Monday, December 19, 2005
How About That?!
The church still has heresy trials. (HT: Sheep's Crib) This is largely a procedural matter, and not a huge deal, but I see a couple of interesting points here.
I am struck by the huge bureacracy of Roman Catholicism that, like some dragon in a cave, simply must be fed. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. In this instance the bureacracy demands that a man have the word "heresy" attached to his name when he was acting purely from conscience and had resigned the church voluntarily. But on the other hand, heresy simple means "outside of doctrine" which is true in this case. The word is only loaded because of historical misconduct on the part of those charged with maintaining doctrine.
I also find it refreshing that in this age, when so many Protestant denominations concentrate on doctrinal diversity, the Romans are working to maintain doctrinal purity in some sense. The problem with doctrinal diversity, at least where it is today, is that it eventually dilutes doctrine to nothing. Doctrine does matter, or else the church becomes a thing unto itself.
I guess what I am saying is that I think the Roman Catholics could throw around the word heresy a little elss but most Protestant denomination could do it more.
I am struck by the huge bureacracy of Roman Catholicism that, like some dragon in a cave, simply must be fed. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. In this instance the bureacracy demands that a man have the word "heresy" attached to his name when he was acting purely from conscience and had resigned the church voluntarily. But on the other hand, heresy simple means "outside of doctrine" which is true in this case. The word is only loaded because of historical misconduct on the part of those charged with maintaining doctrine.
I also find it refreshing that in this age, when so many Protestant denominations concentrate on doctrinal diversity, the Romans are working to maintain doctrinal purity in some sense. The problem with doctrinal diversity, at least where it is today, is that it eventually dilutes doctrine to nothing. Doctrine does matter, or else the church becomes a thing unto itself.
I guess what I am saying is that I think the Roman Catholics could throw around the word heresy a little elss but most Protestant denomination could do it more.
