Catholics and Protestants;

Transcription

1 Catholics and Protestants; What s the Difference? A Layman s Doctrinal Guide Richard B. Ramsay

2 Contents INTRODUCTION SALVATION; THE CATHOLIC VIEW FAITH ALONE; THE PROTESTANT VIEW OF SALVATION FAITH ALONE; DEALING WITH DIFFICULTIES AND LOOKING AT PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES THE BIBLE ALONE JESUS ALONE THE SACRAMENTS AND PENANCE THE OLD TESTAMENT APOCRYPHAL BOOKS

3 8. THE PAPACY AND CHURCH GOVERNMENT OTHER DIFFERENCES CONCLUSION

4 Dedication I would like to dedicate this book to two catholids that I love and respect very much, to my father-in-law and mother-in-law, José Guillermo Pérez Flores and Alicia Cornejo Albornoz I have fond memories of our conversations about the faith and our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for accepting me into your family, for your understanding, for your hospitality, and for your kindness. Above all, thank you for María Angélica, a beautiful wife, inside and out! 4

5 Preface I hesitated to write this book for a while, mainly for two reasons: First, because it might be used to bolster our pride. Due to our fallen nature and our hidden insecurities, we all struggle with the sinful desire to show that we are superior to others. One way to feel superior is to convince ourselves that we have the best understanding of doctrine. To nurture pride is far from my purpose. Even though I do in fact espouse the Protestant faith, that does not mean that I should be arrogant about it. If I know anything correctly at all, it is only by the grace of God! Secondly, it is not very popular in our day to talk of differences. This is the age of ecumenicism and tolerance. People are supposed to look for what they have in common, not for what separates them. It is not my objective to produce any more friction than we already have. Division in the Christian Church is a scandal to the gospel, and we have a biblical mandate to work toward unity. However, I 5

6 believe it is necessary to clarify the differences between Protestant doctrine and Catholic doctrine, precisely because of the present dialogue. The purpose is not to foster pride or to promote separation, but simply to clear the air of confusion. I have in my hands a statement called Evangelicals and Catholics Together: The Christian Mission in the Third Millennium, calling for dialogue and cooperation, especially in social and moral issues of the day. The document was signed by prominent church leaders from both camps. As I have visited churches during missionary conferences in the United States, I can witness to the fact that this document has produced strong feelings. Whichever side you take in this debate, you need to be informed about the deeper issues involved. As the document itself states, We can and do pledge that we will continue to search together - through study, discussion, and prayer - for a better understanding of one another s convictions 6

7 and a more adequate comprehension of the truth of God in Christ. 1 I also have an article about a Joint Declaration signed by Lutherans and Catholics regarding the doctrine of justification. It says, Together we confess: By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works." 2 What does this mean? Are they really in agreement about this subject that was such a decisive point in the Reformation? This is not the place to criticize or analyze these documents. I just cite them to show that the topic is currently beind debated. It is an important time to reflect and understand what each other believes. 1 Charles Colson, and Richard John Neuhaus, editors, Evangelicals and Catholics Together; Toward a Common Mission (Dallas, Texas: Word Publishing, 1995), p. xxii. 2 David Van Biema, "A Half-Millenium Rift", Time, July 6, 1998, vol. 152, No. 1. 7

8 If you are a Protestant, hopefully this book will challenge you to understand Catholicism better. I believe we Protestants tend to over-simplify Catholic doctrine. I want to be fair to them in this book, using primarily their own Catechism of the Catholic Church as a source. 3 I want to put myself in their place and ask how they came to believe their doctrine. I personally feel that if some Catholic idea seems ridiculous to me, I should ask myself if I really understand it. They are not ignorant, and they do in fact use the Bible to support their doctrine. Their most brilliant theologians have been struggling for centuries to express their understanding of Christian teaching. I believe they deserve more than a few minutes of our time to understand them better. On the other hand, if you are a Catholic, hopefully this book will help you understand Protestantism. I also believe that we have been misrepresented and over-simplified by Catholics. 3 Catechism of the Catholic Church, (New York: Doubleday, 1995). 8

9 Furthermore, both Protestants and Catholics may also find that they gain a deeper understanding of their own doctrine. Few people on either side really make an effort to study carefully what their church teaches. If you are an ecumenicist, the book should make you realize that there are gaping differences that must be studied. Unity cannot be realized without the truth. Otherwise it would be forced and superficial. We need to clarify the differences before we can dialogue about them. I obviously believe that the Protestant focus is more biblical. However, I also believe that no human being has the whole truth, and that we all stand to be corrected. If the Catholics can show me that their understanding on any issue is more biblical, then I will change my mind. My submission is first of all to God and to his revelation in Scripture, not to any body of doctrine formulated and systematized by men. I have been a missionary in Chile for over twenty years, and have dialogued constantly with 9

