Changes

The Holy Spirit embodies the mutual eternal love of the Father and the Son. The Greek term for the Holy Spirit is "Paraclete",<ref>A more literal translation of the Greek would be "one who stands alongside with" or mentor; the "Comforter" alludes to the bedside manner of a physician with an ailing patient or sinner.</ref> which means advocate or intercessor, thereby connoting a driving force for good. The Holy Spirit is God's present activity in our midst. When we sense God's leading, God's challenge, or God's support or comfort, we say that it's the Holy Spirit at work.<ref>[http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.2311269/ We Believe in the Holy Spirit.]</ref>

The Holy Spirit embodies the mutual eternal love of the Father and the Son. The Greek term for the Holy Spirit is "Paraclete",<ref>A more literal translation of the Greek would be "one who stands alongside with" or mentor; the "Comforter" alludes to the bedside manner of a physician with an ailing patient or sinner.</ref> which means advocate or intercessor, thereby connoting a driving force for good. The Holy Spirit is God's present activity in our midst. When we sense God's leading, God's challenge, or God's support or comfort, we say that it's the Holy Spirit at work.<ref>[http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.2311269/ We Believe in the Holy Spirit.]</ref>

The [[apostles]] credit the Holy Spirit with giving them the courage to spread the good news of Jesus Christ in a very hostile world.  Scriptural references to the Holy Spirit are in both the Old and New Testaments, and include Proverbs 8:22-31, John 16:12-15, and Romans 5:1-5.

The [[apostles]] credit the Holy Spirit with giving them the courage to spread the good news of Jesus Christ in a very hostile world.  Scriptural references to the Holy Spirit are in both the [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]]s, and include Proverbs 8:22-31, John 16:12-15, and Romans 5:1-5.

==Development of a formal doctrine of the Holy Spirit==

==Development of a formal doctrine of the Holy Spirit==

The [[Nicene Creed]] states:

The [[Nicene Creed]] states:

{{cquote|I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son].  With the Father and Son he is worshiped and glorified.  He has spoken through the prophets.}}

{{cquote|I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son].  With the Father and Son, he is worshiped and glorified.  He has spoken through the prophets.}}

Christians agree on the following two propositions:  

Christians agree on the following two propositions:  

The Holy Spirit as part of the Holy Trinity is: ''Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Eternal and Equal'' (to the Father and the Son).  

The Holy Spirit as part of the Holy Trinity is: ''Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Eternal and Equal'' (to the Father and the Son).  

There is a key distinction between the Roman church and the Eastern Orthodox churches on a seemingly trivial, but extremely controversial, point. Western Christians believe that the Holy Spirit proceeds "from the Father ''and the Son'' In other words, He proceeds, not by way of generation, but by way of inspiration,<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07409a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia.]</ref> from the Father and the Son together, as from a single principle. The Eastern Orthodox omit the italicized language. They believe that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father ''through'' the Son. The disagreement between the East and West is sometimes known as the ''[[filioque]] controversy'', from the Latin word and enclitic for "and the Son," although such term may more properly apply to the [[Great Schism]] of 1054.

There is a key distinction between the Roman church and the Eastern Orthodox churches on a seemingly trivial, but extremely controversial, point. Western Christians believe that the Holy Spirit proceeds "from the Father ''and the Son'' In other words, He proceeds, not by way of generation, but by way of inspiration,<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07409a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia.]</ref> from the Father and the Son together, as from a single principle. The Eastern Orthodox omit the italicized language. They believe that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father ''through'' the Son. The disagreement between the East and West is sometimes known as the ''[[filioque]] controversy'', from the Latin word and enclitic for "and the Son," although such a term may more properly apply to the [[Great Schism]] of 1054.

[[Image:Holy Spirit.jpg|thumb|The Holy Spirit inhabits all who desire its presence...]]

[[Image:Holy Spirit.jpg|thumb|The Holy Spirit inhabits all who desire its presence...]]

