Should we Evangelize Protestants ?

The Catholic Thing ^ | August 9th, 2020 | Casey Chalk

[MurphsLaw]

We should stop trying to evangelize Protestants, some Catholics say. “Let’s get our own house clean first, before we invite our fellow Christians in,” someone commented on a recent article of mine that presented a Catholic rejoinder to a prominent Baptist theologian. Another reader argued that, rather than trying to persuade Protestants to become Catholic, we should “help each other spread God’s love in this world that seems to be falling to pieces before our eyes.” As a convert from Protestantism, actively engaged in ecumenical dialogue, I’ve heard this kind of thinking quite frequently. And it’s dead wrong.

One common argument in favor of scrapping Catholic evangelism towards Protestants is that the Catholic Church, mired in sex-abuse and corruption scandals, liturgical abuses, heretical movements, and uneven catechesis, is such a mess that it is not, at least for the moment, a place suitable for welcoming other Christians.

There are many problems with this. For starters, when has the Church not been plagued by internal crises? In the fourth century, a majority of bishops were deceived by the Arian heresy. The medieval Church suffered under the weight of simony and a lax priesthood, as well as the Avignon Papacy and the Western Schism, culminating in three men claiming, simultaneously, to be pope. The Counter-Reformation, for all its catechetical, missionary and aesthetic glories, was still marred by corruption and heresies (Jansenism). Catholicism has never been able to escape such trials. That didn’t stop St. Martin of Tours, St. Boniface, St. Francis de Sales, St. Ignatius Loyola, or St. Teresa of Calcutta from their missionary efforts.

The “Catholics clean house” argument also undermines our own theology. Is the Eucharist the “source and summit of the Christian life,” as Lumen Gentium preaches, or not? If it is, how could we in good conscience not direct other Christians to its salvific power? Jesus Himself declared: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” (John 6:53) Was our Lord misrepresenting the Eucharist?

Or what of the fact that most Protestant churches allow contraception, a mortal sin? Or that Protestants have no recourse to the sacraments of penance or last rites? To claim Protestants aren’t in need of these essential parts of the Catholic faith is to implicitly suggest we don’t need them either.

* Moreover, in the generations since the Reformation, Rome has been able to win many Protestants back to the fold who have made incalculable contributions to the Church. St. John Henry Newman’s conversion ushered in a Catholic revival in England, and gave us a robust articulation of the concept of doctrinal development. The conversion of French Lutheran pastor Louis Bouyer influenced the teachings of Vatican II. Biblical scholar Scott Hahn’s conversion in the 1980s revitalized lay study of Holy Scripture.

Another popular argument in favor of limiting evangelization of Protestants involves the culture war. Catholics and theologically conservative Protestants, some claim, share significant common ground on various issues: abortion, homosexuality, transgenderism, euthanasia, religious freedom, etc. Secularism, the sexual revolution, and anti-religious progressives represent an existential threat to the survival of both Catholics and Protestants, and thus we must work together, not debate one another. “Let’s hold back any criticism of them,” a person commenting on my article wrote. “Believe me, in the times that we are in, we need to all hang together, or we will definitely hang separately on gallows outside our own churches.”

This line of thought certainly has rhetorical force: we don’t have the luxury of debating with Protestants when the progressivists are planning our imminent demise! Ecumenical debate is a distraction from self-preservation. One problem with this argument is that it reduces our Christian witness to a zero-sum game – we have to focus all our efforts on fighting secular progressivism, or we’ll fail. Yet the Church has many missions in the public square – that Catholics invest great energy in the pro-life movement doesn’t mean we shouldn’t also focus our efforts on other important matters: health-care, education, ensuring religious freedom, or fighting poverty and environmental degradation. All of these, in different ways, are a part of human flourishing. Even if we consider some questions more urgent than others, none of them should be ignored.

Besides, there is a vast difference between mere polemics and charitable, fruitful discussions aimed at resolving disagreements. The former can certainly cause bad blood. The latter, however, can actually foster unity and clarity regarding our purposes. Consider how much more fruitful our fight against the devastation of the sexual revolution would be if we persuaded Protestants that they need to reject things like contraception and the more permissive stance towards divorce that they have allowed to seep into their churches. Consider how non-Christians could learn from charitable ecumenical conversations that don’t devolve into name-calling and vilification.

Finally, abandoning or minimizing the evangelizing of Protestants is to fail to recognize how their theological and philosophical premises have contributed to the very problems we now confront. As Brad Gregory’s book The Unintended Reformation demonstrates, the very nature of Protestantism has contributed to the individualism, secularism, and moral relativism of our age. A crucial component to our Catholic witness, then, is helping Protestants to recognize this, since even when they have the best intentions, their very paradigm undermines their contributions to collaborating with us in the culture war.

I for one am very grateful that Catholics – many of them former Protestants – persuaded me to see the problems inherent to Protestantism, and the indisputable truths of Catholicism. My salvation was at stake. I also found and married a devout Catholic woman, and am raising Catholic children. The Catholic tradition taught me how to pray, worship, and think in an entirely different way. It pains me to think what my life would be like if I hadn’t converted to Catholicism.

