Church still attracting converts: CHN at record levels

A personal note: The phone rang the other day and the gentleman on the other end identified himself as Jim Anderson from the Coming Home Network. He said he had a message from an old high school friend. Who might that be, I asked, and he gave the name: Dion Berlowitz.

Anderson told me the Coming Home Network, with which I was not familiar, helped Protestants come into the Church, and that Dion was on his way in.

I hadn’t heard from Dion in more than a decade, even though we were best friends at Williamsville South High School, outside Buffalo, sharing several interests, including cartooning and comic books. Raised Jewish, Dion became a born-again Christian in his junior year of high school as his parents’ marriage broke up, and spent hours, days, weeks, and months trying to convert me into a Bible-believing Christian.

In 1971, Dion went on to the University of Buffalo to study literature and I went on to Eisenhower College to study history, and our paths never crossed again until a call out of the blue came from him around 1990, when he told me he was a Presbyterian. We have had no further contact since, though I suspect and hope that will change.

In this initial conversation, Anderson told me that so far, this year, the Coming Home Network has helped 94 Protestant ministers of various denominations, along with many other Protestants, come into the Church. Some, like Dion, are on their way in. This is the largest annual crop since the CHNetwork was founded nine years ago.

Here, in a year in which the Catholic Church in the United States and around the world has been wracked by scandals, we do have good news indeed.

What would prompt a Protestant, especially a minister with a wife and family, to leave his tradition and often his livelihood to come into the Catholic Church, especially when there are so many broken-hearted Catholics embarrassed by the past ten months of sordid revelations involving clerical sexual abuse, bishops’ resignations, episcopal cover-ups and pay-outs? Not to mention the ongoing abuse of authority by bishops to hammer the lay faithful who object to dissidents and heretics speaking in parishes and education conferences.

"For Protestants," says Jim Anderson, "the scandals are a non-issue. Among the hundreds of people I have talked to who are thinking of coming into the Church, the scandals just aren’t an issue. Of all the people who have contacted me, only three or four have mentioned them, and that was only at my prompting.

"To a man, these men are intellectually convinced that the Church is a divine institution established by Christ, and bishops are only human — and, besides, they say, ‘These things are going on in our own denominations — only in our denomination they are not being addressed.’

"They see this as the Holy Spirit cleaning house. The judgment of the Lord begins with the family of God. They view the present scandals as a terrible tragedy; they want justice like everybody else. But as far as the truth of the Catholic faith is concerned, it is a non-issue. It’s sin; it needs to be addressed. And that’s it.

"These men," he continued, "are educated people. Most have master of divinity degrees and doctorates. They are aware of the problems, but once their hearts are converted and they see the Church as Jesus Christ’s, they know Christ will keep His promise. They have experienced troubles in their own denominations, but they know that when they are in the Church, God will prevail."

On average — based on the first ten months of this year — Anderson hears from a Protestant minister every three days who has made the decision to become Catholic.

Most, he says, are drawn to the Church for two reasons. Either they have come to understand the dead end to which the Protestant doctrine of sola scriptura leads, and they want to settle, in their own minds, the issue of authority in the Church; or they have been led to the Church by its doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and they want to receive Jesus.

What many Protestants are coming to understand, even at a time when many Catholics and non-Catholics lament the apparent breakdown of authority in the Church, Anderson explained, is that the Church’s authority "is set by God."

"Those who take their faith and Scripture and God seriously," he said, "see the Catholic Church as being the answer to the chaos of the Protestant condition: Sola scriptura is a dead end, is unhistorical and unworkable. They understand this and so they have a crisis of faith and they enter the Catholic Church. And this is occurring across the Protestant spectrum. A lot of people contacting the Coming Home Network are ‘higher church’ Episcopalians or Lutherans, but we do get calls also from ‘low-end’ Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and Assembly of God ministers.

"To speak, as some Catholics do, about a ‘crisis of authority’ in the Church doesn’t make a lot of sense," Anderson said. "There is a ‘crisis of obedience to authority,’ but that has always been the case, just as there has always been a ‘crisis of obedience to the authority of God’ on the part of many men and women. The authority is there, and it is working; it is just not obeyed."

