Christian Leaders Rebut Vatican's 'One True Church' Claim
The head of a global body of Reformed churches has challenged the Vatican's claim that the Catholic Church is the only true church of Jesus Christ.
by Ethan Cole, Christian Today Correspondent
Posted: Thursday, July 12, 2007, 10:31 (BST)
Christian leaders have challenged the Vatican's claim that the Catholic Church is the only true church of Jesus Christ.
In a letter addressed to Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council of Christian Unity, the Rev Dr Setri Nyomi, General Secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), questioned the Vatican's statement at a time when unity is at the forefront of the global church agenda.
"We are puzzled by the release of a statement of this kind at this time in the history of the church," wrote Dr Nyomi in the letter on Tuesday. "An exclusive claim that identifies the Roman Catholic Church as the one church of Jesus Christ ... goes against the spirit of our Christian calling toward oneness in Christ.
"It makes us question the seriousness with which the Roman Catholic Church takes its dialogues with the Reformed family and other families of the church," the letter read. "It makes us question whether we are indeed praying together for Christian unity."
The Vatican reaffirmed that only the Roman Catholic Church is "the one true Church of Christ" in a corrective document released Tuesday ratified by Pope Benedict XVI, according to Agence France-Presse.
In addition to clarifying confusion on the Catholic Church's identity, the text also claims to aid in holding effective ecumenical dialogue in the future.
"However, if such dialogue is to be truly constructive it must involve not just the mutual openness of the participants, but also fidelity to the identity of the Catholic faith," the document said.
The 16-page text had also explicitly declared "communities emerging from the Reformation" - the Protestant and Anglican churches - are "not Churches in the proper sense of the word", but rather "ecclesial communities".
In response, Dr Nyomi said, "For now, we are thankful to God that our calling to be part of the church of Jesus Christ is not dependent on the interpretation of the Vatican.
"It is a gift of God," the WARC head wrote in his letter. "Receiving this gift, we appreciate the Roman Catholic Church as a part of this family."
The WARC head speaking for his organisation said it hopes the Roman Catholic Church moves beyond "exclusivist claims" in order to further the cause of Christian unity.
The World Council of Churches, meanwhile, responded to the Vatican statement by recalling the affirmation of its 9th Assembly in Brazil last year, which concluded that, "Each church is the Church catholic and not simply a part of it. Each church is the Church catholic, but not the whole of it. Each church fulfils its catholicity when it is in communion with the other churches."
[With contributions from Maria Mackay in London]
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The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 8:19 (BST)
To all those who say the Catholic Church is not the True Church, the burden of proof is on you.
Scripture attests to the fact the Catholic Church is the True Church, the Early Church Fathers attest to it, history attests to it.
Jesus founded His Church on the Rock of Peter:
"And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. 14 Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:16-18.
There is no other church that can lay claim to this verse in Scripture.
I was Protestant and converted to Catholicism. There are 33, 000 different Protestant churches. Not one of them can agree on everything. There is nothing but confusion. God is not a God of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33).
There is ONE Catholic Church. She is unified everywhere through all times under the Vicar of Christ. This is proof to me that She is the True Church. She is the only Church that obeys ALL of Jesus' commandments. The most important one is to eat His Body and drink His blood (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20).
KaraLynn, Canada
Added: Friday, July 27, 2007, 17:25 (BST)
I agree with the comment made by the head of the Catholic Church "Christ established one church." However, I disagree with the comment that the Roman Catholic Church is this true church.
The church in the final period of earth's history would be identical with the church which Jesus Christ established in the first century.
In the book of Revelation 12:17 gives the identifying marks of this last day church. And based on these characteristics, none fits the Roman Church. Christ's church "keeps his commandments and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
The Roman Church is the apostate church spoken of in Revelation 17, which made all nations drink of the wine of false doctrine. While God has His people in this religious system, this system is a diabolic system. It is not the church of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is calling His people out of this diabolic system. "Come out of her my people, that ye be not patakers of sins and receive of her plagues." "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (Revelation 18:4; John 10:16)
When one traces the Christian church through the ages, one will discover that the church apostatized, and as a result of the Reformation God called out a people to represent Him in the final period of earth's history.
The called out people of God "keep" His commandments, and they have "the testimony of Jesus Christ."
This is my humble submission.
