Two Languages of Salvation - Essay Example

Two Languages of Salvation: The Lutheran-Catholic Joint Declaration In reference to the Christian religion, salvation is the only way to prove that an individual is righteous. One is only justified if he is on the right road. There is a failure to do that the individual suffers damnation to eternal suffering, which makes the, individual fear go against the conventions of the Christian religion. Christians believe in the trinity which comprises of God the fathers, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Justification is a gift from god who grants it through Jesus Christ his son. So many people criticize the reception of justification in their lives and wonders if it is only by having justification that they can live a holy life or they need to act according to the conventions of the Christian faith. One wonders if heavenly life will be a reward to the beliers or it will be based on merit according to good works and faithfulness that one exhibited while in the first life.1 Martin Luther tried to answer the questions which people asked, but he based his answers on the basis of Paul. Faith alone receives justification and good works are left independently on their own accord. Justification is a gift which needs the human being to accept so that people get involved in its practice without feeling cornered to accept a faith that they feel objected to do so. Te Lutheran and the catholic churches have been for a long time lived in separate ways, which forced various, individuals to try and reconcile them in vain. They have different beliefs concerning Christianity and their conventions are authenticated by their ways of practicing faith. For the last four hundred years, the two churches have been different although they claimed to worship the same God. There have been international dialogues, which concern the, authentic Christian faith, but they choose to practice that faith in different approaches. The divisions were made complicated by the polemic tracts, but the bilateral dialogues that dealt with justification have been concluded ion international platforms and in several local platform, in Christian countries.2 The United States Lutheran- catholic dialogue stipulates the points of the agreement which were agreed upon by the followers in the church. After a lengthy discussion, they came up with a sixty pages document which entailed the twelve fundamentals of the Christian faith. A common declaration was the concluding pat of the document which forms the fundamental consensus of the gospel. In reference to the declaration, justification is a warranted gift from Jesus Christ. Justification enhances the human beings to pas from sin to eternal freedom necessitated by Jesus Christ. It is not enough to have division of the church on the basis of justification. There were certain condemnations, which were leveled, against the churches but needed to be corrected. These condemnations do not stand in the present for the churches. The joint declaration of the church was drafted in 1994 and passed to about one hundred and twenty four churches. Only eighty nine churches responded with only eighty for favoring the decision. The response was criticized by the office bears, and most of the Lutheran members brought the disagreements on the justification doctrine which is the principle cause of division between the Catholics and Protestants in the sixteenth century.3 The Catholics accepted the already achieved convergence made people realize that God’s action of justification is not a necessity for on to achieve the gift of going to heaven. Lutherans say that concupiscence used to make people appear as sinners hence making people guilty before God. When someone has sinned, he or she need to seek forgiveness from God so that one is covered over the Christ’s merits. This has not and is not accepted by the catholic teachings. The Catholics and Lutherans differed in the point if the justification case can increase the grace of God after justifying. Lutherans feel that they ought to justify and say what they have been before meeting members of the church. Such statements as that, the Lutheran followers, believe that the Catholics are on the wrong perspective of the religion principle makes one wonder on what side the Catholics believe in. it is imperative to ensure that the Catholics are accepted as an autonomous denomination and its beliefs respected. Catholics believe that by being baptized in the manner, Jesus Christ was baptized makes one be internally renewed, and this makes them to become recipients of the gods gift. The Lutheran people believe that one needs to be saved even after being baptized because this means that one has not renewed his internal but the external. According to Lutherans, the baptism practice is an imperfect thing which only presupposes the justification act.4 The Vatican could not agree to sign a defective document because they had already differed with the Lutheran congregation and clergy. Different theological principles need to be considered for they are mistaken for conflicting ideologies instead of complementing ones. This is the reason why people need not feel self opinionated about their denomination but concentrate in the fact that they serve one God under the Christian religion. In reference to the ecumenical perspectives, the older theological model would aspire to take the Lutheran statements. The most important thing is that there are the emergences of two systems, which ought to, be considered as holistic. Both denominations derive their beefs fro creeds, scriptures and their traditions, which they respect, a lot. Each church has an old model of responding to events which should b regarded in times of deacons making. Lutheran and catholic churches may be in reference of one source of information, but they filter data by various forms of thought and language. Their diction is liturgies and other church traditions depict their distinctions. Their bone of contention is the justification of the faith which leaves the Lutheran churches at the proponents and follower s of the justification model.5 Catholic form of thinking is derived from the Greek metaphysics and expressed at Trent I a Scholastic banner. On the other hand, for of though in the Lutheran church is existential and personified or even relational. In spite of different languages and thought forms, people are in opposition to do so many things which hinder their ways of responding to the spiritual matters. Because of the different perspectives we have in life we tend to learn from one another and correct ourselves in relation to the contents of our religion. If we narrow down to Catholics, hey can be taught by the Lutherans to be passive in submission to God’s word. We always need to take ourselves as sinners who are in need of forgiveness and go to God’s presence so that we get cleansed by his mercies.6 We ought to depend on the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ without possessing it but sharing out with different people. Lutheran is against the dogmatic teachings in the catholic faith which dominate their faith by authenticating the Catholicism denominations. Catholics are seen to be religious rigid for they do not want to go beyond their teachings or even accommodate others who have different beliefs. Catholic leadership called for deeper understanding of the faith that we have and instead of using our differences to wedge our unity, we use them to have unity in diversity. It is imperative to do something that will not hold us down but reward our faith. We ought to have deeper biblical sense and use it to redeem ourselves from the mental slavery and opinionated thoughts that we live shoulder and high above other people. We ought to embrace togetherness and ensure we live as brothers and sisters who worship the same God.7 The Lutheran and Catholic Church leaders ought to come up with means of making their differences drive them to realize their redemption. The two denominations need to have a common language which will make the justification doctrine a uniting tool which is more meaningful to the people rather than divisive. Men and women need to be assertive in practicing religion instead of reducing religion to a battle field. In the recent wave of the gospel, we need o have a united church front which aims at designing the beliefs of the church. It is imperative to ensure the Lutheran proclamation and speculation of the Catholics which are both legitimate and derivatives of the same gospel of Christ. Prayers should be harmonized with the law of beliefs. It is evident that theological misgivings can be expressed from the catholic side and a bit true from the Lutheran perspective. The world hovers to the brink of unbelief that both the catholic and Lutheran churches split the Christian faith because of the justification issue which took place about five centuries ago. The shared heritage of faith, one is confidents that the doctrinal formulations which are expressed in different idiomatic expressions can be reconciled in the end. We need to be convinced that it is necessary to end condemnations on justifications which are based on convictions.8 Bibliography Dulles, A, Two Languages of Salvation: The Lutheran-Catholic Joint Declaration, 1999 Retrieved on 27th April, 2012 Read More

