The reunion of Roman Catholicism and Protestantism is in the air; it is only a matter of time and circumstances. No one would have thought that such tremendous strides to that end would have been made in five short years. Of course the Lord may come at any moment—that moment is imminent—and take to Himself the whole Church, composed of every truly saved soul from among both Catholics and Protestants. Such a departure of the saints will scarcely make a ripple on the progress of ecumenical discussions; in fact, it may well accelerate absorption of Protestantism by Roman Catholicism when no one is left with true Christian life to stand in the way of merger and the sacrifice of basic truths. And while God is ruling behind the scenes to bring about His grand purposes, there are naturally many hurdles for ecumenicalists to make until Rome makes some very minor concessions, and Protestants have been softened enough to fly the papal banner.
To quote the words of another regarding the present activities: "Men are scheming and dreaming. Men are plotting and planning. Men are bargaining with each other under the canopy of 'dialog' to the end that they may, without loss of front or face, claim that great progress is being made in the interest of the Spirit, while what they will attain will simply be a one-world church held together by the exaltation of a church, its power, and its place of leadership among the nations."—Christian Beacon, July 11, 1963, p. 4.
The great preparation for Protestants to go back to Rome with ecumenical banners flying, is the giving up by the liberal Protestant clergy of what is known as "sola Scriptura," which was the battle cry of the Reformation. Then they would acknowledge nothing but the Word of God as authority both for doctrine and practice. But Dr. Eugene Carson Blake's sermon in Bishop Pike's cathedral on December 4, 1960, proposing union of four large Protestant bodies, set the stage for the march to Rome. He plainly stated that Protestants had lost something by holding only to Scripture, and that considerable was to be said for tradition as found in Catholicism. Since the unerring and infallible Word of God has been scuttled in much of Protestantism, and large segments of it have been relegated to the "myth" category, then why maintain as the reformers did that the Bible is an all-sufficient guide? The stripped-down version that these blind leaders of the blind would leave us, may just as well have all the error and mysticism of tradition thrown in. This will furnish the grand catalyst for eventual union of all with Rome. Infidelity and so-called "liberalism" make strange bedfellows.
One of the conservative Curia clerics stated of John XXIII that it would take 50 years to undo what John had done. It will never be undone, but Paul VI in all probability will carry it to completion. One of the Roman Church men said that John has sown the seed, and Paul will bring the harvest into the barn.
But let not Protestants deceive themselves; Rome will open her arms to receive Protestants; they will be welcomed (apostates and all) into the one great church—then it will be Babylon the Great, the last noxious state of Christendom before it is finally rejected and destroyed by atheistic forces under secular power of the soon-to-be-revived Roman Empire and its diabolic head. But Rome will not take one step to leave her position—Protestants must do all the going. This would be true even with an amiable John XXIII, but Paul VI has already made it clear. One of his statements is: "We will resume, as already announced, the Ecumenical Council, and we ask God that this great event confirm in the church its faith, refresh moral energies, and rejuvenate and adapt its forms to the needs of the times, and so present the church to the Christian brothers, separated from its perfect unity, in a way to make attractive, easy, and joyous to them the sincere recomposition in truth and charity, of the mystic body of the sole Catholic Church." Their condition for unity will be a return to Rome and acceptance of Rome's claim to be THE Church. Furthermore, Rome is not going to change her dogmas, whatever other minor changes she may make. But diluted, polluted, and devitalized Protestantism under modernism is going that way. Ecumenicalism is in the air; there is a longing to have a one-church world.
This great world-church is called in Scripture "Babylon the Great" which is to be the habitation of demons, and the hold of every unclean and hateful bird; and in "one hour" her judgment will come. Read Rev. 17 for the account of the great corrupt and corrupting religious system which is false to Christ; it is described as a wicked and defiled woman. In the 18th chapter it is the same final world-church seen in its organization—a great system of religion in the world. Some people prefer to see these two chapters as representing different things, but the last verse of chapter 17 is conclusive: "And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth."
This reigning over kings was actually true of the Roman Church in ages past when crowns were at her disposal, but it is to be true also of that great amalgam of Christendom under her mantle in its dreadful last state. Even today Rome is moving to become a power in world politics. We quote the following: "Moreover, the elevation of Giovanni Battista Montini to 'the chair of St. Peter' probably spells additional participation for the Vatican in world affairs. The Vatican has long been reputed to be a diplomatic listening post for the world, and Montini brings to it extensive experience in political affairs. He is widely recognized as a first-rate diplomat and served for years as Vatican secretary of state under Pope Pius XII." - Christianity Today, July 19, 1963, p. 29.
