“Called to Communion” is a Catholic website that Francis Beckwith frequently plugs. It consists of dropouts from evangelicalism (with a Reformed accent).
What's ironic about this is that, on the one hand, they convert to Catholicism because sola scriptura doesn't afford them the degree of guidance they say they need. There's no substitute of a divine teaching office, ya know.
On the other hand, as soon as they convert, who do they turn to for theological advice? Do they consult their parish priest? No. Their local bishop? No.
Instead, they form a circle of Catholic converts (or reverts) and then proceed to gaze at their collective navals for theological enlightenment. Francis Beckwith gazes at the navel of Bryan Cross, who gazes at the navel of Neal Judisch, who gazes at the navel of Taylor Marshall, who gazes at the naval of Tim Troutman, &c.
They turn to each other for theological insight. This is just like a schismatic sect in which disgruntled members split with their church and form a breakaway church–consisting of themselves. By and for themselves.
I've wondered about that myself. These guys spend a great deal of time engaging in private interpretation in order to tell us that we can't engage in private interpretation.
ReplyDeleteIt's tempting to want to refute every argument by asking whether their point has been officially established by the magisterium.
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Just for the record, I've never seen Tim Troutman's belly button...
ReplyDeleteWe at Called to Communion are not engaged in private interpretation because we submit to infallible dogmatic declarations (e.g. transubstantiation with regard to the Eucharist), and not to fallible confessions of faith (WCF) and not to fallible teachers (e.g. Calvin).
Whereas Protestants are free to differ with one another on infant baptism, the definition of a sacrament, the nature of justification, church polity, women's ordination, etc., we Catholics must submit our minds to the Holy Catholic Church, the true mother and teacher of all the faithful.
TAYLOR MARSHALL SAID:
ReplyDeleteWe at Called to Communion are not engaged in private interpretation because we submit to infallible dogmatic declarations (e.g. transubstantiation with regard to the Eucharist), and not to fallible confessions of faith (WCF) and not to fallible teachers (e.g. Calvin).
Whereas Protestants are free to differ with one another on infant baptism, the definition of a sacrament, the nature of justification, church polity, women's ordination, etc., we Catholics must submit our minds to the Holy Catholic Church, the true mother and teacher of all the faithful.
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And you must make private use of your own minds to read the mind of Mother Church. So you've traded private interpretation for private telepathy.
I assure you, dear author, that we are in communion with our priests and bishops. Why our discussion amongst ourselves would preclude such a possibility is beyond me.
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