{"id":55592,"date":"2019-06-26T15:00:27","date_gmt":"2019-06-26T23:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/?p=55592"},"modified":"2019-06-26T15:35:04","modified_gmt":"2019-06-26T23:35:04","slug":"pope-francis-contradicts-the-apostle-paul-and-calls-for-church-to-be-leaven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/doctrine\/pope-francis-contradicts-the-apostle-paul-and-calls-for-church-to-be-leaven\/","title":{"rendered":"In a seemingly ecumenical move, Pope Francis contradicts the Apostle Paul and says &#8216;the Church is called to be leaven&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-55312\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/pope-francis-protected.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"453\" height=\"340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/pope-francis-protected.jpg 453w, https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/pope-francis-protected-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 453px) 100vw, 453px\" \/><br \/>\nPope Francis (Pixabay)<br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/cogwriter.htm\">COGwriter<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Pope Francis gave a quite odd message today. Here are statements from the Vatican&#8217;s English translation of some of what he said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"entry-title\">Pope: In Every Age, the Church Is Called to Be Leaven<\/h2>\n<p>June 26, 2019<\/p>\n<p>In every age, the Church is called to be the leaven of a reconciled humanity and the foreshadowing of a world of authentic justice and peace. In this way, she is enabled to live an authentic liturgical life, experiencing the Risen Lord\u2019s presence in prayer and in the Eucharist, in order then to bring that saving love to the world. Like the early Church &#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/zenit.org\/articles\/general-audience-pope-in-every-age-the-church-is-called-to-be-leaven\/\">https:\/\/zenit.org\/articles\/general-audience-pope-in-every-age-the-church-is-called-to-be-leaven\/<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>This is quite odd for at least three reasons.<\/p>\n<p>The first is that the Apostle Paul wrote:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;\">7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.<\/span> (1 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Christians are to purge out leaven and be unleavened. Now the above is a Protestant translation of scripture, so let&#8217;s look at two Catholic-translations:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"scripture verse-padding\" lang=\"en\">\n<div id=\"v-7\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>7<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-7\"> Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new paste, as you are unleavened. For Christ our pasch is sacrificed. (1 Corinthians 5:7, DRB)<br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>7 Throw out the old yeast so that you can be the fresh dough, unleavened as you are. For our Passover has been sacrificed, that is, Christ;(1 Corinthians 5:7, NJB)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>So, it looks like a contradiction to what the Apostle Paul wrote to claim that the church should be leavened.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, if the Church of Rome were to base its doctrines mainly on the Bible, it would have to change many of them (see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/catholic.htm\">Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the <em>Continuing<\/em> Church of God?<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>But the pontiff&#8217;s statements today still are odd at first glance.<\/p>\n<p>Secondly, Jesus warned:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>1 &#8230; &#8220;Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. (Luke 12:1-2)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Now the third odd thing about this is that Pope Francis mentioned the &#8216;Eucharist&#8217; and early Christianity.<\/p>\n<p>Early Christians used UNLEAVENED BREAD for Passover&#8211;they also keep the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/unleaven.htm\">Days of Unleavened Bread<\/a>. So,\u00a0 in every age the true Church is NOT called to be leaven.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, understand that the Church of Rome uses unleavened bread for its Eucharistic host. So, that is another reason the Pope&#8217;s comments seem quite odd.