Bishops must challenge errant teaching (Update II)

I think the following really speaks for itself.

Vatican, Oct. 3, 2007 (CWNews.com) - Pastors and especially bishops have a solemn duty to "protect the faith of the People of God," Pope Benedict XVI said in his weekly public audience on October 3.

In a talk dedicated primarily to the work of St. Cyril of Alexandria, the Pope underlined the importance of preserving the true faith and combating errors in teaching. He reminded his audience that "anyone who disturbs the least of those who believe in Christ will suffer unbearable punishment."

St. Cyril, who was bishop of Alexander for 30 years in the early 5th century, was energetic in fighting the Nestorian heresy because he recognized the vital importance of maintaining the apostolic tradition intact, Pope Benedict said. That tradition, the Pontiff added, is "a guarantee of continuity with the apostles and with Christ Himself."

For his efforts, St. Cyril was recognized as the "custodian of accuracy-- in other words, the custodian of the true faith," the Pope observed. He stressed that the duty to preserve that faith, free from error, "remains valid today."

St. Cyril found it necessary to challenge the influence of his colleague Nestorius, the Bishop of Constantinople, because Nestorius taught that Mary was the "mother of Christ" but not the "mother of God." The error of that teaching, Pope Benedict explained, lies in the fact that "safeguarding the importance of Christ's humanity led to the assertion that it was divided from his divinity, thus denying the true union between God and man in Christ."

St. Cyril demanded and won the recognition of the Christian world that Christ's humanity cannot be separated from his divinity, and that Mary is the Mother of God. "This is important," the Pope noted. "The eternal God was born of a woman, and remains with us always."

The Holy Father's appearance in St. Peter's Square was greeted by a large crowd, estimated by Vatican officials at 40,000, as he returned to Rome following his summer stay in Castel Gandolfo.

Especially as two other blogs have posts up on related matters. Frank Ritchie of A Servant's Thoughts fires a shot across the bow of preachers who are just in it for the money, and Andrei of The Briefing Room points out how far the Anglicans have gone from Holy Scripture in with regards to homosexuality.

UPDATE: Frank Ritchie has gone into detail on the Word of Faith preachers, who sound to me like a cross between Gnostics and New Agers, with some of the Nestorian heresy as mentioned above thrown in. Very interesting. For more, read Word of Faith. My Line in the Sand.

UPDATE II: AJ Chesswas has more on the problem within Anglicanism in NZ.

Related Links: Catholic World News