Here is something I’ve written in defense of my posture that the Church must relinquish statehood. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? The Vatican Must Relinquish Statehood While Christians do not fear what the world offers we rightly fear God in His correction. The signs of His correction are with us. Cradle Catholics leave the Church or see her as only a social obligation. Cafeteria Catholics pick and choose what they wish to believe then practice as devout believers sometimes organizing into fronts for Pagan causes. There is a pitiful lack of priests and religious. Our indulgence in armed defense and statehood has put the Church in the sorrowful state of correction. The Church strives toward perfection. The Church has changed away from and toward that goal since Jesus walked the Earth. Giving the world the benefit of the doubt, the perfected Church will not embrace politics and statehood. Christ works from within sometimes beyond human perception. Only externals may be determined through a Christian state. Christian statehood was never a good idea. In some cases it was an evil. It gave leave to Christians enforcing Christianity on the world through force. In as much, it gave leave to Christians beating up on their own servants. We who have been given so much are expected to give much. To those who have been given more, even more is expected. (Luke 12:35-48) To what end do we seek to have a Christian state? Do we fear death? Do we fear the loss of property or influence? Having nothing to fear and everything to gain, Christians need not protect themselves or holy property through statehood. Should we die for Christ, we die as martyrs strengthening the Church by becoming members of the Church Triumphant. If by following Christ we leave everything we have, we will be given even more. (Matthew 19:29) We need not project ourselves by nationhood either. Following our God we know that statehood is not what we seek. Jesus is not and never has been a statesman in the temporal world. (John 18:36) He corrected those who lived by the sword in support of Him. (Matthew 26:52) He withdrew from those who would make Him a temporal King. (John 6:15) He has a kingdom that transcends the temporal world. He has the Kingdom of God. The Catholic Church is the beachhead of the Kingdom of God in the temporal world. We who belong to the Kingdom of God know we are not yet complete. We fight the good fight of the Church Militant. We should not be split between the heavenly mission of saving souls and worldly political infighting. God is not split. He is one. We believe in the Communion of Saints. (Apostle’s Creed) In our belief we know that the Church Triumphant, the Saints in Heaven, fight with us with more vigor and strength than we can imagine. They are not fettered by worldly desires, temptations and sin. Their minds are clear. Their hearts are pure. They have the intelligence and strength of angels who fight with them. One, St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus, promised us before death that she will spend Heaven doing good on Earth. If every Christian in the temporal world is martyred, the Church will still exist stronger and more loving in the form of the Church Triumphant. There can always be new members of the Church on Earth. Jesus said He can raise stones to be children of Abraham. (Luke 3:8) Christians are the sons of Abraham grafted in through Christ into God’s promises of Abraham. (Galatians 3:29) Should we all die, Jesus can raise up more to become the Church through Christ Himself. (Acts 9:1-16) (Acts 44-46) In righteous fear of God’s correction, it is time for the Church, exhibiting her strength from God, to end the tradition of being statesmen. It is time for there to no longer be a Christian armed defense. Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek. (Mt 5:39) It is time for us to be willing to flee (John 8:59) or die rather than fight. We must assume the strength given to us from God. The weaker are truly the stronger through the grace of the Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 12:9) (1 Corinthians 12:23) We must be ready. He is coming back. Yours in Christ Jesus, Grace
Religion & Spirituality - 7 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Yes, we must be ready and he is coming back. Who's to say he's not already here? I know the Rapturists expect to ascend to heaven before the time of trials and tribulations. They can hold on to that belief only until the end of time, or the beginning of the end. They especially will not see The Thief in the Night, as he will be more than unexpected when he does not grant them immunity and does give them trials. No man will know the hour or the day of the Lord's arrival All should be ready at any time. But who knows? Maybe it's a millenium away? As far as the statehood of the Vatican is concerned, I have no issue with it.
2 :
Christianity should be made illegal.
3 :
Yes, but do you really expect them to?
4 :
I think the Vatican as a nominal state is useful because it can send ambassadors and address the UN and send official delegates to conferences. I think that the Vatican could auction off all its secular but not religious art for the missions, the poor and the spreading of the faith The Church did waste a great deal on preserving the papal States up to the end of the nineteenth cent but Papal independence of civil rulers was important and still is.
5 :
The Catholic Vatican should remain a state, to be independent of all other states. Without being a State it would have not diplomatic presence in the world...and that would be a moral loss to the states of the world.
6 :
Grace, I can't argue with what you've written, at least in spirit. But I also can't agree that the statehood of the Vatican should be abandoned. To do so would put the head and heart of the Church under some other state's jurisdiction, and if anything would be even more conducive to a preoccupation with politics as a matter of preservation. History has not shown this to be a good thing. The Church does not need an empire, but soverignty of its own "state" -- basically a postage-stamp of land that is nevertheless not on soil that comes, or can come, under the control of a secular power -- means that no fighting over its ground can occur. I can't see that as detrimental to the faith.
7 :
The Vatican State has a greater necessity for its existence than at any other time in history. As the secular world continues its spiral downturn towards destruction, it is the small voice of this smallest State that Truth can be heard on the world stage. Turning the other cheek does not include disengaging from the world. While Jesus said, "to turn to other cheek," He also said to the world, most particularly to our age, "to sin no more". The Catholic Church will always be on earth, because it is the Body of Christ until the end of time. We must "Not Conform, but Transform" the world while participating in the world. Ultimately, the universe is still God's creation.
