Qualities of Protestant Spirituality?

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Madaglan

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I direct this thread especially to former Protestants who have embraced the Catholic faith. Most of my friends are Protestants, and even my sister and mother are Protestants. Especially with my friends, when I go to their services or am present with them when they talk about theological subjects, I sense a wide spiritual gap between Catholicism and Protestantism. I can’t entirely explain this gap, but it seems to me that, while most Protestants emphasize the “spiritual” in their worship and in their interpretation of Biblical passages, they are missing something which I personally recognize as present in Catholicism. Perhaps it is a great sense and appreciation of mystery, or perhaps it is a kind of spiritual wisdom cultivated by two thousand years of tradition in the Catholic Church. Perhaps it is an emphasis placed on peace and solitude. There is just something in the traditional Catholic spirituality that I don’t see present in the Protestant spirituality I have experienced in going to Protestant churches around me.

What can former Protestants say about the spirituality of their past Protestant faith compared with the Catholic spirituality they now live today?

I’m really curious, since I still have difficulty understanding how Protestants think about God. Thanks! 🙂
 
I was born and raised a catholic and then left and got involved with a the Assemblies of God church’s, I have since returned to the Fullness of the faith to Home sweet Rome as Scott Hann puts it. While I feel there may be a lot of fervor in Protestant Spirituality, I think that they neglect the 2,000 years of Christian History and Thought. I think a lot of times its not concise whoever this seems to be the biggest problem, or even when history is not ignored they sometimes refuse to read the early church fathers and accept the teaching of these great men simply because it does not line up with their way of thinking or spirituality.
 
I have noticed that a lot of Protestants recognize a sense of ‘calling’. (they feel that God wants them to go to a certain place or do a certain thing- even if the alternatives may not be wrong, really- just that God wants them somewhere else). I’ve noticed Catholics recognize this when discerning marriage or the priesthood or religious life, but don’t always recognize it when it comes to the things that could change- like what parish to join (many simply go for whatever appeals the most to them, or what is more orthodox, or what is closer, and don’t stop and think maybe God wants them somewhere else- even if it isn’t as close or appealing) or whether or not to move, or switch Rites- things like that.
 
For me, God is so much more tangible in the Catholic Church. When I go to mass all of my senses are affected - I smell the insense, I hear the mass - the bells; I see - I can touch the holy water and I taste the host. It’s that way every time. As a Protestant - God was only as close as I was able to imagine. Oh sometimes I was up on the moutain top and I felt so very close to God - but other times I was distracted by life or whatever and try as I might, I just couldn’t get the “feeling” - even with the worship team encouraging me or the very stiring sermon. I think that’s the big difference for me. It seems like God is truly present at the Mass - regardless of how I’m feeling that day - He’s there. When I was a Protestant - it was up to ME to connect with the Holy Spirit. This is just my personal opinion.
 
I certainly can’t speak for all, but I notice that the Catholic Church emphasizes both body and spirit, and that, in general, She takes sin much more seriously. There’s almost a (very, very small) degree of catharism in most Protestant churches, wherein they downplay anything physical, including doing good deeds. It is almost as though they expect us to live our religion entirely in our minds, with any physical act being a symbolic afterthought. One of the things drawing me to the Catholic Church is this newfound ability to unite both body and spirit in worship of the Lord.
 
One of the things that kept me out of the Catholic Church was wanting to do what I wanted. I thought that why worry about sin, it is so much easier to just have an intellectual relationship. I am not saying all Protestants are like this, I actually attended a bit of a liberal church, it was very much me and Jesus. I know may separated bretheren are very holy, but for me He loved me and all the rest was extra.

I was scared of Catholicism, I thought it was stuffy. I remembered old people praying and sitting there bored. You would sing, clap at service where I was and it was uplifting.
There are many very nice people in Evangelicalism, but differing ideas of what is true made me search. (my brother becoming a kinda strict Bible Christian with a little health and wealth)

My big mistake was starting to study Catholicism (check out my roots) and it got me. Once I started to realize what it really was, I had to keep looking at it and then I fell in love. I realize what we do in Mass is worship, not watch a show. We aren’t there to be entertained but to partake and participate. The meditative prayer, the quiet prayer bring me peace and a steadyness that allows me to go through each day living in peace.
Far from being stuffy, I have found a deep steady spirituality that permeates my life. It has completed and not left anything behind in the Evangelical spirituality, but a fullness in spirituality.