''In the New Testament the word spirit and, perhaps, even the expression spirit of God signify at times the soul or man himself, inasmuch as he is under the influence of God and aspires to things above; more frequently, especially in St. Paul, they signify God acting in man... to the Holy Ghost we attribute the operations of grace and the sanctification of souls, and in particular spiritual gifts and fruits.''<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07409a.htm Holy Ghost, Catholic Encyclopedia]</ref>

''In the [[New Testament]] the word spirit and, perhaps, even the expression spirit of God signify at times the soul or man himself, since he is under the influence of God and aspires to things above; more frequently, especially in St. Paul, they signify God acting in man... to the Holy Ghost we attribute the operations of grace and the sanctification of souls, and in particular spiritual gifts and fruits.''<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07409a.htm Holy Ghost, Catholic Encyclopedia]</ref>

:When the comma (or semicolon, in other translations) is removed from immediately after "the Father" and positioned immediately after "of the Son", it reads: <br>"The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son'''<big><big><big>,</big></big></big>'''<br> neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding."  

:When the comma (or semicolon, in other translations) is removed from immediately after "the Father" and positioned immediately after "of the Son", it reads: <br>"The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son'''<big><big><big>,</big></big></big>'''<br> neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding."  

:The first punctuation is Orthodox, the second is Catholic.  

:The first punctuation is Orthodox, and the second is Catholic.  

[[Orthodox Church|Orthodoxy Christianity]] firmly defends the doctrine that the Holy Spirit proceeds forth from the Father alone fully according to the most ancient, unbroken apostolic faith of the original twelve apostles, and that the doctrine defended by Roman Catholicism in the ''Filioque Clause'' is unquestionably and undeniably an unorthodox (heterodox) '''[[heresy]]'''. Orthodoxy maintains that the Holy Spirit does not, did not, and never has, proceeded eternally from the Son of the Father as the one originating principle of being (the one principle of origination) within the interior ''oeconomia'' of the Divine and Holy Trinity, but only '''''dia''''' "through" the Son from the Father alone. The Father is not subordinate to the Son and the Holy Spirit; the Son is not subordinate to the Father and the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit is not subordinate to the Father and the Son; One God equally with God the Son, the Holy Spirit is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, which [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Ecumenical_Councils all Seven Ecumenical (Trinitarian) Councils affirm].

[[Orthodox Church|Orthodoxy Christianity]] firmly defends the doctrine that the Holy Spirit proceeds forth from the Father alone fully according to the most ancient, unbroken apostolic faith of the original twelve apostles, and that the doctrine defended by Roman Catholicism in the ''Filioque Clause'' is unquestionably and undeniably an unorthodox (heterodox) '''[[heresy]]'''. Orthodoxy maintains that the Holy Spirit does not, did not, and never has, proceeded eternally from the Son of the Father as the one originating principle of being (the one principle of origination) within the interior ''oeconomia'' of the Divine and Holy Trinity, but only '''''dia''''' "through" the Son from the Father alone. The Father is not subordinate to the Son and the Holy Spirit; the Son is not subordinate to the Father and the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit is not subordinate to the Father and the Son; One God equally with God the Son, the Holy Spirit is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, which [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Ecumenical_Councils all Seven Ecumenical (Trinitarian) Councils affirm].

*[http://jesus-messiah.com/apologetics/catholic/creeds.html '''The Trinity Doctrine Is Pagan: The Creeds''', by G. Reckart, Pastor (jesus-messiah.com)]

*[http://jesus-messiah.com/apologetics/catholic/creeds.html '''The Trinity Doctrine Is Pagan: The Creeds''', by G. Reckart, Pastor (jesus-messiah.com)]

:—"''The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are one God in three manifestations.  There is one God and one Spirit and this God and this Spirit as to time and eternity is Father in creation, Son in redemption, and Holy Spirit in regeneration.''" ...  

:—"''The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are one God in three manifestations.  There is one God and one Spirit and this God and this Spirit as to time and eternity is Father in creation, Son in redemption, and Holy Spirit in regeneration.''" ...  

:—"''No one can accept the trinity without becoming at that very instant a Catholic. The creeds state this, and those who use the Creeds to substanitiate their doctrine of the trinity proves they are Catholics.''" —G. Reckart (jesus-messiah.com)  

:—"''No one can accept the trinity without becoming at that very instant a Catholic. The creeds state this, and those who use the Creeds to substantiate their doctrine of the trinity proves they are Catholics.''" —G. Reckart (jesus-messiah.com)  

Compare: [[Monarchianism]]; [[Modalism]]; [[Unitarianism]].  

Compare: [[Monarchianism]]; [[Modalism]]; [[Unitarianism]].  

