Charles Scott wrote: "what does it mean to you" approach implies that there is no certain meaning to be found in Scripture." Charles, I have experienced the same thing over the years. One parishioner was even bold enough to balk, "whose opinion are we going to use?" My response was similar to your's, "This is not the Gospel according to Ted and Fred, Billy Joe, or YOU. We will use the opinion of the Church which has maintained the same opinion from the beginning at all times, in all places and to all people!" The ultra protestant concept seems to be that we are all entitled to decide what the Scriptures mean or don't mean -- and we wonder why the church is in such condition today. Robert Tewilliger, the Suffragan Bishop of Dallas, RIP, used to say, the greatest problem confronting the church today is not the world outside our doors, but the people sitting in our pews who have never heard what Jesus said or what His church teaches." I think he was pretty much on the mark! stmichaels Original Message: ----------------- From: charles scott crscottblu@... Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 12:20:46 -0700 (PDT) To: faithandlife@... Subject: [FaithandLife] Latria and Dulia --- "Rev. Dr. Derrick Hassert" <cranmerandlaud@...> wrote: > I read somewhere that the official teaching of Rome > is that she did die, but the art popular piety seems > to promote the belief that she did not. Our organist > took a trip to Greece and they toured some of the > churches--the Roman Catholics were scandalized by a > mosaic that depicted the Blessed Virgin in repose > before the Apostles. > > DH+ ---------------------------------------------- Derrick+ Quite so. Popular piety, like some of the allegorical interpretations of Scripture by the early fathers has been a thorn in the side of theologians on both sides of the Reformation whether Protestant or Catholic. There is no accounting for what enthusiastic people will do. Here is an Anglican counter part of the the popular piety to which you refer. I was both encouraged and chagrined Sunday by one of the elder statesmen at the Church I serve who suggested we have a Bible study in which everyone gets in a circle and discusses "what this passage of Scripture means to me." While I promote Bible studies and prayer meetings both in the home and at church, and was encouraged that someone wanted to study, the "what does it mean to you" approach implies that there is no certain meaning to be found in Scripture. The method implies the texts can have a variety of meanings, rather like looking at modern art. Charles+ -- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: faithandlife-unsubscribe@... -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .