Its interesting to note that the early church fathers seem far more Catholic than Protestant both in tone and doctrine. During the recent conversation on Frank Ritchies blog about the catholic church there were many posters who claim that protestantism is identical to the first century church, reading this exposes that for a big fat lie. Also, Lucyna thanks for your comments on that particular post, I think you acquitted yourself pretty well :)
The approximation of Protestantism with the 'early' 'nascent' or 'pure' church is a naive myth popular in Anglocentric cultures. That does not necessarily confirm Catholicism or Orthodoxy though.
Go to the catacombs and you'll see ancient Pre-Constantine scratchings in the rough walls depicting altars, chi rhos, crosses, Mary, prayers for the dead, prayers for intercession by 'saints', and even (amazingly) celebrants in vestments with both hands outward (orans) as you would now see in Catholic and Orthodox liturgies. These are some of the features of the early church significant enough for many people to carve them into a cave wall.
I am Catholic because that is where the details described above and by the early church fathers can be still be found. Regardless of whether Protestantism may make a just and logical case for division, it still does not have the form described by Justin, Irenaeus, Ignatius, and Clement, amongst others, which means it is not the 'early church'.
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Its interesting to note that the early church fathers seem far more Catholic than Protestant both in tone and doctrine. During the recent conversation on Frank Ritchies blog about the catholic church there were many posters who claim that protestantism is identical to the first century church, reading this exposes that for a big fat lie. Also, Lucyna thanks for your comments on that particular post, I think you acquitted yourself pretty well :)
ReplyDeleteThe approximation of Protestantism with the 'early' 'nascent' or 'pure' church is a naive myth popular in Anglocentric cultures. That does not necessarily confirm Catholicism or Orthodoxy though.
ReplyDeleteGo to the catacombs and you'll see ancient Pre-Constantine scratchings in the rough walls depicting altars, chi rhos, crosses, Mary, prayers for the dead, prayers for intercession by 'saints', and even (amazingly) celebrants in vestments with both hands outward (orans) as you would now see in Catholic and Orthodox liturgies. These are some of the features of the early church significant enough for many people to carve them into a cave wall.
I am Catholic because that is where the details described above and by the early church fathers can be still be found. Regardless of whether Protestantism may make a just and logical case for division, it still does not have the form described by Justin, Irenaeus, Ignatius, and Clement, amongst others, which means it is not the 'early church'.