500 Years is Enough

As we approach the 500 year anniversary of Luther posting his 95 thesis on the doors of Wittenberg Church there are some things we should consider. Isn't 500 years enough protest? Has the protest worked? Is the church stronger now that it has been splintered and divided into thousands of denominations?

Personally, I think the witness of Christian truth suffers when the churches are speaking contradictory things to our world. When the church is divided the enemy wins.

I want to invite my Charismatic brothers and sisters who are not Catholic to intensely consider coming home. Most Charismatic Christians I know do not think they are protesting the Catholic church and believe themselves to just be Christian. I would venture to say that a Christianity not rooted in Catholic past is wildly tainted by the modern spirit and philosophy. It is nearly impossible to figure out what is American culture, and what is Holy Spirit truth.

Put aside the conspiracy theories and misinformation you have heard about the Catholic Church. You know what I'm talking about, things like, the Pope is the Anti-christ, the Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon, mother of Harlots, etc. These lies are unashamedly taught by other denominations when you study their theology. Enough is enough, the heart of Christ for unity demands you stop being complacent and accepting of division. Christ established the Catholic Church on the Apostles in the Upper room in 33 AD. Study your misconceptions away.

Where do you start? One place is this lady's blog journey investigating Catholic teaching. At the end of her study she didn't choose to become Catholic, but nobody's perfect, right? Just kidding.

Another place is Catholic Answers. Just type in your wildest accusation about the Catholic Church and read the answer/rebuttal.

I believe what Cardinal Newman, a convert from Anglicanism said:

 I also believe what Bishop Fulton Sheen said:

Why stay out of the Catholic Church my Charismatic Christian friends? The Catholic Church embraces Charismatic phenomenon like tongues, praise and worship, etc. It also respects the Latin Mass. It is a universal church that has scholars, educated, uneducated, laborers, rich, and poor from every culture, the contemplative and quiet to the boisterous. They all find a home in the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is also full of signs and wonders. Never have signs and wonders stopped in the Catholic Church. Some see Pentecostalism as a new beginning to Supernatural ministry after the spirit of the Enlightenment quenched the supernatural teaching in churches, but the Catholic Church never gave in to Enlightenment thinking like Protestant churches did. The Catholic Church is supernatural and yet also full of reason and respect for science. Stop the protest and come home. Don't be complacent. Desire unity, study, pray and come home. 500 years is enough. You won't be sorry you did. Wait until you encounter Jesus in the Eucharist, the blessed Sacrament. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

I sometimes consider if Christ allowed the Protestant splintering to happen much as he allowed the division of Israel in to the Northern and Southern kingdoms due to the sin of David and Solomon. Northern Israel split away and created their two golden calves to worship so that they wouldn't have to follow the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Judah had committed sins and perhaps God allowed the splintering, but the Northern kingdom then entered into graver sin with its calves once they broke away from the true worship in the Southern kingdom God had established. Perhaps more harm, heresy and confusion has come from the Reformation than good even though there were issues in the Catholic Church that needed correcting. Come home and help reform the Church, don't leave Peter because of Judas.