Pfingstgemeinden
A friend of mine said that his church takes the Bible literally, but that the Catholic Church doesn't...is that true?
Some of the issues non-Catholic Christians struggle with when it comes to the Catholic Church – and their clarification:
Question 1: Catholics do not see us as a church! Did not the last Pope say something like that?
Response: Yes, there are some Christian denominations that the Catholic Church does not see as “church”. This is because they do not have apostolic succession and like that no Eucharist (Jesus commanded His apostles – and with them those in line with them through the laying on of hands – to celebrate the Lord’s supper. He did NOT authorize everyone to do that!). It has nothing to do with their size or with their acknowledgment as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Question 2: Apostolic succession is necessary to become a priest and to forgive sins in Jesus’ name, I understand that. But can I also go to others who claim to have that?
Response: There are certain circumstances where the Catholic Church would allow their members to do that. For instance, when you live in an area where there is absolutely no Catholic Church around, but there would be a Greek Orthodox one, you are allowed to go to its priest and ask to receive the sacraments there. However, being “anointed” through some bishop who split away years ago and claiming apostolic succession through that and with it the ability to forgive sins and so on is invalid – and so is the sacrament of confession that goes along. Apostolic succession and the sacraments performed by priests are only valid when it is also legitimate.
Question 3: The Catholic Church thinks she is the only one around. We in our church do not believe we are the only church in town. When Catholics speak about unity, they mean that we should all become Catholic, right?
Response: Jesus founded one physical Church, not some sort of spiritual entity of those who call themselves Christians but have thousands of different beliefs. He only has ONE body. Yes, we are all called to unite. A house that is divided cannot stand. We need to become one again – physically one (“Catholic”). There were grave sins made on both sides regarding the lack of unity. All of us need to do our utmost on a practical basis to reach unity again. It is not about the mean Catholic Church forcing all to become Catholic. It is about being ONE body of Christ again! Imagine the fire we could unfold, if we united our various gifts and talents! Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Traditionalists, Charismatics – all of that united under one roof! Catholics could learn so much from their non-Catholic brothers and sisters – and the other way around! All of us are sinning gravely if we do nothing to become one Church again! This is not about domination of one Church that thinks she is better than all of the rest, but about all of us being humble enough to unite!
Question 4: Why would we need a Pope? All we need is the Bible!
Response: Aside the fact that “sola scriptura” (the Bible as the only authority) is nowhere to be found in the Bible and that without the Church we would not have a Bible to begin with – if it were enough, how come we have 38000+ different Christian denominations with different beliefs? We can’t even agree on the basics! I am glad I have a Pope so I don’t have to be one myself!
It is not about winning arguments, playing the blame game or pointing with the finger at others. We need to become ONE again, fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission and save souls!
Links National
Wikipedia: Pfingstbewegung
Dr. Hansjörg Hemminger / Annette Kick: Pfingstbewegung
Bund freikirchlicher Pfingstgemeinden
Links International
EWTN: Catholic and Pentecostal Relations
EWTN / ZENIT: On Catholics and Pentecostals
EWTN: Errors of Charismatics
Pastor and Flock Convert to Catholicism
Sharing Your Faith With a Oneness Pentecostal - part 1
Sharing Your Faith With a Oneness Pentecostal - part 2
EWTN: Dialogue with Pentecostals
The Gospel According to Oneness Pentecostalism
The Holy Trinity and "Oneness" Pentecostals
Catholic Answers: The Nature of Tongues
Catholic Answers: The Trentecostal Reversion
Catholic Answers: Up from Pentecostalism
ScriptureCatholic.com: Tongues
Wikipedia: Pentecostalism
Webtvcn.com: Testimony of Tim Staples
The Barna Group: How Different Generations View and Engage with Charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity
Resources
EWTN: Journey Home (DVD)
Saint Joseph Communications: No Greater Gift (Mike Cumbie) (DVD)
Mike Cumbie: No Bread on the Table, No Crumbs on the Floor (DVD)
Mike Cumbie: Who Has Seen the Wind? (CDs)
Saint Joseph Communications: Testimony to Truth (Dr. Scott Hahn / Alex Jones) (DVD)
Tim Staples: Jimmy Swaggart Made Me Catholic (CDs)
A book that you guys really should read if youy want to give Catholics a chance to bring up what they have to say against all those accusations being made against them and their beliefs (and shouldn't you at least read their side, too, if you attack them? Wouldn't that be fair?):
Catholicism and Fundamentalism: The Attack on "Romanism" by "Bible Christians" (Taschenbuch)
von Karl Keating (Autor)
Taschenbuch: 360 Seiten
Verlag: Ignatius Pr (Mai 1988)
Sprache: Englisch
ISBN-10: 0898701775
ISBN-13: 978-0898701777
Warning: After having read that book you might probably not be the same as before and not believe whatever you believed in before!
