Has Benedict XVI become an evangelical? Pope Encourages Personal Relationship With Christ.
Thursday, October 22, 2009, 3:02 PM
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October 22nd, 2009 | 5:12 pm | #1
Well, if your definition of “evangelical” is “a Christian who desires a close relationship with God”; then he is, as was John Paul 2, John Paul 1, St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Thomas More, St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Therese de Lisieux, well basically any Christian who is recognized with the title “Saint”. Of course, none of them will consider themselves anything else than members of the Catholic Church.
October 22nd, 2009 | 5:43 pm | #2
Yes, the term evangelical has a lot of meanings. If evangelion means the good news, and the good news is “Jesus is Lord” or “Jesus Reigns”… then there are a lot of Christ followers who are ‘evangelical’… yet do not associate with this label.
October 23rd, 2009 | 12:41 pm | #3
This is nonsense. Evangelicals hardly have a corner on a “personal relationship” with Jesus. In fact, since they lack the Holy Eucharist and Eucharistic Adoration, I don’t think they even know what a “personal relationship” with Jesus even is.
October 24th, 2009 | 11:17 pm | #4
Don,
You’re right. How can one possibly imagine that they have a personal relationship with Jesus when they don’t worship a piece of cracker?
If the Pope knew what stressing “personal relationship” has done to evangelicalism, he’d avoid it like the plague. But, as Armand pointed out, since so much of that teaching has come from old, dead, Catholics, it’s not surprising to see it popping up in Rome now.
Of course, everyone, even Hindu’s, have a personal relationship with Jesus. The question is, is it one of grace or one of judgement?
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