Francis Beckwith, president of the Evangelical Theological Society, has become Catholic. Please read the link for information from Kacy Sandidge, convert to Catholicism and student at Baylor, where Beckwith teaches. As Kacy has seen his reception into the Church firsthand (and Dr. Beckwith was gracious enough to comment on her blog), I think we can assume that Beckwith becoming Catholic is fact and not rumor.
Kacy does a good job explaining why Beckwith became Catholic, fending off James Whites accusations. White seems to dismiss those strong evangelicals who become Catholic. He says:
As any review of the current body of Roman Catholic “conversion stories” will bear out, fair, balanced, insightful representation of the facts related to sola scriptura, Papal primacy, the Mass, the Marian dogmas, purgatory, etc., is utterly lacking. Emotional appeals to “the ancient church,” mythical references to the “unity” of Rome (those actually inside the communion and familiar with its rancorous disputes cannot help but chuckle at those blissfully naive, breathless commentaries), and the warm feeling of “coming home” to the Church (almost never anything about conversion to Christ) are the keys to successful conversioneering.
Of course, White misses the point. White assumes that everyone who converts is going to do so the way he would, which is to turn matters of faith into a point-by-point system of plusses and minuses. Besides, even if a convert laid out excellent reasons why he accepted purgatory or the Marian dogmas, I doubt White would consider them “fair, balanced [or] insightful,” because if the arguments were so great, the person likely wouldn’t have ever converted to Catholicism to begin with. When I became Catholic, I admit the reason I explored Catholicism was because of the utter failure of Anglicanism to have any authority whatsoever. Joining one of the myriad Protestant denominations I encountered on the internet wasn’t exactly the solution to this crisis of authority. In fact, only two churches were on my “short list” at this point, Catholic and Orthodox, because both had two things going for them: they existed before the Protestant reformation, and both made the claim that they had authority through Apostolic Succession, and my studies of history convinced me these were legitimate claims. As an Anglican, I already believed in 95% of the Catholic Marian dogmas, and in purgatory (thanks to C.S. Lewis). The biggest issue really was papal infallibility, and after I studied the actual dogma and what John Paul II said on the matter, I became convinced I could handle that.
Yes, we converts like the idea of an ancient church. I mean, who wouldn’t? After all, Jesus lived on earth 2000 years ago, and it makes sense that if the gates of Hades would not prevail over his Church, he would have insightful and devoted followers in the many centuries following his ascension. And yes, we converts like “coming home,” but White forgets that evangelicals becoming Catholic have already converted to Christ! While some evangelicals believe that when a person goes from Catholic to Protestant, he becomes “saved” from a pagan religion, Catholics do not believe this. Converts understand that they were saved in their evangelical churches, and that they met Jesus there, but they believe they have come to something deeper and more full when becoming Catholic. Yes it is a process of continued conversion, but I am not sure many evangelicals agree with the idea that conversion is an ongoing process.
So, many evangelicals become Catholic for a variety of reasons, some intellectual, some emotional, some purely spiritual. Perhaps Catholicism, because of its spiritual diversity, touches people on so many levels (as opposed to just intellectual). This is part of Catholicism’s appeal really. We have our intellectual and systematic theologians (St. Thomas), we have our mystics and contemplatives (St. John of the Cross), we have our strong leaders (John Paul II), we have our workers among the poor (Mother Teresa), and we have saints and sinners from all regions, races, time periods, and states of life. It makes sense that those becoming Catholic would do so in a holistic way, but I assure you, the thoughtful evangelicals I know who have become Catholic have done so with a strong intellectual understanding of controversial Catholic dogmas. Welcome to the Catholic Church Dr. Francis Beckwith.
**Note: Tiber Jumper has a good post on the matter, including some responses from around the blogosphere.**
David Bennett
Jennifer
asimplesinner
Fr. J.
Chad Toney
Jorge Flores
Jonathan B
carmelbennett
nicenehobbit
Jason S
jaybird68
papaz
May 5, 2007 at 2:35 pm
You obviously don’t love Truth.
;o)
May 5, 2007 at 2:39 pm
I have been following this story since it surfaced yesterday on White’s blog. I was thinking about all the Protestant blogs that are ranging from calling him an “apostate” to guardedly saying “he has his reasons.”
What occurred to me is that ongoing conversion in our lives is a complete mystery. (a word protestants dislike)
We can’t know and or understand the way of the Holy Spirit and despite all the reasons you and I think we converted, the Truth is that God drew us to The Catholic Church, and it truly is a mystery. They can’t accept it and need to come up with intellectual ways to sort out this major disruption to their world view. Jesus said that the flesh profiteth little when trying to understand the mystery of the Eucharist and I suspect the same occurs with conversion. Thanks for your post.
May 5, 2007 at 4:46 pm
I do agree with Dr. White that Beckwith should at least step down from his post as President of the ETS. Don’t you guys?
May 5, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Greg,
Yeah I definitely do. I think stepping down is the most honest and genuine thing to do. While many other reformed reactions have been less negative than White’s, I still think the expectation is having an evangelical in that position.
David
May 5, 2007 at 4:57 pm
Greg, that seems a pretty appropriate thing to do to me.
But it seems silly for White to “call for it” when it hasn’t even been made public yet and he doesn’t know anything about what Beckwith has done towards this end.
