What, the "trail of blood"? With all due respect, friend, that's revisionist apologetic trying to manufacture some air of legitimacy that simply doesn't exist. The theory didn't even originate until the 20th century. It's a LARP. The idea that anything aside from a sacramental conferral of holy orders via the physical 'laying of hands' in an unbroken succession tracing back to the original apostles provides a legitimate share in the authority and ministry uniquely appointed to the apostles (as opposed to, say, any layman Christian) by Christ would be entirely foreign to the earliest Christians -- this is evidenced by extra-biblical writings of the early Church dating back as early as the first and second century.
And again, I sincerely say this with all due respect and with love for you as a fellow brother in Christ. Obviously you disagree, or you wouldn't be a Baptist (are you a Baptist?), and I respect that.
Grace opened my heart to be receptive to the reality that God exists. Philosophy quelled the intellectual pride that was blocking me from allowing myself to believe in something I can't empirically test. The historical circumstances surrounding the death and resurrection of Christ proved to me that Christ alone is the Lord above any other god that people profess belief in. And, finally, history -- Christian belief expressed in continuous extra-Biblical writings from the first century until now -- have led me to the conclusion that the fullest expression of Christianity is found in the doctrine and sacraments of the Catholic church.
Truth be told, if I was picking a theology purely on what I'd want to be true, I'd probably be a Wesleyan or Anglican. The last thing I'd pick is Catholicism. But, any time I've been tempted to leave the Catholic church, I can't, because I haven't been able to convince myself that it's not the 'real deal'.
What, the "trail of blood"? With all due respect, friend, that's revisionist apologetic trying to manufacture some air of legitimacy that simply doesn't exist. The theory didn't even originate until the 20th century. It's a LARP. The idea that anything aside from a sacramental conferral of holy orders via the physical 'laying of hands' in an unbroken succession tracing back to the original apostles provides a legitimate share in the authority and ministry uniquely appointed to the apostles (as opposed to, say, any layman Christian) by Christ would be entirely foreign to the earliest Christians -- this is evidenced by extra-biblical writings of the early Church dating back as early as the first and second century.
And again, I sincerely say this with all due respect and with love for you as a fellow brother in Christ. Obviously you disagree, or you wouldn't be a Baptist (are you a Baptist?), and I respect that.
Grace opened my heart to be receptive to the reality that God exists. Philosophy quelled the intellectual pride that was blocking me from allowing myself to believe in something I can't empirically test. The historical circumstances surrounding the death and resurrection of Christ proved to me that Christ alone is the Lord above any other god that people profess belief in. And, finally, history -- Christian belief expressed in continuous extra-Biblical writings from the first century until now -- have led me to the conclusion that the fullest expression of Christianity is found in the doctrine and sacraments of the Catholic church.
Truth be told, if I was picking a theology purely on what I'd want to be true, I'd probably be a Wesleyan or Anglican. The last thing I'd pick is Catholicism. But, any time I've been tempted to leave the Catholic church, I can't, because I haven't been able to convince myself that it's not the 'real deal'.