In a hopeful sign of ecumenism, a well-known pastor from a megachurch in California called on his fellow Protestants to work with Catholics in their common mission.
Pastor Rick Warren, author and founder of Saddleback Church, was among Protestants and non-Christians at a Vatican-sponsored conference on marriage in November.
The news service Aleteia reported,
Warren called for adherents of various Christian denominations to unite with Roman Catholics and Pope Francis to work together on three shared goals, focusing on the sanctity of life, the sanctity of sex, and the sanctity of marriage. He went on to defend Catholicism and to clarify some of the most common misconceptions about Catholic teaching, pertaining to Marian dogmas and prayer to the saints.
Read the complete story, “Megachurch Pastor Rick Warren Joins Pope Francis in Support of Common Mission.”
In our Living Jesus Chat Room this Sunday, we will discuss these points:
- Do you find it surprising that a popular Protestant pastor would defend Catholic teaching? What would inspire him to do this?
- There has been much talk about ecumenism since the Second Vatican Council. What is ecumenism, and what is its purpose?
- The article also talked about Pentecostals and Catholics moving closer together. Why does the Catholic Church now seem more attractive to evangelicals than before?
- What can we as Catholics do to foster this coming together? How should we find common ground and yet remain faithful to Catholic teaching?