Despite extensive secularization in our country and around much of the “global north,” Protestant Christianity in its varied traditions and positions of worship and doctrine is still alive and well in America. It’s true that there are way fewer active Protestant faithful than there were, say, fifty years ago (and we, too, since that time have lost a couple of generations of believers who were generally more engaged in their faith). And though there are plenty of fervent Protestants, the ways that their zeal or “fervor” draws from heartfelt conviction, is expressed sometimes very differently between denominations.
For example, fervent Baptists and other Evangelicals are generally more strongly-inclined toward one-on-one faith sharing, will frequently have a mid-week worship service and/or Bible study and, in so-called “megachurch” settings, they will sponsor in-house youth programs and social activities for adults. This last one includes, for instance, bereavement groups, local food bank operation, and small-groups who offer intercessory prayer.
On the other hand, some in the “mainline” traditions that we will discuss momentarily, will express high levels of devotion through active involvement in politics and social justice issues, as an extension of their Christian commitment. They also tend to have more formula-based, standardized types of liturgical worship, readily recognizable to us Catholics. In any case, we should prayerfully and attentively listen and observe the way a Protestant brother or sister will express those aspects of the Chrstian life that are most important to them.
Devout “Mainline” Protestants
Although differing in forms of worship, running between very ceremonial “high church” groups to relatively “low church” groups, devout “mainline” Protestants tend to worship weekly or almost weekly. They include groups like the Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Methodists. They frequent Holy Communion when it is offered (in fact, many mainline “non-Evangelical” congregations have been celebrating Communion every Sunday for decades). They might be very committed to youth formation, especially through youth Sunday School — and varying levels of adult faith formation. They’re not necessarily as “extroverted” in the day-to-day expression of their faith, as Evangelicals might be. Their external devotion often tends to be expressed more in works of charity and participation in civil and political life — being a “leaven” in the world. They will likely be acquainted with the particular doctrines and disciplines of their church, but might be more open to dialogue, and more committed to finding common ground and common cause with Christians who differ from their own tradition.
These Protestant believers generally share many aspects of our liturgical life, like the seasonal calendar, and lenten sacrifices. In the last half-century especially, we are finding common ground in the area of social teaching — although Protestants increasingly express this in “liberal” or “conservative” political terms, depending on the denomination and/or congregation. We should be able to engage them on these points of commonality.
Devout Evangelicals
Devout Evangelicals include Pentecostals, like those in the Assemblies of God or the Church of the Nazarene, who emphasize the more extraordinary charisms of the Holy Spirit and, on the other hand, Baptists who generally deny the modern legitimacy of these gifts. Evangelicals tend to express their faith in a more “dynamic” manner than the “mainliners,” both in their worship and catechesis, and on the whole are usually better versed in doctrine as it is understood by their particular faith group — especially regarding sin, redemption and sanctification.
Many evangelicals believe that unless one has made a “personal” (that is, a rational, explicit and individual) commitment to Christ as Savior, he or she is not “a Christian.” This can be a source of great tension with those Christians (including Catholics) who view this differently. To a great extent, Evangelicals hold this view because they reject our belief in Baptism as establishing a Sacramental, saving relationship with the Lord. Instead, for them, it is only an “ordinance” carried out in obedience to the command of Christ as a sign, but nothing more, of having accepted Him as Savior. In effect, this “personal commitment” (often expressed in the Sinner’s Prayer) is functionally interchangeable with what Catholics and non-Evangelical Protestants consider the meaning of Baptism.
Evangelicals also tend to have a strong distrust of formalized liturgy, considering it as being “non-Scriptural.” Some follow either the “praise and worship” concert format with preaching, or sober forms of worship which make preaching the core, but use more traditional hymns.
Our Evangelical friends view their relationship with God primarily as an “I-thou” relationship, without the involvement of the institutional Church (except to provide fellowship and teaching). Even so, we can still engage them in what should be our common love of Sacred Scripture, and in a truly personal relationship with Christ that leads us to union with the Father and Holy Spirit, and in deliberate and fervent intercessory prayer.
