May
20
Derick Dickens is a Facebook friend of mine whom readers may recall from a previous post. He is a speaker, college Professor, and current PhD candidate. One of his areas of expertise is Christian theology, particularly from a Reformed perspective. As such, he invites questions from his FB friends and engages in many theological and cultural discussions online. Sometimes people privately ask his thoughts or advice on certain matters. The other day, he shared one of those he got on an interesting “trend”, and he said I could share the question and his response with my readers. I think you may find it of interest, too.
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Question asked privately:
I’ve been thinking about you since I watched this video yesterday. I have tremendous respect for your opinions, and so I have been wondering what you would say to people that have converted to Catholicism after reading the early church fathers. It seems to me that many find Catholicism when faced with what they have had to say. To answer your question, I am well. Thank you!
Answer:
First, let me say that while I think there are significant theological differences between Protestants and Catholics–differences that are based upon central teachings of Christianity–I am thankful for the Catholic Church in two personal ways:
1. My mother, instead of living on the streets and fighting for survival in New York City, was raised in a Catholic Orphanage on Staten Island, New York. I am thankful for the nuns and priests who cared for my mother from the time she was 3 or 4 till she was 15.
2. My formative years growing up, the only moral code I knew was brought to me by the Catholic Church. While I had committed some horrible sins growing up, I was spared many tragedies because of the moral teachings of the Catholic Church.
Your question is timely because several key Evangelicals embraced Catholicism. Southern Evangelical Seminary, founded by Norman Geisler, has seen about a dozen faculty and students enter into the full communion of the Catholic Church. People like the ‘Bible Answer Man’, Hank Hanegraaff, converted to Orthodox Christianity. Francis Beckwith, former President of the Evangelical Theological Society, and Lutheran leader Richard John Neuhaus were also converts. In every instance, these are disturbing, though limited, trends.
These conversions may say more about Modern Evangelicalism than about Catholicism. Within Evangelicalism, there is a wide [breadth] of theologies, and as we have expanded our view of acceptable theologies, many desire more structure and greater clarity on issues. The Catholic Church has traditionally offered this clarity. (However, I believe Pope Francis is clouding the views of Catholicism.) Liturgy and structure found in the Catholic Church are appealing, and many Evangelicals have abandoned theologies that would help us think clearly through these and other issues.
The reason many people are leaving is rooted in the lack of robust theological framework. Theologian and Professor, Dr. Geerhardus Vos, noted that Evangelicalism is by nature naturally more Arminian, making it prone, I believe, to two different theological paths: liberalism and Catholicism/Eastern Orthodoxy. While there are probably some staunch Reformed people who have embraced Catholicism, Evangelicals try to play the minimalist approach to theology, making them more susceptible. I think this was one of the problems with the “Evangelicals and Catholics Together” movement. Losing their doctrinal identity has made them susceptible.
However, the tide is not merely Protestants moving towards the Roman Catholic Church but also [Catholics moving] away. According to the Pew Research, 1 out of every 3 people who were raised Catholic no longer identify as Catholic. Among those former Catholics, they are divided into either liberals who oppose the Church’s moral stance, or more conservative members who join Protestant churches. Only 10% of ex-Catholics join non-Christian religions. Almost 2/3rds of ex-Catholics who leave will enter a more conservative Protestant church (they are not even going towards the Episcopal Church).
Why is there a movement in both directions? First, I think both suffer from a theological identity crisis. Regular Evangelicals lack a religious identity that is more than superficial and broad. In some circles, Catholicism offers a vibrant and robust liturgy and a theological richness from their rich history. However, Catholics are suffering the same identity crisis. Vatican II may have been necessary, but it paved the way for Pope Francis and a clouding of theological richness. Ross Douthat, a Roman Catholic and a columnist for the New York Times, has written on how Francis is using the media and a well-thought-out strategy to signal a change in the Pope’s views and a downplaying of the rich Catholic heritage. In some places in America, this downturn has been occurring for years, as is evident in the lack of [catechism] and a robust doctrinal teaching. The Catholic Church that was once known for their integration of faith using the church, schools, and confirmation, is not the robust entity it once was.
Evangelicals are also searching for an identity and have few anchors to keep them firm in their doctrinal convictions.
As a Reformed Protestant, we have our own trials, but generally, we identify strongly with the 5 “only” statements: Grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone, Scripture alone, for the glory of God alone. I am not surprised by Evangelicals moving to Catholicism, but have been more surprised by some who identified with confessional Reformed faith [doing so].
As our culture faces a greater identity crisis, we will continue to see the fluidity between religions. It is not a Catholic problem or an Evangelical problem alone. However, Catholics and Evangelicals would do well to focus on their rich theological heritage, if they want to retain the next generation.
