VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -- The Vatican on Tuesday said Christian denominations outside the Roman Catholic Church were not full churches of Jesus Christ.

A 16-page document, prepared by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which Pope Benedict used to head, described Christian Orthodox churches as true churches, but suffering from a "wound" since they do not recognize the primacy of the Pope.

 

But the document said the "wound is still more profound" in the Protestant denominations -- a view likely to further complicate relations with Protestants.

 

"Despite the fact that this teaching has created no little distress ... it is nevertheless difficult to see how the title of 'Church' could possibly be attributed to them," it said.

 

The Vatican text, which restates the controversial document "Dominus Iesus" issued by the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 2000, said the Church wanted to stress this point because some Catholic theologians continued to misunderstand it.

 

Ratzinger was elected Pope in April 2005. The document is his second strong reaffirmation of Catholic tradition in four days, following a decree on Saturday restoring the old Latin Mass alongside the modern liturgy.

 

The document stressed that dialogue with other Christians remained "one of the priorities of the Catholic Church."

 

The document, issued by Benedict's successor in doctrinal matters, Cardinal William Levada, complemented the Latin Mass decree in aiming to correct what it called "erroneous or ambiguous" interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, which took place from 1962 to 1965.

 

Church modernizers interpreted the Council as a break from the past while conservatives, like Benedict, see it in continuity with 2,000 years of Catholic tradition.

 

The document said the Council's opening to other faiths recognized there were "many elements of sanctification and truth" in other Christian denominations, but stressed only Catholicism had all the elements to be Christ's Church fully.

 

The text refers to "ecclesial communities originating from the Reformation," a term used to refer to Protestants and Anglicans. Father Augustine Di Noia, under-secretary for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said the document did not alter the commitment for ecumenical dialogue, but aimed to assert Catholic identity in those talks.

 

"The Church is not backtracking on ecumenical commitment," Di Noia told Vatican radio.

 

"But, as you know, it is fundamental to any kind of dialogue that the participants are clear about their own identity. That is, dialogue cannot be an occasion to accommodate or soften what you actually understand yourself to be."

 

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/07/10...reut/index.html

This isn't making JP2 smile up in the sky

As the Church continues to regress to the age of the Crusades. First the old prayer asking for the conversion of jews is returned...now its a war on Protestants...heil Palpatine!

I'll just bite my tongue.

An official photo from this announcement:

 

 

 

:cool

Every single Jedi is now an enemy of the Vatican.

Every single Jedi is now an enemy of the Vatican.

 

Execute order 66.

 

 

:o

Every single Jedi is now an enemy of the Vatican.

 

Execute order 66.

 

 

:o

:lol :lol

Every single Jedi is now an enemy of the Vatican.

 

Execute order 66.

 

 

:o

:lol :lol :lol

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, formerly known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition.

Well that's lovely.

 

I ain't gonna say my piece on Catholic doctrine, but to me all sects are built on the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and that is truly what's important.

Just like Jesus would've wanted...

WWJD?

I'm not a very religious person but if the Catholic Church believes it is founded by Christ himself via Peter, any subdivisions (Protestant) that are borderline heretical, should arguably be considered lesser faiths in the eyes of Catholics.

exactly the thought of thinking from the pope here.

 

Here's the article about the prayer for jews' conversion:

http://www.adl.org/PresRele/VaticanJewish_96/5093_96.htm

 

I feel that one was best left how it was. I also dont like for mass to be in latin. Who the hell speaks latin but priest, and linguist anyways?

The title is a little extreme, but pretty much it was part of church doctrine for ages now. This pope is very conservative to put it lightly.

I'm not a very religious person but if the Catholic Church believes it is founded by Christ himself via Peter, any subdivisions (Protestant) that are borderline heretical, should arguably be considered lesser faiths in the eyes of Catholics.

 

Exactly. This should not be a surprise.

I'm not a very religious person but if the Catholic Church believes it is founded by Christ himself via Peter, any subdivisions (Protestant) that are borderline heretical, should arguably be considered lesser faiths in the eyes of Catholics.

As said by others, exactly.

 

Any form of believe whether it be Catholic, jew, agnostic, etc is inherant on the belief that others beliefs are not as solid as yours so this whole outrage on the catholic church just seems a blatant attempt at an attack on it rather than an actual critisism of the doctrine released.

 

BTW, I've not stepped foot in a Catholic Church in two years as it was not for me at the time but come on, we all essentially believe this doctrine when it comes to our own belief. We're right, they're wrong.

i am far from catholic (although i have dinner with a catholic priest every Sunday). but i don't see what the outcry is about.

 

as for mass being in Latin. It is just a ritual that always stays the same, it could be done in any language, it still stays the same. you don't have to understand the words to understand the ritual.

Very few churches actually conduct mass in Latin anymore. You would have a hard time finding one outside of a major Catholic city.

 

As for this thread, it is just a big yawn. The Roman Catholic Church was around before any of the other denominations but they all go back to the same ideals and principles. Now, let me go enjoy my Baptist inferiority in peace.

So, are you calling Nostra Aetate "desire for convenience and their personal leanings"? Because the reinstitution of the Tridentine Mass will reverse exactly that.

Martin Luther is not very happy right now.....

The Nostra Aetate to me is a desperate attempt to reach the mainstream.

 

So, am I supposed to say thanks for accusing me of killing Jesus? Because you DO know what Part 4 of that document is about, right? Congratulations on walking into a trap.

The Nostra Aetate to me is a desperate attempt to reach the mainstream.

 

So, am I supposed to say thanks for accusing me of killing Jesus? Because you DO know what Part 4 of that document is about, right? Congratulations on walking into a trap.

 

Hey, Catholics should thank me for Easter!

The Nostra Aetate to me is a desperate attempt to reach the mainstream.

 

So, am I supposed to say thanks for accusing me of killing Jesus? Because you DO know what Part 4 of that document is about, right? Congratulations on walking into a trap.

God quit trying to take yourself so seriously like this is a matter of life and death. It's a church document, and based on belief and btw part 4 is not some anti jew tirade. Read it some time instead of trying to be an attention monger getting all worked up over a statement of belief. Do you not believe Christians are misguided in their belief that Jesus was a savior? Should all Christians say thanks for your belief that they devout their lives to a liar?

 

Or you can just live in modern day America and accept the fact that all relegious belief comes with a burden of saying someone else is wrong and misguided. GET over it.

The Nostra Aetate to me is a desperate attempt to reach the mainstream.

 

So, am I supposed to say thanks for accusing me of killing Jesus? Because you DO know what Part 4 of that document is about, right? Congratulations on walking into a trap.

God quit trying to take yourself so seriously like this is a matter of life and death. It's a church document, and based on belief and btw part 4 is not some anti jew tirade. Read it some time instead of trying to be an attention monger getting all worked up over a statement of belief. Do you not believe Christians are misguided in their belief that Jesus was a savior? Should all Christians say thanks for your belief that they devout their lives to a liar?

 

Or you can just live in modern day America and accept the fact that all relegious belief comes with a burden of saying someone else is wrong and misguided. GET over it.

 

I know, I just want to make Penguino feel bad about himself. Obviously it didn't work.

 

PS: I DO know what Part 4 is about, that's why I was pointing it out to Penguino, who seemed to be dismissive of the entire document.