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This is the fourth installment of a series of posts concerning the relationship between evangelicals and Roman Catholics. I’ve been discussing areas of agreement between these two groups. Today, I conclude this portion on agreement by examining the doctrines of ecclesiology, ethics, and eschatology. Once again, I stress how brief I must be. Certainly, there is much that could be said to further detail just how much agreement may be found on each topic, as well as, showing areas of disagreement even within these broad areas of agreement.

Despite some major differences on the subject of ecclesiology (The Church), there are also similarities. There are similarities regarding the foundation, nature, and function of the Church. Both parties believe the church is built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Both see continuity between the Old Testament people of God and the New Testament. Both, also, hold that there is an invisible dimension to the church. Catholics and evangelicals embrace the proclamation of the creeds that the church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

Regarding ethics, there is much common ground. The ethics of both are absolutistic, being anchored in the nature and will of God. Protestants and Catholics embrace the ethical teachings of Augustine and Aquinas. The supreme ethical law is that of love – first of all, love of God for His own sake, and then love of others. Both traditions have held to some natural law theory, embracing universals while rejecting utilitarianism. The moral law is seen to flow from God’s will and is rooted in His nature. It was not just Augustine and Aquinas who held to natural law, protestant thinkers like John Calvin also held to natural law theory, as well. The four cardinal virtues of prudence, courage, temperance, and justice, and the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and love are valued by both alike. In summary, Catholics and evangelicals hold to a common ethical core of absolute moral principles rooted in the nature and will of God, both embracing natural revelation and special revelation as instructive for ethical living.

Both groups, also, hold to some common beliefs in the area of eschatology, the study of last things. Eschatology is often divided by theologians into individual eschatology and cosmic eschatology. In the domain of individual eschatology, both embrace the judgment which comes after death and both embrace a doctrine which includes heaven and hell. In the realm of cosmic eschatology, evangelicals agree with Catholics in holding to the reality of the second coming of Christ. They also agree that there will come a general resurrection of the dead followed by a general judgment at the end of time. Believers will enjoy eternal bliss while unbelievers suffer eternal condemnation. Both believe that this present world will be destroyed and there will be a new heaven and a new earth.

This post concludes a brief treatment of the areas of agreement, including many Christian fundamentals: The Trinity, the verbal inspiration and infallibility of Scripture, the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, the creation and fall of humanity, Christ’s unique atonement for our sins, the bodily resurrection of Christ, the necessity of God’s grace for salvation, the existence of heaven and hell, and the second coming of Christ. However, there is yet much disagreement between Catholics and evangelicals, and that disagreement is not insignificant. To that I turn in my next post.