Like their pope-aligned opponents, they had asked questions about justification, the authority of tradition, the mode of Christ’s self-gift in the Eucharist, the nature of apostolic succession, and the Church’s wielding of the keys. This is the first of your three free articles for the month. While I was discovering that Roman Catholicism could not be straightforwardly identified with the catholicism of the first six centuries (nor, in certain respects, with that of the seventh century through the twelfth), and as I was wrestling with Newman, I finally began reading the Reformers. But if I could not do these things, if my reason was unfit in matters religious, how was I to assess Newman’s arguments for Roman Catholicism? The magisterium of prior ages only multiplied the texts one had to interpret for oneself, for living bishops, it turns out, are as bad at reading as the rest of us. Like their opponents, Protestants had appealed to Scripture and tradition. Written by Onsi A. Kamel | Tuesday, September … Newman himself had once recognized this dilemma, writing in a pre-conversion letter, “We have too great a horror of the principle of private judgment to trust it in so immense a matter as that of changing from one communion to another.” Did he expect me to forfeit the faculty by which I adjudicate truth claims, because that faculty is fallible? With Newman, I agonized over conversion. This priest was and is to me the very model of a holy, righteous, and courageous man. I was captivated by the holy martyrs, relics, Mary, and the Mass. I’ve read a book by a former Catholic, who is now a Protestant pastor, and he gives several reasons why Catholics become Protestant. St. John Chrysostom's teaching on repentance and absolution--"Mourn and you annul the sin"--would have been more at home in Geneva than Paris. When I arrived at the University of Chicago, I knew just enough about Calvinism to hold it in contempt—which is to say, I knew very little. And at the time, though I wished to accept Newman's proposal that "the early condition, and the evidence, of each doctrine . Newman himself had once recognized this dilemma, writing in a pre-conversion letter, "We have too great a horror of the principle of private judgment to trust it in so immense a matter as that of changing from one communion to another." 3:27; 1 Cor. I know, I’m full of questions today. St. Thomas's doctrine of predestination, much to my horror, was nearly identical to the Synod of Dordt's. I could not reliably interpret the Scriptures, history, or God's Word preached and given in the sacraments. RCIA is the next step. Martin Luther, John Calvin, Richard Hooker, Herman Bavinck, Karl Barth--they wrestled with the concerns of the Church catholic and provided answers to the questions Catholicism had taught me to pose. More recently, the magazine published “Catholicism Made Me Protestant,” a reflection by Onsi A. Kamel, who grew up a “non-denominational, baptistic evangelical,” then seriously considered Catholicism before returning to Protestantism, though one more self-consciously Reformed. It's entitled "Catholicism Made Me Protestant." I think most people would say Catholicism. 30 AD. Like their pope-aligned opponents, they had asked questions about justification, the authority of tradition, the mode of Christ’s self-gift in the Eucharist, the nature of apostolic succession, and the Church’s wielding of the keys. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal saviour in March of 1978. FIRST THINGS www.firstthings.com/article/2019/10/catholicism-made-me-protestant. I loved Catholicism because Catholics taught me to love the Church. Not long after this, I began to notice discrepancies between Catholic apologists’ map of the tradition and the terrain I encountered in the tradition itself. Newman's arguments against private judgment therefore had a prima facie plausibility for me. Onsi A. Kamel is editor in chief of the Davenant Press. It should have been the happiest day of my life. With these words, Luther transformed my understanding of justification: Every Christian possesses Christ, and to possess Christ is to possess all of Christ's righteousness, life, and merits. Newman’s arguments against private judgment therefore had a prima facie plausibility for me. Did Calvinism make God the author of evil? Here was a man obsessed with the same questions that ate at me, questions of tradition and authority. What I found shocked me. Box 111Shohola, PA 18458. Now with Google Translator for non-English speakers. My conversion would have to be rooted in my private judgment—but, because of Rome’s claim of infallibility, conversion would forbid me from exercising that faculty ever again on doctrinal questions. St. John Chrysostom’s teaching on repentance and absolution—“Mourn and you annul the sin”—would have been more at home in Geneva than Paris. Along with Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestantism became one of three major forces in Christianity. I was sitting in my dorm room by myself. For years, I had attempted to live out this model of justification. This book sums up what made me leave the Roman church to begin with. Even today, I think my father would admit that his deep Protestant heritage tugs at his heart from time to time. The causes of any conversion (or near conversion) are many and confused. . This makes up more than 17% of the world population. Her son became a Presbyterian minister in the Evangelical Coptic Church. In my own journey, I can check off certain boxes and say, definitively, yes, that made me become a Catholic. . A year or two prior, I had decided that Trent was right about justification: It was entirely a gift of grace consisting of the gradual perfecting of the soul by faith and works—God instigating and me cooperating. During my first year of college, I became involved in campus Catholic life. [See also: What Changed This Protestant’s Mind About the Eucharist] By