Thesis: Many Christians have agreed
recently that the Roman Catholic church is simply another Christian
sect. This supposition stems from a lack of knowledge about the
doctrinal stance within the structure itself. This paper will
attempt to expose some of the roots of the many non-Christian
dogmas to be found within its structures, in order that Christians
will begin to look more closely at the ecumenical trend and the
implications of adopting this organization through this vehicle,
in order to evangelize the world.
- Index
- Preface. 6
- Introduction. 7
- A.) Flirting With Peril. 7
- B.) A Change of Heart?. 8
- I.) The Pope.
8
- A.) Mouthpiece For Christ. 9
- B.) What is Infallibility, Anyway?. 10
- 1.) Would Infallibility Require Holiness
of Life?. 11
- a.) Holiness 12
- b.) A Mediator 12
- c.) The Doctrine of Hypocrisy. 12
- d.) Is God Double-minded?. 13
- e.) A Contradiction. 13
- 2.) Are Proclamations Made Through Strife
Really Infallible?. 13
- 3.) Are Pastors Free of Error, Too?. 15
- a.) The Doctrine of Paul 16
- b.) What about Peter, the Rock?. 16
- 4.) What Does All This Mean?. 18
- a.) The Word Of God versus The Vatican. 18
- b.) Luther Stands Up Against Infallibility.
19
- 5.) How Should One React To The Dogma of
Infallibility, Then?. 20
- II.) The Line of
the Vicar of Christ. 20
- A.) Was Peter Really The First Pope?. 21
- 1.) Celibacy. 21
- a.) The Church’s Stance on Celibacy.
21
- b.) The Biblical Perspective. 22
- c.) What About Peter Himself?. 23
- 2.) Opposition To Peter 24
- a.) Rebuke By Jesus 24
- b.) Paul Opposes Peter 25
- 3.) The Jerusalem Council 25
- 4.) Various Other Proofs 26
- a.) Peter Never Mentioned He Had Primacy.
26
- b.) The Others Were Not Told Of His Position.
26
- c.) Servanthood. 27
- d.) God Appointed Both Paul and Peter 28
- e.) Peter Sent Out, Not The One Sending Out
29
- 5.) Matthew 16:18 Examined. 30
- B.) Evidence Compiled. 30
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- III.) The Schismatic
Church. 31
- A.) The Babylonian Exile. 31
- B.) The Papal Schism.. 31
- C.) The Conciliar Movement. 32
- 1.) Council of Pisa. 32
- 2.) Council of Constance. 33
- a.) Ending the Schism. 33
- b.) Extirpation of Heresy. 33
- c.) Reform of the Church. 34
- 3.) Council of Basle. 34
- D.) Restored Renaissance Papacy?. 35
- E.) Not What Is Portrayed. 37
- IV.) Pope John
Paul II 37
- A.) Who Was He?. 37
- B.) Who Is He?. 39
- 1.) One of Us?. 39
- 2.) The Pope and Mary -- Totus Tuus 41
- a.) Is Marian Worship Christocentric?. 42
- b.) Conclusion. 43
- 3.) Double-Talk. 43
- 4.) Has He Promoted A Positive Change?. 44
- C.) So, Has There Been A Change Of Heart?.
45
- V.) Ecumenism --
What Is It?. 46
- A.) Who Started the Ecumenical Movement?.
46
- B.) Proponents of Ecumenism.. 47
- 1.) Christendom. 47
- a.) Lutherans 47
- b.) The Heavyweights 49
- i.) Billy Graham. 49
- ii.) Chuck Colson. 51
- iii.) The Promise Keepers 53
- c.) Other Notable Evangelicals 54
- 2.) The Roman Catholic Church and Ecumenism.
54
- C. Is Ecumenism A Valid Avenue For Evangelism,
Then?. 56
- Conclusion. 56
- Appendices. 57
- Appendix I. Is The Pope Really That Devoted
To Mary?. 57
- Appendix II. Mary Examined. 58
- i.) Immaculate Conception. 58
- ii.) Theotokos -- Mother of God. 60
- iii.) Bodily Assumption. 61
- iv.) Mary According To The Scriptures 62
- Appendix III -- Some Anathemas of the Council
of Trent. 62
- i.) Canons on Justification. 62
- ii.) Canons Concerning Baptism. 63
- iii.) Canon Concerning the Veneration of
Relics and Saints 63
- Illustration I. Woodcut of Christ versus
the Pope. 63
- Illustration II. Papal Coat of Arms. 65
- Works Cited. 66
- Works Consulted. 69
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- ABBREVIATIONS
- RCC Roman Catholic Church
- ECT Evangelicals and Catholics Together
- http://www.members.shaw.ca/bill.rosanna
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