Catholic Religious
Wedding in catholic church when not religious?

I am not a religious person but my finance is Catholic. She would like to do a wedding in the church. What do I need to do? Do I have to go to catholic school? Training? Procedure? What need to happen to make it official? What would the church ask me to do?

Thanks

The Catholic Church allows marriage between Catholics and non-Catholics.

You do not need to convert but you will have to take a pre-marriage class with your fiance just like everyone else who gets married in the Catholic Church.

Because the Church recognizes the tremendous challenge that the interfaith couple will face, they may have to get permission from the bishop.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 1633-1637: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt3art7.htm#1633

With love in Christ.

Catholic Religious

Universal (Non Roman Catholic, Catholic) Christianity

Comprende? Catholic means universal, not just Roman Catholic. What makes religious adherents to various denominations feel that Jesus came to start a denomination (theirs of course), let alone ANY religion of any sort? Could it be, can your mind fathom such a thought, that Jesus came to reveal to us what true spiritual beings we really are? What a concept!

For Jesus the "ticket to heaven" was not membership in an outer religious form, but an inner state of unconditional love.

What the world needs now is LOVE, sweet love........and a truly universal spiritual movement wherein one group is not better than another group, just different. Is different okay? For some "different" is scary and to be avoided if not  obliterated such that they don't influence others. The sectarian and highly divisive "only Christians are going to heaven", meaning if you're not with us, you're going to hell, has seen enough violence and horrible results.

Instead of trying to "convert" people to your denomination, or even your own local assembly, why not just love people- with no strings attached? Of course to do that takes the competitive fun out of it all. We need to go beyond the surface meanings of Jesus, which were hidden in parables to begin with, and into the deeper spiritual truths. The book that the early church fathers decided (along with the emperors approval of course) would be our canon wasn't a license to kill everyone who would not take a vow to uphold such man-adopted creeds and confessions.

I don't know how long it will take, but I feel that ultimately the Christ consciousness, without the religious exclusiveness, is the message of the Father. And, it's not limited to Christianity- just most plainly seen, as I see it. 

God is most DEFINED in Jesus, but not CONFINED to Jesus!

About the Author

As a spiritual-futurist, I have a BA degree majoring in history. One cannot know the future without knowing the past which holds clues to what is on the horizon. The world is in such a rapid expansion of knowledge that we are close to entering a tipping point that will forever change earth as we know it.

How do Roman Catholic religious beliefs differ from Southern Baptist religious beliefs?

Well, let's first address the few common Southern Baptist doctrines point-by-point
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_baptist#Theology_and_practice

1) Priesthood of all believers

Roman Catholics would agree except regarding interpretation of Scripture. Although Roman Catholics are certainly permitted to interpret Scripture themselves, they are expected to live according to the interpretation provided by the Roman Catholic Church.

2) Soul competency

Agree - each person is accountable before God.

3) Creeds and confessions

Southern Baptists believe that these can be revised in light of Scripture. Roman Catholics have, in the past, modified the wording of such creeds and confessions (see the history of the current Apostles' Creed), so I guess that there is agreement here.

4) Women in ministry

Agreement. Roman Catholics prohibit women only from priesthood, which is essentially equivalent to a Southern Baptist pastor.

5) Church and state

I am not sure if there is any Roman Catholic doctrine on this point. I know that Roman Catholic *officials* (priests) are not permitted to run for or hold public office. However, I do not believe that Roman Catholics demand a separation of church and state. By that I mean, I believe that the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) would not complain if they were made the state religion in some nation - and it may be tht they still hold such a status in some nations.

6) Missions

Agree.

7) Autonomy of local church.

Disagree. Baptists allow local churches to select their own pastor, and the particular doctrines preached by the pastor are largely unrestricted as long as they agree with the few Southern Baptist doctrines. RCC officials choose pastors for the churches under their care, and all RCC priests must teach doctrine that fully complies with the much more extensive RCC doctrine.

Cooperation

RCC has a similar common missionary program supported by all congregations.

9) Sexuality

Agreement. RCC states that homosexuality itself is not a sin, but that homosexual acts are "mortal" sins. Therefore, a homosexual *lifestyle* is not appropriate for a Roman Catholic.

10) Sanctity of life

Agreement.

Some other differences:

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) forms new policies, as the name suggests, in convention. The RCC can do so only with approval from the pope. In other words, the RCC is led by an individual, not a convention.

SBC has only two of what RCC calls "sacraments" - baptism and "the lord's supper". RCC has 7.

SBC baptism is always by a person who confessed their belief in the salvation of Jesus, who is of the "age of accountability" (whatever age THAT is - not specified, only vaguely defined), and is always full-immersion. None of these is a requirement of RCC baptism.

SBC "lord's supper" views that rite as symbolic in nature, and it's frequency is determined by each congregation. The RCC "lord's supper" occurs during every "mass" - meaning very nearly every religious service - and they view the bread and wine as the literal, physical "body and blood of Jesus" (though not as human cell tissue).

In my experience, SBC demands a reliance on Scripture for doctrine - a sort of "sola scriptura". Baptists in general *insist* that a personal interpretation of Scripture is required, though the interpretation of some respected other can be adopted as your own personal interpretation. RCC relies on Scripture, on the traditional RCC doctrines that pre-date the bible, *and* on any "new" doctrines that the RCC establishes. Note that "new" doctrines are claimed to be compatible with (never contradict) both Scripture and traditional doctrines.

I think that covers most of the issues.

Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com/selector_rc.html

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