🕊 My Journey to Catholicism
After being raised Catholic, leaving for some time, there are many reason why I reverted back — historical, rational, emotional, etc. There wasn’t one magic bullet reason but over-time the data mounted in favor of the Catholic position and the Protestant view became incoherant to me. Note: I am presupposing theism and Christianity.
Below are my top reasons, why I’m Catholic. I leave the door open to be proven wrong, I just haven’t met a compelling reason to be anything besides Catholic.
REASON #1
Pop quiz: could my grandma attend this church?
The dominos began to fall when a friend, struggling with his faith, asked me this question. We were both attending churches focused on engaging culture and using relevant ways to help people encounter God. On the surface the question seemed harmless, but beneath laid practical concerns. At the time my grandma, a devout Catholic, was in her 70’s and in poor health. The missional church I was a part of was “cool”, with a congregation who looked like extras in a Wes Anderson film. Nothing inherantly evil with this, but something about it’s underlying current lacking universality across races, socio-economics, generations, etc. didn’t sit well with me. If my nana couldn’t walk into this church, find common ground with people and practice her faith here, then what was it about the DNA of the system I participated in that made it exclusive? Was this good or bad?
This initial question didn’t refute Protestantism, but it did prompt me to start questioning the system I belonged to.
REASON #2
Church demographics
My grandma hypothetically not fitting into my church, forced me to do a “anthropological audit” of who walked in the doors, mostly reflections of myself: young, trendy and 20/30 somethings. The church I was a part of made me question: “where are the Latinos, 65+, people with special needs, African outfits, 80-yr old in wheelchair, girl with downsydrome, etc” I was accustome to growing up. The narrow slices of a population by it’s very nature began to put seeds of doubt that what I was a part of was a man-made institution centered around me and my interests; not an institution for all people, created to last anywhere, anytime.
REASON #3
Church duration
A few years later the church (mentioned) shut down. No mas. Initally designed to engage church misfits, those deconstructing their faith, it was an innovative way to bring church to people. Operating like a startup, it grew from an idea to 300 members over 5 years. At the time, it was vibrant / exciting and being in the inner-core of church leaders I felt especially important. The problem was it couldn’t stand the test of time — gone like rising smoke. Church leaders felt the mission had run its course and moved onto a new venture. Note: the people who founded the church were lovely and I owe them a great deal of who I am today, I don’t want to critique the people as much as a flavor of protestantism.
It was peculiar to me that a pastor could have a private revelation to start a church ... and then it shut down without even lasting a quarter of a century. Similarly, Mars Hill Church (‘96) rose from 2 to 12,000 attendees and by ‘15 it had dissolved it’s network. Many people experience the pain of a church starting & stopping, a disorienting, confusing and a painful process — kind of like mom and dad getting divorced. We act as these splinters are “just part of the deal”. This never made sense to me, surely why would the God of the old covenant, who is so detailed in how he builds his church (ex. outer wall 100 by 50 by 5 cubits), create a “free for all” with how churches are built in the new covenant. Yet somehow the Catholic Church, right or wrong has lasted 2,000 years. Surely there is some kind of blessing built into it’s DNA to withstand the test of time.
reinventing the wheel, innovation (are we inventing are conserving what was handed to us
REASON #4
Who founded your church?
Great question. This is another knockout blow to the Catholic Church IMO. Apostolic Succession simply means that each Catholic Bishop & Priest can trace their lineage off who laid hands on them, back to Jesus throughout time (See Catholic Hierarchy). Imagine if each American President passed the presidency to the next president but dating back 2,000 years.
We kind of gloss over the question “who founded your church” — but this question has serious implications, because anybody with a passion or word from God can start their own church. This mental model creates a splintering effect listed below. Catholic Church can trace it’s origin to Jesus, Methodists can trace their faith origins to John Wesley — big difference.
REASON #5
The charismatic pastor is the life blood to the modern churchThe pastor of the church I attended was amazing. Kind, good communicator and everyone’s friend. Once he left the church dissolved. His charismatic vision and personality left a void unable to be filled, without any continuity or a succession plan. Same with Mars Hill. I wonder what will happen to Matt Chandler’s The Village Church when he retires in 20 years. The hearbeat of the church and it’s subsequent vision often lives and dies by the founding pastor when they start another “company” or fall victum to controversy. Not always but all too often. For every Methodist or Presbyerian branch that lasts, how many Adullam Denver’s are there?
The Catholic Church is built to sniff out the celebrity pastor. Priests take a 7 yr-long discernment process, with spiritual formation along the way to ensure there are no ulterior motives to becoming a shepherd. Priests take a vow of poverty (no accessive items), chasity (married to the church, commitment to purity) and obedience (submission to a bishop). Priests have an average 6 year assignment. This mechanism keeps the celebrity priest at bay and keeps the focus of reason you attend derivative of the liturgy and sacrements not a dynamic personality. Same with becoming Catholic parishoner, you don’t just have an alter call and are thrusted into the deep-end of your faith. When my pastor left, the church fell apart — and created yet another problem (reason #5).