*[https://www.gotquestions.org/Dynamic-Monarchianism.html '''What is Dynamic Monarchianism?''' (gotquestions.org)]

*[https://www.gotquestions.org/Dynamic-Monarchianism.html '''What is Dynamic Monarchianism?''' (gotquestions.org)]

Two fundamentally opposed positions confront anyone seeking to discern the truth of Christian doctrine:<br>—The truth of any doctrine proposed by the [[magisterium]] is always subordinate and subject to correction according to the interpretation of scripture by the discernment of the individual Christian believer and by the discernment of any group of ordinary like-minded Christians in agreement with each other under the infallible guiding inspiration of the Holy Spirit.<br>—The truth of any doctrine proposed by the individual Christian believer and by the discernment of any group of ordinary like-minded Christians in agreement with each other is always subordinate and subject to correction according to the interpretation of scripture by the discernment of the magisterium under the infallible guiding inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Two fundamentally opposed positions confront anyone seeking to discern the truth of Christian doctrine:<br>—The truth of any doctrine proposed by the [[magisterium]] is always subordinate and subject to correction according to the interpretation of scripture by the discernment of the individual Christian believer and by the discernment of any group of ordinary like-minded Christians in agreement with each other under the infallible guiding inspiration of the Holy Spirit.<br>—The truth of any doctrine proposed by the individual Christian believer and by the discernment of any group of ordinary like-minded Christians in agreement with each other is always subordinate and subject to correction according to the interpretation of scripture by the discernment of the magisterium under the infallible guiding inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

The ordinary Christian who has read the whole of scripture according to its simple and plain sense is faced with what appear to be the evident teaching in the Bible that no man nor company of men, no church nor public officers, are to interpret the Scripture of their own heads, according to their own minds, so as to make their private sense be the sense of Scripture, but to seek the understanding of it from God in humble obedience to those who are over them as chief shepherds of the flock ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A17&version=RSVCE Hebrews 13:17]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A1-5&version=RSVCE 1 Peter 5:1-5]), who through them shows them the fuller meaning of the word in the word itself, resolving doubts and controversies over it, and by his Spirit leads believers, in their searching the Scripture, into the understanding of his mind in it: God himself being the Author of the word. Those who reject authority reject God ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+13%3A1-2&version=RSVCE Romans 13:1-2]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+23%3A1-12&version=RSVCE Matthew 23:1-12]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+4&version=RSVCE 1&nbsp;Corinthians 4]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A13-17&version=RSVCE 1&nbsp;Peter 3:13-17]). On the principle of ''sola scriptura'' the Bible has no text that commands foully insulting disrespect and disobedience toward authority, either pagan or Christian, civil authority or ecclesiastical head ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+2%3A12-23&version=RSVCE 1 Peter 2:12-23]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A9-17&version=RSVCE 3:9-17]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+2%3A9-11&version=RSVCE 2 Peter 2:9-11]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jude+1%3A8-10&version=RSVCE Jude 8-10]).

The ordinary Christian who has read the whole of scripture according to its simple and plain sense is faced with what appears to be the evident teaching in the Bible that no man nor company of men, no church nor public officers, are to interpret the Scripture of their own heads, according to their own minds, so as to make their private sense be the sense of Scripture, but to seek the understanding of it from God in humble obedience to those who are over them as chief shepherds of the flock ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A17&version=RSVCE Hebrews 13:17]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A1-5&version=RSVCE 1 Peter 5:1-5]), who through them shows them the fuller meaning of the word in the word itself, resolving doubts and controversies over it, and by his Spirit leads believers, in their searching the Scripture, into the understanding of his mind in it: God himself being the Author of the word. Those who reject authority reject God ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+13%3A1-2&version=RSVCE Romans 13:1-2]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+23%3A1-12&version=RSVCE Matthew 23:1-12]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+4&version=RSVCE 1&nbsp;Corinthians 4]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A13-17&version=RSVCE 1&nbsp;Peter 3:13-17]). On the principle of ''sola scriptura'' the Bible has no text that commands foully insulting disrespect and disobedience toward authority, either pagan or Christian, civil authority or ecclesiastical head ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+2%3A12-23&version=RSVCE 1 Peter 2:12-23]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A9-17&version=RSVCE 3:9-17]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+2%3A9-11&version=RSVCE 2 Peter 2:9-11]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jude+1%3A8-10&version=RSVCE Jude 8-10]).

