Rosary Beads?

[Valerie]

I am not here to defend the practice of praying the rosary.

But Max’s information is correct. I would suggest rather than criticize or even feel a need to pass judgment, particularly an uninformed one, simply recognize the following.

Some groups promote what I would call ad how or free form prayer, others see a place (that is, not ONLY but a time and place) for structured prayer. It is incorrect to say a person praying the rosary makes more prayers to Mary than God.
The RCC clearly teaches worship is for God alone.

Rather, the recitation of prayers, within the context of prayerful intent is found by some, particularly those of us with liturgical worship backgrounds, to help focus on the goal of our prayer. Most people that pray the rosary begin with the specific intentions (or prayer request, or prayerful thanksgiving, etc.) for which that rosary as a whole is offered.

Finally, what words of the Hail Mary could any Christian object to?
The first Half of it is straight out of the Bible.
The second half simply identifies Mary as the Mother of God and asks her to pray for us sinners.
We can debate if you can ask people in heaven to pray for us. Fine, a worthy debate.
But hardly heretical if you believe those in heaven, like souls on earth, are capable of prayer.

The phraseology “mother of God” has been not been without controversy since the fourth century. Mother of Jesus would be a more accurate phrasing. God has no mother, as He is eternally existent.

From what I was taught, Mother of God is used to keep the doctrinal importance of reminding that "Jesus is God" and that it is not saying Mary birthed God the Father. Understanding the difference and reason helps (it did me at least) understanding is key to keep from assuming wrongly.

[Bootstrap]

Sorry, you are not worthy of response.

If the Mennonites who express Mennonite views on a Mennonite forum are not worthy of response, I really wonder what all this discussion of Catholicism is doing here.

[MaxPC]

From what I was taught, Mother of God is used to keep the doctrinal importance of reminding that "Jesus is God" and that it is not saying Mary birthed God the Father. Understanding the difference and reason helps (it did me at least) understanding is key to keep from assuming wrongly.

Indeed, at various points in Christian history, titles such as "Mother of God" were used as reminders to those who are confused by bad theology vis a vis the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus. Scripture tells us that Mary did indeed give birth to the second person of the Trinity.

Does that nomenclature still serve a purpose? Certainly it is still useful in the catechesis of Catholics.
Does it confuse non-Catholics? Yes, it does.

At the end of the day, respectful queries such as those submitted by Heirbyadoption and others can help with comprehension of Catholic devotional theology. If discomfort still exists about Catholic Marian practices that is not an impediment to Christian charity in my opinion. Pray to Jesus. He wants to talk with us all.

[Bootstrap]

Boot it is not the same as consulting the dead via mediums. To a Catholic or Orthodox, the dead in Christ, are alive in Christ actually- the great cloud of witnesses. Jesus is the only "mediator" between God and man for salvation but the belief is, just like we ask each other to intercede for us in prayer, the early church believed they could ask those nearest to God to intercede just like we do for each other- here- this goes away back- it is not the sa MN e as calling up the dead as Saul asked for Samuel

Does the Bible anywhere encourage us to ask the dead to intercede on our behalf? Or to communicate with the dead in any way? If so, where? I see only warnings not to do it.

And the form is quite different from the way we talk to each other. When I talk with you, I don't use the same kinds of words I use when I praise or pray to God. I don't use religious forms like prayer beads to talk with you.

What goes way, way back is an awareness that we are surrounded by angels and the saints who have gone before us, that they intercede on our behalf. I think that's biblical. And it's found in the earliest Church Fathers. Were Christians encouraged to pray to dead people in this manner before 300 AD or so?

[JayP]

Bootstrap,

Your profile identifies you as Mennonite.

Are you a member of a Mennonite church/group as those organizations define member?
That is, do you partake in communion and what group are you a member of?

[Bootstrap]

Are you a member of a Mennonite church/group as those organizations define member?
That is, do you partake in communion and what group are you a member of?

Yes, I am a member of a local Mennonite Church and partake in communion.

Our congregation is MC-USA, we hold to the 1995 Mennonite Confession of Faith. That is the Confession of Faith that the liberal end of the church wants to reject because of the teaching on marriage. We are not a plain church.

[JayP]

MC USA? And you are comfortable criticizing anything in any other religion?

But it helps explain things. Thanks for being so open.

[Soloist]

MC USA? And you are comfortable criticizing anything in any other religion?

But it helps explain things. Thanks for being so open.

On a Mennonite forum you can regularly see reasoning as to why we are not Lutheran, Reformed or Catholic. This should be well understood and you should have thicker skin or go hang out where dogma isn’t questioned or called heresy.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Are you a member of a Mennonite church/group as those organizations define member?
That is, do you partake in communion and what group are you a member of?

Yes, I am a member of a local Mennonite Church and partake in communion.

Our congregation is MC-USA, we hold to the 1995 Mennonite Confession of Faith. That is the Confession of Faith that the liberal end of the church wants to reject because of the teaching on marriage. We are not a plain church.

MCUSA? Have you all decided which way you are going, or staying. Most of my friends that were MCUSA left with the Lancaster Conference, now known as LMC.

[barnhart]

On a Mennonite forum you can regularly see reasoning as to why we are not Lutheran, Reformed or Catholic. This should be well understood and you should have thicker skin or go hang out where dogma isn’t questioned or called heresy.

Where Anabaptists gather there will likely be conversation/debate about understanding and applying the scriptures. Those who's sensibilities or doctrines don't do well in that environment, well, they won't be comfortable. We could be more gracious, but in Anabaptism the question, what did Jesus (and his apostles) do/say/teach, is always pertinent and precient. Or at least it should be.