It is like, meet my friend Jesus (and that is great!) or meet my friend Jesus, His Church, His Mother, and the comfort of home. Absolutely nothing wrong with meeting Jesus, but He wants to share more with you, you just need to open your heart.

God Bless
Scylla
 
Kristina P.:
I certainly can’t speak for all, but I notice that the Catholic Church emphasizes both body and spirit.
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I think this is very important. A human person is body and spirit. Just spirit is not fully human. Protestants accept Jesus spiritually, which is good. But we Catholics are so blessed to be able to accept His entire being–Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity–into our entire being, body and soul.

I think this is why sacraments don’t jive with most Protestants. The sacraments are too physical. God provides us with grace, but we have to physically go get it (in the confessional, in Holy Communion, etc.)
 
One of the things that really appeals to me about the Catholic church is its long history. It never ceases to amaze me to watch a priest burning incense. I get the sense that I am doing something so old. Then when I read the scriptures and realize everything that is going on in the Mass i really get the sense that what i am doing transcends this world and is SO much bigger than me. Truly must be Gods church.
 
I never really got a sense of the existence of spirituality in any of the churches I attened growing up. The most I could say was going on was at an emotional level. In fact, many of the types of spiritually enriched practices I’ve found in the Catholic Church (meditation, rosary, ect.) were highly frowned upon.
 
I read an article once that really put into words what I felt I was missing in Protestant spirituality: Feminine spirituality.

Most protestant spirituality is masculine (God do this, bless him, etc) whereas Catholic spirituality tends to focus on contemplative and meditative spirituality.

catholic.com/thisrock/2002/0203fea2.asp
 
As a Protestant beginning the process of converting to Catholic, the one difference I have noticed is the sense of the presence of Jesus. Thinking back over my years in various Protestant churches, I can’t say that I have ever really felt Jesus there, no matter how spiritual or devout the people in the churches were. But, again looking back over the years, anytime I stepped into a Catholic Church, I felt the presence of Jesus. To me that feeling is one of peace and reverence. After analyzing these I believe that I have missed that in other churches completely. It does not matter if I go to a large Catholic Church, a Cathedral, or the chapel in the local Catholic hospital, I still sense that peace and reverence. I now truly believe that the Catholic Church is the one true Church started by Jesus Christ 2000 years ago. In contrast the Protestant Church I most recently attended has only been around since 1857. I AM Catholic now in my heart and soul, and cannot wait to be able to recieve!!
 
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Madaglan:
I direct this thread especially to former Protestants who have embraced the Catholic faith.
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I fulfil the first half of that category; is that sufficient?
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Madaglan:
I sense a wide spiritual gap between Catholicism and Protestantism… while most Protestants emphasize the “spiritual” in their worship and in their interpretation of Biblical passages, they are missing something which I personally recognize as present in Catholicism. Perhaps it is a great sense and appreciation of mystery, or perhaps it is a kind of spiritual wisdom cultivated by two thousand years of tradition in the Catholic Church. Perhaps it is an emphasis placed on peace and solitude… I’m really curious, since I still have difficulty understanding how Protestants think about God.
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The difficulty of understanding how Protestants do anything is, of course, exacerbated by the fact that Protestantism is inherently heterogeneous: find any three Protestants and you will find three different belief-systems.

I think that you are right to mention quietude and tradition, because they are both typically lacking in Protestant churches. If by ‘appreciation of mystery’ you mean a readiness to believe rather than a need to rationalise, then yes, that is another area of weakness. On the other hand, there are Protestant monastic orders, most of whom are ascetic. There are also some quite traditionalist churches, especially within the Anglican communion. There are even quite a few Protestants with a good sense of the mysteriousness of God. Then there is the entire spectrum of variations, all the way to the most visible Protestants - usually the Pentecostal and Evangelical versions, which stand in relation to Catholicism as pop music does to classical: typically derivative, ephemeral, and populist.

Nonetheless, I’d suggest that, perhaps, a major issue in the lack of a sense of spirituality could simply be the fact that you are dealing with a belief system which is quite different to your own. They do not have the type of spirituality that you are used to, and we often find unfamiliar versions of known entities difficult to deal with. As many people from Western countries say about East Asians, “They all look the same to me.” As many people from East Asian countries say about Westerners, “They all look the same to me.”

If you can identify to yourself what exactly you mean when you say ‘spirituality’, it might help you to understand your own preconceptions (with which all humans are blessed) on this point. Having done that, you may be more able to start understanding their versions.
 
