Posted on 05/04/2007 8:40:45 AM PDT by NYer
Dr. Francis Beckwith, the president of the Evangelical Theological Society, has become Catholic. Dr. Beckwith was raised Catholic but became an Evangelical Protestant in youth. After a review of Catholic theology and its basis, however, he has been reconciled with the Church.
I recently learned of Dr. Beckwith's intention to pursue reconciliation. Apparently my own humble writings were of use to him in his journey, and he was kind enough to say so. In view of the sensitivity of the situation, however, I of course agreed to refrain from making the matter publicly known. He also was kind enough to let me know just before he went to the sacrament of reconciliation.
Last night I received a note from Dr. Beckwith indicating that the matter had become public, and so I would like to offer warm felicitations regarding his return to full communion with the Church.
The source through which the matter was made public happened to be James White's blog, and as you can imagine, Mr. White is not happy.
In particular Mr. White raises the question of what Dr. Beckwith will do given his present status as head of the Evangelical Theological Society.
Prior to his reconciliation, Dr. Beckwith shared his thoughts on that matter with me, and though I will let him speak for himself on the subject, I will say that he intends to handle the matter in a gracious and frank manner and has already taken steps in that direction.
On his blog, Mr. White questions whether Dr. Beckwith could remain a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, writing as follows:
Let's ponder the hypothetical situation of a President of the Evangelical Theological Society converting to Roman Catholicism in the midst of his tenure. In 1998 I attended the national meeting of the ETS in Orlando, Florida. At one of the sessions some of the founding members were being asked questions about why they did certain things, why they wrote the statement of faith as they did, etc. A woman asked a question of the panel. "Why did you write 'the Bible alone' in the statement of faith?" The ETS statement of faith is very, very short. It reads:
"The Bible alone, and the Bible in its entirety, is the Word of God written and is therefore inerrant in the autographs. God is a Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each an uncreated person, one in essence, equal in power and glory."
Roger Nicole rose, slowly, and made his way to the podium. He looked out at the lady and said, "Because we didn't want any Roman Catholics in the group." He then turned around and went back to his seat. While most sat in stunned silence, I and a friend with me broke into wild applause. The brevity of the response, and Nicole's dead-pan look, was classic. Most looked at us like we were nuts, but we appreciated what he said. Here, one of the founding members made it clear that the ETS was founded as a Protestant organization and that primary to their own self-understanding was a belief in sola scriptura.
Mr. White is correct about the text of the ETS statement of faith or "doctrinal foundation." It's found online here.
While the ultimate interpretation of this statement is up to the ETS itself, I would point out two things:
1) The statement of a single founder, such as Dr. Nicole, regarding the interpretation of such a statement is analogous to that of a single founding father regarding the interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. In other words, it is not of itself conclusive, however enthusiastically Mr. White and his friend might receive it.
2) If the founders of the ETS intended to exclude Catholics from the organization, they did not frame their doctrinal foundation in a way that would, in fact, block Catholics from being able to agree to it.
The Bible and the Bible alone is the word of God written (as opposed to the Word of God Incarnate, the word of God in nature, or the word of God handed on through the Church in parallel to Scripture). Only Scripture is divinely inspired such that every assertion of the sacred authors is asserted by the Holy Spirit. Consequently, the Bible is inerrant in the autographs. And, of course, God is a Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each an uncreated person, one in essence, equal in power and glory.
There is thus nothing in the ETS doctrinal foundation that a Catholic could not agree to in good conscience and it is not an effective instrument for excluding Catholics from membership.
This situation will, of course, be very sensitive for members of the Evangelical Theological Society and its leadership, as well as for Dr. Beckwith and his family, and I ask readers to keep the matter in prayer.
At the hour I write, Dr. Beckwith has not posted on Right Reason, a blog in which he participates, regarding his return to full communion, and I do not know if he will do so, but I invite my readers to watch that blog for possible updates and to offer their felicitations to Dr. Beckwith in the combox below.
VISIT RIGHT REASON.
From Dr. White’s blog:
Of course, folks like yours truly will ask all the boring questions, like, “How do you escape the circularity of the Roman claims regarding papal infallibility?” or “How can Rome’s claims, built as they were historically, upon such a wide variety of fraudulent documents, stand today in light of her own history?” And more to the point, “Do you really believe you can approach the Mass 20,000 times in your life and still die impure, and that this re-presentation is the same sacrifice as the perfect work you once professed to embrace?” Of course, those are the tough questions, which lead folks back to the inspired Scriptures, and that is the last place The Coming Home Network wants to go.
I only heard in on Marcus Grodi radio program.
ROFLOL until it hurts.