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, the <a href=\"\/orthodox.htm\">Eastern Orthodox<\/a> use leavened bread&#8211;so perhaps Francis&#8217; statements today are to help set up for doctrinal compromise with the Eastern Orthodox.<\/p>\n<p>If so, that would explain the odd statements from Pope Francis. But even so, it is quite odd that Pope Francis made the statements today in contradiction to Catholic practice and Catholic translations of scripture.<\/p>\n<p>Although the Greek (Eastern) Orthodox use leaven for their eucharistic ceremonies, early Christians did not.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Catholic Encyclopedia<\/em> notes:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Now on the first day of the unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the pasch&#8221;; Luke 22:7, &#8220;And the day of the unleavened bread came, on which it was necessary that the pasch should be killed&#8221;. From these passages it seems to follow that Jesus and his disciples conformed to the ordinary custom, that the Last Supper took place on the 14th of Nisan &#8230; (<span id=\"apaauthor5\">Mershman, F.<\/span> <span id=\"apayear5\">(1912).<\/span> <span id=\"apaarticle5\">The Last Supper.<\/span> In <span id=\"apawork5\">The Catholic Encyclopedia.<\/span> <span id=\"apapublisher5\">New York: Robert Appleton Company<\/span>. <span id=\"nihil7\"><em>Nihil Obstat.<\/em> July 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor.<\/span> <span id=\"imprimatur7\"><em>Imprimatur.<\/em> +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York<\/span>)<\/p>\n<p>In the Western Church it is the uniform practice to use unleavened bread. &#8230; The Anglican Liturgy of 1549 prescribes the use of unleavened bread. &#8230;<\/p>\n<p>the first Christians &#8230; simply used the bread that served as food. It seems that the form differed but little from what it is in our day. &#8230;<\/p>\n<p>The leavened hosts of the Greeks are of a large size, sometimes round, triangular, or in the form of a cross, but oftener square. On the under side they have a quadrangular imprint divided into four equal parts by a Greek cross and bearing the inscription IC XC NI KA (<em>Iesous Christos nikai<\/em>), i.e. &#8220;Jesus Christ is victor&#8221;. (<span id=\"apaauthor3\">Leclercq, H.<\/span> <span id=\"apayear3\">(1910).<\/span> <span id=\"apaarticle3\">Host.<\/span> In <span id=\"apawork3\">The Catholic Encyclopedia.<\/span> <span id=\"apapublisher3\">New York: Robert Appleton Company<\/span>. <span id=\"nihil5\"><em>Nihil Obstat.<\/em> June 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor.<\/span> <span id=\"imprimatur5\"><em>Imprimatur.<\/em> +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York<\/span>)<\/p>\n<p>Certain it is that in the ninth century the use of unleavened bread had become universal and obligatory in the West, while the Greeks, desirous of emphasizing the distinction between the Jewish and the Christian Pasch, offered up leavened bread. (<span id=\"apaauthor4\">Loughlin, J.<\/span> <span id=\"apayear4\">(1907).<\/span> <span id=\"apaarticle4\">Azymites.<\/span> In <span id=\"apawork4\">The Catholic Encyclopedia.<\/span> <span id=\"apapublisher4\">New York: Robert Appleton Company.<\/span> <span id=\"nihil6\"><em>Nihil Obstat.<\/em> 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor.<\/span> <span id=\"imprimatur6\"><em>Imprimatur.<\/em> +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York<\/span>)<\/p>\n<p>Against the Greeks it suffices to call attention to <strong>the historical fact that in the Orient the Maronites and Armenians have used unleavened bread from time immemorial<\/strong>, and that according to Origen (Commentary on Matthew, XII.6) the people of the East &#8220;sometimes&#8221;, therefore not as a rule, made use of leavened bread in their Liturgy. &#8230;<\/p>\n<p>The reasons of congruity advanced by the Greeks in behalf of leavened bread, which would have us consider it as a beautiful symbol of the hypostatic union, as well as an attractive representation of the savor of this heavenly Food, will be most willingly accepted, provided only that due consideration be given to the grounds of propriety set forth by the Latins with St. Thomas Aquinas (III:74:4) <strong>namely, the example of Christ, the aptitude of unleavened bread to be regarded as a symbol of the purity of His Sacred Body, free from all corruption of sin, and finally the instruction of St. Paul (1 Corinthians 5:8) to keep the Pasch not with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth&#8221;. <\/strong>(<span id=\"apaauthor2\">Pohle, J.