Why don't Protestants learn Catholic Church history?

[randomuser]

It’s not taboo, it’s been beaten to death here…and refuted.
Why don’t you enlighten us all?
Please, we wait in anticipation of your knowledge and wisdom.

And so has Mary, and yet when people talk about Mary, that doesn’t get the same knee-jerk “beaten to death” response Constantine gets. Seems like a double standard. I stated my comments in response to the thread title and issue at hand, and I respectfully stand by the comment.

 

[JustaServant]

And so has Mary, and yet when people talk about Mary, that doesn’t get the same knee-jerk “beaten to death” response Constantine gets. Seems like a double standard. I stated my comments in response to the thread title and issue at hand, and I respectfully stand by the comment.

No.
It is DIRECTLY related to the topic of the OP.
Back up your “stand” with facts.

 

[Kielbasi]

So why don’t Protestants learn more Catholic Church history? The history of the Church is really just the history of Western Christianity.

Without speaking specifically to your situation, protestants have traditionally been taught a lot of Catholic history, although I guess learning is on a downtrend all over.

Fox’s Book of Martyrs was a best seller for centuries, and was only eclipsed by the Bible in protestant homes. Other works like White’s Great Controversy sold a lot of copies as well

History is the least objective of all of the academic disciplines, the Catholic Church is traditionally viewed differently, the fact that these books are no longer on the best sellers lists reduces the amount of preconcieved ideas people have

 

[randomuser]

No.
It is DIRECTLY related to the topic of the OP.
Back up your “stand” with facts.

On the Non-Catholic Religions thread entitled “What is the biggest misconception non-Catholics have of Catholicism?”, post #9, posted by user name boomerang (not me) states:

“The worst false belief is that Catholics aren’t Christian and aren’t saved; that it is a pagan religion invented by Emperor Constantine. Now, THAT is ignorant. Everything else is small potatoes compared to that one.”
forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=13632042&postcount=9

My comments about Constantine on this thread, and user name boomerang’s comment on that tread, are in fact DIRECTLY related to the reason why Protestants don’t learn Catholic Church history. Now, please - I have nothing further to add.

 

[JustaServant]

On the Non-Catholic Religions thread entitled “What is the biggest misconception non-Catholics have of Catholicism?”, post #9, posted by user name boomerang (not me) states:

“The worst false belief is that Catholics aren’t Christian and aren’t saved; that it is a pagan religion invented by Emperor Constantine. Now, THAT is ignorant. Everything else is small potatoes compared to that one.”
forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=13632042&postcount=9

My comments about Constantine on this thread, and user name boomerang’s comment on that tread, are in fact DIRECTLY related to the reason why Protestants don’t learn Catholic Church history. Now, please - I have nothing further to add.

Universal Translator:
I can’t.

 

[Kielbasi]

If more non-Catholics were studying the history of the Catholic Church from the viewpoints of their own traditions, works like Carroll’s Trail of Blood it might create a bit more discord, not necessarily a good thing.

 

[randomuser]

Universal Translator:
I can’t.

WRONG. You’re asking me to prove an indefensible statement (namely, the notion that many Protestants believe Constantine founded the Catholic Church) in hopes of making me look ignorant.

The fact of the matter is, Mary is as talked-about and discussed-about as Constantine is (and Mary has TONS more threads and callers on CAL), yet Constantine is the one who gets tagged with “beaten-to-death” status. I do not understand the logic of that. I did show you another username - not me - who mentioned it. If that’s not good enough for you, I doubt anything else I could provide you would be as well.

 

[Kielbasi]

The real question that the OP presents isn’t “Why don’t Protestants learn Catholic Church history?” but “Why don’t Protestants learn Catholic Church history?(from a Catholic Church point of view)”.

The answer is pretty simple, because they aren’t Catholic.

In secular circles, history is viewed from the prism of class conflict and the march of progress and/or democracy, religion as a whole is just seen as the opiate of the people.

And of course among sectarians, the sect is seen as the high point of history, everything that has occurred before is just prelude.

