Heh..

[scardella]

Yeah, that's one reason why Catholicism is the only Christianity for me!

[Sojourner]

[quote name='p0lar_bear' date='Jan 3 2006, 11:28 AM']Actually, I think it makes sense that they are discussing it. I don't mean I don't believe it or don't find it perfectly reasonable, but we have the benefit of history and they don't.

The question of whether one could call Mary the Mother of God was a huge debate in its day. Since Baptists, right or wrong, reject out -of-hand the debates and decisions of the 5th century Christians, they would have to come up with all the arguments for and against the title on their own, weigh the merits of each, and come to a personal decision about it....

Basically one of the great tragedies of the Protestant life (yes that is a generalization, no it doesn't apply to all Protestants) is the need to constantly re-invent the wheel. Each generation, indeed each individual, has to re-debate all the great theological controversies and arrive at some conclusion rather than trusting those who came before them and building upon the foundation their predecessors provided. It's kind of like if each generation of scientists had to "discover" Mendel's genetic principles or Newton's laws rather than simply being able to build on their work to come to new discoveries.
Does that make any sense?
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It totally makes sense.

I personally think that's why Protestant theology isn't, on the whole, as well-developed as Catholic theology -- they don't have as long a history, and they give a lot less credence to those who have gone before.

[tojo]

[quote name='Sojourner' date='Jan 3 2006, 11:38 AM']It totally makes sense.

I personally think that's why Protestant theology isn't, on the whole, as well-developed as Catholic theology -- they don't have as long a history, and they give a lot less credence to those who have gone before.
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Yep. I'm so glad I'm Catholic now, I was so tired fromconstantly re-inventing the wheel for myself.

[p0lar_bear]

I think it was Cardinal Newman who said something to the effect of "to study history is to become Catholic" (not an exact quote), which I think sums up the situation quite nicely.

But my point isn't so much to criticize them for not relying on history as to beg understanding from phatmassers. Given their starting point, their debate is understandable, even if it seems a bit redundant to us. Their plight should prompt us to thank God for the benefit of being able to see with a Catholic world-view. It should elicit pity, not mocking.

[tojo]

[quote name='p0lar_bear' date='Jan 3 2006, 12:40 PM']Their plight should prompt us to thank God for the benefit of being able to see with a Catholic world-view. It should elicit pity, not mocking.
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I agree, and I had thought my tone was along these lines...

[p0lar_bear]

[quote name='tomasio127' date='Jan 3 2006, 10:44 AM']I agree, and I had thought my tone was along these lines...
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Sorry tomasio, that sentiment was directed to the thread in general. It wasn't a commentary on your tone. My apologies for not being clear.

[tojo]

[quote name='p0lar_bear' date='Jan 3 2006, 01:23 PM']Sorry tomasio, that sentiment was directed to the thread in general. It wasn't a commentary on your tone. My apologies for not being clear.
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no problem...