<\/span> <span id=\"apayear2\">(1909).<\/span> <span id=\"apaarticle2\">The Blessed Eucharist as a Sacrament.<\/span> In <span id=\"apawork2\">The Catholic Encyclopedia.<\/span> <span id=\"apapublisher2\">New York: Robert Appleton Company<\/span>. <span id=\"nihil4\"><em>Nihil Obstat.<\/em> May 1, 1909. Remy Lafort, Censor.<\/span> <span id=\"imprimatur4\"><em>Imprimatur.<\/em> +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.<\/span>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Yes, Jesus and His disciples used unleavened bread.<\/p>\n<p>Despite that, one criticism that a Greek Orthodox bishop wrote to Pope Francis was:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span class=\"style5\">The fact that Papism is a heresy is revealed by the appalling false doctrines which you confess. These are: &#8230; the use of unleavened bread (Host); <\/span>(+ Andrew of Dryinoupolis, Pogoniani and Konitsa, + Seraphim of Piraeus and Faliro. Letter to Francis. HOLY AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CATHOLIC CHURCH OF GREECE. April 10, 2014. <a href=\"http:\/\/cdn.romfea.gr\/images\/stories\/photos\/2014\/4\/romfea1\/spiti\/Epistle to Pope Francis I.pdf\">http:\/\/cdn.romfea.gr\/images\/stories\/photos\/2014\/4\/romfea1\/spiti\/Epistle%20to%20Pope%20Francis%20I.pdf <\/a>viewed 04\/20\/2014)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Catholic saint Thomas Aquinas wrote:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>As we read in Exodus 12, the paschal solemnity began on the evening of the fourteenth day of the moon. So, then, after immolating the Paschal Lamb, Christ instituted this sacrament: hence this day is said by John to precede the day of the Pasch, while the other three Evangelists call it &#8220;the first day of the Azymes,&#8221; when fermented bread was not found in the houses of the Jews, as stated above. Fuller mention was made of this in the treatise on our Lord&#8217;s Passion (III:46:9 ad 1). &#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Since whatever is fermented partakes of corruption, this sacrament may not be made from corrupt bread, &#8230; there is a wider difference between unleavened and leavened bread than between warm and cold baptismal water: because there might be such corruption of fermented bread that it could not be validly used for the sacrament. (Aquinas T. The Summa Theologi\u00e6 of St. Thomas Aquinas Second and Revised Edition, 1920. Question 74. The matter of this sacrament).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Thomas Aqunias is clearly saying that leavened bread is NOT acceptable for the eucharist (which is supposed to be the New Testament Passover).<\/p>\n<p>Now notice the following from the Eastern Orthodox:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h4>Question<\/h4>\n<p>Why does the Orthodox church use leavened bread and most Protestant fellowships use unleavened bread? &#8230;<\/p>\n<h4>Answer<\/h4>\n<p>Actually, leavened bread has always been used in the Eastern Church. In fact, at one point in time, a great controversy raged over the fact that in the Eastern Church leavened bread was used, while in the Christian West unleavened bread was the norm.<\/p>\n<p>In the Christian East <strong>there is no concern for using the exact type of bread used at the Last Supper<\/strong>\u2014known in the Orthodox Church as the \u201cMystical Supper.\u201d Christ \u201cleavens\u201d our lives, so to speak, and the purpose of the Eucharistic celebration is not to \u201crecreate\u201d or \u201creproduce\u201d a past event but, rather, to participate in an event that is beyond time and space and which, in fact, continues to happen each time the Eucharist is celebrated in fulfillment of Our Lord\u2019s command. (Leavened Bread vs. Unleavened. Orthodox Church in America. https:\/\/oca.org\/questions\/divineliturgy\/leavened-bread-vs.-unleavened accessed 05\/16\/19)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>So, the Orthodox basically admit that Jesus did NOT use leavened bread, but that they decided to use leaven anyway.<\/p>\n<p>The claim that they ALWAYS did is a stretch unless you do not count their existence until sometime in the third century.