http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1863942/posts Pope Benedict XVI declared yesterday that Christian denominations other than his own were not true churches and their holy orders have no value. Protestant leaders immediately responded by saying the claims were offensive and would hurt efforts to promote ecumenism. Roman Catholic- Anglican relations are already strained over the Church of England's plans to ordain homosexuals and women as bishops. The claims came in a document, from a Vatican watchdog which was approved by the Pope. It said the branches of Christianity formed after the split with Rome at the Reformation could not be called churches "in the proper sense" because they broke with a succession of popes who dated back to St Peter. As a result, it went on, Protestant churches have "no sacramental priesthood", effectively reaffirming the controversial Catholic position that Anglican holy orders are worthless. The document claimed the Catholic church was the "one true church of Christ". Pope Benedict's commitment to the hardline teaching comes days after he reinstated the Mass in Latin, which was sidelined in the 1960s in an attempt to modernise. The timing of the announcement fuelled speculation that the pontiff - regarded as an arch-conservative before his election in 2005 - is finally beginning to impose his views on the Catholic Church. The Vatican said it was restating the position set out by the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 2000 in a document called Domine Jesus because theologians continued to misunderstand it. At that time, Anglican leaders from around the world made their anger felt by snubbing an invitation to join Pope John Paul II as he proclaimed St Thomas More the patron saint of politicians. Bishop Wolfgang Huber, head of the Evangelical Church in Germany, said the Vatican document effectively downgraded Protestant churches and would make ecumenical relations more difficult. He said the pronouncement repeated the "offensive statements" of the 2000 document and was a "missed opportunity" to patch up relations with Protestants.

Since Messianism has been around since Jesus' time, I guess we're still okay, but it's still offensive.

One thing I like about the youth function thing I'm involved in. It's interdenominational. We have Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, United Methodists, Nondenominationalists...everyone. It's nice to see that, at least in youth ministry, denominational differences usually don't really matter.

[b]MisterNathan wrote:[/b] [quote]One thing I like about the youth function thing I'm involved in. It's interdenominational. We have Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, United Methodists, Nondenominationalists...everyone. It's nice to see that, at least in youth ministry, denominational differences usually don't really matter.[/quote] Yep. Matthew 19:14 Protestants lack Holy Orders? Right, cause G-d's will is defined through a majority vote, huh? And, no, I think you might want to consider your sources. A revival does not constitute the beginning of a faith. I didn't even say "Messianic Judaism." I'm not a Jew. But I believe as they do, and as the apostles did, who were themselves Messianic Jews. The mere idea of Rome being any sort of seat of religious authority would have been repugnant and abhorrant to them. You can smugly CLAIM to trace the lineage of the popes back to the apostles, but we ALL know that they would have no concept of a pope, so you're just providing some "line of succession" for those who already have decided to believe as you do. There is not one shred of proof for it.

We all should reject any denomination or church that falsely proclaim themselves as followers of Christ, which ordain homosexuals. I wish that all denominations would chastise, and rebuke those who openly accept into leadership, people who boldly and openly defy God and His Holy Word and disgrace Him by their unrepentant lifestyles. Any church which ordains homosexuals is not a proper follower of the Gospel. As such we ALL should rise up against them, and openly and publicly reject them in one accord. As for the Pope... Well... whatever! Who really cares what he says about protestants... If he qualifies his arguments, and then we took time to examine his reasonings, he is probably not as far off as we might first think... HOWEVER! It is the "holier than thou" connotations whith which the comments are made. The Catholic church is as far off track as the rest.... We should all pretty much agree that the Church is not where God intended us to be, and we do not look like a New Testement Church... The Pope recognized this, and made a commnet, but he portrayed that the Roman Catholic church is on track... that is what I find ammusing. -Matt Gaiser

[b]MaddMatt wrote:[/b] [quote]We all should reject any denomination or church that falsely proclaim themselves as followers of Christ, which ordain homosexuals. I wish that all denominations would chastise, and rebuke those who openly accept into leadership, people who boldly and openly defy God and His Holy Word and disgrace Him by their unrepentant lifestyles. Any church which ordains homosexuals is not a proper follower of the Gospel. As such we ALL should rise up against them, and openly and publicly reject them in one accord.[/quote] I would say we should reject individual churches which support homosexuality, not entire denominations, as there are always exceptions. And by rejecting them, I mean rejecting them as Christians.