A Convert from the Scholarly Evangelical Tradition

[Edmundus1581]

.A Protestant Historian Discovers the Catholic Church – Conversion Story of A. David Anders, Ph.D

I am a convert from Protestantism myself, but I rarely promote other conversion stories, or participate in debates, as I generally seek what unites, rather than what divides.

This one however caught my interest because it presents the core arguments from the Evangelical tradition, as held by a learned and practicing believer, and then their systematic dismantling as the believer studied church history and scripture. He also shows how each Evangelical error leads to a higher truth in Catholicism. It is very well written, and concise. He has a Ph.D in Church history.

Another reason it struck me was that each of his arguments (eg. that scripture does not support Sola Fides) was something which I saw myself, in primitive form, when I first encountered Evangelicalism as a 21 year old (I had been raised Anglican). These insights led me away from Protestantism and into the Catholic Church very quickly, without years of study and, moreover, the insights have remained and deepened with my faith over the years. One of his secondary insights is that Protestantism leads to contention, and, as a Catholic, I still struggle to overcome this as a character flaw, but at least Catholicism doesn’t encourage it, or even condone it - it’s something for the confessional.

The following description of his Evangelical background provides a good backdrop to the searching of history and scripture which led him to Catholicism:

By [the Gospel] we meant that one should be “born again,” that salvation is by faith alone, and that the Bible is the sole authority for Christian faith.
…
I learned very early to idolize the Protestant Reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin, because they supposedly had rescued Christianity from the darkness of medieval Catholicism. Catholics were those who trusted in “good works” to get them to heaven, who yielded to tradition instead of Scripture, and who worshipped Mary and the saints instead of God. Their obsession with the sacraments also created an enormous impediment to true faith and a personal relationship with Jesus. There was no doubt. Catholics were not real Christians.
…
Our church was characterized by a kind of confident intellectualism. Presbyterians tend to be quite theologically minded, and seminary professors, apologists, scientists, and philosophers were frequent speakers at our conferences…we took it for granted that honest inquiry would lead anyone to our version of Christian faith.

And, in the middle of his story, while his exploration of history and scripture is dismantling his Protestant beliefs, he has a personal observation:

These discoveries in my academic work were paralleled to some extent by discoveries in my personal life. Protestant theology strongly distinguishes belief from behavior, and I began to see how this had affected me. From childhood, I had always identified theology, apologetics, and evangelism as the highest calling in Christian life, while the virtues were supposed to be mere fruits of right belief. Unfortunately, I found that the fruits were not only lacking in my life, but that my theology had actually contributed to my vices. It had made me censorious, proud, and argumentative. I also realized that it had done the same thing to my heroes.

 

[pablope]

A Protestant Historian Discovers the Catholic Church – Conversion Story of A. David Anders, Ph.D.

I am a convert from Protestantism myself, but I rarely promote other conversion stories, or participate in debates. I generally seek what unites, rather than what divides.

And, in the middle of his story, as his exploration of history and scripture is dismantling his Protestant beliefs:

I have read his story before on “Called to Communion”…and he was just on CA Live yesterday at the first hour. He has appeared to answer questions on CA Live before also and I find his answers very informing, even for me, a cradle catholic.

 

[mark_a]

Good stuff.

I’ve enjoyed his appearances on The Journey Home.

 

[Edmundus1581]

Thankyou, pablope and mark

… He has appeared to answer questions on CA Live before also and I find his answers very informing, even for me, a cradle catholic.

…
I’ve enjoyed his appearances on The Journey Home.

I’ve found his story so interesting, and so encouraging to my own faith, that I am interested to hear him speak.

This is his appearance on The Journey Home.

 

[WesleyF]

A Protestant Historian Discovers the Catholic Church – Conversion Story of A. David Anders, Ph.D.

:clapping:

 

[jesuspsr]

Great story, I love reading stories of conversion. I can almost always feel the Holy Spirit moving in thier stories.
Thanks for sharing.

God bless

jesus g

 

[lutherlic]

I am a convert from Protestantism myself, but I rarely promote other conversion stories, or participate in debates, as I generally seek what unites, rather than what divides.

Debates can be problematic, but mutually respectful discussion with others is necessary for evangelism, to which we are all called through our baptism.

Conversion stories are good, not divisive. They show one person’s journey - the struggles and the joy - as they walk their unique path to fullness of the Christian faith. Yet, while many particulars may be unique, there are also elements that may resonate with others at the very beginning of that walk. This builds confidence and opens hearts to the Holy Spirit.

(FWIW, I dedicate a special portion of my blog to just this.)

 

[Edmundus1581]

Thankyou for the responses!

Debates can be problematic, but mutually respectful discussion with others is necessary for evangelism, to which we are all called through our baptism.

Conversion stories are good, not divisive. They show one person’s journey - the struggles and the joy - as they walk their unique path to fullness of the Christian faith. Yet, while many particulars may be unique, there are also elements that may resonate with others at the very beginning of that walk. This builds confidence and opens hearts to the Holy Spirit.

(FWIW, I dedicate a special portion of my blog to just this.)

Thanks. You make good points. I didn’t word my first para as well as I would have liked. I don’t like “promoting” conversion stories because there are also conversion stories of those who leave the Church, and “promoting” the different stories, just because they are a “conversion” accomplishes little, and can lead to division. To me, a conversion story is something which should, in general, be “found” by someone who is seeking, rather than have pushed in front of them. However, I had particular reasons for promoting this story, as I explained.

However, my first para was sloppy, and thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

Nice web site! It’s good to have those stories there for the people who are seeking, and also as encouragement and inspiration for Catholics.

~ Edmundus

 

[FabiusMaximus]

A Protestant Historian Discovers the Catholic Church – Conversion Story of A. David Anders, Ph.D.

I am a convert from Protestantism myself, but I rarely promote other conversion stories, or participate in debates, as I generally seek what unites, rather than what divides.

This one however caught my interest because it presents the core arguments from the Evangelical tradition, as held by a learned and practicing believer, and then their systematic dismantling as the believer studied church history and scripture. He also shows how each Evangelical error leads to a higher truth in Catholicism. It is very well written, and concise. He has a Ph.D in Church history.

Another reason it struck me was that each of his arguments (eg. that scripture does not support Sola Fides) was something which I saw myself, in primitive form, when I first encountered Evangelicalism as a 21 year old (I had been raised Anglican). These insights led me away from Protestantism and into the Catholic Church very quickly, without years of study and, moreover, the insights have remained and deepened with my faith over the years. One of his secondary insights is that Protestantism leads to contention, and, as a Catholic, I still struggle to overcome this as a character flaw, but at least Catholicism doesn’t encourage it, or even condone it - it’s something for the confessional.

The following description of his Evangelical background provides a good backdrop to the searching of history and scripture which led him to Catholicism:

And, in the middle of his story, while his exploration of history and scripture is dismantling
his Protestant beliefs, he has a personal observation:

See I’ve never had an issue with the Catholic understanding of salvation by faith and works. I just always considered it another way of how salvation was viewed.

What began to change my perceptions was actually realizing that Reformers like Martin Luther were a thousand light years away from my Evangelical Christian faith, and that a massive gap exists in Evangelical thought from 33AD to the Reformation.