Exploring Catholicism: Praying to Saints?

 

" NO...!!

You can't do THAT!"

- Basically every Protestant 

Prayer to the saints is steeped in controversy outside of the Catholic and Orthodox churches. It is us outsiders - the Protestants - that just ask 'Why?!'.

This is another post in a series, Exploring Catholicism. I am a Protestant trying to give a fair and honest look at some of the more...questionable practices of the Catholic Church (To outsiders at least). This is so that we can be better informed on who our Catholic/Orthodox brothers and sisters are, and what they stand for... and are they right...? (That was painful 🙂) 

So really - Why pray to the saints? Why not just go to God? Isn't this outright sin?

The Catholic view on this is looking at looking deeper at a few passages describing our relationship as the whole Church. Catholic and Orthodox Christians lay claim that the Christians before us can hear us, and can pray for us. 

Prayer? Isn't pray reserved for God alone?

Catholic and Orthodox Christians hold that worship is reserved for God alone. Prayer, definitively speaking is presenting your requests to another person/being; while it is commonly used to show our means of communications in our relationship with God, the term is old, but as an example it is still commonly used in American courts to show what one is requesting of the court. 

This is much how Catholics view prayer to the saints - that these saints should not be worshiped, but that we can approach the saints in heaven and request of them that they pray for us. 

Sure - but the saints surely cannot hear you! Their dead!

And here is where things start getting interesting. I, as a Protestant raise that instance of  Saul going to a medium to bring up the spirit of Samuel ( see 1 Samuel 28). If you haven't read this before, I can make it short - it didn't go well. 

Consulting the dead is a serious offense in the Old Testament. Not something to even be trifled with in the least. So why would Catholic and Orthodox Christians even remotely think that this practice is okay?

Simply put, The saints are alive!

"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses," Colossians 2:13, ESV

This is but one of many passages that demonstrate that Christians are alive with Christ, especially when we physically die. 

The argument goes - The saints are alive in Christ! We (Catholics/Orthodox) don't pray to the dead!

So what - They still can't hear you!

The most commonly cited support from Catholics is that '...We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses...', Hebrew 12:1, ESV. 

Catholics take this is as literally, that these believers before us (listed in part in Hebrews 11, leading up to the 'great a cloud of witnesses') can see and observe us. Interesting isn't it? 

(FYI; there is some controversy over the translation of 'witnesses' from the original Greek. A mistranslation here will alter the meaning of this passage. For more on this, please read the commentaries here.)

But even if they can hear and see you - Just go straight to God in prayer! Why talk to them?

Catholics and Orthodox hold that the Christian believer can ask the saints in heaven for prayer, much like you could ask another Christian on earth for prayer. The big question is, well, Why?

It is here that James 5:16 will most likely be brought up -

'Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.' James 5:16, ESV

The argument for asking for the prayers of the saints is that these saints have been perfected in righteousness, since they are in Heaven. And because of this, the general idea is that these saints have 'better reception' with God when they pray. And because of this, Catholic and Orthodox Christians hold that it is a good idea to approach these saints and ask for prayer.

Conclusion

So that's it. Now you know the 'whys' to this issue - Is it right? Well that is ultimately for God to decide. Christians have been doing this practice for centuries - but just because something is done, doesn't make it right. 

If its true, we have an almost impossibly beautiful picture of unity among the church, where we could go to our fellow Christian family and ask for prayer - any time, anywhere. 

And if its not...well, I'd rather not go there. As Christians, it is vitally important that we approach questions like these prayerfully, asking God for discernment and wisdom. He provides wisdom to all who ask (James 1:5, NASB below).

In all honestly, I think that Catholics and Orthodox Christians make a reasonably strong argument for the practice. 

So what do you think? Comment below! 

This a post in a series, Exploring Catholicism. For the previous post on Apostolic Succession, click here

Interested in Christianity? The Gospel in a Nutshell can be a good place to start! And Church of course : )

Cited verse:

James 1:5

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."