Sunday, June 8, 2008
Why I am Catholic
One of the reasons I created this blog is to Give a reasoned defense for my Catholic Faith.
1 Peter. 3:15 ....Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence; (note the link takes you to the whole epistle, lest I be acused of missing the context). I believe that it is incumbent in each believer to be able to give a reason for their faith, and not just a some murky sentimental reason, but an explanation based on sound reason. In my view there is nothing more reasonable than Christianity.
So now for my explanation for why I am catholic. For me it comes down to what was the church that Jesus founded upon the apostles. Everything I have seen points to the Roman Catholic Church. There is an unbroken line of succession from my bishop to the apostolic era. This is called apostolic succession. The early church was catholic both in doctrine and in structure. Jesus said to Peter in Mathew 16:[17] And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. [18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. [19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Jesus went on to tell his apostles in Luke 10: 16; He who hear you hears me and he who rejects you reject me. And In Mathew 28:20 "....I am with you til the end of the age".
The promises of Jesus to his apostles did not die with the last apostles nor did the early church believe that. This is why I remain Catholic in light of recent bad press regarding the sex abuse scandal and crazy priests like Reverend Pfleger.
So basically I am Catholic because the Apostles were. I see no need to start another church. Jesus already did that. I have no nail scars on my hands to give the authority to start a new one.
1 Peter. 3:15 ....Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence; (note the link takes you to the whole epistle, lest I be acused of missing the context). I believe that it is incumbent in each believer to be able to give a reason for their faith, and not just a some murky sentimental reason, but an explanation based on sound reason. In my view there is nothing more reasonable than Christianity.
So now for my explanation for why I am catholic. For me it comes down to what was the church that Jesus founded upon the apostles. Everything I have seen points to the Roman Catholic Church. There is an unbroken line of succession from my bishop to the apostolic era. This is called apostolic succession. The early church was catholic both in doctrine and in structure. Jesus said to Peter in Mathew 16:[17] And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. [18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. [19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Jesus went on to tell his apostles in Luke 10: 16; He who hear you hears me and he who rejects you reject me. And In Mathew 28:20 "....I am with you til the end of the age".
The promises of Jesus to his apostles did not die with the last apostles nor did the early church believe that. This is why I remain Catholic in light of recent bad press regarding the sex abuse scandal and crazy priests like Reverend Pfleger.
So basically I am Catholic because the Apostles were. I see no need to start another church. Jesus already did that. I have no nail scars on my hands to give the authority to start a new one.
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