Catholic vs. Protestant Soteriology. HELP!

[Archbishop_10-K]

Melchior,

Looks like all the stuff from your first post has already been addressed, so I’ll just put my personal message, as follows:

Your situation sounds like pretty much the opposite of mine. Me, I’m 16 and still living in my SDA household. Attitude-wise, it’s half-fundamentalist and half-evangelical. I came to the Catholic Church for doctrinal reasons and the fact that until the 1500’s, Protestants didn’t exist, but also because it had something my Protestant background doesn’t: holiness.

The first time I walked into a Catholic church, my worldly senses were checked at the door. It was like walking into heaven on earth. No plain, ugly walls, no projector screens. This church isn’t even what I would call conservative, liturgically speaking, and it still blew my mind. I remember the first time I attended a Mass, there was so much kneeling that I was practically groaning in agony. I found that this Church actually gave a hoot about the reality of sin and the suffering of Christ! I had been in a bland, sanitized Christianity that resembled my day-to-day life for far too long.

So, just remember what the Catholic faith has in store for you. It’s beautiful, and I’d never go back to Protestantism. I’ll keep you in my prayers.

 

[itsjustdave1988]

Mel,

Mel, the Augustinian - In fact I am more Augustinian that Lutheran.

Glad to hear it! Once you become more Augustinian and less Lutheran, you’ll be Catholic!!!

St. Augustine:

… [there are many] things which most justly keep me in [the Catholic Church]. The consent of peoples and nations keeps me in the Church; so does her authority, inaugurated by miracles, nourished by hope, enlarged by love, established by age. The succession of priests keeps me, beginning from the very seat of the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord, after His resurrection, gave it in charge to feed His sheep, down to the present episcopate. And so, lastly, does the name itself of Catholic, which, not without reason, amid so many heresies, the Church has thus retained; so that, though all heretics wish to be called Catholics, yet when a stranger asks where the Catholic Church meets, no heretic will venture to point to his own chapel or house. Such then in number and importance are the precious ties belonging to the Christian name which keep a believer in the Catholic Church, as it is right they should,

… Now if the truth is so clearly proved as to leave no possibility of doubt, it must be set before all the things that keep me in the Catholic Church; but if there is only a promise without any fulfillment, no one shall move me from the faith which binds my mind with ties so many and so strong to the Christian religion.

… For my part, I should not believe the gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church. (Against the Epistle of Manichaeus Called Fundamental, AD 397)

 

[itsjustdave1988]

If I become Catholic my big concern is in raising children who have Evangelical zeal and resolve and not…well… typical Catholic attitudes (sorry!).

The zeal your children have will be mostly based upon the zeal you and your wife have.

I wouldn’t judge Catholicism based upon your specific experience. I grew up Catholic and NEVER believed I was going to hell.

My friend grew up Lutheran and never remembers ever praying in his entire life. I’d say that it wasn’t Lutheranism that was at fault, because the primary catechist for every Christian child ought to be their Christian parents. He may think his experience was “typical” of Lutheranism, but I doubt it.

As for Catholic soteriology, I recommend reading the following debate between Scott Hahn, Catholic convert and former Presbyterian minister, and Dr. Robert Knudson of Westminster Seminary:

The Justification Debate
mindspring.com/~jdarcy/files/justify.htm

 

[twf]

For the importance of works in salvation, and understanding how the Church still maintains salvation by grace alone, I highly recommend Dave Armstrong’s book A Biblical Defence of Catholicism, which you can order via email in .doc format for only $6 (or $9 for the deluxe edition). His site is
ic.net/~erasmus/RAZINDEX.HTM

In the next few posts I’ll be posting mainly Scripture that shows the great importance of works for salvation. (Probably won’t do this until later tonight).