Recently, in the article here profiling Dr. Scott Hahn, I suggested that the fact that a major American Catholic apologist is a former Catholic hater and evangelical Protestant minister must say something positive about Catholicism. This thought always starts me thinking about two things: conversion and who I go to for Catholic information. The following final paragraph, from an article I wrote about fear, reveals a lot about my path: I’ll say here only these things about my renewal of faith. I approached Catholicism as a skeptic researcher and read the works of atheists who converted to Christianity and Catholic deniers and haters who became Catholic. I did not have to read the works of those who remained atheist or anti-Catholic. First, their views had been mine at some point. I knew them. Secondly, the converted writers explained where they had come from. I also focused as much on history and science as I did Faith, because I knew I would need to defend my Faith to many skeptics. I found historical justification for the scriptures, the existence of Jesus, Christ’s divinity, and much more that the Church teaches. I find the arguments against these things, as well as the theory that Paul of Tarsus invented Christianity, to be very weak. I am aware also of well documented miracles and I feel that I have a grasp of the purpose of such things. [The complete article is found on the About page.]
The purpose for miracles I believe is threefold, to obviously help someone in need; to tap the skeptic on the shoulder and say, "You need evidence? Here's evidence;" and to prove the concept of sainthood, since many petition prayers to God (that lead to miracles) are channeled through the saints.
Well, all of those former anti-Catholics I read added up to be the bulk of my reading and listening. I get my definitive answers about spiritual issues from the Bible, the Catechism and the early Church fathers*; but I get my everyday explanations, answers to questions etc. from the most respected Catholic apologists available today. Guess what? They are all converts, not from atheism but from Protestantism:
Scott Hahn: ............. SAINT PAUL CENTER For BIBLICAL THEOLOGY; FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY
OF STEUBENVILLE, Ohio, professor; prolific author and speaker often on EWTN
Kimberly Hahn: ....... [works with Scott and on her own projects presumably]
Steve Ray: ............... DEFENDERS of the CATHOLIC FAITH ; author; speaker; leader of Holy Land tours
Marcus Grodi: ......... The Coming Home Network International; THE Journey HOME on EWTN;
author and speaker often on EWTN television
David Curry: ............ [author of the two books listed below, current career unknown to this writer]
Those are the first five that roll off the tongue. A powerful line up it is indeed. There are others. Each of these particular four men were ministers, so Catholicism cost them their careers. Three of them have made new careers as apologists and do worthy work. I am not sure if David Curry works in a field related to Catholicism or not, but his book Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic is one of the best books about conversion issues. He also has a rather thick book out called Rapture: The End-Times Error That Leaves the Bible Behind. Scott Hahn's wife, Kimberly, is a Catholic author and speaker.
Just this week, August 2, David Curry was a guest on Marcus Grodi's The Journey Home (EWTN Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern time). An interesting point came up that plays in directly to one of my own Christian theses: original sin as it relates to our world and to Christian denominations. This line of thinking may irritate my Protestant friends and family, which is not intentional. It is merely an exercise in intellectual speculation, which I had avoided openly until these two noted former Protestants brought it up on national television. Catholicism takes a lot of heat, so bear with me on this line of thought. We have a right to fight back, honorably. My critical point is directed at the founders of other denominations not the members.
David Curry suggested that one of the Devil's last resort tactics is to flood the enemy (Christians) with competition within their own ranks (divide and conquer). In other words, if he cannot sufficiently weaken their resolve he can try to make them weaken themselves by weakening the Church. This is done by planting the divisiveness in the minds and hearts of Christians to encourage the creation of numerous, counterfeit "churches." There are today well over 20,000 Christian denominations and more are literally being founded every single day. The leader of each fervently criticizes the Pope and the body of belief that is embodied in the Catholic Church and then proceeds to pronounce his or her body of belief, rooted in his own interpretations of scripture as if a little "pope" himself. Do you really think this is what Christ had in mind, . . . "On this Rock I will build my church. . . . I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven . . . and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it."
The Church has long since come to terms with its historical faults; however, one must also be aware that some of that bad behavior was in the spirit of the times (even Christian leadership has human failings). And some of the political turmoil in which the Church was historically embroiled was because, at times, it was in survival mode. At times it was the only institution holding civilized, Christian society together. The official Catholic Church and many, if not most, of its membership is well aware that it shares some of the blame for the assault upon its unity. We blame Satan for flaws in the Church's past because isn't he the force behind all evil? Those faults cracked the door open for the Reformation.
