Francis Chan?

[bgic]

I received an email with a youtube attachment of Francis Chan, a Christian author, preaching. Has anyone ever read his books? He is not Catholic.

I am concerned because I received the email from a Catholic relative that has been reconsidering her Catholic faith.

 

[DavidFilmer]

Has anyone ever read his books?

Never heard of him, but he has a short page on Wikipedia with a link to his website.

His website has several dozen of his sermons. I clicked on “Grace and Works.” The sermon was obviously from a protestant background, and contained the “assurance of salvation” message, but it was not as “anti-works” as some protestants.

 

[fbl9]

Never heard of him, but he has a short page on Wikipedia with a link to his website.

His website has several dozen of his sermons. I clicked on “Grace and Works.” The sermon was obviously from a protestant background, and contained the “assurance of salvation” message, but it was not as “anti-works” as some protestants.

Never heard of this person either…i just wanted to make a comment on your sig David. It is incorrect because 2 and 2 are the same number so the correct answer is 2

 

[losh14]

Actually I had thought about reading his “Crazy Love” as part of Lent.

After looking around on other sites, Chan occupies an interesting place - he’s soundly rebuffed by some Protestants for being “too Catholic” because of his emphasis on works as part of salvation, possibly along the lines of James 2 (that works and faith are both part of grace and cannot be validly separated). He also emphasizes the radical nature of faith - one that is so alive that it really is separate from the world. Neither of these are in contradiction to Catholic teaching, at least in principle.

I think where Chan might be seen as non-Catholic is his antagonism for religion as an institution. My Presbyterian friends who are fans of his often like to say “lose your religion and find Jesus” - which I’d rebut by saying if you understood your religion it would lead you to Jesus, but that’s for another topic.

Anyway, maybe Chan’s best left for a mature Catholic who understands his or her faith and that it’s not a threat if other Christians see their own faith differently than we see ours.

 

[rcwitness]

I’ve heard him preach (live) and watched sermons on video. I think he has good, strong faith and love for Jesus to fulfill that faith.

As losh14 pointed out, he is of the movement which uses the term ‘religion’ very much in the negative. I dont think its entirely wrong as losh14 again mentions that we should take it in maturity. The destructive result of demonizing the term religion is tearing down what Jesus did institute in His Church. Namely the Sacraments. They are a common language, and tool among all of us who are in the one body.

Many of the points he, and other genuine non Catholic pastors, make regarding the dangers of “religion” are very true, but religion is not intrinsically evil. It is like a search engine on the internet,…there are good things to find and bad. Religion can be abused…and is! But it is not because of religion, it is because of individual failures and desires.

I personally like Francis. I have not heard anything offensive from him. Save, he does not understand the interpretation of the scriptures by the Catholic Church. He promotes personal reading with an open heart. I believe he has gifts in this way to understand the importance of the heart of the gospel in much of scripture (and many of us) but many do not and somewhere along the line will lead to unhealthy division. His, if you can understand it, is a venial sin. It does not separate Jesus and the gospel from his message and ministry.

He is genuine and part of a natural extension in the Church. I would like to hear him talk about communion.

Peace,
Michael

 

[journeythoughts]

Thank you all for your responses. I had been considering reading “Crazy Love” as well. It’s good to have a “heads up” before plunging in.