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the Eastern Orthodox consider Alexandria, as well as formerly Laodicea, as part of them. So notice that in the late third century, the Greco-Roman Anatolius of Alexandria, when he was their Bishop of Laodicea, wrote the following:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>I am aware that very many other matters were discussed by them, some of them with considerable probability, and others of them as matters of the clearest demonstration, by which they endeavour to prove that<strong> the festival of the Passover and unleavened bread ought by all means to be kept after the equinox<\/strong>&#8230; (THE PASCHAL CANON OF ANATOLIUS OF ALEXANDRIA. Chapters V,X, p. 415, 419).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>There would be no point in writing the above if some in the East were not keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread.<\/p>\n<p>It also should be pointed out that the FAITHFUL &#8220;Eastern Church&#8221; never used leavened bread for Passover, it was only those that refused &#8220;to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints&#8221; (Jude 3) that changed.<\/p>\n<p>That changed Greco-Roman church even felt the need to prohibit keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread in the fourth century, which helps prove that there were those in the East that were trying to keep them.<\/p>\n<p>Anyway, there was an anti-Unleavened Bread declaration in Laodicea nearly a century after Anatolius&#8217; death (c. 270-280). Canons 37 &amp; 38 of the Council of Laodicea of the fourth century (c. 363-364) prohibited the observation of the unleavened bread and other festivals of the Jews:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>Canon 37<\/h3>\n<p>It is not lawful to receive portions sent from the feasts of Jews or heretics, nor to feast together with them.<\/p>\n<h3>Canon 38<\/h3>\n<p>It is not lawful to receive unleavened bread from the Jews, nor to be partakers of their impiety.<\/p>\n<p>(Synod of Laodicea. <span id=\"srctrans\">Translated by Henry Percival.<\/span> From <span id=\"srcwork\">Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series<\/span>, <span id=\"srcvolume\">Vol. 14.<\/span> <span id=\"srced\">Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace.<\/span> (<span id=\"srcpublisher\">Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co.,<\/span> <span id=\"srcyear\">1900.<\/span>) <span id=\"kk\">Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.<\/span> <span id=\"srcurl\">&lt;http:\/\/www.newadvent.org\/fathers\/3806.htm&gt;.<\/span>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>And there was a similar condemnation in Canon 69\/70 of the Syrian <em>Apostolic Canons<\/em> near this time. Notice:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Canon 37 {70} requires Christians not to accept gifts from the feasts of Jews and heretics, and denies Christians the right to feast with these persons: &#8220;It is not proper that Christians accept gifts which are sent by Jews or heretics, nor celebrate feasts with them.&#8221;98 Canon 38 declares that Christians are not to accept unleavened bread from the Jews nor take part in their festivals: &#8220;It is not proper for Christians to accept unleavened bread from the Jews, and take part in their impieties.&#8221; 99 These regulations taken together certainly leave a strong impression that even in the fourth century there were not only Judaic practices in the Asiatic church, but also there was actual religious fellowship with the Jewish inhabitants.<\/p>\n<p>The Apostolic Canons, which are a Syrian compilation of the mid-fourth century, strengthen this impression. They deal in still further detail with religious fellowship between the clergy and the Jews in that very place where the violence of the monks was fiercest against the Jews, Alexandria. Canon 69 repeats the prohibition against feasting or fasting with the Jews: &#8220;If any&#8221; bishop or other cleric fasts with the Jews or celebrates festal days with them or accepts gifts from their festivals, such as unleavened bread or anything else similar, he shall be excluded from the Clergy; and if a layman does these things, he shall be segregated from the flock.&#8221; (Seaver JE.\u00a0 Persecution of the Jews in the Roman Empire (300-438), Issue 30 of University of Kansas publications: Humanistic studies. University of Kansas Publications, 1952.