the time my parents were ¬living in ¬twenty-first-century Illinois, their families' historic Reformed commitments had been replaced by non-denominational, ¬Baptistic ¬evangelicalism. Like their pope-aligned opponents, they had asked questions about justification, the authority of tradition, the mode of Christ's self-gift in the Eucharist, the nature of apostolic succession, and the Church's wielding of the keys. And at the time, though I wished to accept Newman’s proposal that “the early condition, and the evidence, of each doctrine . The ¬magisterium of prior ages only multiplied the texts one had to interpret for oneself, for living bishops, it turns out, are as bad at reading as the rest of us. I had begun this arduous cooperation with God’s grace full of hope; by the time I sat in that dorm room alone, I was distraught and demoralized. ought consistently to be interpreted by means of that development which was ultimately attained,” I could not. Catholicism is the traditions and beliefs of Catholic Churches.It refers to their theology, liturgy, morals and spirituality.The term usually refers to churches, both western and eastern, that are in full communion with the Holy See.. I met faithful and holy Catholic priests—one of whom has valiantly defended the faith for years, drawing punitive opposition from his own religious superiors, as well as the ire of Chicago’s archbishop. Protestantism is the most popular religion practiced in the United Kingdom with Anglicanism, the Reformed tradition (including Presbyterians), Methodism, Pentecostalism and Baptists being the most prominent branches.. For centuries, it has played a primary role in shaping political and religious life throughout the region. I was captivated by the holy martyrs, relics, Mary, and the Mass. 36. My acquaintance with Dr. B— set my intellectual trajectory for several years. If you want to really understand Christianity, you need to understand its various groups. I met faithful and holy Catholic priests--one of whom has valiantly defended the faith for years, drawing punitive opposition from his own religious superiors, as well as the ire of Chicago's archbishop. Two of his ideas were pivotal for me: his theory of doctrinal development and his articulation of the problem of private judgment. The papacy’s bitter experiences with the conciliarism of the 15th century made the popes of the 16th century wary of any so-called reform … What really made me decide to take the plunge, so to speak, was a conversation I had with a Protestant friend in the spring of my first year in South Bend. Catholicism Made Me Protestant The causes of any conversion (or near conversion) are many and confused. I've posted an excerpt of the piece, but… I've recently had an essay published in the October edition of First Things. Like their pope-aligned opponents, they had asked questions about justification, the authority of tradition, the mode of Christ's self-gift in the Eucharist, the nature of apostolic succession, and the Church's wielding of the keys. In retrospect, I see that Newman’s need to construct a theory of doctrinal development tells against Rome’s claims of continuity with the ancient Church. "It was incredible to me at that age, in my mid-20s, where I was getting ready to get married and wanted to have kids. Over 40,000 different/opposing views of what is and is not essential for salvation. In middle school, my father introduced me to theology, and as a present for my sixteenth birthday he arranged a meeting between me and a Catholic philosopher, Dr. B--. For me it wasnt about proving Catholicism wrong, it was the fact that i could not find a unified Protestant voice to prove Protestantism right. I’ve also read books by former Protestants on … Because I usually wear my heart on my sleeve, this friend and I had gotten to talking about my journey toward Catholicism. My assumptions, and the issues that animated me, were those of the Church of history. It concerns my near-conversion to and abiding affection for Catholicism, details why I eventually decided to remain Protestant, and reflects upon my discovery of the Protestant understanding of justification. I debated tradition with my mother, sola Scriptura with my then fiancee (now wife), and the meaning of the Eucharist with my father. . Without either of these commitments, I simply could not find a plausible reason to speak of “development” rather than “disjuncture,” especially because what came before so often contradicted what followed. The Christian church come into being almost immediately after the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, ca. My acquaintance with Dr. B-- set my intellectual trajectory for several years. My evangelical upbringing had led me to believe that Protestantism entailed the rejection of these concerns. Reacting against the middle-aged leaders of the inaptly named "Young, Restless, and Reformed Movement," I sought refuge in that other great ¬Western ¬theological tradition: ¬Roman ¬Catholicism. In his discourse on “Faith and Private Judgment,” Newman castigates Protestants for refusing to “surrender” reason in matters religious. They also spoke to the deepest needs of sinful souls. My assumptions, and the issues that animated me, were those of the Church of history. In his Apologia, Newman argues that man’s rebellion against God introduced an “anarchical condition of things,” leading human thought toward “suicidal excesses.” Hence, the fittingness of a divinely established living voice infallibly proclaiming supernatural truths. A year or two prior, I had decided that Trent was right about justification: It was entirely a gift of grace consisting of the gradual perfecting of the soul by faith and works--God instigating and me cooperating. Catholicism and Protestantism have distinct views on the meaning and the authority of the Bible. I told her that we also go by tradition. St. Thomas’s doctrine of predestination, much to