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Home / Publications / Free Presbyterian Magazine / 1998 to 2003 / July 1999 / Protestant View

Protestant View

Roman Catholic bishops seek a role in the House of Lords

IT has been the policy of the Church of Rome that its bishops should not engage in the exercise of civil power but be free to teach and minister to the spiritual needs of their people. In practice, however, many of them have considerable influence in government circles. The Vatican has had long experience of effectively working behind the scenes in this country as well as many others. Also, although not a member state of either the United Nations or of the European Union, it exerts great influence in these bodies.

As for having some kind of actual representation in the British government, the Roman Church has relied upon loyal representatives in the Lords, notably hereditary peers such as the Duke of Norfolk and Lord Camoys, and life peers including Lord Alton and Lord Rees-Mogg.

The Roman hierarchy in England and Wales has now been given an opportunity to increase its influence by being asked by the Government to submit a paper outlining what role they would like to play in a reformed House of Lords. Other main denominations have also been asked to make submissions. The Roman Catholic bishops of England and Wales, in their submission to Lord Wakeham’s Royal Commission on Lords Reform, have stated that it is important that their Church would have a voice in the House of Lords, and that if the House was to include a specifically Catholic element, this should be in the form of its bishops. They also stated, no doubt with tongue firmly in cheek, “It is no part of the bishop’s job to seek power.” They cannily added, “But at the same time there cannot be no-go areas for the Church.”

One report says that the bishops will have to seek permission from the Vatican, because Canon Law forbids any cleric from assuming “public office whenever it means sharing in the exercise of civil power”. However, we find it hard to believe that they would have made any such submission to the Royal Commission without having already got the green light from the Vatican.

We wonder why the Roman hierarchy in England and Wales is opting for a role in the House of Lords when it suits them so well to work behind the scenes and keep their hand hidden. Obviously, they anticipate distinct advantages in being seen to participate in the government of the nation, and feel the time is ripe to have a more visible presence in the corridors of power.

When we see how the influence of Rome in our Protestant nation is growing so rapidly, we ought to cry to the “King of nations” to halt its progress. Rome does not seize the high ground in order to admire the view but to rise to greater heights. The loud testimony of history is that when given the opportunity, Rome will be satisfied with nothing less than full power.

Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification by Lutherans and Rome

LUTHERANISIM and Roman Catholicism are about to take a big step nearer to one another in their “reconciliation process”. Presbyterians-week reports: “The Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Vatican will sign the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification on October 31, 1999, in Augsburg, Germany. . . The Joint Declaration is the product of more than three decades of intense international dialogue between Lutherans and Roman Catholics. The signing will be the first time that such a declaration has been recognized officially and jointly by the respective church bodies.”

The Lutheranism of today, it seems, is far removed from that of the 16th century, when Luther proclaimed the doctrine of justification by faith alone, and set in train the events which led to the liberating of multitudes from the bondage of Rome. The mere fact that Lutheranism has engaged in “three decades of intense international dialogue” with Rome seriously calls in question its Protestantism, as does their joint statement: “The teaching of the Lutheran churches presented in this Declaration does not fall under the condemnations of the Council of Trent. The condemnations in the Lutheran Confessions do not apply to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church presented in this Declaration.” Either the condemnations of the Council of Trent against Luther’s teaching have been disannulled or the teaching of Lutheranism has changed. Since Rome has not repealed its condemnations it is obvious that that there has been a radical shift in Luthern teaching.

Here we have another instance of a once Reformed and Protestant body being dazzled by the power of the papacy – or perhaps we should say, bewitched by “the great whore”, the Antichrist. God has not only pronounced His judgement upon “the great whore” (see Revelation 17, and 19:2); but also warns others not to be implicated in her sin, and calls them to come out from her and be separate.

Roman Catholic absolution to be offered by telephone

A scheme, organised by the Catholic Missionary Society, is to be run in a Roman Catholic church in Chelmsford, Essex, for “lapsed Roman Catholics, too guilty or lazy to brave the confessional box, to get the chance to obtain absolution over the telephone”. It is expected that in the week-long pilot scheme hundreds of people will dial the freephone number to confess their sins and obtain forgiveness.

Hardly less absurd is Rome’s ordinary practice of confession and absolution. It is indeed absurd for any priest to claim that he has power to pardon sin. Only the One against whom we have sinned can forgive us. “Who can forgive sins but one, even God?” (Mark 2:7); “The Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins” (Matt. 9:6). But in opposition to these eternal truths the Church of Rome claims to have the authority to pardon sins.

