Many times the media tells us that so much of our Western Civilization is traceable to Muslim/Arabic influences. This has become standard "knowledge" among many people. The following article makes a good refutation of that falsehood:
Friday, September 21, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Christian survival
Christianity cannot survive without Christ. It is Christ who is the center, the head, the life, the Lord of his Church. The Church is his Body, not an independent end in herself. As the Council of Trent taught so clearly 5 centuries ago, the sacraments are not magic.
Without personal faith and response to God's mercy and grace, the sacraments do not save; do not justify. Without personal faith and response to God's grace, there is no living faith to hand on to the next generation. Without personal faith and response, loyalty, identity, and commitment vanish. Without living faith, catechesis, which is intended to foster the Christian maturity of those who are already disciples, is without effect.Christian culture is not self-sustaining.
Christian culture is the fruit of personal faith. Without the preaching of the kerygma and personal conversion which is the source of renewal in every generation, Christian culture ultimately withers away and dies.
(From the Blog: Intentional Disciples)
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