REASON #6
I am building God in my own image ... or does god’s full revelation inform my image of God?
The church break-up, forced me to “church hop” or “shop” to find the right home all over again. It’s an exhausting process — similar to dating. I would come-up with a set of criteria to base my next church decision around, until I found the right one. I didn’t have language to this at the time but I was making a critical error when it came to one’s faith. I (Tim White) determined the criteria and then sought to find the “right church” be it: preaching, worship bands, cute girls or church programs to fulfill my personal views.
Ultimately, I finally allowed the doctrines of the Catholic Church to shape my conscience, rather than use my personal, imperfect views to shape my view of God — this was a minor mindset shift with major implications.
TRANSITION
REASON #7
The Eucharist
As a Protestant you have to do some real mental gymnastics with John 6 and the bread of life discourse to not think it is true flesh and body of Jesus.
A few observations:
- Jesus doubles down on the hard teaching at the end. Many of his disciples had “a hard time with this teaching” and leave him. Jesus reiterates twice with leaving no room for “symbolic language”.
- The entire Gospel of John had no metaphoric language. Many Protestants say it is expressive language, however that is not how John writes. He uses no symbolism in his Gospel.
- Paul feverant in the belief of the Eucharist. 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 — So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
- Manna from Heaven in Exodus. God sends spiritual food from heaven to give Isrealites nurishment on their spiritual jounrey. And extends the spiritual bread in the new covenant.
- Unanimous belief from the early church fathers. It was unanimuous belief until the year 1500.
- Luther believes in the Eucharist. The face of the Protestant rebellion believed in the Eucarist.
I could continue to throw facts but what has gotten me recently was the Lords Prayer, “...give us this day our daily bread”. Catholics have a means and mechanism to receive our daily bread via daily mass where we receive Jesus in the flesh. Does your church?
REASON #8
What came 1st the Church or the Bible? Answer: Church.
- There was no New Testament for 300 years after Jesus’ death. Jesus died in the year 33 AD. The last book of the bible (Revelation) wasn’t written until 100 AD. The New Testament wasn’t agreed upon until the year 415 AD! Especially, in the ‘Age of the Martyrs’ 285-305 AD (the high point of people dieing for Christ) there was no bible. So what happened for 300+ years!
- How did you get the canon (table of contents) of the bible? How do you know what belongs in the bible? Is that listed in the bible? Or did God provide a means to determine what was in and out of the bible? If the bible truly is inerrant (without error), there must be an infallible source to compile — that source is Catholic Pope, Bishops & Priests.
- Who put the bible together? If Protestants thought the Catholic Church was a sufficient source to derive their bible, why wouldn’t they trust other things?
- Jesus didn’t ask his disciples to write anything down, but he did instruct his disciples to start a church. In Matthew 16:17 , Jesus said to Simon, “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it”.
REASON #9
Jesus Prayer for Unity Before He Dies
Older I get the more I think about death and my legacy. What strucks me is the night before Jesus dies he prays for his church and that they might be unified. Imagine what your prayer would be to your family and friends before you died? It is probably going to be something important.
John 17 20-23
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Jesus describes not just any kind of unity, but unity that is close as he and the Father are one. That unity is closer than that of man & woman physical union (and that is very close) — not a superficial union or the “idea” of a union. Wouldn’t that type of union be attainable?
The Catholic Church has mechanism to attain this type of union: 1) unity in belief [aka Catechism], 2) unity of leaders [aka Bishop] 3) unity through Jesus’ body [aka Eucharist & Adoration] 4) unity through prayer [aka Book of Hours] 5) unity through scripture [aka Daily Readings] 6) unity through time [aka Yearly Liturgy].
REASON #8
Circular Logic of Sola Scriptura & Dangers of Proof-Texting
Sola scriptura rejects any original infallible authority, other than the Bible. In this view, all secondary authority is derived from the authority of the scriptures and is therefore subject to reform when compared to the teaching of the Bible. How do Protestants come to this belief? Was it found in scripture somewhere? Or some outside source? It would have to definitively been proven in scripture to do so otherwise. {Add arguments here}.
Do the scriptures interpret themselves? Can I come to understand scriptures just based on reading them. If yes, why do Protestant have disagreements over: baptismal regeneration, predestination, The presence of Christ in Eucharist, justification, or losing ones salvation. If what we were suppose to believe was so clear and evident, why would their be a 1st Baptist Church & then a 2nd Baptist church right down the street from one another. Or 8,000 different Protestant denominations.
