Adventist Review: The Papacy in Transition :?: :!: … [Internet Archive here]
“We protest the institution of a human priesthood, when the Scriptures teach that One alone is qualified to be our Priest–He who is both Son of God and Son of man, Jesus Christ.”
William Johnsson here confuses the priesthood of Christ with the pastoral role of the clergy, who act as Christ’s representatives in persona Christi. That is a completely biblical concept. The human clergy do not replace Christ in any way – and both types of priesthood are identified in the New Testament, as well as a third – the universal priesthood of the individual believer.
“We protest the sacrifice of the Mass, which contradicts the biblical teaching that Jesus died once for all, a simple sacrifice for sin that is never to be repeated”
Again, he protests against something he doesn’t understand. He protests against something Catholics don’t even believe – a repeating of the sacrifice of Christ.
“We protest the exaltation of Mary the mother of Jesus, a blessed woman but nevertheless a human like us all, who nowhere in Scripture is singled out for veneration.”
Many ARE singled out for honour – why not Mary? This is based on the idea that if the Bible doesn’t say so, it’s not true. Yet his own belief that the 7th-day Sabbath is binding on Christians is not found in the Bible.
“We protest the equivocation on the fundamental gospel–by grace alone, through faith alone (Eph. 2:8-10)–that the Papacy perpetuates through its doctrine of merits.”
If he understood what the Catholic Church teaches by “merits” and what we mean when we use the word “faith,” I don’t think he’d be saying that. Ignorance of Catholic teaching has led many to accuse the Catholic Church falsely … and this is no exception.
“Seventh-day Adventists are still Protestants.”
So I see. One day, I hope that they actually understand what Catholicism is really about, at which point they will, if they are honest with themselves, protest a lot less.
