Monday, May 14, 2007

Courage to Be Catholic


Several years and another lifetime ago (when I was single), I used to attend CBA (Christian Booksellers Association Convention) each summer, to meet with authors. At the first convention I attended, shortly after I joined Servant, I was particularly nervous about one meeting -- breakfast with Elisabeth Elliot and her husband Lars. Elisabeth is a veteran missionary and evangelical radio personality, a revered spiritual icon in evangelical circles (My mother nearly fainted when she found out I had met Elisabeth. "Oh, dear ... you didn't tell her where you go to church now, did you Heidi?")

In point of fact, I had mentioned it -- but only after Elisabeth peppered me with questions until I couldn't evade them any longer. I wasn't ashamed of being Catholic, but I was a bit nervous about the possibility that Elisabeth might lecture me (like so many others had) about turning my back on the "faith of my fathers." In the eyes of this great faith warrior, I did not want to look like a slacker. And so, I decided not to bring up the subject. Anyway, I told myself, it's not like someone as famous as Elisabeth Elliot would care two bits about my little story.

I was wrong. We had just settled down over our pancakes when Elisabeth opened the conversation with, "So ... you haven't always been Catholic, have you dear?"

That mouthful of pancake was thoroughly masticated before I responded, cautiously. "Why do you ask?"

"You mentioned that you used to work for Bethany House, and they are certainly not a Catholic publisher."

Still I hesitated... A little impatient, she continued. "Do you know my brother, Thomas Howard? He entered the Catholic Church some years ago. I only wish I had his courage."

I nearly choked. This comment from a woman who had courage enough to set up housekeeping for herself and her daughter among Aucas of Ecuador, the very Indian tribe who had martyred her husband and their associates in cold blood. Not only was this august personage not going to scold me, she admired the decision I had made to enter the Church, as her dear brother had! After she had sung the praises of the Catholic Church for several minutes, I worked up the nerve to ask Elisabeth why she did not follow in her brother's footsteps.

"Cowardice, I suppose. My listeners and readers simply would not understand."

That, I understood. I understand it even better now, in light of the recent hubbub surrounding the reversion of Dr. Francis Beckwith, former president of the Evangelical Theological Society. Despite the fact that it meant losing the respect and fellowship of his colleagues, not to mention his livelihood, Dr. Beckwith's courageous position was unequivocal: unless there is a serious theological reason not to, the default position of every believer must be to belong to the historical Church founded by Christ.

Why? In his book The Night is Far Spent, a collection of essays by Thomas Howard newly published by Ignatius Press, Dr. Howard offers five reasons for this "fallback position," which he outlines as the five "marks" of the church: her antiquity, authority, unity, liturgy, and sacraments. He writes:


What is at stake here is the rock-bottom question as to what worship is, and how you do it.... [W]orship is the thing we were created for -- to know God, and knowing him, to bless him and adore him forever....

To worship God is to ascribe worth to him. It is an activity distinct from teaching, and from fellowship, and from witnessing, and from sharing. It is an act, not an experience. ... Our task in worship is to offer the oblation of ourselves and our adoration at the Sapphire Throne.

Obviously this is a daunting and an august task. Fortunately we are not left to our own resources, nor to the whim of the moment, nor even to our own experience. The faithful have been worshipping God since the beginning, and there is help for us. All of us, even those of us who come from the so-called free churches ... are accustomed to borrowing secondhand, canned words to assist in worship. I am speaking of hymns. When we sing "Amazing Grace" or "O, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing," we are borrowing John Newton's or Charles Wesley's words. And we discover that, far from cramping or restricting our worship, these secondhand words bring us up to a level quite unattainable by our own spontaneous efforts. They take us away from ourselves. (p.254-255).

These reflections on worship contrast strangely with the protestations of many of those who leave the Church for what they perceive to be greener (certainly noisier) pastures. "I feel closer to God there ...," they say, or "the people are so much friendlier, and they have more to offer in the way of children's programs." Thinking they can choose a church the same way we can choose a new school or a new home, they rely on subjective factors of preference and comfort, rather than the single most important consideration of all: Which is the most authentic expression of the Body of Christ as He originally envisioned it? Not, "which is more entertaining?" but "Which leads me with surest steps along the pathway to holiness?" Not, "Which makes me feel good?" but "Which is most effective in treating my spiritual ills?" Not "which has the best music," but "which draws me closest to the sacramental presence of the Living Christ?"

