[quote:te11ebph]Victor, I should know this, since I’m a deacon, but I’m pretty sure that it is addressed in the Book of Order, which is the organizational guide for the PCUSA. I’ll look at this while I’m at home and tell you later. [/quote:te11ebph]

Ok. ” title=”Smile” />

[quote:te11ebph]You know, the whole notion of authority scares me a little. I wonder if this has something to with the Scottish origin? You know, us Scots are hard-pressed to submit to any sort of authority [/quote:te11ebph]

No it’s not just you or the Scots, it’s a human struggle. ” title=”Wink” /> I struggle with it from time to time and I’m sure we all tend to do that. But if you believe that the Church is the [i:te11ebph]”pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15), [/i:te11ebph]and built upon the [i:te11ebph]”foundation of the apostles and prophets”(Eph 2:20)[/i:te11ebph], and that Christ would build His [i:te11ebph]”church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matt. 16:17-19).[/i:te11ebph] This brings comfort to me because I know that no priest, bishop, or Pope can mess things up. The next obvious question would be, so which church is it? This of course can be dealt with history, Scripture and reason. Topic for another day.

[quote:te11ebph]Does the concept of authority bother you at all? What are your thoughts about this as a Catholic?[/quote:te11ebph]

Yes it did bother me. Even more so because I came from a Protestant background. I liked living by “the buck stops here” Idiom . Submitting to something other then myself was very uncomfortable and especially if it’s men of this world. The Scriptures, history, and reason help me deal with this and then faith started to kick in. At least this is the way it played out for me.

~Victor