Crossing The Threshold Of Deception

By Rosanna Evans

Appendices

 
Appendices
Appendix I. Is The Pope Really That Devoted To Mary?
On The Pope’s closing statement in the chapter titled, “The Mother of God,” he clears up any misgivings people may have, regarding his personal devotion to Mary:
I think what I have said sufficiently explains the Marian devotion of the present Pope and, above all, his attitude of total abandonment to Mary -- his Totus Tuus (Pope John Paul II 1994).
This man also truly believes that Mary is the key to the salvation of the Church today and that Jesus wants all victories to be inextricably linked to her:
After my election as Pope, as I became more involved in the problems of the universal Church, I came to have a similar conviction: On this universal level, if victory comes it will be brought by Mary. Christ will conquer through her, because He wants the Church’s victories now and in the future to be linked to her (Pope John Paul II 1994). [my emphasis]
Because of this conviction, he has even dedicated all of mankind to her. In his official biography, on March 25th, 1984, the Vatican asserts that John Paul II, “[i]n spiritual union with all the bishops of the world . . . repeats the act of entrustment of mankind and all peoples to Mary Most Holy, at Fatima on May 13th (Holy See “Events” 1996).
One must realize that he has not only entrusted the human race to her; he has also on many occasions, encouraged those of the Catholic faith, especially those in the clergy, either implicitly or by inference, to devote themselves to her. In his “Pastoral Guide for Diocesan Priests in Churches dependent on the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples”, Pope John Paul II says:
Thus, priests should renew every day their total dedication to Christ; they should ask in prayer for the gift of fidelity and perseverance; they should entrust their heart to Mary, Queen of virgins; and they should have recourse to mortification, which increases self-control and helps overcome obstacles ( Pope John Paul II. 1989).
He has also been known to say comparable things to the masses. On the 24th of May, 1998, in Turin, Pope John Paul told the crowd that “Mary watchfully accompanies believers on their journey, and your city bears many signs of her special protection. . . . Mary is our Mother and a true help for every Christian” (Pope John Paul II 1998).
Earlier, in 1994, in his letter on the occasion of the IV Centenary of the Death of St. Philip, he said to the members of the Confederation of the Oratory :
In this regard, how can we forget his [St. Phillip’s] wise and efficacious warning: "My children, be devoted to Mary: I know what I am saying! Be devoted to Mary!" (Pope John Paul II 1994).
If there was some area of reservation in the minds of readers up until now, this has hopefully been removed. Wojtyla has and continues to not only devote himself to Marian worship, but also encourages all who follow the Roman Catholic faith, to do the same.
While many will have decided by now that Pope John Paul is not the man who they thought he was, others may still be holding onto the hope that he and the Roman Catholic Church are still basically sound, doctrinally speaking, with, of course, the exceptions put forth previously in this paper.
Appendix II. Mary Examined
i.) Immaculate Conception
As already mentioned, Mary has been granted a special place within the doctrine of the Catholic Church itself. The latest Pope has even gone as far as dedicating his entire being to her. This attitude of extreme veneration is, by no means new, however. For almost 1700 years, the Catholic Church has been endowing this handmaid of God with attributes which have little or no basis in Scripture. One of these qualities is commonly referred to as her ‘Immaculate Conception’.
This author would like to caution the reader not to mistake this dogma with the Biblical Truth that Jesus was conceived without the aid of a man. In the case of the ‘Immaculate Conception’, Mary herself is purported to have been given the fulness of grace that most believers get only ‘upon baptism’ (Holweck 1998) and remained ‘preserved free from all stain of original sin’ (Flannery, 1981) throughout her entire life. Here is a portion of the original infallible declaration, ‘Ineffibilis Deux’, as declared by Pius IX:
“Above all creatures did God so love her [Mary] that truly in her was the Father well pleased with singular delight. Therefore, far above all the angels and all the saints so wondrously did God endow her with the abundance of all heavenly gifts poured from the treasury of his divinity that this mother, ever absolutely free of all stain of sin, all fair and perfect, would possess that fullness of holy innocence and sanctity than which, under God, one cannot even imagine anything greater, and which, outside of God, no mind can succeed in comprehending fully. And indeed it was wholly fitting that so wonderful a mother should be ever resplendent with the glory of most sublime holiness and so completely free from all taint of original sin that she would triumph utterly over the ancient serpent. . . (Pius IX 1854). [my emphasis]
The Catholic Encyclopedia explains how this could possibly occur, even though she was supposed to be conceived in the ‘normal’ way.