The Coming Home Network was founded in 1993 out of the experiences of several Protestant clergy and their spouses. Upon leaving their pastorates to enter the Catholic Church, these clergy and their families discovered they were not alone. To help others come into the Church — and to deal with some of the tremendous personal and professional obstacles they faced — they began the organization as a support network.

Catholics, Anderson suggested, should understand some of the challenges these ministers face once they have made the intellectual decision to "cross over" to Rome.

"They go through tremendous struggles. They think, ‘I’m losing my friends, my family, my community, my church, and people think I’m crazy and I’m apostatizing from Christianity.’ Often the most serious conflict is with spouses, who not only have to deal with the change of religion, but have practical problems as well, such as, ‘What about me and the children?’ ‘How are we going to survive?’ ‘What will our friends think?’ ‘Have I been following the wrong religion all my life?’

"Most of these people have M.Div. and Ph.D. degrees, and so they are not employable in the world. It’s a difficult decision for these men to give up their work, their careers, and their livelihoods. Nevertheless, 94 this year have entered, or are on their way into, the Church."

One former minister, Anderson recalled, gave up his role as a prominent, prestigious minister for his community to work as a greeter at WalMart. For him, the blessing of being able to receive the Eucharist more than compensated for what he had to give up.

Anderson is well-prepared for his work helping Protestants come into the Church. Reared as a Methodist, the 47-year-old Anderson became a Lutheran at 19. As a history major specializing in medieval Europe at Ohio University in Athens, he knew he was on his way into the Church.

Three years after graduating, he entered evangelical Ashland Seminary in 1980, interested in pursuing studies in ecumenical dialog. In his freshman year, he made the decision to join the Catholic Church, and on July 25, 1981, the Feast of St. James, he was confirmed. His wife, Lynn, who entered the Church in 1983, now teaches in a Catholic school.

Contrary to popular stereotypes, he said, the biggest roadblocks would-be converts confront are not such "hot-button" issues as contraception, papal infallibility, or women’s rights, but the Church’s doctrines concerning Mary.

Many Protestants, he said, "are scandalized by the liturgical craziness. They try to get around it by seeking out a Byzantine rite, or seeking out orthodox parishes. And usually, if they come into the Church, having been good Protestants, they have church-hopped enough to have found a parish where they don’t have to deal with abuses."

But, he added, many look beyond the abuses, because "they are attracted to Christ in the liturgy. For a lot of the converts, there are many who have intellectually convinced themselves already that they must join the Church before they ever attended Mass. And when they finally start going to Mass, often there is a culture shock, especially if they come from a small, intimate, loving Baptist church, and go into a parish of 2,000 people who aren’t particularly friendly. So there is this bit of culture shock — and that doesn’t include the shock of liturgy."

Asked to name the leading intellectual sources Protestants are reading to find their way into the Church, Anderson named familiar names.

"The intellectual sources are, certainly, Cardinal Newman, G.K. Chesterton, Bishop Fulton Sheen, Scott Hahn, and Catholic Answers.

"But most often, it is the fathers of the Church. When Protestant ministers encounter the fathers, they realize they were lied to and betrayed, because they were taught the Protestant Reformation cleansed Christianity of the barnacles on the Barque of Peter and the Reformers recovered ancient Christianity. Then they go back and read the apostolic fathers, especially Ignatius of Antioch who is preaching the Real Presence, the authority of bishops, and all these many Catholic things, and the conclusion is the words of Jesus, who says: ‘I will be with you always.’

"Either Jesus kept His promise, or the Church went to Hell in a hand basket after the death of St. John.

"When they start studying the early Church fathers, they are blown out of the water."

The Coming Home Network’s executive director is former Presbyterian minister Marcus Grodi, who, captured the feeling and beliefs of many fellow Protestants who came into the Church in his book, Journeys Home (Queenship Publishing 1997).

