Catholic Intellectuals

[Matthew_Light]

It seems to me that a lot of the brightest and most philosophically inclined Protestants end up becoming Catholic.

I like the intellectual engagement and heritage that Catholicism brings to the table.

It seems that much of the good philosophical defense of belief in God comes from Catholics.

 

[Stilldreamn]

Sometimes they go East too (thinking of Jaroslav Pelikan).

 

[eschator83]

In the image Pope Benedict recently confirmed, we seek communion with God using two wings, reason and faith.

 

[nysacerdote]

It was Cardinal Newman, a Catholic convert who said one of my favorite quotes of all:

“To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant.”

 

[Loving_disciple]

It seems to me that a lot of the brightest and most philosophically inclined Protestants end up becoming Catholic.

I like the intellectual engagement and heritage that Catholicism brings to the table.

It seems that much of the good philosophical defense of belief in God comes from Catholics.

Thank you, that is just because we are 2000 years old and have had the most time too . Still the Church has always supported science

 

[Matthew_Light]

In the image Pope Benedict recently confirmed, we seek communion with God using two wings, reason and faith.

That’s a beautiful image. I stand in full agreement with this!

 

[QNDNNDQDCE]

There are intellectuals in every camp. If anything, a disproportionate presence of intellectuals could be an indicator of falsehood. Doesn’t it take more cleverness to rationalize something false than something true?

 

[Servant19]

There are intellectuals in every camp. If anything, a disproportionate presence of intellectuals could be an indicator of falsehood. Doesn’t it take more cleverness to rationalize something false than something true?

Very profound words dear friend, thankyou for sharing that gem

.

 

[tskrobacz]

There are intellectuals in every camp. If anything, a disproportionate presence of intellectuals could be an indicator of falsehood. Doesn’t it take more cleverness to rationalize something false than something true?

It takes even more intelligence to rationalize something that appears false to the “Vox Populi” (Man on the Street) into the heart space of truth.

 

[ltwin]

It seems to me that a lot of the brightest and most philosophically inclined Protestants end up becoming Catholic.

I’d question on what basis you make such a claim. But I’d also question why you think the “brightest and most philosophically inclined” converts are some prize to lift up on a pedestal. Did not Paul say:

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. . . (1 Cor. 1:26-29)

 

[dronald]

C.S. Lewis, William Lane Craig, Ravi Zacharias and oh so many more. I admire them for their knowledge and their disinterest in debating Catholics.

 

[Matthew_Light]

I’d question on what basis you make such a claim.

Just my own observation. But I don’t have statistical proof…

But I’d also question why you think the “brightest and most philosophically inclined” converts are some prize to lift up on a pedestal.

It’s not. But I appreciate the ability and inclination to rebut the arguments of the Dawkinses and Dennetts of the world…

Did not Paul say:

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. . . (1 Cor. 1:26-29)

My absolute favorite lines in the Bible for many years, since I read them in L’Engle as a teen. I feel certain Christ inspired Paul to write them…

 

[Matthew_Light]

C.S. Lewis, William Lane Craig, Ravi Zacharias and oh so many more. I admire them for their knowledge and their disinterest in debating Catholics.

Lewis is a particular hero of mine.

There are many things I appreciate about Protestants too. I learned about the power of the Holy Spirit from some of my Protestant friends - and I could never minimize what that means to me…

 

[dronald]

Lewis is a particular hero of mine.

There are many things I appreciate about Protestants too. I learned about the power of the Holy Spirit from some of my Protestant friends - and I could never minimize what that means to me…

Yes, we all have our smart cookies.

I’ll throw in Daniel B Wallace; his work in textual criticism has no rival. The things Protestants do for Christianity are quite grand, Catholics alike. I don’t want it to be a us or them thing, and I think that’s why the greatest Protestant Apologists of our time will not debate Catholics.

 

[Isaiah45_9]

C.S. Lewis, William Lane Craig, Ravi Zacharias and oh so many more. I admire them for their knowledge and their disinterest in debating Catholics.

Augustine, Aquinas

 

[Mirza19]

philosophy.nd.edu/people/faculty-by-area/

Notre Dame receives the highest rankings for philosophy of religion in the Untied States, and many of their Philosophy faculty are both Catholic on on the leading edge of their respective specialty’s discussions.

In reverse, Robert Noll is an exceptionally brilliant Evangelical intellectual who left his alma mater, Wheaton, to work at Notre Dame because UND provides him “more freedom” to pursue his own research interests.

 

[dronald]

Augustine, Aquinas

Paul, Peter.

(runs and hides)

 

[Isaiah45_9]

Paul, Peter.

(runs and hides)

npatrol:

(Release the hounds!!!)

 

[dronald]

npatrol:

(Release the hounds!!!)

Haha. God bless you. I like that we can have some humor and be comfortable even though we have some differences.

 

[Contarini]

It was Cardinal Newman, a Catholic convert who said one of my favorite quotes of all:

“To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant.”

But it factually isn’t true. I know a lot of folks who are a lot deeper in history than I am and have no desire to be Catholic.

In his context it was a reasonable statement. There’s a certain kind of “Whig” view of church history that was common among Protestants of his day (and is still very popular among less educated Protestants) and is dispelled by the study of history. But just to name a few people who have remained Protestants while being great historians:

Heiko Oberman
David Steinmetz
John Van Engen
Nathan Hatch
Mark Noll
George Marsden
George Williams
Herbert Butterfield
. . . . the list could go on and on

In a certain sense, the study of history is an impediment to becoming Catholic. History is the study of ambiguities and complexities and mess. It makes it very hard to subscribe to any particular dogmatic, confessional pattern, since these often seem too “black and white.”

That being said, my own study of history has made Protestantism untenable for me, leaving me with no recourse except to become Catholic (or possibly Orthodox) or cease to be Christian at all.

Edwin