Biblical scholars conversion

  • Thread starter Thread starter georgemiller
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
G

georgemiller

Guest
I am trying to develop a list of Protestant Biblical scholars who based on their growing knowledge of Scripture eventually converted to Catholicism. The first one I think of is Scott Hahn. I know many others exist but I need some help in identifying them. Can anyone add more names?
 
Boy, I don’t know where you would go find out to compile your list.
I would like to know what names you come up with.
 
The Coming Home Network would probably have a good number of names for you.
 
georgemiller said:
I am trying to develop a list of Protestant Biblical scholars who based on their growing knowledge of Scripture eventually converted to Catholicism. The first one I think of is Scott Hahn. I know many others exist but I need some help in identifying them. Can anyone add more names?
Click to expand...
I agree Scott Hahn and Steve Ray are the first names I could think of, but keep in mind that they are pretty much popular-level authors/apologists rather than more in-depth, ‘serious’ academics. I don’t know of any prominent scholars in the latter category who are converts to Catholicism: everyone I could remember off the top of my head are either non-Christians/former Christians (Bart Ehrman, Robert M. Price), non-Catholic Christians (N.T. Wright, Craig Blomberg, Ben Witherington III, Ed Sanders, Marcus Borg), cradle Catholics (Luke Timothy Johnson, Dom Bernard Orchard, Fr. Roland de Vaux, Fr. Raymond Brown, Fr. Joseph Fitzmyer, Fr. John P. Meier), or former/fallen-away Catholics/priests (John Dominic Crossan, J.T. Milik). I suspect that there are less-well known academics who are converts out there, but I haven’t looked deep enough.

The late Geza Vermes (known mainly for his work on the Dead Sea Scrolls) was a Catholic once but he’s not really what you’re asking for: he was born into a non-practicing Jewish family, he and his parents converted to Catholicism when he was seven to escape the increasing anti-Jewish sentiment of the 1930s (his parents however never survived the Holocaust), he even became a priest but later eventually left the priesthood to marry and reverted to Judaism.

As I’m writing this, I did find William Reynolds (1544-1594), a convert from Anglicanism who became one of the translators of the Rheims New Testament. He’ll probably fit your bill better, but he might be a little too ‘ancient’ for your liking (he was from the 16th century).
 
patrick457 said:
I agree Scott Hahn and Steve Ray are the first names I could think of, but keep in mind that they are pretty much popular-level authors/apologists rather than more in-depth, ‘serious’ academics. .
Click to expand...
Hi Patrick, I might not be understanding what you said but I think these writers are highly educated in Christianity which led them to the Catholic church and now they are educating others about the Catholic faith. I think we should give him better credit for his efforts don’t you think? Just look at Scott Hahns education…

From Wiki.

Hahn received his B.A. degree magna cum laude in 1979 from Grove City College in Pennsylvania with a triple major of Theology, Philosophy, and Economics.[2] He obtained his M.Div. degree summa cum laude from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1982.

After receiving his education at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Hahn started out as a Presbyterian instructor at Dominion Theological Institute in McLean, Virginia. Hahn first became acquainted to the Holy Mass as a secret observant. He later became an avid attendee of Divine Liturgy in the mid 1990s.

This I found summarizing his book…ignatius.com/Products/CTT-P/crossing-the-tiber.aspx

An exhilarating conversion story of a devout Baptist who relates how he overcame his hostility to the Catholic Church by a combination of serious Bible study and vast research of the writings of the early Church Fathers. In addition to a moving account of their conversion that caused Ray and his wife to “cross the Tiber” to Rome, he offers an in-depth treatment of Baptism and the Eucharist in Scripture and the ancient Church.

Peter Kreeft was brought up protestant and went to Calvin College and in his studies he was drawn to the Church having learned more about it.

I listened to Tim Staples tonight on Relevant radio. Tim Staples was enrolled in Jimmy Swaggart Bible College and became a youth minister in an Assembly of God community. was another who was challenged to prove Catholicism wrong, and in his research found his way to the Church. catholic.com/profiles/tim-staples

So the point being is from what I’ve heard them say was they were biblical scholars which upon biblical study and study of Christian history were led to the Church.God bless…
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top