Churches or Church?
willpick asked this question on 7/29/2000:
Whenever Christ speaks of His Church it is always in the singular "Hear the Church " NOT hear the churches. Which is that church? All history informs you that is the Catholic Church, She, of ALL the denominations on the face of the earth has existed so long. ALL history, I say bears testimony to this, not only Catholic history, but Pagan history, Jewish History and PROTEST ant history Most churches have been around for about 450 years ,the NEW kids on the block about 200 years. If you are a Roman Catholic, you know your religion was founded in the year 33 by OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. Thank you and may GOD Bless you
mscperu gave this response on 7/29/2000:
Greetings:
God bless your for your profession of faith.
And God be praised for His Church, our mother. She is the true Church because her guarantees are
The Magisterium (the successor of Peter - the Pope - and the successors of the Apostles - the bishops)
The uninterrupted transmission of Holy Orders from the Apostles up to now
The Tradition, i. e. the uninterrupted transmission of the complete treasure of faith through the centuries
The Scripture and the authoritative interpretation of the Word of God
The Liturgy as expression and celebration of faith, life and sacraments.
The other denominations are THE Church in the measure they conserved the above-mentioned guarantees. They are The Church more or less as they mirror more or less the essential elements. That is why we are so close to the Orthodox Church because she has all the elements except the charisma of Peter.
Why has God given permission to mankind to break the unity and the completeness?
Tertullianus said in the second century: Heresies are useful because they oblige the Church seek conversion.
Petrus Canisius facing the protestant reformation expressed the same thought this way: "The German people wanted to become devout again, that's why the reformation was necessary".
Vale
mscperu