Blair converts to Catholicism
Saturday, December 22nd, 2007 | 
Email This Post
|
Posted by John under: Doctrines of Devils,New World Order
Pope Benedict XVI poses with Britain’s then-outgoing Prime Minister Tony Blair during a private audience at the Vatican in June. Mr. Blair converted to Catholicism Friday. (OSSERVATORE ROMANO/AFP/Getty Images)
Is this his first step to his promise of a new “interfaith foundation”?
—ITD Editor
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”
1 Timothy 4:1
LONDON — Former prime minister Tony Blair has left the Church of England and converted to Catholicism, the faith of his wife and children.
Mr. Blair converted during a mass Friday night at the private London chapel of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, the church said.
“I’m very glad to welcome Tony Blair into the Catholic Church,†Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor said.
The church said Mr. Blair had been a regular worshipper at mass with his family and in recent months had been following a program leading to his reception into the church.
There had long been speculation that Mr. Blair planned to convert to Catholicism.
Although he was an Anglican, Mr. Blair attended Catholic masses at Westminster Cathedral with his wife Cherie.
The couple’s children have attended Catholic schools.
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who is the spiritual leader of the world’s Anglicans, wished Mr. Blair the best in his spiritual journey.
“Tony Blair has my prayers and good wishes as he takes this step in his Christian pilgrimage. A great Catholic writer of the last century said that the only reason for moving from one Christian family to another was to deepen one’s relationship with God. I pray that this will be the result of Tony Blair’s decision in his personal life.â€
Mr. Blair, who is now a Middle East peace envoy, met Pope Benedict at the Vatican in June, the month he stepped down as Britain’s prime minister.
Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said the path Mr. Blair has been on “was not improvised, has lasted a long time and has been deep and serious.
Rev. Lombardi added that the Catholic community was “happy to welcome such a prominent person … at the end of a deeply spiritual personal path.â€
The Church of England has said that less than 10 per cent of its members are regular churchgoers.
Earlier this year, Mr. Blair told the British Broadcasting Corp. that he had avoided talking about his religious views while in office for about 10 years for fear of being labelled “a nutter.â€
Alastair Campbell, Mr. Blair’s director of strategy and communications, once intervened in an interview, preventing the prime minister from answering a question about his Christianity, saying, “We don’t do Godâ€.
But in an interview on ITV in 2006, Mr. Blair referred to the role of his Christian faith in his decision to go to war in Iraq, saying that he had prayed about the issue and that God would judge him for his decision.
“I think if you have faith about these things, you realize that judgment is made by other people and if you believe in God, it’s made by God as well,†Mr. Blair said at the time.
In England’s last census, 72 per cent of people identified themselves as Christian. Many are Anglicans affiliated with the Church of England, which was created by royal proclamation during the 16th century after King Henry VIII — who married six times — broke ties with the Roman Catholic Church in a dispute over divorce.
« Back to home page |
Email This Post
|
rose says Comment posted on December 23rd, 2007
Poor Mr. Blair, I came out of bondage to the catholic false doctrines and he is going into it.
Ernie Gregoire says Comment posted on December 23rd, 2007
As a former Roman Catholic, I pity him!
None is as blind as he who will not see!
If Roman Catholics would read the bible and compare the Catechism to what the Bible says, they would see the blatant lies that have been part of the RCC from its beginning in 380 AD.
The doctrine of the Emperors was signed on February 27, in 380 AD. It made Christianity the religion of the Roman Empire. A second doctrine of the Emperors 60 to 80 years later extended this rule to the entire world.
With no regeneration, pagan priests were made Christian, not by the Holy Spirit indwelling them, but by the stroke of the Roman Emperors pen.
No matter what the RCC says, 3 February 27th 80 AD, is the birthday of Roman Catholicism. It did not exist in Jesus day.
Pagan temples became churches, pagan holidays were Christianized.
Solstice became Christmas, statues became part of Roman Christian culture.
The good news is that real Christianity existed and thrived not because of Roman Catholicism, but in spite of it.
jen-o says Comment posted on December 23rd, 2007
after seeing the archbishop of canterbury’s “hat” and other religious garb (which smacks of the doctrine of the nicolaitans which the Lord Jesus states HE HATES… Rev.2:15), i have just one question: is there really much of a difference between the “church of england” and roman catholicism??
seems to me, henry VIII simply started his own brand of roman catholicism (complete with the same type of “hat”)… there was never really a doctrinal change, except to allow for henry’s multiple divorces… so blair hasn’t made all that big of a leap… it was probably done for political reasons (my guess)… i don’t think blair really has to make any great changes in heart, doctrine, or lifestyle…
i don’t know who this “great catholic writer” is that the archbishop refers to, BUT one does not MOVE from one “christian family” to another… when you are born again of the Spirit of God you are babtized into ONE family of God – for there is ONE faith, ONE baptism, ONE Lord, ONE Spirit, and ONE body of Christ, of which we are members in particular… there is no “moving” about, and there is NO other christian family to MOVE to (once you’re in the real family, that is)… there is no evolving down a “spiritual” path which would entail “moving” from one family to another… for there is ONE WAY that leads to LIFE, and Jesus is THE WAY!
blair either has Jesus or he doesn’t… but he most definitely is NOT evolving down his own personal “spiritual” path… because there is no such thing as “spiritual evolution”… there is Life (which is found in Jesus) and there is death (the absence of Jesus)…
Jesus mentions only 2 gates (and their accompanying “ways”) in matthew 7:13-14, Jesus says:
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for WIDE is the gate, and BROAD is the way, that leads to destruction, and MANY there be which go in thereat:
Because STRAIT is the gate, and NARROW is the way, which leads unto Life, and FEW there be that find it.” (my caps)
v.15 “Beware of false prophets…”
v.16 “Ye shall know them by their fruits…”
so the real question is: does blair know/have Jesus? and did he ever know/have Jesus?
i suppose we could look at the fruit that is produced in his life… hmmm… he is now a middle east peace envoy… hmmm…
many people want to call themselves “christian”, but then they redefine what a “christian” is in order to suit themselves…
matt 7:21-23
“Not everyone that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven…….
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Kevin Wilson says Comment posted on December 23rd, 2007
Middle East peace envoy?
Sounds like Tony Anti-Christ Blair the Catholic. Woe to ye Lawyers!
I see this guy and the future Clinton Administration ushering in the first trumpet.
Look up and stay Holy is what the Lord is saying to me.
Luke 21:23
But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
in the fields
Kevin
nanc says Comment posted on December 25th, 2007
we’re getting our passports in order to move to iraq or another third world country in the event mentioned above…at least we’ll stand a fighting chance!
Warren says Comment posted on January 03rd, 2008
Has anyone else noticed that the new pope looks… well, evil?
How can I tell my wife that “I’m a Catholic” is not sufficient an answer to serious spiritual questions?