Are We Together? A Protestant Analyzes Roman Catholicism
For two decades (or longer), evangelicals have been making a steady retreat from practically every front of historic contention with doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. The statement called Evangelicals & Catholics Together accelerated the quest for evangelical-Catholic detente in the mid-1990s. Many evangelicals seem to think this a positive, unifying movement. I'm convinced it is a dangerous drift. From the time I began to detect this new ecumenical climate until now, one the few voices sounding a clear and consistent warning about it has always been R.C. Sproul's. He sees clearly that what is at stake is nothing less than the gospel. The various recent ecumenical manifestos all demonstrate this, albeit in subtle, confusing terms. More proof is found in the published teachings of the Roman Catholic Church herself. For at least fifteen years, I have wished for a clear, accessible expose using the most recent Roman Catholic catechism to show why that church's doctrine is incompatible with-even hostile to- the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm especially glad how to have just such a book from the pen of Dr. Sproul. No one is better qualified than he to speak definitively to the issues, and he has done a superb job of making the case from Scripture, from Church History, and from the Catechism of the Catholic Church itself. --Dr. John MacArthur: Pastor, Grace Community Church; President, The Masters College and Seminary Sun Valley, CaliforniaWe live at a time when evangelicalism's theological chaos and preference for parachurch pyrotechnics over biblical ecclesiology have made Rome an increasingly attractive option for many Christians seeking something more intellectually and institutionally satisfying. This is why Dr. Sproul's book is so timely, as it sets out the differences between orthodox Protestantism and Roman Catholicism in a clear, concise, and helpful way. Anyone wanting to know what is at stake in the debate between Geneva and Rome should read this book. --Dr. Carl R. Trueman: Professor of Historical Theology and Church History Westminster Theological Seminary Philadelphia, PATruth is precious, for it sets us free (John 8:31-32). In Christ's church, our unity revolves around knowing what we believe (Eph. 4:12-13). Too often discussions about Roman Catholicism and Protestantism are marred by indifference to doctrine or unfair caricatures of each other's beliefs. In neither case do we love the truth. R.C. Sproul's book is a masterpiece of fairness, brimming with quotations from authoritative Catholic and Protestant writings. In a short scope he gives us a clear view of the central questions of the Reformation. He helps us to see that we cannot minimize our differences and remain faithful to Christ, for the gospel itself is at stake. --Dr. Joel R. Beeke: President, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary