This Catholic Journey
What I did not know prior to coming into the Catholic Church is that "the communion of the saints" concept and practice came from Judaism. Like so many (if not all) Christian practices, the more we understand Judaism, the more we understand Church teaching, for the Catholic faith is Judaism fulfilled.
Great insight Amber! Keep fighting the good fight!
Indeed, Tim. This is another reason why I've chosen the Catholic faith. No other "denomination" fulfills Judaism so perfectly.
In fact, this is another good reason we could share with our friend kermittheagnostic on WHY we've chosen THIS religion above all others... It's continuity throughout history makes it absolutely solid compared to all others.
Great post...
Russell has presented a thoughtful summary in his response. His underlying presupposition seems to be that of a "Bible Only" Christian. Many of us here were former Evangelicals and once held Russell's approach to Sacred Scripture.
While we as Catholics have a deep love and reference for the Holy Scriptures, our understanding of them is not separated from Apostolic Tradition (the very tradition from which the N.T. Scriptures were written, preserved and later selected for the N.T. Canon of Scripture), and finally the Magestirium (teaching authority of the Chruch).
I think It fair to say that Catholic Hermeneutics, while respecting the weight of each verse in the Bible, puts even more emphasis on the Integration of Biblical Truth. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is an excellent source for studying this approach. Here is a link to the section on The Communion of Saints:
http://www.usccb.org/catechism/
t...chpt3art9p5.htm
Whether or not one agrees with The Catholic Church or her approach to Sacred Scripture, it is important to understand our approach to matters of Christian Truth when raising questions about our faith.
Peace,
Brian
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