Letters
July 1, 1995
Tactics, Tactics
I question the wisdom of devoting your second issue (Spring 1995) to stories of inter-confessional conversion. It is virtually impossible for a convert to explain himself without describing the inadequacies of his original communion, thereby drawing the anger of those who find in that communion a perfectly adequate expression of Christian commitment. This is hardly the way to build goodwill among those interested in historical orthodoxy As a Catholic convert myself, with all the zeal and twice the insufferableness, I found at least two of the articles ill-informed, inaccurate, or misleading.
Frederica Mathewes-Green, for example, says that the Pope wanted to add "filioque" to the Nicene Creed in the eleventh century, 700 years after the Creed had been decided at Nicaea (325). But the "filioque" first appears in the Creed as an interpolation at the Third Council of Toledo (589) and the double procession of the Holy Spirit the clause expresses was defended by the redoubtable Greek Father, Cyril of Alexandria, against the Nestorians by c. 430. The Biblical evidence for the doctrine is strong: John 16:13-15, Gal. 4:6, Rom. 8:9, and Phil. 1:19, inter alia. I appreciate the gravity of the issue of the authority of die Councils that dispute over this clause encapsulates, but to write as if the Roman Church or her Pontiff arbitrarily "makes up" heterodox doctrines as it goes along is to misunderstand and mislead.
Joe Loconte is clearly one of the many Catholics of our generation who suffered from disastrously bad catechesis after the Second Vatican Council. But that he should judge the Catholic Church (which, after all, has an official organ for defining its doctrine Magisterially) by the unreflective views of "many" ...
Like the preview? To read this complete article
and 20,359 more in the archive—JOIN NOW!
Easily find high-quality, well-researched materials that provide a Christian perspective on topics ranging from headlines to history.
Start using this invaluable tool TODAY for preparing your Bible studies, presentations, class lectures, sermons, meetings, and more.
|
It's easy and quick to join:
Brought to You by Christianity Today Int'l |  |
|
| 
Find similar articles
E-mail this page