Here some books by Prof. Dr. Scott Hahn, that might have the same effect:
Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism (Taschenbuch)
von Scott Hahn (Autor), Kimberly Hahn (Künstler)
Taschenbuch: 210 Seiten
Verlag: Ignatius Press (August 1993)
Sprache: Englisch
ISBN-10: 0898704782
ISBN-13: 978-0898704785
The Lamb's Supper: Experiencing the Mass: The Mass as Heaven on Earth (Gebundene Ausgabe)
von Scott Hahn (Autor), Benedict J. Groeschel (Künstler)
Gebundene Ausgabe: 174 Seiten
Verlag: Bantam Dell (November 1999)
Sprache: Englisch
ISBN-10: 0385496591
ISBN-13: 978-0385496599
Hail, Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God (Taschenbuch)
von Scott Hahn (Autor)
Taschenbuch: 208 Seiten
Verlag: Bantam Dell; Auflage: Reprint (19. September 2006)
Sprache: Englisch
ISBN-10: 0385501692
ISBN-13: 978-0385501699
Und hier unser Glaubenszeugnis auf Deutsch. Was glauben Katholiken wirklich und warum glauben sie es? Gibt es dafür wirklich keine biblischen Grundlagen?
Katholischer Erwachsenenkatechismus. 2 Bände: Band I: Das Glaubensbekenntnis der Kirche. Band II: Leben aus dem Glauben (Gebundene Ausgabe)
von Deutsche Bischofskonferenz (Herausgeber)
Gebundene Ausgabe: 976 Seiten
Verlag: Herder, Freiburg; Auflage: 1 (August 2006)
Sprache: Deutsch
ISBN-10: 3451291533
ISBN-13: 978-3451291531
Katechismus der Katholischen Kirche: Kompendium (Broschiert)
von Vatikan Vatikan / Deutsche Bischofskonferenz (Autor)
Broschiert: 256 Seiten
Verlag: Pattloch; Auflage: 1 (12. August 2005)
Sprache: Deutsch
ISBN-10: 3629021409
ISBN-13: 978-3629021403
Catechism of the Catholic Church
United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (Taschenbuch)
von United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (Herausgeber)
Taschenbuch: 664 Seiten
Verlag: Usccb Pub (August 2006)
Sprache: Englisch
ISBN-10: 1574554506
ISBN-13: 978-1574554502
Hier noch einige Bücher von Prof. Dr. Scott Hahn, die ebenfalls eure bisherige Sichtweise von der Katholischen Kirche radikal verändern dürften, wenn ihr Nicht-Katholiken seid:
Unser Weg nach Rom (Taschenbuch)
von Scott Hahn (Autor), Kimberly Hahn (Autor), Ludger Hölscher (Übersetzer)
Taschenbuch: 219 Seiten
Verlag: Christiana-Verlag; Auflage: 5 (2004)
Sprache: Deutsch
ISBN-10: 3717110691
ISBN-13: 978-3717110699
Das Mahl des Lammes. Die Messe als Himmel auf Erden (Gebundene Ausgabe)
von Scott Hahn (Autor), Ludger Hölscher (Übersetzer)
Gebundene Ausgabe: 176 Seiten
Verlag: Sankt Ulrich Verlag; Auflage: 1 (Februar 2003)
Sprache: Deutsch
ISBN-10: 3929246945
ISBN-13: 978-3929246940
Die Königin des Himmels: Maria suchen und finden (Gebundene Ausgabe)
von Scott Hahn (Autor), Ludger Hölscher (Übersetzer)
Gebundene Ausgabe: 157 Seiten
Verlag: Sankt Ulrich Verlag; Auflage: 1 (Februar 2004)
Sprache: Deutsch
ISBN-10: 3936484228
ISBN-13: 978-3936484229
Fr. William Casey