my horror, was nearly identical to the Synod of Dordt’s. Finally, the infighting among traditionalist, conservative, and liberal Catholics made plain that Catholics did not gain by their magisterium a clear, living voice of divine authority. When I arrived at the University of Chicago, I knew just enough about Calvinism to hold it in -contempt--which is to say, I knew very little. The issue of ecclesiastical authority was trickier for me. This priest was and is to me the very model of a holy, righteous, and courageous man. At that moment, the joy of my salvation poured into my soul. In Jimmy Swaggart Made Me Catholic, Tim tells you his story . I had gone to Mass regularly, prayed the rosary with friends, fasted frequently, read the Scriptures daily, prayed earnestly, and sought advice from spiritual directors. They received from the past a set of magisterial documents that had to be weighed and interpreted, often over against living prelates. :slight_smile: If you know someone who was raised Catholic or was active in the Catholic and church and became Protestant, I’m wondering what their reasoning was? To me it seemed the ONLY time Protestants agreed was when they were denying Catholic doctrine. From high school into college, Dr. B-- introduced me to Catholic thought and graciously helped me work through my doubts about Christianity. It’s snobbery against the religion of the masses and immigrants. In this state, I picked up my copy of that arch-heretic Luther and read his explanation of Thesis 37: "Any true Christian, whether living or dead, participates in all the blessings of Christ and the church; and this is granted him by God, even without indulgence letters." Catholicism had, by this time, reoriented my theological concerns around the concerns of the Church catholic. Catholicism had, by this time, reoriented my theological concerns around the concerns of the Church catholic. Tim: Yeah, I was Assembly of God. On these two ideas hung all the claims of Rome. In time, I came to find their answers not only plausible, but more faithful to Scripture than the Catholic answers, and at least as well-represented in the traditions of the Church. Reacting against the middle-aged leaders of the inaptly named “Young, Restless, and Reformed Movement,” I sought refuge in that other great Western theological tradition: Roman Catholicism. But I did not remain a Protestant merely because I could not become a Catholic. Certain elements of my attraction to Catholicism were adolescent, like a sixties radical’s attraction to Marx or a contemporary activist’s to intersectionality: I aimed to preserve the core beliefs of my upbringing while fleeing their bourgeois expressions. Did Calvinism make God the author of evil? These friends were devout, intelligent, and schooled in Christian history. Did he expect me to forfeit the faculty by which I adjudicate truth claims, because that faculty is fallible? Read preview. But if you would have asked a Protestant the same question a hundred years ago, he would have almost certainly mentioned the Roman Catholic Church. Without either of these commitments, I simply could not find a plausible reason to speak of "development" rather than "disjuncture," especially because what came before so often contradicted what followed. In his Apologia, Newman argues that man's rebellion against God introduced an "anarchical condition of things," leading human thought toward "suicidal excesses." In the late seventeenth century, my mother’s Congregationalist ancestors journeyed to the New World to escape what they saw as England’s deadly compromise with Romanism. Like all accounts of God's faithfulness, mine begins with a genealogy. At Lumen Christi events, I heard about saints and mystics, stylites and monastics, desert fathers and late-antique theologians. Should I foreground psychological and social factors or my theological reasoning? How could a just and loving God not reveal himself equally to everyone? The Church of Rome could not be straightforwardly identified as catholic. In the late seventeenth century, my mother's Congregationalist ancestors journeyed to the New World to escape what they saw as England's deadly compromise with Romanism. My parents taught me to love God, revere the Scriptures, and seek truth through reason. I set about exploring, and I tried to bring others along. The more I internalized ¬Newman's claims about private judgment, however, the more I descended into skepticism. In his discourse on "Faith and Private Judgment," Newman castigates Protestants for refusing to "surrender" reason in matters religious. Catholicism has given me an inspiration and meaning in my life that overwhelms me. I loved Catholicism because Catholics taught me to love the Church. Although a German, Martin Luther, was responsible for the … Onsi A. Kamel The Protestants did more than out-catholic the Catholics. I found in the Church a spiritual mother and the mother of all the faithful. I assume you are asking which is older, Roman Catholicism or Protestantism. 3:21–23). Answer: This is a simple question with a complicated answer, because there are varying degrees of, and reasons for, animosity between any two religious groups. One Protestant gentlemen even told me that he couldn’t be Catholic because it was “the religion of the masses.” I asked him what he meant, and the term “Mexicans” was employed in his reply. The causes of any conversion (or near conversion) are many and confused. On one occasion, a Reformed professor dispensed with my arguments for transubstantiation in a matter of minutes. Catholicism had taught me to think like a Protestant, because, as it turned out, the Reformers had thought like catholics. I had finally discovered the true ground and power of Protestantism: "My beloved is mine, and I am his" (Song 2:16). During my first year of college, I became involved in campus Catholic life. 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