I have been a seeker of spiritual knowledge my entire life. As a child friends and family thought I was odd because I would read and study the Bible. I have studied as a Catholic, with the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Calvary Baptist Church, The United Church of Christ and even the “Hare Krishna” movement to name a few.
Jesus Christ was a son of God. He was the only begotten son. I do believe there are other sons of the Father, not begotten.
I remained a Catholic throughout. That was until this year 2024 when I started to attend the Episcopal Church. My main reason for remaining withing the catholic practices is my love for the Eucharist1. The receiving of the body, blood, and divinity of the Christ. While people debate about transubstantiation2 and consubstantiation3, I worry more about the spiritual presence of Christ.
Here’s my problem(s):
I believe:
- Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of the Father. I don’t see that as dismissing sons who were not begotten.
- In Consubstantiation.
- There is more than one god who all serve The Father.
- Salvation is dependent on the acceptance of Christ which all will do.4
- The Bible is a book about The Word.
- The Bible has been corrupted, added to, deleted from, and abused by man. It takes much study to only begin to understand it.
I do not believe:
- The trinity is biblical.
- Hell/eternal torment is biblical.
- In the Immaculate Conception.5
- In the Assumption of Mary.6
- The Bible is the Word of God.
As far as I am concerned, I am a Christian. I am told by other Christians that I am not. This is especially true of Roman Catholics. It used to be disheartening to the point of feeling rejected. I accept that I am not the average Christian and am happy about that. We all see many people who call themselves Christians and treat people poorly.
I’m not really hung up on labels, but would like to know what your thought would be regarding what I AM. I would also like anyone feeling the same way that you are not alone and many of our beliefs or disbeliefs are not salvific.7
Feel free to leave me your ideas below. Maybe we can help others by sharing our thoughts.
All praise to The Father of The Christ!
- The Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament, or the Lord’s Supper, is a Christian rite considered a sacrament in most churches and an ordinance in others. ↩︎
- The Catholic Church believes in transubstantiation, where the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Christ. ↩︎
- Consubstantiation is a Christian theological doctrine that, like transubstantiation, describes the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. According to this view, during the sacrament, the substance of the body and blood of Christ coexists alongside the substance of the bread and wine, which remain present. ↩︎
- Philippians 2:10-11 (NKJV), it says: “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” ↩︎
- The belief that the Virgin Mary was free from original sin from the very moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne. ↩︎
- The Assumption of Mary is a Catholic doctrine of faith stating that Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was assumed (or taken up) body and soul into Heaven at the end of her life. ↩︎
- Salvific is an adjective that describes something as having the intent or power to save or redeem. ↩︎