Subject: salvation and Cath Church |
Bible Note: Dear Stephanie, I agree with Joe!!! "Church History in Plain Language" is by far the best church history I have ever read (and I have read many). I was so impressed that I bought one for every single member of my Bible Study group. You can get it in paperback for about twenty dollars. It is the clearest account of church history without pro-Catholic or pro-Protestant bias I have ever come across. I highly recommend it. It is also helpful for a newly born-again person to share with family members so that they may understand the true history of the church and also without your having to worry about prejudiced (anti-Catholic)rhetoric that would be offensive to them. As a former Catholic myself, I found that the Roman Catholic Church, though it has many beautiful traditions from much further back in history than the Protestant churches, yet many of the doctrines do not have any Biblical base. This is why it doesn't always jive with the Scriptures. It had some periods of apostasy (or the leadership becoming corrupt) in its past and it's policy that the pope cannot make a mistake concerning faith and morals so that no matter what he decides is doctrine, and is considered the truth, has led to trouble in the past for he really is only a man. He is a man with the awesome responsibility of representing a large part of Christianity to the world. For instance there was a time when there were three popes. How can all three hold the absolute truth when their opinions conflicted?..and so, sadly, this matter of historical record, has caused error in some areas. The dogmas through some of these times have continued to be accepted as the teaching in the church, though it now is not in apostasy. I believe ALL church doctrine should come from Scripture. II Timothy 3:16-17 tells us "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in all righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thorougly furnished unto all good works." Read this in your own Catholic Bible if you have one...I have quoted from my KJV. "Church History in Plain Language" will help you sort out for yourself the true history of the church from its origins until now. Stephanie, I could not contain myself as this history that Joe recommends is so precious to me. I systematically have given it to each member of my Bible-study as each had a birthday over this past year. Itiswritten. |