Skip to main content

Lutherns vs Catholics

Image
By
+
JMJ


In the wake of another Luther/Catholic scandal - here's some clarity from a Catholic theologian: Dr. Malloy.

P^3

Source: Theological Flint

Luther and Catholic Faith in Contradiction?

Commentary, Ecumenism, Luther / Lutheranism
Nowadays, nearly all are aware of numerous claims on sin and justification shared by Luther and Catholics.
Some Common Teachings on Sin and Justification
  • We cannot justify ourselves: neither cause ourselves to be just (efficiently) nor merit that we be justified
  • God is the author of justification, the efficient cause
  • That we be justified is merited by the labor of Christ, who suffered died and rose
  • This merit of Christ must be applied to the individual in order that the individual be justified.
  • Just because Christ died, the human race is not thereby justified. Individuals are, one at a time.
  • It is good to imitate Christ
  • Sanctification begins, with justification, in this life
  • In heaven, all are holy

 Sadly, some have forgotten crucial differences between Luther’s views and Catholic doctrine. These differences are so crucial that they even color the agreed points. For example: It is agreed that God is the author of justification. But if we diverge regarding what justification is, then our understanding of God’s causality in the first place is divergent. Below, I list some other teachings on sin and justification. In looking at just about any row in this list, one would be hard pressed not to find significant contradiction.
 Some Other Teachings on Sin and Justification
LUTHER’s POSITION                                            CATHOLIC DOCTRINE
Faith, Hope, Love are part of the natural good condition of manFaith, Hope, Love are supernatural gifts
Corrupt human nature is as such totally depravedCorrupt human nature is as such deprived of all graces but not totally depraved
Without grace, present man cannot know GodWithout grace, man can know the Creator Exists
Without grace, man cannot know the natural lawMan can know the natural law without grace
Without grace, man cannot know the one true faithNatural reason can discern signs of the one true religion
All sins are damnableVenial sins are not damnable
Concupiscence (pre-freely chosen tendency to acts of sin) is a damnable sinConcupiscence is not even a venial sin
Concupiscence is the worst sin in us, worse than actual sins (such as adultery on Tuesday)Actual sins are the worst sins; concupiscence is not even a venial sin
Without grace, we sin in every workWithout grace, non-sinful works are possible
Even with grace, we sin in every workWith grace, non-sinful works are possible
Justification is by faith aloneJustification is not by faith alone, but by faith animated by charity
Faith is firm trust in the promise that I am savedFaith is intellectual assent, at the command of the will, accepting as true all that God reveals
Since along with faith there is always charity, and since one can retain faith while committing an actual mortal sin, therefore one can have charity yet have just committed a mortal sinOne who commits a mortal sin loses sanctifying grace and charity
It also follows that charity is compatible with the commission of mortal sinCharity is not compatible with the commission of mortal sin
Christ is not a LawgiverChrist is a Lawgiver, the New Moses
Adequate obedience to the commandments is not possibleAdequate obedience to the commandments is possible
Salvation does not require obedience to the commandmentsSalvation does require obedience to the commandments
God predestines some to hell, not in light of their foreseen sins but apart from themGod predestines no one to hell except in light of their sins that he foresees
Because God has foreknowledge of our future acts, there is no free willGod has foreknowledge of our future free acts, and these acts are indeed free
The justice by which we are just before God is extrinsic to us (God attributes it to us)The justice by which we are just before God inheres in us (God infuses it into us)
There is no increase in this justice: It is all or nothingThere is an increase in this justice: It varies by degrees according to God’s will and our cooperation
The justified are internally worthy of hellThe justified are internally worthy of heaven
Even the justified cannot merit heaven by any theological works they doThe justified can truly merit heaven by the good works they do in grace
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Curious Case of Steve Skojec and the Dangers of Deep Diving into the Crisis Sub-Titled: The Failings of Others

