The
following list of “Catholic Inventions” is taken right out of Loraine
Bottner’s deeply flawed and defamatory book, “Roman
Catholicism”. Boettner, a 20th century
author who was an virulent anti-Catholic, played fast and loose with the facts
and dates in his vilifying diatribe against the Church.
The scary thing is that many
non-Catholic groups still use this bogus list to find
fault with the Catholic Church – never investigating the fact that most of its
claims are patently false, petty and embarrassingly ignorant. This list
or variations of it on can be found on many anti-Catholic websites and literature.
Boettner wanted to cast a
negative light on the disciplines introduced by the Catholic Church and
doctrines declared. He wanted to show that they were nothing more than man-made “inventions” because
they were not explicitly taught in the Bible. As you will see, he was
dead wrong. The doctrinal and dogmatic decrees made by the Church are
Scripturally-based while other matters of discipline were declared to
accommodate the needs of the growing worldwide Church. Aside from
Boettner’s attacks being false, it is interesting to note that Protestants have
also added some of their own traditions such as altar
calls, individual interpretation of Scripture, the withholding of baptism from
infants and Sola Scriptura that have no basis in Scripture.
Below, Boettner’s
“inventions” are numbered. The Catholic responses are
beneath.
1.
Prayers for the dead 300 A.D.
This is a practice that can be seen as far back in Jewish
history as 2 Macc. 12:42-46. The practice of praying for the dead is still done by Orthodox Jews to this day. The New
Testament also refers to a prayer for the dead by St. Paul in 2 Timothy 1:16-18.
On the Epitaph of Abercius, the Bishop of Hierapolis, he asks
all who may read his grave marker to pray for him. This was written in 180 AD.
2. Making the sign of the
cross 300
Where Boettner got this phony date, we may never know, but it
is completely untrue. Tertullian writes about making the sign of the cross circa, 195 A.D.: “In
all the occupations of our daily lives, we furrow our foreheads with the Sign of the cross”. This
was already a long-established custom when this was written.
3. Wax candles,
about 320
Maybe the Church was unaware they were supposed to worship in dark. Is Boettner serious? Is this really an issue? Light represents joy, goodness and purity, whereas darkness represents sadness, desolation, despair, ignorance and evil. The record of the execution of Cyprian of Carthage in the year 258 mentions the use of candles at his funeral.
Maybe the Church was unaware they were supposed to worship in dark. Is Boettner serious? Is this really an issue? Light represents joy, goodness and purity, whereas darkness represents sadness, desolation, despair, ignorance and evil. The record of the execution of Cyprian of Carthage in the year 258 mentions the use of candles at his funeral.
God created light: "Then
God said 'Let there be light,' and there was light. God saw how good the light was" (Gen. 1:3-4). God appears before Moses in the burning
bush (Ex. 3:2). God “dwells in unapproachable light” (1 Tim. 6:16). God“… is light
and in him there is no darkness” (1 John 1:5). We see that a constant light is kept burning in God’s presence before the
Holy of Holies (Lev. 24:2-4).
As for the use of candles –
there were no electric lights used in churches until the 20th century.
The candle itself is symbolic of Jesus: His flesh – his humanity is
symbolized in the pale wax. In the center of the candle, the wick which gives us the light represents his soul. It
gives us light until it burns down and is fully consumed, sacrificing itself - representative of the sacrifice
Christ himself offered for us. Beeswax, is the purest and the sweetest and is appropriate for representing the
sacred humanity of Christ.
4. Veneration of angels and dead
saints, and use of images 375
That’s strange – where did he get this date? We have writings from the Fathers citing an already established practice of venerating saints and angels and speak of their intercession from about 150 years prior to Boettner’s random date of 375.
That’s strange – where did he get this date? We have writings from the Fathers citing an already established practice of venerating saints and angels and speak of their intercession from about 150 years prior to Boettner’s random date of 375.
From the earliest of times,
we see the Church recognizing those who have gone before us as prayerful intercessors. The term, “dead saints”, is particularly
offensive to the Catholic because the Church teaches, as do the Scriptures themselves, that those in heaven are more alive than we
are. Although they have left this world, they have been made perfect in the Lord, as nothing unclean can enter
heaven Rev. 21:27.
Hebrews 12:1 tells us that we are surrounded by them and that they are “so great a cloud of witnesses”.
Hebrews 12:1 tells us that we are surrounded by them and that they are “so great a cloud of witnesses”.
