When I wrote my comments about the Pope yesterday, I wondered who would take umbrage at my

This is the comment La Shawn …

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I was unable to access Dr. White’s audio on his web site.

There was some text, and reference to audio for sale, but nothing else came up.

Some of his text is quite vague about the Pope – stating (without details) “that reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ and how Rome does not possess that gospel (but instead dogmatically denies it)?”

This is a pretty strong statement from anyone – I can’t wait to see a summary of his work, but in the meantime I will spend my time on something different. One thing Dr. White lacks is humility.

What I’m hoping to say is this. People have varying opinions on a plethora of issues, religion, politics, sports, etc. If somebody I know respects my views and gives a good, reasonable argument for theirs, I think we can all co-exist and learn from each other. It’s simply when we let bigotry and prejudice take over we end up with hate.

The best example of a civilized disagreement I’ve ever seen was on Joe Carter’s blog discussing Mary. I thought that was amazing. Not only did I see an educated, civil opinion by protestants on Mary, I could understand why they thought that way. I still feel strongly the way I do and disagree with the protestant viewpoint, but at least I know where they’re coming from and can respect that position a lot better now than I could before.

To be honest, LaShawn, I haven’t read any of your post regarding Catholicism. Judging by the language you use here on your blog, I really have a hard time believing you’d qualify as a Catholic-hater.

My only concern regarding Biblical references is that they are interpreted so broadly in the different denominations. People end up showing off their knowledge of the Bible. For every, “Salvation by Faith Alone” there’s “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:20 I think).

(My personal viewpoint is that a true Christian strives to be Christ-Like, using Jesus as the example on how to be Christian. By following that example, how can a true Christian not believe in good works? Simply by treating each person with love and charity, and by following the 10 Commandments, any Christian is performing good works in conjunction with their faith.)

The power of JPII was not only his faith, strength of character, or his communication skills, it was his ability to stress the commonality of the different faiths. We’re all brothers and sisters in Christ. I liken it to we’re all on the same tree, just different branches.

But David, if Christians cannot rely on Scripture and properly declare the word of God, then there is no foundation upon which to believe the claims of Christ! I believe the truth is knowable and discernable through the word of God. People can read into the text whatever they want, but the text does speak for itself. – Admin

But just as before, despite Israel’s rebellion, that nation will be restored to God. Through Christ Jesus. I believe that Israel will once again serve as a light in sharing Christ with the world.

I doubt he’d put it in these simple terms, and I’m vaguely under the impression that what you mean (the “sola fides”) is directly contradicted by James 2, which is why we get the typically Catholic expression about “faith and good works”.

I think the original confusion here is from Romans 3 that the referenced ‘works’ referred to those of Jewish ‘works of law’, which to protestants, I think, meant not just works of the Jewish law, but also the various workings (sometimes shenanigans, against which Luther correctly railed) under Canon law – that without faith such works are empty (and just so – but this does not make the reflexive, sola fides, the _only_ necessary thing).

The redemption of our souls (what you call being ’saved’) was enacted through the death and resurrection of Jesus the Son of God (by dying He destroyed our death, by rising He restored our life).

Add to that His adoption of us into the Kingdom (as expressed by the Our Father) – which needed to be done through Christ alone who was both God and Man – and further, through the outpouring of the gift (grace) of the Holy Spirit, sent by God the Father through Jesus, to come over us, as expressed (inter alia) by Baptism and Confirmation.

Finally, I believe, when we are called, we have to say, with Mary (and the Apostles, etc), ‘yes, Lord’ (give our assent) to the grace of God before the act of salvation is complete (alternately, we have to not say ‘no’ – to not sin/turn away – this is an interpretation which allows some of the unbaptised to also share in the Kingdom – I believe a faithful Catholic can have hope in this, but it’s by no means a sure thing): this is expressed through Confirmation, and through the Last Supper, which we act weekly, cocommitant with the miraculous conversion of bread and wine into Body and Blood – a sacrament given by Jesus with the command that we are to do this in memory of Him. By accepting Christ in this supper, after having been cleansed through absolution (as John 20:23), this is our extrinsic ‘yes, Lord’ – the Sacrament with which we seal the sign (spes) and the matter (res). (I think an important difference between Catholic and many Protestant sects, for all their strident biblical literacy, is that they seem to think Jesus was being less than serious when he said “This is My body” and “Do this in memory of Me”. He wasn’t – he might very well have said ‘This represents My Body’ or ‘This is like my Body’ – but he didn’t. I’ve always found that contradiction odd. And that ‘Do this’ command seems pretty much a ‘good work’, an action, among many actions He calls us to, doesn’t it? After all, He could have said ‘believe in me and lie around doing nothing and you’ll be saved’ – but he didn’t, and didn’t intend to, I think – - if you believe in Him, He sends you out, because that’s what He does).

If by faith you mean that faithful assent or acceptance by the soul of the grace(s) of God already given, then there is something there: that might be necessary and sufficient, but not necessarily ’sola’: it would seem a pretty meagre Church that accepts only one gift when one has been given so many, and commits only one act when they have been called to do so much. Hence – “faith alone” is not necessarily the appropriate term, I think.

I have done some study on what Rome believes, so I’m not relying on what anyone else says about Catholicism. When I blog in detail later, from Scripture, about this topic, I hope that you return and respond to me likewise, through Scripture. For instance, I assume you have a biblical reference for the assertion “scripture and sacred tradition cannot be separated.” I look forward to discussing it with you.