The new Pope (Vicar of Christ - the Greek roots of 'vicar' is "ante", AKA Greek Vicar of Christ = antichrist) proclaimed the other day that you are saved ONLY by being a member of the Roman Catholic church. Of course, anyone who has read his or her Bible knows that that is not true.
A couple of things. First of all, Catholics are Christians. We believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God. We say the Nicene Creed at mass.
If Candy still denies then that Catholics are Christians she probably has equal issues with Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, Lutherans, Calvinists, and many other Christian groups. In other words, pretty much any group that does not conform to her particular flavor of Christianity.
Secondly a five minute search on Google was able to clarify the origins of the word "vicar."
vicar -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia
(from Latin vicarius, “substitute”), an official acting in some special way for a superior, primarily an ecclesiastical title in the Christian Church.
Merriam Webster Dictionary
Main Entry: vic·ar
Pronunciation: 'vi-k&r
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin vicarius, from vicarius vicarious
1 : one serving as a substitute or agent; specifically : an administrative deputy
2 : an ecclesiastical agent:
Candy doesn't mention where her definition comes from but I would guess probably the Jack Chick online dictionary. None of the sources I checked had a Greek root for Vicar.
Lastly, some have said that the Catholic Church is a false church because, "It is false teaching to place a man in the role of head of the church. Christ is head."
The Catholic church does indeed believe that Christ is the head of the church and because of that, the Catholic church is organized based on Christ's design for His church.
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church
874 Christ is himself the source of ministry in the Church. He instituted the Church. He gave her authority and mission, orientation and goal:
In order to shepherd the People of God and to increase its numbers without cease, Christ the Lord set up in his Church a variety of offices which aim at the good of the whole body. The holders of office, who are invested with a sacred power, are, in fact, dedicated to promoting the interests of their brethren, so that all who belong to the People of God . . . may attain to salvation.389
875 "How are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men preach unless they are sent?"390 No one - no individual and no community - can proclaim the Gospel to himself: "Faith comes from what is heard."391 No one can give himself the mandate and the mission to proclaim the Gospel. The one sent by the Lord does not speak and act on his own authority, but by virtue of Christ's authority; not as a member of the community, but speaking to it in the name of Christ. No one can bestow grace on himself; it must be given and offered. This fact presupposes ministers of grace, authorized and empowered by Christ. From him, bishops and priests receive the mission and faculty ("the sacred power") to act in persona Christi Capitis; deacons receive the strength to serve the people of God in the diaconia of liturgy, word and charity, in communion with the bishop and his presbyterate. The ministry in which Christ's emissaries do and give by God's grace what they cannot do and give by their own powers, is called a "sacrament" by the Church's tradition. Indeed, the ministry of the Church is conferred by a special sacrament.
880 When Christ instituted the Twelve, "he constituted [them] in the form of a college or permanent assembly, at the head of which he placed Peter, chosen from among them."398 Just as "by the Lord's institution, St. Peter and the rest of the apostles constitute a single apostolic college, so in like fashion the Roman Pontiff, Peter's successor, and the bishops, the successors of the apostles, are related with and united to one another."399
881 The Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the "rock" of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock.400 "The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the college of apostles united to its head."401 This pastoral office of Peter and the other apostles belongs to the Church's very foundation and is continued by the bishops under the primacy of the Pope.
882 The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter's successor, "is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful."402 "For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered."403
To summarize, the Catholic Church is a Christian church, organized and run on a biblical model as indicated by Jesus Christ himself. The word "Vicar" merely means a substitute, who stands in as an earthly agent.
5 comments:
Hi Elena,
Great post! But, I do want to add that the Pope DID NOT say what Candy and so many others have said about his statement this summer. The media misrepresented the Pope's answers to the questions he was addressing. He did not say that only Catholics have the means of salvation. He did say that other Christian denominations, having part of the truth, have the means to salvation.
I actually had a discussion online about this very issue shortly after the media publications regarding the Pope's remarks. Another Christian persisted in stating the Pope said only Catholics could go to heaven even after I provided her with links to his actual statement at the Vatican site and to the CCC. The person I was discussing this with actually said she refused to go to either site because she knew she would not be reading scripture there! Ha! I asked her where on the secular newspaper site she thought she was reading scripture. That really irks me when people want to spout about stuff but, never want to check their statements with the actual truth.
Lastly, some have said that the Catholic Church is a false church because, "It is false teaching to place a man in the role of head of the church. Christ is head."
The Catholic church does indeed believe that Christ is the head of the church and because of that, the Catholic church is organized based on Christ's design for His church.
Ephesians 5:22-32 tells us how we are to relate marriage to the relationship of Christ and his church. Just as a man and woman become one flesh, Christ and his church become one flesh. Now, if a husband is going to be away for atime, he does not appoint another man to act as husband to his wife. It is his family, and he may even ask someone to help out, like an overseer such as is mentioned in the Bible when referring to the positions of church members, but no man would become her husband in his absence. So while Christ is away preparing the home for his bride in heaven, we would see the offices in the church as being for our benefit, but we are still submissive to Christ only because he is the husband. To make another man head of the church in his absence is to ask a woman to take a new husband while hers is away (also in Colossians 3:18).
motherofmany,
Catholics don't believe that the Pope is "to take the place of Christ while He is away." Wow, that's truly a different take on the office of the Pope. I don't know a Catholic who believes the Pope is here to take Christ's place. He acts, as all priests and bishops do in some ways, in persona Christi. Christ is acting through him.
Let's talk about the concept of "away for a time." While Christ is no longer present in human form, He most certainly is present. You see, He is not absent. That's really the whole point, I think.
Ephesians 5:22-32 tells us how we are to relate marriage to the relationship of Christ and his church. Just as a man and woman become one flesh, Christ and his church become one flesh. Now, if a husband is going to be away for atime, he does not appoint another man to act as husband to his wife. It is his family, and he may even ask someone to help out, like an overseer such as is mentioned in the Bible when referring to the positions of church members, but no man would become her husband in his absence.
BINGO!!
That is exactly what the Pope is -He is an overseer, he watches over and guides, but he is not the bridegroom! Very well put.
So while Christ is away preparing the home for his bride in heaven, we would see the offices in the church as being for our benefit, but we are still submissive to Christ only because he is the husband.
No argument there. The popes job is for our benefit, to remind us of what Christ taught and what He wills for us. Again, well put.
To make another man head of the church in his absence is to ask a woman to take a new husband while hers is away (also in Colossians 3:18).
Nope. Your first two paragraphs had it right.
Further, let's look at what has happened to the Protestant and non-Catholic churches without the protection and guidance of an overseer and a protector during Christ's earthly absence - it's chaos. Thousands (nobody really wants to give the number) of denominations and little independent churches bickering about every little thing and about which church is Christian and how all of the others aren't. It is like children without a babysitter bickering while the parents are gone.
Just looking at the havoc after Luther and his Reformation reinforces the wisdom of Christ in leaving leaders (pope, bishops and magesterium) until his return.
Your last statement is so true, Elena! I was raised Lutheran. I still hold many things about that denomination dear to my heart. However, once I began attending Mass I was shocked at how similar the Liturgy is between Mass and the Lutheran Worship. I am also continuously shocked at how far away many denominations (or non-denominations) have moved away from Luther's original teachings. I often wonder if Luther would have done things differently if he could see how fragmented and contentious we would become. I do not see how we have benefitted from the multitudes of "interpretations" of the scriptures. It seems more like anarchy to me. Personally, I have found great comfort in the leadership that the Pope provides, especially since I now completely understand his role.
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