I really prefer former Protestant minister Marcus Grodi’s way of stating the current state of affairs with respect to our splintered Christian Faith. With respect to his work with the Coming Home Network International, he says that his role is to help our Protestant brethren come home “to the fullness of the Faith.”
*[Early Church fathers are the bishops and other early Christian leaders who left writings for us; Apostolic fathers are early Church fathers who knew (or could have known, based upon timelines) Christ or one of the 12 Apostles personally.]
The purpose for miracles I believe is threefold, to obviously help someone in need; to tap the skeptic on the shoulder and say, "You need evidence? Here's evidence;" and to prove the concept of sainthood, since many petition prayers to God (that lead to miracles) are channeled through the saints.
Well, all of those former anti-Catholics I read added up to be the bulk of my reading and listening. I get my definitive answers about spiritual issues from the Bible, the Catechism and the early Church fathers*; but I get my everyday explanations, answers to questions etc. from the most respected Catholic apologists available today. Guess what? They are all converts, not from atheism but from Protestantism:
Scott Hahn: ............. SAINT PAUL CENTER For BIBLICAL THEOLOGY; FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY
OF STEUBENVILLE, Ohio, professor; prolific author and speaker often on EWTN
Kimberly Hahn: ....... [works with Scott and on her own projects presumably]
Steve Ray: ............... DEFENDERS of the CATHOLIC FAITH ; author; speaker; leader of Holy Land tours
Marcus Grodi: ......... The Coming Home Network International; THE Journey HOME on EWTN;
author and speaker often on EWTN television
David Curry: ............ [author of the two books listed below, current career unknown to this writer]
Those are the first five that roll off the tongue. A powerful line up it is indeed. There are others. Each of these particular four men were ministers, so Catholicism cost them their careers. Three of them have made new careers as apologists and do worthy work. I am not sure if David Curry works in a field related to Catholicism or not, but his book Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic is one of the best books about conversion issues. He also has a rather thick book out called Rapture: The End-Times Error That Leaves the Bible Behind. Scott Hahn's wife, Kimberly, is a Catholic author and speaker.
Just this week, August 2, David Curry was a guest on Marcus Grodi's The Journey Home (EWTN Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern time). An interesting point came up that plays in directly to one of my own Christian theses: original sin as it relates to our world and to Christian denominations. This line of thinking may irritate my Protestant friends and family, which is not intentional. It is merely an exercise in intellectual speculation, which I had avoided openly until these two noted former Protestants brought it up on national television. Catholicism takes a lot of heat, so bear with me on this line of thought. We have a right to fight back, honorably. My critical point is directed at the founders of other denominations not the members.
David Curry suggested that one of the Devil's last resort tactics is to flood the enemy (Christians) with competition within their own ranks (divide and conquer). In other words, if he cannot sufficiently weaken their resolve he can try to make them weaken themselves by weakening the Church. This is done by planting the divisiveness in the minds and hearts of Christians to encourage the creation of numerous, counterfeit "churches." There are today well over 20,000 Christian denominations and more are literally being founded every single day. The leader of each fervently criticizes the Pope and the body of belief that is embodied in the Catholic Church and then proceeds to pronounce his or her body of belief, rooted in his own interpretations of scripture as if a little "pope" himself. Do you really think this is what Christ had in mind, . . . "On this Rock I will build my church. . . . I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven . . . and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it."
The Church has long since come to terms with its historical faults; however, one must also be aware that some of that bad behavior was in the spirit of the times (even Christian leadership has human failings). And some of the political turmoil in which the Church was historically embroiled was because, at times, it was in survival mode. At times it was the only institution holding civilized, Christian society together. The official Catholic Church and many, if not most, of its membership is well aware that it shares some of the blame for the assault upon its unity. We blame Satan for flaws in the Church's past because isn't he the force behind all evil? Those faults cracked the door open for the Reformation.
I really prefer former Protestant minister Marcus Grodi’s way of stating the current state of affairs with respect to our splintered Christian Faith. With respect to his work with the Coming Home Network International, he says that his role is to help our Protestant brethren come home “to the fullness of the Faith.”
*[Early Church fathers are the bishops and other early Christian leaders who left writings for us; Apostolic fathers are early Church fathers who knew (or could have known, based upon timelines) Christ or one of the 12 Apostles personally.]