If scripture was so clear, it would tell us what to do with timely issues like: artifical intelligence, contraception, and IVF. Another way of considering the question, does the Constitution interpret itself? If the Constitution were so clear wouldn’t 330MM people know what to do in regards to abortion or gun control? The obvious answer is no — that’s why we have a judicial branch to interpret laws.
The focus on each individual interpreting scripture on their own has also led to the rise of Relativism — not just in a scriptural sense but even a cultural sense as well. If I determine was is true in the bible — why can’t I determine what is true for my gender?
Note: scripture didn’t have chapters and verses until 16th century — which can lead to Proof-Texting: limiting context (Ex: end Hebrew 11 beginning of 12, Prayers to the Saints) or not looking at the entire picture (Ex: Ephesians 2:8-9 and not James 2:24). This is how an entire church denomination of snake handlers can start .... Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19.
Need of church doctrine develops over time and so think of the Magisterium as subservient to scripture and a lens to see. Otherwise you find yourself in a situation where: whoever is most confident, loudest, most educated or most persuasive wins an argument. This doesn’t work in the corporate world or any other walk of life .. why would it work in the Christian world?
REASON #11
If God is Father, Jesus is Son, Than Who is Mother??
God has always been listed as Father, Jesus has always been seen as Son. That narrative was always clear to me, but felt incomplete. Who was mom? Surely in how God constructed the family structure their is a sufficient answer for this. Mary is the Mother to Jesus. Jesus is God. Mary is the Mother of God. Not in the divine sense, she doesn’t pre-date the Father ... but she does have a special relationship.
A few connections:
- Mary is the new Eve
- Mary as ark of covenant
- Mary gave us the body of Christ (church)
- Jesus on the cross to John: behold your mother John 19:27
- Mary is the incarnation of the tabernacle
- Mary is the first Christian or person to say yes to Christ
- Martin Luther and John Calvin has strong devotion to Mary
- Mary points us the Jesus … do as he tells you ... water to wine.
- Mary is like the moon she reflects the sun
The doctrine of Mary was hard for me to accept at first, but again I don’t make the rules ... and once I embraced my spritual mother she has extended so many graces to me and my family.
REASON #12
Sacrements Fight Gnositicism Head-On And Give Skin to God
I always struggled as a Protestant living in my head or the realm of the intangible, that my faith was an intellectual ascent to a set of ideas. Through the sacrements or physical expressions of an intangible divine reality, the Catholic Church extends God’s graces into something real, something I can touch and sink my teeth into. It reflects the incarnation of Jesus coming down from heaven to meet us where we exist, it keeps me grounded and firmly planted straddled between the divine and physical worlds.
As a branch of Gnosticism, a 2nd century doctrine that taught salvation is achieved by a revelation that awakens knowledge of the divine/spiritual nature of humankind, Protestants is really a rehashed heresy that has modern form. The belief that the body is bad and what matters is the divine, really undercuts Jesus incarnation and the value of the sacramental life.
For Catholics being fed spiritually isn’t just and idea they encounter through “worship” but something they can physically engage through consuming the body of Christ in the Eucahrist.
REASON #13
Burden of Proof to Prove Direction Changed
Protestant position is not default position historically — therefore the burden is on you to demonstrate definitively that the direction has changed to Protestantism.
Every Catholic should be on the offense to flip the script and point out that the historcial position is not Protestantism and prove it to me?
REASON #14
Center of Protestant Worship is Pulpit/Songs & Catholic Worship is Alter
rhetoric vs substance More to come...
REASON #15
Intellectually Honesty
Protestant claim Catholics use “Traditions of Men”, but when the flash light is put on them from the following items not in the bible, they tend to turn a blind eye:
- Sinners prayer
- Accepting jesus as personal savior
- Personal relationship with God (not found in the bible)
- Rededicating life to Christ
- Devotions
- Christian flag
- Rapture
- Trinity not found in the Bible
- 3 songs and 45 min sermon
- Luther / Calvin = Bapstim
- Modern Evangelicalism = Inviting Jesus into your heart (not found in scripture)
Other examples in the Bible of what saves us:
- 1 Peter 3:21 — “Baptism . . . now saves you.”
- James 2:24 — “A person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
- John 3:3-5 — “No one can enter the kingdom of heaven unless he is born of water and the Spirit”
- Acts 16:31 — “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved—you and your household ... immediately they were baptized.”
REASON #16
Fighting of Heresies
No honest Catholic denies reformation needed to happen. Important to note the 30+ major heresies the Catholic’s fought before the Reformation. More to come...
REASON #17
Holy Orders
The fact there is a clear and obvious structure for holy life in the Catholic Church. More to come...
REASON #18
Continuity with Jewish Roots
Catholic Faith is a fullment of the law not aboishment (contiunity of old & new) ... faith has to be the same from the beginning. More to come...