Mark Gilbert joins Camden Bucey to examine what Protestants and Roman Catholics mean when they speak of Christian unity. Drawing on Gilbert’s conversion from Roman Catholicism and his work equipping churches to speak with Catholics about Jesus, they contrast a unity grounded in the Spirit’s work through the Word with Rome’s institutional claim to mediate grace and gather humanity into one visible communion.
The conversation turns to Vatican II and Karl Rahner’s doctrine of the “anonymous Christian.” Camden and Mark consider Rahner’s optimistic anthropology, his account of God’s self-communication, and the influence of this framework on Roman Catholic inclusivism. They conclude with a pastoral call to understand Roman Catholicism on its own terms, speak with clarity and charity, and offer the assurance found only in the finished work of Christ.
Mark Gilbert serves in Anglican churches in Sydney. He is a Fellow of the Reformanda Initiative and of the Rome Scholars and Leaders Network (RSLN). His books with Matthias Media include The God Who Saves, The Road Once Travelled, and Stepping Out in Faith. He also hosts Certainty4Eternity.
Resources
- Certainty4Eternity YouTube Channel
- Talking with Catholics About Jesus
- The Nicene Creed
- The Nicene Creed and the Nature of Christian Unity
Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction
- 03:48 Mark Gilbert’s journey from Roman Catholicism
- 10:50 The Rome Scholars and Leaders Network
- 15:04 Catholic inclusivity after Vatican II
- 20:36 Institutional and spiritual views of unity
- 26:43 The church as a continuing incarnation
- 28:58 Vatican II and Karl Rahner
- 35:36 Van Til, Rahner, and the image of God
- 45:18 The “anonymous Christian”
- 47:30 Roman Catholicism in a pluralistic world
- 52:06 Inclusivity, gender, and doctrinal development
- 58:19 Rahner, Ratzinger, and competing Catholic trajectories
- 61:28 The Roman Catholic Church as a “sacrament of unity”
- 65:33 Unity in truth and evangelizing Roman Catholics
- 70:14 Resources for churches and small groups
- 72:59 Conclusion
Participants: Camden Bucey, Mark Gilbert
Christ the Center focuses on Reformed Christian theology. In each episode a group of informed panelists discusses important issues in order to encourage critical thinking and a better understanding of Reformed doctrine with a view toward godly living. Browse more episodes from this program or subscribe to the podcast feed.
