Catholicsm ways in Protestant Churches

[HezSweet nsi]

Krazees post got me to thinking...

krazeeboi said:

That's why the church I will pastor someday won't have any seats on the pulpit. EVERYBODY will be sitting in the congregation, as I will not affirm the false clergy/laity distinction we have inherited from Catholicism gone wrong.

What other Catholic churches have crept into our churches? And my mind drifted to today's ordination services and all the special clothing "needed" for today's ministers. They appear to be very Catholic in nature too. I mean the clergy collars, the huge and ornate crosses we wear. I'm not sure but I believe all this came out of Catholicism as well.

Stephen and the other men who were appointed deacons in the book of Acts didn't have such elaborate ceremonies. The apostles laid hands on them and prayed. Closest thing I can find in the New Testatment to an ordination service.

I know the priest in the Old Testament had their dress mandated through the law and had to go through certain rituals. But we're not imitating old testament priest. Jesus has become our high priest and we don't perform any priestly functions. If anything pastors are equated to sheperds...not priest.

So where did all the pomp and circumstance come from in our ordination services? What's up with the "bishop purple" and too tight clergy collars? If I could read into Krazees post, I think these things also further separate lay/clergy in our churches. I've seen no record of such in the New Testament.

Just wondering why we do some of the stuff we do.

[kanyon]

Habit..oops wrong word. ;D

[keita nsi]

;D

[HezSweet nsi]

(((Kanyon))) ;D

[Grace]

The interesting thing is that most denominations came out of the catholic church. The presbeterians, episcpol church and so on. Actually their are means to the vestments that are worn during ordination services. That was the one thing our Bishop made sure we understood before ordination. The reasons why we do what we do.

As far as What types of ceremonies Stephen and othersin Acts had we don't know, we were there.

As far as the colors are concerned the purple or fushia clergy shirt represents or is symbol of the blood that was shed by the saints or martyrs of the gospel. The turned back collar is a of symbol of being yoked to GOD.

These were just a few things that were taught in our classes before ordination.

[elderbeck NSI]

Alot of things we do that came from the Catholic church...good friday service is another one we got from the great Constantine.

[krazeeboi]

Another one is the title of "saint," which we usually apply to the apostles (eg, The Gospel according to St. Matthew, St. John Baptist Church, etc.). "Saint" is not a title, it is a description.

[krazeeboi]

Yet another is saying "God bless you" when someone sneezes.

The traditional explanation for the custom is that it began literally as a blessing. Pope Gregory I the Great (540-604 AD) ascended to the Papacy just in time for the start of the plague in 590 AD (his successor succumbed to it). To combat the plague Gregory ordered litanies, processions and unceasing prayer for God's intercession. When someone sneezed, they were immediately blessed ("God bless you!") in the hope that they would not subsequently develop the plague.

Source

[guest]

Question:
Can you explained "ash wednesday'. Is it mention in the Bible? The reason i ask is,i know it is a catholic thing,but a friend of mine,born again,spirit- filled,told me her church does
this practice.She attends Full Gospel Church.

[stillfocused]

The Apostle's Creed which is read in AME churches; is another way that our churches have Catholic roots.

[keita]

You're right about that SF. I grew up in an A.M.E. church and I remember well the importance of memorizing and reciting that creed. Like my old copy of the Order of Eastern Star ritual, it reads like such "strange fire" to me now...

[krazeeboi]

The Apostle's Creed is rather generic; that's about the only problem I have with it.

I, too, spent part of my childhood in the AME Church.

[Grace]

Can you explained "ash wednesday'. Is it mention in the Bible? The reason i ask is,i know it is a catholic thing,but a friend of mine,born again,spirit- filled,told me her church does
this practice.She attends Full Gospel Church.

We are seeing more churches outside of cathlics that are statring to observe ash wed.

[krazeeboi]

^We are, and I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing. The concept of Lent, which encompasses Ash Wednesday (and Maundy Thursday), is a very good one.

[Beck]

krazeeboi said:

^We are, and I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing. The concept of Lent, which encompasses Ash Wednesday (and Maundy Thursday), is a very good one.

In your opinion...whats good about it?