I don’t think RCIA is the best place for a Protestant to learn all about Catholicism because at this time in history, there is no consistency in the way RCIA is taught at all the different parishes.
When my husband and I went through RCIA in 2003-2004, the lead teacher was an ex-Protestant college professor who compiled a team of teachers who taught liturgy, the Bible, etc. There were discussions and homework and a GIANT binder filled with articles and worksheets. There was a media person who brought in videos, DVDs, CDs, and books that we were all free to borrow (and people borrowed them–they were awesome!)
And as if all that wasn’t enough, we also had at least two dozen priests who took turns each week giving us the theology lesson. It was fantastic. We got to know so many excellent priests in our diocese, and to this day, when I see one of them, I remember the talk that he gave during our RCIA class.
And it lasted–not exaggerating!–from 6:30 P.M. until 9: 30 P.M. EVERY Monday night from the first of September right up until April 10 Easter Vigil, and we had a two weeks of followup classes after the Easter Vigil. We only had one week of break, during Christmas. There were no “off nights.”
The classes were videotaped and if you missed a session, you were expected to view it on the videotape before you attended the next session.
There were about 30 people in our RCIA class, and as far as I can see, most of these people are still faithful to attend Mass and are involved in the Church.
You can see why my signature says, “RCIA Class of 2004 ROCKS!” It was an awesome class. There were times we all felt like our heads were exploding with knowledge. It was run like a college class. NO ONE felt like our time was being wasted.
My husband became part of the “team” for the next two years, and he was in charge of making sure that everyone had a sponsor, and that the sponsors attended the classes or at least were knowledgeable about what they were actually doing by sponsoring a person.
However, this year, the parish changed RCIA because the convert who taught the class asked for a leave because of illness in the family. So this year, one priest taught it. It met every other week for one hour. It was strictly him lecturing.
Interestingly, it started out with about two dozen people, but only 9 people stuck with it and were received into the Church. It was the lowest number received in the Parish for years.
So this year, at the request of the monsigneur, the convert is BACK! YAY! And my husband will once again serve on the team.
Anyway, whether or not a Protestant learns anything all depends on how the RCIA class is conducted.
My suggestion is that the Protestant consider reading a few of the really good modern books about the Catholic Church. I think even the Compendium is a little much for many Protestants. But a book like Evangelical is Not Enough by Thomas Howard is excellent (especially for evangelicals). Also books by Scott Hahn. I’m sure that others can suggest really good Catholic books that will help Protestants make sense out of the Church.
I disagree that a person needs a degree in theology to understand the Catholic Church. Certainly to understand it at the level of the priest, the bishop, or the Pope, advanced degrees are needed. But for the layperson, it’s not that complicated.
Finally–I think that many CATHOLICS should spend some time studying their theology instead of studying the rubrics of the Mass. I think a lot of people get caught up, fascinated, by their study of “how” things should be done and all the “rules” of Mass, and they forget about WHAT their Church actually teachers. It seems to me that some of the Catholics on this Forum are willing to forget all about Charity and Humility and concentrate instead on denouncing abuses in the Mass and condemning certain bishops, parishes, and fellow Catholics as “modernist.”
