Project Description

2016/03

Roman Catholicism

Part 1

Several years ago, I read a very interesting book written in 1999 by Irish Roman Catholic journalist, Mary Kenny. Entitled, ‘Goodbye to Catholic Ireland’, the author charted the slow strangulation of Irish Catholicism at the hands of an ever increasing secularism. Many readers may have their first encounter or friendships with Roman Catholics in Further Education or in the workplace. While you will mix with the ungodly from many backgrounds you will probably discover the following in your interaction with Roman Catholics:

Many Roman Catholics have given up on their faith because of disillusionment
This may be said of all ages, from the young teenager to the senior citizen who can remember ‘better days’ when the Roman Catholic Church held great sway over its community. Much disillusionment may be traced back to the Church’s handling of decades of systematic sex abuse in schools and orphanages under its patronage. Another cause is the traditional failure of the Roman Catholic Church to answer biblically the great questions which the human soul desires to know: How can I be saved? How can I be sure? True Protestantism has always sought to engage the mind of the sinner, encouraging him to ask honest questions and supplying authoritative Biblical answers. Not so Rome. Past generations of Roman Catholics with little contact with the outside world were often happy to let the Church think for them. Those days are largely gone.  

The problem is compounded by Roman Catholics embracing virtually another religion
No one can live in a vacuum. A man who leaves one belief system will invariably embrace another. In the days of the Protestant Reformation, many of those who left Rome did so to embrace the Biblical faith of Martin Luther and John Calvin. Unfortunately today, the new belief system is atheistic secularism. This is the new opiate of the people. In many cases, the young disillusioned RC will learn his new creed from populist media, his peers and the very establishment he has gone to in order to further his education.  Having ‘tried religion’ and met with disillusionment, he may be slow to embrace what he sees as another form of it.

We cannot ignore the recent political history of Northern Ireland either
While it is highly debatable whether the recent troubles were about religion at all, yet the dividing lines did tend to be drawn as such. To ‘change religion’ may be viewed by some as treachery to a political cause. While this may not be as evident as in the past, it can still create a spirit of fear which can only be overcome by the power of the Spirit of God in the Gospel.

How then does the Evangelical Protestant respond to this challenge? Quite simply:

He must secure his own faith to live and study or work in such an ungodly environment.
Young people are not required to boycott the University or the workplace. If Daniel could survive the Universities of Babylon with his young companions, then the God whom we trust is yet able to deliver and keep us! This He will do through the means of grace. Even with the pressure of study, do not neglect the devotional life. Time should be made for personal prayer, and the prayer meeting. And time should be set aside to read the Scriptures daily.  Like the Apostles of old (also in trying circumstances) young Christian men and women should resort to their own company (Acts 4:23), where they will receive strength for their daily walk with God.  A change of location and occupation should not infringe upon these basics of the Christian life.  

He must be sincere and consistent in his Christian profession.
There is nothing that repels as much as hypocrisy. No one is without sin, but a consistent Christian lifestyle prepares the way for that evangelistic word fitly spoken. This requires swimming against the tide, may come across as “odd”, and lead to scorn and attack. These obstacles can be overcome by displaying a sincere and friendly spirit towards all.

His duty is to proclaim his faith in an ungodly environment.
So how can he do this when meeting with young Roman Catholic’s in particular? Nothing is impossible with God. The young Christian should know how to bring the gospel to the sinner, Roman Catholic or otherwise. He has nothing to be ashamed of in propagating the good news of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul openly declared that he was not ashamed of it (Romans 1:16) and this is borne out in his inspired biography in Acts and in those autobiographical parts of his epistles. He stood before the intellectuals and the powerful rulers and spoke of Christ crucified. He challenged Agrippa with the words: “Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? (Acts 26:8) Note the thinking end of the gospel. The mind of man may indeed be darkened by sin, but gospel loaded questions like these may well be the means that God could use to bring the light.

The writer’s own experience is that young Roman Catholics will often supply their own questions; perhaps more so than their Protestant counterparts. This advantage most be pressed home if and when presented. A very profitable conversation may be struck up by the young Christian seeking clarification from his friend on some matter concerning the Catholic faith. We need to listen as well as speak, although it is all too easy to keep quiet and lose opportunities.

There are practical steps to be pursued in the holy task of evangelism.
Why not invite your friend along to a gospel meeting? This may be both within and without the University setting. Offer to bring them to a gospel meeting in the locality. There are also many good clear gospel and apologetic booklets available. Many online resources are within reach of his computer or even his mobile phone. Start off with a low key event, or just introduce him or her to your Christian friends. Let him see that Evangelical Christians, while embracing views that are not politically correct, are not the bogey men that the media try and portray them to be.  In essence, look for and take the opportunity to present Christ.  He, not the church, is the Saviour that the Roman Catholic needs to see.

Mr Colin Maxwell.