Figuring Out the Church (Part 1)
As some of you may know, I have been investigating Catholicism.
I don't mean simply that catholic = universal and I've been looking at some nebulous universal church. I mean that I have been investigating the Roman Catholic Church, a title that was originally perjorative, but is now less so.
When I say investigating I mean that I have been reading books and websites on both sides. I have been talking to orthodox catholics in person and online. I have been thinking about the issues. I have been praying about the issues. When I say issues, I mean predominantly big-picture issues, like What Is the Church? Who Had Authority to Recognize the Biblical Canon? Who Has Authority to Interpret It Today? What Really IS the Gospel (and who preaches A Different Gospel)?
I have already read many of the modern catholic apologetics works by Thomas Howard, GK Chesterton, Mark Shea, Karl Keating, Scott Hahn, Steven Ray, Peter Kreeft, Frank Schaeffer (Eastern Orthodox) etc. I have also read stand-alone works or responses by James White (website), James McCarthy, RC Sproul (TableTalk), Francis Schaeffer, and Doug Wilson, and others plus 24 years of growing up in Evangelicalism. I feel pretty familiar with the arguments on both sides. I have also listened to many debates between these folks and others.
Of all the stuff I have read, I can make some recommendations for those interested in the issues:
How did I come to this place? Why did I begin to question the foundations of my evangelical protestant upbringing? These questions and more I hope to answer in later posts. I'll also make some recommendations on books and websites that best challenge the catholic claims.
Figuring Out the Church (Part ?)
I don't mean simply that catholic = universal and I've been looking at some nebulous universal church. I mean that I have been investigating the Roman Catholic Church, a title that was originally perjorative, but is now less so.
When I say investigating I mean that I have been reading books and websites on both sides. I have been talking to orthodox catholics in person and online. I have been thinking about the issues. I have been praying about the issues. When I say issues, I mean predominantly big-picture issues, like What Is the Church? Who Had Authority to Recognize the Biblical Canon? Who Has Authority to Interpret It Today? What Really IS the Gospel (and who preaches A Different Gospel)?
I have already read many of the modern catholic apologetics works by Thomas Howard, GK Chesterton, Mark Shea, Karl Keating, Scott Hahn, Steven Ray, Peter Kreeft, Frank Schaeffer (Eastern Orthodox) etc. I have also read stand-alone works or responses by James White (website), James McCarthy, RC Sproul (TableTalk), Francis Schaeffer, and Doug Wilson, and others plus 24 years of growing up in Evangelicalism. I feel pretty familiar with the arguments on both sides. I have also listened to many debates between these folks and others.
Of all the stuff I have read, I can make some recommendations for those interested in the issues:
- The writer who has had the most impact, and who seems to always express what I already felt in seed form, is Thomas Howard. To introduce his work to an evangelical, there is nothing better than the magnificent Evangelical is Not Enough.
- Scott Hahn, former presbyterian minister explains his conversion to the Catholic Church (RealAudio file).
- Catholic Answers has a great site with tracts and articles. Dave Armstrong's site also has an impressive amount of work and a thoroughly scriptural foundation.
How did I come to this place? Why did I begin to question the foundations of my evangelical protestant upbringing? These questions and more I hope to answer in later posts. I'll also make some recommendations on books and websites that best challenge the catholic claims.
Figuring Out the Church (Part ?)
posted by Chad Toney at
2:52 PM