Ne Zot! Never, in my 20 years growing up with Presbyterians from Northern Ireland, did I hear anything like that! I'm flummoxed.
I listened to him last Monday (or the Monday before) talking to a lady whose husband had been an Episcopal priest. She had a Brooklyn accent just like my stepmother-in-law; it was hysterical.
Fascinating. I’ll have to make a point of thanking OldTax-lady for being a reasonable and charitable Protestant all her life. (With the exception of certain Irish folks, but that’s political :=).
I agree, he seems very angry and his obvious hatred of the Catholic Church seems a little excessive. Anger, especially constant anger isn’t good for your physical body or your soul.
“There are none so blind....”
Wanting to be frank about it must be why he kept it hidden as long as he could.
If Mr. White spent as much time actually serving the Lord as he does attacking anyone who doesn’t think like he does, he could do alot of good. It must be really time consuming to be filled with that much hatred.
It is true that the statement of faith can be parsed the Catholic way, but the intent of the framers was probably to exclude the Holy Tradition and magisterial teaching as inerrant, and it can be parsed that way, too. As Catholics, we examine the writer's intent in the scripture; we should do the same with repsect to the ETS foundational texts.
It would be fun for Dr. Beckwith to stay as a member, if only to point out the grotesque nature of the Sola Scriptura superstition. However, in seriousness, he should leave and respect the intent of the document. He certainly should resign as the Society's head, as he had become one under different assumptions. Just my humble opinion.
I agree. It would be the polite thing to do.
Don't get me wrong, I had extreme emotional and spiritual experiences in my journey to the Catholic Church but it was finding the truthes that had evaded me for so many years. You can imagine finding answers to questions that you've had since you could think!
I joined the Catholic Church first, because I knew it was the right thing to do. Then I studied!
Yes, his sister, Patty Bonds. Here is her conversion story.
Bump to my post to Jaded at #36. White's sister, Patty Bonds, is a convert. Her story is posted there.
White is quite wrong in is claim that “ . As any review of the current body of Roman Catholic “conversion stories” will bear out, fair, balanced, insightful representation of the facts related to sola scriptura, Papal primacy, the Mass, the Marian dogmas, purgatory, etc., is utterly lacking. “
I have read numerous accounts of those who have become Catholic, without exception they all examined these doctrines very carefully. They entered into communion after much study and prayer. And most interesting of all is that they all are very grateful for the firm grounding in Scripture that they received in their Protestant churches.
Dr. White is not a charitable man and would not be the Protestant apologist I would hold up as an example.
There are Protestant apologists who I sometimes refer non Catholics to when they have a question about certain doctrine. Mostly when one Protestant has to defend the doctrines of Christ’s divinity and the Trinity against JWs. The Bible Answer Man Hank Hangraeff (sp) of the Christian Research Institute is one such gentleman.
On the contrary; he recognized her immediately!
Yet every night before going to sleep, I would say a short prayer to know the name of my Lord and Master and God whom I had met on the beach. A year to the day after the initial experience, I went to sleep after saying that prayer, and felt as though I was woken by a gentle hand on my shoulder, and escorted to a room where I was left alone with the most beautiful young woman I could imagine. I knew without being told that she was the Blessed Virgin Mary. I felt entirely awake (and my memory is as though I had been awake), although I was dreaming. I remember my first reaction, standing there awed by her presence and grandeur, was wishing I knew at least the Hail Mary so that I could honor her!
TC - here is Roy Schoeman's amazing conversion story.
I strongly encourage everyone to read his book - Salvation Is From The Jews . It provides such great insight into the Catholic faith from a Jew educated in the Talmud. Mr. Schoeman also addresses a question that has plagued me for years. He writes:
Both Matthew and Mark explicitly mention Jesus' silence as well as the underlying motive of envy. From Matthew 27:12-18:
"But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?" But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge; so that the governor wondered greatly ... For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up."
Mr. Schoeman points to the Lemann brothers (also Jewish converts) who made the touching point that Jesus' silence before the High Priest was motivated by His profound respect for the office of the Jewish Priesthood. Mosaic law forbids compelling a witness to testify against himself. It was because Jesus did not want to put the High Priest in the position of sinning against that law that He refused to answer the High Priest's questions even though beaten for it. (John 18:19-23) which he then quotes. Jesus acquiesced only when the High Priest ordered Him to answer in the name of God.
This is extraordinary! I am not familiar with Mosaic law and could never have figured this out. Can you imagine! Here is the sinless Son of God respecting Jewish laws so as not to cause his accuser to sin!
Here is an excellent example of what I meant when I said that Catholics who join the Evangelical Church eventually return to their roots. It is the Sacraments conferred by Jesus Christ, that draw them back home.
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