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"Swimming the Tiber" is shorthand for conversion to the Catholic Church (the Tiber River runs alongside of Vatican City). Maybe you have wondered why someone would make such a move or how to intelligently discuss the issue with your friends and loved ones. These and related questions will be addressed on Saturday, April 14 from 9:00am – 12:00pm in Barrows Auditorium on the campus of Wheaton College when authors of the recent book, Journeys of Faith, will deliver brief lectures on the subject and answer your questions. Sessions include:
1. Dr. Gregg Allison – The Roman Road, or the Road to Rome? Why Some Protestants Drift to Catholicism.
2. Dr. Craig Blaising – Does Accepting the Canon of Scripture Implicitly Affirm Rome’s Authority?
3. Rev. Chris Castaldo – Crossing the Tiber: Why Catholics and Protestants Convert.
4. Dr. Robert Plummer – Moderator
The event is free and open to the public
A continental breakfast will be served starting at 8:30 am
Free copies of the book, Journeys of Faith, will be given to the first 200 people
Is there any way to hear the audio of the talks?
Thanks, Ross. Yes indeed, we hope to have them posted in the next week or so. Best, Chris
To me, it seems perfectly natural for an Evangelical to wind up in the Roman Church.
The theologies are basically the same. A lot of God and a bit of ‘me’.
There really isn’t much assurance in either camp. One ends up having to look inward to your feelings of being saved, or your good works,or your seriousness, or your decision, or what others think about your Christian “progression”.
Luther used to call them (Rome and the Enthusiasts, or Anabaptists) “two wolves tied at the tail”. Outwardly they are at odds, but they really look at life with God much the same. A sort of ‘cooperative salvation’.
Sorry to be so blunt…but life is short and getting shorter by the second.
Any word on when you might be putting an audio on here for us to listen to the sessions?
Thanks, Brock. It should be by this weekend. Due to the Wheaton Theology Conference, the media guys are a little backed up. Thanks for your interest.
Steve Martin: “To me, it seems perfectly natural for an Evangelical to wind up in the Roman Church.
The theologies are basically the same. A lot of God and a bit of ‘me’.
There really isn’t much assurance in either camp. One ends up having to look inward to your feelings of being saved, or your good works,or your seriousness, or your decision, or what others think about your Christian “progression”.”
(Eyes rolling). Or you can do what the Lutherans do, and put your assurance in your baptism.
Oftentimes, an infant baptism too.
I understand that Roman Catholics and Episcopalians, possibly more than some Lutherans, put a lot of faith in baptism.
Why would you say that the theology of “Evangelicals” and the theology of Roman Catholics are the same? How do you define “Evangelical”? This term covers quite a wide range, does it not? Of course, there are Roman Catholics and there are Roman Catholics, just as there are Baptists, and there are Baptists, and so with all the denominations.
Evangelicals, unlike Roman Catholics, do not consider the Pope the Vicar of Christ on earth, nor do they revere and honor the Mother of Jesus, nor do they pray to the saints, or even believe there are such special individuals that can be called “saints,” but in general, Evangelicals believe every believer in Christ is called to be a saint. Evangelicals also do not believe in sacraments, especially the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ and in transubstantiation. Nor do Evangelicals believe in the Roman Catholic system of hierarchical clergy and in Confession to a Priest. There seem to be a lot of differences between Evangelicals and Catholics — major differences.
The basic view of God is the same, in that He does most, but then we must do our part. The other stuff is peripheral.
It’s Christ, plus.
And its everywhere.
C H Wong,
“I understand that Roman Catholics and Episcopalians, possibly more than some Lutherans, put a lot of faith in baptism.”
Catholics do stress the importance of the sacrament of Baptism because it makes you born again (Jn 3:5)…it makes you a member of the body of Christ (1Cor 12:13, Col 2:11-12)…it washes away sins (Ezekiel 36:25-27, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16)…it regenerates (Titus 3:5-6)and it is salvific (1Pet 3:18-21, Jn 3:5)…AND most importantly, it was instituted by Christ (Matt 28:19-20).
“Evangelicals, unlike Roman Catholics, do not consider the Pope the Vicar of Christ on earth”
And by not considering this historical fact, Evangelicals place themselves out of historical continuity.
“nor do they revere and honor the Mother of Jesus”
Why not? Is the mother of God not worth revering? Doesn’t the Scriptures say that all generations shall call her blessed (Lk 1:48, Psalm 45:10-17)? Why shouldn’t we honor the woman by which salvation entered the world?
“nor do they pray to the saints, or even believe there are such special individuals that can be called “saints,” but in general, Evangelicals believe every believer in Christ is called to be a saint.”
Why should we not pray to those who are united to God in heaven? Those who have entered eternal bliss? You see, I believe that are union with Christ is even more powerful than death. Don’t Evangelicals believe that? Or do they believe that death is more powerful than our union with Christ?
“Evangelicals also do not believe in sacraments”
This is not actually true. Most Evangelicals believe in at least 2 sacraments: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. However, they do not believe the same things regarding the nature of sacraments as say the Catholics or the Orthodox do. Why would any Evangelical not believe in such a Biblical concept?
“especially the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ and in transubstantiation”
And by doing so, contradict the Scriptures and the vast majority of Christian belief. Our Lord Himself says that His flesh is real food and real drink (Jn 6:55), indeed he says it’s his body and blood (Matt 26:26-30; Mk 14:22-26; Lk 22:13-20). St. Paul even tells us that the Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ (1Cor 10:16; 1Cor 11:23-29). By the end of the first century, St. Ignatius of Antioch…a disciple of the Apostle John, who was ordained a bishop by St. Peter…says regarding the Eucharist: “They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again” (Epistle to the Smyrnaeans 7,1).
“Nor do Evangelicals believe in the Roman Catholic system of hierarchical clergy”
Again, by doing so, they find themselves out of sync with Scripture. Our Lord, Jesus placed leaders above us whom we must obey because they speak with His voice (Matt 28:19-20, Lk 10:16, 1Cor 12:28, Heb 13:17).
“and in Confession to a Priest. ”
Who is James referring to in James 5 then? What about Paul in 2 Corinthians 5? This is how Jesus set things up for us (Jn 20:20-23).
Here is that quote again from St. Ignatius of Antioch:
“They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again” (Epistle to the Smyrnaeans 7,1)
Thanks, Brock. You know your Catholic theology and have done a fine job of showing that Catholics and Evangelicals do have a number of significant disagreements.
Certainly not sinful…there was one very brief clip in the video, of he dnsatit sihlouette of the Sedia Gestatoria, seen from a shadowy foreground, with canopy above, making it’s halting way down the nave of St. Peter’s…what an image. The sheer mystery of such a sight, the most brilliant contravention of the world we live in, it is enough to convert your average passer by just out of curiosity!