WHY I'M CATHOLIC SCOTT F. LEARY 1 INDEX I. PREFACE 3 II. INTRODUCTION 3 III. AUTHORITY 6 a. SOLA SCRIPTURA: THE BIBLE ALONE 6 b. THE BIBLE AND THE CHURCH: BOTH OR NEITHER 9 c. WHY IS THE BIBLE THE BIBLE? 18 d. OLD TESTAMENT FOUNDATION FOR CHURCH 22 e. SACRED TRADITION AND TRADITIONALISM 24 f. THE CHURCH AND CHURCH HISTORY 26 IV. THE EUCHARIST 38 a. SCRIPTURAL RECONCILIATION OF TRANSUBSTANTIATION 40 b. UNITY AND COMMUNION 44 c. THE OLD TESTAMENT LAMB AND THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS 45 d. THE EUCHARIST AND CHURCH HISTORY 47 e. PROTESTANT OBJECTIONS 53 1. IDOLATRY 54 2. THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS 55 3. SYMBOLISM 55 4. HUMAN SACRIFICE 56 V. SALVATION 56 a. SOLA GRATIA: MAN IS SAVED BY GRACE ALONE 57 b. THE NEW COMMANDMENT: LOVE 60 c. WHAT ABOUT SOLA FIDE: FAITH ALONE 62 d. THE GOSPEL OF NICENESS 71 e. ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED 73 VI. MY TESTIMONY - CONFESSIONS OF A SECRET AGENT 76 VII. CONCLUSION 85 EXHIBIT “A” A LISTING OF EARLY CHURCH HERESIES 86 EXHIBIT “B” A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF THE HISTORY OF THE PAPACY, by Warren H. Carroll 88 EXHIBIT “C” NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING 93 2 I. PREFACE. I left Evangelical Protestantism and embraced the Catholic Church due to a profound conversion experience, as well as for Biblical and historical reasons. I owe Evangelical Protestantism very much. Its inventiveness, devotion and forceful presentation of Christianity is unmatched by many Catholic parishes in this country. In fact, the Protestant Church was the catalyst that rekindled my faith in Jesus Christ. It is not my goal to condemn Protestantism, for I am in love with the people and their sincerity. I only want to explain why I love the Catholic Church, and in doing so I will use Protestantism as a point of reference. This project was initially completed in response to a Presbyterian minister’s assertion that my Catholic faith was not authentically Christian. Years have now passed since I first completed this paper 1, and I realize that God is so much bigger than my petty arguments and explanations. My faith is not in a doctrine, but in a person, the person of Jesus Christ. It is this person that I find in the Eucharist, and there lies the short answer to why I am Catholic. It 1 This is not intended to be an orginal work, but merely a compilation of numerous other Catholic writers and thinkers. A special thanks goes to Scott Hahn, and for his vibrant presentation of the faith. Scott is a theology professor at Franciscan University at Steubenville, a wonderful Catholic university. Thank you to David Wylder of the Pope John Paul II Faith and Family Center, for giving me the book Madrid, "Surprised by Truth," which provided the foundation for this letter. Contributing authors to "Surprised by Truth" include James Akin, Dave Armstrong, Rick Canason, Marcus Grodi, T. L. Frazier, Al Kresta, Tim Staples, Bob Sungenis, Julie Swenson, Paul Thigpen, and Steve Wood. A special thanks to Mark Shea, and his insight into The Gospel of Niceness and the Blessed Sacrament, and for his book "This Is My Body, An Evangelical Discovers the Real Presence." I also appreciate the contribution of Curtis Martin, president of FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), an unbelievably blessed Catholic para-Church organization; Dr. Thomas Howard and his insight on grace; Thomas Nash and his insight on Restoring the House of David; George Martin and his insight into the Eucharist; Fr. Alfred McBride and his insight on the Catechism; and Fr. Richard McBrien, though we generally disagree, for his insight on tradition. I also thank Catholics United for the Faith, and their educational and inspirational publication, Lay Witness; The Faith and Life Series by Ignatius Press and Catholics United for the Faith; New Covenant Magazine; New Oxford Review Magazine; Inside the Vatican Magazine; St. Joseph Communications, Inc.; First Things Magazine; The Faith of the Early Fathers by William A. Jurgens, The Liturgical Press; Why Am I Catholic by J. Michael Miller, C.S.B.; The Church or The Bible by Arnold Damen, S.J., and many others I have forgotten to name. 3 is Jesus Christ that leads me to Catholicism, not well reasoned arguments. Nevertheless, there are other lesser reasons to be Catholic, first and foremost being that the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ. Still, if my faith were limited to the enclosed apologetics, I would be little more than a pharisee. What lacks from this work is the relational aspect of my faith. While I wholly believe what is written within, I worry about the tone of this document. Do my polemics accomplish the very thing I want to avoid, further polarizing Catholics and Protestants? As Catholics, we have a lot to learn from our Evangelical brothers, but they can learn from us too. II. INTRODUCTION. Before delving into why I am Catholic, it is important to realize that “Catholicism” encompasses more than the Roman Catholic Church (i.e., the Latin Rite) - Let me explain. The term Catholic means “universal”, and for 2000 years has referred to those Christian believers who associate themselves with the Church founded by Jesus Christ on the Rock of Peter. This Church steadily grew from Pentecost to gain a foothold in the Mediterranean regions of the ancient world. After Christianity had existed for almost 300 years, the Roman Empire legalized Christianity in A.D. 312. It was at this time that the Catholic Church elevated five Bishops (also referred to as Patriarchs) to govern the quickly-expanding ranks of believers. These five Patriarchs were located in the ancient centers of Catholicism, which had been founded by one or more of the apostles. The Patriarchs became the principal Bishops of the Catholic Church, and they had authority over subordinate Bishops who held lesser sees within their patriarchate. In order of importance, the five patriarchies were Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. One of the official titles of the Pope is "Patriarch of Rome." The Churches encompassed by these five Patriarchies exist to this day. Though such believers may differ in region and organization, they are unified in faith.2 It often comes as news to the average Catholic, but Catholicism encompasses more than the Latin or Roman Rite. The above referenced Eastern Churches are also truly Catholic (“Eastern Catholic Churches”), but are not Roman Catholic. These Eastern Catholic Churches are in union with Peter and Peter’s successor’s, the Popes, and rank “in equal dignity” with the Roman Catholic Latin rite – all of which results in the Church being truly “Catholic” (i.e., universal). These Eastern Catholic Churches have their own distinct liturgical and organizational systems while maintaining their communion with the Papacy. Many trace their roots to the Apostles. For them, their apostolic identity is based on more than age, their legitimacy is also found in 2 Today there are 17 canonical rites of Eastern Catholic Churches, representing five ritual groups: The Byzantine, Antiochene, Alexandrian, Chaldean and Armenian. These Eastern Catholic Churches are truly Catholic, though not Roman Catholic. The Byzantine Church is the most common of Eastern Catholic Churches, which includes nine canonical rites: the Bulgarian, Greek, Georgian, Italo-Albanian, Melkite, Romanian, Russian, Serbian and Ukrainian (or Ruthenian) rites. The Byzantine Catholic Churches (or Uniates as referred to by the Orthodox) are very similar to the Eastern Orthodox in their worship and practice, but in their way of Church order and governance they are members of the Roman Catholic Church. In many ways the Byzantine Catholics are simply Orthodox Churches that have refused to sever communion with Peter. From the patriarchate of Antioch, in Asia Minor, where the term “Christians” was first used, are three Catholic rites: The Syro-Malankar rite, with dioceses in India; the Maronite rite, with dioceses in Lebanon, Syria, the United States, Cyprus, Egypt, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Canada and Mexico, with exarchates in Jordan and Jerusalem; and the Syrian rite, with dioceses in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, North America, with exarchates in Turkey, Iraq and Kuwait. From the patriarchate of Alexandria, in ancient Egypt (i.e. Africa), the Eastern Catholic Church includes the Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt and the Ethiopian Catholic Church in Ethiopia and Eritrea. From the East Syrian Church comes the Chaldean rite, with dioceses in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Turkey and the United States. Finally, the Eastern Catholic Church includes the Armenian rite, with dioceses in Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, Ukraine, France and Argentina. 4 “Peter”. I must emphasize, as stated in the Second Vatican Counsel, that these Eastern Catholic Churches are equal to the Latin rite, and are not just a division of a larger Church.3 The Protestant Reformation occurred within Roman Catholicism, not within the Eastern Catholic Churches. In his Encyclical UT UNUM SINT! (THAT THEY MAY BE ONE!) (hereinafter referred to as "One”), Pope John Paul II reiterates the Catholic Church's commitment to ecumenism, with the Eastern Orthodox as well as our Protestant brothers and sisters. His encyclical explains better than I could ever hope to why I, as a Catholic Christian, am duty bound to work for unity with my Protestant friends. The encyclical explains, in part: 3 Existing side by side with Eastern Catholics are the Eastern Orthodox Churches. Eastern Orthodoxy initially split from the Catholic Church in 1054, and today remains in a painful state of separation. One of the most tragic and frustrating divisions that exists within Christianity is the one between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches. However, much ecumenical progress has been made.