10 Catholics. The title of the book comes from a question that I have been asked over and over, What s the difference between Protestants and Catholics? Before becoming a Protestant in her university years, my wife was reared in a Catholic family, as almost all Latin Americans. She has helped me understand the Catholics, and I have learned to love them and to respect them. My father-in-law is a devout Catholic and is presently studying theology at the university. He read an abbreviated version of this book (in Spanish), and found it to be fair to Catholics, which greatly pleased me. Finally, I believe that loving one another does not depend on agreeing with each other. If it did, would we be able to love anybody? In this fallen world, no two people agree on absolutely everything. We can love the Catholics, even though we disagree with their doctrine. In fact, it is out of love that this book is written. I believe that love leads us to communicate. On the one hand, if we think our Catholic friends are 10

11 mistaken, we want them to know the truth. On the other hand, if we are even slightly humble, we must admit that we don t have all the truth, and that we can learn from them, too. I hope they have the same attitude toward us. I am especially thinking of lay people as I write. There are more sophisticated theology books about Catholicism for pastors and theologians. But many people have friends whom they would like to understand better, and need a simple handbook to guide them. In this book I hope to clarify these doctrines that can often seem very confusing. 11

12 Introduction Before talking of the differences between Protestant and Catholic doctrine, I would like to point out some things we have in common: the doctrines of the Apostle s Creed. This is a very important historical document that both churches confess. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilot, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 12

13 He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. 4 We also hold in common the doctrines from the Nicene-Constantinople Creed, from the year 381. We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was 4 This version of the creed is taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, pp

14 born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended in heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. 5 It is necessary to explain one of the terms used in these creeds. When the word catholic is used, it 5 Taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, pp

15 does not refer to the roman institution, but to the universal Church, the body of believers around the world. At the time these creeds were written, there was only one Christian Church, and the term catholic was used in the original sense of the word, which means universal. Notice that the word is written with a small letter and not a capital C. Only centuries later did they begin to use the term to distinguish the Roman Catholic institution from other branches of Christianity. But the purpose of quoting these documents is to show what we have in common. These are important doctrines! We believe in the Trinity, in creation, in the virgin birth of Jesus, in His death and resurrection, in the forgiveness of sins, in the Second Coming, and in eternal life! We thank God for these important doctrines! Many of these doctrines that the early Church discussed and defined are officially held by all branches of the Christian Church. As I hope to show later, our differences are not in these beliefs, but rather the 15

16 differences are in how salvation is applied to us and made effective in us. There are three basic branches of Christianity: the Roman Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, and Protestantism. The first division of the Church came in 1054, when the Western Church with its base in Rome, and the Eastern Church, with its base in Constantinople, excommunicated each other mutually. The main point of disagreement was over the authority of the Pope in Rome. Those from the East did not accept him as the authority over the universal Church, and as the only successor of Peter, superior over the other bishops. The second great division was the Reformation, which has as its key date the year 1517, when Martin Luther published his Ninety Five Theses. Luther was declared a heretic at the Diet of Worms, We do not consider Christian the cults that have departed from basic doctrines, such as the Trinity and the teachings of the two creeds cited above, and who have added other sacred writings to the Bible, as part of the Christian Church. The 16

17 Mormons (Church of the Latter Day Saints) and the Jehovah s Witnesses, are the most commonly known cults. Within each of the three branches of Christianity there are different tendencies. Catholics have the Franciscan, the Jesuit, and the Augustinian orders, for example. They have the Opus Dei movement, the Schönstadt movent, Liberation Theology, the followers of Le Fevre, and many other groups. Among them there are conservative theologians that hold traditional doctrine, and there are liberals that depart seriously from it. There are also differences among Catholics from each country. For example, there is much more emphasis on the use of images, on pilgrimmages, and on the Virgen Mary in Latin America than there is in the United States. Protestants also have different schools of theology, tendencies that are quite varied. Historically, the first distinction among Protestants was between the Lutherans and the Calvinists. The Lutheran Church became the 17

