Hi,
I don’t think there is a problem with that (to a certain degree of course, like some have pointed out). Though if there is a “problem”, is that the basic premise of what they can be saying in a book can maybe not be the way that catholics see things. For example you see the difference in the Eucharist and how it is perceived differently, that goes with the other sacraments too, and how Tradition plays a big role in catholicism. With that said, that doesn’t mean they can’t have some great insights. We can see that some great catholics come from protestant backgrounds. They can have genuinely a love for God, and that is a very good thing, because it opens them to a certain degree to God. So I would say, just be sure to remember that there will be things that catholics and protestants will see different, and that those differences can give very different conclusions in how we see spirituality. But you can talk to someone knowledgeable afterwards like a priest if you liked what you read (to help you and guide you in the right direction), or even with some other catholics to expand what you like and analyze what you liked about it. So it could help you grow in the faith from that sense.
Sometimes in “experiencing” another point of view, not to adapt it, but sometimes to understand what is behind the belief, it can help comprehend why we believe in what we believe, why we follow what we believe, like dogmas, for example. Because the human mind can get very complicated analysis and conclusions, that can vary from person to person. And maybe even if we will not “adapt” a certain conclusion, a certain “aid” is received to comprehend something. As we can get help to comprehend things from rare places.
So I would say just be careful to know the key differences, because faith is not about not being logical like some can say. Protestants believe because of a certain logic, likewise, catholics also believe from a certain logic, but we can see that even if we have God as our uniting point, our logic can move us in very different ways. And that logic (with those differences) will make up the basis of our understandings.
I would also say that explore what you like about an author, or why you are looking at the author. And analyze things, like for example, if you like how they present things, do you like how they write, do you like their “understandings”. If you like their understandings or conclusions, then you need to go deeper there, because the understandings of faith is where the faith resides, because that’s what will make you act on it. Then there is where maybe more confusion can occur. So there would be where some guidance could be needed to have clarity.
(To learn about different understandings you can go the the journey home program on EWTNS youtube channel, for me thats a great show, because it help us see how people can perceive the things of God, and sometimes even God Himself (referring to believing in the Eucharist), differently, and how can one change its posture about things.)
The title of the book sounds interesting though, so I wanted to add some things to that. I read this somewhere and liked it, the phrase states that : “Prayer makes obedience the norm.” I just thought it was nice. I liked also something from Father Andrew Apostoli on Sunday Night Prime program, about stages of prayer (its on youtube): he said, “that God wants us to respond to the love He wants to give, but He can only give us in the degree we are open to receive Him. And that’s where prayer comes in, it helps you to do this”. So prayer helps us be open to Him. Which reminded me of something I heard on Ewtn program Answering the Masters call: “Keep open the lines of communication with Prayers” SR. MARIS STELLA