By
 + JMJ It's been a while now since Steve Skojec sold 1P5 and abandoned the Catholic Faith. I've been a 'Trad' since 1982 and in those 40+ years I seen this death-spiral before with a similar end point. It seems that anyone who jumps into the fray unprepared for the enormous task of righting wrongs will, eventually, become discouraged by not the task but the people who surround them.   I remember when Skojec complained of the treatment his family received from a traditional priest.  This seems to have been the start of the end for him. So what can we learn from the likes of Steve Skojec, Michael Voris (maybe?), Louie Verrecchio, Gerry Matatix and other celebrity Catholics? Probably quite a lot about what not to do. First, don't burn out on the crisis?  When you burn out, on work or anything else, little things assume a more greater importance than they are due.   This is one of my 'canary in the coal mine' signals that I've been stretching myself too th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Tradical Commentary on: Restore DC Catholicism: SSPX And Austrilian Bishops - Two Different Errors

By
+ JMJ An interesting thing has happened on the discussion that prompted my article on whether it is sinful to attend the Novus Ordo Missae .  The blog owner of RDCC has shut down discussion by locking the article. That is their prerogative, but I am puzzled as to why? Perhaps it has something to do with some of the latter comments. They didn't believe the teaching on intention with regards to confecting the Sacraments.  This is not the first time I've experienced incredulity on this topic ( reference articles ). Really this isn't about what they believe but the truth. They seem to believe that the objections to the Novus Ordo Missae are simply about "overly delicate sensibilities".  In response to this I am reblogging a number of articles by the SSPX. Perhaps it was the comment made by Bishop Schneider, a currently well revered hero (who deserved the accolades) but apparently has said something similar to the SSPX.   I suspect that it is more...
Post a Comment
Read more

Australia: Seal of the Confessional Outlawed at the Federal Level

By
+ JMJ This is simply another step in the attack on the Catholic Church. Interestingly, California's attempt to do the same failed. P^3 Courtesy of FSSPX.news Australia: Seal of the Confessional Outlawed at the Federal Level December 19, 2019 Source: fsspx.news On December 2, 2019, the Australian Conference of Bishops (ACBC) denounced the agreement between the Attorneys General of each state and the Australian federal government, with the aim of standardizing the laws imposing on priests the obligation to denounce any alleged fact of ill-treatment of minors that would be learned in the context of the sacrament of penance. “Counterproductive and unjust” are the terms with which Archbishop Mark Coleridge, Archbishop of Brisbane and President of the ACBC, denounced the new prejudicial legal norms on the sacramental seal of the confessional in Australia. The attorneys gener...
Post a Comment
Read more

Comparision of the Tridentine, Cranmer and Novus Ordo Masses

By
+ JMJ I downloaded the comparison that was linked in the previous article on the mass (here) . ... a very good reference! P^3 From: Whispers of Restoration (available at this link) . CHARTING LITURGICAL CHANGE Comparing the 1962 Ordinary of the Roman Mass to changes made during the Anglican Schism; Compared in turn to changes adopted in the creation of Pope Paul VI’s Mass in 1969 The chart on the reverse is a concise comparison of certain ritual differences between three historical rites for the celebration of the Catholic Mass Vetus Ordo: “Old Order,” the Roman Rite of Mass as contained in the 1962 Missal, often referred to as the “Traditional Latin Mass.”The Ordinary of this Mass is that of Pope St. Pius V (1570) following the Council of Trent (1545-63), hence the occasional moniker “Tridentine Mass.” However, Trent only consolidated and codified the Roman Rite already in use at that time; its essential form dates to Pope St. Gregory the Great (+604), in whose time the R...
Post a Comment
Read more

Morning and Evening and other sundry Prayers

By
+ JMJ Along the theme of P^3 (Prayer, Penance, Patience), and for my own reference ... here is a collection of Morning and Evening prayers from the Ideal Daily Missal along with some additional prayers. In this crisis of the Church, I do not think it is possible to do too much prayer, penance and have patience. P^3
Post a Comment
Read more