Protestantism and Romanism by William Warren Prescott

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 8, 1912

Protestantism and Romanism

By William Warren Prescott

In recent papers and magazines much space has been devoted to reports and discussions relating to the Roman Catholic Church. The elevation of three archbishops to the cardinalate and the public celebrations attending the return of two of them to this country have brought the Roman Church to unusual prominence of late, and have called out very different expressions of opinion concerning the attitude of Protestants toward Roman Catholics. Notable in this discussion is an article in a recent issue of the Christian Work and Evangelist (New York), by Rev. Frederick Lynch, who asks whether the attitude of Protestants toward Roman Catholics is “to be one of hostility and prejudice, such as our fathers entertained, or one of most cordiality and friendliness as to one of the same faith as ours.” To quote further:—

Are we going to waste our energies and our feelings in hating another Christian church while we stand almost despairing before a thousand enemies of Christ? For, fundamentally the Roman Church believes as we do: God, righteousness, the sacrificial life, the forgiveness of sins, Christ the only Saviour of humanity, the unparted life of God’s eternity in our hearts, the immortality of the soul. For our part, we have no time to waste in hating

It is a well-known boast of the Roman Catholic Church that she does not change, and that her doctrines to-day are the same as in past centuries. Thus Cardinal Gibbons affirms that “her creed is now identical with what it was in past ages.”—“Faith of Our Fathers,” page 29. This being the case, it follows that there is the same reason for separation from the Roman Catholic Church to-day as in the sixteenth century, and it is perfectly evident that if Martin Luther had taken the same view of this matter as is here expressed by Dr. Lynch, there would never have been any Reformation. Since Rome has not repudiated any of the assumptions which were put forth in the middle ages, and on the other hand by the decree of infallibility has set the seal of inerrancy upon the utterances of the whole line of popes, it ought to be plain to all that any union with Rome in the twentieth century can be brought about only by yielding the whole ground gained by the Reformers, and repudiating their break with the Papacy as unwise and unnecessary. Such utterances as the one we have quoted testify to the apostasy of Protestantism, and indicate the marked change in the attitude of the Protestant clergy toward Romanism which has taken place in the last quarter of a century.

Dr. Lynch evidently makes the mistake which is so common among Protestants of supposing that theological terms well understood by Protestants, have the same meaning in Roman Catholic theology as is attached to them in Protestant theology. This leads him to conclude that “fundamentally the Roman Church believes as we do.” But let us note the actual facts: While the Protestant is at liberty to accept the revelation made in the Scriptures according to their plain sense, the Roman Catholic must accept the interpretation of the Scriptures made by the doctors of the Roman Church. This is clearly stated in paragraph 3 of the Creed of Pope Pius IV:—

I also admit the Holy Scriptures according to that sense our holy mother church has held and does hold, to which it belongs to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; neither will I ever take and interpret them otherwise than according to the unanimous consent of the fathers.

We call attention to the result of applying this principle to two or three of the doctrines mentioned in the paragraph quoted above. The Catholic doctrine of righteousness or justification is defined at length by the Council of Trent. We quote canon XII:—

If any one saith that justifying faith is nothing else but confidence in the divine mercy which remits sins for Christ’s sake, or that this confidence alone is that whereby we are justified, let him be anathema.

This was Rome’s answer to the gospel of justification by faith as preached by Luther and his associates. It is this definition which lays the foundation for the Roman Catholic doctrine of righteousness by works. Are Protestants of the present day prepared to deny the glorious doctrine of justification by faith proclaimed by the Reformers, and to consent to the idea that Roman Catholics and Protestants are in perfect harmony upon this fundamental teaching?

Roman Catholics formally admit that “our Lord Jesus Christ is alone the great center of the Christian religion, the fountain of all grace, virtue, and merit,” and that “union with Jesus Christ is the highest and noblest aim of man;” but the practical value of this teaching is entirely nullified by the claim “that only the holy Catholic Church supplies the means for this union with Jesus Christ.” Thus while apparently consenting to the idea that Jesus is the only mediator between God and man, they so make this mediation to depend upon human means that they thereby practically introduce other mediators and saviors, and make the experience of salvation wholly dependent upon the priesthood of the Roman Church. This was one of the vital questions at issue in the Reformation. Are Protestants now ready to admit that it was a mistake to differ with Rome concerning this doctrine, and do they wish to accept the canon of the Council of Trent in the place of the teaching of the Reformation?

The wide difference between the teaching of genuine Protestantism and the teaching of Romanism concerning the forgiveness of sin, may be shown by an extract from an authorized text-book. The title is “Familiar Explanation of Christian Doctrine. Adapted for the family and more advanced students in Catholic schools and colleges.” It has the approbation of the Roman hierarchy and was printed by the Roman Catholic publishers, Benziger Brothers, in 1877. We submit this extract:—

Question.—Does the priest truly forgive sins, or does he only declare that they are forgiven?

Answer.—Keys are not given to a person that he may declare the gate to be open, but that he may have the power either to open or shut it. Thus also the power of forgiving sins is not given to priests, in order that they may declare sins to be forgiven, but that they may really and truly forgive or retain them.—Page 375.

This blasphemous claim places in the hands of the priesthood absolute control of salvation, and bestows upon every priest the power to shut any person out of heaven.

In view of these facts we inquire, Is it true that “fundamentally the Roman Church believes as we do?” And are Protestants prepared for union with Rome on the basis of the acceptance of Roman Catholic doctrines as substantially identical with Protestant teaching?

What has been designated as “the invasion of Protestant lands by Rome in a spirit of fierce aggressiveness,” and the tendency of some Protestant leaders to compromise with Rome, emphasize the need at the present time of such a proclamation of the gospel in its purity as will show clearly the difference between Protestantism and Romanism, between Christianity and baptized paganism, and will invite all to the standard of “the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

w. w. p.