Expert: Brendon Eash - 1/2/2012

Question
Dear Brendan,
The Catholic Church reads the same readings in all 218,000 parishes world wide on any given day so the teachings of the faithful are one. How can baptists be of one faith if you say there is no unity in any two of them let alone all of them? It contradicts Sacred Scripture in 2 Peter 1:20 on personal interpretation doesn't it?

Answer
Glen,

I apologize for the delay in getting back with you on this question.  The unity that exists within the Baptist church is based on the fact that the Bible is the inspired word of God.  The Catholic church has added scripture that has no canonical value and then based many of their beliefs on these texts such as infant baptism and purgatory.  These writings were not accepted by the early church and should have never been introduced into the Bible.  In regards to contradicting scripture the Catholic church may want to take a look at Revelation 22:18 where it says "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book."  The Baptist religion does not contradict scripture, it merely takes it at face value and believes the words found within.  We do not require any one to "interpret" the scripture from the church.  The word of God is very clear and the path to Heaven is not something that requires interpretation.  The coming of the Holy Spirit aids us in understanding the scripture and Jesus is our "high priest."  The Catholic church has strayed from the true word of God by putting their "priests" on pedestals and requiring their parishioners to confess their sins to these men.  The Bible says "for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."  It does not say "all but priests."  Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and was a spotless lamb.  We are to confess our sins and he will forgive us our sins.  Nowhere in the actual Bible does it say I have to be forgiven by a priest; Jesus is the only one who can forgive as he is the only one who has been tempted in all ways yet did not sin.   I have attended Catholic Mass before and feel that after leaving the "priest" gave no application to our personal lives.  Standing in front of your parishioners and reading the word of God may allow for this "unity" that you profess but it in no way helps the attendees to apply that word to their normal day to day lives.  Then to add to the mix the fact that a good portion of their "scripture" is not even supposed to be considered part of the Bible really adds fuel to the fire.  Being of "one faith" does not really matter when the faith is based on false writings added hundreds of years after the original scriptures were penned.  The amusing thing about the Catholic "scriptures" is that they caused a split in the church over what was true and false.  They also coincided with the Catholic belief that the Pope could sell indulgences or forgiveness.  This was also one of the major reasons for the split of the church along with many of the differences mentioned above.  I think that you should search out the history of the Catholic "scriptures" and make sure that you want to be a part of the "unity" that you mention above.  Please let me know if you have any other questions.  

Brendon