Rome’s official teaching is that her priests “pardon sins, not only as ambassadors of Christ, but as judges, and by way of jurisdiction”. In other words, the priest is not simply pronouncing that God has forgiven that person, but he himself is forgiving the offender. Indeed, the Council of Trent declares, “Whosoever shall affirm that the priest’s sacramental absolution is not a judicial act, but only a ministry to pronounce and declare that the sins of the party confessing are forgiven, let him be anathema.” The clear inference is that the priest is there in the place of God. One Roman Catholic publication says: “Your sins are forgiven by the priest the same as if you knelt before Jesus Christ and told them to Christ Himself.”

How deluded are poor Roman Catholics when they are taught to believe, as one of their Catechisms says, “I must tell my sins to the priest so that he will give me absolution.” How duped they are when they think that without doing so they cannot have peace with God. May the Lord speedily send those promised days when Roman Catholics the world over will be liberated from the awful bondage of having to go to priests in the confession box (or by telephone) for forgiveness, but will go directly to God, in the name of the one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:14).

Return to Table of Contents for The Free Presbyterian Magazine – July 1999

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        • Protestant View
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        • “There They Preached the Gospel”
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        • The Resurrection of Christ
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        • Reading the Scriptures Profitably
        • The believer is to put those sins… into the hands of Christ
        • The Puritans and the Ministry
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        • The Fear of God
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        • He indeed is rich in grace whose graces are not hindered by his riches
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        • “What Are They Among so Many?”
        • Vain Religion
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        • The Desired Haven
        • God may bear long with the wicked, but…
        • Thomas Halyburton
        • James Stewart (2)
        • The Temptation of Christ
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        • The Church of God From Age to Age
        • Jesus of Nazareth passeth by
        • Rev Lachlan MacLeod (1918-1998) – Obituary
        • “So let him give”
        • The Solemn League and Covenant
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • African Mission News
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      • June 2000
        • The Example of the Church in Smyrna
        • Eastern Europe – Spring 2000 Report
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        • The Nature of the New Birth
        • This is Indeed the Christ
        • Obituary The late Mr Alasdair Gillies, M.A., Elder, Dingwall
        • Report of Mbuma Zending Meeting – 29th April 2000
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Ma Donsa One of the Pilgrims at Ingwenya
        • African Mission News
      • March 2000
        • Two Free Churches
        • Sermon The Gracious Invitation of Christ
        • The Rev John Sinclair of Bruan (1801-43)
        • Princeton Theology – the Scottish Connection
        • Regeneration Regulating the Affections
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
      • July 2000
        • The Church of Scotland General Assembly
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        • Lift up a Standard for the People
        • At the Westminster Assembly
        • The Earth Corrupt before God
        • The Trinitarian Bible Society Report
        • Obituary – The late Mr Kenneth Gillies, Elder, Raasay
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        • The Rev. Christopher Munro (1817-85)
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        • Joy and Peace in Believing
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        • Negotiations in London
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      • January 2000
        • Another Millennium
        • Notes of a Sermon The Earth Filled with His Glory
        • The Second Coming of Christ – Three Main Views
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        • Building up the Church of God
        • Princeton Seminary – The Majestic Testimony by David Calhoun.
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        • The Divine Saviour
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        • The Late Roderick Macleod,
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        • Where Are We Now?
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        • Alexander Henderson
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        • Obedience to Christ
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        • The Family Under Attack
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        • The King in Scotland
        • Comments on Psalm 51
        • Unsettling the Settlement
        • The pope’s visit to the Holy Land
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        • Declaring All the Counsel of God
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        • God so Loved the World
        • The Rev. James S. Sinclair
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      • September 1999
        • Old Testament Types
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        • Alexander Stewart of Cromarty
        • The Intercession of Christ
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        • Morality and Politics
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      • May 1999
        • “Upon this rock I will build my church”
        • The Blessed Poor
        • Rev Angus Mackay
        • Is Christ our High Priest?
        • Signs of Religious Declension
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
      • March 1999
        • Heaven-provoking Legislation
        • Church Information
        • The Drawing Power of the Cross
        • The Alpha Course Examined
        • Teaching Christianity in Scottish Schools
        • The late Mrs Margaret Tallach, Glasgow
        • Letter by John Love, D.D.
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • African Mission News
      • June 1999
        • Made a Faithful Shepherd
        • Notes and Comments
        • How May Sanctification Be Attained?
        • Protestant View
        • Mbuma Zending Meeting Report
        • Address to Mbuma Zending Meeting
        • Spiritual Pride in Man
