Friday 17 September 2010

Papal visit

I wasn't surprised to see that the Protestant truth Society had taken out an ad in the Telegraph to protest about the Pope's visit, but I was a bit surprised to see that Church Society had co-sponsored it.
You see, while I'm certainly not a fan of Catholic theology (whether Roman or Anglo-), I really don't think that protestations in the press will help the proclamation of the true gospel. What we need is not a display of 17th Century Pope-bashing, but gentle and loving presentations of the sufficiency of Christ and of God's word for salvation. Anti-catholic adverts in the press won't help evangelicals in their personal witness to RCs.
Not only that, but the Pope (bless him) has actually said some things I wish Rowan Williams had had the guts to say. For example,
The evangelisation of culture is all the more important in our times, when a ‘dictatorship of relativism’ threatens to obscure the unchanging truth about man’s nature, his destiny and his ultimate good. There are some who now seek to exclude religious belief from public discourse, to privatise it or even to paint it as a threat to equality and liberty.
And,
I urge you to lead lives worthy of our Lord and of yourselves. There are many temptations placed before you every day - drugs, money, sex, pornography, alcohol - which the world tells you will bring you happiness, yet these things are destructive and divisive. There is only one thing which lasts: the love of Jesus Christ personally for each one of you. Search for him, know him and love him, and he will set you free from slavery to the glittering but superficial existence frequently proposed by today’s society. Put aside what is worthless and learn of your own dignity as children of God. 
Why won't C of E Bishops or Archbishops say things like this? Of course, the Pope's message also contained a lot of nonsense about 'priests', and it was set in the context of a Mass, both of which diminish the glory of Christ's finished work on the cross, but at least he has the guts to speak out.

1 comment:

  1. Well put mike.....if only we had some brave men at the top who stood up for what we believe in instead of a load of political animals who care of nothing more than being liked by the masses. we might then see a real revival. But God dosen't seem to go about his business in the way we expect does he. When it's hard to see the positive God does something amazing with the people we least expect. That's why we are all so important because he uses all of us for his purpose.
    cliff

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