Lutheran denomination clarifies view after Bachmann departure
The nation's third-largest Lutheran denomination moved to clarify its views on the Catholic Church Monday, after being drawn into the national political debate by presidential candidate Michele Bachmann.
The Wauwatosa-based Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, the most theologically conservative of the nation's three main Lutheran denominations, issued a statement on its website explaining its long-held tenet that the Catholic papacy is the anti-Christ. But it said that position is born of doctrinal differences rather than anti-Catholic bigotry.
"We respect the right of people to hold beliefs different from ours even as we point out the error," WELS president, the Rev. Mark Schroeder, said in the statement.
"Testifying to the errors that still exist in Catholic doctrine is itself an expression of love," he said....
John Yurich USA wrote: Jim Lincoln and Researcher: The Bible states that there will only be one ANTI-CHRIST who will not come on the scene until the time of the Great Tribulation Period. Therefore NO POPE HAS EVER BEEN THE ANTI-CHRIST. The Bible states that there are many anti-christs.
John,
You are correct regarding when the Antichrist will come on the scene and make "himself" known.
Jim Lincoln wrote: John Y., you are half-right as the following definition from Webster's 1913 dictionary points out: "ANTICHRIST: Antichrist /An´ti·christ/ (?), n. [L. Antichristus, Gr. ?; ? against + ?.] A denier or opponent of Christ. Specif.: A great antagonist, person or power, expected to precede Christ's second coming." I would suggest you read the article, The Pope and the Papacy. Good examples of anti-Christs, A list of --some of-- the "Bad Popes". Like Hitler many of these anti-Christians could be a subject of an interesting movie, as a study of a servant of Satan.
Jim Lincoln and Researcher: The Bible states that there will only be one ANTI-CHRIST who will not come on the scene until the time of the Great Tribulation Period. Therefore NO POPE HAS EVER BEEN THE ANTI-CHRIST. The Bible states that there are many anti-christs.
All Lutheran and Presbyterian denominations taught that the Pope is the Antichrist in their historic confessional documents.
The following are current U.S. statistics:
(A.) Combined membership: 10,700,000.
(B.) Changed Antichrist doctrine:
(1.) Lutheran: 96%. * Three of the four largest Lutheran denominations have changed their Antichrist doctrine. WELS with 389,364 members (4% of combined membership) has not.
(2.) Presbyterian: ~100%. * All of the six largest Presbyterian denominations have changed their Antichrist doctrine.
John Y., you are half-right as the following definition from Webster's 1913 dictionary points out: "ANTICHRIST:
Antichrist /An´ti·christ/ (?), n. [L. Antichristus, Gr. ?; ? against + ?.] A denier or opponent of Christ. Specif.: A great antagonist, person or power, expected to precede Christ's second coming."
I would suggest you read the article, The Pope and the Papacy. Good examples of anti-Christs, A list of --some of-- the "Bad Popes". Like Hitler many of these anti-Christians could be a subject of an interesting movie, as a study of a servant of Satan.
Just so everyone knows the truth. I got this from the internet but have researched it and it is accurate.
Some are surprised that the RCC is able to call Protestants "separated brethren" and think that this arises out of charity. In fact, it is attributable to the Roman Catholic doctrine of "invincible ignorance". Those Protestants who no longer understand their own faith (and that is now the large majority) and therefore do not knowingly reject the teachings of Rome, are technically in a state of "invincible ignorance" and on those grounds may be termed "separated brethren". Of course, those relatively few who are not in that position, and deliberately and knowingly reject the pope and the teachings of Rome, are heretics still.
The article on SA gives a quote by a Catholic theologian who would have you think otherwise.
The Anti-Christ has not come onto the scene and will not until the time of the Great Tribulation Period. Therefore no Pope has ever been the Anti-Christ. The Bible states that there are many anti-christs but there will only be one Anti-Christ.
Bibliophile wrote: Since WELS' (and other Reformed denominations) foundation is built on the "Pope is the Antichrist," the day they overturn this position (as did the SBC and PCA) is the day they either begin on the road to atheism, oblivion or Rome.
CBib Loving Catholic people enought to testify to the errors of Catholicism, and they are frightfully damnable is NOT bigotry but an enormous expression of a desire to see Catholic people saved. And a safeguard against Catholic propagandists who would seek to seduce people from the Truth into darkness.
Since WELS' (and other Reformed denominations) foundation is built on the "Pope is the Antichrist," the day they overturn this position (as did the SBC and PCA) is the day they either begin on the road to atheism, oblivion or Rome.
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examples of anti-Christs, 
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