A Catholic Response to Mormonism (The Faith Explained)
Confused about Mormonism and how it gets the truth wrong? Cale Clarke is here to help.
So, here's the deal. Mormons believe in something called the "great apostasy," where they say the Catholic Church went completely off the rails after the last apostle died. According to them, Joseph Smith had to come along in the 1820s to fix everything. But is there any truth to this? 🤔
Zero Evidence of Apostasy
Cale’s got the facts: there's no historical evidence supporting this apostasy. The New Testament and writings from the early Church don’t mention Mormon doctrines like polygamy, multiple gods, celestial marriage, or the idea that Jesus and Lucifer are spirit brothers. ❌📜
Early Church Fathers: Keeping It Catholic
Let's talk about some early Church fathers who upheld Catholic teachings, not Mormonism:
St. Clement (d. ~80 AD): The third pope, who showed that the Bishop of Rome had authority. Early proof of the papacy!
St. Ignatius of Antioch (martyred ~107-110 AD): A student of St. John the Apostle, St. Ignatius wrote about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and called out those who denied it.
St. Justin Martyr (d. 165 AD): Gave a detailed breakdown of the Mass, confirming the Eucharist as the flesh and blood of Jesus.
St. Irenaeus of Lyon (d. ~200 AD): Taught by Polycarp (a student of St. John the Apostle), St. Irenaeus documented the succession of bishops from the apostles, showing that Catholicism has legitimate roots.
The Eucharist: A Game Changer
St. Ignatius and other Church fathers were all about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, making it clear that this belief was central to early Christianity, not just a symbol. 🍞🍷✝️
Spreading the Truth with Love
While we totally respect Mormons as people, the teachings of their church just don’t line up with what early Christianity was about. Cale encourages us to pray and reach out to help them find the full truth in the Catholic faith. 🙏❤️
Bottom Line
To sum it up, the early church was all about Catholicism, not Mormonism. The great apostasy? There's no historical proof for it. The early Church fathers provide a continuous tradition of Catholic teaching that counters Mormon claims. Let’s keep praying for our Mormon friends and share the truth with kindness. 🌍🕊️
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