As for the “use of images”
being somehow wrong - this charge is an amazingly ignorant one. Images
have
been used for various reasons throughout history such as teaching about Biblical events and to remind people of God and those whom he chose to do his will. Anti-Catholics choose to forget that in centuries past most of the population was illiterate and learned of these things from images, statues and stories.
been used for various reasons throughout history such as teaching about Biblical events and to remind people of God and those whom he chose to do his will. Anti-Catholics choose to forget that in centuries past most of the population was illiterate and learned of these things from images, statues and stories.
God commanded Moses to
create and make use of the image of a bronze serpent to cure those who were dying from snake bites (Numbers 21:7-9). He also
commanded Moses to place 2 golden cherubim atop the Ark (Ex.
25:18-20). Images are not necessarily
idols.
5. The Mass, as a daily
celebration 394
Huh? This claim deserves a resounding, “Hogwash!”
If some communities weren’t celebrating daily mass in the early years of the Church, it was because of persecutions and the masses having to be celebrated in secret. A rudimentary knowledge of history would shed light on that. It’s easy for people of today to cast aspersions on the Early Church as if they had all of the freedoms that we enjoy, especially the United States. When the Roman Emperor Constantine finally decriminalized Christianity, they were free to practice their faith and celebrate mass as they wished.
If some communities weren’t celebrating daily mass in the early years of the Church, it was because of persecutions and the masses having to be celebrated in secret. A rudimentary knowledge of history would shed light on that. It’s easy for people of today to cast aspersions on the Early Church as if they had all of the freedoms that we enjoy, especially the United States. When the Roman Emperor Constantine finally decriminalized Christianity, they were free to practice their faith and celebrate mass as they wished.
As for daily celebration of
mass being a later Catholic “invention”, one need only to appeal to Scripture to find the truth. Acts 2:46-47 explicitly tells
us:
Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favor with all the people.
Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favor with all the people.
These passages suggest a daily Liturgy
of the Word in the in the temple area which was followed by a Liturgy of the Eucharist in their homes.
6. Beginning of the exaltation of
Mary, the term “Mother of God” first applied to her by the Council of Ephesus 431
Gosh – and we thought the Bible gave
us the first exaltations of Mary (Luke 1:28-29, 42, 45, 48).
Later, the term, Theotokos
(God-Bearer), which was applied to Mary at the 1st Council of Ephesus in 431, was used to describe the nature of Jesus in response to the Nestorian
Heresy, which held that Jesus was not divine. The Early Church always considered Mary to be
the Mother of God from the earliest of times.
We see this in the writings
of Early Fathers such as Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Gregory the Wonderworker, Peter of Alexandria, Methodius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Ephraim, Athanasius,
Epiphanius, Ambrose of Milan, Gregory of Nazianz and Jerome.
7. Priests began to dress
differently from laymen 500
Maybe it’s because people wanted to be able to tell them
apart from the congregation. And this is important because . . .?
This is really a non-issue
because the very same can be said of the many Protestant denominations whose ministers wear robes, collars or other vestments for their services. This
is nothing more than petty anti-Catholicism in its purest form. Priestly vestments symbolize
different seasons of the liturgical year.
8. Extreme
Unction 526
Are we supposed to disregard the sick and dying? More
silliness from those whose sole purpose, it seems, is to defame the Catholic Church.
What Boettner doesn’t mention
is that the Church practice of Extreme Unction (Anointing of the Sick) is derived straight from the Bible itself. It didn’t begin in 526,
as he would have you believe:
“Is one of you sick? Let him send for the presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Lord’s name. Prayer offered in faith will restore the sick man, and the Lord will give him relief; if he is guilty of sins, they will be pardoned” (James 5:14-15). Mark 6:13 tells us that the apostles, having been sent out by Jesus, drove out demons and cured the sick by anointing them.
“Is one of you sick? Let him send for the presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Lord’s name. Prayer offered in faith will restore the sick man, and the Lord will give him relief; if he is guilty of sins, they will be pardoned” (James 5:14-15). Mark 6:13 tells us that the apostles, having been sent out by Jesus, drove out demons and cured the sick by anointing them.
Incidentally, this is a
practice that is being resurrected by many Evangelical sects today. Strange
how this Catholic “invention” is one that is now being practiced by the very groups
that chastised the Church for using it in the first place . . .
