate use of Pe,troj and pe,tra (Mt 16:18) by Jesus points to the attempt to translate an Aramaic pun into Greek. Considering Peter’s name change in Jn 1:42, and the name changes of Abram to Abraham and Jacob to Israel in the OT, this too is a call to a specific vocation and shows a special intimacy with God. -        Peter is the only apostle to be prayed for by Christ so that his “own faith may not fail” (Lk 22:32a). After praying for Peter specifically by name, Jesus gives him the commission: “you must strengthen your brothers” (Lk 22:32b). -        RCC highlights that even though Peter was not the first apostle to be called by Jesus, Peter is first in every listing of the names of the Twelve Apostles (Mt 10:2-4; Mk 3:16-19; Lk 6:12-19; Acts 1:13).       

31. In 1 Pet 5:13, Peter does refer to himself as “the chosen one” at Babylon (Babylon is code for city of Rome). This appears to be a probable case against your assumption that Peter never referred to himself the way the RCC sees him. Considering the monumental scriptural and church history evidence for Peter as the first Pope, I find it impossible to be intellectually honest and argue against the RCC.   Even though “The Church knows that she is joined in many ways to the baptized who are honored by the name Christian, but do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity or communion under the succession of Peter” (CCC #765, 767, 834, 838). Indeed, from the incarnate Word’s descent to us, all Christian churches everywhere have held and hold the great Church that is here [at Rome] to be their only basis and foundation since, according to the Savior’s promise, the gates of hell have never prevailed against her.

32. Friend: The “down-up” voice is not heard and the top down voice is given the wrong kind of “power”. Actually, the key error in the RCC is the abuse of “power”. • My Response: • There is an abuse of power in the RCC in every generation. The Archbishop of Paris responded to Napoleon when he lamented the fact that if he had just a little more time, he would have completely wiped out the Church. The Archbishop of Paris said that if the Church could be wiped out, priests would have done it long ago! • The top-down structure (servant leadership) is necessary especially as we live in a world culture or global village. Furthermore, if we have several autocephalous churches, who is to keep a bishop from doctrinal error (such as Gene Robinson)? The answer is no one! Obviously foreseeing this, Christ ordained Peter as the first supreme bishop (pope) and was the only apostle who received the “keys” and was individually prayed for by Christ so that “His faith would not fail” (Lk 22:32).

33. Friend: “Ek cathedra” is unscriptural. • My Response: • Moses had a unique relationship with God and actually spoke “ek cathedra” (literally “from the chair”, a divinely instituted position of authority). God, on certain occasions, kept the writers of Scripture from doctrinal error. Peter certainly was infallible when he wrote 1 and 2 Peter and gave his sermons in Acts. • “One key against papal infallibility claims it cannot be an apostolic doctrine since it was not dogmatically defined in the first century. Those who make this claim stop short of reaching the same conclusion when it is a question of the canon of the New Testament or the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity, though neither of these was clearly defined until the 4th Century.” (Upon This Rock, 146). • Like God and Moses, Christ and Peter also have a unique relationship, which in this case, includes the “keys to the kingdom” as prefigured by Eliakim (Is 22:20-24).

34. Friend: Late 5th C introduction to priestly model alongside the cultural feudal system affiliation proves the unscriptural nature of the RCC and its proclivity toward unfaithful abuse of “power.” • My Response: • This priestly model flows from the OT into the NT and is recognized by the early church Fathers as ordained by Christ and his apostles. Again, corruption in every generation should not minimize the authority given to these venerated offices (bishop, priest, deacon) and the witness of the Church. • In the OT, even though there was a kingdom of priests (Ex 19:6) there was also certain members of the faith community set aside for a specialized priesthood (19:21-22). In exactly the same way, the NT has this distinction. All Christians are priests (Rev 1:6) and also, certain members of the faith community are set aside for a specialized priesthood (Lk 22:1-19; Acts 14:23; Rom 15:15-16).

35. What did the early Christians believe about the Primacy of St. Peter and His Successors? * St. Clement: “Our Apostles knew through our Lord Jesus Christ that there would be strife for the office of bishop. For this reason, therefore, having received perfect foreknowledge, they appointed those who have already been mentioned, and afterwards added the further provision that, if they should die, other approved men should succeed to their ministry (Letter to the Corinthians, ~80 AD). * St. Irenaeus: “The successions of the bishops of the greatest and most ancient Church known to all, founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious Apostles, Peter and Paul, that Church which has the tradition and the faith which comes down to us after having been announced to men by the Apostles. For with this Church, because of its superior origin, all Churches must agree, that is, all the faithful in the whole world; and it is in her that the faithful everywhere have maintained the Apostolic tradition” (Against Heresies, ~180 AD).

