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Honest Ecumenism, Again

As we said in 2000, the Vatican's statement on the nature of the church is a step forward, not backward, for Christian unity.

posted 7/11/2007 09:52AM

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After weeks of speculation and commentary over the Vatican's action on the Latin Mass, media attention has now turned to two documents on Christian unity issued by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The documents, which say that "ecclesial communities originating from the Reformation [i.e. Protestant congregations] are … not churches in the proper sense of the word," has drawn criticism from Protestants.

"It makes us question whether we are indeed praying together for Christian unity," said the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.

The Church Society, an evangelical Anglican group in the United Kingdom, says it clarifies "the way in which the Vatican has torn apart Christianity because of its lust for power."

Still, everyone agrees that the Vatican is restating its long-held beliefs. In fact, the new document draws heavily upon the wording of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's 2000 declaration, Dominus Iesus. At that time, the Vatican's doctrine office was led by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who is now Pope Bendedict XVI.

"The Vatican's recent statement on the nature of the church is a step forward, not backward, for Christian unity," Christianity Today said in an editorial about that 2000 document.

Since this new document simply restates the views of Dominus Iesus, we have little need for further comment, but we do encourage you to read what we said then.

Related Elsewhere:

Media coverage of the new statement includes:

Pope, restating 2000 document, cites 'defects' of other faiths | A document released Tuesday prompted anger from Protestants who questioned the Vatican's respect for other beliefs (The New York Times)

Pope: Other Christians not true churches | Pope Benedict XVI reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says other Christian communities are either defective or not true churches and Catholicism provides the only true path to salvation (Associated Press)

Pope: Protestant faith is 'not a proper Church' | Anglican leaders react with dismay after the Protestant and Orthodox faiths are dismissed as 'defective' in a Vatican document (The Times, London)

Vatican says other Christian churches "wounded" | The Vatican on Tuesday said Christian denominations outside the Roman Catholic Church were not full churches of Jesus Christ (Reuters)

See also Christian History & Biography's 2002 article, "From Swamped Creatures to Separated Brethren | Non-Catholics' spiritual status improved dramatically from Unam Sanctam to Vatican II, but where are we now?"

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July (Web-only) 2007, Vol. 51

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Travis

Posted: July 11, 2007 11:55 AM

The outrage by mainline protestants isn't suprising, it just shows the ignorance and laziness of most Christians when it comes to what they believe and why they believe it. So many Christians "think" they know what Rome teaches and ignorantly pass on what they've been "told" Rome teaches and believes, when in all reality they're just bearing false witness against the papists. We're so zealous about "evangelizing" different groups, but think we only have to know our set of beliefs. The last time I checked, one should know the beliefs of both systems in order to debate. Now to my point. If mainliners(protestants) did their homework they wouldn't be suprised by the pope's proclamation, they would be saying: "isn't that what Rome has always taught?". Why yes, it is what Rome has always taught! They would know that because they had properly studied what Rome teaches and believes so that they were able to deal with every obstacle that learned papists threw their way in a debate.

Anonymous

Posted: July 11, 2007 2:50 PM

Fr. J, when you say "Mr. White should consider that the Bible is a product of Catholic Tradition", how so? The 4 books of the Gospel and many of the other books of the New Testament were written long before what we know as the Catholic Church was formed. Also, what about the Old Testament? Surely you do not think that Catholic Tradition gave us this? Then if they were able to put that together without the help of Tradition, why not the New Testament? In regards to the actual article, like it said, it's nothing really new, just a reaffirmation of previous beliefs.

Deacon Tom Shea

Posted: July 11, 2007 12:41 PM

Travis' use of the epithet "papist" when referring to Roman Catholics is insulting and certainly doesn't further either ecumenism or gentlemanly argument. Identifying us with but one element of our very complex ecclesiology and theology of faith demonstrates an alarming narrowness of perspective. I wonder if he refers to Evangelics as "Fundies" (ie Fundamentalists)? I fail to see how he is "bearing false witness against" us papists, by not knowing what WE fully believe. Frankly, most of the Evangelicals who have witnessed to me have impressed me with their ignorance of the scope and implications of what THEY purport to believe. I am a an old man who was catechized before the Second Vatican Council and I can honestly say that NEVER in all those years was I told from a Catholic pulpit or in classroom that non Catholics were condemned and should be hated and feared. In closing, if you're going to call us "papists" please at least capitalize it. God bless you all.