The writer is clear that something is wrong in Rome, but he is
still re-fighting the battles of the Reformation while at the same time
he is giving a true warning of an imminent great spiritual deception.
"A second
statement provides more
information regarding the purpose for publishing the book (The Road to Rome: Modern
Journeys to the Catholic Church).
Quoting
again from the back cover:
By introducing some of the new wave
converts, The Path to Rome gives a glimpse of a possible future for the
church. As we enter the third millennium, Catholicism, Evangelicalism
and Orthodoxy will continue to converge. From this book a vision
emerges in which old cultural, national and doctrinal controversies
become increasingly irrelevant. Then as the age of Reform draws to a
close and the millennium of division gives way to a “Second Spring,”
the Church may once more speak with a united voice. [4]
This idea that a
“Second Spring” (or as some call it, a “Second Pentecost”) is about to
dawn is fascinating in light of Bible prophecy. Is it a grand delusion
that will overtake the world in the name of Christ? Why aren't more
people paying attention?"
and
"Longenecker also
accurately points out that this present ecumenical phenomenon is
largely the result of a plan that originated in Rome and is sanctioned
by the pope. He states:
The Pope calls for all Christians to [a]
profound conversion of heart in order for ecumenism to take place.… He
calls Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants to move [forward] into a new
reformation of the Church.… In an encyclical that should be read by all
Christians, the Pope calls the whole church to join in [a] quest for a
new kind of Christianity in which all Christians can once more unite. [6]
The term “new kind of
Christianity” is very familiar in light of the propaganda being
promoted by Emerging Church proponents. This is exactly what Brian Mc
Laren and others have been calling for. It's the Church on the
Other Side. It’s The Secret Message of Jesus that is
changing the very definition of what it means to be an evangelical.
As well, the idea that
a “new reformation” is in the process of taking place is another battle
cry of Emergent promoters. The Reformation was a time in church history
when Christianity was led out of darkness into light. This so-called
new reformation is leading Christianity out of the light back into the
darkness.
In fact, this “new
kind of Christianity” brought about by the new reformation is no
reformation at all. It is the apostasy that the Bible warns will take
place in the last days that will deceive the whole world in the name of
the Jesus Christ."
and
"But there is more!
Longenecker further explains how the Roman Catholic New Evangelization
program has benefited from programs implemented by “evangelical” groups
and their “evangelism” programs:
While Scott Hahn, Patrick Madrid, and others
work as converts to Catholicism, the Catholic Church is learning from
Evangelicals in other ways. In the United States, England and Latin
America, Catholics are learning how to do primary evangelism using an
adapted form of the highly successful, Evangelical Anglican “Alpha”
course which originates from Holy Trinity, Brompton. Through this
course and other resources, modern lay Catholics are learning to
understand and communicate their faith with an open-ness and zeal
unheard of before. [9]
I find this statement
amazing. Before Pope John Paul II died, Nicky Gumbel, founder of the
Alpha program, went to Rome and met with the pope. The pope and Gumbel
agreed to a partnership to “evangelize together.” While some may
believe that the Alpha program will evangelize Roman Catholics to the
gospel according to the Scriptures, I can assure you that the Vatican's
idea of evangelism is to win converts to the Roman Catholic Church and
the Roman Catholic Jesus. The new evangelists who have made Rome their
home provide all the evidence we need to prove this point."
and
"Then continuing with
these words that are prophetic in light of the apostasy prophesied in
the Bible:
But at the grass roots level the Spirit
may be doing a new, and even a greater creative work—bringing a new
church out of the chaos of division. If a new Pentecost is germinating,
it will produce a church unfettered by the old denominational,
national, doctrinal and historical prejudices. The building of this new
Church may be part of the “second spring” which Newman prophesied; a
Second Spring in which old differences of the second millennium are
buried once and for all, and a newly unified Church emerges ready for
the challenge of the third millennium. [11]
When the Emerging
Church finishes emerging, it will have merged with Rome, and the great
delusion will have been accomplished."
Do you have any comments?
Lee Penn
________________________
(*) Spiritual
Counterfeits Project
(**) Home
To Rome
The writer of
the referenced article (**) is, of course, right on target as we have
been
showing for years. Nonetheless, this is is a perfect example of
what
we mean when we say that those from outside Catholicism are lumping the
Catholic Faith with the activities of
They have not understood yet that even satan must serve
God, and that even though the
would possibly
cause fatal indigestion to lions, were they thrown into their cage, the
Catholic Faith in its pure form has reached us, through the Grace of
God, containing