36. * St. Irenaeus: “The blessed Apostles [Peter and Paul], having founded and built up the Church [of Rome], they handed over the office of the episcopate to Linus. Paul makes mention of this Linus in the Epistle to Timothy. To him succeeded Anencletus; and after him, in the third place from the Apostles, Clement was chosen for the episcopate. He had seen the blessed Apostles and was acquainted with them. It might be said that he still heard the echoes of the preaching of the Apostles, and had their traditions before his eyes…To this Clement, Evaristus succeeded; and Alexander succeeded Evaristus. Then, sixth after the Apostles, Sixtus was appointed; after him, Telesphorus, who also was gloriously martyred. Then Hyginus; after him, Pius; and after him, Anicetus. Soter succeeded Anicetus, and now, in the twelfth place after the Apostles, the lot of the episcopate has fallen to Eleutherus. In this order, and by the teaching of the Apostles handed down in the Church, the preaching of the truth has come down to us.” (Against Heresies, ~180 AD)

37. * St. Cyprian of Carthage: “Our Lord, whose commands we ought to fear and observe, says in the Gospel, by way of assigning the episcopal dignity and settling the plan of His Church: ‘I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it. And to you I will give the keys of the Kingdom of heaven: and whatever things you bind on earth will be bound also in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, they will be loosed also in heaven . From that time the ordination of bishops and the plan of the Church flows on through the changes of times and successions.” (Letters to the Lapsed, ~250 AD) * St. Cyprian of Carthage: “But primacy is given to Peter, whereby it is made clear that there is but one Church and one chair…If someone does not hold fast to this unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confident that he is in the Church?” (The Unity of the Catholic Church, ~251 AD)

38. * Tertullian: “Like the Church of the Romans where Clement was ordained by Peter…Therefore, they will be challenged to meet this test even by those Churches which are of much later date—for they are being established daily—and whose founder is not from among the Apostles nor from the apostolic men.” (The Demurrer Against the Heretics, ~200 AD).

39. IN BRIEF, THE PRIMACY OF ROME? * St. Ignatius of Antioch: “To the Church also which holds the presidency in the place of the country of the Romans, worthy of God, worthy of honor, worthy of blessing, worthy of praise, worthy of success, worthy of sanctification, and, because you hold the presidency of love, named after Christ and named after the Father; her therefore do I salute in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father. (Letter to the Romans, ~110 AD). *Eusebius, Tertullian, etc.

40. IN BRIEF, INFALLIBILITY OF THE POPE IN MATTERS OF FAITH AND MORALS? • * “Infallibility” does not mean “Impeccability”. (Notably: Peter’s run in with Paul (Gal 2:11); Pope Gregory XI’s run in with Catherine of Siena (1376 AD). In essence, the Pope is no more perfect than Peter himself. If Popes are guilty of imprudent or immoral conduct, they can be, should be, and often have been reproved. • * Qualifications for “Infallibility”: • The teaching must involve matters of faith and morals (it cannot be a personal opinion in some other realm or field). • The teaching must be definitively proclaimed by the Pope to be Divinely revealed and, therefore, binding upon all of the faithful. • The proclamation of the infallible teaching is done ex cathedra and appeals to the Pope’s Apostolic authority.

41. Scripture: * NIV Luke 22:31 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." * NIV John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. * NIV John 16:18 They kept asking, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying." 19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'?