Pastor Marcellinus J. Regis, Castries, St. Lucia
Added: Wednesday, July 25, 2007, 22:41 (BST)
I have always found it strange that people choose to follow a religion that was founded by King Henry VIII because he wanted to divorce his wife and his Roman Catholic religion wouldn't allow it. Why would you follow a religion that was founded on this basis?
What about the church that broke away from the first church? Acts 1 -4
The Roman Catholic Religion broke away from the Orhodox Church but in the end the source is in the New Testament which all churches have broken away from.
St Peter was one of the deciples but so was St Paul and his ministry is just as valid.
Why is it that Roman Catholics have so little knowledge of scripture?
Simon Icke, Aylesbury
Added: Monday, July 16, 2007, 17:52 (BST)
I have always found it strange that people choose to follow a religion that was founded by King Henry VIII because he wanted to divorce his wife and his Roman Catholic religion wouldn't allow it. Why would you follow a religion that was founded on this basis?
Caroline Jackson, London, UK
Added: Monday, July 16, 2007, 9:24 (BST)
The Pope is just another human being and not God. We do not worship him and certainly do not have to obey to the comments he makes. We, the Protestants/Anglican church will live by the Gospel Jesus Christ preached, we certainly do not worship Saints who lived and died. Anyway who has given authority to the RC Church to judge the rest of the denominations. Only one person (Jesus Christ) has the authority to judge and that will be on the last day of the Judgement. We will wait and see.
SJ, Dubai, UAE
Added: Saturday, July 14, 2007, 13:57 (BST)
THE TRUE CHURCH OF CHRIST
I cannot answer the question of where is the true church of Christ better than this chap from California from another blog:
The Scriptures are the final and ultimate authority, it is God breathed, (inspired), (2 Timothy 3:16) The bible teaches that the true church, the bride of Christ, is composed of all true, Born Again, believers, who are justified by Faith alone, in the finished work of Jesus on the cross at Calvary.(Romans 1:16), (Romans 3:21-26) (Ephesian 2:8,9) And this church is built upon the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone, and all believers are living stones, being built up as a spiritual house. (Ephesian 2:19-22), (1 peter 2:4-10). Where do you find the Roman Catholic Church mentioned anywhere in Revelations chapters 2, and 3, or anywhere else in the New Testament, in all of Paul's letters he writes to the Elders/Bishops of the various local churches. The true church of Jesus Christ is indeed catholic, (universal), but it is not Roman Catholic. The Vicar of Christ is not the Pope, but the Holy Spirit, who Jesus promised to send after He ascended. Jn 16:7-15
Richard, Simi Valley, California
Simon Icke, Aylesbury UK
Added: Saturday, July 14, 2007, 12:07 (BST)
People, in John 16:12-13, Jesus tells His Apostles: "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But, when He comes, the Spirit of Truth, He will guide you to all truth." My question is: Where is all the Truth?
Fr. Richard Dale Broussard, Pine Prairie, La, USA
Added: Friday, July 13, 2007, 21:29 (BST)
Simon,
The Pope is simply stating Church teaching. It has always been Church teaching. It has never changed, even in the wake of VII.
The Pope is not about political correctness. He is about speaking the truth. And sometimes the truth offends people who don't want to hear it.
KaraLynn, Canada
Added: Friday, July 13, 2007, 21:26 (BST)
Bill said,
"The RCC is not the true Christian church."
History disagrees with you Bill. One cannot study authentic history and deny that the Catholic Church is the Church Jesus founded.
KaraLynn, Canada
Added: Friday, July 13, 2007, 21:24 (BST)
Dr. Paton said,
"Any one that bows down to statues and still claims the bible or bows down to statues and calls themselves a "christian" is blaspheming against God the Father"
Amen Dr., that's why we don't bow to statues...
KaraLynn, Canada
Added: Friday, July 13, 2007, 18:32 (BST)
But what is Christian unity? As in John 17, Jesus prays that we all might be one so that the world might know that God sent Jesus. How could this be anything but a physical, organizaitonal oneness? Anything less would allow the world to question that God sent Jesus. This is the basis for saying that denominalizationlism is wrong - it can lead nonbelievers in the world to question whether Jesus truly was sent by God. Given this reasoning, shouldn't all churches be claiming to be that one true church? If you aren't a member of such an organization then you are probably not a member of a church and probably just a member of an eclessial community.