\u00a0 Original from the University of Virginia, Digitized Apr 29, 2009, pp. 34-35. http:\/\/vlib.iue.it\/carrie\/texts\/carrie_books\/seaver\/text.html)<\/p>\n<p>70. If any bishop, or any other of the clergy, fasts with the Jews, or keeps the festivals with them, or accepts of the presents from their festivals, as unleavened bread or some such thing, let him be deprived; but if he be one of the laity, let him be suspended. (Apostolic Constitutions (Book VIII), Section XLVII. Translated by James Donaldson. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 7. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. &lt;http:\/\/www.newadvent.org\/fathers\/07158.htm&gt;.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Hence this practice of Christians keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread also must have been going on then in Asia Minor and elsewhere into the fourth century A.D.&#8211;otherwise, there would have been no point for them to be condemned by the Council of Laodicea. Others scholars share that opinion (Seaver, p. 34; Bagatti B, Priest. The Church from the Circumcision, pp. 87-88).<\/p>\n<p>Instead of saying his church should be leaven, if Pope Francis wanted to promote the practices of early Christians, he would advocate that his church&#8217;s followers keep biblical holy days like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/unleaven.htm\">Days of Unleavened Bread<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, it looks like he is setting more of the stage for some type of ecumenical unity with the Eastern Orthodox.<\/p>\n<div class=\"entry\">\n<p><em>Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/unleaven.htm\">Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread?<\/a> Do they have any use or meaning now? What is leaven? This article supplies some biblical answers. Here is a link to this article in the French language: <a href=\"http:\/\/ccog.eu\/les-chretiens-devraient-ils-observer-les-jours-des-pains-sans-levain\/\">Les Chr\u00e9tiens devraient-ils observer les Jours des Pains sans levain?<\/a> Here are two YouTube videos (in English) intended to be viewed for the first day of unleavened bread:<a id=\"video-title40\" title=\"Leaven and Sin\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=dTOJ-45px-U\">Leaven and Sin<\/a> and <a title=\"Christians and the Days of Unleavened Bread\" href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=y9w5jsnlsak\" data-sessionlink=\"ei=xlxOUZ2aLOCOhgG5goHIDQ&amp;feature=plcp\">Christians and the Days of Unleavened Bread<\/a>.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/last-day-of-unleavened-bread.htm\">The Seventh Day of Unleavened Bread<\/a> What happened? Does this day have any type of fulfillment in the Book of Revelation? A related sermon video is also available: <a id=\"video-title117\" title=\"7th Day of Unleavened Bread: Prophecy and Lessons\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Pdat4VHHLe0\" aria-label=\"7th Day of Unleavened Bread: Prophecy and Lessons by ContinuingCoG 16 minutes ago 1 hour, 22 minutes 2 views\">7th Day of Unleavened Bread: Prophecy and Lessons<\/a>.<br \/>\n<span class=\"style17\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/marcus.htm\">Marcus, the Marcosians, &amp; Mithraism: Developers of the Greco-Roman Eucharist?<\/a> Marcus was a second century heretic condemned for having a baptismal ceremony similar to one still practiced by many who profess Christ, as well as for promoting the &#8216;eighth day&#8217; ogdoad. Might he also be in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/apostolicsuccession.htm\">apostolic succession<\/a> list of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria? Where did the eucharistic host and IHS come from?<\/span><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/cogwriter.com\/early-church-history.htm\">Early Church History: Who Were the Two Major Groups that Professed Christ in the Second and Third Centuries?<\/a> Did you know that many in the second and third centuries felt that there were two major, and separate, professing Christian groups in the second century, but that those in the majority churches tend to now blend the groups together and claim &#8220;saints&#8221; from both? &#8220;Saints&#8221; that condemn some of their current beliefs. Who are the two groups? A related sermon is also available <a dir=\"ltr\" title=\"Christianity: Two groups\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zIrq2xUkL7I&amp;t=291s\" aria-describedby=\"description-id-530996\" data-sessionlink=\"ei=A6nyWMaJCIHpugKt0KOQDQ&amp;feature=c4-videos-u&amp;ved=CDoQlx4iEwiGl7Cby6fTAhWBtE4KHS3oCNIomxw\">Christianity: Two groups<\/a>.