9. The doctrine of Purgatory,
established by Gregory I 593
Were we supposed to keep this a secret?
Were we supposed to keep this a secret?
As you will see in many
other issues brought up by Boettner, a declaration or decree of a Catholicbelief does NOT mean that it was “invented” at that particular
time. The belief in Purgatory has been believed and written about since the dawn of the Church. One need only
open up the Bible and read the following Scripture verses that support the idea of final purgation before
entry into heaven to see where the Early Church got their ideas: Matt. 5:25-26, Matt. 12:32,
Matt. 18:32-35, Luke 12:58-59, 1 Cor. 3:12-15.
Along with the Scriptures, Early Church writings from such
giants of the early Christianity faith like Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian, Cyprian, Cyril of Jerusalem,
John Chrysostom, Ambrose of Milan and Augustine support
the Catholic position that this was always a belief of
the Church.
10. Latin Language, used in prayer and worship,
imposed by Gregory I 600
Maybe Chinese didn’t seem like the appropriate choice at the time.
Maybe Chinese didn’t seem like the appropriate choice at the time.
Why is this an issue?
No matter which language the Church may have chosen as its official language, Boettner would have had a problem with it. This is yet another of the
many non-issues you will read on his list.
Latin was used
in prayer and worship in the year 600. As Christianity spread further
West, Latin was the lingua franca and it made sense to adopt it as the official language of the
Church. There is nothing sinister about the Church’s use of Latin as it was the vernacular of the
time. Latin is still the Church’s official language – and it is no more mysterious or sinister today than it was
in the Early Church. To imply otherwise is to display an abject ignorance of history.
11. Prayers directed to Mary, dead saints and
angels, about 600
Dead? Since when does “eternal life” equate
to “dead”?
Here we go again with the term, “dead saints”. Does
Boettner really think that those in heaven are dead? This is a stretch – even for the most virulent anti-Catholic. The
writings of the Early Church are replete with examples of the Church Fathers praying to – and recommending
intercessory prayer to the Christians who died before them and petitioning their help – just as we are to
pray for and ask for prayer from members of the Body of Christ here on earth. The word, “pray” simply
means “to implore” or “to make a request.” Those who would exclude these brothers and
sisters are literally rejecting the Body of Christ. The Early Church truly understood
that those who have gone before us are no less members of that Body than those of us on earth.
Some examples of this can be
seen in the writings of Origen Cyprian, Cyril of Jerusalem, Hilary
of Poitiers, Ephraem of Syria, Ambrose of Milan, John Chrysostom, Augustine and
Jerome – ALL of whom echoed the Scriptures on the matter of praying and interceding for
one another (1 Tim. 2:1-3, 2 Cor. 1:6, Jas. 5:16, 1 Pet. 2:5-9, Rev. 5:8, 8:3-4).
Isn’t it interesting to note that these authors ALL lived and wrote centuries before this bogus time frame
of 600 A.D.?
Isn’t it interesting to note that these authors ALL lived and wrote centuries before this bogus time frame
of 600 A.D.?
12. Title of pope, or universal bishop, given to
Boniface III, by emperor Phocas 607
607, eh?
First of all, the Bishop of Rome was always considered to be Head of the entire Church, as we find in the writings of the 1st Century Father, Ignatius, as well as Hermas, Dionysius, Hegesippus, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Cyprian, and others. Secondly, Tertullian, writing in the early 3rd Century who cited, "…a pontiff---sovereign, of course---that is, a bishop of bishops.”
607, eh?
First of all, the Bishop of Rome was always considered to be Head of the entire Church, as we find in the writings of the 1st Century Father, Ignatius, as well as Hermas, Dionysius, Hegesippus, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Cyprian, and others. Secondly, Tertullian, writing in the early 3rd Century who cited, "…a pontiff---sovereign, of course---that is, a bishop of bishops.”
Bishop of Rome, or,
“Pontifex Maximus”, means "bridge-builder", a name which was
inherited from governmental functionaries of the pagan Romans. This was long before 607.
As for the word, “Pope” - it
simply means “Papa”, or “Father”. St.
Stephen refers to "our father Abraham," in Acts 7:2. In Romans 9:10, St.
Paul speaks of "our father Isaac”.
In 1 Cor. 4:14–15, he states, “For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the
gospel." This is a term of affection, not a biological recognition or one of worship.