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Madaglan:
I know that the Anglicans now have a few orders, but are there any others?
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There are a few: prayerfoundation.org/brief_history_protestant_monasticism.htm

Both Anglicans and Presbyterians can be found amongst First Order Franciscans, and there are also such things as the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans: franciscans.com/.

In addition, various churches have developed individual monasteries over time, many of which have mutated into religious communes and then into cults, which you could count even though you might not want to join one.
 
Originally Quoted by Mystophilus:
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Both Anglicans and Presbyterians can be found amongst First Order Franciscans, and there are also such things as the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans: franciscans.com/.
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John Knox would roll over in his grave if he knew his spiritual children to be Franciscans 😃
 
One big thing that attracted me to the Cathlic faith was its spirituality. I was raised as a Lutheran, and the sum total of the spirituality I experienced there was “Go to church on Sunday.”

It didn’t matter what you did, you could never please God. So what was the point in studying His Word, doing good works, praying, or trying to become spiritual? Nothing mattered as long as you were “saved.” No wonder Lutherans aren’t known for their works of mercy.

Thirsting for Jesus, I joined a non-denominational church in my late 30’s. The music was great, the people were nice, and the preaching was ok. I thought I found Jesus there, but it was only an emotional uplifting from the music.

By chance I found a book by a Catholic author, Bud Macfarlane, called “Pierced by a Sword.” I read it, and it intrigued me. There was real spirituality! The characters in the novel actually lived their faith. It was not just some Sunday exercise. I wanted to learn more.

I’ve been a Catholic now for 2 years. The spirituality of the Catholic faith has sustained me through some very difficult times. The prayers, the Rosary, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet are wonderful. The lives of the saints are inspiring. The spirituality and a true relationship with Jesus Christ as actually lived on a daily basis never ceases to challenge and uplift me.

Thank God He brought me home!
 
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Madaglan:
I direct this thread especially to former Protestants who have embraced the Catholic faith. Most of my friends are Protestants, and even my sister and mother are Protestants. Especially with my friends, when I go to their services or am present with them when they talk about theological subjects, I sense a wide spiritual gap between Catholicism and Protestantism. I can’t entirely explain this gap, but it seems to me that, while most Protestants emphasize the “spiritual” in their worship and in their interpretation of Biblical passages, they are missing something which I personally recognize as present in Catholicism. Perhaps it is a great sense and appreciation of mystery, or perhaps it is a kind of spiritual wisdom cultivated by two thousand years of tradition in the Catholic Church. Perhaps it is an emphasis placed on peace and solitude. There is just something in the traditional Catholic spirituality that I don’t see present in the Protestant spirituality I have experienced in going to Protestant churches around me.

What can former Protestants say about the spirituality of their past Protestant faith compared with the Catholic spirituality they now live today?

I’m really curious, since I still have difficulty understanding how Protestants think about God. Thanks! 🙂
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I have felt the exact same thing attending my friends’ youth group…there’s something missing, something big…I found it to be the Eucharist. Protestants, my friends especially, have great, powerful, amazing faiths, but I can only imagine what they would be like in worship before Christ in the Holy Eucharist…it’s something I struggle with daily.

That “something” that’s missing…I believe that their faiths could be so much more, even more than what they have now, which is amazingly great…but it’s like they’re only scratching the surface of Christ on earth, of His sacrifice for us and the humbleness and humility He gives to us when He comes to our table in bread and wine.
 
The two things that stand out in my mind are

1 the protestants seem to have no understanding of the theology of suffering , it’s mystical importance or it’s redemptive power.

2 for most protestants I have noticed no ‘spiritual growth’…it’s like I’ve got it now and that’s all there is
so the spiritual development say at 45 is at the same level as it was at 25
the thinking is the same. there is no steady progression in holiness.
 
carol marie:
For me, God is so much more tangible in the Catholic Church. When I go to mass all of my senses are affected - I smell the insense, I hear the mass - the bells; I see - I can touch the holy water and I taste the host. It’s that way every time. As a Protestant - God was only as close as I was able to imagine. Oh sometimes I was up on the moutain top and I felt so very close to God - but other times I was distracted by life or whatever and try as I might, I just couldn’t get the “feeling” - even with the worship team encouraging me or the very stiring sermon. I think that’s the big difference for me. It seems like God is truly present at the Mass - regardless of how I’m feeling that day - He’s there. When I was a Protestant - it was up to ME to connect with the Holy Spirit. This is just my personal opinion.
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You hit the nail on the head, Carol Marie! For me, Catholicism glories in the incarnational and lifts up the created world and makes it holy (water, oil, churches, art, etc.).
 
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