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Lutherns vs Catholics

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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

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