Singling out Stephen Baldwin makes perfect sense and doesn’t smack of chauvinism at all:
1) He is already a Christian, a recent convert, and has expressed an opneness to dialogue on Christian issues.
2) To bring someone to the fullness of Christian truth is not chauvinism - it’s just common sense and charitable.
3) As the letter says, “I write to you as one Christian to another in order to share with you the opportunity to experience a deeper dimension of intimacy with our Lord and Savior.” That is not chauvinism. It is a desirable Christian charity.
4) Also, your last point about converting the other Baldwins is off base. The Baldwin family is clearly a dissenting Catholic family. If Stephen Baldwin were to return to Catholicism with the zealousness of a convert, he would strongly encourage his whole family to return to the faith they clearly have abandoned. It would be a faith they are familiar with, but have fallen away from. Convert Stephen Baldwin and the whole family might convert. No joke. A friend of mine wanted to know why I was so interested in his conversion (he was a fallen away Mormon turned atheist). I told him plainly: if he converted, not only would mean all the difference in the world to him, but he would convert hundreds of others in his life time. He was taken aback. He later converted. He is now heading up a Catholic radio ministry and is converting others.
Respectful dialogue is done man to man not by playing politics over a magazine or the internet. True dialogue doesn't need impersonal letter writing. I question the sincerity and purpose of someone who doesn't have the integrity to speak to him personally or write him personally before he engages in advertising his position.
2) To bring someone to the fullness of Christian truth is not chauvinism - it’s just common sense and charitable.
Again, sincerity of dialogue is achieved by personal association not some advertising campaign for Catholic theology.
3) As the letter says, “I write to you as one Christian to another in order to share with you the opportunity to experience a deeper dimension of intimacy with our Lord and Savior.” That is not chauvinism. It is a desirable Christian charity.
Christian charity is achieved through a letter published openly and now on the Internet? Is that what you call charity? I call it propaganda and impersonal despite the putative sincerity.
4) Also, your last point about converting the other Baldwins is off base. The Baldwin family is clearly a dissenting Catholic family. If Stephen Baldwin were to return to Catholicism with the zealousness of a convert, he would strongly encourage his whole family to return to the faith they clearly have abandoned. It would be a faith they are familiar with, but have fallen away from. Convert Stephen Baldwin and the whole family might convert. No joke. A friend of mine wanted to know why I was so interested in his conversion (he was a fallen away Mormon turned atheist). I told him plainly: if he converted, not only would mean all the difference in the world to him, but he would convert hundreds of others in his life time. He was taken aback. He later converted. He is now heading up a Catholic radio ministry and is converting others.
I guess it would be redundant for me to answer this one given my position above.
Common sense and charitable to be doing this on the internet? IF you have a problem with Stephen Baldwin and feel he is going astray, go to HIM! This is between the writer and Baldwin. This is no one's business and I am appalled that Christians are doing this to him.
He’s hardly a recent Christian. He’s been one for years, he has a major evangelical ministry, and has brought many people to Christ.
The Church in Rome is not "the fullness of Christian truth." As Paul himself wrote (see 1 Cor. 11:27, for example), the thing going into your mouth is not "flesh," but "bread." To agree with Paul is not heresy, is not falling short of "the fullness of Christian truth."
May Rome decrease, and Christ increase.