You know, language changes over the years, so I was thinking it would be best to revise some of the more popular quotes by the Church Fathers so that people can understand what they really mean. Here is my first suggestion:
Augustine: "I would not believe in the Gospel myself if the authority of the Catholic Church did not influence me to do so."
Revise to:
"I would not believe in the Gospel myself if the authority of the Catholic Church as interpreted by Catholic Answers and Called to Communion did not influence me to do so."
or: "I would not believe in the Gospel, had not the authority of the Catholic Church already moved me"
Revise to:
"I would not believe in the Gospel, had not the authority of someone's conversion story to the Catholic Church already moved me."
I'm open to suggestions on this one.
Just to have a little bit of levity now I wonder why you just don't keep on going and write a Swan Bible?
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere, maybe in here, that the reason King James was opposed to the Geneva Bible was because all the footnotes and commentary was lifting the wool off the eyes of the masses! :)
He didn't like it when there was a good explanation for difficult passages. He found making the Bible easier to read also made it easier to understand his rule over the people of his kingdom.
I wonder if Augustine would be happy as to how his statement has been used and abused in the centuries after he wrote that.
ReplyDeleteThe church was commissioned to preach the gospel, I believe it partly because it was preached by the church, or by true believers who are from a local church; but not only that, the Holy Spirit had to come into my heart and convince me. No one is able to say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 12:3
"I would not believe in the Gospel myself if the authority of the Catholic Church as interpreted by Catholic Answers and Called to Communion did not influence me to do so."
ReplyDeleteChanges to:
"I would not believe in the Gospel myself if the authority of the Catholic Church as interpreted by Gerry Matatics, and not those heretics over at Catholic Answers and Called to Communion, did not influence me to do so. You see the REAL Catholic Church is one, holy, and apostolic. Those guys are following a false pope."