Michele Bachmann Should Not 'Get a Pass' on Past Membership in Anti-Catholic Church

By Keith A. Fournier
7/18/2011
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

The news and blogosphere is filled with responses to the story by Joshua Green, the Senior Editor of the Atlantic

During the last election, a question was raised about then candidate Barack Obama concerning his membership in a Church body which espoused Anti-Americanism. Will some of those same people ask this candidate, whom they seem to agree with on issues, about her affiliation with a Church body which espoused overt Anti-Catholicism?

Michelle Bachmann

Facebook Delicous MySpace

Twitter Stumble Digg

More Destinations

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - The news and blogosphere is filled with responses to the July 14, 2011 story by Joshua Green, the Senior Editor of the Atlantic, entitled "Michele Bachmann's Church Says the Pope Is the Antichrist." That is because it raises a serious matter which should not be taken lightly, and one which the candidate must address.

First, let me share some personal context. I am what is often called a "revert" to the Catholic Church, someone who returned to the Church of my childhood after a long search for the truth. I love being a Catholic Christian. I hold an undergraduate degree and a master's degree in Catholic theology. I am a dissertation away from obtaining a PhD in Catholic Moral Theology. I am also a member of the Clergy, a Deacon. However, I write this article as a private and very concerned citizen.

I am a lawyer. I have spent much of my career in Pro-life, Pro-Family and Religious freedom work, forging alliances between Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical and Protestant Christians. My goal has been to effect cultural, social and political change. Like the old country song "I was Country when Country wasn't Cool", I could say "I was ecumenical when ecumenical wasn't cool". I cut my activist teeth on evangelical and Catholic collaboration.

I share all of this in order to establish that I do not have an anti-Protestant bone in my body and that I know this subject well. Among the early responders to his article, some point out that Joshua Green did not treat the subject well due to a lack of theological knowledge of the subject matter. Let's consider that claim first.

I will admit that Mr. Green's story did not address the progress in relationships between some segments of the Lutheran community and the Catholic Church. In fact, an historic accord was signed on (Protestant) Reformation Day, 31 October 1999, All Saints Day eve, which shows the work of the Holy Spirit in healing a significant division between Catholics and Lutherans.

This document is entitled the "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification" (JDDJ) between the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church. It can be read in its entirety on the Vatican Website. The dialogue also gave rise to an Annex which addresses implications on the relationship between the Catholic Church and Lutherans which can also be read there.

The Annex contains these promising words "the mutual condemnations of former times do not apply to the Catholic and Lutheran doctrines of justification as they are presented in the Joint Declaration." In other words, not all Lutherans hold the virulently anti-Catholic sentiment endorsed by the Lutheran Church body to which Michele Bachmann formerly belonged.

However, Joshua Greens' story properly addresses the fact that the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, a Church body with which the candidate was connected for many years, does. It was -and still is - Anti-Catholic. In an introduction to their doctrinal statement we read this assertion, "As Martin Luther grew in his appreciation of the gospel; he also grew in his recognition that the Papacy is the Antichrist." They then claim that belief as their own.

Here are a couple of snippets from their "Statement on the Antichrist": "Now, it is manifest that the Roman pontiffs, with their adherents, defend [and practice] godless doctrines and godless services. And the marks [all the vices] of Antichrist plainly agree with the kingdom of the Pope and his adherents.. [A]ll Christians ought to beware of becoming partakers of the godless doctrine, blasphemies, and unjust cruelty of the Pope. On this account they ought to desert and execrate the Pope with his adherents as the kingdom of Antichrist; just as Christ has commanded."

To his credit, Joshua Green of the Atlantic footnoted this document. It is taken directly from the web site of the Lutheran Body to which Michelle Bachmann belonged for many years. She left the Church in the last year, submitting her request in writing. However, these Anti-Catholic positions were and are available to anyone who goes to that site, including Michele Bachmann. To use an old legal term, res ipse loquitor, the thing speaks for itself.

And what it says is not only repugnant to Catholics; it should be repugnant to other Christians, ...

1 | 2 Next Page

Rate This Article

Was this helpful to you? Very Helpful Somewhat Helpful Not Helpful at All

Would you be interested in more articles like this? Yes, I am Interested No, I am not Interested

Rate Article

1 - 10 of 129 Comments

RonL
1 year ago
MGM wrote:
"Catholics today in the public light are expected to know understand and explain everything their Church has taught or done or what Catholics have done ,not done or failed to oppose in the name of Christ from the third-century to the Third-Reich! as a Jew are you going to give us Catholics a pass on the then medieval -Church's teaching for the necessity of the Inquisition somehow I think not."
They shouldn't be. Catholic dogma has changed. Moreover, the Nazis were anti-Catholic neopagans. There is nothing Catholic about the death of St. Maximillian Kolbe or Edith Stein in the Holocaust, other than their martyrdom.
The inquisition was not aimed at actual Jews but at crypto-Jews, crypto-Muslims, and non-Catholic Christians. I would hardly call the rampant anti-semetism of the left in Spain an improvement.

