ECUMENISM
BASIC R.C. BELIEF
Historically, the only union Rome was interested in was in having people,
churches and kings bow before her in subjection.
POST VATICAN II
In recent years, there has been strong support for the ecumenical movement.
This has been largely the work of the World Council of Churches who, for
years, had received a cold shoulder from Roman Catholicism. More recently,
Roman Catholics have been actively pursuing ecumenism. This involves
reconciliation with Eastern Orthodox Churches and friendly approaches to
Protestants, who are now called separated brethren instead of heretics. It
has especially been pursued since Vatican II, but the emphasis is still
largely upon union on Rome's terms.
"While acting in sincere ecumenism with brethren of other Christian
confessions and with respect for all may (we) nevertheless know how to
remain and behave as faithful children of the Church in which they have
been baptized." (Pope John Paul II, quoted in Philippine Pastoral letter,
1/27/89.)
Vatican II document UNITATIS REDINTEGRATIO, #3, "the spirit of Christ has
not refrained from using non-Catholic Churches and Communities as means of
salvation."
Speaking over Radio Veritas, Manila, pope John Paul II said that the Roman
Catholic Church accepted the truth and goodness found in Islam, Hinduism
and Buddhism. Paying warm tribute to the many moral values enshrined in the
three non-Christian religions, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church
invited their adherents to common prayer that mutual understanding may grow
and moral values may be strenghened.
Ecumenical gestures have been made by Roman Catholics toward Jews,
Buddhists and Communists. Abraham is presented as a possible ecumenical
link between Catholics and Moslems. Pope John Paul II, a former moderate
Cardinal in Poland, stated that he favors detente with the Communists, and
has caused much speculation regarding future Catholic-Communist relations.
Speaking over Radio Manila, Pope John Paul II said that the Roman Catholic
Church accepted the truth and goodness found in Islam, Hinduism and
Buddhism. He invited their adherents to common prayer that mutual
understanding may grow and moral values may be strengthened.
The Vatican Council made it clear that other Christians, Jews, non-
Christians and atheists can be saved and are united to the church as the
people of God in varying degrees. One document said, "Those also can attain
to everlasting salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the
Gospel of Christ or his Church, yet sincerely seek God and, moved by His
grace, strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through
the dictates of conscience."
From Vatican II Decree on Ecumenism, "The manner and order in which
Catholic belief is expressed should not in any way become an obstacle to
dialogue with our brethren."
From HOW TO FIND THE TRUE CHURCH, page 21, "The Catholic Church . . . has a
special love for all good-living Protestants and always prays for their
speedy return to the Church of their enlightened, faithful and pious
ancestors."
From THE PEOPLE OF GOD, Knights of Columbus, page 9, "Those who know and
serve God earnestly to the best of their knowledge will be saved through
Christ, even though they are not Catholics. Are these people saved `outside
the Church, without the Church, apart from the Church?' By no means. They
are saved through the grace of Christ Who lives in His Church. Every hour
of the day, the Church offers the Sacrifice of the Eucharist. Christ
through His Church constantly intercedes with the Father for the grace and
salvation of all men."
From Vatican II DECREE ON ECUMENISM. "In his church the wonderful sacrament
of the Eucharist by which the unity of the Church is both signified and
made a reality.
"Jesus Christ, then, willed that the Apostles and their successors - the
bishops with Peter's successor at their head - should preach the Gospel
faithfully, administer the sacraments, and rule the Church in love." (Ed:
Although the introduction speaks of the restoration of unity among all
Christians, it is clear that when the word "Church" ius used, it is
speaking of the Roman Catholic Church.)
David duPlessis, at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA, June 1979, said,
"We used to be called heretics. Now we are separated brethren. That was a
wonderful act of forgiveness by the Holy Father."
Bernard Leeming, S.J., in THE VATICAN COUNCIL AND CHRISTIAN UNITY, in the
Foreword makes mention of "the large-heartedness of the Pope."
From WITNESSING TOGETHER TO A DIVIDED AND HURTING WORLD. "We pray that the
occasion of Pope John Paul's visit will aid all Christians..." signed,
among others by a representative of Assemblies of God, NCC, Evangelical
Lutheran Churches, Disciples of Christ, Church of the Brethren, Friends,
Fuller Theological Seminary, Mennonite Church, Polish National Catholic
Church, Swedenborgians, Southern Baptist."
THE TRADITIONAL MOVEMENT AND ECUMENISM
by Bill Jackson
Since the Traditionalist movement is very much against the ecumenical
movement, and the ecumenical movement must end Satan's super-Church which
will use Romanism as its structure, how can the Traditionalists fit into
any ecumenmical scheme? At first glance, it seems that this movement must
pale into insignificance and eventually evaporate if ecumenical, plans are
to be completed.
This, however, may not be the case. There is no doubt about it, the
Traditionalists are the real Roman Catholics. How can the Roman Catholic
structure become truly ecumenical if it is really Traditionmal Romanism
that is true Romanism?
Archbishop Lefebvre has no intention of forming a group of maverick
priests that will do sniper duty at the fringes of Romanism forever. The
whole desire of the Traditionalist leaders is to keep intact a band of true
Tradiitional, Catholic priests who will be the core of the papacy that
Traditionalists are looking for, a true Roman Catholic papacy with a strong
Traditionalist pope. Prophetically, it is impossible to determine when this
might happen. It may be that pope John Paul II, a relative conservative to
his three previous counterparts but a liberal when compared with his
successor, will wring all the juice out of the ecumenical movement and get
as many groups to jump on the band wagon. He may die just before December
25, 2000, and the new pope will give the 2000th birthday present to Christ
of much of the world.
