Mike Gendron discusses Catholicism and the bible.
Are Catholics Christians? It’s an interesting question. When I was a Catholic, I considered myself a Catholic Christian. After years of studying the bible, I no longer believe the two terms go together. Most Catholics, when asked if they are Christian, will respond, “I’m Catholic”, so by their own usual response, it’s clear that most Catholics understand that they are different than Christians. You can be a Catholic, or you can be a Christian, but I don’t believe you can be both at the same time if you agree with the teachings of the Catholic church. So, this is where it gets messy. I have met Catholics who believe the gospel according to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, and these same Catholics do not believe the teachings of their church. In these cases, I would say they are Christian, not because of the Catholic church, but in spite of their church. What makes this issue even more difficult is the emotion that comes into play when discussing these issues with Catholics.
Sometimes when Catholics hear the words, “Catholics are not Christian”, they misinterpret it and hear, “Catholics are not good people.” I do not believe Catholics are bad people, most of the Catholics I know are great people in many ways. When I say “Catholics are not Christian”, I’m referring to the biblical teaching of what a Christian is vs. the teachings of the Catholic church. The two are in opposition to each other, not in a small way. There are differences between, let’s say, Baptists and Presbyterians that do not warrant a claim that either group is not Christian. The same is not true with regards to the Catholic church; the following podcast explains why.
I recently had the opportunity to interview Mike Gendron from Proclaiming the Gospel. After working with Catholics for many years, Mike has an intimate knowledge of the main issues regarding Catholics and the gospel. If you are Catholic, I encourage you to listen. What are the main differences between Catholicism and the bible? If you are a Christian and you have any desire to discuss the bible with your Catholic friends and family, you’ll want to hear what Mike has to say. So please have a listen to this latest episode of Romans Road.