18 official church in Germany. Calvinist churches were established during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries especially in Switzerland, Scotland, and Holland. Normally they have names that include the words Reformed or Presbyterian such as: The Christian Reformed Church, The Reformed Church of Holland, or the Presbyterian Church in America. The reformed creeds that are best known are The Heidelberg Catechism, The Belgic Confession, The Canons of Dordt, The Westminster Confession of Faith, and the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms. The first creeds of the Baptist Church were also reformed, being adaptations of the calvinistic statements of faith. 6 During the sixteenth century, one of the main points of difference between the followers of Calvin and Luther was over the Lord s Supper, and how to explain the presence of the Lord in it. However, this was not the only difference between the two. Calvin put a greater emphasis in his doctrine on the 6 Documents of the Christian Church, pp

19 sovereignty of God, on the transformation of society, and on the pedagogical use of the law of God. His Institutes of the Christian Religion is one of the most systematic and logical expressions of theology in the history of Christianity. During the sixteenth century, the Anglican Church was established in England, under the leadership of Thomas Cranmer. The English wanted to become independent of Rome, but they also wanted to avoid the extremes of the more radical Protestants. Cranmer wrote the Forty Two Articles (1553), that were later abbreviated in the Thirty Nine Articles, still the official creed of the Anglicans. Bascially, these Articles espouse reformed doctrine, but the Anglical Church kept a hierarchical structure and a more formal liturgy. 7 A third division among Protestants was between the reformed and the Arminians. The followers of Jacob Arminius, a Dutch theologian, 7 Bengt Hägglund, History of Theology (St. Louis, Missouri: Concordia Publishing House, 1966), pp

20 disagreed with the Calvinist doctrine of the effects of the Fall on man, and also with the Calvinist view of predestination. The Methodist Church, for example, followed the doctrine of Arminius, A fourth division was caused by the charistmatic movement. This movement began early in the twentieth century, giving rise to groups such as the Pentecostal churches and the Assembly of God. These churches emphasize the person of the Holy Spirit and the extraordinary spiritual gifts. (The term charismatic comes from the Greek word charisma which means gift.) These churches are characterized by their joyful worship services with much time dedicated to praise, and by their tireless efforts in evangelism. Nevertheless, the greatest difference among Protestants is the distinction between liberals and conservatives. These two tendencies exist within many of the Protestant groups mentioned above (as well as among Catholics). The liberals (so called by the conservatives) do not accept the Bible as infallible, and therefore they deny many of the 20

21 traditional doctrines such as the virgin birth of Christ, miracles, and the literal physical resurrection of Jesus, for example. Conservatives believe that the Bible is inerrant, and we accept the historically traditional doctrines. Considering these differences, conservative Protestants are much close to conservative Catholics than we are to liberal Protestants! There are som many different groups and tendencies that thousands of books could not explain them! The purpose of this book is not to clarify all such differences, but rather to focus on the differences between the basic traditional beliefs of the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church. The question is... What are the differences between Protestants and Catholics? Some differences are obvious. For example, the Catholic Church maintains organizational unity with their central base in Rome, while Protestants 21

22 manifest our unity in fraternal activities such as evangelistica campaigns, conferences, and interdenominational organizations. The ecclesiastical government of the Catholic Church is strictly hierarchical, while the majority of Protestant churches have some kind of democratic representative system. (The Anglicans are an exception.) Protestants permit our pastors to marry, while Catholics insist on celibacy for their priests. Liturgies also differ in obvious ways. In general, the Catholic service is more solemn, with a formal liturgy, while the Protestant service is generally less formal and has a longer sermon. (Again, the Anglicans are an exception (but not in Latin America, where their worship services tend to be more informal). Catholics practice confession before a priest, while Protestants confess directly to God, and only to other people whom they have offended in order to ask their forgiveness. There is also a difference in the Bibles used by each church. The Catholic Bible includes the Apocryphal books, while the Protestant Bibles do not. In the 22

23 second part of this book, these points will be analyzed briefly. But before dealing with these topics, in the first part of the book, we will examine three fundamental doctrinal differences. The key Protestant doctrines that differ from Catholicism could be summarized in three phrases: 1. Faith Alone (Sola Fide), 2.The Bible Alone (Sola Scriptura), and 3. Jesus Alone (Solo Christo). 1) Protestants sometimes speak of salvation only by grace (Sola Gratia) but, this can be confusing when speaking of our differences. As will be explained later, the Catholics also say we are saved only by grace. The difference is in how saving grace is received; Protestants say by faith alone, whereas Catholics say through the sacraments and through man s meritorious cooperation with the grace of God, as well as by faith. Justification by faith was the doctrinal foundation of the reformation. Although Protestant doctrines were being taught much before his time, it was Martin Luther that marked 23