This world will include many who came in under the ecumenism of JPII,
most of whom will probably stay even after a true Roman pope appears on the
scene. Global disaster, possibly caused as a result of the Rapture, may
contribute to this. In any case, all the anathemas of Trent will be
reinforced, and the Papacy will head a world crusade to complete the super-
Church. This will be by force and with great persecution. The Inquisition
will bring forth all weapons to make the world Catholic.
Satan will view this as a "millennium", and plans to keep it going for
1000 years. If we are here, true Christians will know it as a time of
unparalleled tribulation. Whether or not the true Chiurch will be on earth
at this time is up to God to figure out. It may be Satanic tribulation
which is a harbinger of the Great Tribulation. But any thought along this
line demands careful study of the Traditionalist movement, for even though
they are out of the mainstream today, they will probably become the core of
the Romanism that brings about the one world church.
RELIGIOUS JOURNALS
From HORIZON, published by Kentuckiana Interfaith Committee, Box 4671,
Louisville, KY 40204. "NCC DELEGATION WILL EMPHASIZE UNITY IN APR. 10-14
VISIT TO VATICAN. Strengthened ties with Roman Catholics in the United
States will be the goal of top Protestant and Orthodox church leaders when
they visit the Vatican.
"According to Rev. Brower (Gen'l Sect of NCC), the agenda will include
issues that face us together as we move toward the 21st century. He said he
hopes that concrete ecumenical goals can be set for the third millennimum
since Christ's birth."
From FOUNDATION, Nov-Dec 1989, page 22. "FOUR WAY BAPTISM MAKES ECUMENICAL
HISTORY. ...participating bishops from the Roman Catholic Church, the
Episcopal Church, the Armenian (Orthodox) Church and the Evangelical
Lutheran Church (baptized) four children, each in his own Christian
tradition, but under one roof, in the water of one font, knit together by
one liturgy, celebrated in the power of the Holy Spirit, buy one people."
(Quoted from news report of NCC)
From CALVARY CONTENDER, 3/15/90. "Last October 17 (1989), Paul and Jan
Crouch (Trinity Broadcasting Network) welcomed three Catholics to their
program. Paul smoothed over any Protestant-Catholic differences as "simply
matters of semantics" and eagerly embraced Transubstantiation, a heresy
that caused thousands to die at the stake. He said it is `time for
Catholics and non-Catholics to come together as one in the Spirit and one
in the Lord."
CATHOLIC JOURNALS
From L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO, 7/31/89. Pope John Paul II, "Truly the
Eucharistic mystery unites all believers, and that means us, but virtually
it also reaches non-Christians because the Eucharist has a radiating power
which in some way reaches those who do not yet shine with the light of
faith."
From CHARISCENTER USA, Sept/Oct 1989, "From May 7-14, 1989, a group of one
hundred Pentecostal/charistmatic leaders met in an upper room in the Notre
Dame center outside the ancient walls of Jerusalem in a prayer vigil for
world evangelization. The ultimate goal is for the world to have a
Christian majority by the end of the century. Participants came from all of
the streams of the charismatic movement, including Roman Catholics,
Protestants, Pentecostals and nondenominationals. The vigil was led by an
executive committee consisting of Larry Christianson (Lutheran), Tom
Forrest (Catholic), Michael Harper (Anglican), Bob McAlistar
(nondenominational) and Vinson Synan (Pentecostal)."
From DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER, 3/7/90. "LUTHERAN-CATHOLIC DIALOGUE
DISCUSSES MARY. Jesus Christ is the "sole mediator" between believers and
God the Father, said U.S. Lutheran and Roman Catholic theologians after
seven years of dialogue on Mary and the saints.
"In a major agreed statement released Feb. 20, the theologians urged
their respective churches to take `two further steps' toward greater
fellowship:
"Lutherans, they said, should acknowledge `that the Catholic teaching
about the saints and Mary as set forth in the documents of Vatican
(Council) II does not promote idolatrous belief or practice and is not
opposed to the Gospel.
"Catholics, they said, should recognize `that in close but still
incomplete fellowship, Lutherans, focusing on Christ the one mediator, as
set forth in Scripture, would not be obliged to invoke the saints or affirm
the two Marian dogmas defined in Catholic belief since the Reformation.
"The dialogue partners said the post-Reformation Catholic dogmas of the
Immaculate Conception and the Assumption remain `an obstacle to full
fellowship between our churches' until Catholics and Lutherans can find a
way to transcend their current differences.
"In their 1983 statement (on Justification by Faith), they agreed that
`our entire hope of justification rests on Jesus Christ and on the Gospel.
We do not place out ultimate trust in anything other than God's promise and
saving work in Christ."
From NEW COVENANT, November 1990 Report on Indianapolis Congress on the
Holy Spirit and World Evangelism, August 15-19, 1990 (Indianapolis 1990).
"About 48 per cent of the attendees were Catholic, followed by non-
denominational (11 percent), Episcopal (9 per cent) and Pentecostals (3.8
per cent."
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