Mary was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin at the first moment of her animation, and sanctifying grace was given to her before sin could have taken effect in her soul. The formal active essence of original sin was not removed from her soul, as it is removed from others by baptism; it was excluded, it never was simultaneously with the exclusion of sin. The state of original sanctity, innocence, and justice, as opposed to original sin, was conferred upon her, by which gift every stain and fault, all depraved emotions, passions, and debilities, essentially pertaining in her soul to original sin, were excluded (Holweck 1998). [my emphasis]
Holweck was very careful to discern the difference between Mary’s exemption from the temporal penalties of sin and the cleansing of sin in a man’s life, ‘through baptism’.
[S]he was not made exempt from the temporal penalties of Adam -- from sorrow, bodily infirmities, and death. The immunity from original sin was given to Mary by a singular exemption from a universal law through the same merits of Christ, by which other men are cleansed from sin by baptism. Mary needed the redeeming Saviour to obtain this exemption, and to be delivered from the universal necessity and debt (debitum) of being subject to original sin. The person of Mary, in consequence of her origin from Adam, should have been subject to sin, but, being the new Eve [72] who was to be the mother of the new Adam, she was, by the eternal counsel of God and by the merits of Christ, withdrawn from the general law of original sin. Her redemption was the very masterpiece of Christ's redeeming wisdom. He is a greater redeemer who pays the debt that it may not be incurred than he who pays after it has fallen on the debtor. Such is the meaning of the term "Immaculate Conception (Holweck 1998). [my emphasis]
This doctrine appeared to have been proposed, in order to assure the masses that Jesus was ‘free from all taint of original sin’. However, it is neither necessary, nor accurate. Jesus was not conceived in the conventional fashion. To begin with, He was placed in the womb of Mary. This very obedient young woman did not contribute any portion of her own genes in the process, from all indications. She was simply a willing vessel for an inestimable cargo.
Further, in the Magnificat, Mary said “My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour" (Luke 1:47). By her own admission, a Savior was something she (still) needed. Had she received full exemption from her sins from birth, she would not have uttered the words in such a manner. If she had already received this exemption, she more likely would have said something like, “Thanks be to God, who has already granted me freedom from my sins, through this Saviour, whom my spirit rejoices in.” One can bend silence in a variety of ways. In truth, all she said, was what is written; nothing more. Nowhere is it mentioned that she was ‘free from sin’ or ‘incapable of sinning’ within her entire lifetime.
One may see that this doctrine is completely unfounded and without merit, so should not be included along with the Truth. Based on this information, the doctrine of Immaculate Conception is heretical and has no place within the Gospel.
ii.) Theotokos -- Mother of God.
It is likely the dogma of the ‘Immaculate Conception’ arose from that of an earlier one, ‘Theotokos’ -- that is, the idea that Mary is literally the Mother of God. This particular dogma arose in 433 AD, through Pope Celestine, in response to Nestorius’ denial of her ‘divine nature’. The Catholic Encyclopedia speaks of this particular teaching thusly:
Mary's Divine motherhood is based on the teaching of the Gospels, on the writings of the Fathers, and on the express definition of the Church. St. Matthew (1:25) testifies that Mary "brought forth her first-born son" and that He was called Jesus. According to St. John (I:15) Jesus is the Word made flesh, the Word Who assumed human nature in the womb of Mary. As Mary was truly the mother of Jesus, and as Jesus was truly God from the first moment of His conception, Mary is truly the mother of God. Even the earliest Fathers did not hesitate to draw this conclusion as may be seen in the writings of St. Ignatius [73], St. Irenaeus[74] , and Tertullian [75]. The contention of Nestorius denying to Mary the title "Mother of God"[76] was followed by the teaching of the Council of Ephesus proclaiming Mary to be Theotokos in the true sense of the word . . . (Maas 1998).