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/eucharist.htm\">Early Christianity and the Eucharist?<\/a> What does &#8216;eucharist&#8217; mean? Did early Christians tie it in with Passover? Should it be a rounded host?<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/liturgy.htm\">What was the Liturgy of the Early Church?<\/a> Were early church services mainly scriptural, emotional, or sacramental? Who follows the basic original liturgy today? A related video is also available: <a dir=\"ltr\" title=\"What were early Christian church services like?\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=njVvdq8fj-4\" aria-describedby=\"description-id-655673\" data-sessionlink=\"ei=6Vz-WK31KIzw-wPqgqAY&amp;feature=c4-overview&amp;ved=CDsQ-SUYASITCO2N8qn0vdMCFQz4fgodagEIAyibHA\">What were early Christian church services like?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/catholic.htm\">Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the <em>Continuing<\/em> Church of God?<\/a> Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/cat%C3%B3lica-pt.htm\">Portugu\u00eas: Qual \u00e9 fiel: A igreja cat\u00f3lica romana ou a igreja do deus?<\/a>]<br \/>\n<span class=\"style27\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/american-catholics-should-fear-unity-with-greek-orthodox.htm\">Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? (And the Protestants) <\/a><\/span> Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video <a dir=\"ltr\" title=\"Should you be concerned abou the ecumenical movement?\" href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=qTGcoa2vaH4\" data-sessionlink=\"ei=71yzUrj1PMPZsQfi4IGIBQ&amp;ved=CAwQvxs&amp;feature=c4-feed-u\"><span data-original-html=\"Should you be concerned abou the ecumenical movement? \">Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement? <\/span><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/interfaith.htm\">Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction?<\/a> Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? Here is a link to a video sermonette: <a id=\"video-title\" class=\"yt-simple-endpoint style-scope ytd-grid-video-renderer\" title=\"Pope Francis signs 'one world religion' document!\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=OBXH6-jg0a8\" aria-label=\"Pope Francis signs 'one world religion' document! by BibleNewsProphecy 26 minutes ago 15 minutes 11 views\">Pope Francis signs \u2018one world religion\u2019 document!<\/a> <span class=\"style5\">Two video sermons are also available: <\/span><a dir=\"ltr\" title=\"Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III?\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=W9ZhbS9S_js\" aria-describedby=\"description-id-255202\" data-sessionlink=\"ei=-xOIVfbsLdaGqQXzh77gDA&amp;feature=c4-overview&amp;ved=CCYQvxs\">Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III?<\/a> <span class=\"style5\">and <a dir=\"ltr\" title=\"Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=DaWZ-EegXkI\" data-sessionlink=\"ved=CI0CEL8b&amp;feature=c4-feed-u&amp;ei=NQrFVO-yO4nY-APY24HoCw\">Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?<\/a><br \/>\n<a id=\"video-title\" class=\"yt-simple-endpoint style-scope ytd-video-renderer\" title=\"Ecumenism and the ride of the White Horse of the Apocalypse\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ryYcpiq8AwU\" aria-label=\"Ecumenism and the ride of the White Horse of the Apocalypse by BibleNewsProphecy 22 hours ago 24 minutes 68 views\">Ecumenism and the ride of the White Horse of the Apocalypse<\/a> Instead of a celebration of a separation from Rome, many celebrated the 500 anniversary of Martin Luther\u2019s 95 theses as an ecumenical time to come together. Vatican, Eastern Orthodox, and and Protestant leaders made positive comments about the 500th anniversary. When does the Bible teach Christian unity is to come about? Is the ecumenical movement good or, instead consistent with something that Jesus warned about? Are Christians to come out of spiritual Babylon and be separate? Has the first seal of Revelation 6, related to the rider on the white horse of the Apocalypse, begun? Had it began before the 21st century? Are there several events that show that this seal may have been opened in September 2009? Or have we at least seen signs consistent with the ride of the white horse of religious deception and ecumenism since that time? What does the Catechism of the Catholic Church teach about other religions like Islam? What does it teach about the final Antichrist? Is the rider of the white horse either the final Antichrist or doing work consistent with the final Antichrist? This is a video.