24 the beginning of the reformation with his Ninety Five Theses nailed to the Wittenburg door in He objected to indulgences and the authority of the Pope, but the heart of his theology was justification by faith. 2) For Catholics, the Bible is not their only source of divine revelation. They also believe that God has preserved other truths through oral tradition, and that this truth is communicated to us through the authorities of the Catholic Church. 3) For Catholics, Jesus is not the only mediator for our salvation. The saints and especially the Virgin Mary also intercede for us and participate in our salvation. For the official Catholic view, the new Catechism of the Catholic Church is cited mostly. This impressive volume carries the weight of approval of the Catholic authorities, and is reinforced by their official historical documents. Thus it is both official and up to date. For the historical Protestant view, the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Westminster Larger 24

25 and Shorter Catechisms are used. Some Protestants might think that the perspective of these documents does not represent mainline Protestantism today. That may be true, since many Protestants have opted for liberalism. However, I believe the documents do represent the historical traditional position on the issues discussed in this book. 25

26 Salvation; The Catholic View The following anecdote from a popular Italian novel is an allegory of many people s religious experience, among both Catholics and Protestants: In the entrance to the school, the sisters had built a large manger scene which remained standing all year long. There was Jesus in the stable with his father, his mother, an ox and a little donkey, and all around there were mountains and 26

27 cliffs made of cardboard and rocks, where only a flock of little sheep lived. Every one of them represented a student, and depending on his conduct each day, was moved closer or farther away from Jesus. Every morning, before going to class, we would pass by the manger, and they made us look to see our position. On the other side of the stable there was a very steep cliff, and that s where the bad girls were put, with two legs suspended over the edge. From six years of age until ten, I lived conditioned by the position of my little sheep. I don t need to tell you that I hardly every moved from the edge of the cliff. 8 We tend to think that the distance between us and God depends directly on our conduct. The key question is, how can I become right with God? We want to investigate the different ways each church explains the doctrine of salvation. What are the 8 Translated by the author from the Spanish version, Donde el corazón te lleve [Where your heart leads you] Susana Tamara (Santiago, Chile: Editorial Atlántida, 1995), pp

28 official positions of the Catholic and Protestant churches? I believe we can agree with Catholics that our salvation is made available to us only because of God s grace. Both Protestants and Catholics point to the work of Christ as the basis of our salvation. Man is a sinner and deserves eternal condemnation, but Jesus came to live a perfect life and to die in our place. He took the punishment that we deserved. In these points, both churches agree, at least in their traditional teachings. The Catholic Catechism 9 says: 2007 With regard to God, there is no strict right to any merit on the part of man. Between God and us there is an immeasurable inequality, for we have received everything from him, our Creator. 9 All references in the Catechism will be given by number of section so that they can be found in any version. 28

29 But the key questions is: How does man receive the salvation that Jesus purchased? Here lies the difference. We basically agree on how God purchased salvation for us, but not on how God applies this salvation to us. Protestants believe man is saved by faith alone in Jesus Christ. We emphasize the direct work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. By contrast, Catholics teach that salvation depends on the sacraments, as well as the merits earned by man in cooperation with the grace of God, in addition to his faith. They emphasize the fact that the Church is the channel for saving grace. But the catholic position is not as simple as many Protestants believe; it is not exactly faith + works = salvation. Strangely enough, the document, Evangelicals and Catholics Together, does not include justification by faith among the differences that need to be discussed. Even more confusing, the document states that Evangelical Protestants and Catholics affirm together that we are justified by 29

30 grace through faith because of Christ. 10 But just what do Catholics mean when they affirm this? What do they mean by justification, and by faith? We hope to clarify their doctrine in this chapter, then explain the Protestant teaching in the following chapter. Again, the important question is, how does man receive the saving grace of God? Most Catholics I have talked to have a sense that it is very important to belong to the Catholic Church and to try to live according to Christian ethics. They tend to believe in the existence of God, in the authority of the Bible, and in the historical Jesus. They believe in heaven, hell, and eternal life. I often like to ask the Kennedy Questions from Evangelism Explosion 11 : 10 Colson and Neuhaus, Evangelicals and Catholics Together, p. xviii. 11 James D. Kennedy, Evangelism Explosion, (Chicago: Tyndale House Publishers, 1977). 30

31 If you were to die today, do you think you would go to heaven? If you were to die and go before God, and he asked you why you think you could have eternal life, what would you answer? Most Catholics I have talked to also feel that it would be arrogant and presumptuous to believe they are going to heaven. Those that do think they might go to heaven usually base their confidence on the fact that they have tried to live a good life or that they have suffered a lot. For example, I know an elderly gentleman who owns a liquor store. He has been separated from his first wife, and is living with another woman, with whom he is not legally married. He has a serious problem with his leg. The doctors have operated on him more than twenty times, and the results have never been what they promise. This man lives with severe pain in his leg and in his back. He walks with great difficulty, using a cane. He has finally come to the conclusion that the doctors have made 31

