Eisenhorn
10-18-2010, 04:50 PM
CALVINISM AND THE WAYS TO THE CHRISTIAN UNITY
1. Keep the belief in the truth of the Reformed faith. Let no one confuses the accusation of denominationalism. For the Roman Catholic Traditionalists or Eastern Orthodoxy, this is not a problem. Principled position it is important from the outset.
2. Pray to God not about the reunion of churches but about the unity of Church and the reunion of the Christians.
3. Recognize that true faith is a gift from God. Since no one is obliged to believe, the practical toleration (but no tolerance for errors!) is inevitable. True tolerance which is possible only through faith in the omnipotence of Christ and His grace - has nothing to do with religious indifference. Should not be considered Christians with different beliefs are those who deliberately deny the truth of God. Rather, they were not taught of God, or were unable to comprehend what we so dearly.
4. Develop ecclesiology. Try new methods of theoretical and practical thinking about the Church. These, however, should not treat things that are contrary to all biblical and historic Christianity, such as universalism or female clergy.
5. Learn from a Reformed, biblical Christian perspective of other traditions. Identify common and differences. Analyze the experience of communication, find out where and more importantly - a sense of unity and the bitterness of the divisions. Be open to everything that is in other denominations from God.
6. Draw a clear line that still remains in other Christian framework, and that goes for them. Prioritize and separates the major and minor. Questions of ritual or understanding of eschatology cannot be put on a par with the doctrine of the Trinity or salvation! Loosen the unreasonable demands emanating from the minor things in the name of unity in the essentials. Gulf primarily between the Church and non-believers, and not between Christian traditions, no matter how big the problems between them.
7. Compare not the sins of men but basis of creed. Attach to this effort, mind and heart. Criticism of other religions should be a presumption of innocence and the burden of proof. Do not seek to focus attention on those problems, which due to sin is not alien to us. Pardon the personal sins committed against you by other Christians.
8. Strictly check the biblical character and balance approach their own community. Pray for her standing in the truth and the search for God, not human. Ask God to a combination of confession and openness. Always remember that we make mistakes and they can be different to the temptation.
9. Do not insist on the invalidity of non-reformed sacraments, unless there are compelling reasons (eg, availability under the guise of a respected historical denominations openly racist sect). If someone can be admitted to the Church in the clergy or rank, then it is possible if there is no evidence that the ordination took place biblically unacceptable way.
10. If in your community is open communion, practice it with the circumspection. If closed, this principle should not be revised until forced beggary.
11. Respect the discipline of other denominations. If someone wants to join the Church, to avoid the excommunication for manifest guilt in another place, that is no reason to proselytize. All such cases must be investigated thoroughly together. Totally unacceptable situation where the excommunicated for clear the guilt of one denomination to another man enters the ministry or clergy.
12. Read the evaluation of its tradition of other churches, if they are balanced and grounded. To ignore rudeness, it is usually not worth it. Keep a controversy without compromise, but with respect for the interlocutor and for his or her conscience.
13. The principle of service must always prevail over the authority in all church affairs. Nobody do not impose their ideas! Gospel is not a suggestion! The word acts with divine authority and human forces are not at all.
14. There is no need to sign the new religions and documents, except on certain issues (for example, there is a declaration of principles of ministry to the Jews and Palestinian Arabs). By such things should be treated with extreme caution.
15. Need to intensify the struggle against theological liberalism and extra-confessional mysticism. Unity of Christians can’t include those for whom the word of God is not authority! Fight against this plague should have started at least another half-century ago, yet it did not infect the largest church and tradition. Only after removing the most pernicious fallacies of liberalism can solve other doctrinal differences. Who is not in Christ, lose the Christ.
1. Keep the belief in the truth of the Reformed faith. Let no one confuses the accusation of denominationalism. For the Roman Catholic Traditionalists or Eastern Orthodoxy, this is not a problem. Principled position it is important from the outset.
2. Pray to God not about the reunion of churches but about the unity of Church and the reunion of the Christians.
3. Recognize that true faith is a gift from God. Since no one is obliged to believe, the practical toleration (but no tolerance for errors!) is inevitable. True tolerance which is possible only through faith in the omnipotence of Christ and His grace - has nothing to do with religious indifference. Should not be considered Christians with different beliefs are those who deliberately deny the truth of God. Rather, they were not taught of God, or were unable to comprehend what we so dearly.
4. Develop ecclesiology. Try new methods of theoretical and practical thinking about the Church. These, however, should not treat things that are contrary to all biblical and historic Christianity, such as universalism or female clergy.
5. Learn from a Reformed, biblical Christian perspective of other traditions. Identify common and differences. Analyze the experience of communication, find out where and more importantly - a sense of unity and the bitterness of the divisions. Be open to everything that is in other denominations from God.
6. Draw a clear line that still remains in other Christian framework, and that goes for them. Prioritize and separates the major and minor. Questions of ritual or understanding of eschatology cannot be put on a par with the doctrine of the Trinity or salvation! Loosen the unreasonable demands emanating from the minor things in the name of unity in the essentials. Gulf primarily between the Church and non-believers, and not between Christian traditions, no matter how big the problems between them.
7. Compare not the sins of men but basis of creed. Attach to this effort, mind and heart. Criticism of other religions should be a presumption of innocence and the burden of proof. Do not seek to focus attention on those problems, which due to sin is not alien to us. Pardon the personal sins committed against you by other Christians.
8. Strictly check the biblical character and balance approach their own community. Pray for her standing in the truth and the search for God, not human. Ask God to a combination of confession and openness. Always remember that we make mistakes and they can be different to the temptation.
9. Do not insist on the invalidity of non-reformed sacraments, unless there are compelling reasons (eg, availability under the guise of a respected historical denominations openly racist sect). If someone can be admitted to the Church in the clergy or rank, then it is possible if there is no evidence that the ordination took place biblically unacceptable way.
10. If in your community is open communion, practice it with the circumspection. If closed, this principle should not be revised until forced beggary.
11. Respect the discipline of other denominations. If someone wants to join the Church, to avoid the excommunication for manifest guilt in another place, that is no reason to proselytize. All such cases must be investigated thoroughly together. Totally unacceptable situation where the excommunicated for clear the guilt of one denomination to another man enters the ministry or clergy.
12. Read the evaluation of its tradition of other churches, if they are balanced and grounded. To ignore rudeness, it is usually not worth it. Keep a controversy without compromise, but with respect for the interlocutor and for his or her conscience.
13. The principle of service must always prevail over the authority in all church affairs. Nobody do not impose their ideas! Gospel is not a suggestion! The word acts with divine authority and human forces are not at all.
14. There is no need to sign the new religions and documents, except on certain issues (for example, there is a declaration of principles of ministry to the Jews and Palestinian Arabs). By such things should be treated with extreme caution.
15. Need to intensify the struggle against theological liberalism and extra-confessional mysticism. Unity of Christians can’t include those for whom the word of God is not authority! Fight against this plague should have started at least another half-century ago, yet it did not infect the largest church and tradition. Only after removing the most pernicious fallacies of liberalism can solve other doctrinal differences. Who is not in Christ, lose the Christ.