13. Kissing of the pope’s foot, began with pope
Constantine 709
Actually – this practice began much earlier than the 8th century. When Leo IV was elected in 847, it was spoken of as having been a very “ancient practice”. The Emperor Justin paid this respect to Pope John I in 523-26. This is not a requirement by all but an ancient tradition observed in papal enclaves and liturgically in papal masses by Latin and Greek subdeacons.
Actually – this practice began much earlier than the 8th century. When Leo IV was elected in 847, it was spoken of as having been a very “ancient practice”. The Emperor Justin paid this respect to Pope John I in 523-26. This is not a requirement by all but an ancient tradition observed in papal enclaves and liturgically in papal masses by Latin and Greek subdeacons.
14. Temporal power of the popes, conferred by
Pipin, king of the Franks 750
Umm, time for another history lesson.
Umm, time for another history lesson.
In 750, Pepin the Short had
positioned himself to take charge of the Frankish kingdoms. Since he had been educated by Catholic monks and knew St. Boniface, Pepin asked Pope
Zacharias for advice as to whether or not he should take control of the kingdom or not. Pope
Zacharias told Pepin that since he held de facto power over the Franks, it was better for all that he take
control.
When we study the facts, it
becomes clear that Boettner again had his “facts” jumbled.
Pepin never conferred temporal power on the Pope – it was the Pope who
confirmed the temporal power of Pepin.
15. Worship of the cross, images, and relics,
authorized 786
Boy, talk about your anti-Catholic whoppers! Catholics do not now, nor have we ever worshipped any object as this would make us guilty of the sin of idolatry. Images and relics are simply reminders of Christ and his devoted followers. We venerate them – we do not worship them. Veneration simply means to regard something or some one with reverential respect or with admiring deference. A picture of a loved one kept in a wallet is also a reminder of that person – but it does not equal worship.
Boy, talk about your anti-Catholic whoppers! Catholics do not now, nor have we ever worshipped any object as this would make us guilty of the sin of idolatry. Images and relics are simply reminders of Christ and his devoted followers. We venerate them – we do not worship them. Veneration simply means to regard something or some one with reverential respect or with admiring deference. A picture of a loved one kept in a wallet is also a reminder of that person – but it does not equal worship.
16. Holy water mixed with
a pinch of salt and blessed by a priest
850
Would Boettner have preferred a pinch of cayenne pepper instead?
It’s interesting to note that the 5th Century document, Apostolic constitutions, credits the use of holy water to St. Matthew. Furthermore, two other ancient documents, the Pontifical of Serapion of Thmuis and the Testamentum Domini give liturgical formula for blessing oil – as well as water at Mass.
Would Boettner have preferred a pinch of cayenne pepper instead?
It’s interesting to note that the 5th Century document, Apostolic constitutions, credits the use of holy water to St. Matthew. Furthermore, two other ancient documents, the Pontifical of Serapion of Thmuis and the Testamentum Domini give liturgical formula for blessing oil – as well as water at Mass.
17. Worship of St.
Joseph 890
St. Joseph? I thought we
worshipped Mary . . .
Seriously, though - the
Catholic worships God alone and nobody else. Having raised Jesus from a baby, St. Joseph is looked upon as a great example of Christian
faith. Whereas, he is venerated, worship of him or ANY person other than God has always been strictly prohibited by the
Church.
18. College of cardinals
established 927
Perhaps the Church thought college was a logical step after graduating high school?
Perhaps the Church thought college was a logical step after graduating high school?
Seriously, this is yet
another non-issue. Boettner’s idea that the Church should not grow from
an
acorn to an oak is reason alone to question his list. The Church is a living, breathing organism that
will grow over time as any healthy body will.
acorn to an oak is reason alone to question his list. The Church is a living, breathing organism that
will grow over time as any healthy body will.
It was at the Council of
Rome in 499 AD that Pope Symmachus divided the City into various parochial components, with each under the jurisdiction of a priest known as a
“cardinale”. A constitution by Pope John VIII published between 873 and 882 specifically mentions these
cardinal priests, or presbyteri cardinales [34].
A college is
merely a group of individuals engaged in a common goal or interest. This
is yet another example of the petty nature of Boettner’s list.
19. Baptism of bells, instituted by pope John
XIII 965
Maybe this just sounded like a better idea than “Baptism of the Kazoos”.
