Why Catholicism? - 4

     I have always liked to study the Bible. I love God’s Word. It is all the things it says about itself - a lamp to guide my way, true spiritual food for my soul, the very Word of God, the wisdom of God, and so forth.

     I have also enjoyed the study of theology, hence the interest in the Westminster Confession of Faith. As I said in another place, the WCF makes for good study. Much of what it teaches is what the Church has always taught. I do not have an advanced degree in theology, but I do have a BTH. The focus of the school where I studied was Biblical theology, so most of our time was spent learning to read and explain the text of Scripture. During my course of study, I, in effect, wrote a commentary on the whole Bible. Each one of us did.

Our profs. then would bring in other great Bible teachers and theologians to expand our understanding of the text. We were introduced to many great Protestant theologians and teachers that way, as well as selected passages and quotes from the Church Fathers.

   During my course I also had 3 years of Greek study. So, even though I did not study in seminary, I do have a fairly strong background in Biblical studies. In fact, so much of what I have read in the WCF is very much like what I was taught where I studied, though it was not a Reformed school.

   So, why didn’t I stick with my WCF study and continue to blog about it?  Well, I began to read more from the early Church fathers. So, to make a long story a bit shorter, I will say that after awhile I realized that the Catholic Church still taught what the early Church Fathers taught.

   Yes, there are liberal influences in parts of the Church, but the foundation is still there. There are some extremes as well. I will not deny that. However, the basic dogmas of our faith - and now I say “our” instead of “their” - can be traced back to the Apostles and the ones who were trained by them as per 1 Timothy 2.

   In  a way, I fell in love with the saints of God who so carefully defined and defended orthodoxy. St. John Chrysostom, St. Augustine, St. Anselm, St. Athanasius, and I finally came to St. Thomas Aquinas. St. Thomas was the one who convinced me that I needed to come back Home to the Church.

   In fact, I came to understand that the split should never have happened in the first place. Sure, it would be easy to blame the pope at the time of the Reformation and the state of the Church then. It was a mess. It would be easy to blame the Reformers for being so impatient and such hot heads - and they were. It is more likely that both and all share in the blame.

   That happened a long time ago now. What was God calling me to in the year 2014 and into 2015 and beyond?  His call to come Home was clear, and I ran as fast as I could to get here. Or should I say swam as fast as I could, crossing the Tiber as they say.

   See, as far as the Church goes, I was already a part of her, but not in full communion. My baptism was in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The Church accepted my baptism as true Christian baptism. I had been part of the separated brethren. Now I am in full communion and loving it.

  There is more to the story, of course, and maybe I will share more. So, I have nothing but love and gratitude for those who shared Christ with me along the way - as I wrote before. I must follow God’s call, and I did so with a heart full of joy!

   What does everyone else need to do?  I can’t answer that for you.