Give me a good reason

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ndismyhome

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Hello! I am a Lutheran Seminary student, and will soon become ordained and begin serving a parish in my church. I have come to realize that I disagree with several of my church’s major teachings. I am trying to find a good, orthodox church to join. Why should I be Catholic, and how would one go about becoming a priest if they were already ordained in another tradition?
 
Hello, and welcome to CAF.
ndismyhome said:
Why should I be Catholic,
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TRUTH.
And the joy that comes from discovering all it’s facets.
And above all else, Our Lord Himself, in the Eucharist.
and how would one go about becoming a priest if they were already ordained in another tradition?
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I would suggest asking a priest how to go about it. Perhaps there are some on the forum here who could advise you. Otherwise, you might try the Ask An Apologist forum – it’s the first one listed on CAF’s home page.
 
ndismyhome said:
Hello! I am a Lutheran Seminary student, and will soon become ordained and begin serving a parish in my church. I have come to realize that I disagree with several of my church’s major teachings. I am trying to find a good, orthodox church to join. Why should I be Catholic, and how would one go about becoming a priest if they were already ordained in another tradition?
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The Necessity of Being Catholic
by James Akin
chnetwork.org/journals/nesschurch/ness_7.htm

**CHRISTIAN, YES… BUT WHY CATHOLIC? **
By JOSEPH M. ESPER
catholic.com/thisrock/1999/9910fea1.asp
 
If the Catholic Church is for you, the Holy Spirit will lead you.

I am going to say a few thoughts, this not to help you but to share my heart–good or bad. If there are many, please forgive the scrivner’s mistakes.

The parable known as the Good Samaritan clearly teaches that one who loves inherits eternal life. Love is eternal. God is love. Love is eternal (one example Ps 138: 8).

If you are still reading, the samaritan, as you know, is not Jewish, not Christian, but the loving is the reason he inherits eternal life.

If I were to yell one thing: Sola Agape! Sorry about mixing Latin and Greek.

I believe that each time an individual asks Jesus how to inherit eternal life or similar ideas, Jesus says love.

Paul says Christ makes or compels us to love.

Paul also prays: I pray that God’s makes your love stronger or richer. In other word, he prays to God to make us grow in love.

Paul says he no longer lives but Christ lives in him. WOW!

We must love God, Wicked, Enemy, Neighbor, Needy, Self (GWENNS).

Or, you will love GWENNS; it is a promise/command/promise.

Love is the start of eternal life, because it is God in our hearts.

Romans 5: 5, Love is poured into our hearts.

We get a new nature or new heart, as St. Peter clearly teaches.

As Paul says, and we all know, love is the greatest.

Also, as Paul yells, I am no-thing without love.

Love is the New Commandment. It is the first, in the cardinal and not ordinal sense.

If you are still reading:

God created in the BEGINNING (HEBREW, LXX, N. T.)
In the Beginning is the Word.
God SO LOVED the world that HE sent His Son into the world to save the world (eternal, infinite, omnipotent LOVE).
The way that God created is LOVE.
So the creation accounts explain the way God created, the how–LOVE.

As Moses continues: the day is light.
As Jesus tells us, He is the Light.
As Jesus tells us, we are children of the LIGHT.

The Abyss is God’s counsel, check out the Hebrew.

In that context: heaven is heaven.

As we see in the Apocalypse, the star is a symbol for angels. Luke, angels, Matt stars.

The firmament is God’s love and our strong faith–check out the Hebrew and then LXX & N. T. of it and see where it appears in the N. T.
Then see Galatians 5: 6 loves energeo faith.

Can there be anything stronger than love and faith–What a firmament.

The fourth day does not use moon or sun, but a light for the night and a light for the day–We know the light of the day–Jesus. Dare I say Israel and the Church for the night. Yes, Israel and the Church are light for the darkness.

I believe the days are used as cardinal and not as ordinal numbers.

But do not forget, He called the light day.

We are children of the light and he divides or removes us from darkness.

Well, I could go further, but who is listening. I do not want to be judged as crazy.

So I will wait and see the verdict.

God is absolute Beauty.

His beauty moves us to fall deeply in love with Him.

This love, as all loves, makes us do loving deeds. Just as a seed is made to grow in the ground from the sun, soil, water, and weather, so God makes us love.

Love creates just like we see from Moses.

Again, as Jesus clearly taught, one needs only love to inherit eternal life (be saved), His loved poured into our new self. We have to do creative or loving actions just as the seed must grow.

Let me know the verdict–but be gentle about it.

THANKS!!!
 
Well what do you disagree with? You might find those issues will not be solved here.
 
For the sake of this solicitation of advise, my disagreements with my church, which presently i am bound to serve and not slander, are irrelevant. Let it suffice to say that I feel that my church has strayed to far from Lutheran Orthodoxy, and this finds a more palpable expression in the Catholic and Eastern churches.
 
If you’re coming to a forum to change your mind, sorry bud, but you’re already a done deal. Just lay down the pride, come to the Church, and say hello to the family you’ve been missing all these years.
 
There is an online ministry to help you on your path. The Coming Home Network was founded by Marcus Grodi .chnetwork.org/
Godspeed on your journey.
 
I would follow Lukelion’s advice just above and visit that site.

Also, you can listen to a couple of former Lutheran’s convesion stories at the following website:

alabamacatholicresources.com/conversion_stories.html

The two you’re looking for are by Larry Heimsoth and Norm Dalgren. Both were Lutherans who converted to the Catholic Church. There are others, too, from other denominations that you may find interesting.
 
