The Tide Is Turning Toward Catholicism: The Converts

Catholic Exchange ^ | July 2, 2007 | David Hartline

[NYer]

It started with Scott Hahn and it is still going strong.  The number of prominent Protestant clergy and theologians coming to the Catholic Church has been nothing short of remarkable.  Priests like Father Dwight Longenecker and Father Alvin Kimel are new to the Church and they bring a lot of enthusiasm, scholarship and wit and humor with them.  Father Longenecker might be the only priest who is a graduate of the admittedly anti-Catholic institute of higher learning, Bob Jones University.  Deacon Alex Jones, a former pastor in a prominent African-American Pentacostalist Church in Detroit left behind a vibrant, growing congregation.  However, the pull of Catholicism's 2,000 year-old history and her ability to weather many storms was too much for Deacon Jones.  He now travels around the country telling his conversion story.  In addition, there have been prominent theologians and university scholars like Dr Francis Beckwith, who very recently was the head of the Evangelical Theological Society.  He came home to the Church in April.  The aftershocks from his reversion to Catholicism (he was born into the faith but later left the Church for Evangelicalism during his teenage years in the heyday of the "Jesus Movement,") still are being felt.  He followed Joshua Hochschild who surprised many in the theological world when he recently converted to Catholicism.

In my book The Tide Is Turning Toward Catholicism, I note that while many in the media, even some Catholics, are focused on those who have left the Church, few have noticed the significance of so many prominent members of other faiths who have come home to Rome.  It should be noted that many who left the Catholic Faith, usually for a non-denominational mega church, often can't give a theological reason.  They can only say that they enjoy the liveliness and entertainment that a mega church often provides.  It is most encouraging that Catholicism is getting the crème of the crop from other churches.  Entry into the Church for these converts is usually made after a long, difficult journey to come to terms with something that they never thought possible.  For some, like Scott Hahn and Father Dwight Longenecker, the Faith they once mocked is the Faith they have changed their lives and alienated family and friends to join, a decision not taken lightly. 

Often, it is an attempt to better understand Catholicism in order to disprove it that leads to conversion, when they simply could not come up with anything to dispute the key tenets of Catholicism: Scripture and Tradition, the Sacraments, Apostolic Tradition and the role of Mary.  They found themselves falling into the trap that the eminent Pharisee Gamaliel warned about in Acts 5:33-39. They might be fighting against God.

Many of the former converts, some of whom were admitted anti-Catholics, have now become prominent defenders of the faith.  Dr. Scott Hahn is a mainstay at Franciscan University and is often seen on EWTN.  As a matter of fact there are so many converts and reverts coming home to the Church that one of the most popular shows on EWTN is The Journey Home, hosted by Marcus Grodi.  Besides clergy and scholars there are hundreds of thousands who have entered the Church in recent years. This past Easter, it was announced that over 100,000 people came into the Church, just in the United States.  While bloggers and Catholic apologists Mark Shea and Jimmy Akin came into the Church some time ago, Aimee Milburn and Gerald Augustinus along with twin brothers David Bennett and Jonathan Bennett have chronicled their recent journeys into the Church via their blogs.  It is a truly remarkable story that often gets little media attention.  If the converts keep coming, the Tiber is going to get mighty crowded.  Indeed, the tide is turning!

[AnAmericanMother]

That assumes the pollution wouldn't kill you off on the way.

Beautiful Hoboken! Have you ever read Robert Lawson's cute little book, They Were Strong and Good? All about his ancestors. His great-great-great grandmother grew up on a farm in Hoboken, and he drew a pair of his characteristic pen-and-ink drawings -- he said, "Now Hoboken looks like this" -- hideous belching factory chimneys, old tires, scum on the water -- "but then it looked like this" -- bucolic farmyard with fruit trees and a couple of contented cows . . . .

[cammie]

Wow look at all the Catholic-bashers flocking to the thread. Such a shock! (not) Where, oh where, is the “ignore” button that FR so desperately needs so that I don’t need to read these idiots on every Catholic-related thread?

[cammie]

He said 15 minutes later, she was talking in tongues and she was "saved". Or, maybe they got her babbling and she was duped Or maybe the poor woman was having a stroke and they should have called an ambulance.

[armydoc]

My point of course, is that Catholics jump on John 6 to establish the authenticity of the Eucharist as the literal flesh and blood of Jesus, but back away from John 6 regarding its sufficiency for salvation and even its necessity for salvation. If you are going to argue from John 6, then you need to take it as a coherent, logical package. I agree with you that taking the Catholic Eucharist is neither necessary nor sufficient for salvation. Numerous other Scriptural passages show this to be the case. How do we resolve this? Jesus is speaking of ONE THING that is both necessary and sufficient for salvation. That one thing, obviously, is faith in Him. Do you remember that commercial (back in the 80's I think), it went something like this: "This is your brain (picure of an egg)...This is your brain on drugs (picture of an egg frying in a pan) Now, why not say "this egg represents your brain, this egg frying in a pan represents your brain on drugs"?? Because, obviously, it loses something when the metaphore is clumsily proclaimed in such a fashion. The impact is much greater when told as such. Jesus, the most masterful teacher the world has ever known, used this device at the Last Supper. He further clarified it later when he said his words were "spirit". I realize the Catholic Church teaches from both Scripture and Tradition. That's another argument. But, you're going to have an insurmountable problem arguing from scripture that, if John 6 teaches authenticity, it does not also teach necessity and sufficiency.

