Ecumenism
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, nonChristians 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 superChurch. 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 nondenominational (11 percent), Episcopal (9 per cent) and Pentecostals (3.8 per cent.”