Vatican to host a debate

[Saint Bonaventure]

This should be interesting, at least for those who are into church history and discussions of authority.

Vatican to host a debate at St. Peter’s in November between three Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic theologians (msn.com)

[Calm]

5 hours ago, Saint Bonaventure said:

This should be interesting, at least for those who are into church history and discussions of authority.

Vatican to host a debate at St. Peter’s in November between three Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic theologians (msn.com)

It should be very interesting. Do such debates happen often or is this more a novelty?

[Pyreaux]

I hope a more unified front for the Culture war comes of it, I believe we'll need each other before the end.

[mfbukowski]

On 10/21/2022 at 9:55 AM, Saint Bonaventure said:

This should be interesting, at least for those who are into church history and discussions of authority.

Vatican to host a debate at St. Peter’s in November between three Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic theologians (msn.com)

Hmmm...  I think interesting for those of those faiths, but imo, not for us.

As always though, even I could be wrong....   🧐

[Saint Bonaventure]

On 10/21/2022 at 6:16 PM, Calm said:

It should be very interesting. Do such debates happen often or is this more a novelty?

They are not common in recent centuries, at least not hosted by the Vatican and with press and so on.

Since the 1960s there has been some progress between Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox Churches. On the intellectual level, I believe the differences are resolvable. Practical resolution is more challenging, but it's closer than it has been. There could be some undercurrents in this regarding the Russian Orthodox and the war in Ukraine (There are many, many Catholics in Ukraine. My priest has spent some time in Ukraine, and has us singing the Kyrie according to a Ukranian melody).

Regarding Protestants, the creedal churches try to thread the Petrine needle in various ways, while the less traditional and non-denominational churches are not particularly interested in the questions of authority and history. In general, I think that the Church has made the reforms that it needed to as identified by Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, and the others, and that the Church should have a more "welcome home" approach with Protestants.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints could be interested in the authority questions. Catholics and LDS have notions of authority that have some similarities, and even amidst the continuity vs apostasy divide. My LDS family think that there's been a little softening in the Great Apostasy teaching; not that authority didn't depart or that the sects were somehow right (I believe that's where LDS draw the line), but rather that the "flame didn't quite go out," which could allow for genuine Christians persevering amidst apostasy, without authority, but still in accord with God.

I did some Googling and found this quote, which I find encouraging:

Quote

 “So far as the Catholic church is concerned, I believe that there is just as much truth, nay, personally I believe it has retained even more truth than other divisions of so-called Christendom; and there is just as much virtue, and I am sure there is more strength in the Roman Catholic church than there is in Protestant Christendom. I would not like, therefore, to designate the Catholic church as the church of the devil. Neither would I like to designate any one or all of the various divisions and subdivisions of Protestant Christendom combined as such church; nor the Greek Catholic church; nor the Buddhist sects; nor the followers of Confucius; nor the followers of Mohammed; nor would I like to designate even the societies formed by deists and atheists as constituting the church of the devil” (B.H. Roberts, Conference Reports, April 1906, p. 15)

 

[Kenngo1969]

If the debate is aimed at increasing understanding rather than at determining who should "win" and who should "lose," Increased interreligious understanding a good thing, says I.  I think it's long past time for the religious to cease the Mexican standoff in which, for far too long, so many devout adherents of various stripes (including some Latter-day Saints) have been engaged.  The greatest threat to any particular religion comes not from anyone of a different religious stripe, nor does it come from the irreligious who, however they might label such practices, believe, nonetheless, in doing one's best to alleviate suffering, in serving one's fellow beings, in loving one's neighbor as oneself, in doing unto others as one would have others do unto him or her, in making life as good as one can make it for oneself and for those around one before succumbing to the void, and so on, but rather, from the anti-religious. 

Edited October 25, 2022 by Kenngo1969

[3DOP]

7 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

If the debate is aimed at increasing understanding rather than at determining who should "win" and who should "lose," Increased interreligious understanding a good thing, says I.  I think it's long past time for the religious to cease the Mexican standoff in which, for far too long, so many devout adherents of various stripes (including some Latter-day Saints) have been engaged.  The greatest threat to any particular religion comes not from anyone of a different religious stripe, nor does it come from the irreligious who, however they might label such practices, believes, nonetheless, in doing one's best to alleviate suffering, in serving one's fellow beings, in loving one's neighbor as oneself, in doing unto others as one would have others do unto him or her, in making life as good as one can make it for oneself and for those around one before succumbing to the void, and so on, but rather, from the anti-religious. 

Ken...don't worry. Anything sponsored by the Vatican today is unlikely to be going all triumphant (truth vs. error, proclaiming a one true church). It will probably be politically focussed (how government must legislate love by taxation policies). But for loving one's neighbor and what follows...in private...you are a good Catholic and maybe I am I am a good LDS?

Edited October 25, 2022 by 3DOP

[Kenngo1969]

8 minutes ago, 3DOP said:

Ken...don't worry. Anything sponsored by the Vatican today is unlikely to be going all triumphant (truth vs. error, proclaiming a one true church). It will probably be politically focussed (how government must legislate love by taxation policies). But for loving one's neighbor and what follows...in private...you are a good Catholic and maybe I am I am a good LDS?

I'll claim you.  You'd be welcome to worship with me any time  (I'm sure you're probably familiar with Latter-day Saint worship already, but, of course, it is much less elaborate than you're used to).  The only reason I might not reciprocate is because of the elaborateness of Catholic worship: Do I sit, do I stand, what do I say and when, and so on, ad infinitum (assuming such a level of participation might be expected from the uninitiated, but, if not, how out of place might I look otherwise? ). 

[mfbukowski]

4 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

I'll claim you.  You'd be welcome to worship with me any time  (I'm sure you're probably familiar with Latter-day Saint worship already, but, of course, it is much less elaborate than you're used to).  The only reason I might not reciprocate is because of the elaborateness of Catholic worship: Do I sit, do I stand, what do I say and when, and so on, ad infinitum (assuming such a level of participation might be expected from the uninitiated, but, if not, how out of place might I look otherwise? ). 

Just don't wear a coat and tie and stand and sit when everyone else does and stay in your seat during communion and you'll be fine.

[Kenngo1969]

41 minutes ago, mfbukowski said:

Just don't wear a coat and tie and stand and sit when everyone else does and stay in your seat during communion and you'll be fine.

Thanks for the tips!