Thank you for your prayers, nanetteclaret. I believe you are truly praying for my salvation. Please do not take offense, then when I tell you that I will pray for you also that you see the errors of your beliefs.

[armydoc]

The first thing a Catholic does in entering a Church is to bless themselves with Holy Water. In actuality, repeating their Baptism

You are not actually repeating your Baptism, are you? Baptisms are not to be repeated, correct?

[annalex]

Did not want you to miss this thread, secretly slipped in.

[A.A. Cunningham]

As Scripture repeatedly teaches, you won’t know until your particular judgment if you’re saved.

[N3WBI3]

Franky,

I would be amazed if the divorse rate in the catholic church is significantly lower than say the southern baptist. There are always going to be pastors (an priest) who stray, if not aloud through negligence. One need only look at the pedophilia in the catholic church to see that.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Once again this year I met ~1500 converts to the Catholic faith this past Easter here in Denver; most of whom were former protestants with a sprinkling of former Mormons, Jews and Muslims, who, once they got an unabridged and unedited copy of Scripture and took the time to learn the truth and the history of Christendom, came to the same conclusion as Newman did in the 19th century. "To be deep in history is to cease to be protestant."

I'll stack up my annual experience with your number of admittedly limited encounters any day of the week.

[eleni121]

Why don't Catholics like to say Catholic Christian?

I am Greek Orthodox and I say I am Orthodox Christian.

[Running On Empty]

Maybe they think it’s redundant to say both Catholic and Christian together...or that saying Catholic is self-explanatory re: being Christian.

Take your pick.

[xzins]

So, then, you believe that God is real.

The bible says “God is Spirit...”

Does that make spirit real or symbolic?

[xzins]

I don’t have a flair for anything. I’m not that smart.

What I do know from the bible is “God is Spirit.”

Is God real?

[Salvation]

Wow! Denver is growing. Was this at the Cathedral?

[N3WBI3]

Right because when Christ warned us its a narrow path he meant that if you have the most converts going ‘youre way’ you must be right.

I personally find counting converts tacky, listing to individuals and the reasons for their conversion is more appropriate.

[annalex]

Catholics jump on John 6 to establish the authenticity of the Eucharist as the literal flesh and blood of Jesus, but back away from John 6 regarding its sufficiency for salvation and even its necessity for salvation

This is a very good observation. We argue about the real presence so much, we forget that the Gospel is telling us so much more. The sufficiency of the Eucharist for salvation is not in evidence in any scripture; it is always the entire complex of sacramental life, from baptism to confession to the Eucharist that saves. Nor does the Church teach the sufficiency of the Eucharist outside of the other sacraments. The necessity of the Eucharist for salvation is indeed the plain wording of John 6, but we have other passages that teach that baptism or intellectual faith are likewise salvific. We conclude that while ordinarily the Eucharist is necessary, exceptions exist for conversion of the heart, or sinless life.

[NYer]

Why don't Catholics like to say Catholic Christian?

The Catholic Church, at one time, was the only Christian Church. Catholic = Christian.

[trisham]

The Catholic Church, at one time, was the only Christian Church. Catholic = Christian.

***************

Agreed. It's redundant.

How are you this morning, NYer?

[Iscool]

Actually, no. You have placed your soul in mortal danger, because you have eaten the Body of Christ and have not discerned Him.

I Corinthians 11:27-29:

“Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, EATETH AND DRINKETH DAMNATION TO HIMSELF, NOT DISCERNING THE LORD’S BODY.”

I have discerned the Lord's body every time I have taken communion...

I have discerned that the bread that I eat represents his broken body...And I discern that the fruit of the vine that I drink represents his spilled blood...

Are you suggesting that we are to see and believe that the wine is His real blood and the wafer is His actual flesh, and that is the discernment spoken of???

[Iscool]

As Scripture repeatedly teaches, you won’t know until your particular judgment if you’re saved.

AND, scripture repeatedly teaches you that when you get saved, you not only know it, but you can't get unsaved...

There are a few different judgements in the scriptures...The Judgement seat of Christ...The Great White Throne Judgement...The judgement of Nations, etc...

Sure, the scriptures teach a lot of things...And one thing it says is:

1Jo 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

It DOESN'T say that eternal life may be available at some time if we endure to the end of our life...It says that we may know we have eternal life...Right now...

You don't believe the scripture written here...I believe the scripture...

"We may know"...I know...You apparently don't...