Hello,

For the simple fact that the Church was founded by Jesus on Peter.

Jesus established his Church on the Rock, Peter. And on him the Church would be sturdy, for the “gates of hell shall not prevail against it [the Church]” (Matthew 16:18). Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would lead the Church into all truth (John 16:13); therefore the Church really is the “pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15).

Words from Cyprian of Carthage in the mid AD 200:

On him he builds the Church, and to him he gives the command to feed the sheep [John 21:17], and although he assigns a like power to all the apostles, yet he founded a single chair, and he established by his own authority a source and an intrinsic reason for that unity.

…If someone does not hold fast to this unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he should desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confident that he is in the Church?"
Hello,

(The Unity of the Catholic Church 4; 1st edition [A.D. 251]).
 
ndismyhome said:
Hello! I am a Lutheran Seminary student, and will soon become ordained and begin serving a parish in my church. I have come to realize that I disagree with several of my church’s major teachings. I am trying to find a good, orthodox church to join. Why should I be Catholic, and how would one go about becoming a priest if they were already ordained in another tradition?
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for the second part of your question, contact the Coming Home Network founded by Marcus Grodi, a former Presbyterian pastor, who has aided countless clergymen of other faiths who have become Catholic, in practical as well as spiritual ways. He is the one with the Journey HOme program Monday evening on EWTN where converts tell their stories.

I would suggest you begin with the scripture background you already have, and re-study key passages first that were used by Luther to justify his own break with the Catholic Church, and then to study the patristic writings and see if you can find evidence of the traditions and scripture alike being handed on as Revelation in the early Church. If this study convinces you that only the Church founded by Christ, despite the notorious misdeeds of many of its members and even leadership over the ages, is the Church possessing, protecting and handing on the authentic teaching received from Christ by the apostles, then you have no choice. But many in your position have found study of the early fathers of the Church very enlightening and helpful in their search.

God bless you and welcome home, we need you.
 
ndismyhome said:
Let it suffice to say that I feel that my church has strayed to far from Lutheran Orthodoxy, and this finds a more palpable expression in the Catholic and Eastern churches.
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This sounds like the “reason” you were looking for in the OP. No?
The Lutheran Church has drifted… like every other Protestant church. That’s what the history of Protestantism, rooted in Sola Scriptura, clearly demonstrates. If you wish to find stability in doctrine, historic continuity with the Apostolic faith, and the fullest fulfillment of Christ’s promise to “be with us always, until the end of the age” you must find another church. Logically it must be one that pre-dates Lutheranism. That narrows the search down a bit. You are left, as you intimate above, with a choice between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Churches. Is that where you are now or are you just exploring some of the normal confusion that comes with committment?
 
Yes, my choice is between the RC Church and the Eastern churches. I was looking for some insight about why Catholics prefer Catholicism.
 
ndismyhome said:
Yes, my choice is between the RC Church and the Eastern churches. I was looking for some insight about why Catholics prefer Catholicism.
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Why I Am Not Eastern Orthodox
By Jimmy Akin
catholic.com/thisrock/2005/0504bt.asp

Eastern Orthodoxy
catholic.com/library/Eastern_Orthodoxy.asp

**AN EASTERN VOICE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS **
By Ray Ryland
catholic.com/thisrock/1996/9601fea2.asp

**SEEING PETER THROUGH EASTERN EYES **
By Ray Ryland
catholic.com/thisrock/1996/9604eaw.asp

**PETER AND THE ORTHODOX: A REPRISE **
By Ray Ryland
catholic.com/thisrock/1996/9610eaw.asp

The Eastern Doctrine of the Catholic Church
By Ray Ryland
catholic.com/thisrock/1995/9510fea1.asp

THE EPIPHANY OF THE ROMAN PRIMACY
By Ray Ryland
catholic.com/thisrock/1997/9702eaw.asp

**Thoughts from an Eastern Orthodox Priest **
By Rev. Chrysostom Frank
catholic.com/thisrock/1996/9601fea2sb2.asp
 
ndismyhome said:
Yes, my choice is between the RC Church and the Eastern churches. I was looking for some insight about why Catholics prefer Catholicism.
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Let me start by saying I (and I think most Catholics) have great respect and love for the Orthodox, and for their faith and perseverance in the face of the pressures of the world. I also think their understanding of articles of the faith is a very useful counterbalance to the western understanding, and can only help the spiritual growth and understanding of any western Christian.

Now, as to why I am Catholic and not Orthodox, one reason is that I look and see how the Catholic Church evangelized nearly the entire world, something the Orthodox Church(s) did not do. The Catholic Church seems universal in a way that I don’t see the Orthodox Church(s) being. The Orthodox Church(s) seem to be much more national or ethnic Churches.

I also think that the office of Pope (Bishop of Rome) is specially ordained by Christ, and is vital to the unity of the Church. “Where the Bishop of Rome is found, there is found the Church” makes a lot of sense to me.
 
MyHome:

If your reason for leaving the Lutheran Church is that you agree with Catholicism on an essential doctrine (such as the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist) then more power to you!

If your reason for leaving is not because you are convinced the Catholic Church teaches the truth about the doctrines that make it Catholic, i’d suggest doing some research. I would not want to be in your shoes and make a change of religion without first knowing whether i really believed what i would be required to teach.

If your reasons for leaving are not doctrinal, there are many other Lutheran denominations:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Lutheran_denominations_in_North_America

And some of these denominations are keen to building stronger bonds with the Catholic Church. Keep praying and searching for the right path for you!

🙂
 
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