Can you enter heaven without professing membership in the Catholic Church? Yes, the Church has always taught that there is hope for those outside her "visible boundaries" -- a hope that is based on the treasury of truth and faith that has been preserved by the Church for two thousand years. In the same way, a group of tourists who fall off a cruise ship hope that the lifeboat that has been tossed down will save them. The lifeboat (part of the equipment of the larger ship) may indeed save them; but how much better if they had never fallen overboard!

Holy Spirit, pour out your restorative presence among your people.
Unite us once more, we humbly pray,
with all our brothers and sisters in the faith,
for the glory of God and the benefit of all.

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,
have mercy on us and on the whole world!

7 comments:

Peter said...

I have read this post over three times now and I'm going back for a fourth. As an ex-Lutheran minister, now Catholic I have been watching the 'Beckwith files' with some interest. Your post is by far the most brilliant take on the matter of Protestants coming home.

I linked it to one of my own posts. I hope you don't mind.

I'll be back! :)

Warren said...

Brilliant! Thanks for this post. I was directed over here from Peter's blog. I have heard of your magazine from another blog.

You totally rock! (In a catholic way.)

:-)

Warren

Russ Rentler, M.D. said...

That was a great post. I always wondered what Elizabeth thought of her brother. I saw her speak in 1979 when I was a college student.
I too have followed the Beckwith Incident and recently blogged, tongue in cheek, about developing a software to screen intellectuals for academic appointments, to make sure they don't become Catholic!!
God bless

Heidi Hess Saxton said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Heidi Hess Saxton said...

Ah, you guys ... you sure know how to make a girl blush!

Glad you've heard about Canticle --think about getting a subscription for your wives and/or mothers. We're running a special offer until June 10: buy a subscription, get $1 off! (To order online, go to www.canticlemagaine.com, or call 800-588-5452.)Code SC07.

Tiber ... I think it's something in the water. Lots of those converts come from Gordon Conwell Seminary; legend has it that before it was the Protestant institution of higher learning that it is today, it was once a Catholic monastery. All that holy water must have some pretty amazing latent powers!

I graduated from Bethany College of Missions (Bloomington, MN) in 1983, and three of my classmates (in addition to myself) converted within a few years of graduation. One of them was the grandson of the founder of the fellowship. Again, I blame the water.

MightyMom said...

your post struck me as interesting......here's why.

I am in the process of converting. I left the Methodist church when I found out they are actively pro-choice on a national level. Here are the reasons I am drawn to Catholicism....see if you can find the interesting part.

1) I feel closer to God there
2) The people are so much friendlier towards me and my special needs children
3) They have Religious Education for Special Needs Children amongst other fabulous children's programs
4) I especially enjoy the music (I already know about half of the hymns sung too)
5) I've found many ministries and outreach programs that I am called to get involved with

In searching for a new church home I went looking for where I could best follow God's will for my life. ie where will I be able to be a part of God's work on earth? As I sit and crochet rosaries that will be handed out at the abortion clinic next Saturday I know that this is the right place for me. I am comforted in that knowledge because of the 5 things I listed.

As I have and continue to endure critique and judgement because of my decision to become Catholic, I try not to jude and critique those who choose not to become Catholic. It hurts both ways.

Heidi Hess Saxton said...

MightyMom: I'm so glad you decided to write ... welcome! As a mom with special needs children, you might also be interested in my new blog, the "Extraordinary Moms Network" (http://extraordinarymomsnetwork.wordpress.com).

I'm grateful to hear that you found a parish that fit the needs of you and your family. (And I do understand the "interesting" part, comparing your list with mine.)

The thing is, the day may come when the priest or lay leaders you find so "relatable" will leave; the liturgist who picks the hymns you love will ... well, let's just say alter course. You may find yourself moving to another state, and wind up in a diocese that isn't quite as "vital" as this one.

If that ever happens, know that God has not abandoned you. All the riches you have come to appreciate so well in the Church are still there for the taking. It is not dependent on a particular parish, or a particular personality. That's the beauty of the Catholic (which means "universal") Church.

God bless you!