This is nothing more than Boettner’s anti-Catholicism run amok. It was simply referred to as a “Baptism of Bells” – it wasn‘t an actual Christian Baptism. Inanimate objects cannot be truly baptized and don’t have a soul.
Maybe this just sounded like a better idea than “Baptism of the Kazoos”.
This is nothing more than Boettner’s anti-Catholicism run amok. It was simply referred to as a “Baptism of Bells” – it wasn‘t an actual Christian Baptism. Inanimate objects cannot be truly baptized and don’t have a soul.
The ceremony was a blessing
by the Bishop of the bells to be plated in the church bell tower. The bells were then given symbolic names – they were not welcomed into the Body of
Christ as members. A blessing of this sort is simply a dedication of an object for a sacred
purpose - similar to when a Protestant church is dedicated. Don’t most Protestant churches have
names? For centuries, ships have been doused with liquid, blessed and given names yet nobody objects to this practice.
20. Canonization of dead saints, first by pope
John XV 995
Here we go again with the “dead saints” slur.
This is deceptive claim meant to confuse the reader. Early Christians honored Christians who had died before them
and prayerfully asked them for intercession as early as the end of the first century. This is contrary to the
belief of many people that the Church set-up this practice later in its existence. The first saints were
those who had given up their lives for their Faith, martyrs.
Whereas, it is true that the
Catholic Church began applying a standard of holiness of life to some people who lived exemplary Christian lives and through prayer and investigation
have declared that the individual is in heaven, we see that the martyrs were always considered saints
from the beginning.
21. Fasting on Fridays and during
lent 998
Now, this is a stretch – even for Boettner.
Now, this is a stretch – even for Boettner.
As far back as the 2nd Century,
we read in the Didache about fasting on Fridays. As far as fasting during Lent, Athanasius writes about it in his Festal Letters of 331
AD. In The Apostolic Canons, a document written around 340, we read the admonishment to the clergy and the
laity to fast during Lent.
A rudimentary look at
history renders Boettner’s date of 998 as nothing but a
fairytale.
22. The Mass, developed gradually as a
sacrifice, attendance made obligatory in the 11th century
Gradually? Well, it did take about 50 years after the death of the Apostle John before we see the first
writing that mentions of it, but that’s a far cry from the 1079 years that Boettner claims.
Gradually? Well, it did take about 50 years after the death of the Apostle John before we see the first
writing that mentions of it, but that’s a far cry from the 1079 years that Boettner claims.
In the 2nd Century
document, the The Didache (The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles), we
read that Christians should assemble on the Lord's Day for the Eucharist. It also
mentions that they should confess their sins before receiving the Eucharist so that their “sacrifice may
be a pure one". However, this was already an established practice because we see that 1st Century
Father, Ignatius also speaks of this sacrifice, as does Irenaeus in the 2nd Century.
At any rate – they all seem to speak of the Sacrifice of the Mass almost 1000 years before Boettner’s fictitious time
frame.
23. Celibacy of the priesthood, decreed by pope
Gregory VII 1079
“Why does this bother Boettner? Nobody is asking him to be celibate.
“Why does this bother Boettner? Nobody is asking him to be celibate.
What Boettner, and others
who are threatened by the idea of priestly celibacy need to remember is that this is a discipline – not a
doctrine - nor, is it unbiblical.
Some of the Apostles
themselves were said to be married, including St. Peter. But, this doesn’t
detract from the discipline of priestly celibacy that St. Paul recommended in 1
Cor. 7:7–9, 28, 32–33. In those verses he states that celibacy was a more perfect state because the married man
is anxious about worldly affairs and how to please his wife, whereas the celibate man (himself
included) could focus on how to please the Lord.
Many of the Early Fathers,
including Tertullian, Origen, Eusebius, and Epiphanius also favored celibacy. But at the local Council of Elvira (Spain) (295-302 AD) celibacy was first
imposed on bishops, priests, and deacons. The bottom line is that nobody is forced
to become a priest, ergo, no Catholic is forced to be celibate. Those who enter the religious life know very well in advance
that this discipline is expected of them.
24. The Rosary, mechanical praying with
beads, invented by Peter the Hermit
1090
What is “mechanical” prayer? Does he
mean “robotic” or is it just another term to infuse the reader with disdain for the Church?
The Rosary is anything but “mechanical”. It is a
Biblically-based intercessory prayer that reflects on various events in the life of Christ. Secondly, its origin is
traditionally associated with St. Dominic and was not “invented” by Peter the Hermit. Lastly, the anti-Catholic
will usually point to Matthew 6:5-6 where Jesus condemns repetitious prayer.
