"Toward A New Theology" Part 2 (more explaining)
To follow up with the last post, it would seem that any fellow-feeling between Protestants of different stripes would at best be based on those early creedal statements to which all serious Christians adhere, knowingly or not. But--and this is the key--large segments of Protestants do not even commune together! If there is any more uniting us than anti-Catholicism, you would expect this, no? Granted, in many churches, one can take communion "as a member of an evangelical church in good standing." What does 'evangelical' mean? Does anyone even know? Does it imply "not Catholic"? It sure sounds like it does. But do we believe that the Protestant dispute (which led to our separation) was a tragedy? If we did, we would do everything in our power to avoid it, as we say the great Reformers did. But did they? Do we today? I love and appreciate the Reformed contribution to the theological soup after that time. But the question remains: Are we not obligated to, AT THE LEAST, question our continuing disagreements as Protestants? That would be of the highest importance, no? In accordance with the Lord's command, that we be one? If there remains a dispute with Rome, well and good. But what they say of us is unanswerably true: That the Protestant Reformation, despite whatever good was done in terms of zeal, is doomed to produce millions of fractious iterations, all in one way or another claiming Christian truth. And this in itself is unacceptable! No wonder the societies of the world are in shambles! No wonder we have intolerable cults like Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons! Should we be at all surprised? I don't wish to foreclose upon my journey, and one of the Protestant options, nor impose the Catholic hierarchy upon myself because of what has happened. But I sympathize. You'd better believe it.
Comments