 

[Kliska]

I think a study of the history of the Canon of Scripture would be appropriate. That is, how the Church is able to call what is in the canon Scripture and inerrant. It seems logical to study how we came to “know” the bible and who was involved.

I agree and many have, both “protestant” and Catholic. My old pastor used to teach on how it happened and there’s no “threat” in it to “protestant” thought, and it also brings in Jewish history and their role in the canon of scripture. Dating the scriptures is also an important Apologetic, not for fights between brethren, but rather arguments between Christians and non-believers.

 

[Kay_Cee]

I have a Protestant friend who told me that her church studied the history of Christianity . . . starting with Martin Luther.

Goodness, that’s as if nothing happened for 1,500+ years!

Can you imagine studying American history that way? Skipping three-fourths of it? That would be like studying the Revolutionary War then jumping to the 1950s.

 

[rcwitness]

I agree and many have, both “protestant” and Catholic. My old pastor used to teach on how it happened and there’s no “threat” in it to “protestant” thought, …

No doubt…

 

[rcwitness]

I agree and many have, both “protestant” and Catholic. My old pastor used to teach on how it happened and there’s no “threat” in it to “protestant” thought, and it also brings in Jewish history and their role in the canon of scripture. Dating the scriptures is also an important Apologetic, not for fights between brethren, but rather arguments between Christians and non-believers.

No doubt…

To tell you the truth, I did ask a few Evangelicals how they know that the books included in the bible are Sacred Scripture. They did not give an answer… not even a guess.

But I’m sure some have their opinions.

 

[Kliska]

To tell you the truth, I did ask a few Evangelicals how they know that the books included in the bible are Sacred Scripture. They did not give an answer… not even a guess.

But I’m sure some have their opinions.

I have no doubt, and of course I would guess it may work the same for Catholic believers as well. I’m sure many don’t even think about it, but all should.

 

[rcwitness]

I have no doubt, and of course I would guess it may work the same for Catholic believers as well. I’m sure many don’t even think about it, but all should.

…and it would be interesting to hear your pastors understanding.

 

[Peter_J]

And so has Mary, and yet when people talk about Mary, that doesn’t get the same knee-jerk “beaten to death” response Constantine gets. Seems like a double standard.

I having trouble seeing a double standard. Consider: on the majority of the last 52 Sundays I didn’t hear Constantine mentioned even once in church.

 

[ProVobis]

Maybe for the same reason more people from Minnesota don’t study Texas history?

Maybe a better comparison would be people from Minnesota not studying the History of the U.S. from its inception.

Protestants have their roots in the Catholic Church, whether they care to admit it or not.

 

[rcwitness]

Neither state is 2000 yrs old.

… and both honor the same president!

 

[SyroMalankara]

I having trouble seeing a double standard. Consider: on the majority of the last 52 Sundays I didn’t hear Constantine mentioned even once in church.

Really, not once? I thought he was a Saint in the Melkite/Antiochian Calendar

 

[adamhovey1988]

I myself, as is visible, am a Protestant; but I’m young, and I’m learning a little Church history at a time here.

But, I’m not reluctant to admit that Protestantism, and thus the Restorationist movements, all come from our Catholic predecessors (which is obvious with any amount of Church history!)

So why don’t Protestants learn more Catholic Church history? The history of the Church is really just the history of Western Christianity.

Ditto to your understanding of western culture. With regards to Protestants not learning Church history, there are many of them here on this forum for this very reason. God bless.

 

[Peter_J]

I agree and many have, both “protestant” and Catholic. My old pastor used to teach on how it happened and there’s no “threat” in it to “protestant” thought, and it also brings in Jewish history and their role in the canon of scripture. Dating the scriptures is also an important Apologetic, not for fights between brethren, but rather arguments between Christians and non-believers.

I’m sure that is true for many, maybe even most, Protestants but not for all.

I have no doubt, and of course I would guess it may work the same for Catholic believers as well. I’m sure many don’t even think about it, but all should.

Ideally, yes.