tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1938983304459855111.post8540403505835400735..comments2023-04-02T07:03:21.099-05:00Comments on Principium Unitatis: Baptism, Schism, Full Communion, SalvationBryan Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269970389157868131noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1938983304459855111.post-33172354396725508202008-10-12T07:32:00.000-05:002008-10-12T07:32:00.000-05:00The Catholic Church calls for a full communion and...The Catholic Church calls for a full communion and calls Christians to a fuller form of unity. <BR/><BR/>With the Catholic Church, we are not just talking about the salvation of the individual in terms of having the right to glory. We are also talking about being in the kingdom of God, i.e., the Church, here and now. We are talking about the individual being in the family of God here and now, not just as an individual but as an individual in unity with his brothers and sisters in Christ.<BR/><BR/>This is a family affair, but the individual is not just called to be in the family in some vague 'we all believe in Christ' sense. Nor is he called to be in the family on his own terms, as though he defines what the family is. Rather, he is called to be in the family in the 'acting like a responsible, loving family member' sense. <BR/><BR/>Many families have relatives who do not participate in the family feast, who are only family members by name or blood, but not by participation. Privations of love are the cause of much of this. But we are called to a greater love and so a greater unity. <BR/><BR/>Part of the plan of salvation involves family participation here and now in the kingdom of God, i.e., the Church. This involves, then, not just being united to Christ, but being united to Christ by being united to our Christian brothers and sisters. This unity is not just in some vague, abstract, distant sense. Rather, we are talking about a richer unity- a real, physical, communal, eating bread together, celebrating together, praying together, joining hands togethter, worshiping together, singing together, spending time together, spreading the word together, working together-family sense. <BR/><BR/>EricEric Telferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10747957049183341114noreply@blogger.com