While one cannot deny that Mary carried and cared for the Messiah as a mother would or that Mary was called ‘the mother of Jesus’, the lack of information available in the Bible still makes it very difficult to justify such a doctrine as Theotokos. The information is not there; neither is it alluded to anywhere in the text. The Biblical account tells us she was simply his earthly mother, not the immaculately conceived, perfect specimen of woman that is purported to have taken an active part in the conception of God. [77]
Because Jesus has always existed, it is asinine, to say the least, to attribute the forming of His Divine body to a woman who was just as sinful as the rest of humanity.[78] The only fathomable way it would have been acceptable for Mary to contribute her genes, would have been if she was, indeed, immaculately conceived herself. Because this does not bear out in scripture, however, one cannot but assume Mary was a willing vessel of a precious cargo which was perfectly conceived without the implementation of her tainted ovum.
iii.) Bodily Assumption
According to the Second Vatican Council, Mary was not only the Theotokos and Immaculately conceived,
but when her life was over, she was apparently whisked into heaven, body and soul. Page 417, paragraph 59 says this:
The Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, was take up body and soul into heavenly glory, when her earthly life was over, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death (Flannery, 1981). [my emphasis]
If this dogma is to be believed, God has become a ‘respecter of persons’ -- he has shown partiality [79]. In essence, He would have had to have said that this mortal, fallible woman is better than all other women or men in the world. Because of this, she has received, not simply the honor of being a son or a daughter and a co-heir of Christ, but has, indeed become Queen over all other believers.
It directly contradicts scripture, which asserts that all men and women who have believed in faith, will become sons and heirs of God. It has never asserted that the woman who bore and cared for Jesus would, even by grace, receive a position above all (or even any) others. (Galatians 4:4 - 7)
Again, Pope John Paul II agrees with every assertion put forth in the documents of the Roman Catholic Church, regarding Mary, including that of her bodily assumption. This places even more doubt on the efficacy of this man as one with whom the Body of Christ should now begin to forge close relationships and evangelize the world alongside of.
iv.) Mary According To The Scriptures
Within the pages of the Bible, a more realistic portrait of the woman Mary, is revealed -- this picture is completely different from that painted by the many infallible proclamations made through the Catholic Church or the assertions made by its current leader. Unlike the Mary of Catholicism, Mary, the mother of our Savior, was in need of a Savior herself, as is recorded in Luke 1: 47.
Secondly, it never mentions her ‘immaculate conception’, but there are many verses which pertain to the miracle of the Holy Spirit overshadowing Mary and causing her to become pregnant with Jesus, even though she had never ‘known’ a man [80].
Thirdly, as was already demonstrated, there is not even a shred of scriptural evidence that Mary was taken up bodily into heaven and exalted as Queen over all of creation. Neither has she been affirmed within Biblical text, as a Mediatrix, an Advocate or a Helper for the people of God. These titles have always been ascribed (in masculine form, of course), to either God the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit. The thundering silence of the Bible on these issues, with regard to Mary, serves as a silent testimony of what is acceptable and what is not.
Appendix III -- Some Anathemas of the Council of Trent
i.) Canons on Justification
"If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone, meaning that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification, and that it is not in any way necessary that he be prepared and disposed by the action of his own will, let him be anathema" (Canon 9). [my emphasis]
"If anyone says that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in divine mercy, which remits sins for Christ's sake, or that it is this confidence alone that justifies us, let him be anathema" (Canon 12).
"If anyone says that man is absolved from his sins and justified because he firmly believes that he is absolved and justified, or that no one is truly justified except him who believes himself justified, and that by his faith alone absolution and justification are effected, let him be anathema" (Canon 14).
"If anyone says that the justice received is not preserved and also not increased before God through good works, but that those works are merely the fruits and signs of justification obtained, but not the cause of its increase, let him be anathema” (Canon 24).
"If anyone says that the Catholic doctrine of justification as set forth by the holy council in the present decree, derogates in some respect from the glory of God or the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, and does not rather illustrate the truth of our faith and no less the glory of God and of Christ Jesus, let him be anathema” (Canon 33).
ii.) Canons Concerning Baptism
"If anyone says that in the Roman Church, which is the mother and mistress of all churches, there is not the true doctrine concerning the sacrament of baptism, let him be anathema" (Canon 3).
"If anyone says that baptism is optional, that is, not necessary for salvation, let him be anathema" (Canon 5).
