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Dejando Fuera Del Gancho A La ICAR Página Revista
Dejando Fuera Del Gancho A La ICAR Página Revista
22 a d v e n t i s t t o d a y • w i n t e r 2 0 1 0
Ecumenical Council of the Vatican (1962-1965) radically papacy helped win them that freedom! (And the even greater
altered that denomination’s theology and practices. Vatican II irony that some of us still think that calling the Pope the
declared the gospel central to church theology, made worship Antichrist is necessary to win souls to Christ.)
accessible, denied that Roman Catholics only can be saved, Of course, we don’t give the Roman Catholic church a free
encouraged lay Bible study, and affirmed religious liberty. pass; we subject it to the same Biblical scrutiny we would any
While not quite a Protestant Reformation, today’s Catholic other influential world power. (And while we’re at it, we’d do
Church is not the same Catholic Church referenced in our well always to scrutinize ourselves by the same metrics we use
19th-century eschatological studies. Among other things, the on others—which is Jesus’ advice, not mine.5)
Second Ecumenical Council weakened Vatican authority over But perhaps we needn’t single out Roman Catholicism any
world Catholics—as evidenced by the 78 percent of American longer. Ellen White, who was often more flexible than her
Catholics who oppose their church’s ban on contraception.3 followers, wrote: “God wants us all to have common sense, and
By focusing on Roman Catholicism, we may miss more He wants us to reason from common sense. Circumstances alter
dangerous anti-Christian opponents. Far more Christians conditions. Circumstances change the relation of things.”6
have been killed, persecuted, or denied their religious liberty Roman Catholicism has served us well as an enemy:
by Communism, military Fascism, and Islamist extremism in provocative enough to keep us energized, yet doing minimal
the past century than by Roman actual damage to us. Such an important enemy made us feel
Catholics; we’ve let these pass significant, “in the know,” and in control, while not really
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