The following resources are relevant to the issue of [[discernment|discernment of truth]] "''When the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth, forever.''" (John 14:15-16; 16:12-14)<br>—'''[[Epistles of Ignatius]]''' ''about A.D. 110, regarding authority in the [[Early Christianity|early church]].''<br>—[https://www.britannica.com/topic/pentarchy '''Pentarchy - Christianity''' - Britannica Encyclopedia (britannica.com)] "''Rule of Five''"—''The historical development of the five primary Patriarchates of the Christian Catholic Church, and the controversial removal of the Primacy of Authority from the Bishop of Rome to the Patriarch of Constantinople by the Emperor as earthly head of the Church.'' <br>—[https://www.britannica.com/topic/caesaropapism '''Caesaropapism''' - Britannica Encyclopedia (britannica.com)]<br>—[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08084c.htm '''Conflict of Investitures''' - Catholic Encyclopedia (newadvent.org)]<br>—[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_movements_declared_heretical_by_the_Catholic_Church '''List of movements declared heretical by the Catholic Church''' - Wikipedia]<br>—[http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo10/l10exdom.htm '''''Exsurge Domini'' Condemning the Errors of Martin Luther''' (papalencyclicals.net)]<br>—[http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/luther/againstexecrablebull.html '''Against the Execrable Bull of the Antichrist (exerpt)''' (law2.umke.edu)]<br>—[http://beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com/2007/11/luther-sola-scriptura-had-devastating.html '''Luther: Sola Scriptura Had a "Devastating Effect"?''' – Beggars All (beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com)]<br>—[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/ecumenical/athenagoras_romancatholicism.htm '''Christian Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism''', by Archbishop Athenagoras (Kokkinakis) of Thyatira (orthodoxresearchinstitute.org)]<br>—[http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/prot_rc_heresy.aspx '''Are Protestantism and Roman Catholicism Heretical?''' (orthodoxinfo.com)]<br>—[https://answersingenesis.org/hermeneutics/how-we-interpret-the-bible-principles-for-understanding/ '''How Should We Interpret the Bible, Part 1: Principles for Understanding God's Word. Apologetics''', by Tim Chaffey (answersingenesis.org)]<br>—[http://www.tyndalesploughboy.org/about/ '''Tyndale's Ploughboy''', Dr. Herbert L. Samworth (tyndalesploughboy.org)] ''Protestant [[Hermeneutics]] on "Rightly dividing the Word of Truth"—Dr. Samworth offers a practical program of informed Biblical interpretation and systematic study from the Protestant perspective and Evangelical Christian tradition.'' (The Holy Spirit leading into all truth.)<br>—[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2009/06/catholic-interpretation-of-scripture-hermeneutics-exegesis-resource-list-links.html '''Biblical Evidence for Catholicism with Dave Armstrong: Catholic Hermeneutics and Exegesis: Resources and Links''', Dave Armstrong (patheos.com)] ''Catholic Hermeneutics on "Holding to the traditions which you were taught" in which "we have the mind of Christ"—Dave Armstrong offers guidelines to an informed understanding of scripture without distortion and a listing of online sites and resources with practical programs of study from the Catholic perspective of 2000 years of orthodox catholic Christian tradition.'' (The Holy Spirit leading into all truth.)<br>—[https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/glory2godforallthings/2008/05/02/an-orthodox-hermeneutic/ '''An Orthodox Hermeneutic''', by Fr. Stephen Freeman (ancientfaith.com)] ''Orthodox Hermeneutics as the legitimate expression of the Christian doctrine that '''the Church''' is "manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart" ([http://biblehub.com/commentaries/2_corinthians/3-3.htm 2&nbsp;Corinthians 3:3])—Fr. Freeman declares that, to a certain extent, to say that the Scriptures are the Church’s book is a [[tautology]], for either the Church as a whole, tradition, scripture and worship, is that epistle, written in the fleshy tables of the heart, or it is not the Church at all. Therefore a legitimately informed understanding of sacred scripture is properly done only according to the whole content of the pure Orthodox Faith of the Apostles apart from the adulterations of illegitimate and heretical distortions of non-Orthodox heterodoxy''. See '''''Orthodox Study Bible''''' [http://store.ancientfaith.com/orthodox-study-bible/] [https://en.orthodoxwiki.org/Orthodox_Study_Bible] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Study_Bible]. (The Holy Spirit leading into all truth.)<br>—[http://www.thecatholictreasurechest.com/apostasy.htm '''The So-called "Great Apostasy" Has Already Come to Pass! But it did not happen when non-Catholics claim it happened.''' And Holy Scripture teaches that it could not be the Church which Jesus Christ founded. Written by Bob Stanley (thecatholictreasurechest.com)]<br>—[http://www.bible.ca/tongues-neo-montanism.htm '''Neo-Montanism: Pentecostalism is the ancient heresy of [[Montanism]] revived''' (bible.ca)]<br>—[https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2013/october/charismatic-renewal-movement.html '''Understanding The Charismatic Movement''', Ed Stetzer (christianitytoday.com)]