"If anyone says that children, because they have not the act of believing, are not after having received baptism to be numbered among the faithful, and that for this reason are to be rebaptized when they have reached the years of discretion; or that it is better that the baptism of such be omitted than that, while not believing by their own act, they should be baptized in the faith of the Church alone, let him be anathema"(Canon 13).
iii.) Canon Concerning the Veneration of Relics and Saints
"The holy council commands all bishops and others who hold the office of teaching and have charge of the cura animarum, that in accordance with the usage of the Catholic and Apostolic Church, received from the primitive times of the Christian religion, and with the unanimous teaching of the holy Fathers and the decrees of sacred councils, they above all instruct the faithful diligently in matters relating to intercession and invocation of the saints, the veneration of relics, and the legitimate use of images, teaching them that the saints who reign together with Christ offer up their prayers to God for men, that it is good and beneficial suppliantly to invoke them and to have recourse to their prayers, assistance and support in order to obtain favors from God through His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who alone is our redeemer and savior; and that they think impiously who deny that the saints who enjoy eternal happiness in heaven are to be invoked, or who assert that they do not pray for men, or that our invocation of them to pray for each of us individually is idolatry, or that it is opposed to the word of God and inconsistent with the honor of the one mediator of God and men, Jesus Christ, or that it is foolish to pray vocally or mentally to those who reign in heaven."
Illustration I. Woodcut of Christ versus the Pope
 
 
Christ washes his disciples feet. The Pope demands his feet be kissed.
Martin Luther summarized in a later edition of Passional of Christ and Antichrist:
"Christ and the pope are here presented opposite each other. Please note the case of each. It will not be difficult for you to decide whether or not the pope is the Antichrist, who is against our Lord Jesus Christ" (Schiefler 1998).
 
 
Illustration II. Papal Coat of Arms [81]
 
 
 
 
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[1] Some would say that this is being done with the ecumenical movement. However, while it appears that there is movement toward what this author would call ‘orthodox Christianity’, these changes are merely surface and lack real substance.
[2] The actions of many Popes, especially those of Pope John Paul II will be called into question, but this is, again, a matter of investigating the validity of these behaviours, in light of scripture and in light of their ascribed positions. It is not my desire to judge them. However, it is right and good to investigate their fruits (cp. Matthew 7:16, 20; 12:33; Luke 6:44 ) to see the nature of the tree from whence they came.
[3] cf. Luke 21:34 – 37
[4] This has been a common cry, even among the circles this author frequents.
[5] Jesus uttered these words to His believers, when speaking of the events which must precede the end of sin and this world, as we know it: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14). Without a doubt, this responsibility has been one of the major reasons for this push toward unity.
[6] Everything BUT holding Truth above political correctness or above ecumenism, that is.
[7]This particular stance has been made very clear to the world, in the Document, “Evangelicals and Catholics Together”.
[8] Jesus exhorted His disciples, including Peter, regarding this very thing: "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.” (Matthew 23:9)
[9] in matters pertaining to the church’s doctrines.
[10] It must be stated that God generally inspired the authors, but they were permitted to write these revelations in such a way that their own unique styles shone through.
[11] i.e.: Samson was a man who did not know God personally, but was, nevertheless, set apart by a mediator in his life -- his mother, who dedicated him to the service of God prior to his birth. He certainly did not exemplify the ‘walk of faith’, like Samuel, the other Nazarite, did. Nor did Jehu, the evil king who was called to be anointed by Elijah in I Kings 19: 16 ff.., to obliterate the line of Jezebel entirely.
[12]He has often used the actions of the ungodly to teach His people lessons, regarding the things He does not want them to do, however.
[13]cf. Galatians 5:22 - 26
[14] Because this is not an exhaustive study, this paper will examine only one instance in any depth.
[15] These were not formally recognized as ‘infallible proclamations’ -- see also section on the papal schism.
[16] This ‘governmental action’ included the burning of John Huss and the exhumation and burning of John Wycliffe’s bones, for their stand on the Truth.
[17] “Haec Sancta”
[18] According to the Vatican Council II, this type of action would be like those considered to be binding proclamations. However, it appears the Catholic Church did not make the doctrine of infallibility retroactive, so this is simply an exercise in theory.
[19] Martin did not go against the Conciliar movement until after the Council of Constance was over; Furthermore, the Catholic Church still considers Martin to be one of the Pontiffs.