32 themselves rich at the expense of his suffering. It has been a bitter realization. When he came to talk to me about his relationship with his wife, I took the opportunity to talk with him also about his relationship with God. I asked him if he thought he had eternal life and he said, Yes, I do. When I asked him why, he broke down crying and answered, Because I have tried to live a good life, and because I have suffered so much. In some way or another, they seem to be imagining a set of balancing scales in their mind, weighing the good and the bad. When they die, the good things will be stacked up on one side, while the bad things are stacked on the other side. Terrified, they will stand by and wait for the outcome. While it is true that many Protestants give similar answers to these same questions, there seems to be a difference in the Catholic attitude. For one thing, they tend to think they have tried to be good Christians, and are hoping that God will somehow recognize that. They aren t supposed to be 32

33 sure of their salvation, because that would be presuming too much, yet they do hope God will save them. The aspect of suffering is also more prominent among Catholics. That is, they often interpret their suffering as a definite advantage toward gaining salvation. Furthermore, they tend to find a great deal of security in the fact that they are Catholics. They may not participate much in the services, but still they were baptized as Catholics, they had first communion, they have gone to confession, and hope to take advantage of the sacraments. If they were at one time an altar boy or somehow participated in religious activities, they like to mention that fact, as if it somehow gained some extra points. They tend to feel punished when things go wrong, and either suffer nobly, or become angry with God. They constantly ask themselves, Am I good enough? Of course, it would not be fair to judge the official doctrine of the Catholic Church by the common lay person s understanding of salvation. I don t think Protestants would want the Catholics to 33

34 do that with us! But I mention these personal expressions because this is really the purpose of the whole study. We want to understand the common Catholic better. We are looking for the doctrinal background behind these typical attitudes. Also, we want to understand their terminology when we talk of spiritual things. At times, Catholic teaching about salvation and eternal life seems ambiguous or contradictory. It may be because they use theological terms in a different way than Protestants. It is also because their doctrine of Tradition and the Church ogligates them to officially hold a variety of teachings over many centuries and show that somehow they don t contradict each other. 1. The problem of sin First, before speaking of salvation, we should explain why we need to be saved. We agree that the problem is sin. However, there are different views 34

35 about the extension and gravity of sin, an issue that greatly influences the doctrine of salvation. There was a theological debate in the fifth century between Augustine and Pelagius, an English monk living in Rome, regarding the effects of the Fall, original sin, and saving grace. Pelagius reacted against Augustine s emphasis on the absolute necessity of sovereign grace, fearing that this doctrine might cause a passive attitude toward sin. 12 The monk believed that man, even after the Fall, was capable in his own strength, without the supernatural work of God, to obey God and avoid sin. I did indeed say that a man can be without sin and keep the commandments of God, if he wishes, for this ability has been given to him by God Confesiones, quoted by R. C. Sproul, Augustine and Pelagius, 13 Quoted in To Demetrius : 35

36 Although Augustine was not totally consistent in his writings, he took the leadership in the public debate against Pelagius and his colleagues. He insisted that man was so affected by the Fall that he was uncapable of pleasing God, without a previous sovereign and supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. According to him, before the Fall it was possible to sin or not sin, but after the Fall, it was impossible not to sin. The teachings of Pelaguis were condemned by several church councils (Carthage in 416, and 418, Ephesus in 431, Orange in 529, even Trent in 1546). Furthermore, Pelaguis was excommunicated by Pope Innocent I in Nevertheless, not everyone was completely in agreement with Augustine. Some (such as John Cassian, ) adopted a position between 14 Louis Berkhof, The History of Christian Doctrines (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1975), pp See also R. Scott Clark, Pelagianism, and R.C. Sproul, Augustine and Pelagius. 36

37 Pelaguis and Augustine (normally called semi- Pelagian but sometimes called semi-augustinian), in which they recognize most of the effects of the Fall, but believe that some positive element remained in man after the Fall that permits him to seek God. Divine grace is needed for salvation, but man takes the initiative in seeking that grace; the grace is not effective until man responds by his own initiative. As one theologican expresses it, man is sick, but not dead in his sins; he cannot heal himself, but he can call the doctor. 15 Even though this intermediate position was also condemned by the Council of Orange, 16 it influenced the future position of the Roman Church. 15 Jorge Trujillo, Son pecadores los niños?; la doctrina del pecado original [Are children sinners; the doctrine of original sin], translated by the author Kenneth Scott Latourette, A History of Christianity (New York: Harper and Row, 1953), p

