A very thoughtful and clear post - I think it's your best yet! Keep up the excellent work.
Jordan+
Thanks J. I had a feeling it might be one you'd like.
For once, Jordan and I agree! Excellent work!
Guess what? I read it all and understood most of it, well, about 95%, and I must agree with your wife, my daughter's comments. Well done and God bless.
It seems the trackback didn't take, but I wanted to put in my $.02: http://www.massright.com/ppk/
arc...eptics_lut.html
I'm glad you see the argument clearly, jrp. Your post nails it.
Curt:
Rebecca suggested on her blog that we have a look at your post and provide comments. You humble me. She says you never set foot inside a church until two years ago. God has clearly been filling you with grace beyond measure since then.
One point of yours that that stands out among the many I shall chew on is Luther being a Nominalist, That would explain the susceptibility of modern mainline Protestant churches (and liberal Catholicism)to moral relativism and radical liberal theology.
As I understand it the idea that there are no universal truths leads directly to moral relativism. It is this which Benedict says we fight (in his address to the cardinals before his election) and it is the central heresy of the developed world.
If we want to defeat the external threat of Islamic terror and the resurgence of Islam, and we must, we must recall the West to Catholic Christianity. The internal battle must be fought concurrently with the external. Make no mistake. It is first and foremost a great spiritual war in which we are engaged.
The fact that folks such as you and Rebecca have been pressed into service by the Holy Spirit, and you have, gives geat hope to me that that the endeavour will succeed.
One soul at a time.
You are addressing much needed ideas by defending the legitimacy of the Catholic faith. Sola fide and sola scriptura are incoherent concepts, once examined, but ones which have great resonance among our Protestant friends.
I have always seen the Eucharist as our great defence, but never reflected on the Church's role as defending it. The Eucharist is our treasure and God's gift to humanity and we are its stewards. Must ponder that one at length.
John, you're very kind, as always. Good comments as well.
Curt,
Here's a related article ( http://www.catholiceducation.org...ics/
ap0097.html ) on the positive versus negative aspects of the Reformation and highlights the reason for the devolution of the aspirations into liberal protestantism. The conclusion: the poison is Nominalism.
Ashton
Commenting by HaloScan