However, the Rosary does not fall into that category because Jesus was deriding the pagan practice of babbling
prayer.
One example of this can be
found in 1 Kings 18:26-29 where the pagan prophets on
Mount Carmel tried to invoke Baal all day long, repeatedly calling on his name and performing
ritual dances. Jesus wasn’t condemning all repetitious prayer as He Himself engaged in repetitive
prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane when he prayed the same prayer three times in
a row (Matt. 26:39-44). Those in heaven would also be guilty of this because, as Rev. 4:8 tells
us, they repeat the same thing without ceasing day and night.
Nowhere does the Catholic
Church downplay the importance of marriage nor does it see marriage as any less of a vocation than the religious life. On the contrary, the Church
upholds the sanctity of marriage and holds it to a higher standard than any Protestant denomination. This
is evident by the Church’s doctrines regarding marriage and its indissolubility.
25. The Inquisition, instituted by the
Council of Verona 1184
There was a Council of Verona? Perhaps, Boettner meant, Synod of Verona.
There was a Council of Verona? Perhaps, Boettner meant, Synod of Verona.
Gregory IX established the
first Papal Inquisition in 1233 to investigate the Waldensian heresy as well as the and Albigensian heresy. The Synod of Vereona called for severe
measures against the Waldensians, Cathari and Arnoldists and was a joint effort of both Pope Lucius
III and Emperor Frederick I; however, it was hardly an Inquisition, as
Boettner asserts.
26. Sale of
Indulgences 1190
Indulgences have never been “sold” by the Church. This is one of those urban myths that has grown over time – with the help of people Like Boettner and other anti-Catholics.
Indulgences have never been “sold” by the Church. This is one of those urban myths that has grown over time – with the help of people Like Boettner and other anti-Catholics.
In fact, the Council of
Trent issued some severe reforms regarding the practice of granting
indulgences. Because of previous abuses by some individuals, “in 1567 Pope Pius V canceled
all grants of indulgences involving any fees or other financial transactions” (Catholic
Encyclopedia). This illustrated the Church's seriousness about stopping abuses from indulgences. This fictitious date
of 1190 only serves to further expose Boettner’s bogus list.
27.
Transubstantiation, proclaimed by pope Innocent
III 1215
The only word that comes to mind here is, “Poppycock.”
The only word that comes to mind here is, “Poppycock.”
This is one of the most
deceitful claims on Boettner’s list. A declaration or decree of a
Christian belief does NOT mean that it was “invented” at that particular
time. If that were so, ALL of the creeds would be considered, “inventions”. The belief in
Transubstantiation is derived from John 6, where Jesus instructed his disciples to eat his flesh and drink his
blood. At the Last Supper, he showed them the means by which this was to be done (with bread
and wine).
In 1 Corinthians
11:27-29, St. Paul warns us:
“Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.” A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.”
“Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.” A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.”
That’s a pretty harsh
warning – if it were only a symbol as most
non-Catholics believe, which it is not.
As for Transubstantiation -
the only thing “new” about at the Fourth
Lateran Council in 1215 was the term assigned to what was always believed - “Transubstantiation”.
As for the word itself, it was first used by the theologians Magister Roland about 1150, Stephen of Tournai about
1160, and Peter Comestor about 1170
We see that the Early Church vehemently believed
in this doctrine in the writings of the Fathers, such as Ignatius of Antioch, a student of John the Apostle, when speaking of the
heretics who rejected this belief:
“They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer because they
do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, flesh which suffered for our sins and
which that Father, in his goodness, raised up again. They who deny the gift of God are perishing in
their disputes. (Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans 6:2-7:1 [A.D. 110]).”
At the beginning of the 3rd Century,
Tertullian wrote "He took bread, offered it to His disciples and made it into His body by saying, 'This is My body'" (Against Marcion 212
AD);
About 140 years later, Cyril of Jerusalem wrote, "Once at Cana in Galilee by a mere nod He changed water into wine; should it now be incredible that He changes wine into blood?" (Catechetical Lectures [Mystagogic], 350 AD) [55].
About 140 years later, Cyril of Jerusalem wrote, "Once at Cana in Galilee by a mere nod He changed water into wine; should it now be incredible that He changes wine into blood?" (Catechetical Lectures [Mystagogic], 350 AD) [55].
