Last night some Catholics (including my family and I) and some Protestants from different Protestant traditions attended Professor Lawrence Feingold's lecture titled "St. Paul on Justification". The lecture was fantastic. The audio (as an mp3 file) can be downloaded here. I'm hosting a discussion of this lecture at my home this Sunday (May 3), from 2 pm to 4 pm, and anyone who would like to participate is welcome to come. If you're within driving distance of St. Louis, and would like to come, just send me a note (my e-mail address is in the 'About me' section below to the left), and I'll give you directions to my home.
Justification is the fundamental issue that has divided Protestants and Catholics for almost 500 years. In order to be reconciled in the full communion Christ wants His disciples to show to the world, we need to reach agreement on this subject. And that means that we first need to listen and understand each other on this subject. Here's an opportunity to do just that.
UPDATE: Professor Feingold will be attending our discussion.
I'm way too far away to attend, but hopefully you will record it.
ReplyDeleteI wrote an apologetics article on Eph 2:8, which is a popular justification by faith alone text:
http://catholicdefense.googlepages.com/eph2
Well, anywhere's driving distance, if you've got the time.
ReplyDeleteBut regardless, I'm sorry I don't have the time to attend this. It sounds like a fantastic idea. I might have to mimic it with some protestant friends up here.
Justification isn't the fundamental issues for all Protestants or even for Rome. Lots of Protestants don't agree with Luther's formulations (most Arminians), and the fundamental issue for the Vatican is the power and primacy of the pope (justification is a secondary issue resting on the primary). Even if all Protestants everywhere agreed with the Rube Goldberg soteriology of Trent, we'd all still be out of fellowship due to insubordination.
ReplyDeleteJosh,
ReplyDeleteWho do you think should determine what authority the pope should have? Is it up to each person to decide, such that if the pope claims to have more authority than someone thinks he should have, then that person is justifiably insubordinate? Or is there, in your opinion, some kind of objective procedure?
In the peace of Christ,
- Bryan