Fundamental
Evangelistic Association
selected
articles from:
©FOUNDATION
A MAGAZINE OF BIBLICAL FUNDAMENTALISM
Dennis W. Costella, Editor; Karel Beyer, Production Manager; Matt
Costella,
Copy Editor
M.H. Reynolds, Jr. (1919-1997), Founding Editor
The Church of Mary – An Alternative for
Non-Catholics?
"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for
Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no
great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of
righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
2 Cor 11:13-15
by Dennis Costella
©Foundation Magazine, Jan-Feb 2001
THROUGH THE YEARS of covering and reporting on ecumenical
meetings in which both Catholics and non-Catholics were represented, we
have been amazed at the readiness, even enthusiasm, with which each
received the other as fellow "Christians." Even meetings in
which the Roman Catholic presence was virtually nonexistent (such as the
Lausanne Conferences, Billy Graham's Itinerant Evangelist Conferences,
Urbana Youth Conferences, etc.), the leadership was always very careful
to avoid giving the impression that Catholics are lost and need to be
saved. Some Evangelical leaders believe that only the
"nominal," wayward Catholic (as Leighton Ford explained to the
press at Amsterdam '87) needs to be evangelized. Ford's comment is
consistent with the strategy of the Billy Graham crusades for decades:
Invite the Catholic to "repent" (without explaining that this
includes the necessity of turning from the heresies of Romanism), make a
decision for Christ, come forward and speak with a Roman Catholic
counselor who will then challenge the individual to renew his baptismal
vows and then send him back to the Catholic church as a
"believer" who is now a faithful Catholic.
As Bible-taught Fundamentalists, we understand the fact that
sacramentalism, or a "works-salvation," is obviously a false
gospel. Salvation by "faith plus works" and salvation by
"faith alone" are concepts that are mutually exclusive–one
is right and the other, therefore, is wrong. Thus, one could assume that
Roman Catholics believe that all who call themselves
"Christians" but who refuse to join the "one true
church," the Roman Catholic Church, are headed for eternal
damnation despite their good intentions. And one could assume that the
converse would also be true concerning a Bible-believer's evaluation of
a Roman Catholic.
So, how is this major breach between Romanism and Evangelicalism
being bridged? Obviously both parties are making a concerted effort to
accept one another as bona fide "brethren in Christ."
But how can the Catholic hierarchy be so incredibly accommodating to the
Evangelical community? And how can the professed Evangelical
Bible-believer, in turn, reach out in faith and in good conscience to
embrace the adherents of Romanism?
An editorial written in the December 2000 issue of First Things, a
publication of The Institute on Religion and Public Life, seems to
supply the answer. Associate Editor Daniel P. Moloney, a Roman Catholic
journalist, presents in a concise and insightful way how the Roman
Catholic hierarchy's ecumenical dream of ministering to the "full
body of Christ" (non-Catholics are included in this number) can
become a reality by means of the post-Vatican II theological framework.
Sadly, much of the evangelical and mainline Protestant community,
whether mindfully or obliviously, is excitedly pursuing this ecumenical
dream as well.
Moloney pointed out that Pope John Paul II, in his annual address to
the curia in December of 1987 introducing the Marian year, stressed the
importance of the successors of Peter (the popes) shepherding even those
who are not officially joined to the Roman Catholic Church by way of the
sacrament of Holy Baptism:
The Pope spoke of two dimensions or "profiles," or, one
might even go so far as to say, two Churches within the one Church
that is the Body of Christ: the Church of Mary and the Church of
Peter. The Church of Peter or the "Petrine profile" refers
to the exercise of the authority of jurisdiction and office-the
official concern of the bishops-while the church of Mary or
"Marian profile" consists of those who with Mary say
"Yes" to God’s call.
The Marian dimension is "supreme and preeminent," said
the Pope, "richer in personal and communitarian
implications" than the Petrine dimension. Pressing the image, the
Pope insisted that the Petrine profile be thought of as in service to
the Marian profile, that the chief purpose of office in the Roman
Catholic Church is ... to aid and serve–all those who with the
Mother of God respond faithfully and lovingly to the person of Jesus.
What this statement is saying, in other words, is that the apparatus
is present whereby the non-Catholic Christian can feel accepted and find
welcome within the confines of his new ecumenical fellowship. He can
also have the benefit of the "Holy Father's" guidance, care
and blessing–even as a non-Catholic! How? Official Catholic teaching
states that not only is the "Church of Peter," composed of all
baptized Catholics, under the pope's care but also the "Church of
Mary," which includes those who have said "Yes" to God
but who have never been Catholics or who have left the Catholic Church
to join Evangelical or Charismatic churches.
