RC-Prot relations

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RC-Prot relations

Forum: Theological Expressions
Re:

Letter to a Roman Catholic
Re:

Thankyou my Brothers for the Letter! (Emmanuel)
Re:

Not all evangelicals are alike....
Re:

I understand your meaning.......... (Emmanuel)
Date: 2001, Jul 07
From: <Anonymous>

Emmanuel,
1 I regret that there is a lot of animosity between some Protestants and Roman Catholics in Singapore.
a. Some of it is because of teaching by some Protestant denominational/congregational leaders (who actively teach against RC beliefs).
b.Some of it is because of the Prot's personal experiences with uninformed/illinformed Roman Catholics/Roman Catholicism (ill or uninformed in the sense that some RCs could not answer their heart's deepest questions re the faith and some RCs have told them blatantly wrong things about RC teachings...out of sheer ignorance).
The RCC is not known to be very strong in the area of spiritual nurture and Christian education I am afraid. The RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation) is one of the few good nurturing and teaching units of the church...also the Pastoral Institute (if it still exists...I have been out of touch...)....
c Sometimes the attitude of RCs towards Protestants and other religious groups can create some tension: eg in the name of 'ecumenism', RCs treat other religious groups almost at par or better than they treat fellow Christians.. ..causing Protestants to wonder if RCs are getting syncretistic!
The Inter religious faith dealings of the RCC does sometimes make some Protestants wonder where their brothers and sisters are coming from. On one hand it is true that the Vatican II document re inter religious relations has certain guidelines and attitudes. On the other hand, there is the Vatican II's decree on ecumenism which gives Protestants a certain kinship position which is not there between RCs and other religions. In practice however, the reverse seems to be true...RCs treat other religious groups better than they treat Protestants.
d. RCs say that the Church of Jesus Christ ' subsists' (Vatican II's Lumen Gentium document) in the RCC...and call the Protestant churches - 'ecclesial communities'....not recognising them as fellow churches.I am afraid to say that even I find that this is a sheer display of spiritual arrogance.
The above are not excuses but possible explanations re: the animosity Prots feel re RCs....It takes quite a bit to refuse to hit back (tit for tat) but to state our own Prot position firmly (ie not gloss over differences)and relate in love with RCs....(ie in attitude of respect and care). This is not easy.
To all RCs and Prots: I hope we do not continue with a tit for tat style of conversation in this forum in the sense that we react in anger to one another without showing basic Christian respect and humility. James said that 'a man's anger cannot promote the justice of God'. I hope that this forum can be a place where we can dialogue with a view of helping each other IN LOVE to grow to be more like Jesus...who is after all, the Lord of RCs and Prots.
God bless. Warmly, THE PILGRIM
ps Emmanuel, you might like to know that in one of our Prot denominational churches (an EVANGELICAL-charismatic one), the whole church, led by the pastor, spent a few minutes in a prayer of blessing for your new Archbishop (prayed for him by name) and for all the RCs in Singapore on the Sunday Fr Nicholas Chia was announced as the new Archie in the Sunday Times. The congregation prayed also for individual RC friends that they might have in their place of work or residence, that God would deepen their love and life in Jesus.... So not all Prot churches which are evangelical or charismatic are anti-Catholic.