Chuck Hawkins, Staunton, VA, USA
Added: Friday, July 13, 2007, 15:58 (BST)
The word "church" means a called out community, so do the words "ecclesial community". Are we getting lost in the fog of Roman Catholic / Protestant arguments? The church includes every believer in Jesus Christ whatever denomination they belong to, or whatever nationality they are. We are all one in Christ Jesus as Paul wrote to the Galatians.
Peter Waring, Rushden, Northants, England
Added: Friday, July 13, 2007, 12:08 (BST)
The Pope was right with the comments he made. By the definition of the Catholic Church the protestant communities are not real churches. I thought Protestants would be happy about this, after all isn't this why they exist? I would have thought it would have been worse to hear the Pope say how much the other churches resembled the Catholic Church!
The Catholic Church is the Church Christ established on this earth. No other church can trace themselves back directly to Christ, all other christian churches are built on the word of man. Christian unity will only ever happen when protestants stop protesting, remove themselves from Satan's work and bring themselves in line with the Catholic Church. There is no authority in other churches, the authority of Christ lies in the Catholic Church, the true Church of Christ. It is there you can find Christ, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, every week!
The Papal office is a gift from God, and I'm glad we have a man who is capable of living up to the requirements of the post. The teachings of Christ are not for changing, to suit the weakness of sinners. In a way, it is good people are hating Pope Benedict, it just proves he is doing Christ's work on earth.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake./ Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. (Luke 6:22-23).
Jay, UK
Added: Thursday, July 12, 2007, 22:58 (BST)
I think only God himself can tell who are the true church. And I believe the answer may be found in the book of Revelation 14.12. The true church is that church who has Jesus's faith and keep the ten commandments as they are in the Bible. Rome is the great Babylon from the Revelation 17.
Alexandru Dinu, Bucharest, Romania
Added: Thursday, July 12, 2007, 12:34 (BST)
Any one that bows down to statues and still claims the bible or bows down to statues and calls themselves a "christian" is blaspheming against God the Father, creator of all, and going against the words of Jesus the Christ which is God in the flesh which the (roman) catholic church says they chiam. Can I go along with that and still feel that they are "the true church on earth for God"? NO!!!
Dr. Scorpio Paton , portland, oregon: U.S.A.
Added: Thursday, July 12, 2007, 12:29 (BST)
The reformed church says;
It is a gift of God,” the WARC head wrote in his letter. “Receiving this gift, we appreciate the Roman Catholic Church as a part of this family.”
The "Reformed" church has betrayed the Gospel and the reformers by saying the above. The RCC is not the true Christian church.
Bill Scudder, Dayton, Ohio, USA
Added: Thursday, July 12, 2007, 12:07 (BST)
The pope owes the worldwide Christian church an apology.
Pope says to all non catholics 'You are not a proper church'!
How insulting, how offensive, how arrogant can you get!
To think most non Catholics like myself have spent years offering the hand of friendship, and praising Catholics (especially the previous Pope) for their strong stand on moral issues, and this is how the Pope decides to respond to this love and friendship. How very sad!
I had my doubts about this Pope when he decided to take the Catholic Church back to the dark ages by stating that all Catholic churches world-wide should return to holding their services in Latin, thus keeping the church and priest in total control and the congregation in the dark. In my personal experience, Catholics friends I know, already have no first hand knowledge of the scriptures or very little as they have received their faith second hand via their priest or church. I suggest they start seeking their faith first hand perhaps by reading the whole of John's Gospel for starters, maybe realise for the first time they can have a direct personal relationship with Jesus Christ. All the language barriers, rituals, saints, mysticism, smokescreens and intermediaries are completely unnecessary. But hey there is a 'health warning' if you try this direct approach by reading your bible for yourself in English instead of trying to understand the dead language of Latin, it might mean you will be in control of your faith and not the Catholic church.
Heaven forbid! You might then realise the Catholic Church and the Pope doesn't have a monopoly on the truth, but for that matter neither does any other religious leader, or Protestant church who also claims to have a monopoly on the truth.
What happened to humility amongst Catholic and Non-Catholic religious leaders? It seems to be the most rarest of commodities amongst all religious groups in these difficult times. If only the different religious leaders could look for what unites us rather than what divides us, maybe they would set a better example to us all and the world would be a more peaceful and loving place to live.
Simon Icke, AYLESBURY UK