And how does one say "Yes" to God according to Catholic
doctrine? Is it by faith in the finished, all-sufficient,
substitutionary sacrifice of Christ on the cross? No! It is through the
rite of baptism, "the sacrament of faith," in any Christian
church. Notice carefully the following from the 1994 Catechism of the
Catholic Church, paragraph number 1271:
Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all
Christians, including those who are not yet in full communion with the
Catholic Church: "For men who believe in Christ and have been
properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with
the Catholic Church. Justified by faith in Baptism, [they] are
incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called
Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the
children of the Catholic Church." "Baptism therefore
constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who
through it are reborn."
This portion of the catechism explains why the Catholic hierarchy,
from the pope on down, can enter into dialogue and ministry with those
from non-Catholic communions. In the view of the magisterium, any
baptized individual is already in the fold (or, more specifically, in
the Marian dimension of the Catholic Church), whether he knows it or
not; and as such, he is eligible for the nurturing care of the Petrine
dimension of the Catholic Church, the institutionalized church headed by
Pope John Paul II. This latter aspect of the Catholic Church is well
known to the world, but Evangelical Christians must also be aware that
the Catholic Church recognizes a "Marian" aspect in its system
which, though much less distinguishable, is a genuine spiritual concept
to Roman Catholics.
So what is the pope's role concerning this "Church of
Mary," consisting of baptized non-Catholics? Official Catholic
teaching states that the pope is to minister to them as their "Holy
Father," whether or not they consciously recognize or accept him to
be so. How is this executed, practically speaking, with respect to the
pope's interaction with Evangelical leaders? The Evangelicals, perhaps
unwittingly, blindly follow, as the First Things editorial
explains:
It is also part of Catholic doctrine that all those who believe and
are baptized ... participate in the Body of Christ, whether or not
they are in full communion with the body of Christ as it subsists in
the Catholic Church. Which means that all Christians, including
Protestants, make up the Church of Mary, and ought to be served and
supported by the Church of Peter.
While this way of putting it might make some evangelicals
uncomfortable, others have already started using the resources this
Pope has made accessible and attractive to the world. It is obvious
that Charles Colson and Billy Graham pay more attention to the
writings of the Holy Father and take them to heart more readily than
do some dissenting Catholic priests and theologians. Pat Robertson for
a time was sending copies of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church as a gift to friends, while some Catholics view the Catechism
as oppressive and authoritarian. It could even be argued that
Campus Crusade and Prison Fellowship have done more to advance the
Church of Mary than entire theology departments of some Catholic
universities. These evangelical leaders recognize that Catholics and
evangelicals share the same gospel, the same deposit of faith, and
especially in recent decades, the same evangelical and apostolic
imperative. ... The Pope is surely following the Second Vatican
Council's teaching that the hierarchy is the service of all believers.
From the Catholic Church's Post-Vatican II perspective, baptized
non-Catholics have already said "Yes" to God and, therefore,
are already in the arms of the caring, shepherding, all-wise "Holy
Father." Even more deplorable, however, is the growing sentiment
among many Evangelicals that communion with Rome is something to be
desired. How tragic! In times past, Bible-believers often pictured the
prophesied one-world harlot church to be fathered by the pope of Rome as
they witnessed other churches and even other faiths of the world moving
into an ecumenical relationship with the Roman Catholic Church. But now,
apparently, no official membership with the Catholic Church is necessary
for the "Christians" of the world, for they are already
members of the "Church of Mary"; and the head of the
"Church of Peter" is anxiously awaiting to provide service to
all! The stage for the one-world church is already set, and from the
Catholic perspective, the one church is already here, lovingly nurtured
by the "successor of Peter."
Mary's experience preceded the supposed ascension of Peter to the
position of Vicar of Christ on earth and, therefore, the current pope's
primary duty is to shepherd all, and that absolutely includes
those in the "Church of Mary." Notice again from the 1994 Catechism
of the Catholic Church, paragraph number 773:
In the Church this communion of men with God ... is the purpose
which governs everything in her that is a sacramental means ... Mary
goes before us all in the holiness that is the Church's mystery as
"the bride without spot or wrinkle." This is why the
"Marian" dimension of the Church precedes the
"Petrine."
The concluding appeal of Mr. Moloney to his Evangelical brethren is
undoubtedly the desire of every knowledgeable Roman Catholic who
believes that the true Body of Christ is, in fact, the Roman Catholic
Church and that the Pope is the "Holy Father." Notice the hope
he has that the evangelical community will continue to look to Rome for
spiritual leadership in the days ahead:
I am confident that many Christians who live in the Marian
dimension of the Church will continue to discover the fullness that
the Holy Spirit bestows in the ministry of Peter, who is called by the
Good Shepherd to feed all the sheep.
How should any true Bible-believer respond to such a statement? With
utmost clarity and conviction, the child of God must proclaim that he is
not a member of the Church of Mary and that the
pope is not the shepherd of his salvation in Christ! Roman
Catholicism is as bereft of Biblical Truth as ever, and those who are
deceived by it are in desperate need of understanding what the Catholic
Church believes and how it deceives both Catholics and non-Catholics
alike. The one-world, harlot church is already in the making, and true
believers must beware!
