I would like to thank both nate and puff for their helpful explanations of this subject. God bless both of you! I find the LDS position very interesting. Catholics teach that we also offer our own sacrifices of ourselves to God in the mass, however we also teach that the Mass itself is a propitiatory sacrifice(The same sacrifice as Calvary only in a unbloody way) that is offered by Christ priest on behalf of the community. So to us its both.
Here is my question through. I am trying to understand your priesthood better and why you have priest. If your priest do not offer the sacrifice of the Eucharist then why do you have priest? Perhaps I can explain my self better. Catholics, Orthodox, Armenians, Syrians etc all have ordained priest and they all see the connection between the priesthood and the Liturgical Eucharistic sacrifice that is offered by their priest. Protestants deny the sacrifice of the Eucharist and the ordained priesthood(they see everyone as a universal priest already in one sense) therefore they have pastors, elders, and preachers and not ordained priest.
You have said that your priest are not mediators and do not offer the Eucharistic sacrifice. My question would be this then: Why do you have a special ordained priesthood at all if they the are not mediators that offer a liturgical Eucharistic sacrifice on behalf of the community? Why not just have preachers and elders like the protestants? This is stumbling block for me for a few reasons. 1) Priesthood in the Old and New testament and Church history is always linked to sacrifice, especially liturgical sacrifice on behalf of a community of believers. As a matter of fact the main function of a priest himself is to offer sacrifice on behalf of the community(Heb 8:3-4). 2) Christ himself and St Paul in the New testament reveal the Eucharist to be the new covenant sacrifice that is to be offered by its new covenant priest on behalf of the community. 3) Church history also seems to see it this way as well as the Prophet Malachi in the old testament and others.
I guess this is one of my stumbling blocks about your faith. If there is no sacrifice of the Eucharist and if they are not mediators between Christ and the congregation then why are Priest needed at all since the bible and church history shows that these are the main functions of a priest? why not just have elders or pastors?
Sorry about all the questions I just always wandered this. I appreciate your helpful answers! God Bless you all!
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