Sharing the

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Sharing the Genuine Gospel with your Roman
Catholic Friends By Cky J. Carrigan,
Ph.D. Interfaith Evangelism North American
Mission Board, SBC www.ontruth.com
ccarrigan_at_namb.net
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Meet the Roman Catholic Church

• The Roman Catholic Church is Roman because it
  is exclusively in communion with, and under the
  authority of, the Bishop of Rome
• Also Known As
• The Holy Father
• The Roman Pontiff
• The Pope

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Pope John Paul II
THE HOLY FATHER The Roman Pontiff, as the
successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible
principle and foundation of unity of both the
bishops and of the faithful. (LUMEN GENTIUM or
Light to the Nations, 23)
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Meet the Roman Catholic Church

• The Roman Catholic Church is Catholic because
  it sees itself as the Universal Body of Christ
  composed of
• All believers
• In every location
• Throughout all the ages

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Meet the Roman Catholic Church

• Headquarters in Vatican City-State (Rome)
• 1Billion Roman Catholics worldwide
• -1 in 6 of the worlds population
• -Half of all persons calling themselves
  Christians are Roman Catholic

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Meet the Roman Catholic Church

• Roman Catholicism is the main religion of...
• -Central America
• -South America
• -Western Europe

• Roman Catholicism is a prominent religion in
  regions of the United States that were formerly
  Spanish or French possessions, and regions with
  high immigration patterns from France, Spain,
  Italy and Ireland

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Meet the Roman Catholic Church

• There are about 75 Million Roman Catholics in
  North America (U.S. and Canada)
• About 62 Million Roman Catholics in U.S.
• - 1 in 5 Americans are Roman Catholic

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Meet the Roman Catholic Church

• RCC membership grew by 16 in U.S. from
  1990-2000, while Southern Baptist membership grew
  by 5 for same period
• RCC membership grew by 42 in Western U.S. by
  30 in the South from 1990-2000

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Meet the Roman Catholic Church

• Official Roman Catholic Doctrine is well-defined
  universal...
• -Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994

• But, there is a diversity of beliefs in the RCC
• -No constant body of doctrine over time
• -No constant practice in all present locations

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Meet the Roman Catholic Church

• 21st Century Roman Catholicism in the main is
  post-Vatican II Catholicism
• Vatican II described
• -Worldwide Roman Catholic Church Council convened
  from1962-1965
• -Liberal theologians, Hans Kung Karl Rahner,
  highly influenced the outcome
• -Mass permitted in local languages
• -Non-Catholics designated as separated brethren

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Meet the Roman Catholic Church

• Vatican II citation
• The church knows that she is joined in many
  ways to the baptized who are honored by the name
  Christian, but who do not however profess the
  Catholic faith in its entirety or have not
  preserved unity which unites them to Christ.

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Meet the Roman Catholic Church

• Many Evangelicals have since reciprocated the
  ecumenism of Vatican II by declaring that Roman
  Catholicism is genuinely Christian
• The joint statement entitled, Evangelicals
  Catholics Together The Christian Mission in the
  Third Millennium, 1994, affirms the Christian
  identity of Evangelicals and Catholics alike

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Meet the Roman Catholic Church
ECT quote... Evangelicals and Catholics are
brothers and sisters in ChristWe thank God for
the discovery of one another as brothers and
sisters in ChristThe love of Christ compels us
and we are thereforeresolvedto explore patterns
of working and witnessing together in order to
advance the one mission of Christ.
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Meet the Roman Catholic Church

• Back to Roman Catholic Diversity...
• Latino Catholics and Catholics in under-developed
  countries often practice medieval Catholicism
  are critical of Vatican II
• -highly superstitious
• -obsessed with Santa Maria
• -Protestantism is anathema (accursed)

• Anglo-Saxon Western European American Catholics
  enthusiastically tolerate Protestantism embrace
  Vatican II

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Meet the Roman Catholic Church

• Another Way of Describing Roman Catholic
  Diversity...
• There are six primary categories of Roman
  Catholics today
• Ultra-traditionalists highly critical of Vatican
  II
• Traditionalists conservative, but accept Vatican
  II
• Liberal critical of the Bible papal
  infallibility
• Charismatic/Evangelical emphasize rebirth
• Cultural womb-to-tomb Catholics, but not
  spiritual
• Popular Folk combine medieval Catholicism with
  spiritism and nature religions

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Why Do Roman Catholics Need to be Evangelized?

