An Open Letter to My Protestant Brothers In Christ
Part 3
This is Part 3 of a 3-part series of letters detailing the thought process that took me from being a non-denominational Christian to becoming Catholic. If you haven’t yet, read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.
It all came down to that: I wasn’t fit enough to be the leader of my own personal Church. It was just too arrogant to believe myself capable of interpreting Scripture correctly, or to believe myself capable to determine what was or wasn’t in alignment with Scripture.
Under Protestantism, everything becomes a subjective opinion, and there’s no way of knowing who’s right or wrong. Even things that seem to be clearly stated in Scripture are interpreted differently by individuals:
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.
— John 6:54-56
Sounds clear enough. This comes directly from Scripture. So why is it that some Protestants believe it’s to be taken literally and some don’t? You see, everything requires interpretation. Even things which seem incredibly clear can be interpreted in multiple ways, like the previous passage. A single human being simply cannot understand every detail of Scripture on his own. We’ve tried that experiment, and new denominations spawn every day because of it, each one claiming to be the one where the real truth is to be found.
I simply couldn’t find a satisfactory answer outside of Catholicism as to why certain passages are to be taken literally and why some aren’t. Without the infallible magisterium and without the tradition that has been maintained since the time of the apostles, it will always be just our best guess. You and me, each of us can read the Bible, and interpret each phrase differently. We can follow completely different religions. We can make up completely different images of who Jesus was.
So that begs the question, who can interpret Scripture properly? The logical answer is whoever has the most information about the text, and about the people in it. Without even getting into theological debates, just ask yourself who’s more likely to know what Jesus meant when He said all the things He said (and I’m using the Eucharist as an example, but you can apply this to every single denominational debate): You? Me? or the people who lived with Him, ate with Him, and heard from Him way more than what is recorded in Scripture? Ask yourself honestly, and you’ll have your answer.
When I was a non-denominational Protestant, every single line of inquiry ended at the same conclusion: “I believe this because that’s MY interpretation.” That doesn’t happen in Catholicism. We, as Catholics, believe what we believe because the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit and exercising its Magisterium, infallibly teaches them as divinely revealed or as necessarily connected to divine revelation. It’s not a personal interpretation and it’s not a comfortable picking and choosing of whatever church fits me best.
Becoming Catholic is a great act of faith and obedience. It’s knowing you don’t have the answers. It’s choosing to obey even if you disagree personally. It’s not “idolizing” the Pope. You don’t even have to like him. But you do have to place your trust in the divine protection that the Holy Spirit grants the leader of the Church, when speaking Ex-Cathedra on faith and morals. It’s not the Pope you’re trusting. It’s Jesus’ promise of protection over His Church.
I want to end this letter with a reminder of the spirit in which I write this: I am not one to call my Protestant brothers names, or insult them. I genuinely try to assume the best in people, specially in those who follow Christ too. I believe all of us —Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox—are doing our best to find out the truth and live according to it, and that’s a quest that I deeply respect.
I truly hope this series of letters serves to at least encourage you to learn more about what we Catholics actually believe. I have seen a lot of misconceptions, misunderstandings, and false claims about the Catholic faith. I don’t think this is out of malice but usually out of ignorance and out of an unwillingness to learn what we actually do practice and believe.
No matter what you decide to do, I’ll be praying for you.
May God light the way for you and may we all find our way to Heaven.
In Christ,
Juan-SM
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Protestants and Catholics are in agreement on 95+ % of Christian doctrine.
We tend to focus on the differences, but Christ pleads for unity in the church.
As a protestant (Calvary Chapel), I place less emphasis on the efficacy or necessity of the sacraments for salvation.
I think both sides should be earnestly working toward unity. I have been reading the magazine, First Things, for 35 years and their project, Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT) seems to be on the right track.
Reading Matthew Bates, book, “Beyond the Salvation Wars” now. I recommend it.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this series. Thank you for putting your beliefs, convictions, out there online for all to read. If you live in Kansas or Oklahoma, let's grab a coffee at some point.
I appreciate the authoritative nature of Tradition and the need for interpreting God's Word for His people. I have often wondered if Vatican II had happened in the 1500s instead of the 1900s, if a lot of heartache could have been avoided. It seems like the right-sized olive branch to mend many things, but I wasn't there, so...
I also must recognize my own Chestertonian love of Orthodoxy. I love the idea of old things and can stand with you in identifying some of the things that seem clear and authoritative, but are commonly ignored in so many churches. The tension of faith and works. The efficacy of baptism. The sacraments. The need for male leadership. To name a few.
I am a Protestant who was excited to see Pope Leo XIV take on the mantle of the church. And his first mass, exceptional. Reaffirming some of those things, which I assume we would both hold as truths from the Lord early in his reign, excites me. Yet I still want to stand far off. *Recognizing that Trent then would call me anathema. Ouch!*
Do you think denominational Protestants have the same struggle that our non-denominational friends do? What I mean to say is that the Westminster Confession, Heidelberg, or heck, even the 1689 LBC, seem to speak authoritatively on some of these same things. Just with a Protestant lens?
"All saints, that are united to Jesus Christ their Head, by His Spirit, and by faith, have fellowship with Him in His grace, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory, (1Jo 1:3; Eph 3:16-19; Jhn 1:16; Eph 2:5-6; Phl 3:10 Rom 6:5-6; 2Ti 2:12): and, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each other’s gifts and graces, (Eph 4:15-16; 1Co 12:7; 1Co 3:21-23; Col 2:19); and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man, (1Th 5:11, 14; Rom 1:11-12, 14; 1Jo 3:16-18; Gal 6:10)."
As I am typing more, I am realizing the real need for this conversation to happen in a much longer form that likely requires many reconnection points.
Thanks again for the post. I really do appreciate the care with which you have written. Good work.
In Christ,
Grant