Pope Benedict XVI is to rehabilitate Martin Luther, arguing that he did not intend to split Christianity but only to purge the Church of corrupt practices. According to Vatican insiders the Pope will argue that Luther, who was excommunicated and condemned for heresy, was not a heretic.
Cardinal Walter Kasper, the head of the pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, said the move would help to promote ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Protestants. It is also designed to counteract the impact of July’s papal statement describing the Protestant and Orthodox faiths as defective and “not proper Churches”.
James White comments on the various problems this will cause for several real heretics:
By the way, the Pope has also reached out to the Muslim world to mend fences after his 2006 speech at Regensburg University in which he appeared to describe Islam as inherently violent and irrational. Furthermore, the Pope has rewritten the Good Friday prayer for the “conversion” of the Jewish people in the old Latin rite in an attempt to avoid accusations of anti-Semitism.
So don’t be fooled. Rome is not trying to correct its unbiblical theology by “rehabilitating Martin Luther.” Rather, Rome is trying to help itself politically. This is typical Roman Catholicism… its all about the money.
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Jason Robertson is a husband and a father and a pastor. He is dedicated to leading and equipping his the Church with God’s word and biblical theology for life ministry, using a combination of pastoral, church planting and evangelism experience. He holds a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is experienced in church planting, evangelism, missions, and the training of pastors and Bible teachers.
Jason has been preaching the gospel since 1985, serving the first ten years of ministry as a Southern Baptist itinerant evangelist out of Milldale Baptist Church in Zachary, LA which ordained him in 1993. He has preached in hundreds of churches in over 30 States and 4 countries. He planted churches in Siberia, Russia in the summers of 1993 and 1994. He founded Murrieta Valley Church in California, which he planted in cooperation with the SBC NAMB in 2001. He also teaches ministry students at California Baptist University.
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Greetings! Sawyour post in Google’s Blogsearch and cane to read. I also watched the entire video.
First, your title seems to infer something that isn’t present. Yes, Pope Benedict has the charisma of infallibility; however, to my understanding B16 has never issued an infallible statement on Martin Luther. So, I fail to see how the Pope could be wrong on Martin Luther. That’s not logical.
Regarding James Whites video, its clear that brother James doesn’t understand the charisma of infallibility any more than he understands many other aspects of the Catholic Church. I believe his sister discovered Catholicism reading saint Patrick’s confession and converted.
I’m one of the older pre-Vatican II Catholics that James mentions and I’m fine with my Church. Things are going well. The Church is still expanding here in the U.S. and abroad. 16 million became Catholic last year alone.
Excomminication is a church discipline, as you may know. There has never been any charisma of infallibility associated with Church discipline. Not being Catholics, we can understand your confusion.
I suspect that the upcoming actions are related to the recent Joint Declaration on Justification by both the Lutheran and Catholic Churchs in 1999.
Personally, I interpret these events and the decline of the Protestant sects as Christ re-unifying His Church. The Orthodox have acknowledged the primacy of the Bishop of Rome, many Anglican priests and bishops are returning to Rome, and Lutherans agree with the Church on the doctrine of Justification. Its clear you disagree with my take on events.
You are correct that “Rome is not trying to correct its unbiblical theology.” Rome has been correct all along and its theology has been firmly grounded in the Bible. Rome just doesn’t agree with your interpretations.
God bless…
Timothy,
It certainly is hard to agree with Rome’s “Biblical” interpretations when they aren’t found anywhere in the Bible. These arguments sound quite a but like mormon arguments defending the errors of past “prophets” when proven wrong. Therein lies the flaw in placing your faith in a fellow sinful man, rather than in Christ and HIs Word.
Since you are in the business of educating the poor, unwashed protestant hordes I would encourage you to call Dr. White’s radio program, toll free, and educate him on Rome’s teachings. You might find that he is more familiar with papist mumbo jumbo than you think.
Rome’s always had the numbers. God has His remnant.
Actually, the pope has done no such thing. What you do have is stupid reporting about an article that was just wrong. A bunch of reporters simply reporting on another reporterss work (kind of like most blogs)
So no, the Pope has not done this
Timothy, can you let me know what day you called James White to coprrect him? I would love to listen to the show.
Arthur,
You’ve hit the nail on the head by comparing popes to Mormon “prophets” in that they both can declare some whacky decree, then when they are called on it they whip out the old “Well, it was never official” card, thus being able to distance themselves from the teaching–even though it would be something believed and practiced by many of the “faithful.”
And remember, the Pope doesn’t necessarily need to publish a decree in order to make something “official.” They just wait a few years until enough Catholics believe it, then they declare it “Tradition,” thus making it official.
That is a very apt descripton, lots of mormons believe lots of stuff that isn’t official, but is *wink-wink* unofficial dogma. It is pretty hard to pin mormons down on what they believe at all.
Hey, guys. I found your blog on the Pulpit Blog site. It’s great to see how brothers accross the ocean (I’m in Croatia, Europe, Catholic country (for now
) defend the same thing we are defending: Five Solas!!! I have a blog myself in Croatian, and a few hard Catholics on my tail. I’ll surely be watching out for you guys!
Spread the Word! God bless you!!!
Welcome!