Welcome to this week’s “Throwback Thursday” installment. Today, we’re going to revisit a post that was originally published back on August 28, 2017 and has been slightly revised.
Shall We Accept the Pope’s Invitation to Unite with the Roman Church?
By H. A. Ironside
CrossReach Publications, 2016, 23 pp.
In this Kindle ebook booklet, H. A. Ironside (photo right, 1876-1951), former pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, remarks* upon pope Pius XI’s 1931 encyclical, “Lux Veritatis” (The Light of Truth), in which Pius “invited dissident branches of (c)hristianity to return to ‘the one fold’ under the pope.” Ironside cites both Scripture and church history to dispute Pius’ claims that the church has always “recognized the supreme authority of the bishop of Rome” and his alleged infallible teaching on matters of faith and morals. Pius goes on in the declaration to present Mary as the catalyst for (c)hristian unity, but Ironside references Scripture to thoroughly refute Catholicism’s Marian traditions.
Catholicism would greatly develop its ecumenical agenda with its “Unitatis redintegratio” (Restoration of unity) document in 1964 as part of the Second Vatican Council.
This short pamphlet would be a good introduction to the Catholic notions of (c)hristian “unity” and Mariolatry, with the qualifier that a lot of water has gone over the dam since 1931. A 2015 survey showed 58% of evangelical pastors consider the pope to be their “brother in Christ.” These days many evangelical leaders visit the Vatican and jostle in line for a photo op with the pope. Ironside would be sadly amazed. ☹
Order from Amazon here. The sermon is also presented free of charge at Moody Church’s website here.
*This pamphlet is actually a transcription of a sermon given by Ironside in 1932.
excatholic4christ 
Thanks for the link to this book, Tom and the pamphlet looks good. Yes, H.A. Ironside, like many others from older eras, would be horrified by the state of things today. Rome never changes, while pathetic “evangelicals” trip over themselves to get a photo op with the Pope. Sometimes we feel alone in our stance but the Lord is with us.
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Thanks, Elizabeth. What a contrast between then and now in regards to compromise with Rome and fidelity to the genuine Gospel.
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Today the pastors calling the pope a brother is probably higher than 58%. Instead of warning about Rome pastors today are encouraging unity. While I know that this is obviously bad, sometimes I think it’s much worse than we all realize. I’m looking forward to reading the pamphlet later today. Thanks for the information.
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Thanks, Cathy. The following details from the 2015 Lifeway survey will put things in better perspective:
1000 “evangelical” pastors were asked if the pope was their brother in Christ.
58% said Yes.
19% were Undecided
23% said No.
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Excellent brother Tom! I’ll check this out. I appreciate the resource recommendation.
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Thanks, brother Michael! I always appreciate it when resources are free.
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well, I never knew what the author look like look like
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Ironside was a familiar name back in the day. The pastors of Moody Church were once very influential and also Moody Publishers and Moody Bible Institute. I subscribed to Moody Monthly magazine as a new Christian back in the early 1980s.
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Wow
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I’m behind on block reading!
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Understandable. I pray things are going well for you.
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Thanks
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