[20] Here, the infallibility of councils and synods are discussed. It is noted here that the Pope MUST be in agreement with the proclamations made in a synod; otherwise the proclamation is void. This belief stems from the tradition that Christ made Peter and his successors the heads of the earthly church.
[21]Please take note that the author of this thesis believes that although Luther’s writing is not to be accepted as being on the same level as the Scriptures, it is, nevertheless, interesting that this man would speak out against infallibility before it became a dogma in 1870.
[22] Interestingly, both practices have been held within the Church; the vow of celibacy is almost universally practiced within the Catholic Church, as is the practice of forced abstinence from meats each Friday during Lent. This is not considered to be a choice for the individual to make, but law for those between the ages of 14 and 57. For more information, please refer to [http://www.trosch.org/for/ the/abs-clws.htm]; Canon 1251 on the article of prescribed days of fasting. See also [http://www.webdesk.com/catholic/passages/ lent/rules.html] for a complete list of the rules to be followed for Lent.
[23] cf. Matthew 16:18
[24] Cf. Luke 4:8 with Matthew 16:23 in Koine Greek.
[25] If, indeed, he was chosen as the sole individual to carry this burden.
[26] It is impossible to even conceive the idea of a bishop openly censuring the Pope today.
[27] Compare with Acts 15:13
[28] Some would compare this with the sending of the Christ by God the Father. In the case of Jesus, He was / is the One who does as the Father wills. As Luther pointed out in a series of wood cuttings, known as “Passional of Christ and Antichrist of 1521”, "Christ and the pope are . . . presented opposite each other." (see Illustration I for graphic depiction of woodcut) .
[29]Scripture taken from The Amplified Bible. “The Amplified New Testament”. Lockman Foundation, 1987.
[30]Called the “Babylonian Exile “ because the duration of the absence from Rome was 70 years, the same period of time the Israelites were held captive in Babylon from 607 BC to 537 BC. This title was purported to have been conferred upon this time period by none other than Martin Luther.
[31]the act of selling church offices, etcetera. Purported to be named after Simon Magus, the magician in Acts who wanted to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit, presumably for his own gain . (Acts 8:18).
[32] “Originally, indulgences were a way to shorten purgatory and penance. They had been granted to people who could not go on crusade but were able to pay for someone else to go. This released the sinner from the obligation of temporal penance and a certain time in purgatory, and allowed them to draw upon the treasury of merit built up by Jesus and the saints. Later, much of the money received from this almsgiving was used to build St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. However, because it was not more clearly defined, abuse and fraud of indulgences by greedy clergy who just sold the indulgence without asking for repentance began to occur” (Whitcomb 1986).
[33]It must be noted here that the Catholic Church refers to this occurrence as the ‘Western Schism’ and accept Urban and his line as the ‘undisputed’ pope (Brusher 1996).
[34]Perhaps the withdrawal of the funding and the resulting attempts to raise money, were at the core of the reason Pope Gregory XI decided to move back to Rome. Certainly, Rome was considered to be the universal seat of the Church; its tradition, authority, and ancient permanence was recognized by most in the known world of that period.
[35]the four possibilities were :
(1) Compromise- this possibility would necessitate the two popes having to allow a neutral secular arbitrator (like the emperor) to assess and rectify the problem
(2) Pontifical- in this scenario, one pope would have to get the other to resign
(3) Cessation- in this case, the college was to cease any further elections, until both popes were dead; then only one would succeed the two
(4) Council- the one everybody finally agreed upon: they were to decide with a general council or synod, like in the early Church.
[36]1409 AD
[37]It must be noted that, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the Council of Constance “became legitimate only when Gregory XI had formally convoked it”, (“The Council of Constance” 1998), even though Encarta names John XXIII as the one who initiated the convocation. (Encarta “John XXIII Antipope” 1996).
[38]1414 to 1418 AD.
[39]Both Urban and Clement’s Colleges of Cardinals named successors to the papacy after the Council of Pisa. By the time the Council of Constance convened, both Urban and Clement had long since died. The election process had, in the mean time, continued within each camp, and so, successive pontiffs were chosen, whenever the office became available. Urban’s successor by the time of the Council of Constance, was Benedict XIII and Clement’s was Gregory XII (Encarta “Council of Constance” 1996).
[40]There was to be a synod every 10 years.
[41]1414 - 1418 AD.
