Pope: Other Christians not True Churches

LORENZAGO DI CADORE, Italy - Pope Benedict XVI reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says other Christian communities are either defective or not true churches and Catholicism provides the only true path to salvation.

The new document — formulated as five questions and answers — restates key sections of a 2000 text the pope wrote when he was prefect of the congregation, "Dominus Iesus," which riled Protestant and other Christian denominations because it said they were not true churches but merely ecclesial communities and therefore did not have the "means of salvation."

The commentary repeated church teaching that says the Catholic Church "has the fullness of the means of salvation."

"Christ 'established here on earth' only one church," said the document released as the pope vacations at a villa in Lorenzago di Cadore, in Italy's Dolomite mountains.

The other communities "cannot be called 'churches' in the proper sense" because they do not have apostolic succession — the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ's original apostles — and therefore their priestly ordinations are not valid, it said.

This article was taken today (7/10/07) from a Yahoo news source. You can read the entire article here:

Do you think the Pope knows what he is talking about??? He sure didn't get that from God's word, the Bible. But, of course, there are a lot of practices and traditions in the Catholic church which definitely does not come from the Word of God. This is no surprise to me, since I have heard missionaries tell of the persecution they receive in other countries who are heavily Catholic even today; and we know how many were put to death back in history as they attempted to purge the "heretics," who were the true Bible believers who made up the church, from the earth. Of course, they also believe that they were responsible for preserving the Bible; but again, we know they now "trust" in a corrupted translation of God's Word. Many Catholics aren't aware of this, however, since they are taught to trust in the priests and their teachings.... the Word of God is not for the common man.

Luke 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

2 Tim. 3:12-17 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.