Hauled Aboard the Ark – Conversion Story of Peter Kreeft

Coming Home ^ | October 31, 2011 | Dr. Peter Kreeft

[cookcounty]

"The issue of the Church’s historical roots was crucial to me, for the thing I had found in the Catholic Church and in no Protestant church was simply this: the massive historical fact that there she is, majestic and unsinkable."

Doctor Kreeft should visit Europe more often. The Catholic churches are quiet places and it isn't because of the massive reverence. If you close your eyes and listen, you can hear the slow gurgling of Secularism's waters swallowing the pathetic remains. Granted, the (liberal) Protestants fare no better on this score, but they don't go about calling themselves "majestic and unsinkable."

Almost everything that is happening in European Christianity is in those bare and spare evangelical (to use the American term) congregations, yet they somehow prosper without supposedly indispensible sacred images and objects. When we rely on the "majesty" of the visible Church, we are not focused on the incomparable Majesty of God.

[HiTech RedNeck]

And... I would caution! If a Roman Catholic is ignorant of being caught up in God’s salvation and thinks that certain rituals (however sincerely performed) are what get him as a Christian wrapped up in Heaven... then I’d question if that Roman Catholic ever knew salvation! This is the Everlasting Arms which are ALREADY underneath... in the Hebrew it uses the same word for “underneath” that is used for “hind end” (b’tachat) i.e. God has already got your six... He’s ready to act... what you need to do is to accept Him picking you up. And the result will be supernatural gratitude. Now a wild adventure may and usually will follow!

[HiTech RedNeck]

Well, there’s a claimed mystical identification of the church that the Christ declared with the Roman organization. To me, this strikes me as a massive begged question. Ultimately spiritual claims have to be tested empirically. Demons don’t want the praise of the Father from the heart in the Son, and yet many an evangelical does just that per nothing but the bible. The idea that humans have to interpose, not just participate in doing the introductions to God and then as empowered and guided by the Spirit provide guidance and encouragement to already made believers, is human self glorifying. It’s a huge temptation and in Christian circles it’s not only Roman Catholicism where such self worship is seen... we all know about the stereotypical Baptist church that says all the other Baptist churches are going to hell because “only our preacher has the right doctrine....”

[boatbums]

Amen! We offer to our Savior a “sacrifice of praise” for all that he has done for us. I HIGHLY doubt he is impressed by whatever gilded finery, bejeweled ornamentation or luxurious trappings built by human hands could do. Scripture says, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." (I Cor. 2:9)

[bkaycee]

What do Catholics make out of Dr. Kreeft's statement.

"One crucial issue remained to be resolved: Justification by Faith, the central bone of contention of the Reformation.

Luther was obviously right here: the doctrine is dearly taught in Romans and Galatians. ....

At Heaven’s gate our entrance ticket, according to Scripture and Church dogma, is not our good works or our sincerity, but our faith, which glues us to Jesus.

He saves us; we do not save ourselves. But I find, incredibly, that 9 out of 10 Catholics do not know this, the absolutely central, core, essential dogma of Christianity.

Protestants are right: most Catholics do in fact believe a whole other religion.

Well over 90% of students I have polled who have had 12 years of catechism classes, even Catholic high schools, say they expect to go to Heaven because they tried, or did their best, or had compassionate feelings to everyone, or were sincere. They hardly ever mention Jesus.

Asked why they hope to be saved, they mention almost anything except the Savior."

[HiTech RedNeck]

Salvation in an immediate sense involves getting filled and cleaned by the Holy Spirit. It is a repurposing of an old fallen self that was purposed to the devil and/or to the devil’s waypoints (flesh and world). The details entail the Son (whom we typically refer to as Jesus because that’s how the Son became incarnate) performing the atoning work of the salvation, teaching the new believer, and presenting the new believer in love to the Father.

And I’d also call that a cock and bull story if I hadn’t experienced and witnessed it. Because of that, I am sold. The Holy Spirit is real and does marvelous works in the world.