[42] Cf. also Steiner, Rudolph. Mysticism at the Dawn of the Modern Age. 2nd ed. Anthroposophic Press, 1980. Be aware that The Diegesis reports a slightly different version of Leo X's admission: "It was well known how profitable this fable of Christ has been to us" (footnote, p. 35)
[43] Recently, another development in the never-ending saga of the Papal Throne emerged. For years, there have been a faction of Catholics who have believed that there has been no pope, since the death of Pius XII in the fifties. In their view, every pope since has been an impostor to the line of the Vicar. Because they believe this to be true, on October 24th, 1998, this schismatic portion of the Church elected another who claims to be the sole successor to the Throne of Peter. While it has not been officially recognized or responded to by the Vatican, it was, nonetheless, noteworthy enough to warrant a footnote in this paper.
[44] April 13th, 1929.
[45] December 5th, 1932.
[46] February 18th, 1941.
[47] It was at this time, that his name was changed from Karol Wojtyla to John Paul II.
[48] Certainly, the phrase, “be not afraid” was called upon during this time in his life.
[49] Catechism of The Catholic Church. paragraph 857.
[50] Because these dogmas have not yet been amended or overturned by Pope John Paul II in an official manner, it must be assumed that this is still the official stance he and his Church maintain.
[51] There are even some Lutherans ministers who have been quoted as saying that Mary, the Mother of God is the one who will actually be the catalyst which finally unites the Body of Christ again.
[52] See Illustration I for graphic depiction of Coat of Arms.
[53] According to the Vatican’s official biography on the Pope, he was admitted into the Society of Mary on December 14, 1935 and became its president until 1938. It was also between 1934 and 1938, that he made his first pilgrimage to Czestochowa, presumably to venerate the ‘Black Madonna’ of Poland. These events seem to have occurred prior to world War II, which began on September 1st, 1939.
[54] Some may still not be fully convinced that John Paul II is as devoted to Mary as this paper contends. See Appendix I for a more in-depth discussion of these issues.
[55] In Appendix II, some of the doctrines surrounding Mary have been be examined and it has been determined in this case, at least, that neither John Paul II nor his Church have basis for their assertions. One must assume, of course, that the current Pope affirms and believes the doctrines of the Catholic Church. Unless overturned in an official manner (i.e.: by way of an encyclical or synod, which would bring up other issues, regarding infallibility), one must assume that these doctrines are still valid.
[56] The document referred to here by Mr. Beard, is none other than the encyclical, “Ut Unim Sint”, published May 25, 1995.
[57] In the Pope’s “Apostolic Constitution on the Publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church”, he affirms both the Second Vatican Council and the latest Catechism. Regarding the Second Vatican Council, he said:
“[O]n 25 January 1985, I convoked an extraordinary assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the 20th anniversary of the close of the Council. The purpose of this assembly was to celebrate the graces and spiritual fruits of Vatican II, to study its teaching in greater depth in order that all the Christian faithful might better adhere to it, and to promote knowledge and application of it. “ (Pope John Paul II 6). [my emphasis]
Later, regarding this latest Catechism, Pope John Paul II affirmed in this same document:
“The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved 25 June last and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church's faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Church's Magisterium. I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion. May it serve the renewal to which the Holy Spirit ceaselessly calls the Church of God, the Body of Christ, on her pilgrimage to the undiminished light of the Kingdom (Pope John Paul II 8)! [my emphasis]
[58] cf. Khoo 1997.
[59] This movement was not originally conceived to promote unity at the expense of truth.
[60]The validation for this statement has already been established within the pages of this document.
[61] Later, it will be established that the Roman Catholic Church is at the forefront of this movement today.
[62]The same time the ecumenical movement was first birthed.
[63] None of these men desired to destroy the Catholic Church, per se, but wanted to reform it, in order that it would once again represent the Orthodox (right thinking) position. This ‘orthodoxy’ was not new. Rather, it was based on the writings of the Bible and on the writings of the early church fathers.