I on the other hand, know that Beckwith has told the proper people and doesn’t want to give scandal to anyone - protestant or catholic.
May 5, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Of course, White misses the point. White assumes that everyone who converts is going to do so the way he would…
I think this assumption, and not theology, is at the root of White’s criticism. I also think this is part and parcel of living on the lonely hill of a reformed and baptist tradition.
Smaller, younger and less-than-catholic traditions seem to be really good at squeezing every Christian, no matter their shape or size, into a single mold. You either conform to, break or pop out from the mold. By their nature, these traditions are NOT universal. They are NOT for everybody.
When you then identify your less-than-catholic tradition and its tenets and philosophy with the Church of Jesus Christ and the “faith once delivered to the saints” which are, by definition, for everybody, anyone who steps out of that mold “doesn’t love the truth” and “has abandoned the gospel.”
Among the the many tragedies of being stuck in one of these less-than-catholic views is the urge (requirement?) to anathematize everyone who doesn’t fit in that mold, including the brothers and sisters in Christ for the first 1500 hundred years of the life of the Church who gave their lives so you could have the treasures of God’s grace which exist even in your narrow world (the scriptures, much of the tradition, baptism.) You must either anathematize them, lie about them or ignore them.
And reformed baptists have no corner on this malady. Any of us, when we see the way the Lord has laid out for us as THE WAY for everyone can be struck with this myopia. I’m thankful that we have been giving a rich banquet of traditions, rites and spiritualities in our Church that all co-exist under the same big tent. These help guard against this sickness.
God bless Francis Beckwith. I pray we all give him some breathing room and let him rest in the arms of the Lord before he gets back out there on the battlefield.
May 6, 2007 at 3:58 am
This is a fascinating story, it seems to me as a Protestant.
I’m clearly not alone in blogging about this, but I think if the organization is intended to be Protestant only, it needs to more clearly state such.
I’d be curious as to your take on my thoughts, but I don’t think the bit about the Bible is something a Roman Catholic could not affirm.
In other words, while I can understand why he is inclined to step down as president, is it imperative that he resign membership? He doesn’t intend to do so and as I understand it there are some Catholics in the organization, but it seems as though many are seeing “evangelical” and “Roman Catholic” as mutually exclusive categories, but I’m not seeing it in the doctrinal statement.
Is one being a “bad” Roman Catholic if he/she is also an evangelical?
Correct me, if I’m wrong, but my former RC “authoritative” source has passed away, so I’m without that help. Still, I don’t want to misrepresent on such matters.
May 6, 2007 at 4:10 am
Gunny, thanks for stopping by and offering your insights!
I agree with you that the statement of faith, as it now reads, could be affirmed by a Catholic in good faith.
Prominent RC Apologist Jimmy Akin, agrees on his blog.
Can one be an evangelical Catholic? I think yes, but like so many things it depends on how you define your terms, and “evangelical” gets more loosey-goosey by the minute, no?
If by Evangelical one means an emphasis on personal, intentional faith in Christ, a devotional and theological interest in Scripture, then yes! But if one means Lutheranism, TULIP, or woodenly defined Solas, then no.
That’s my take anyways.
PS. Very sorry for you loss!
May 6, 2007 at 4:46 am
Thanks, Chad. My college roommate’s unexpected passing was a bit of a shock and I miss him on a professional level as well.
I appreciate your validation of some of the things I was thinking.
There are legitimate differences between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism to be sure, but some are assumed and some are the result of faulty understanding or misrepresentation.
I’ll scope out Akin’s blog as well.
Cheers,
Gunny
May 7, 2007 at 11:16 am
I am convinced that Catholics do not “add” to Jesus… we get more out of him!
May 7, 2007 at 5:23 pm
I suspect that the fact that James White’s sister is also a convert plays a role in his, shall we say, ire!
May 7, 2007 at 11:41 pm
Patty Bonds will be on Journey Home Tonite at 8 PM EWTN. She is James White’s older sis.
December 23, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Someone said:
In fact, only two churches were on my “short list” at this point, Catholic and Orthodox, because both had two things going for them: they existed before the Protestant reformation,>>>
Hmm, Yes they did and so did the Gospel exist before the Catholic church and the Ortodox. History shows,(not catholic hitory) that the church of Rome became apostate and pagan around 35o AD.
Bill
Azusa755@sbcglobal.net
December 23, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Gunney,
Yes, there is a difference and I find that the average catholic knows less about the catholic church then most protestants.
Bill
December 24, 2007 at 12:25 am
BillS,
I would invite you to offer evidence in support of your thesis.
When it comes time to demonstrate the “Rome went off the rails” theory, I have yet to find a proponent of that notion who is the least bit familiar with Eastern Christianity. Specifically Indian Christianity.
Christianity has been in the sub-continent since the days of the Apostles themselves, the Catholic Church was established there some 20 centuries ago. Almost as soon as it was established there, it was isolated from the west, cousins who were too far to keep in contact with, we lost track of.
When “The West” rediscovered them in the 1500s, the communities found had:
* 7 sacraments
* priesthood
* a eucharistic liturgy with elements identical in substance to the Mass
* bishops
* theology of salvation identical in substance to what was in Rome.
If Rome went off the rails at the date you offer, long after the Indians were off the Radar for most, how did such “Romanism” make it there?
Brother, learn your history.
We are waiting and ready to have you in The Church.