The naivety of ecumenical-minded Protestants
never ceases to amaze, writes 'Observer'.
Once again these good folk, innocent in their
intentions, but trusting to the point of absurdity, have been
caught completely on the wrong foot by the Pope's encyclical
which demeans the sacrament of Holy Communion in Protestant
churches.
When will these 'innocents' and like-minded
people finally catch on to the fact that where the Roman Catholic
church is concerned, there is only one 'true Church' and all
the others are but pale imitations?
Rome does not regard the Protestant churches
as being equal in any sense of the word with it, and Rome's
concept of Christianity Unity is the return of 'heretical
Protestantism to the one true fold.'
The present Pope is an ultra-conservative Pontiff,
but who can doubt that he speaks for the Cardinals and the
hierachy who control the Vatican and its attitude to Protestantism
and reunion.
Rome does plan for unity with the Reformed churches,
but only on its terms, and that included the Pope being accepted
as the leader of Christianity. People might try to pretend
otherwise, but that is the true fact. It might be glossed
up by public relations style language but Roman Catholicism
does not seek to hide its true intentions, and to that extent
it must be accepted as being honest and certainly far more
realistic than the ecumenical Protestants.
Rome continues to adhere to all its traditional
teachings on a whole range of matters, and the Pope does not
seek to water down the teachings of 'Mother Church' just to
please sympathetic sections of the Protestant churches.
Shortly after his encyclical, the Pope created
five more Saints, and he has long preached the virtue and
the 'truths' of traditional Roman Catholic doctrine on a whole
range of items anathema to true Protestants.
The Church of Ireland Gazette, the official
publication of that Church, pulled no punches in its comment
on the encyclical which it frankly said "once again denigrates
the sacrament of Holy Communion in Protestant churches."
A few years ago the ecumenical Protestants received
another set-back when the Vatican declared that it did not
regard Protestant churches as proper churches (Dominus lesus
encyclical), and now it is followed up by another blast.
Protestants who have been prepared to compromise
on the truths of the Reformation and to betray the men and
women martyrs who died in the fires of Smithfield and to be
slaughtered like the Huguenots in France and the Hussites
in Bohemia for the truth of the gospels, should really examine
their consciences. They should ask themselves if they would
be happier in the ritualistic Roman Catholic Church and give
allegiance to the Pope, or accept the truths of the gospels
and the scriptures as expounded by the Reformers and the founders
of Protestantism - Huss, Luther, Calvin, Knox and many others.
Too many ecumenical folk have tried to have
it both ways and to ride two horses. They have been prepared
to declare themselves as Protestants, but at the same time
working to undermine the great work of the Reformation. Now
they must decide whether they would not be happier in the
Roman Catholic Church - a step taken by many Anglicans a few
years ago when the Church of England accepted women for the
priesthood.
The Protestant churches must also decide, in
the light of this rigid and uncompromising encyclical whether
it is worthwhile to continue to pursue theological dialogue
and talks with the Church of Rome. It is patently achieving
very little and is certainly not deflecting Rome from its
unyielding stance.
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