The following resources are relevant to the issue of [[discernment|discernment of truth]] "''When the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth, forever.''" (John 14:15-16; 16:12-14)<br>—'''[[Epistles of Ignatius]]''' ''about A.D. 110, regarding authority in the [[Early Christianity|early church]].''<br>—[https://www.britannica.com/topic/pentarchy '''Pentarchy - Christianity''' - Britannica Encyclopedia (britannica.com)] "''Rule of Five''"—''The historical development of the five primary Patriarchates of the Christian Catholic Church, and the controversial removal of the Primacy of Authority from the Bishop of Rome to the Patriarch of Constantinople by the Emperor as earthly head of the Church.'' <br>—[https://www.britannica.com/topic/caesaropapism '''Caesaropapism''' - Britannica Encyclopedia (britannica.com)]<br>—[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08084c.htm '''Conflict of Investitures''' - Catholic Encyclopedia (newadvent.org)]<br>—[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_movements_declared_heretical_by_the_Catholic_Church '''List of movements declared heretical by the Catholic Church''' - Wikipedia]<br>—[http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo10/l10exdom.htm '''''Exsurge Domini'' Condemning the Errors of Martin Luther''' (papalencyclicals.net)]<br>—[http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/luther/againstexecrablebull.html '''Against the Execrable Bull of the Antichrist (exerpt)''' (law2.umke.edu)]<br>—[http://beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com/2007/11/luther-sola-scriptura-had-devastating.html '''Luther: Sola Scriptura Had a "Devastating Effect"?''' – Beggars All (beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com)]<br>—[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/ecumenical/athenagoras_romancatholicism.htm '''Christian Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism''', by Archbishop Athenagoras (Kokkinakis) of Thyatira (orthodoxresearchinstitute.org)]<br>—[http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/prot_rc_heresy.aspx '''Are Protestantism and Roman Catholicism Heretical?''' (orthodoxinfo.com)]<br>—[https://answersingenesis.org/hermeneutics/how-we-interpret-the-bible-principles-for-understanding/ '''How Should We Interpret the Bible, Part 1: Principles for Understanding God's Word. Apologetics''', by Tim Chaffey (answersingenesis.org)]<br>—[http://www.tyndalesploughboy.org/about/ '''Tyndale's Ploughboy''', Dr. Herbert L. Samworth (tyndalesploughboy.org)] ''Protestant [[Hermeneutics]] on "Rightly dividing the Word of Truth"—Dr. Samworth offers a practical program of informed Biblical interpretation and systematic study from the Protestant perspective and Evangelical Christian tradition.'' (The Holy Spirit leading into all truth.)<br>—[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2009/06/catholic-interpretation-of-scripture-hermeneutics-exegesis-resource-list-links.html '''Biblical Evidence for Catholicism with Dave Armstrong: Catholic Hermeneutics and Exegesis: Resources and Links''', Dave Armstrong (patheos.com)] ''Catholic Hermeneutics on "Holding to the traditions which you were taught" in which "we have the mind of Christ"—Dave Armstrong offers guidelines to an informed understanding of scripture without distortion and a listing of online sites and resources with practical programs of study from the Catholic perspective of 2000 years of orthodox catholic Christian tradition.'' (The Holy Spirit leading into all truth.)<br>—[https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/glory2godforallthings/2008/05/02/an-orthodox-hermeneutic/ '''An Orthodox Hermeneutic''', by Fr. Stephen Freeman (ancientfaith.com)] ''Orthodox Hermeneutics as the legitimate expression of the Christian doctrine that '''the Church''' is "manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart" ([http://biblehub.com/commentaries/2_corinthians/3-3.htm 2&nbsp;Corinthians 3:3])—Fr. Freeman declares that, to a certain extent, to say that the Scriptures are the Church’s book is a [[tautology]], for either the Church as a whole, tradition, scripture and worship, is that epistle, written in the fleshy tables of the heart, or it is not the Church at all. Therefore a legitimately informed understanding of sacred scripture is properly done only according to the whole content of the pure Orthodox Faith of the Apostles apart from the adulterations of illegitimate and heretical distortions of non-Orthodox heterodoxy''. See '''''Orthodox Study Bible''''' [http://store.ancientfaith.com/orthodox-study-bible/] [https://en.orthodoxwiki.org/Orthodox_Study_Bible] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Study_Bible]. (The Holy Spirit leading into all truth.)<br>—[http://www.thecatholictreasurechest.com/apostasy.htm '''The So-called "Great Apostasy" Has Already Come to Pass! But it did not happen when non-Catholics claim it happened.''' And Holy Scripture teaches that it could not be the Church which Jesus Christ founded. Written by Bob Stanley (thecatholictreasurechest.com)]<br>—[http://www.bible.ca/tongues-neo-montanism.htm '''Neo-Montanism: Pentecostalism is the ancient heresy of [[Montanism]] revived''' (bible.ca)]<br>—[https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2013/october/charismatic-renewal-movement.html '''Understanding The Charismatic Movement''', Ed Stetzer (christianitytoday.com)]