<br \/>\n<a dir=\"ltr\" title=\"Laudato Si: Pope's Agenda or Kingdom of God?\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=IwbatlzDb0I\" data-sessionlink=\"ved=CEYQvxs&amp;ei=EKCSVayvHtHIqAX_65TQCg&amp;feature=c4-feed-u\">Laudato Si: Pope\u2019s Agenda or Kingdom of God?<\/a> Pope Francis\u2019 2nd encyclical is titled \u2018Laudato Si.\u2019 In it, he goes over his views related to environmental, economic, social, moral, agricultural, and spiritual issues. He advocates international cooperation to solve various problems he believes are affecting humanity. Is that Pope\u2019s agenda the solution? What about the Kingdom of God? does the Bible teach? Two related articles include <a title=\"Permanent Link to Laudato Si: Will Pope Francis\u2019 economic actions match his words?\" href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/religious-news\/laudato-si-will-pope-francis-economic-actions-match-his-words\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Laudato Si: Will Pope Francis\u2019 economic actions match his words?<\/a> and <a title=\"Permanent Link to Laudato Si: A call for a one-world government?\" href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/prophecy\/laudato-si-a-call-for-a-one-world-government\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Laudato Si: A call for a one-world government?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/catholic.htm\">Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the <em>Continuing<\/em> Church of God?<\/a> Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. [<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/cat%C3%B3lica-pt.htm\">Portugu\u00eas: Qual \u00e9 fiel: A igreja cat\u00f3lica romana ou a igreja do deus?<\/a>]<br \/>\n<span class=\"style17\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/francis-marian.htm\">Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy?<\/a> Pope Francis has taken many steps to turn people more towards his version of \u2018Mary.\u2019 Could this be consistent with biblical and Catholic prophecies? This article documents what has been happening. There is also a video version titled <a dir=\"ltr\" title=\"Pope Francis Could this the Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy\" href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4SWovgGc_uE&amp;feature=c4-overview&amp;list=UU02K8P8n6vjbukA8PpUgzyw\" data-sessionlink=\"ei=e6v6Uf6yIN2MhgGKqIDICw&amp;feature=c4-overview-u&amp;ved=CCIQvxs\" data-translation-src=\"\"><span data-original-html=\"Pope Francis Could this the Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy \">Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy?<\/span><\/a><\/span><br \/>\n<span class=\"style27\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/american-catholics-should-fear-unity-with-greek-orthodox.htm\">Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? (And the Protestants) <\/a><\/span> Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video <a dir=\"ltr\" title=\"Should you be concerned abou the ecumenical movement?\" href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=qTGcoa2vaH4\" data-sessionlink=\"ei=71yzUrj1PMPZsQfi4IGIBQ&amp;ved=CAwQvxs&amp;feature=c4-feed-u\"><span data-original-html=\"Should you be concerned abou the ecumenical movement? \">Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement? <\/span><\/a><\/span><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/GospeloftheKingdomofGod.pdf\">The Gospel of the Kingdom of God<\/a> This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: <a title=\"The World's False Gospel\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=49-Ceoj6vxc\" data-sessionlink=\"ei=S_wEWLWDD8umc--SiugK&amp;feature=c4-overview&amp;ved=CCgQ0h4YACITCPXUzJWh4s8CFUvTHAodb4kCrSibHA\">The World\u2019s False Gospel<\/a>, <a title=\"The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HkR3WO-Gfxw\" data-sessionlink=\"ei=AGsGWPDAMoSictucsJgC&amp;feature=c4-overview&amp;ved=CC8Q0h4YACITCPDA9fH-5M8CFQSRHAodWw4MIyibHA\">The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments<\/a>, and <a title=\"The Kingdom of God is the Solution\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ggfT_8W7oyU\" data-sessionlink=\"ei=FbUHWL2iG9GScvO9lNAB&amp;feature=c4-overview&amp;ved=CDkQ0h4YACITCP2A-ta5588CFVGJHAod8x4FGiibHA\">The Kingdom of God is the Solution<\/a>.