The Heart of an Apostle If you want to make converts, begin by converting your own heart

Envoy Magazine ^ | Patrick Madrid

[B-Chan]

Yeah, we have the moderates, the conservatives, the neocons, the Trads, the ultra-Trads, the integrists, the SSPXers. And then there are a few EOs and Protestants, including a Protestant minister who wants to be pope. Did I leave anybody out?

Anglican Use Catholic Contingent reporting for duty, sir!

[sockmonkey]

Hi, B-Chan,
Anoher Anglican Use Catholic reporting for duty. Okay, I'm really supposed to be doing final corrections to the Book of Divine Worship which is currently at the typesetters, but I had to take a break.
And for anyone interested in the Anglican Use within the Roman Catholic Church, there will be an Anglican Use Mass at Mother Angelica's Shrine in Hanceville, AL on July 9th at 7:00 AM.
The Book of Divine Worship will soon be published. Reserve you copy now at http://www.atonementonline.com or http://www.bookofdivineworship.com

[sockmonkey]

Welcome to FR, Patrick.
Be careful. It's addicting, and you might find yourself ignoring your other duties.
Guess that's a message to myself to get back to work on the corrections for the Book of Divine Worship.
But once again, Welcome to Free Republic. Hope you enjoy it here.
-Sockmonkey

[al_c]

Ya done good, Patrick! And here's the link to the FR article for those that haven't found it yet.

[Polycarp]

Done!

[Patrick Madrid]

I am beginning to understand what you mean ;)

[Loyalist]

Welcome aboard from the Keeper of the Schismatic Orc Ping List!

[oremus]

Thanks! Safayer is a Japanese convert, btw, and I was the instrument ;). She was Baptized and Confirmed this past Easter Vigil :).

[Polycarp]

Awesome! Congrats!

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

Welcome to Free Republic, Patrick! (When you talk to Hope next, please tell her I said "Hi!") --Polycarp (Dr. Brian Kopp)

"The Heart of an Apostle: If you want to make converts, begin by converting your own heart."

Beautiful sentiment. Rich and True.
Meaning no offense to anyone, Saint Francis of Assisi still said it best:

"Preach the Gospel at all times.
If absolutely necessary -- Use Words."

Welcome to Free Republic, Patrick Madrid. "Polycarp" is, I hope, a friend of mine. (actually, Dr. Kopp has done much more for the Pro-Life Movement than have I ever, especially in terms of nationally-published articles. I am just a run-a-the-mill OP layman. But we both served our time in support of Operation Rescue, a decade or more past)

That said, I have a question to ask you, Mr. Madrid:

Gerry Matatics
James Akin
Scott Hahn
Robert Sungenis
Paul Thigpen
Marcus Grodi

I beg forgiveness for my mild curiosity, Mr. Madrid, but I can't help but ask -- aside from "cradle-Catholic" Karl Keating, does the Church of Rome have any intention of fielding a Major Lay Apologist who was NOT trained by the Presbyterian Church?

Because it seems to me as if virtually all of the Major Lay Apologists currently fielded by the Roman Church are, so to speak, "also-ran" Presbyterians. At least, judging by the list above. (who are, of course, EX-PRESBYTERIANS -- to a man).

You'll forgive me if I placed Gerry Matatics at the top of the list. I realize that there is some question as to his "Roman Orthodoxy", given the SSPX controversy. Karl Keating says that Matatics has renounced the Pope. Matatics says that he hasn't. I don't know whom to believe.

All I know is that, having read the Debate Transcripts as a former National Collegiate Debater, it is my personal belief that Matatics is one of the most powerful Apologetic Debaters alive today. If I had to debate Akin or Hahn, I would require at least three weeks of uninterrupted prep-work to get back in shape. If I had to debate Matatics -- I would demand at least three months, and even then I'd be less-than-perfectly confident. If the Roman Catholic Church has denounced him, it's their loss -- and my gain, as a Protestant Apologist.

"Zealotry of the Convert" aside, why is it that the finest Lay Apologists in the Roman Catholic Church today are, almost uniformly, EX-Presbyterians?

Do you have something to teach us?

Or do we have something to teach you?

I have no desire to depart from the Church of Jesus, John, Paul, Peter, and Augustine.
I stayed with Augustine, and the "church" left me. Kindofa "Rehoboam-Jeroboam" thang, if you can dig it.

Best, OP

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

You trying to get banned? LOL SD

Of course not. On the one hand, whether or not the Point being made is correct -- the "YOPIOS" Cereal Box is actually kinda funny. One Picture being worth a thousand words, and all that.

In the second place, Calvinists do not bitch and whine. We'll leave religious censorship to other so-called "protestants", who are not confident enough in their Faith to withstand a bit of good-natured ribbing.

At least, I do my best to impose this Free-Speech ethic upon my fellow Calvinists on those (increasingly-rare) occasions when I visit FR, like some kind of Calvinist Task-Master.

And for the most part, they agree with me anyway.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

it is my personal belief that Matatics is one of the most powerful Apologetic Debaters alive today.

You asked me once, in private FReepMail, why I thought so highly of Matatics. Given the fact that his web-site kinda sucks these days, I didn't have a very good answer for you at the time. But I just now thought of one.

A variety of "RealAudio" Transcripts of Debates between (Reformed Baptist) James White and (Roman Catholic) Gerry Matatics may be found here, if you have the time to listen:

http://www.straitgate.com/rcc/debates.htm#

I like to think, and I personally believe, that James White generally "won" his Debates against Matatics -- at least most of the time. But many Roman Catholic Apologists ("Run and Hide" Karl Keating, most ignominiously) commonly refuse White's invitations -- because, out of 40 Million Baptists in America, James White is quite possibly the most professionally-accomplished, regularly-practiced, Reformed Baptist Lay-Apologist in America (I.E, in the World).

Matatics is actually willing to take his calls, and gives him a run for his money.
That's what I think of Matatics.

[biblewonk]

I'm on vacation. :-)