*'''''not''''' one founded by someone who teaches that the established secular governments and the religious authorities of any long-established institutional church of organized religion have no authority from God that the people of God are obligated to obey,

*'''''not''''' one founded by someone who teaches that the established secular governments and the religious authorities of any long-established institutional church of organized religion have no authority from God that the people of God are obligated to obey,

*'''''not''''' one founded by someone who takes words out of the original languages of the book of the Bible or adds them,

*'''''not''''' one founded by someone who takes words out of the original languages of the book of the Bible or adds them,

*'''''not''''' one founded by someone who falsifies copies of the Bible with changed texts, forged manuscipts or inaccurate translations which change its meaning,

*'''''not''''' one founded by someone who falsifies copies of the Bible with changed texts, forged manuscripts or inaccurate translations which change its meaning,

*'''''not''''' one founded by someone who removed books from the Bible or added books to the Bible,

*'''''not''''' one founded by someone who removed books from the Bible or added books to the Bible,

*'''''not''''' one founded by someone who changes the understanding of the meaning of biblical texts or the Bible as a whole with doctrinal distortions of interpretation and agenda-based commentaries,  

*'''''not''''' one founded by someone who changes the understanding of the meaning of biblical texts or the Bible as a whole with doctrinal distortions of interpretation and agenda-based commentaries,  

See '''[https://www.catholic.com/tract/the-great-heresies The Great Heresies (catholic.com)]''' <br>''a list of heresies committed by Catholics''.<br>See [[Logical fallacy]].

See '''[https://www.catholic.com/tract/the-great-heresies The Great Heresies (catholic.com)]''' <br>''a list of heresies committed by Catholics''.<br>See [[Logical fallacy]].

Against this argument, Evangelical, Reformed, Baptist and Fundamentalist Christians proclaim that a [[Great Apostasy]] occurred shortly after the death of the last of the twelve original apostles of Jesus, which destroyed the purity of the Gospel as early as A.D. 95, and by compromise with pagan cultural influences ([[Gradualism]]) diluted it with false doctrine, pagan philosophy and pagan practices of mysticism and idolatry, and then utterly rejected the true Gospel by replacing it with a merit-driven system of salvation based solely on good works alone, which cultivates pride, and turns people against the holiness of God and the simple gift of unmerited salvation to be found in Jesus Christ alone, an apostasy from the truth of God which drove the Holy Spirit away. They argue that the Holy Spirit returned after an absence of 1500 years to restore to the earth the fullness of the purity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the inspired ministry of the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformers]] and the miraculous mass printing and distribution of the Bible which they had purged of false [[apocrypha]]l writings they proclaimed were inspired by the Devil, writings which lent support to "the damnable pagan doctrines of Catholicism and Orthodoxy".

