“The real problems lie in the doctrines embedded in the Roman Catholic faith itself”.
This is somewhat dated (1991), but this video produced by James McCarthy takes on some eclectic topics such as “the Mass”, transubstantiation, “statues”, “Tradition”, and others (I haven’t finished it because I had to run to another appointment), but it's unique in that there is a large number of former priests and nuns who talk about “why they left”. If you check out the YouTube page, there seems to be a large number of similar videos.
HT: Vincent Artale Jr.
Interesting Video. I notice the parallels of the experience these former priests and monks had with the experiences Luther went through when he was a monk. It is almost a word per word similarity between what we see in this video with what the spiritual crisis many Christians went through in the later Middle Ages. However in a brighter note, I was conversating with a Catholic who is a Thomist and strongly believes in predestination and the doctrines of grace (monergism) that Aquinas has in common with the reformers and Saint Augustine.
ReplyDeleteI was conversating with a Catholic who is a Thomist and strongly believes in predestination and the doctrines of grace (monergism) that Aquinas has in common with the reformers and Saint Augustine.
DeleteThis, however, is not one of the "core" doctrines, and the way that Aquinas relied upon "monergism" cashes out in a way that's different from the way it does for the Reformed -- and it relies upon (core doctrine) the Roman hierarchy and the Roman sacraments.
This is why Roman Catholicism must be rejected in-whole. Even if you find "similarities", they are going to be superficial.
Good video to show that sincere and committed Catholics can and do leave Catholicism. John you're right that it's dated. It suffers from some of the problems Evangelical apologetical videos often did back then.
ReplyDelete1. It's not as doctrinally precise in presenting what Catholicism *actually* teaches (e.g. states or implies that Catholicism teaches salvation by strict merit rather than graciously empowered condign and congruous merit). 2. It presents objections to Catholicism that modern Catholic apologists have answers to.
Nevertheless, such videos have some value. Just as the videos and audio at Berean Beacon. Though I suspect Berean Beacon's scholarship isn't as high as yours and other Evangelical apologists focusing on Catholicism (e.g. James White, Turretinfan, William Webster etc.). For example, Richard Bennett seems to be overly dogmatic on disputed historical matters.
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If anyone is interested, Here's Alpha and Omega Ministries' playlist on Roman Catholic Debates
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBby84KboLbHnG56Xzlq_91kxhfeSHp_b
My own collection of Protestant vs. Catholic Debates can be accessed HERE
Here's a Sedevacantism Debate: Robert Sungenis vs. John Lane
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL55C3F30DF0A8395D
Here's a Sedevacantism Debate - Dimond vs. Albrecht (Gnrhead)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI7isTA4A8E&list=PLB9D19F2F1D34C7A2
I like Sedevacantist debates because they show the apparent contradictions between modern and older Catholic teachings (by professed and seriously committed Catholics THEMSELVES). They provide average Catholics an opportunity to seriously consider whether modern Catholic claims are true. And so causing them to doubt Catholicism and hopefully opening them up to Biblical Christianity. Catholic apologists have no problem using the "divine and conquer" tactic against Protestants. I think it's appropriate that Evangelicals do the same thing. It's more damaging to Catholicism because they claim infallibility and being the Church that is semper eadem ("ever the same").
Thanks AP, these are some good resources here. I've not actually had the opportunity to watch many of the James White debates (he used to charge for them, and of course, there is the matter of finding the time simply to sit down and watch them).
DeleteI agree with you on the Sedevacantist stuff -- I've had a chance to do a good bit of reading on the history of 20th century RCism, and some of the disagreements which eventually were not solved at Vatican II. I think it's definitely a period that's worth some study and reporting, and I'm hoping to get more into it as we go along.