Evangelicals Becoming Catholic, why?

CatholicConvert.com ^ | May 10, 2011 | Steve Ray

[Salvation]

Evangelicals Becoming Catholic, why?

by Steve Ray on May 10, 2011

 

Below is an interesting YouTube video (really audio) of an Evangelical Radio show in which two Evangelicals discuss why so many Evangelical Protestants are leaving to join the Catholic Church.

The host and guest are trying to be honest in the show entitled  “Why Evangelicals are Returning to Rome.” Although towards the end of the video they are making some statements that are historically inaccurate (about Luther and the Popes); nevertheless, their questioning tries to be honest. It is interesting that they are taking note of a large exodus. I am one of those who Crossed the Tiber to Rome.

Furthermore, this was coming from a Protestant network that is decidedly anti-Catholic.  They are willing to discuss openly what has been happening for years now (the exodus of Evangelical ordained ministers to Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches).  They also mention briefly EWTN, the program Journey Home and the moderator Marcus Grodi, a convert from Evangelical Christianity. It is obvious this is all new to them since they didn’t even know how to pronounce Marcus Grodi’s name.

The moderator Ingrid Slater asked Pastor Bob DeWay; “Let’s talk about the problem; what do you think is the seed bed (this is sort of a rhetorical question; everybody knows what a mess Evangelicalism is as a whole today doctrinally speaking).  What is setting people up for this disenchantment and the willingness to look to Roman Catholicism?”

Here are some of the Problems that Bob Deway lists, though they really have no explanation since they are blind to the real problems within Protestantism, which are things that cannot be fixed. If they were fixed they would be Catholics.
(1) The Seeker Movement took the Bible out of churches.
(2) People are not steeped in solid Bible teaching (yeah, but according to whose interpretation?).
(3) Big churches that don’t preach the Bible (who decides what should be taught??).
(4) The influx of mystical practices, contemplative prayer, the labyrinths.
(5) Seminaries that are training therapeutic practitioners rather than theologians.
(6) The idea that we have to have to justify our practices and beliefs from Scripture – according to what Luther and the other reformers – which has now been overlooked.

The moderator then mentioned a book saying, “Coming Home by Fr Peter [Eastern Rite] (I am not even going to use the term father). . . He used to head up Campus Crusade here in the Midwest” Evidently he is now heading up an organization helping Evangelical ministers come into the Eastern rite Churches.  If you want to know why he made his move from Evangelical Protestantism you can listen to the video.

For years you’d hear Evangelicals boast of the fact that their churches were filled [with] ex-Catholics.  But in too many cases the Evangelical churches are just the exit ramp that eventually leaves them disillusioned and abandoning the faith altogether. Now the tide is changing.  Some Evangelicals seem to be oblivious to the fact of this large exodus of Evangelical ministers and lay people.

A year ago, Karl Keating of Catholic Answers Live said he believed there were now more Evangelicals or Fundamentalists leaving Protestantism to become Catholic than the other way around. Even Evangelicals admit that there are notable Protestants becoming Catholics but no notable Catholics becoming Protestants.

I could take exception to several of Pastor Bob’s statements and argue decisively against them, but that is not the point of my posting this video.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-—year ago, Karl Keating of Catholic Answers Live said he believed there were now more Evangelicals or Fundamentalists leaving Protestantism to become Catholic than the other way around.-—

Glad to hear it. Bookmarking.

[kearnyirish2]

“I know as many, probably more, divorced-and-remarried Catholics as I do protestants.”

I probably do, too; the article was about Catholics who join another denomination. Many divorced-and-remarried Catholics don’t even bother.

[Iscool]

Especially when I see the priest using the incense with the priest offering the bread above his head looking above. Also along the reasoning is also there was only one temple for offerings in the old testament.

You don't mean the temple where the curtain was cut in half allowing the people direct access to God, without a priest, do you???

And you certainly don't mean the temple that replaced the OT temple, the body of the believer, do you???

[21twelve]

“We must hang together, gentlemen...else, we shall most assuredly hang separately.” — Benjamin Franklin

This quote came to mind as I read your post, as the worldly forces of an immoral society, corrupt and immoral politicians, and the evils of the muslim religion attacking Christians everywhere.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-—know it. The reality is that while the vast majority of western RCs are liberal, and become conservative if they join evangelical churches.——

Regular mass attendance is the divider between conservative and liberal Catholics.

I’ve observed that many good Catholics switch to Evangelical churches for good reasons. They don’t know why they’re in church. They’re looking for an active community. But this is a function of poor catechesis. Ministries like EWTN and Catholic Answers appear to be filling the gap.

[johngrace]

Iscool!! He is alive!!

[Iscool]

My sister was married outside of the Church 25 years ago, and she and her husband, who is not Catholic, both attend Mass every Sunday without fail.

Why would they???  You're religion teaches that without eating the wafer, there is no eternal life...Why waste their time???

