Talking with a Presbyterian

[jantoniello]

JMJ​

I have been talking with a friend who is a very Catholic Presbyterian (which confounds me in every way). She believes in the Sacraments of the Catholic Church (including the Doctrine of Transubstantiation) and yet speaks often of her “Confirmation” in the Presbyterian community. Today she mentioned a transubstantiation in another “church,” although she conceded defeat in this topic as they don’t have priests in the Catholic sense. She also speaks often of predestination, though not in the Calvinist sense of the word; she speaks of it as if all things were predestined to happen (example: I was predestined to find a penny on the ground today.)

I am just confused by her approach to all things Catholic. Can any of you recommend any books in approaching a Presbyterian from a Catholic stance? Even a book just refuting Protestant heresies (like the Sola statements and total depravity, etc.)

Thank you all in advance!

Pax et bonum,
Joseph

 

[jantoniello]

bump…please help

 

[Snugglebugmom]

Hi Joseph,

I’m sorry I can’t be of any help with books on the subject, and I am not very good at debating because my knowledge as of yet is severely lacking, but I did a search for you and found this thread. here on CAF. Perhaps it will be helpful to you?
I will be watching your thread closely, my inlaws are Presbyterian (with a major disdain for the Catholic faith unfortunately) and I would love some good reading material on this particular subject as well. Good luck and God bless!

 

[DavidFilmer]

I have been talking with a friend who is a very Catholic Presbyterian (which confounds me in every way).

She might be more “Catholic” than she realizes.

But the fact that’s she’s a Presbyterian may give you an interesting apologetic vector. Presbyterians (and other denominations of Calvinistic origin, such as Methodists and Episcopalians) stand with the Catholic Church in defending a practice that nearly all non-Calvinistic denominations renounce - namely infant Baptism. John Calvin wrote a defense of infant Baptism which has (in my opinion) never been equaled nor surpassed.

It might be interesting (and fruitful) to explore this doctrine as a point of common ground. It’s something you agree on, and folks tend to be happy to talk about things that aren’t controversial. But, along the way, also explore why this doctrine is rejected by so many protestants. Why does the Presbyterian church retain this doctrine, whereas so many others have left it? Then you can call into question other ancient doctrines that the Presbyterian church itself has left behind, and the discussion will take place against the background of other protestant faiths abandoning the practice of infant Baptism.

 

[Verbum]

HI Janoniello,

Your friend sounds like a religious dabbler. Religion is her hobby apparently. Be a good Catholic; answer her questions; don’t worry yourself about apologetics. If she’s serious, she’ll come around, and perhaps you can have a fruitful discussion.

Verbum