Why bother to evangelize devout Protestants? Because they are people like me.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

Don is on a lot with Jack Hibbs & Barry Stagner also.
Truly a wonderful Brother-in-Christ!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eikS4QsbrqA

[Mark17]

Jesus never told us that all Truth is in the Bible.

I suppose if you want to design 6th generation fighter aircraft, or if you want to become a nuclear weapons maintenance officer, there is a better than even chance, you might consult another book, besides the Bible. If, on the other hand, I want to learn about Heaven and Hell, I will consult the Bible, as opposed to an aeronautical engineering manual. I ONLY do the Bible. I don’t accept traditions, unless I compare it to the Bible first. If you want to accept them, whatever they may be, knock yourself out. I won’t do it. I also know how to rightly divide the word of truth. I look at your interpretations, and I disagree with about 99% of them. Look bro, someone is right or wrong here. I don’t do the sacraments. I don’t accept a sinless demigoddess named Semiramis. I am perfectly satisfied and comfortable, outside the Catholic Church. It’s not likely to change. I hope you find the truth, before it's too late. 🔥 😁🤣🤗🤪🤑🙃☘️

[Mark17]

I saw both Amir and Barry in person, here at SM Lanang, back in January. They come here every January. 😁🙃

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Jesus never told us that all Truth is in the Bible.

GOD, through the Holy Spirit said that Scripture contains
all we need for salvation and Christian maturity.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Jesus established His Catholic Church so that we could follow Him and learn what He taught as the reveled truths of God.

Apparently, He established it to integrate all pagan religions into a new religion...

... most recently, worshipping the Pachamama idol in the vatican!

[Roman_War_Criminal]

Yes indeed it is. A father running towards his ‘lost’ son and hugging him with tender love.

I don’t understand the universe the Marianites live in. It’s alien and devoid of God.

Psalm 103:13
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

[aMorePerfectUnion]

His Catholic Church and His Sacraments

Neither mentioned in Scripture, though baptism and the Lord's Supper are commanded.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

You attempt to imply meaning without understanding context or using reason and logic in understanding the Bible.

This is the perfect summation of your account posting history here!

[aMorePerfectUnion]

The teaching office of the Catholic Church , The Magisterium, has the task of authoritatively interpreting the Word of God contained in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

Only for Catholics.

Not for Christians.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by oral statement or by letter of ours.” 2Thes 2:15

Please post the exact list of these traditions Paul referred to.

Please post an uninterupted transmission from the Apostles to today.

Short of that, all you have is wishogesis.

[Mark17]

though baptism and the Lord's Supper are commanded.

I disagree with the Catholic interpretation of those issues. Imagine that. Me, disagreeing with catholic interpretations. Has that ever happened before? 🤑🤑🤗🤣😊

[Roman_War_Criminal]

I remember you mentioning that.
I wish I could see them in person also. Not looking like that will ever happen :)

[newberger]

Thank you for this detailed answer. I had seen I John 5:16,17 as a 'simple' definition. It is startling, then that my own Eastern Orthodox church NEVER uses those terms, at least in anything I have read or heard. It has never been brought up in confession, either.

After reading your take on the passage, I looked up the passage in the Orthodox Study Bible. It said:

"5:16 What about those Christians who have not been living righteously? Sin leading to death is willful, continual disbelief in the grace of the Holy Spirit towards us."

In other words, I take it to refer to non-repentance together with willful and continual lack of faith that God will forgive.

It is gratifying to find myself on (almost) the same page as my Protestant brothers and sisters.

[Luircin]

It’s gratifying to hear the same from my Eastern Orthodox brothers and sisters too!

[Elsie]

Silly wabbit!

You ‘sposed to fingerprint their HANDS!!!

[Elsie]

Well; there IS this scene in ‘Ghost’...

[Elsie]

Jesus never told us that all Truth is in the Bible.

So?

---

You reject parts of God’s revealed truth...

They sure do! Call no man father...

---

Jesus established His Catholic Church so that we could follow Him and learn what He taught as the reveled truths of God.

To bad you guys have jumped the shark so many times.

[Elsie]

I have read of a certain fella that did REALLY good with just the scroll of Isaiah!

[Elsie]

The Holy Spirit tells us that everything we need for salvation can be found in Scripture.

---

In case certain folks do not believe this; I give you...

2 Peter 1:3

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.

[metmom]

The teaching office of the Catholic Church , The Magisterium, has the task of authoritatively interpreting the Word of God contained in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

And where in Scripture did Jesus tell Peter to set up a magisterium and that it and it alone had the authority to correctly *interpret* Scripture? Chapter and verses is you can.

Many attempt to follow only parts of the Bible that agree with your man made doctrine that contradicts God’s truth. You reject parts of God’s revealed truth, His Catholic Church and His Sacraments. You attempt to imply meaning without understanding context or using reason and logic in understanding the Bible.

Matthew 23:1-12 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.

They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.

But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.