38 It was expressed in the doctrine of the Council of Trent, according to scholars such as A. A: Hodge. 17 The Catechism shows evidence of this view Original sin...is a deprivation of original holiness and justice, but human nature has not been totally corrupted: it is wounded in the natural powers proper to it, subject to ignorance, suffering and the dominion of death, and inclined to sin - an inclination to evil that is called concupiscence. It would not be precise to say that this is a clear difference between all Protestants and Catholics, since the Arminians also adopted the semi-pelagian position, as opposed to reformed theology. However, the Catholic position is unique in that it clouds the issue with their understanding of conscupiscence. They consider this a weakness, 17 A.A. Hodge, Outlines of Theology; Pelagianism, Semi- Pelagianism, and Augustinianism,

39 or a tendency toward sin that was part of natural man, even before the Fall. It will take on greater importance when we explain the condition of man after baptism in a following section. In summary, according the the Catholic view man was neither completely free from any negative spiritual factor at creation, nor is he without any positive spiritual elements after the Fall Salvation Looking at salvation from a personal perspective, there are two stages in the process of salvation according to the Catholic view: initiation and collaboration, or initiation and the continued struggle. The Catechism makes a distinction between Christian initiation and the sacraments of healing. 18 See a discussion of this by Catholic author Richard P. McBrian, Catholicism (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1994), pp

40 a. Initiation in baptism First, a person (usually a child) receives the initial grace of God in the sacrament of baptism Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need 19 All underlining in these texts and all other quotes, from the Catechism, the Bible, the Protestant documents, or from any other text, are mine, and not were not underlined in the original. 40

41 of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called. The sheer gratuitousness of the grace of salvation is particularly manifest in infant Baptism. The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth By Baptism the Christian participates in the grace of Christ The grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that God makes to us of his own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it. It is the sanctifying or deifying grace received in Baptism. It is in us the source of the work of sanctification. Notice that several important things happen at baptism: 1) Sin is forgiven. This means forgiveness 41

42 of original sin inherited from Adam. 2) The person is born again. This has been called baptismal regeneration. The statement, Evangelicals and Catholics Together, points out that among the differences between Catholics and Evangelicals is, Baptism as a sacrament of regeneration or testimony to regeneration. 20 The Catholic view is that Baptism is a sacrament of regeneration. 3) The person becomes a member of the Church, the Body of Christ. 4) He or she receives grace, which is infused by the Holy Spirit. Obviously this sacrament is fundamental for Catholics. It is the beginning of their Christian life. The Cathechism also employs the term justification to explain the results of baptism Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the 20 Colson and Neuhaus, Evangelicals and Catholics Together, p. xxi. 42

43 instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith. However, Protestants must avoid confusion when we read the word justification. For Catholics, it includes both forgiveness of sin and freedom from the power of sin. In other words, their justification includes both justification and sanctification, as Protestants understand the terms Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man Justification detaches a man from sin which contradicts the love of God, and purifies his heart of sin. Justification follows upon God s merciful initiative of offering forgiveness. It reconciles man with God. It frees from the enslavement to sin, and it heals. 43

44 1995 Justification entails the sanctification of his whole being. Afterwards, when the baptized person reaches the age of reason, he or she participates in the confirmation and receives the eucharist. These two additional sacraments form part of the initiation, because they prepare the person to live a new life in Christ. When we Protestants read about the benefits of baptism, we might ask, Isn t the baptized person already saved then? To us it seems that, since his sins are forgiven in baptism, he has received eternal life. The answer is that, according to the Catholic view, if he were to die immediately after baptism, yes, he would have eternal life. But he can also fall from the state of grace. According to the Catholic scheme, he still has the weakness of the sinful nature ( conscupiscence ), and he can lose his state of purity that he received with the sacraments of initiation. Baptism covers original sin and personal sins committed before baptism, but not sins 44

45 committed after baptism. Neither does it take away the natural sinful tendency. 21 In other words, Baptism does not guarantee eternal life Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ's grace, erases original sin and turns a man back towards God, but the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined to evil, persist in man and summon him to spiritual battle. It s as if the person were a glass that has been filled with pure water at baptism. But when the 21 See discussion by Catholic author, Donald W. Wuerl, The Catholic Way; Faith for Living Today (New York: Doubleday, 2001), p See also The new life received in Christian initiation has not abolished the frailty and weakness of human nature, nor the inclination to sin that tradition calls concupiscence, which remains in the baptized such that with the help of the grace of Christ they may prove themselves in the struggle of Christian life. This is the struggle of conversion directed toward holiness and eternal life to which the Lord never ceases to call us. 45

