Quote:
Originally Posted by Seydlitz77
Here's a quote that made me think.
"This isn't trivial. Although the Catholic church exists to further God's will on earth, the criteria set out by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith make it impossible for the church to accept God's will as being anything other than what they already believe. So while in theory entirely subservient to God's will, God's will actually turns out to be subservient to that of the church."
|
Such is the quandary of an institution that assumes doctrinal authority of an already established base of 'tradition' and 'dogma', while in 'theory' accepting progressive revelation and guidance from the Spirit, but sacrificing that to the worship of dogma, tradition and ritual. Of course one can maintain a 'balancing act', but such is the challenge of an organized church-state with the demands of truth and modern innovations. In any case, the RCC manages to morph with the times, holding its dogma but adapting just enough to meet the needs of the age, - it will always be so as long as the institution holds its place in the social fabric (this goes for all religious organizations or spiritual communities).
The Urantia Papers cover issues with organized religious structures and ongoing revelation quiet well
Here.
Quote:
|
Are we truly subservient to God's will ready to accept any direction He has for us and our faith trusting that He would never lead us astray or have we set limits to what He can and can't say?
|
If one surrenders truly to God, then total obedience and cooperation to that divine leading would naturally follow.
As far as one giving his allegiance to a religious cult-ure, tradition or sect, he would have to deal with his acceptance of that community's rule of faith or doctrine, and his own personal divine guidance, whether those agree or differ in whatever aspect. It would boil down to the individuals own intellectual honesty, conscience and divine leading whether he continues loyal to any 'cult' or 'tradition' or charts his own path outside that 'structure'. Those of us who are more liberal and eclectic can stay within certain traditional schools, yet also synthesize other traditions being more 'inclusive' or 'mutable'.
Truth itself is universal, although its forms and 'translations' may vary by 'interpretation'.
pj