Pope Benedict XVI to Visit the United States

Pope Benedict XVI plans to make his first US visit to New York and Washington DC. The theme of Benedict's visit: Christ Our Hope. Check out his appropriate salutation...I believe this is the first of it's kind for any pope.

I would guess that nearly all readers of this blog our protestant, and many feel a perceived disconnect between the Roman Catholic Church, and the bizillion protestant denominations in the US. After viewing the video, what is your reaction?

Muslims Outnumber Catholics

Catholics--1.13 Billion or 17.4% of the worlds population
Muslims--1.3 Billion or 19.2% of the worlds population

For the first time since the birth of Islam, the world sees a demographic shift. I find it fascinating that in the 1400 years since Islam was birthed from the revelations of Mohamed, the tide turns in mine and your lifetime.

However, throw protestantism in the mix, and the scale is still heavy on the Christianity end, unless you are one of those who believes that Catholicism is an apostate, non-Christian cult. But for the two groups with a bitter history, this is monumental. Some wonder if the recent conversion and baptism of Magdi Allam is a public statement that tide may change once again.

What does it mean? It means somewhere, this information has spooked someone to the point of manipulating the stats to calculate the exact time and date of the end of the world.

The Pope's Christmas Wish--Peace

I would love for any reader of this blog to take a few minutes to read this article. As a guy who was led to believe that the Catholic Church was the Whore of Babylon, reading stuff like this is refreshing, and confirms that only research, an open mind, and guidance from the Holy Spirit should be involved in the formation of my own opinions.

The Pope called for courage in bringing peace to places like Congo, Darfur, and Iraq. The article states that, "He said he hoped Christmas would bring consolation to "those who are still denied their legitimate aspirations for a more secure existence, for health, education, stable employment, for fuller participation in civil and political responsibilities, free from oppression and protected from conditions that offend human dignity."

Peace at Christmas? That isn't so far fetched. The physician records that the angels geralding the birth of Christ said, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Wasn't Christ reversing the fall of Adam, whose blunder resulted in strife, war, and murder (Cain and Abel, as Rob pointed out).

Not only that, but the Pope keeps the poor and the widows in his thoughts (and presumably, his prayers) and those who have been displaced by natural disasters resulting from "environmental upheavals."

The Pope seems very culturally relevant...very comapassionate...very...Christian.

What do you think?

Monergism? Synergism?

I grew up under the umbrella of monergism but truly, its arguments have never satisfied me, but then again, synergism seems to be filled with many more holes. Truly over time, I believe the meaning of the terms have changed, but in a nutshell, if you are not familiar with the terms, monergism suggests God alone, in his grace, is responsible in the salvific act that reconciles man with God. Synergism, on the other hand, suggests that a cooperation of sorts exists—man plays a part in the role.

Obviously, at first glance synergism sounds heretical to a guy like me, brought up and educated under an evangelical protestant worldview—how can man, lowly man, play a part in his own salvation.

But, according to any stream of reformed theology, does God manipulate man, supernaturally taking command of his motor functions, forcing his lips to utter the confession to save his soul, that Jesus is the Son of God, the sacrificial atonement for his sins? NO! In that sense, monergism, is inadequate.

We must work (in the sense of involvement) for our salvation. Truly, Christ did the dirty work, that which we cannot…he lived a perfect life and willingly accepted a guiltless punishment. But, freewill must be considered in the equation. Jesus is not going to confess himself for us, otherwise we are mindless drones. Humankind has to take part and make that confession. So yes, I believe we are intrinsically involved in our own salvation, which is a very pre-reformation ideal:

Since the initiative belongs to God in the order of grace, no one
can merit the initial grace of forgiveness and justification, at the beginning
of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit and by charity, we can then merit for
ourselves and for others the graces needed for our sanctification, for the
increase of grace and charity, and for the attainment of eternal life. Even
temporal goods like health and friendship can be merited in accordance with
God's wisdom. These graces and goods are the object of Christian prayer. Prayer
attends to the grace we need for meritorious actions. (1994 catachism)

James himself was very synergistic (chapter 2):

20 Fool! Would you not like to know that faith without deeds is
useless?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by his deed, because he
offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22 So you can see that his faith was
working together with his deeds; his faith became perfect by what he did.
23
In this way the scripture was fulfilled: Abraham put his faith in God, and this
was considered as making him upright; and he received the name 'friend of
God'.
24 You see now that it is by deeds, and not only by believing, that
someone is justified.