Against this argument, Evangelical, Reformed, Baptist, and Fundamentalist Christians proclaim that a [[Great Apostasy]] occurred shortly after the death of the last of the twelve original apostles of Jesus, which destroyed the purity of the Gospel as early as A.D. 95, and by compromise with pagan cultural influences ([[Gradualism]]) diluted it with false doctrine, pagan philosophy and pagan practices of mysticism and idolatry, and then utterly rejected the true Gospel by replacing it with a merit-driven system of salvation based solely on good works alone, which cultivates pride, and turns people against the holiness of God and the simple gift of unmerited salvation to be found in Jesus Christ alone, apostasy from the truth of God which drove the Holy Spirit away. They argue that the Holy Spirit returned after an absence of 1500 years to restore to the earth the fullness of the purity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the inspired ministry of the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformers]] and the miraculous mass printing and distribution of the Bible which they had purged of false [[apocrypha]]l writings they proclaimed were inspired by the Devil, writings which lent support to "the damnable pagan doctrines of Catholicism and Orthodoxy."

Many former Catholics and Orthodox have accepted this argument to justify their conversion to Protestantism in direct opposition to Catholic and Orthodox doctrines. Many Protestants, Evangelical, Reformed, Baptist, and Fundamentalist Christians, use this same reasoning to justify avoidance of all contact with Catholicism and Orthodoxy and all published Catholic and Orthodox [[Apologetics|apologetic]] literature as deceitful and soul-destroying lies cunningly inspired by [[Satan]] and coming from the pits of hell, [[Specious reasoning|speciously]] disguised as truth.

Many former Catholics and Orthodox have accepted this argument to justify their conversion to Protestantism in direct opposition to Catholic and Orthodox doctrines. Many Protestants, Evangelical, Reformed, Baptist, and Fundamentalist Christians, use this same reasoning to justify avoidance of all contact with Catholicism and Orthodoxy and all published Catholic and Orthodox [[Apologetics|apologetic]] literature as deceitful and soul-destroying lies cunningly inspired by [[Satan]] and coming from the pits of hell, [[Specious reasoning|speciously]] disguised as truth.

See [http://www.thecatholictreasurechest.com/apostasy.htm '''The So-called "Great Apostasy" Has Already Come to Pass! But it did not happen when non-Catholics claim it happened''' (thecatholictreasurechest.com)]  

See [http://www.thecatholictreasurechest.com/apostasy.htm '''The So-called "Great Apostasy" Has Already Come to Pass! But it did not happen when non-Catholics claim it happened''' (thecatholictreasurechest.com)]  

According to the logical form of the arguments above, '''''If''''' the truth of the Gospel has ever been lost for any length of time and the chief leaders and shepherds of the church led the people into apostasy after the death of the apostles '''''then''''' Jesus did not keep his promise and he is a false teacher. <br>'''''If''''' Jesus kept his promise and the Holy Spirit has ''never failed'' to infallibly guide the chief leaders and shepherds of the church into all truth '''''then''''' every charge of apostasy and false doctrine presented against the church (which has continued to exist and preach and teach since the time of the original apostles) is a false charge, and those who make these false charges are false teachers (who have been deceived).<br>Historical records of the 16th century debates between leading Catholic theologians and Protestant Reformation leaders and theologians show that Protestantism firmly rejects this argument as "''clever [[sophistry]]''" inspired by the Devil. See for example  

According to the logical form of the arguments above, '''''If''''' the truth of the Gospel has ever been lost for any length of time and the chief leaders and shepherds of the church led the people into apostasy after the death of the apostles '''''then''''' Jesus did not keep his promise and he is a false teacher. <br>'''''If''''' Jesus kept his promise and the Holy Spirit has ''never failed'' to infallibly guide the chief leaders and shepherds of the church into all truth '''''then''''' every charge of apostasy and false doctrine presented against the church (which has continued to exist and preach and teach since the time of the original apostles) is a false charge, and those who make these false charges are false teachers (who have been deceived).<br>Historical records of the 16th-century debates between leading Catholic theologians and Protestant Reformation leaders and theologians show that Protestantism firmly rejects this argument as "''clever [[sophistry]]''" inspired by the Devil. See for example  

*[https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/how-to-make-sound-arguments-for-the-faith '''How to Make Sound Arguments for the Faith''', by Matt Fradd]

*[https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/how-to-make-sound-arguments-for-the-faith '''How to Make Sound Arguments for the Faith''', by Matt Fradd]

*[http://www.protestanterrors.com/ '''The Errors of Protestantism''' (protestanterrors.com)]

*[http://www.protestanterrors.com/ '''The Errors of Protestantism''' (protestanterrors.com)]