Catholic Answers to the church of Christ

Conclusion

As I wrote this article, I was struck by two things: the prejudice and weakness of non-Catholic documents, and the abundance and strength of Catholic documents. The primary non-Catholic documents that I used were the New International Version Study Bible, and Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. I used the New International Version Study Bible because of its excellent text notes and cross-reference system. However, I found both the text notes and cross-reference system completely silent on a number of verses that can only be interpreted in support of Catholic doctrine. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words is very useful in defining Greek words, and citing their use in the New Testament. Vine's assumes that the different gender forms of words have the same basic definition, such as θέος (theos) and θεά (thea) for god and goddess, and ἀδελφός (adelphos) and ἀδελφή (adelphe) for brother and sister. The only exception is the Greek word for rock, πέτρα (petra), to which Vine's gives a completely different definition for the masculine form petros (Vine's doesn't give the Greek, πέτρος). In doing this, Vine's is declaring that all the different gender forms of Greek nouns have the same definition, except the noun petra, which has a different definition for it masculine form, petros. This is an obvious attempt to perpetuate a heretical interpretation of Matthew 16:18. Fortunately my prime sources of information were Catholic, and these flaws in non-Catholic documents did not impede my research, but actually demonstrated the flaws of anti-Catholic literature.

Before I began writing this article, I knew that a correct interpretation of the Bible could only support Catholic doctrine, and that there were a number of other earlier writings that also supported Catholic doctrine. But, I did not realize that a number of Biblical passages could only give a Catholic interpretation, and what a strong Catholic statement they make. As well, I did not realize how abundant and overtly Catholic the Christian literature of the first three centuries is. A study of this Christian literature from the first three centuries, including the New Testament, could only lead someone to the Catholic Church. I was aware of the large exodus from other churches to the Catholic Church, especially among ministers, but I still pondered why more non-Catholics do not come back to the Church. After writing this article, I am completely dumbfounded why anyone that accepts the Bible as the Word of God, would not rush to the Catholic Church.

I also find it hard to understand why anyone would chose the church of Christ over the Catholic Church. The history of the church of Christ makes it a product of the twentieth century, and when its roots are traced back to the sixteenth century, we find that it came from the Catholic Church. There is no historical evidence of the church of Christ beyond the nineteenth century, and upon closer examination of its doctrine, there is no historical evidence of its existence beyond the twentieth century. The Catholic Church has existed since Christ established it in the first century, and there is abundant historical evidence, including the New Testament, to prove its existence since that time. As well, the church of Christ's doctrines conflict with Scripture, and have no non-scriptural historical proof. Obvious conflicts are the lack of infallibility of the church of Christ, the lack of a position similar to the Pope, not honouring Mary, forbidding wine or strong drink, and the denial of Christ's substantial presence in the Lord's Supper. It is amazing that the church of Christ rejects infant baptism when it is a historical fact that infant baptism was never questioned until the second millennium. It is also a historical fact that the idea that Sacred Scripture alone is the Word of God did not exist until the second millennium as well. It is also strange that the church of Christ would deny baptism to individuals and cultures where complete immersion in water is impossible. There is no conflict between Catholic doctrines and Scripture, and there is historical evidence of these doctrines. All Catholic doctrine can be followed by all individuals and cultures. In all, the Catholic Church has everything that comes from Christ, and the little that the church of Christ has from Christ has actually come from the Catholic Church.

The church of Christ is sincere in their attempt to follow Christ, and in some ways are in communion with Christ's Church. It is better to be a heretic than to be without Christ; however, it is still better to be in full communion with Christ's Church, which means full communion with Christ.