The following notice appeared in the latest edition of the Free Presbyterian Church magazine, F P Vision.
What is referred to here by this oblique statement is an article by Jonathan Storey, minister of Mt Merrion Free Presbyterian Church, in which he recommends that we adopt the prayer of the Romanist ‘saint’ Thomas Aquinas, an Italian Dominican friar and priest.
I challenged the publishing of this article in an article entitled:
Is encouraging the adoption of papist prayers official policy of the Free Presbyterian Church?
In the article I wrote:
‘I consider this a most serious and unacceptable breach in our denomination’s adherence to the Word of God and to the Reformed Faith and it is time to call a halt to such violations of our God-ordained stand and witness and deal with those guilty of such.
If the sentiments of this article are not the official position of the Free Presbyterian Church, then how was it sanctioned for publication in an official magazine?’
In a response to my protest at the article, I was told the matter would be addressed in the next edition of the Free Presbyterian Vision.
The above is what is considered as addressing the matter!
If I might liken it unto the address on a letter, it has no name, no house number and no post code and no matter how many stamps are stuck on it, it will not be delivered or read!
* The article displayed a gross ignorance of church history and a bewildering blindness regarding the erroneous teachings of one of the chief architects of popish idolatry.
* The article entailed a dishonouring of the teachings and testimony of God’s Word by the extolling of the prayer of the idol-worshipping, Thomas Aquinas.
* Furthermore, the article dishonoured the stand taken by the Free Presbyterian Church against the errors of Rome since its founding in 1951.
The notice printed in the new issue of the Free Presbyterians Vision falls very far short of adequately dealing with this most serious breach of the doctrinal position of the Free Presbyterian Church.
* It does not mention what it is that is referred to as ‘an unintentional oversight’!
* There is no addressing of the issue of why it was a graduate of the Free Presbyterian Theological Hall would feel it necessary and acceptable to favourably quote the evil leading instigator of the blasphemous idolatry of Romanism.
* In truth there is not even the hint of an apology for what was a most sinful departure from the Word of God and from the confessional standards of the Free Presbyterian Church, and a dishonouring the public testimony of our church.
If the above statement in the church’s official magazine, is accepted as an appropriate explanation for an article that made a travesty of the labours of some 73 years of of Free Presbyterianism to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints,” Jude 3, then we have departed indeed from the position to which the church was called into existence to maintain by the King and Head of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is time for all to stop acting as did the army of Israel when confronted by Goliath — “And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid,” (1 Samuel 17:24) and instead act as did David. “And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine,” 1 Samuel 17:48.
The mocking voice of today’s ‘Goliaths’ have been heard within the ranks of the Free Presbyterian Church for some time now.
It is time for a standing up to the infiltration of our ranks by those determined to alter our stand and bring to an end that which the Lord commenced in 1951.
BROTHER AND SISTER, will you stand and make known your opposition to the drift that our Presbytery seem prepared to officiate over?
Rev Ivan Foster, (Rtd)
HERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE EVIL MAN THOMAS AQUINAS, 1225 – 1274
A brief synopsis of his dreadful legacy
(Rev Michael Patrick, Rtd)
It could well be argued that there was no more important figure in the development of Rome’s apostasy from the Word of God and the Gospel of grace than Thomas Aquinas. Certainly there was no man more influential. He is the patron of countless Catholic universities, colleges and schools all around the world. Since his canonisation to supposed sainthood some fifty years after his death in 1323, the adulation of Rome for this Italian Dominican friar and priest knows no bounds!
Such is the case right up to the 2nd Vatican Council and beyond. The honours and titles heaped on his head are remarkable. He is “the Angelic Doctor, a Doctor of the Church, the Universal Teacher, the Apostle of the Truth, the Morning Star, the light of the Church”, to name a few!
Why is this?
Simply because it was Thomas Aquinas who articulated clearly, concisely and exhaustively the pernicious tenets of Rome: for example, the doctrine of the mass, the central act of worship in the Roman Catholic church but also her unscriptural and superstitious religious practices like the veneration of images.
He did this in his chief theological and philosophical work, the mammoth “Summa Theologica”, to give its Latin title, comprising some two million words!
Significantly, when the Council of Trent convened in 1545, to officially and definitively set forth the teaching of Rome in opposition to the leading doctrines of the Reformers, Aquinas’s massive volume was given peculiar honour by being placed on the altar during their deliberations. It was the Council’s textbook we are told to, “ seek counsel, reason and inspiration.”
Simply, the Dominican theology of Aquinas is, as the respected theologian, Louis Berkhof says, “the official theology of the Church of Rome.” Hence, in the “Catechism of the Catholic Church”, promulgated by John Paul the Second on the 11th of October 1992, Thomas Aquinas is quoted more than any other, some 61 times. Hence again, Aquinas’s “Summa Theologica”, has been over the centuries, the theological textbook for the training of the priests of Rome.
The 2nd Vatican Council (1962-65) reaffirmed that Aquinas should be the supreme guide in theological studies leading to the ordination of priests.
How dreadful is the legacy of Thomas Aquinas. Who could number the untold generations of men and woman down through the centuries who have been darkened, deceived and brought to eternal ruin by the pernicious errors of Romanism promulgated by Thomas Aquinas beyond all others.
Could there be a more dreadful legacy?
Note by the Editor: Readers may be interested in this very full exposure of the true character of Thomas Aquinas and his persecuting of the people of God.
The link was sent to me by Rev Stephen Hamilton.
Aquinas: Not Among the Protestants