Practical Guidelines for Dealing with Catholic Fundamentalists 

 

Remember that for a fundamentalist Catholic the Bible has value only because the Church says so; therefore it is important to make it understood that the Church exists only where the Word of God exists. God indeed is neither an institution nor the fruit of men’s fantasy but He is the One who reveals Himself to man (who has the capacity to perceive God when He does reveal Himself) as his Saviour.  The man who has perceived God in His revelation through the Prophets and through Christ Jesus (Hebrews 1:1-2) recognizes Him as Creator and Lord of the universe. 

The Bible was not born from the Church but the Church has become such, and has been converted by the Word, as have the Apostles themselves (Galatians chapters 1-2). Therefore the first point to place in doubt and to clarify is that there is diversity from that which the Roman Church says and that which God says, and for this reason there is no identity between the Revelation of God and the Church. Therefore if the authority is always found in God and not in a man or in several men, and if God has revealed Himself and the Bible contains this, His revelation, then whichever man or institution that speaks differently and will not be converted to the Revelation of God in Christ Jesus, cannot assume presumptuously to be a testimony of God and therefore speak with authority, in as much as he speaks and lives differently from Jesus Christ.

 Therefore always stress the creative Authority that comes from God, that is revealed through the Prophets and in Christ Jesus, as it is reported in the Bible and not in the church, that is, according to Jesus, a servant of God as far as it is submitted to His Word and serves the people of God as far as it communicates and transmits to them the salvation that is in Jesus Christ and is not a “boss” of God and His people.  Clarify that Christ has never said to His Apostles to preach what they thought to be good, but rather, that which He had taught (Mt 28:19-20).

 Present the Biblical concept of faith, of justification through faith, of salvation by grace, reading passages such as Romans 5:1-2. Make it very clear that God has truly saved us and there is therefore no longer a need for another sacrifice (Heb 10:10-18). Read passages that speak of the assurance of salvation, like John 10:28-29, Romans 8:30-39, Philippians 1:6, Hebrews 13:5, 1 Peter 1:23-25, etc.

 Remember that the true divergence of the Catholic fundamentalist from the Gospel consists in the fact that he is never certain of being saved, and interprets as massima superbia (the height of arrogance) the assurance of being saved only by that which Christ Jesus did on Calvary. The Council of Trent condemns what Hebrews 10:10 ff. says (Denzinger 1565-1566). In fact this doctrine breaks in two the Roman Catholic system: If Jesus Christ has truly saved us and declared us righteous before God one time for all and one time forever, there is no longer any need of priests (sacred people who mediate between God and men), of works more or less magical for obtaining salvation. If then faith is a gift from God and does not come from us (Ephesians 2:8-10) there is no longer a need of an infallible and univocal Magisterium (Pope), since the norm of faith is and remains Christ Jesus, always present with His own, with His Spirit and with His Word. (Matthew 28:19-20).

 Regarding the infallible Hierarchy of the Catholic Church and of her Priesthood, remember that in no part of the New Testament is anyone called priest (hiereos in the Greek), that is, a sacred person, with a nature different from other men and therefore capable of producing ex opere operato divine actions; but all of the Apostles are called simply presbuteroi, “elders”- a term that does not contain anything sacred and does not give any magical capacity to produce divine actions. In any case, all Christians who abide in Christ are priests in as much as Jesus has accomplished for them the sacrifice that has freed them all completely and has confirmed this with His Resurrection (see for example 1 Peter 2:9). Read Hebrews 4:14; 10:19-24, etc., 9:9-12 ff., where it says clearly that there does not exist another Tabernacle or another holy place for the Resurrected Body of Jesus except heaven.

 When a Roman Catholic is convinced of just one error of his church, make him understand that the Infallible Hierarchy no longer has a reason to exist and show him that if the Word of God speaks clearly in contrast to that which he or anyone else believes, only if he will obey the Word of God he will savor the fruit of Revelation, since the reasoning of men seems more appropriate to our nature but deceives us.

Explain what is understood by unity according to John 17:21 and Ephesians 4.

N.B. Don't forget that only the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, can break the barrier between death and life, darkness and light. Therefore don’t become discouraged if your efforts don’t produce the effect that you desire. Continue in prayer and as a witness until the Lord in His infinite mercy, if it pleases Him, opens the heart and mind of the Catholic. Continue in prayer and always be ready to proclaim the Truth with love.