Letters

Christian differences

Alan Barron

Contents - Dec 2006 - Buy a copy now Editorial: The first Christmas - Peter Westmore Benedict XVI challenges 'de-Christianisation' of society - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Sydney RCIA conference for 2007 on authentic formation of new Catholics - Paula Flynn 'Lost!' controversy: Archbishop Bathersby's reply - AD2000 Report Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: the Montessori method for RE - Anne Delsorte A 'best practice' guide to priestly vocations Modest dress: Suitable attire for Mass: the moral dimension - Bishop John W. Yanta Religious Life: Tyburn Sisters' communities spread around the world - Tess Livingstone 2006 National Church Life Survey: important questions overlooked - Michael Gilchrist Shrines: Marian Valley: Queensland's centre of pilgrimage - Peter Westmore Letters: Vatican guidelines on Holy Communion for politicians - Vincent Bemowski Letters: A must read for faithful Catholics - Frank Bellet Letters: Liberal Catholicism - Paula Gartland Letters: News from India - Fr Francis Pinto CSsR Letters: Church teaching - Mark Moriarty Letters: Infant Baptism Letters: Community? - Peter Gilet Letters: Christian differences - Alan Barron Letters: True Church - E. Makaus Letters: Linguistics - Matt Bruekers Letters: Liturgical language - Ted Hayhoe Letters: Why apologise? - Concerned Catholic Books: The Shroud Story, by Brendan Whiting - Peter Westmore (reviewer) Books: COME, LORD JESUS:Reflections on the Advent and Christmas Seasons, James Tolhurst - Michael Gilchrist Events: Advent and Christmas Ceremonies - Priestly Fraternity of St Peter Books: SACRED PLACES, PILGRIM WAYS: Catholic Pilgrimages in France and Belgium - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: New Titles from AD Books Reflection: Jesus' law of love and the Ten Commandments - Fr Dennis Byrnes

Peter D. Howard (November AD2000) seems to have glossed over the main thrust of my previous letter. It is plain to me that Catholics and Protestants are not going to agree on matters of faith and practice.

Despite the very real differences which exist between Catholics and Protestants, we should love one another as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it. Christ wants all believers to be 'one' as He and the Father are 'one'. We should resist the easy temptation to sit in judgement on each other - no matter how convinced we are of the veracity of our own arguments and traditions.

In my view God permits diversity of worship thus allowing each person to worship Him according to the dictates of conscience (or religious tradition). As St Paul says, 'Let no one make rules about what you eat or drink, or about Holy Days or the New Moon Festival of the Sabbath ... Do not allow yourselves to be condemned by anyone who claims to be superior because of special visions and who insists on false humility and the worship of angels' (Colossians 2: 16-18).

God is not primarily interested in the denominational label we may wear with misguided pride, but rather the amount of love we have in our hearts for Him and the brethren. We do not all have to belong to one particular denomination to worship the living God or to serve Him.

As Peter Howard rightly points out, obedience as well as love is part and parcel of walking with the Lord. The Holy Spirit Himself will guide each believer to worship in spirit and in truth. Certainly there is a place for theological discussion (in love!).

In Luke's Gospel it is recorded that when the Apostle John says to the Lord, 'Master, we saw a man driving out demons in your name, and we told him to stop because he doesn't belong to our group' (my emphasis). The Lord replies to John, 'Do not stop him, because whoever is not against you is for you' (my emphasis) (Luke 9: 49- 50 and Mark 9: 38-41).

Unbelievers will be drawn to Christ and His kingdom, not because of one's devotion to a particular religious tradition, but because of the love shown by those who profess true religion - to each other.

ALAN BARRON
Grovedale, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 19 No 11 (December 2006 - January 2007), p. 15