Pope says trust your conscience

[Cobar]

It always seemed to me that whatever the current holder of power in church says is Catholic is Catholic. Either the Pope or the College of Cardinals, whomever is really running things at the time. It was slightly before my time, but wasn't there a pretty big kerfuffle over having mass in latin or native languages? Priests used to take wives and have children, then one of the popes put a stop to that.

My father's parents were catholic and my aunts nuns, but I was not raised catholic, so I don't have a horse in this race. The RC church has always interested me though. The big question seems to be the divine authority of the church. From what I understand it is supposed to be all in the Pope. So whatever he says goes. Frankly, I find it all rather confusing.

[Vonz90]

The thing is, soft pedaling the law is not compassionate. The law shows us that we all fall short of that standard and need the grace of Christ. If you mush the law, it is too easy to say - hey I am an alright guy / gal - and if I am alright then why do I need grace.

That is the hole that any works based theology can lead. If works save us (or even help) then you end having to grade on a curve because all of our works are garbage (actually in the Greek, shit). Of course we are not graded on a curve, either we have the Jesus cheat code or we get a zero.

[Cobar]

Personally I think works matter, but not for salvation.

From 1 Corinthians 3

10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

[Vonz90]

Personally I think works matter, but not for salvation.

From 1 Corinthians 3

10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

Certainly real faith will motivate works, to paraphrase James. I think the passage you quote proves my point though. If you are saved even if your works fail the test, then it isn't the works doing the saving.

[Cobar]

agreed

[skb12172]

As a Protestant with a lot of R-C friends, my observation is that maybe it's time to ask, in all seriousness: "Is the(current) Pope Catholic?"

I think it's clear that his first religion is Socialism.

[blackeagle603]

Works matter as relate to future reward (and present consequences). Yet, the root of sanctification is just as much a work of Solo Christo as is salvation.

[Aesop]

First of all, since the subject was broached, Jesus was pretty clear that only everyone on the winning team gets a trophy.
He was also excruciatingly clear: that team is not Everybody, and their reward is nothing to write home about.

All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

He was even specific enough to point out that some of those who claim to be on the right team, are not.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The current pope, like most of them, is mainly a curiosity.
When he opines on subjects outside of the bible, discussion is pointless.
When he opines on subjects within the bible, discussion is ended.

Try as he may, he cannot paint God as the Eternal Wishy-Washy deity of Sort Of, for whom the grading scale is a sliding curve.
His bigger ongoing problem is that he cannot reconcile the God of the Bible with the god whom he worships, Karl Marx.
And I wonder that he professes either of them, since his actions seem to belie that he has any real faith in either one.

But as an observer of the phenomenon, it's entertaining - in a melancholy way - to watch him try.

[AlaskaTRX]

Frank the Hippie Pope!

Lutheran satire ftw...

[Weetabix]

As a Protestant with a lot of R-C friends, my observation is that maybe it's time to ask, in all seriousness: "Is the(current) Pope Catholic?"

I think it's clear that his first religion is Socialism.

This may sadly be true.