46 person sins, the water becomes contaminated and must be purified again. 23 The advantage now is that, after initiation, the person has the Holy Spirit and grace to gain merits. This takes us to the second stage of salvation. b. Collaboration The baptized person now begins the stage of struggle. He collaborates with God to obtain eternal life and other blessings, by earning merits and by making use of the other sacraments such as the Eucharist and Penance. This process is especially important if he has fallen from the state of baptismal grace by committing grave sin Christ instituted the sacrament of Penance for all sinful members of his Church: above all for those who, since Baptism, have fallen into 23 David MacDonald, Catholic Doctrine Flow Chart, m 46

47 grave sin, and have thus lost their baptismal grace and wounded ecclesial communion. If a person has fallen from grace and dies without forgiveness, he will go to hell. 24 A grave sin, or mortal sin 25 is a more serious sin, especially related to breaking the Ten Commandments, but it must also be committed with full knowledge and deliberated consent to be classified as grave. 26 (Lesser sins, or venial sins will not send a person to hell, but he may need to go through Purgatory.) From the moment in which the person is baptized (and justified ), he begins this collaboration. Now his righteousness is obtained by cooperation. Since his ability to cooperate was graciously given to him in his baptism, they consider God to be the first cause of man s 24 Wuerl, The Catholic Way, p The terms seems to be synonymous, but not all Catholic theologians consider the terms exactly the same. 26 See paragraphs of the Catechism. 47

48 righteousness. But man s good works are also meritorious and absolutely essential to obtain salvation Justification establishes cooperation between God's grace and man's freedom. It is true that Catholicism teaches that salvation is based fundamentally on the grace (gratuitous help) of God. In the strict sense of the word, man doesn t merit anything With regard to God, there is no strict right to any merit on the part of man. Between God and us there is an immeasurable inequality, for we have received everything from him, our Creator. Nevertheless, man is not totally dependent on grace, but rather has something to contribute. As we saw earlier, the Fall did not produce total corruption, according to the Catholic view. 48

49 Furthermore, in the sacraments, the person receives a new capacity to cooperate with the grace of God in the spiritual struggle. He has received this capacity by grace, but the person himself must decide how he uses the capacity The merit of man before God in the Christian life arises from the fact that God has freely chosen to associate man with the work of his grace. The fatherly action of God is first on his own initiative, and then follows man's free acting through his collaboration, so that the merit of good works is to be attributed in the first place to the grace of God, then to the faithful. They go so far as to say that not only daily blessings, but also eternal life depends on man s good behavior Since the initiative belongs to God in the order of grace, no one can merit the initial 49

50 grace of forgiveness and justification, at the beginning of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit and by charity, we can then merit for ourselves and for others the graces needed for our sanctification, for the increase of grace and charity, and for the attainment of eternal life. Even temporal goods like health and friendship can be merited in accordance with God s wisdom The children of our holy mother the Church rightly hope for the grace of final perseverance and the recompense of God their Father for the good works accomplished with his grace in communion with Jesus No one can merit the initial grace which is at the origin of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit, we can merit for ourselves and for others all the graces needed to attain eternal life, as well as necessary temporal goods. 50

51 An essential part of a person s collaboration is to make use of the sacraments. The Eucharist is especially important. It works redemption and transformation For it is in the liturgy, especially in the divine sacrifice of the Eucharist, that the work of our redemption is accomplished Through the liturgy Christ, our redeemer and high priest, continues the work of redemption in, with, and through his Church It is in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist, that Christ Jesus works in fullness for the transformation of men. The sacrament of Confession, or Penance, which will be studied in greater detail in a subsequent chapter, is also a key to spiritual growth. It is also called repentance or conversion. It brings forgiveness. 51

52 1422 Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God s mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded with their sins. What about faith? What place does it have in the Catholic view of salvation? Catholics teach that faith in Jesus is necessary for salvation. 161 Believing in Jesus Christ and in the One who sent him for our salvation is necessary for obtaining that salvation. But faith is not the only thing necessary for salvation. It is faith plus baptism, faith plus the sacraments, faith plus good works. Also, when they speak of faith, they emphasize its corporal aspect. Since the Church is the body of Christ, and the deposit of faith, it becomes the channel through which an individual 52

