This is a great response to Leithart, on my exact point about idolatry, from an Orthodox guy.
That said, the Church is Orthodoxy? (from the comments) How? No principium unitatis, no definition of what an ecumenical council is, no definitive doctrines about anything, (ethnic Church doctrinal free-for-all) and no way to find them. Oh, yeah, WHERE'S THE BISHOP OF ROME?
I digress. Certain enthusiastic Lutherans (let the reader understand) will just have to man up and realize Leithart was wrong on the point. What is the Eucharist? If it is bread, then we of the Catholic Church (and a large number of others) are Idolaters, not cutesy, evangelical, Calvin, your-heart-is-an-idol-factory idolaters, and you should be glad we're excluding you from our covenant-shattering damnable practices, not mad because we won't let you in.
On the other hand, you wouldn't have this problem if you weren't bizarrely committed to the idea that you were a snow-covered dung heap who commits damnable offenses just by breathing, that is somehow loved by God anyway for Christ's sake, even though if you don't respond, it's still your fault, even though whether or not you do respond was determined beforehand by the decretal election of God before you existed. But don't worry! When it's your turn, God will make you think it matters what you do! Oh, and feel free to work out the blatant contradiction between WCF Chapter 11 and Chapter 15 when you get a chance. To wit: God cannot forgive the same sins twice. If 11 is true, I need not repent of sins committed after I am in Christ by faith, because that's what imputation means: The Father sees Christ, not me. If 11 is not true, well then, I'm not sure what theology that is, but it ain't Reformational. Not that I care if a theology is Reformational, but still. Over here, we would call an error that didn't damn one an attachment, or a venial sin. Anything else...just don't do that, OK?
I have to be a little rougher on the Reformed, because their theology makes the least sense of any, outside the Church, properly speaking. No; I don't think any of you are damned; I might think your leaders are not validly ordained ministers of Christ. I might even say the forefathers of your communities were rebellious, preening charlatans if I'm in a really bad mood, but a few of their descendants charm me with their warmth and humanity, even as theologians, despite themselves. Karl Barth, looking in your direction.
Anyway, I know I'm in full snark mode today. In all seriousness, though, love to you, wherever you are.
That said, the Church is Orthodoxy? (from the comments) How? No principium unitatis, no definition of what an ecumenical council is, no definitive doctrines about anything, (ethnic Church doctrinal free-for-all) and no way to find them. Oh, yeah, WHERE'S THE BISHOP OF ROME?
I digress. Certain enthusiastic Lutherans (let the reader understand) will just have to man up and realize Leithart was wrong on the point. What is the Eucharist? If it is bread, then we of the Catholic Church (and a large number of others) are Idolaters, not cutesy, evangelical, Calvin, your-heart-is-an-idol-factory idolaters, and you should be glad we're excluding you from our covenant-shattering damnable practices, not mad because we won't let you in.
On the other hand, you wouldn't have this problem if you weren't bizarrely committed to the idea that you were a snow-covered dung heap who commits damnable offenses just by breathing, that is somehow loved by God anyway for Christ's sake, even though if you don't respond, it's still your fault, even though whether or not you do respond was determined beforehand by the decretal election of God before you existed. But don't worry! When it's your turn, God will make you think it matters what you do! Oh, and feel free to work out the blatant contradiction between WCF Chapter 11 and Chapter 15 when you get a chance. To wit: God cannot forgive the same sins twice. If 11 is true, I need not repent of sins committed after I am in Christ by faith, because that's what imputation means: The Father sees Christ, not me. If 11 is not true, well then, I'm not sure what theology that is, but it ain't Reformational. Not that I care if a theology is Reformational, but still. Over here, we would call an error that didn't damn one an attachment, or a venial sin. Anything else...just don't do that, OK?
I have to be a little rougher on the Reformed, because their theology makes the least sense of any, outside the Church, properly speaking. No; I don't think any of you are damned; I might think your leaders are not validly ordained ministers of Christ. I might even say the forefathers of your communities were rebellious, preening charlatans if I'm in a really bad mood, but a few of their descendants charm me with their warmth and humanity, even as theologians, despite themselves. Karl Barth, looking in your direction.
Anyway, I know I'm in full snark mode today. In all seriousness, though, love to you, wherever you are.
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