Questions for Muslims

Originally posted by Omar al Hashim I know the Orthodox do not like Protestant missionaries coming into Russia but I have never read about any persecution of Protestants there. Protestant Missionaries are not allowed in Russia. IIRC Except for 5(?) religions (Orthodox Christianity, Catholic Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and maybe one or two others including traditional steppe beliefs) religion is banned or at least highly discouraged.

They go anyway because I know of Protestant born again churches who send short term and long term missionaries there and Calvary chapel has a Bible school in Moscow.
It is called the great commision to preach and spread the Gospel around the world.

Youth with a mission has a Bible school in Russia as well.

Originally posted by Akolouthos Originally posted by eaglecap Originally posted by Omar al Hashim I know the Orthodox do not like Protestant missionaries coming into Russia but I have never read about any persecution of Protestants there. Protestant Missionaries are not allowed in Russia. IIRC Except for 5(?) religions (Orthodox Christianity, Catholic Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and maybe one or two others including traditional steppe beliefs) religion is banned or at least highly discouraged. They go anyway because I know of Protestant born again churches who send short term and long term missionaries there and Calvary chapel has a Bible school in Moscow. It is called the great commision to preach and spread the Gospel around the world. Youth with a mission has a Bible school in Russia as well. � Aye, they do go to Russia, Greece, and other Orthodox countries, and they have played a terrible role in decieving people about the essential nature of Holy Tradition�and leading them away from the Church. � -Akolouthos

I wonder if it really matters-Protestant, Orthodox, Catholic- as long as they lead people to salvation and God. I still wonder - "What is truth?"

I do enjoy the service at the Greek Orthodox service although I do not understand it.

Originally posted by eaglecap I wonder if it really matters-Protestant, Orthodox, Catholic- as long as they lead people to salvation and God. I still wonder - "What is truth?" I do enjoy the service at the Greek Orthodox service although I do not understand it.

Edited by Akolouthos - 06-Dec-2007 at 23:05

Originally posted by Akolouthos     To summarize: The fact that God can save us anywhere, at any time, in any denomination or religion, and for any reason, does not absolve us of our responsibility to bring ourselves in accordance to His will -- and He willed that we should all remain united in the divinized institution that is His Church.   -Akolouthos

I wonder if it really matters-Protestant, Orthodox, Catholic- as long as they lead people to salvation and God. I still wonder - "What is truth?"

The truth of the matter though is you shouldn't preach the Gospel to those that have an in depth knowledge of Christianity.  Preaching to the Choir seems to be a literal metaphor there.

However all of the branches still preach the same, fundamental message of salvation and how a person achieves salvation is the same in any of the branches in the church.

That is not entirely true.

The methods of achieving salvation are different but the message is still the same I'd agree.

Christ promised the Holy Spirit to the Apostles and, through them, to the Church. Paul, and the other authors of the Epistles, constantly chastise, plead, and implore the many local Christian churches to stay united to the one Body of Christ, that is His holy Church. It is to the Church that the fullness of grace and the presence of the Holy Spirit is promised, and separation from the Church is tantamount to saying that this promise does not matter at all. In doing so, individuals discard the Holy Spirit -- which has guided the Church through the trials and tribulations of the ages -- and decide to judge for themselves between the many fallible man-made doctrines, refusing to "endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts," heaping "to themselves teachers, having itching ears."

Wow, Akolouthos are you sure your not the Catholic and I the Orthodox. I thought that the Orthodox church teaches that the Church consists of the body of believers and that the Holy Spirit guides these believers into accordance with God's Will, rather than God's Will being interpreted by the Church proper. Whose to say God lists his "Church" as one denomination over "all Christians". Or am I a bit confused over your explanation you gave over our discussion of Papal Infallibility?

The fact that God can save us anywhere, at any time, in any denomination or religion, and for any reason, does not absolve us of our responsibility to bring ourselves in accordance to His will -- and He willed that we should all remain united in the divinized institution that is His Church.

Divisions within the Christian church only exist in the minds of men I think.

Agreed for the most part, but claiming to follow the teachings of a man named Jesus and a deity known as God do not necessarily mean that they are following the True Christ and the True God.

(at closer inspection we see however that 7th day adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses are excluded).

I can understand how witnesses are excluded but why are adventists excluded? Or have they just chosen not to include themselves?

Certainly the Churches that you have listed above arent in communion with one another??

No it isn't like the Porvoo Communion it is more like the World Council of Churches.

The Protestant churches dont hold any authority as they lack apostolic succesion, just a Catholic view on the matter.

I believe the Church of England and some Lutheran churches may maintain Apostolic Succession. At the very least the Catholic church recognizes the fact they may have claims on the succession even if it believes those claims are illegitimate.

From my brief viewing of the site it seems they are just all working together for the better good of the community(ie.poverty), which is a very good thing

Exactly, also while trying to bring each other to a more united community.

Of course I'm a unionist who believes that we will only know God when all peoples are united in Spirit in accordance with God's will.