I recently came across this Christianity Today article on why there seems to be a surge of Protestants turning to Catholicism:
It’s no secret that a growing number of Protestants in the US have become embittered with American evangelicalism. There is, of course, the disillusionment with sexual abuse scandals among well-known leaders and institutions—as well as a distaste for the corporatization and consumerism of the megachurch and “celebrity pastor” model. In addition, the deconstruction movement, mainline progressivism, and many other forces have exerted pressure on 21st-century Protestantism.
The article touches on some of my oft-repeated soapboxes regarding the weaknesses of Protestantism:
There’s a real hunger for liturgy
Every year I call attention to the explicitly Protestant practice of hosting Passover seders. I do this because 1) it’s a hindrance to reaching the Jewish people with the gospel, and 2) it reveals a hunger for liturgical practice that simply doesn’t exist in most Protestant traditions.
What these Christians don’t want to hear is that the easiest way to “live like Jesus,” with rituals steeped in Old Testament tradition, is to become Catholic. This suggestion is an anathema, however, due to misconceptions about what the Church actually believes.
Liturgy is often condemned as “rote” or “ritualistic,” which it certainly can be. However, human beings are communal, and being part of a “cloud of witnesses” who have recited the same prayers through the centuries is one tangible way the Body of Christ is known in the world.
There’s a serious lack of structure
Shopping for a non-denominational church can be downright stressful. I remember scrutinizing websites for “statements of faith” that could give me a sense of what the congregation believed and how they worshiped. Sometimes these statements were vague, or completely nonexistent.
Without a reference to any sort of historic Creed, there was no way to know if a church preached an authentic gospel, or capitulated to the secular culture to a point that it was basically heresy.
While cultural expressions may differ by country or by county, the catholic mass remains consistent all around the world. Therefore, there are no surprises when you walk into a parish you’ve never been to before (at least, not when it comes to the mass).
People just want clarity
The word “Christian” can mean different things to different people. Whether one is a sincere follower of Christ, or a “Christian In Name Only,” the label doesn’t tell people much about what you believe or how you live anymore. A declaration of faith these days is often followed by a series of caveats: “I’m a Christian, but not that type of Christian.”
Identifying as part of the one holy catholic and apostolic church leaves little mystery. Love it or hate it, an unchanging catechism promotes clarity. When skeptics make the claim that there are thousands of Christian denominations all claiming to be the “true” one, they really mean Protestant denominations (though it’s worth noting that that high number is an exaggeration).
Not everyone who is guided by the Holy Spirit will end up in the same tradition. However, in my ongoing search for truth (it never actually ended), I have found myself looking back through history, learning how the Bible was compiled, and what the early Christians believed. I want to be part of an unbroken communion of saints. I want a foundation as sturdy as the Rock established by Christ himself.
