An extraordinary event occurred on January 18th, 2000, that went largely
unnoticed by the world's media. On that day Pope John Paul II opened the
fourth and final holy door in Rome at St. Paul's outside the walls, a symbolic
proclamation of the Jubilee year, along with its plenary papal indulgence.
By attending this event in the name of unity, the participants were, in
effect, acknowledging the primacy of the papacy and the authority of
the pope to grant indulgences! Among the more prominent attendees were the
Archbishop of Canterbury, representing the Anglican Church, and the president
of the Lutheran World Federation, representing approximately 90% of the
world's Lutherans. Below are links that detail this amazing event, which is
truly a milestone marker on the road that is apparently leading some
denominations to ultimate unity with the papacy and the Church of Rome,
perhaps in the not too distant future.
The Future of
Ecumenical Dialogue.
Dramatic Papal Plea
for Christian Unity!
Pope
Gathers Church Leaders.
The "ceremony is a new form of ecumenical exercise of the
Pope's authority."
What is a Jubilee Year?
What is an Indulgence?
Pope
John Paul II Declares A Plenary Jubilee Indulgence: Incarnationis Mysterium.
Martin Luther's 95 Theses on Indulgences.
The Bible does have something to say about the opening of holy doors:
Rev 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These
things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of
David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man
openeth;
Rev 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door,
and no man can shut it:
In contrast to scripture, next year the holy doors of Rome
will all be closed, and the special papal indulgence ended, until the next
Catholic Jubilee year of 2025. But God has opened a door to forgiveness that
no Pope can shut:
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
...
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin
not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the righteous:
The biblical way to forgiveness is to go to Jesus Christ
directly, our advocate with the Father, but not by passing through
cathedral doors in Rome or papal indulgences.