An appraisal of Pope Paul from another source is briefly stated: "Overall, he is seen as sure to continue the changes that came during the reign of Pope John, and to identify the Church more and more with the world and its problems."—U.S. News & World Report, July 1, 1963, p. 44. The same publication said in another issue: "The reign of Pope John XXIII has brought significant change to the Roman Catholic Church, and to the role it is playing in world affairs." June 10, p. 50. And in another place: "Pope Paul, however, is making it clear that, like his predecessor, he intends to pursue an 'active' role for the Church in world affairs." July 15, 1963, p. 37. In still another issue, this is given: "The new pope has already made it clear he hoped to continue many of the former Pope's policies. But the decision to move ahead so quickly surprised many.... For the world, the image of Pope Paul VI was emerging rapidly. It was of a vigorous, 65-year-old Pontiff with relatively 'liberal' views on Church affairs and world problems and an impatience to convert his views to action." July 8, 1963, p. 19.
It is not surprising that in the superintending ways of God the last five years have brought significant changes in the Church of Rome and in the world at large. No one expected that the aging John XXIII would startle the world with innovations and step into the arena of world politics as he did. (Here we quote the words of another: "No one in 1958 suspected that the amiable Patriarch of Venice, Angelo Roncalli, was going to change the course of history."—Time, July 14, 1963.) Now a new pope that is definitely not the choice of the old ruling Curia is installed in spite of them. Nor is it without significance that in this period John F. Kennedy was elected to the presidency of the most powerful Western nation. Not many years ago it was considered that a Catholic had no chance to attain this high post, but he is there. Some Protestants tried to prevent his election; others actually aided and abetted it, especially in the great ecumenical camp.
Indicative of the new order, we might quote from Christianity Today: "In sweltering Rome, these questions gained surprising relevance this month—in fact and, curiously enough, in fiction. The fact lay in what may have been, according to the American newspaper in Rome, 'the biggest double feature here since Nero fiddled while the city burned: the coronation of Pope Paul VI and the visit of President Kennedy." July 19, 1963. Paul VI was crowned on June 30, and the President was received in audience on July 2. And what is the fiction? A new book entitled, "The Shoes of the Fisherman," was released just seven days after Pope John's death. It is concerned with the Pope as the medium between the United States President and the Soviet Premier. It was written by a veteran Vatican correspondent, and could well be a trial balloon to suggest Rome's capability to be the arbiter of international affairs. In fact this has been suggested in several articles as a likely scheme. It has been suggested that Premier Khruschshev and
President Kennedy meet each other in Rome.
In the days of Pope Pius XII, international communism was considered a malignant disease and an intractable foe. It seemed then that Rome and communism would be locked in a life and death struggle to the end. But Pope John, in spite of Curia opposition, sought what is called an "opening to the left." Even Italian politicos had to accommodate themselves to the changed papal attitude. Rome has lived through many vicissitudes and has learned how to adapt herself to the inevitable. All the ideologies of different times have burned themselves out, and Rome has remained. She boasts that the gates of hell cannot prevail against her, but the very virus of atheistic communism with which she seeks to co-exist, will in the end be the means of her utter destruction. The days are coming when peace shall be taken from the earth, and men will "kill one another" with the sword—hand to hand conflict and carnage. (Rev. 6:44And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. (Revelation 6:4).)
It is striking indeed that there is an increasing attitude by men in high governmental places that this nation must get along and live with communism—in Cuba, or in the world at large. This fits in well with the new papal attitude. It is also the attitude of the leaders of the National Council of Churches in the U.S.A., and of the World Council of Churches. (The reception of Communist-controlled churches from "Iron Curtain" countries into the latter organization is significant.) But the darker the days get, the brighter our hope of seeing our blessed Lord in the air at any moment. 0 how can any Christian who reads his Bible not discern the times in which our lot is cast! Christians, lift up your eyes and look; the Morning Star has not yet appeared above the dark horizon, but are there not a few streaks in the sky that presage His coming? And when speaking of communism, we do not mean to indicate that man may not be living without God and afar off from Him where communism is abhorred and refused. Capitalism is not synonymous with godliness.