• The Roman Catholic Church has a Corrupt Gospel
  that cannot produce salvation
• The Roman Catholic Gospel is...
• NOT based on the Bible ALONE
• NOT by means of Christ ALONE
• NOT by Grace ALONE
• NOT through Faith ALONE

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Why Do Roman Catholics Need to be Evangelized?
Those who affirm the official teachings of the
Roman Catholic Church may have hope of salvation
but no valid basis for that hope.
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Why Do Roman Catholics Need to be Evangelized?
If the gospel of Rome is a different gospel
than that of Scripture, if Mary is not the
exalted personage Roman Catholics make her out to
be, if the pope is not the visible representative
of Christ on earth who makes infallible
statements on matters of faith and practice, if
the doctrine of the Mass has no biblical support
whatsoever, then those who place faith in such
doctrines have a false hope for the future. The
may believe they have been made right with God
when they are not right at all. --Ron Rhodes
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LOVE LONGSUFFERING, KIND, NOT PARADING, NOT
PUFFED-UP, NOT RUDE, NOT SELF-SEEKING, NOT
PROVOKED, NOT EVIL-THINKING, NOT REJOICER IN
INIQUITY, BUT, LOVE REJOICES IN TRUTH
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Roman Catholic History

• Roman Catholic History Begins with Peter
• The Supreme Apostle Upon this Rock I will build
  My Church
• Went to Rome in AD 42
• Established the Church in Rome
• Was the Bishop of Rome
• Pope Leo I (Bishop of Rome) was first pope to
  assert the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome on the
  Basis that Peter was first Bishop (c. 450)

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Roman Catholic History

• 1054, The Roman Catholic Church Splits
• Western Church (a.k.a. RCC)
• Eastern Church (a.k.a. Orthodox)

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Roman Catholic History

• 1378-1417, Great Schism of Western Church
• Period of Competing Popes of the RCC
• Pope in Avignon France
• Pope in Rome
• Pope Appointed by Council

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Roman Catholic History

• 1545-63, Council of Trent
• Convened to Stop the Reformation
• Chrystalized Dogmas on...

• Scripture
• Apocrypha
• Original Sin
• Human Will
• Atonement
• Grace Works

• Justification
• Sacraments
• Transubstantiation
• Priesthood
• Purgatory

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Roman Catholic History

• , Pope declared the dogma of the Immaculate
  Conception of Mary
• 1869-70, First Vatican Council Convened to
  settle Papal Infallibility
• 1950, Pope declared the dogma of the Bodily
  Assumption of Mary
• 1962-65, Second Vatican Council Convened to
  Update the Church (aggiornamento)
• 2000, Pope John Paul II grants plenary indulgences

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Six Distinctive Catholic Doctrines

• Scripture Tradition
• Papal Infallibility
• Meritorious Justification
• Sacraments
• Mary
• Purgatory

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Catholic Doctrine Scripture Tradition

• Biblical Canon includes the Apocrypha
• -Tobit, Judith, Esther (additions), Daniel
  (additions), Wisdom of Solomon,
  Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), Baruch, Letter of
  Jeremiah, 12 Maccabees
• Two Streams of Authority
• -Bible (w. Apocrypha)
• -Tradition
• oral tradition transmitted by apostles
• official decrees from popes councils

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Catholic Doctrine Scripture Tradition

• Rejects Evangelical doctrine of Sola Scriptura
  (Scripture Alone)
• Bible does not argue for Scripture Alone
• Bible affirms the authority of Tradition
  (2 Thes 215)
• Bible can not be correctly interpreted without
  Tradition

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Evangelical Defense of Sola Scriptura

• Scripture (Bible w/o Apocrypha) is a perfect
  source of divine revelation, but Tradition is not
• Scripture has God for its source. It is
  God-breathed (1Tim 316) therefore inerrant
  infallible because God Himself is inerrant
  infallible
• Tradition is known to be errant, therefore its
  source can not be God (Self-contradictory)
• If Traditions source is not God, then it should
  not be an authoritative source for doctrine

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Evangelical Defense of Sola Scriptura

• If Scripture is a perfect source of Truth and
  Tradition is not...
• Then only Scripture should form the authoritative
  basis of Christian doctrine
• Any other errant or fallible source (Tradition)
  would be an errant or fallible basis for
  Christian doctrine

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Evangelical View of Tradition

• Tradition is valuable and helpful for forming
  doctrine, but it can not be an authoritative
  basis for doctrine. Consider the
  helpful-though-not-authoritative-teachings of
• -Athanasius
• -Augustine
• -Anselm
• -Aquinas, and others

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Catholic Doctrine Papal Infallibility

• Papal Supremacy Bishop of Rome is superior
  because Peter was superior and was the Bishop of
  Rome
• Papal Succession Every successive Bishop of Rome
  is supreme
• Papal Infalliblity The Pope and Teaching
  Magisterium are infallible when officially (ex
  cathedra) defining faith and morals for believers
• Mat 1613-19, John 2115-17 Tradition are basis
  for these doctrines

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Evangelical Rebuttal Papal Infallibility

• No biblical basis for Supremacy of Peter
• No biblical basis for Peter in Rome
• No biblical basis for Apostolic Succession
• How can a Pope be a heretic? (Honorius I)
• What about the anti-popes?
• What about Galileo?
• The doctrine is presently so qualified as to be
  irrelevant

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Catholic Doctrine Meritorious Justification

• A person is justified fully before God because he
  is righteous (based on his own merit measured by
  moral purity)
• Initial justification occurs at baptism ex opere
  operato
• A man is justified by faith as well as works, not
  by faith alone
• Evangelical position is Forensic Justification
  meaning declared righteous -- justified by
  faith alone on the basis of the righteousness of
  Christ

