Positive Aspects of the Catholic Church:

Straight AheadDuring my first summer in Maine, the summer of 2002, I had a period of time when I wasn't feeling very well. I spent much of that time in bed in our guest room, watching EWTN, the Catholic cable channel, on TV. As a result, I became very interested in the Catholic Church, and started doing a lot of study and joining discussion groups on the Internet. There were a lot of things about the Catholic Church I had taken for granted, but never really examined. I had just left the EPC, but was also dissatisfied with the type of congregationalism I saw in the UCC. Then, when Pope John Paul II died and Pope Benedict XVI was installed, I again began watching EWTN regularly while here in Jackson, Alabama, and doing some more on-line reading about the Catholic Church. I also talked to my good friend who is a Catholic priest, and to some other people I know. It is highly unlikely that I would ever become a Catholic, so don't read me out of the Presbyterian ministry just yet! Seriously though, I can see why many Protestants all across the theological spectrum consider the Catholic Church and find it appealing; and some even convert to Catholicism. For one thing, there is a body of teaching that seems relatively stable. This may be somewhat questionable, since we know that the teachings of the Catholic Church have changed over the years; but certainly, the main body of teaching seems more settled than it does within most of the Protestant denominations. It is also authoritative. If you are a Catholic, there are certain things you are to believe. These are non-negotiable. In an era when most Protestant denominations seem willing even to negotiate the Trinity, this authoritative foundation is reassuring. Along this line, the Catholic Church is certainly more definite in its views on many of the social and moral issues of the day such as abortion, homosexuality, and sexual issues in general. It goes without saying that the history and ritual of the Catholic Church also are very meaningful and significant to many. Protestants are generally not nearly so aware of the writings of the church fathers and even many of the medieval thinkers as are the Roman Catholics--and I'm not thinking of the heretics here, but of theologians whose work has largely stood the test of time. It is interesting to note the discussions that have recently been occurring between Lutherans and Catholics regarding justification by faith. I was recently sent some information about this, and I intend to study it when I get the opportunity. I doubt that any of the major Protestant denominations will reunite with Rome any time soon, but I can understand why some Protestants feel that they are going "home to Rome" when they embrace the teachings of the Catholic Church. I believe the Bible to be the Word of God, the "only infallible rule of faith and practice." Believing this, I am firmly committed to the reformed view of justification by faith, total depravity, unconditional election, and the other points of Calvinism. As long as these are my firm convictions, it hardly seems possible that I would be at home in a Catholic parish. Still, I can hardly view my Roman Catholic brothers and sisters with the contempt of sixteenth-century reformers. Perhaps the Church of that day was everything they said it was, and perhaps they are in serious error on many points still today. Honesty compels me to acknowledge, however, that the Catholic Church is a vital force for virtue and Christ in the world today. EWTN once showed a young lady who had been a missionary of an evangelical Protestant denomination or agency in Latin America. She said that as she went through the villages in fulfilling her responsibilities, she realized that each of the different evangelical groups and denominations were saying that their interpretation of Scripture was right, and that they all seemed to believe that the Bible is the Word of God. She reasoned that if the Bible truly is the Word of God, all these competing interpretations could not possibly be right. On that point, she was correct. Her response was to examine more closely the Roman Catholic Church, since it seemed to represent a greater Christian unity or cohesion of teaching. She eventually gave her allegiance to Catholicism. While I wish she had chosen another path, that resolution of her anxiety was certainly more satisfying than the liberal response of simply affirming some vague definition of "what's true for you," or saying that somehow, it really doesn't matter what conclusion you reach, since God loves everybody, and we're all going to heaven, anyway! Yes, I can definitely see the appeal and some positive aspects of the Roman Catholic Church. Personally, I would have preferred that the young woman become a committed Calvinist!