53 believes. In other words, when someone becomes a member of the Church, he shares the faith of the body as a whole. 168 It is the Church that believes first, and so bears, nourishes, and sustains my faith. 169 Salvation comes from God alone; but because we receive the life of faith through the Church, she is our mother. 172 Through the centuries, in so many languages, cultures, peoples, and nations, the Church has constantly confessed this one faith, received from the one Lord, transmitted by one Baptism,. 181 Believing is an ecclesial act. The Church s faith precedes, engenders, supports, and nourishes our faith. The Church is the mother of all believers. No one can have God 53

54 as Father who does not have the Church as Mother. This helps explain the importance of the sacraments. While Protestants tend to emphasize the individual believer and his personal faith, Catholics emphasize the Church and its faith as a body. The Church is their mother that gives birth to their faith, feeds it and takes care of it. Thus, when a person is baptized and received into the Church, he or she becomes part of the body of believers, and participates in this corporate faith, leading to salvation. The sacraments then continue to be the vital connection with God s grace as it is channeled to the body. Catholics have designated this age the sacramental economy The Church was made manifest to the world on the day of Pentecost by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Spirit ushers in a new era in the dispensation of the 54

55 mystery - the age of the Church, during which Christ manifests, makes present, and communicates his work of salvation through the liturgy of his Church, until he comes. In this age of the Church, Christ now lives and acts in and with his Church, in a new way appropriate to this new age. He acts through the sacraments in what the common Tradition of the East and the West calls the sacramental economy ; this is the communication (or dispensation ) of the fruits of Christ s Paschal mystery in the celebration of the Church s sacramental liturgy. Conclusion In summary, the main difference is that Catholics bind up saving grace with the sacraments and with human merits, whereas Protestants emphasize the direct and sovereign work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer. For Catholics, a person first receives initial grace in 55

56 baptism. Then he cooperates with God to do works of righteousness, while the sacraments supply him with grace to continue this process of justification. The Church is the channel to receive grace, and the Church has control over how that grace is dispensed. It s as if God poured out a bucket-full of grace into the Church, and the Church in turn pours it out to its members. When the Catholic signers of Evangelicals and Catholics Together affirm that we are justified by grace through faith because of Christ, they probably mean something quite different than what a Protestant would mean by those words. By justified they mean a both forgiveness and a process of becoming more and more righteous. When they say faith they are including the corporate faith of the Church. And how does one have this corporate faith? By belonging to the Church. How do you belong to the Church? By being baptized. 56

57 Even if we understood the words, justified by grace through faith, with Protestant meaning, Catholic doctrine would not permit them to affirm that we are justified by faith alone. They would say we are justified by faith plus baptism, plus the other sacraments, plus works. Or to be more precise, the sacraments would come first. Furthermore, according to Time magazine, the Vatican added many notes to the text: The answer of Rome, nevertheless, suggests that Pope John Paul II can see some contradictions. Without denying the fact that salvation always begins with the grace of God, the Church refuses to renounce some cooperative agency on the part of man, by means of for example, penance and charity. 27 At the risk of over-simplifying, the Catholic teaching about how we receive saving grace could 27 David Van Biema, "A Half-Millenium Rift", Time, 6 de julio, 1998, vol. 152, No

58 be summed up, not by the phrase, faith + works = salvation, but rather by the phrase, baptism + other sacraments + faith + works = salvation. These elements are not in sequence, but rather all work together simultaneously and are interdependent. A person receives faith through the sacraments, and his faith leads him to continue participating in the sacraments. The sacraments give him grace to do meritorious works, and part of the works are to partake of the sacraments. The practical consequences of this theology are serious. First of all, for the Catholics, nobody can really be sure he has eternal life. Even though the person knows that salvation originated in the grace of God, now it depends on his own efforts to gain merits, to persevere, and to obtain eternal life! Thus he is continually asking himself, Have I been good enough? He can t have the joy of knowing he is saved. Furthermore, if the person is not experiencing temporal blessings such as good health or financial success, he tends to think it is because he has not 58

59 earned them! Thus he is also continually asking himself, Am I being punished? Just when he needs encouragement, this perspective heaps guilt on his sorrow. He may feel like one of the sheep in the manger scene that has been pushed to the edge of the cliff. The problem with the sheep analogy is that it leaves out the grace and mercy of God. We naturally tend to think that our distance from God depends directly on, and only on, our conduct. However, while it is true that our sin distances us from God, it is not true that our good conduct can bring us closer in and of itself. We cannot earn points with God. When we are far away, we can only ask for His forgiveness to be brought near. Neither is it true that God deals with us either kindly or harshly, solely in direct proportion to our conduct. If He did, we would all be constantly under His wrath. The Bible pictures Jesus as the Good Shepherd who goes and finds the lost sheep and brings him back to the fold (John 10). His mercy is new every morning, and His mercy is everlasting. 59