[Iscool]

I believe that Paul was a great bishop of the Church and largely responsible for selling the Church to the Greeks and bringing Jews into the fold.

I don't believe Paul sold anything...He preached the words of God, with God's power...

[johngrace]

If this picture means cool what does your "is cool" mean?

[stpio]

“Unlike your your SSPX brethren, i do doctrinally hold that the sign gifts have not ceased, that God can do as He ever did, but that such claims are subject to testing by Scripture, which reproves Rome, while your own brethren have question you.”

~ ~ ~

Please be specific or put my words in quotes.

Are you talking about disbelief in private revelation? It never works rejecting Catholicism by using the Church and her writings and now, your using Catholics themselves.

Catholics can believe or not believe private revelation.
When the private revelation has been officially condemned,
then no. The Church is prudent, because of our times and so
many messages from Heaven, we don’t know yet their decision
on many of them, the messages to Cletus and Verne are among them. Realize, the major divine “events” prophesied haven’t taken place yet.

You don’t accept the message about the end time so you’re rejecting it. If you took the time...look at the link, God Speaks Will You Listen is full of Scripture reference to confirm what the messages say.

Read the footnote on the verse you mentioned. There was
no Gospel yet when Paul was speaking to Timothy.

2 Timothy 3:16
All scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice.

[16] All scripture,: Every part of divine scripture is certainly profitable for all these ends. But, if we would have the whole rule of Christian faith and practice, we must not be content with those Scriptures, which Timothy knew from his infancy, that is, with the Old Testament alone: nor yet with the New Testament, without taking along with it the traditions of the apostles, and the interpretation of the church, to which the apostles delivered both the book, and the true meaning of it.

http://www.drbo.org/

[Bigg Red]

Been there. I think there are probably quite a few of us, and I know we are forgiven.

Don’t hang onto your guilt, as it will eat at you. He knows what is in your heart.

[daniel1212]

Actually, i do not think any of the Divinely inspired writing needed editing except for correcting manifest errors in transmission. If i was doing the writing, well, that would be a different story!

[daniel1212]

To willing hearers. however the actual data we have for the Americas has continually shown the opposite, as shown in this thread, while discounting immigration, both faiths are losing ground to “Nones,” Islam and Mormonism.

[daniel1212]

See post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2885062/posts?page=35#35 and search “weekly” (Ctrl+F) in compilation here: http://www.peacebyjesus.com/RC-Stats_vs._Evang.html

[daniel1212]

I will pray for you.

[grey_whiskers]

All denominations have their ideal standards; few members follow them 100%.

That's rather an ironic statement, given your screen name.

Cheers!

[Natural Law]

"a reasonable guess is that they would have gone more than 54% for Obama,..."

Obama got 69.5 million votes, only 12 million of which were from Catholics. That means he got 57.5 million votes from non-Catholics representing a nearly 4:1 edge. Maybe you ought to look beyond your prejudices to see exactly who elected him.

Peace be with you.

[ansel12]

Being prejudiced would cause a conservative to start creatively trying to defend and defensively explain away and keep away from examination, a large liberal voting block, to end discussing that vote or even republicans and conservatives becoming aware of it, on a forum of politically active conservatives currently involved in campaigns, and in an election cycle.

[Salvation]

These are old numbers, but everyone's support for Obama is down.

50 percent of Catholics (Catholics make up about 22 percent of the U.S. population.) approve of his presidency, down from 67 percent in his first six months in office.

DOWN 17 POINTS

 

among non-Catholic Christians, who make up 55 percent of the U.S. population, had fallen from 58 percent to 43 percent.

DOWN 15 POINTS

 

Mormon respondents, who represent about two percent of U.S. adults, fell from 43 percent to 26 percent

DOWN 17 POINTS

 

About 78 percent of Muslim respondents approved of the Obama presidency, down eight percentage points from when the question was first asked.  (86)

DOWN 8 POINTS

 

atheists, agnostics, and members of other non-Christian religions, who comprise about 13 percent of the U.S. population -- While about 75 percent of these respondents approved of President Obama at the start of his term, their approval declined to about 64 percent.

DOWN 11 POINTS

 

Jews were the religious group third likeliest to approve of President Obama, giving him 61 percent approval. This too is a decline: in January-June 2009, their approval rating of the president was 77 percent.

DOWN 16 POINTS

 

Overall, 48 percent of Americans approve of President Obama’s job, down from 63 percent in the first months of his presidency. Gallup claims that its survey of over 276,000 adults claims an overall margin of error of plus or minus one percent.

DOWN 15 POINTS

 

 

 

 

[Natural Law]

"Being prejudiced would cause a conservative to start creatively trying to defend and defensively explain away and keep away from examination,..."

You are right. Since Catholics, or alleged Catholics, only contributed 17% of Obama's vote there must be another reason you have spent so much time and effort trying to prove your point.

Peace and blessings.