"[T]he biggest thing that opened my heart to the truth of the Catholic faith was not all the apologetic arguments that convinced me of the trustworthiness of Catholic truth, but the realization that the Catholic Church, with all of her saints and sinners, was exactly what Christ had promised.

"The majority of complaints against the Catholic Church over the centuries have been aimed at the decisions and actions of bad Popes, or immoral clergy, or ignorant laity, or corrupt Catholic nobility, and the correct answer to this is, ‘But, of course! The Church is made up of wheat and tares, from the bottom to the top, sinners in need of grace! This is no reason to leave and form a new church, for any church made up of human beings is made up of sinners.’

"All true conversions to the Catholic faith from any other starting point carry with them complications, primarily because this conversion must be rooted in and thereby an extension of one’s conversion and surrender to Christ. If becoming a Catholic does not involve this, I don’t believe it is a true conversion. It might be a change of convenience or even possibly for some sort of personal gain or aggrandizement.

"But only when one recognizes or painfully discovers that to be fully a follower of Jesus Christ, and thereby have the full potential of growing in union with Him, one must also be in union with the Church He established in and through His Apostles, can one be truly converted.

"These conversions by definition must involve some extent of leaving behind and rejecting part of what a person once held very dear. Some things can be joyfully brought along, others can be cautiously tolerated, but yet there are ideas, practices, and sometimes even relationships which must be severed.

"It of course never means that we cease to love those we may need to leave behind, or who choose to turn their backs on us. In fact, we are called all the more to shower our now confused or indignant friends and family with the all-forgiving, all-accepting love of Christ. However, we must not let the emotional trajectories of our loving glances turn our attention off of the fullness of truth found only in union with the Catholic Church."

For more information about the Coming Home Network, go to its web site, www.chnetwork.org, or call 740-450-1175.

I would feel pretty blessed, too, if I had been chosen to carry the son of God. "Blessed" does not mean "holiest" or "worthy of praise." Blessings are a free gift from God; we cannot earn them. I am blessed with good health, a loving relationship, a wonderful family and talent that secures for me a good income. I am blessed.

Mary was blessed. Though she was a sinner (the book of Romans states that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God), she found favor with God and He trusted her to birth and raise His Son. That is an enormous blessing.

But I don't think the fact that God blessed Mary with such an awesome responsibility necessarily means that she rules with him in Heaven, or that she can even hear us when we pray. She was just a humble Jewish girl. That's the beauty of the Bible story -- God uses humble, everyday sinners to accomplish His great work on Earth.

I read nothing above the text. I believe Jesus was providing for the care of His mother after His death. It's a very Jewish thing to do, don't you think?

From the cross Jesus said:

When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son.
After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own. (John 19:26-27)

So why do you think Christ would tell John to behold thy mother?

AMEN. This is exactly what I have said numerous times, but alot of Catholics fail to understand. Because we don't "venerate" her they feel that must mean we don't consider her blessed, special, highly favored. I believe all of this. That does not mean that she is anything other then a sinful person who was in need of a Savior, as she her self stated (Luke 1;47). The Catholics take our attitude towards Mary as scorn, which is a big li...uhh...mischaracterazation:)

Becky

We consider them decisively authoritative OVER the church. You consider the Church decisively authoritative OVER the scripture. I've seen (and been a part of) the discussions on some of these threads on that subject. My argument is that the scriptures are the CLEAR apostolic authority extant in the world today. The apostles always had authority over the church. Therefore, the writings of the apostles have priority over the church. Others have had arguments that have attempted to dissuade me from that conclusion, but none have had arguments that I found as persuasive.

You bring up an excellent point that gets at the heart of the difference between Catholics and Protestants. Some of the Catholic doctrines cannot be accepted until one accepts the concept of apostolic succession. If there is a Magisterium given divine sanction to interpret scripture, then whatever they teach is Truth, regardless of how great or tenuous its scriptural support.