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Catholic Doctrine Sacraments

• The Sacraments are the heart of the RCC religious
  practice, especially the mass
• The Sacraments are the CAUSE of Gods Grace in
  His Church and some are necessary for salvation
• The Sacraments confer grace ex opere operato
• Seven Sacraments are
• 1. Baptism 2. Confirmation 3. Eucharist
• 4. Penance 5. Extreme Unction
• 6. Holy Orders 7. Matrimony

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Catholic Doctrine Sacraments-Baptism

• Baptism produces Initial Justification
• Only the guilt of original sin is remitted upon
  baptism, actual sins have other remedies
• Baptism is a one-time sacrament that should never
  be repeated
• Baptism is necessary for salvation, but not a
  guarantee of salvation
• Vatican II provides for the baptism of desire

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Catholic Doctrine Sacraments-Eucharist

• The Eucharist is also known as Communion or the
  Sacrifice of the Mass
• Based on Mat 2626 This is my body and John
  653 Unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of
  Man
• RCC understanding of the Eucharist is called
  Transubstantiation
• Upon consecration by a priest
• The bread and wine are transformed
• Into the actual body and blood of Christ

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Catholic Doctrine Sacraments-Eucharist

• The Eucharist is a continual, real sacrifice of
  the body and blood of Christ
• Evangelicals object to the RCC dogma of the Mass
  on the basis of Heb 1012-14 (Jesus sacrificed
  Himself once for all)

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Evangelical Rebuttal of Transubstantiation

• Not dogma until AD 1215
• Eastern Church holds older mystical view
• Not necessary to interpret this is my body in a
  non-figurative way
• This is my body is in the present tense
• One body can only be in one location at a time
• There is no evidence that a miracle takes place
  at the consecration

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Catholic Doctrine Sacraments-Holy Orders

• Upon ordination to the Priesthood
• Priests are conferred with supernatural powers
• To consecrate the bread and wine so that they
  become the actual body and blood of Christ
• To absolve sin
• To administer the sacraments ex opere operato

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Catholic Doctrine Mary

• Perpetual Virginity-virgin before, during after
  birth of Christ
• Immaculate ConceptionMary herself was conceived
  of a virgin in the same way as Christ
• Sinless Lifeshe never sinned
• Bodily Assumptionshe never died
• Co-Mediatorshe mediates between men and Christ
• Venerationshe should be venerated (less than
  worship, but more than the veneration of saints)

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Catholic Doctrine Purgatory

• Baptized Catholics must be purified (or purged)
  before entering heaven for their personal sins
• Purification involves pain and suffering
• Purification can be assisted by prayers and
  devotion of the living
• Duration in Purgatory depends on extent of venial
  sins (more sin more time in Purgatory)
• Several other distinctive doctrines associated
  with Purgatorytreasury of merits, indulgences,
  prayers to and for the dead

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Catholic Doctrine Treasury of Merits

• The RCC is the Repository of a Treasury of
  Meritorius Works for the Dead
• Saints have accumulated excess merit beyond what
  is needed to atone for their own personal sins
• One persons duration in Purgatory can be
  shortened or eliminated on the basis of the
  excess merit of the Saints stored in the Treasury
  of Merits
• The Pope has the keys to this Treasury and
  dispenses its benefits

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Catholic Doctrine Indulgences

• When duration in Purgatory is shortened or
  eliminated, this is called an Indulgence
• A Partial Indulgence shortens ones term in
  Purgatory, while a Plenary Indulgence eliminates
  ones term in Purgatory
• The sale of Indulgences were used to fund the
  construction of St. Peters Cathedral in Rome
  during the time of the Reformation
• Pope John Paul II granted plenary indulgences
  during the Jubilee 2000

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Catholic Doctrine Prayers To/For the Dead

• Catholics on earth can come to the assistance of
  Catholics in Purgatory by interceding for them
• Prayers for the dead
• Indulgence for the dead
• Mass for the dead
• Catholics on earth can also pray to the Saints to
  grant personal requests

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General Evangelism Strategy

• Prepare in prayer
• Develop personal relationships
• Be kind but firm
• Encourage an honest evaluation of beliefs
• Gently persevere in truth-telling
• Dont assume all Catholics believe same things
• Be very patient
• Anticipate family conflicts
• Ask leading questions

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Particular Evangelism Strategies

• Challenge Apocrypha
• Challenge Tradition
• Challenge Papal Magisterial Infallibility
• Challenge Meritorious Justification
• Challenge Sacramentalism
• Challenge Baptismal Regeneration
• Challenge the Mass
• Challenge RCC view of Mary
• Challenge Purgatory
• Challenge Treasury of Merits
• Challenge Indulgences

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Particular Evangelism Strategies

• Show the Superiority of ..
• A Body of Doctrine Based on the Bible Alone
• An Atonement Based on Christ Alone
• Salvation by Grace Alone
• Salvation through Faith Alone