The joint declaration of the church was drafted in 1994 and passed to about one hundred and twenty four churches. Only eighty nine churches responded with only eighty for favoring the decision. The response was criticized by the office bears, and most of the Lutheran members brought the disagreements on the justification doctrine which is the principle cause of division between the Catholics and Protestants in the sixteenth century.3 The Catholics accepted the already achieved convergence made people realize that God’s action of justification is not a necessity for on to achieve the gift of going to heaven.

Lutherans say that concupiscence used to make people appear as sinners hence making people guilty before God. When someone has sinned, he or she need to seek forgiveness from God so that one is covered over the Christ’s merits. This has not and is not accepted by the catholic teachings. The Catholics and Lutherans differed in the point if the justification case can increase the grace of God after justifying. Lutherans feel that they ought to justify and say what they have been before meeting members of the church.

Such statements as that, the Lutheran followers, believe that the Catholics are on the wrong perspective of the religion principle makes one wonder on what side the Catholics believe in. it is imperative to ensure that the Catholics are accepted as an autonomous denomination and its beliefs respected. Catholics believe that by being baptized in the manner, Jesus Christ was baptized makes one be internally renewed, and this makes them to become recipients of the gods gift. The Lutheran people believe that one needs to be saved even after being baptized because this means that one has not renewed his internal but the external.

According to Lutherans, the baptism practice is an imperfect thing which only presupposes the justification act.4 The Vatican could not agree to sign a defective document because they had already differed with the Lutheran congregation and clergy. Different theological principles need to be considered for they are mistaken for conflicting ideologies instead of complementing ones. This is the reason why people need not feel self opinionated about their denomination but concentrate in the fact that they serve one God under the Christian religion.

In reference to the ecumenical perspectives, the older theological model would aspire to take the Lutheran statements. The most important thing is that there are the emergences of two systems, which ought to, be considered as holistic. Both denominations derive their beefs fro creeds, scriptures and their traditions, which they respect, a lot. Each church has an old model of responding to events which should b regarded in times of deacons making. Lutheran and catholic churches may be in reference of one source of information, but they filter data by various forms of thought and language.

Their diction is liturgies and other church traditions depict their distinctions. Their bone of contention is the justification of the faith which leaves the Lutheran churches at the proponents and follower s of the justification model.5 Catholic form of thinking is derived from the Greek metaphysics and expressed at Trent I a Scholastic banner. On the other hand, for of though in the Lutheran church is existential and personified or even relational. In spite of different languages and thought forms, people are in opposition to do so many things which hinder their ways of responding to the spiritual matters.

Because of the different perspectives we have in life we tend to learn from one another and correct ourselves in relation to the contents of our religion. If we narrow down to Catholics, hey can be taught by the Lutherans to be passive in submission to God’s word. We always need to take ourselves as sinners who are in need of forgiveness and go to God’s presence so that we get cleansed by his mercies.6 We ought to depend on the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ without possessing it but sharing out with different people.

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