U2 & Organized Religion
Dear Catholic Exchange:
I have been a U2 fan for 20 years.
It was nice to see them get some recognition by Mr. Mattingly. [“Rockers U2 Bedevil Modern Church”]They have been extremely helpful to me on my spiritual journey.
U2 sings about Judas (“Until the End of the “World”), Psalms (“40”), grace (“Beautiful Day” and “Grace”), Christ's victory on the cross (“Sunday Bloody Sunday”) and the Holy Spirit (“Mysterious Ways”).
U2 has songs called “Gloria” (in te dominae) and “Rejoice.”
U2 ends their concerts giving praise “to the Almighty” and 20,000 people singing “Alleluia”.
While they may not be in any of the “rooms” in C. S. Lewis' house (although I think Bono and the Edge are closer to Catholicism than they once were), they are definitely in the “hallway.”
Those who criticize the sincerity of U2's message really miss out on a great tool for evangelization.
Pat Campbell
Dear Catholic Exchange:
May I suggest that perhaps Bono's statement about “organized religion” does not reflect a loss of faith, but the typical attitude among “born again Christians” that Christianity isn't a religion but a relationship with Christ?
Evangelicals define “religion” as a bunch of dead rituals and “do's and dont's” by which mankind tries in vain to reach God. They contrast that with God reaching down to us by becoming man. As a result, many Evangelicals speak of “religion,” particularly “organized religion”, with a distain similar to that of atheists! Their view of religion may be faulty, but it could explain Bono's statement perfectly!
Just my two cents. God bless.
In Jesu et Maria,
Rosemarie
I think you're right on the money, Rosemarie. Bono means well as, I’m sure, do the great majority of Evangelicals. They just seem to want God to conform to their image and not the other way around.
Thanks for your feedback and support.
In JMJ,
Tom Allen
Editor, CE
Do Muslims Worship the Catholic God?
Dear Catholic Exchange:
Does paragraph 841 of the new Catholic Catechism conflict with paragraphs 290,291,& 292? Do Muslims worship the SAME God as we do?
Deacon Nagle
Dear Deacon Nagle:
Paragraph 841 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church says:
841. The Church's relationship with the Muslims. “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day.” [LG 16; cf. NA 3.]”
Paragraphs 290-292 read:
290. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”:[Gen 1:1.] three things are affirmed in these first words of Scripture: the eternal God gave a beginning to all that exists outside of himself; he alone is Creator (the verb “create” – Hebrew bara – always has God for its subject). The totality of what exists (expressed by the formula “the heavens and the earth”) depends on the One who gives it being.”
291. “In the beginning was the Word. . . and the Word was God. . . all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” [Jn 1:1-3 .] The New Testament reveals that God created everything by the eternal Word, his beloved Son. In him “all things were created, in heaven and on earth… all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” [Col 1:16-17 .] The Church's faith likewise confesses the creative action of the Holy Spirit, the “giver of life”, “the Creator Spirit” (Veni, Creator Spiritus), the “source of every good.” [Cf. Nicene Creed: DS 150; Hymn Veni, Creator Spiritus; Byzantine Troparion of Pentecost Vespers, “O heavenly King, Consoler”.]”
292. The Old Testament suggests and the New Covenant reveals the creative action of the Son and the Spirit,[Cf. Ps 33 6 ; Ps 104:30 ; Gen 1:2-3 .] inseparably one with that of the Father. This creative co-operation is clearly affirmed in the Church's rule of faith: “There exists but one God. . . he is the Father, God, the Creator, the author, the giver of order. He made all things by himself, that is, by his Word and by his Wisdom,” “by the Son and the Spirit” who, so to speak, are “his hands.” [St. Irenaeus, Adv. haeres. 2, 30, 9; 4, 20, I: PG 7/1, 822, 1032.] Creation is the common work of the Holy Trinity.”
The Church believes that God is a Trinity of persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Church also acknowledges that there are those who worship the God of Abraham, yet do not have access to the fullness of his revelation (namely, Jews and Muslims). Christians, Jews and Muslims recognize that there is one God–the God of Abraham—who made heaven and earth. The fact that neither Jews nor Muslims have access to the fullness of his self-revelation does not mean they worship another God.
There is not another God. It merely means that they do not fully understand the revelation of the only God there is.
Mark Shea
Senior Content Editor
Catholic Exchange
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