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To Catholics: What are your concerns for me, a Protestant?

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  • To Catholics: What are your concerns for me, a Protestant?

    I have a question for Catholics!

    I'm looking to understand more about the range of beliefs among Catholics on a particular topic.

    Nutshell: Given that I'm a baptized evangelical Protestant, what would you say are your most significant concerns for me? (You can assume for this that I'm a sincerely seeking to follow Christ in the Spirit, in accordance with God's Word, i.e. I'm more than a "cultural Christian".)

    Clarification: I'm not necessarily asking for a full explanation -- perhaps just a bullet-point list of ideas & key phrases. (Documents would also be welcome; I know of the Council of Florence, Lumen Gentium, and sections 836-848 & 1262-1271 of the Catholic Catechism).

    I'm also interested in knowing to what extent (in your understanding) Catholics can legitimately differ over the details & likelihoods involved. Where are you definite, and where would you say you're making a judgment call? (For instance, can you legitimately differ on whether salvation for baptized Protestants is a remote possibility, versus a likelihood, versus a near certainty?) I'm hoping to distinguish between what you can identify as infallible magisterial teachings, and ordinary magisterial teachings, and the perceptions of among individual (informed) Catholics.

    To prime the pump a bit, here are some possible answers I've thought of:
    • Salvation (re: rejecting Catholicism): That my rejection of Catholicism might be culpable rejection of truth I've been given, i.e. not "invincible ignorance".
    • Salvation (re: mortal sin): That I will commit or have committed a mortal sin (i.e. a grave sin of whose gravity I'm aware), without subsequent perfect contrition or going to confession, and might die without being in state of grace. (Or does this standard not apply to me, because God would judge me by the light I have been given? Or does the fact that I know about such distinctions imply I have been given that light?)
    • Spiritual malnourishment (possibly affecting salvation): That my life & soul would be less than it could be, because I am not receiving the fullness of God's grace through the sacraments. (And potentially, this could leave me more likely to die without being in a state of grace.)
    • My unbaptized children: That I might have children who would die unbaptized, thus leaving their salvation uncertain at best.
    • Misleading others: That I might lead others away from Catholicism or saving faith, possibly even leading a Catholic into culpable apostasy.


    Is that a fair list? How would you add to, subtract from, or modify it?

  • #2
    Originally posted by Jugulum View Post
    I have a question for Catholics!

    I'm looking to understand more about the range of beliefs among Catholics on a particular topic.

    Nutshell: Given that I'm a baptized evangelical Protestant, what would you say are your most significant concerns for me? (You can assume for this that I'm a sincerely seeking to follow Christ in the Spirit, in accordance with God's Word, i.e. I'm more than a "cultural Christian".)

    Clarification: I'm not necessarily asking for a full explanation -- perhaps just a bullet-point list of ideas & key phrases. (Documents would also be welcome; I know of the Council of Florence, Lumen Gentium, and sections 836-848 & 1262-1271 of the Catholic Catechism).

    I'm also interested in knowing to what extent (in your understanding) Catholics can legitimately differ over the details & likelihoods involved. Where are you definite, and where would you say you're making a judgment call? (For instance, can you legitimately differ on whether salvation for baptized Protestants is a remote possibility, versus a likelihood, versus a near certainty?) I'm hoping to distinguish between what you can identify as infallible magisterial teachings, and ordinary magisterial teachings, and the perceptions of among individual (informed) Catholics.

    To prime the pump a bit, here are some possible answers I've thought of:
    • Salvation (re: rejecting Catholicism): That my rejection of Catholicism might be culpable rejection of truth I've been given, i.e. not "invincible ignorance".
    • Salvation (re: mortal sin): That I will commit or have committed a mortal sin (i.e. a grave sin of whose gravity I'm aware), without subsequent perfect contrition or going to confession, and might die without being in state of grace. (Or does this standard not apply to me, because God would judge me by the light I have been given? Or does the fact that I know about such distinctions imply I have been given that light?)
    • Spiritual malnourishment (possibly affecting salvation): That my life & soul would be less than it could be, because I am not receiving the fullness of God's grace through the sacraments. (And potentially, this could leave me more likely to die without being in a state of grace.)
    • My unbaptized children: That I might have children who would die unbaptized, thus leaving their salvation uncertain at best.
    • Misleading others: That I might lead others away from Catholicism or saving faith, possibly even leading a Catholic into culpable apostasy.


    Is that a fair list? How would you add to, subtract from, or modify it?
    Sorry if this sounds or is crass, but I for one am not quite sure what you are asking. Some of those questions would require lengthy answers. Can you clarify ? Thanks.

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