[64] The individuals representing the Catholic side have agreed in this document that salvation comes sola fide. Having said that, it must also be said that “this is not the first time Roman Catholics have agreed with the language of sola fide, even though the Council of Trent condemned the terminology. At Regensburg, or Ratisbon, in 1541, the Emperor Charles V invited three Lutheran evangelicals and three Roman Catholic theologians to consider a way for healing the breach in the German church. Cardinal Gasparo Contarini, the papal legate in Germany at the time, openly expressed his belief "that the Lutheran concern for justification by faith was in fact the essence of the Catholic faith also." What Contarini meant was that Protestantism was essentially Catholic! His argument, made by many then and since, was that the Protestant schism had been caused principally "by a misunderstanding of Catholicism.” (Peter Matheson, Cardinal Contarini at Regensburg, London: Oxford University Press, 1972, 49.)
Before this sixteenth century ecumenical meeting took place Luther was suspicious of the whole effort. The six men who met did reach an agreement. They issued a statement and mutually agreed to sola fide. Luther was aghast with their statement. He had previously warned that to go back one iota on the wording of the Augsburg Confession would invite catastrophe” (Armstrong 1998).
[65] There are undoubtedly Christians within the Roman Catholic Church. Many of these men and women contend for the truth and evangelize within the Church, not unlike Luther did. However, these do not appear to be the individuals with which these men are dealing. For the most part, the faction which is being dealt with, is the more ‘traditional’ element -- those which adhere to traditional doctrine of the RCC, including, but not limited to, the Pope himself.
[66] While many of the men and women from the Roman Catholic Church are speaking of the movement of the Holy Spirit and having ‘charismatic’ experiences, continued adherence to the many doctrines which are within the structures of the Church, again, shows the fruition of the tree from whence they have come.
It cannot be stressed enough, that there are, without a doubt, Christians within this organization. However, those who have come to a saving faith in Christ, will begin to do one of two things; either they will begin to evangelize their friends and neighbors within the Church itself, in order to bring them to a saving faith, or they will leave the Church entirely. In either case, the adherence to the many dogmas should invariably begin to dissipate. They are most certainly not going to be perpetuated, once God’s word divides the Truth from the error.
[67]It must be pointed out that Mr. Colson chose the term, ‘Catholic evangelicals’, to identify the group he wanted to invite to the conference. The term, ‘evangelical’ is one which is used in close association to the ecumenical movement. It is also one which is often used so loosely that it can mean include anyone who preaches anything about Jesus Christ. In such cases, it may even include groups as Mormons and, indeed, even Jehovah’s Witnesses. After all, they also consider themselves to be Christians and VERY evangelical.
[68] See previous 2 notes.
[69] See Appendix III for The anathemas of the Council of Trent.
[70] Some of those ‘adjustments’ have included other belief systems and have become so inclusive that they smack of universalism. Compare Crossing the Threshold of Hope, Chapter 12, Catechism of the Catholic Church, article 460, and “Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions” in the Vatican Council II (pp. 739 ff.). Additionally, in a letter written to “my beloved Muslim brothers and sisters” John Paul II said, "I close my greeting to you with the words of one of my predecessors Pope Gregory VII, who in 1076 wrote to Al-Nasir, the Muslim ruler of Bijaya, present day Algeria: "We believe in and confess one God, admittedly in a different way, and daily praise and venerate him, the creator of the world and the ruler of this world." (Beard 1997; The Vatican Homepage 1991).
[71] Without going into much detail, the Pope has managed to place the entire burden of the Reformation upon the churches which broke away from Rome.
[72] One might have noticed that the title, ‘new Eve’ was conferred upon this servant of the Lord. This title is actually unmerited; although Jesus was clearly considered the ‘second Adam’ (Cf. I Corinthians 15:45) , Mary was not likewise mentioned. Further, Mary was Jesus’ earthly mother, not his mate.
[73](ad Ephes., 7, P.G., V, 652).
[74](adv. haer., III, 19, P.G., VIII, 940, 941).
[75](adv. Prax. 27, P.L., II, 190).
[76](Serm. I, 6, 7, P.G., XLVIII, 760-761).
[77] She certainly carried and bore the Child. However, she could not have given him anything more than nourishment from her body. Had she contributed her own DNA, the Christ would have been tainted with original sin, as was Mary.
[78] That is not to say that she was not justified by her faith, but that she was a member of humanity, as we all are.
[79] Compare Deuteronomy 10:17, II Chronicles 19:7; Job 37:24; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9 and I Peter 1:17 with the dogma of Mary being exalted to Queen.
[80] Luke 1:34.
[81] source: The Official Vatican Website. [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/ape_jp_ii.htm] 1998.
 
 
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