The line starts here

[jimpretzer]

Many thanks to friends who pointed out the Pope's declaration that Christian denominations other than Catholicism and the various Orthodox churches are not true churches and lack the "means of salvation."  (see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19692094/) 

Apparently, only churches that can trace their bishops back to Christ's original apostles have the "means of salvation" and the rest of us get to roast in Hell.  I wonder what effect it has if the chain of "apostolic succession" includes popes of dubious moral and ethical quality.  I guess it doesn't matter that the chain of apostolic succession includes Medicis and Borgias, for example, or that it includes advocates of the selling of indulgences, the crusades, and the inquisition.

Oh well, I wasn't on the good list anyway.

Comments

[mskala.livejournal.com]

I guess it doesn't matter that the chain of apostolic succession includes Medicis and Borgias, for example,

On the contrary, the various Christian churches consider that to be an absolutely critical question, and the fact that they disagree on who does or doesn't count as legitimate, is a big part of the reason there ARE different Christian churches. A similar disagreement is also a big part of the difference between Sunni and Shia Islam - they disagree as to who are or aren't the legitimate successors to Mohammed.

[eestep.livejournal.com]

Hey, I'm Episcopalian and we practice apostolic succession. I mean, Cranmer was a Catholic bishop before he supported Henry in splitting the church. So how come I 'lack the means of salvation'?

Oh, right, this has nothing to do with serious theology and much to do with catering to the conservative wing of the church. (See the Tridentine [Latin]mass and the Good Friday prayer for the conversion of the Jews.)

Every time I hear stuff like this I remember: Jesus never preached the founding of a church, that was Paul. Jesus said "Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself." That's a theology I can understand. Apparently Ratzinger has issues with it.