Is here anyone who became an adherent of Catholicism after some studying in Philosophy?

[longnprosper]

Could you please briefly explain the reason or share the motivation of your faith?
Also nowadays are Catholicism and Philosophy reconcilable or not?
(I am a Taiwanese currently attending RCIA(-like) programs in Taiwan. I also asked this question on Reddit’s r/Catholicism.)

 

[z_0101]

Listen to Scott Hahn’s conversion story here:
youtube.com/watch?v=XyFuaXlYo8Q
IMHO: His book *Rome Sweet Rome * is worth a reading. Funny thing, I read Dr. Hahn’s book about a year after my conversion and it made perfect sense to me.

As for my conversion, it wasn’t any one thing. It was combination of logic and events that I can only explain as “personal revelations” given to me by God - that it became painfully apparent to me that the truth of the Catholic Faith was not refutable - mind you, when I stepped (OK, almost dragged into the class by my wife by my ear) into the RCIA class that first three weeks, I was, polite, respectful (I was raised to show respect for others - no matter what!), and hostile to ANY organized religion not just Catholic. I was not an atheist, I was agnostic. I would need about 10 posts to cover the whole story even briefly. Just like Dr. Hahn, it was just one thing, after another, after another, and so forth.

 

[auctoris]

I was interested in apologetics and philosophy and that drew me to the Catholic Church.

It used to be that Christianity was derided in philosophy. That is funny given the contributions of people like Augustine, Aquinas, and Kierkegaard. But Alvin Plantinga played a big part in changing that. He may be the foremost Christian philosopher today and is a past president of the American Philosophical Association. There’s also Peter Kreeft (Catholic), Tom Morris, and many more.

You may be interested in the books Philosophers Who Believe and God and the Philosophers.

While not specifically Catholic, there is a Christian organization of philosophers–Evangelical Philosophical Society and they have their own journal.

Most universities in the U.S. skew liberal and secular (latest poll showed twelve liberal professors for every one conservative professor). So there are a lot of unbelievers in academics in general. But Christian/Catholic philosophy is alive, well, and thriving.

 

[neophyte]

I entered the Church because the overwhelming evidence from Sacred Scripture and from extra-biblical historical doumentation is that Jesus founded a Church with a visible, hierarchical teaching authority vested in the sucessor to St. Peter and the Bishops in union with him: the Magesterium of the Catholic Church.

Here’s my summary: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=82842

 

[Liquid47]

Could you please briefly explain the reason or share the motivation of your faith?
Also nowadays are Catholicism and Philosophy reconcilable or not?
(I am a Taiwanese currently attending RCIA(-like) programs in Taiwan. I also asked this question on Reddit’s r/Catholicism.)

Yes, philosophy moved me.

It should be noted that I was a cradle Catholic, but I may have just as well have been an agnostic or dissident. However, God knows that I have an inquisitive mind, and when the opportunity was presented to me to get to know Him better, it was through logic, reason, and history.

However, I believe philosophy is inadequate. Currently, I’m in a state of mortal sin, and have been for the better part of the year. And while my head understands that the Catholic Church holds the truth about the universe, my heart can’t be bothered with it.

Love is the most important part of the Christian faith. Love for God, and love for neighbour. You don’t think your way to heaven, you love your way to heaven.

But don’t let that dissuade you from using philosophy to ignite your spark!

God bless you, and can everyone pray for me to get back on track!