- Apr 30, 2013
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Hello, I am not Roman Catholic but I have a question about Catholic doctrines, specifically that salvation is due to God giving grace to merit salvation. If this is more appropriately posted on another forum, I am willing that is should be moved... but I'll give it a go asking it here.
I read St. Therese's Story of a Soul years ago when I was attending an Orthodox Church. I'd never heard of the idea that we merit salvation in the Orthodox Church and just considered the idea of merit one of those Latin theological traditions that was needlessly juridical at best, prideful at worst. So reading Therese, it seemed like she was struggling with this sort of legal view of salvation. But now, I am no longer Orthodox, I consider myself a liberal catholic-minded Christian, and I've been attending an Old Catholic parish near my apartment the past few months where the older Novus Ordo Missae is used. But I still have some questions about Catholicism and what exactly this idea of meriting salvation means, especially in light of what St. Therese' wrote about her own works:
"In the evening of this life, I shall appear before you with empty hands, for I do not ask you, Lord, to count my works. All our justice is blemished in your eyes. I wish, then, to be clothed in your own justice and to receive from your love the eternal possession of yourself"
This sounds more like Luther or Calvin's idea that all our works are tainted by sin, are imperfect and only deserve damnation, and that our only hope is being clothed in Christ's righteousness. What do Roman Catholics make of it? How could a saint that is revered by Roman Catholics as a Doctor of the Church sound so Protestant?
I read St. Therese's Story of a Soul years ago when I was attending an Orthodox Church. I'd never heard of the idea that we merit salvation in the Orthodox Church and just considered the idea of merit one of those Latin theological traditions that was needlessly juridical at best, prideful at worst. So reading Therese, it seemed like she was struggling with this sort of legal view of salvation. But now, I am no longer Orthodox, I consider myself a liberal catholic-minded Christian, and I've been attending an Old Catholic parish near my apartment the past few months where the older Novus Ordo Missae is used. But I still have some questions about Catholicism and what exactly this idea of meriting salvation means, especially in light of what St. Therese' wrote about her own works:
"In the evening of this life, I shall appear before you with empty hands, for I do not ask you, Lord, to count my works. All our justice is blemished in your eyes. I wish, then, to be clothed in your own justice and to receive from your love the eternal possession of yourself"
This sounds more like Luther or Calvin's idea that all our works are tainted by sin, are imperfect and only deserve damnation, and that our only hope is being clothed in Christ's righteousness. What do Roman Catholics make of it? How could a saint that is revered by Roman Catholics as a Doctor of the Church sound so Protestant?