But I'm a right-wing Jew, not a a victim-cultists.
JoAnn
1 year ago
Rob: As long as the sanctity of life is not upheld, this country will always be divided, no matter who is in office. It is the PEOPLE that have to have a change of heart and wipe this abomination out. Debt ceiling, spending, Rep. party, Dem. party and everything else doesn't amount to a hill of beans. As long as we remain disobedient to God's laws, this country will never prosper. We have thrown God out of our country, why should He continue to bless us? Every Catholic out there needs to get on their knees in front of the Blessed Sacrament in adoration as often as they can and pray for this country like you have never prayed before. This country is going to he-- in a handbasket and I, personally, am not going with it. PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!
vance
1 year ago
Rob, I guess that Marxist Kool-Aid is cold and refreshing on these hot days. New info reveals that Bush spent 1.6 Billion dollars a day WHILE Obama is now spending 4.1 Billion Dollars a DAY. The Marxist-in-Chief and his Marxist minion Harry Reid have no intentions on solving our Great Depression II problems. They are hell bent that this country is going down. Companies are laying off by the thousands. Yet you continue to carry Obama's water like an obedient servant. As I've said before, Obama should be proud to have an obedient servant. That's how he and others like him get elected.
Rob
1 year ago
JoAnn, have you ever considered the fact that the spending by Obama was merely what was needed to cover up decades of fiscal malfeasance by those in DC? Make no mistake, when the economy collapsed towards the end of the Bush presidency, the powers that be had no intentions of letting things unravel too much. If they did and we truly felt the impact of what they had done we would have probably had an armed revolution. But instead, they have TARP and stimulus programs merely to cover it up. Sure they tell us it's for jobs, but nope, it's to make sure the status quo is maintained so they keep us fat, dumb and happy. Obama just has the misfortune of being president when this all came apart. It's unfortunate that "he" generated the debt he did, but sadly the first stimulus program didn't cover it all up. But I think this time they really screwed things up because even that couldn't cover things up for long. So many decades of overspending, making promises we didn't even try to keep, a decade of unfunded wars, vote buying and pork spending have now all come crashing down. The result, the mess we have in DC right now as they scramble to find a solution to the mess that has been decades in the making. And the sad truth is their is no solution anymore. Yes, they will raise the debt ceiling as they have always done. Any minute now they will annouce the grand plan that will have "large" cuts that no one can figure out and for a time, the status quo will be maintained. We'll go on with our bickering and they will laugh all the way to the bank. Evil agenda?? They all do. It's about them getting ahead, maintaining power and they will do anything and say anything for that power. It does not matter what party is in power, it really doesn't. But the joke really is on us for thinking that one party has the answer or that one is solely to blame. But so long as we continue to think that, they win. Keep the people fat, dumb and happy. Keep the people divided and they can never effect change, never.
John from Nebraska
1 year ago
I would think that there are bigger "fish to fry" than Bachmann's supposed anti-catholic thinking.

RE: the Republican Front Runner Mitt Romney: http://inthearena.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/07/tricia-erickson-an-indoctrinated-mormon-should-never-be-elected-as-president/
JoAnn
1 year ago
Vance: Thank you. You are very kind. God Bless You.
vance
1 year ago
JoAnn, very well said.
JoAnn
1 year ago
John D: Thank you. May God Bless you too.
JoAnn
1 year ago
Rob: Yes, that was one of the things I was unhappy with regarding the GOP. While Bush was in office, they did spend entirely too much. But absolutely no one spends money like the Dems. Obama spends $4B a DAY. He has spent 40% more than the GOP. As a matter of fact, he has spent more money than any other president from Geo. Washington to Ronald Reagan. He is purposely overwhelming the U. S. economy to create systemic failure, economic crisis and social chaos--thereby destroying capitalism and our country from within. You say you don't think he is smart enough. Obama is no fool. He is not incompetent. To the contrary, he is brilliant. He knows exactly what he's doing. He has an evil agenda and if he gets in for another 4 yrs., you won't recognize this country. I'm having a hard time recognizing it now. He has weakened the US, his policy on homeland security is next to nothing and he is too sympathetic to our enemies. He is throwing Israel (our friendliest and most trusted ally) under the bus. He wants open borders because he hates capitalism and colonialism. (I think we've discussed this before) He is the biggest offender of human rights. Not far behind China, etc. He is subjecting our country to a Machiavellian game plan to turn the US into a Socialist/Marxist state with a permanent majority that desperately needs government for survival--and can be counted on to always vote for bigger government. He is not doing this all alone. He has plenty of help with his Czars & Andy Stern, "weather underground hippie/radical Bill Ayers and so on. His regulation Czar, Cass Sustein calls us Homer Simpsons. Since abortion is the law of the land, it is not going to be easy to overturn Roe v Wade but a lot of progress has been made on local levels. At least in my state it has. Humanity is supposed to evolve into higher, more intelligent spiritual beings but the opposite has occurred. We are turning into hateful, barbaric, selfish anarchist and we have just about become ungovernable.
Rob
1 year ago
JoAnn, the problem I have as that when it comes to money the GOP has managed to do a lot without the numbers. But for whatever reason they won't put the same energy into pro-life issues. I just don't think they get a pass on this issue if that is the primary reason we are putting them in office. The bigger problem is that these guys have us exactly where they want us. They know we won't vote for the other guy, so the pressure really isn't on to deliver. That is a huge problem for the American people.

Prev12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next

Comments submitted must be civil, remain on-topic and not violate any laws including copyright. We reserve the right to delete any comments which are abusive, inappropriate or not constructive to the discussion.

Though we invite robust discussion, we reserve the right to not publish any comment which denigrates the human person, undermines marriage and the family, or advocates for positions which openly oppose the teaching of the Catholic Church.

This is a supervised forum and the Editors of Catholic Online retain the right to direct it.

We also reserve the right to block any commenter for repeated violations. Your email address is required to post, but it will not be published on the site.

We ask that you NOT post your comment more than once. Catholic Online is growing and our ability to review all comments sometimes results in a delay in their publication.

Name *

Email *

Comment *

Send me important information from Catholic Online and it's partners. See Sample

Post Comment