42. Church Fathers on the Infallibility of the Pope? * St. Irenaeus: “For the Apostles, like a rich man in a bank, deposited with her most copiously everything which pertains to the truth; and everyone whosoever wishes draws from her the drink of life…If there should be a dispute over some kind of question, ought we not have recourse to the most ancient Churches in which the Apostles were familiar, and draw from them what is clear and certain in regard to that question?” (Against Heresies, ~180 AD) * Tertullian: “Grant, then, that all have erred; that the Apostle was mistaken in bearing witness; that the Holy Spirit had no such consideration for any one Church as to lead it into truth, although He was sent for that purpose by Christ, who had asked the Father to make him the Teacher of truth; that the Steward of good and Vicar of Christ neglected His office, and permitted the Churches for a time to understand otherwise and to believe otherwise than He himself had preached through the Apostles: now, is it likely that so many and such great Churches should have gone astray into a unity of faith? (The Demurrer Against Heretics, ~200 AD)

43. Catholic Church teaching on Infallibility restated: * “It is the Magisterium’s task to preserve God’s people from deviations and defections and to guarantee them the objective possibility of professing the true faith without error…To fulfill this service, Christ endowed the church’s shepherd with the charism of infallibility in matters of faith and morals. The exercise of this charism takes several forms: ‘…The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful—who confirms his brethren in the faith—he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals…The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter’s successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium,’ above all in an Ecumenical Council. When the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine ‘for belief as being divinely revealed,’ and as the teaching of Christ, the definitions ‘must be adhered to with the obedience of faith.’ This infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself” (CCC, 890-891).

44. Response Questions to Reformers: * In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells His 72 disciples: “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me” (Luke 10:16). If this is true about Jesus’ 72 disciples how much more would this be true of the ‘prime minister’ chosen by our Lord Himself (Mt 16:18-19)? And, since the Church is the “pillar and foundation of truth” (1 Tim 3:15) and Christ claims to be with us always until the end of the age (Matt 28:19-20), could the ‘prime minister’ of the Roman Catholic Church (the Pope) be capable of making an error in essential matters of faith or morals and the Church still be considered to be “the pillar and foundation of truth”? * In trying to reform the Church, did the Reformation throw out the baby with the bathwater? And if so, was that baby in many respects the Christ child Himself?

45. Justification? What is the difference between the Catholic and Protestant understanding of the doctrine of Justification?

46. Protestant: Grace alone through faith alone (through Christ alone based on the Bible alone) Catholic: Grace alone through faith (working itself out through love –i.e. good deeds)

47. Catholic Teaching on Justification: Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men…Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life…With regard to God, there is no strict right to any merit on the part of man. Between God and us there is an immeasurable inequality, for we have received everything from him, our Creator…The merit of man before God in the Christian life arises from the fact that God has freely chosen to associate man with the work of his grace. The fatherly action of God is first on his own initiative, and then follows man’s free acting through his collaboration, so that the merit of good works is to be attributed in the first place to the grace of God, for his good actions proceed in Christ, from the predisposition and assistance given by the Holy Spirit…The merits of our good works are gifts of the divine goodness. Grace has gone before us; now we are given what is due…Our merits are God’s gifts (CCC, 1992, 1996, 2007-2009).

48. Common Protestant Objections 1. Aren’t we justified apart from works of the law? After all, Paul clearly says: “For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law” (Romans 3:28) and, For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God -- not because of works, lest any man should boast (Eph 2:8-9). Martin Luther popularized the Biblical doctrine of faith alone (sola fide) and this means that by faith alone in Jesus Christ, a Christian is immediately eligible for admittance into heaven with absolute assurance. You Roman Catholics, on the other hand, believe that you can ‘work your way to heaven’ through your un-Biblical system of salvation that is based heavily upon the accomplishment of good deeds apart from the freely-given grace of God.

49. Catholic Response: * Rom 3:28 needs to be balanced with James 2:24: You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. These verses appear to be opposite teachings and diametrically opposed. However, they are not and fit nicely together. Although the same Greek word for “works” (e;rgwn) is used in both verses, they refer to two totally different things. When reading the context of Romans Chapter 3 and 4 we find Paul speaking about the works/observances of the Jewish religion (i.e., circumcision, dietary regulations, purification rituals, etc.). Paul is telling Jewish Christians that following Jewish religious practices does not place them in a right relationship with God. On the other hand, James is not speaking about Jewish religious observances taught by Moses but about the Christian corporal and spiritual works of mercy. James teaches that after the free gift of grace, the Christian is called to serve God in concrete ways with tangible spiritual “works” consistent with invisible and internal faith.

50. Scriptural Evidence… * NIV James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds (e;rga)? Can such faith save him? * NIV James 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action (e;rga), is dead. * NIV James 2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds (e;rga)." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. NIV James 2:22 You see that his faith and his actions (e;rgoij) were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. NIV James 2:24 You see that a person is justified by what he does (e;rgwn) and not by faith alone.