<span class=\"style17\"><span class=\"style5\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/snowden-usa-destruction.htm\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/WhereistheTrueChristianChurchToday.pdf\">Where is the True Christian Church Today?<\/a> This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: <a dir=\"ltr\" title=\"Where is the True Christian Church?\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=adMl1PWrg_Q&amp;list=UUOuL5Q2Xi9HZqU6GivhxveQ\" data-sessionlink=\"feature=c4-overview-u&amp;ei=7KwLVLmCKtOp-AP--oDwCw&amp;ved=CBoQvxs\">Where is the True Christian Church? <\/a>Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: <a title=\"\u00bfD\u00f3nde est\u00e1 la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy?\" href=\"http:\/\/www.cdlidd.es\/donde-esta-la-verdadera-iglesia-cristiana-de-hoy\/\">\u00bfD\u00f3nde est\u00e1 la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy?<\/a> Here is a link in the German language: <a title=\"WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE?\" href=\"http:\/\/ccog.eu\/wo-ist-die-wahre-christliche-kirche-heute\/\">WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE?<\/a> Here is a link in the French language: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/WhereistheTrueChristianChurchTodayFrancais.pdf\">O\u00f9 est la vraie \u00c9glise Chr\u00e9tienne aujourd\u2019hui?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/continuing-history-of-the-church-of-god.pdf\">Continuing History of the Church of God<\/a> This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include <a dir=\"ltr\" title=\"Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D.\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PXCPA0iYaJo&amp;list=UUOuL5Q2Xi9HZqU6GivhxveQ\" data-sessionlink=\"ei=nmUzU7WvGNWq-QO4g4D4Aw&amp;feature=c4-overview-u&amp;ved=CBEQvxs\">Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D<\/a>. and <a dir=\"ltr\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=d5NhF3soRNc&amp;list=UUOuL5Q2Xi9HZqU6GivhxveQ\" data-sessionlink=\"ei=tDaQVJWkEsuQqgW364CwDQ&amp;ved=CBEQvxs&amp;feature=c4-overview-u\">Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries<\/a> and <a title=\"Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bqJj1he1CYY\" data-sessionlink=\"ei=ZoZTV5LVO8vC-wPVn6TwDQ&amp;feature=c4-overview&amp;ved=CEUQ0h4YACITCJKgw-zjj80CFUvhfgod1Q8J3iibHA\">Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries<\/a>. The booklet is available in Spanish: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/HistoryChurch-SpanishFinal.pdf\">Continuaci\u00f3n de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios<\/a>, German: <a href=\"http:\/\/ccog.eu\/kontinuierliche-geschichte-der-kirche-gottes\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes<\/a>, and Ekegusii <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/ChurchHistory-Ekegusii.pdf\">Omogano Bw\u2019ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete<\/a>.<span class=\"style5\"><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/GodsHolyDays.pdf\">Should You Keep God&#8217;s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?<\/a> This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God&#8217;s Holy Days and popular holidays. A related sermon is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ccog.org\/which-spring-days-should-christians-observe\/\">Which Spring Days should Christians observe?<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pope Francis (Pixabay) COGwriter Pope Francis gave a quite odd message today. Here are statements from the Vatican&#8217;s English translation of some of what he said: Pope: In Every Age, the Church Is Called to Be Leaven June 26, 2019 In every age, the Church is called to be the leaven of a reconciled humanity [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55592","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-doctrine","category-religious-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55592","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55592"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55592\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":55604,"href":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55592\/revisions\/55604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55592"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55592"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55592"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}