28. Auricular (out loud)
Confession of sins to a priest instead of to God, instituted by pope Innocent III in Lateral council 1215
Oh, really? Well, the Bible shows
that this is a doctrine that goes all the way back to the beginning. First of all, Jesus gave the Church the authority to forgive
or retain sins – and that this would be upheld on earth and in heaven (Matt. 16:15,
Matt. 18: 15-18, John 20:21-23).
2
Cor. 5:18-20 explicitly refers to the sacrament of
Reconciliation:
“And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself
through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in
Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of
reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on
behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
Similarly, 2 Cor.
2:10-11 states:
“Whomever you forgive anything, so do I. For indeed what I
have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for you in the presence of Christ, so
that we might not be taken advantage of by Satan, for we are not unaware of his purposes.”
In about 244, Origen speaks
of the sinner who “does not shrink from declaring his sin to a
priest of the Lord”. A few years later, Cyprian of Carthage stated, “Finally,
of how much greater faith and more salutary fear are they who...confess to the priests of God in
a straightforward manner and in sorrow, making an open declaration of conscience.” (C&F p.43)
Again, the anti-Catholic refuses to
understand that simply because something is declared or reiterated, It does NOT mean that it wasn’t a practice of the Early Church.
It is something that is being officially declared usually because of a controversy or heresy. A perfect example of
this is the doctrine of the Hypostatic Union of Jesus, declared at the 1st Council of
Ephesus in 431.
1215, indeed…
29. Adoration of the wafer (Host), decreed by
pope Honorius III 1220
This claim is almost comical, if not so tragically
ignorant. It implies that Catholics worship a piece of bread and a cup of wine. This is misleading and dishonest. We
worship Jesus and believe that the bread and wine are transformed into his body and blood. From the earliest
writings of the Church we see the Eucharist was believed to be the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of
our Savior Jesus Christ.
Again, at the beginning of
the 2nd century, Ignatius of Antioch – student of St. John the
Apostle, wrote about the heretics of his time who rejected this belief:
“They (the heretics) abstain from the
Eucharist and from prayer because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, flesh which suffered
for our sins and which that Father, in his goodness, raised up again. They who deny the gift of God are
perishing in their disputes (Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans 6:2-7:1 [A.D. 110]).”
In his Epistle to the Romans
(110 AD), he wrote "I have no taste for corruptible food nor for
the pleasures of this life. I desire the Bread of God, which is the Flesh of Jesus
Christ...and for drink I desire His Blood" [59].
Contrary to what many Protestants
believe – the Eucharist is by no means a mere symbol. Jesus Himself declared it to be His Flesh and Blood, indeed, His Body (Matt.
26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:19-20, John 6:51-58).
Epilogue
Many Protestant ministers tell their congregations that the
Church today should resemble the Early Church.
“If your church does not look like the early church of the bible”, they say, “then you’re in the wrong church.”
You might even hear this from Pastors of some of the many “mega-churches” that exist today which, ironically, look nothing like the early Church.
“If your church does not look like the early church of the bible”, they say, “then you’re in the wrong church.”
You might even hear this from Pastors of some of the many “mega-churches” that exist today which, ironically, look nothing like the early Church.
The Catholic Church, having been instituted by Jesus Christ
himself and not by mere men, understands that when Jesus commissioned his
Apostles to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt.
28:19-20), the Church would change from that point forward. It
would continue to grow from the acorn to the oak – the mustard seed to the
mustard plant (Mark 4:30-34) - because it is the living
Body of Christ. So, if it looks the same as the Church of the bible –
then it never grew and its fruits have dried up.
The Church is not a large,
worldwide conglomeration of constantly splintering sects with differing
doctrines and traditions. This is not the unity
that Jesus prayed for so fervently in John 16. The
Church is the united Body of Christ that is truly One, Holy, Catholic and
Apostolic. It is the only Church instituted by
Jesus Christ and can trace every one of its bishops, doctrines and traditions
back to the Early Church of the Bible. Every single
Protestant denomination can only trace its origins as far back as the 16th century.
If you’re not part of the
only Church instituted by Christ, then you should ask yourself:
“If my church wasn’t instituted by Jesus, then who started it?”
“Why am I not part of the Church instituted by Christ?”
“If my church wasn’t instituted by Jesus, then who started it?”
“Why am I not part of the Church instituted by Christ?”