Thank you, I will take a look at the website. I do have my disagreements with the idea of the papacy. I just don't read an entire doctrine into that verse as the Catholic Church does. I tend to take the text very literally. When I study the language and cultural context behind the verse, sometimes new perspectives are opened up to me. Perhaps, eventually, this will be one of those instances. I have my doubts, though.

***What constitutes proof for you if not arguments? ***

Actually, I've read Scott Hahn's stuff, too, and found it all to be argued from a very Catholic point of view (understandably, I might add). The problem with that is if you are protestant, you've already heard the arguments for Catholicism and rejected them. Scott Hahn may make the arguments a little better than most, but he doesn't address the real issue, which is a fundamentally different perspective and way of looking at the Scriptures between Catholics and Protestants.

Obviously, Scott Hahn had to go through a tremendous change in his way of thinking in order to convert to Catholicism. But he never tells us how he came to that new way of thinking, or how we can, or even why we should think that way, too. Instead, he just presents the same arguments from his new Catholic perspective and expectes Protestants to just "get it." But we don't get it.

Angelo,

You need to continue reading through the thread, but I appreciate your comments.

It isn't a matter of the authority of the scripture as much as it's a matter of the authority of Jesus and the Apostles.

However, the scriptures ARE THE PRESENCE of Jesus and the Apostles.

I could think of all kinds of biblical arguments about how you view "protestant" churches.

It's really unnecessary. It's better to just do historic geneology. Just because my son disowns me doesn't mean that my grandfather is no longer his great-grandfather.

They left your church saying that THEY were the true expression of it. The point being....they're a BRANCH of you. Your grandparents are their grandparents.

If you came from the apostles, so did they.

Also, we've not traced the history of the other patriarchates nor of independent groups.

Becky,
Read this and #115 above.

Sola Scriptura isn't a "bible verse" about a reformation teaching.

Sola Scriptura is recognition that the scriptures are the writings of the apostles and the apostles are authoritative over the church.

Jesus prayed for all who "believe through their (the apostles) word." Their eyewitness accounts (word of the apostles) are the prior basis of anyone's believing. Ultimately, Only believers are entering into and incorporating with the body of believers.

Jesus' words and the apostles' eyewitness teachings are preserved in the bible. It is the same AS IF they were PRESENT.

I could think of all kinds of biblical arguments about how you view "protestant" churches.

Ok. Give me just one.

It's really unnecessary. It's better to just do historic genealogy. Just because my son disowns me doesn't mean that my grandfather is no longer his great-grandfather. They left your church saying that THEY were the true expression of it. The point being....they're a BRANCH of you. Your grandparents are their grandparents. If you came from the apostles, so did they.

Your reasoning does not apply here. We are talking about the Church spoken of in 1 Timothy. This has nothing to do with genealogy. It has to do with Truth. You cannot trace your Church back to the time of the Apostles therefore your Church cannot be the one that Christ established.

They left your church saying that THEY were the true expression of it. The point being....they're a BRANCH of you. Your grandparents are their grandparents.

So you would have me believe the Church that Christ established went into apostasy. That would also mean his promise to protect and be with the Church for all time is invalid. Sorry, I don’t buy it.

Also, we've not traced the history of the other patriarchates nor of independent groups.

What patriarchs and independent groups are you speaking of.

I will also point out that you have yet to directly answer any of my questions which leads me to believe you have no good answers.

You must now decide whether I'm a separated brother or a heretic, mustn't you?

The Catechism states it better than I could

838 "The Church knows that she is joined in many ways to the baptized who are honored by the name of Christian, but do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity or communion under the successor or Peter." Those "who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in a certain, although imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church." With the Orthodox Churches, this communion is so profound "that it lacks little to attain the fullness that would permit a common celebration of the Lord's Eucharist."

Good point. No, they are in schism.

Meaning they broke off from the Catholic church. (Of course the Orthodox believe that it was the Catholic church which broke away from them).

The difference is their Church is of Apostolic origin. None of our Protestant friends can claim this of their Church

How is their situation any different from that of the Orthodox? They both arose from a division within the church. They may have tossed a greater or lesser amount of tradition overboard, but clearly their roots are in Catholicism.

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