        • Church Information
        • Preaching the Unsearchable Riches of Christ
        • The Free Church and the World
      • January 1999
        • When the Enemy Shall Come in Like a Flood
        • Church Information
        • Let me see thy countenance
        • The Religion of the Highlands
        • Personal Creed and Resolutions
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • African Mission News
        • Eastern Europe Mission
      • July 1999
        • The Church of Scotland General Assembly
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
        • The Pre-eminence of Christ
        • A Man Who Wished to Live Obscurely
        • The Nature of Saving Faith
        • The Light of the World
        • God is: therefore God is to be Worshipped
        • Book Review
        • The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland Synod
        • Protestant View
      • February 1999
        • The Purposes of the Lord’s Supper
        • The Trinitarian Bible Society – Appointments
        • The Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God
        • Holy Importunity in Prayer
        • A Heavenly Eternal Crown of Glory
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        • African Mission News
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      • December 1999
        • The End of a Millennium
        • African Mission News
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        • Until the Day Break
        • The Charismatic Movement – The Gifts have Ceased
        • The Rev. Donald Macfarlane of Dingwall
        • The Pagan Origin of Christmas A Reminder
        • Ministers Prepared by Temptation
        • Book Review
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      • August 1999
        • The Advance of Rome under Hume
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        • Eastern Europe Mission
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        • The Marks of a Time of Revival, and the Means of Bringing it About
        • The Free Church of Scotland General Assembly
        • Thy Kingdom Come
        • The National Covenant
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        • Unsettled and Discouraged?
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      • April 1999
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      • September 1998
        • The Golden Key of Prayer
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        • Weighed in the Balances
        • Christ, the Way
        • Praying as Beggars
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        • Our African Mission
        • Patrick Mzamo – A sketch of an African elder and lay-preacher
      • October 1998
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        • Christ Liveth in me *
        • God’s Way of Bringing Sinners to Christ
        • The Effects of Television Violence
        • Sin and Sanctification
        • Book Review
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        • Philemon Ndebele
      • November 1998
        • Faithfulness or Vilification
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        • The Best Security in Evil Times
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        • The Prayers of the Aged
        • The Religion of the Highlands – The Persecution of a Highland Laird
        • Book Review
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      • May 1998
        • The Mode of Baptism – A Defence
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • A Vessel Meet for the Master’s Use
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        • The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland on the Internet
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        • The Story of Mamlotshwa
      • March 1998
        • A Minister of God
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        • Godliness With Contentment
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        • Private Prayer and Public Profession
        • Truth and Life
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      • June 1998
        • Family Worship
        • Notes and Comments
        • Ma Ngwenya – Mother of the late Rev. B. B. Dube
        • Church Information
        • The Lord is Risen Indeed
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
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        • Mbuma-Zending Meeting – 1998
        • Three Characteristics of True Faith
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      • July 1998
        • The General Assemblies
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        • The Scriptural Warrant for Creedal Subscription
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        • A Cambuslang Case of Conversion
        • Booklet Review
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        • Notes and Comments
        • The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland Synod
      • January 1998
        • Book Review
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        • MaHlabangana
        • Winter Visit to Eastern Europe
        • THE NEW YEAR
        • The Church Built and Kept by the Lord
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • The Fruits of the Declaratory Act In the Free Church of Scotland
        • Redeeming the Time
        • African Mission News
      • February 1998
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        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • A Mission Day of Prayer
        • Church Information
        • Leaning Upon her Beloved
        • Brought Home to Heaven
        • Observing the Sabbath
        • Church Deputy’s Visit to North America
        • African Mission News
        • A Faithful Ambassador is Health
      • December 1998
        • When the Enemy Shall Come in Like a Flood
        • “My grace is sufficient for thee”
        • The People of the Great Faith
        • Sudden Conversions
        • A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ
        • “Give ye them to eat”
        • Protestant View
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      • August 1998
        • The General Assemblies
        • Sermon – The House of Many Mansions
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        • Book Notice
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        • Paul Magaya – Lay Preacher in Shangani
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      • April 1998
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        • Book Notice
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        • Threats to our Religious Liberties
        • Mazwabo’s Amazing Transformation
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