Am I Anti-Catholic?

Today I have been labeled both an "anti-catholic" and a "neocon." (I do not consider myself to be either). Let's leave the latter of those two charges alone for the time being and just take a look at the first.

Am I anti-catholic?

My post several days ago regarding the excavation of the recently discovered 3rd-4th century AD "church" in Megiddo included the following passage (in regard to a mosaic inscription referring to the gift of "this table to the God, Jesus Christ...") :

It is already being speculated that this may refer to what is now called (in Protestant churches) the "Lord's Table" or "Communion Table" where the Sacrament is celebrated as either a "remembrance" or as the "real spiritual presence" of the Lord. This would be in contrast to the Roman Catholic use of an "altar," which denotes a place of sacrifice, where Jesus Christ is actually sacrificed again and again as the "real presence" of his body is broken and the real presence of his blood is poured out during the celebration of the Mass.

In the "comments" section following the article I received this message:

Uh ... you might not be aware of this, but the Mass is does not sacrifice Christ again and again - it is always, around the world, and through history, the one sacrifice on Calvary that we witness.

I replied as follows:

You are, of course, correct.

The following passage (taken from Wikipedia "Eucharist") repeats what you have said:

"The Eucharist is therefore understood to be not simply a representation of Christ's presence, or a remembrance of his Passion and Death, but an actual participation in the Sacrifice of Christ, as though the once and for all event were happening here and now. The Eucharist makes present that one sacrifice, not a different sacrifice. The priest and victim of the sacrifice are one and the same; the only difference is in the manner in which it is offered—the Church teaches that the Mass is the sacrifice at Calvary made present in an unbloody manner."

Even so, as a Reformed Protestant, the taking of what is believed to be the "real presence" and "substance" of the body and blood of the risen Christ, and breaking it on an altar projects the image of "re-sacrifice."

While the theological assertions of the Roman Catholic Church clearly state that this is not the case the plain sense of the act is that the "priest" takes the "real presence" of a unity of human and divine, flesh and spirit, body and blood and "breaks" it on an altar, an action which is "substantively"indistinguishablee from the crucifixion and sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.

With all respect to my brothers and sisters in faith who adhere to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church on this matter I will not argue the understanding of "one sacrifice" that their theology represents.

With respect to my own Reformed Protestant tradition however, I must also affirm the theological position that, in the Roman Catholic Mass, the Body of Christ is physically sacrificed on the altar.

I will place a note in the text of my post directing any future readers to the comments which have been made.

I was neither pretending to present the RC theology of the Mass nor attempting to mis-represent it. I was simply presenting my own viewpoint. That the RC Church views it very differently is certainly worth noting. Thank you.

Later, this evening, I discovered that my article had been linked by a blog called "Speculative Catholic" and incorporated into a post entitled, "Anti-Catholic Bingo."

It's actually a clever post but I did take some smallumbragee in being classified as an "anti-catholic author."

In an attempt to rehabilitate myself I posted another comment, this time in the comments section for the "Anti-Catholic Bingo" article. Here is what I wrote:

Hey, thanks for the link....I think! You left a polite comment on my post correcting me as regards Roman Catholic doctrine and theology regarding the Eucharist. I have accepted the "correction" but have written a reply that is now referenced within my post.

I do not believe that a Roman Catholic's belief that my ordination as a Presbyterian minister is invalid (due to lack of the authority of apostolic succession,etc) means that they are "anti-Presbyterian;"

Or if they believe my Bible is in error (because it does not include the Apocrypha) that they are "anti-Protestant;"

Or that if they believe that my denial of the unique and infallible authority of Pope Benedict as the Head of the One True Church universal sets me outside the bounds of truth (but within the margins of faith) is sufficient evidence for me to characterize them as being either "anti-Protestant" or "anti-Presbyterian."

In the same way, neither does my Reformed Protestant perception of the Roman Catholic Mass as being a "re-sacrifice" of Christ (which is in opposition to the RC doctrine of the Mass being a celebration of the "real presence" of the one eternal sacrifice of Christ) necessarily qualify me as being "anti-Catholic."

Face it, I believe my Baptist brothers and sisters are wrong in their understanding of the Sacrament of Baptism (which Roman Catholics do, too) but this does not make either of us "anti-Baptist." Does it?

Christians, whether Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant or Pentecostal are all part of the Body of Christ. Along with St. Paul we all affirm One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism (although we may not agree on its meaning and form) and One God and Father of us all. We share one hope, one Spirit and one Body, as well.

Like any family we are united by blood....in this case by the blood of Christ which saves us and purifies us from all unrighteousness. As St Paul writes in another place, "All who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is no longer Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male or female; for we are all one in Christ Jesus."

Jesus prayed that we might be one as he and the Father are one. I believe that we are one and I celebrate that fact and teach it and preach it. Here in Hawaii where I pastor I am in spiritual communion with both the local evangelical and mainline protestant pastors. I am also in spiritual communion with my good friends Father Gordy and Father Tom at the RC Church just around the corner from mine. When I was introduced at the recent rededication of their remodeled sanctuary I was given a long ovation as their good brother in Christ down the street. I also processed and attended the consecration of Bishop Silva as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Hawaii. On Sunday, for communion (which you do not consider to be a true sacrament) I wore the stole with his personal symbol embroidered on it; a gift to me at his consecration.

I guess that what I am saying is that I believe that you have been a little unfair in labeling me and characterizing me as being "anti-catholic." (As an aside, I am also a member of the catholic church although not a member of the ROMAN Catholic Church. In this sense, if I were "anti-catholic" I would be against not only myself but against every other Christian as well!).

Even though all (Nicene Creed...at least) Christians are ultimately one body and one family, not all members of any one family always see eye to eye on everything. Neither do Christianss. But our disagreements are a "family matter" and not a reason for allowing them to degenerate into a "family feud" at every expression of a contrary opinion.

That's far too many words for one comment and I apologize for that. I only ask that you show some kindness in return. After all, even the dogs eat the scraps under their Master's table. Woof.

What do you think about all this? Am I "anti-catholic?" Or am I simply bone-headed in insisting that, "I was neither pretending to present the RC theology of the Mass nor attempting to mis-represent it. I was simply presenting my own viewpoint."?

As a Protestant (which comes from theLatinn, "pro" "testare" = "to testify FOR" something) I am more inclined to speak "for" things than "against" them. I am far more inclined to speak up "for Christ" than I am to speak "against" Mormons, or Islam or Baptists or Roman Catholics!

So, there you have it. Suggestions and comments are welcomed. Aloha In Jesus.