Example Dialogue
Our Evangelist, Chuck, engages Kammi, a knowledgeable and active Protestant believer. In this case, Chuck will be on his interlocutor’s “home turf.” Unlike the “lukewarm” Protestant, Kammi will also likely be less ready to inquire of the Catholic faith. Understandably, Kammi will attempt to disabuse Chuck of some of his own beliefs. At the same time, doing so will provide a platform for common ground and establishing One Good Reason to embrace the Catholic faith.
K: Hi there, I’m Kammi; are you new to our [“mainline Protestant”] church?
C: Hey, I’m Chuck. Well, actually, I just wanted to check you guys out. I’ve passed this church a lot of times, but always wondered what it was like on the inside. And this was the first day I could come…
K: Very cool! Well, do you know the Lord?
C: Yeah, I’m Catholic.
K: Well, you know that just because you’re Catholic doesn’t mean you’re a Christian or know the Lord; that’s just a denomination. We’re saved by free grace, just that.
C: Well, I believe that we’re saved by grace, too. But lemme ask ya, what do you believe grace is?
K: The “favor” or “power” of God to save us and make us His children. I heard somebody say once that losing favor with God when Adam and Eve sinned left us with something kinda like a kind of “genetic defect.”
C: Yeah, Kammi, that’s not a bad way to look at it. We would say that Adam’s sin destroyed our “natural” right that we originally had to be at one with God and to be at peace with him. And Jesus made it possible for us to be back in the Father’s “good graces,” literally. He leaves it up to us to accept or reject the offer, and so we can freely cooperate with that grace that becomes a part of us.
K: Whoa! Chuck, hold on a second. What do you mean cooperate?! We don’t cooperate with grace, we simply accept it. The Lord does it all! We aren’t free to cooperate, because if we did, it would be earning grace. After the Fall, man could not do any good. Only Jesus can.
C: Well the Scriptures, again and again, speak as if we are free to choose good or evil. Original Sin clouded and severely weakened our will, intellect and emotions, but our freedom wasn’t lost. Our free will really goes to the heart of what it means to be human, and, yes, it’s affected by the flesh, the world and the devil, but it hasn’t been totally destroyed. One of the ancient Church Fathers, Irenaeus, uses the two blind men in Matthew 9:27-31 as an example of God’s respect for our free choice. Jesus says before healing them, “be it done to you according to your faith” (29).
K: Well, I have to think about that a while. It’s a little hard for me to picture, personally. But it is true that our relationship begins and ends in Him and that our works or deeds are considered of no real value to save us, it’s only because His grace covers us and makes what we do pleasing to God.
C: Well, this too is a difference we have. I don’t see us as being “covered” like we’re in a NASA spacesuit, protected from cosmic rays. We’re made in God’s image and likeness, so I believe that a lot of the good we had before the Fall is still in us. Our nature is broken, for sure, but not so broken that we can’t say ‘yes’ to Him; and so, we can and must say yes to His offer of salvation. But even our ability to assent with our “yes” is a work of God’s grace. That “yes” is our freedom to receive a total makeover of our nature, of what we are at the deepest level. That way, our salvation is real; and not some legal fiction.
K: Well, I’d have to think a little more on that, and talk to my pastor. For right now, at the very least, we can agree that God has made us into a new creation and that we can know that He not only loves us in His Son, but wants to be intimately involved in all aspects of our life.
C: Oh, for sure! And, you know, one of the reasons I believe the Catholic teaching here is because of what St. Paul said, “the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom … and we are being transformed into his image.” There is also that word in Second Chronicles: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves … and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin.” It’s all about the freedom to live in freedom!
K: Well, I might have been mistaken a little bit about you being a Christian, Chuck. In this little time we’ve had, I think you really do love the Lord and know him — even as a Catholic [teasing Chuck].
C: Thank you, Kammi! … You know, since I’m visiting your church; why don’t you come to mine? It’s just a few minutes from here and I bet you’d like my pastor. What do you say, since we’re fellow Christians, and all?
K: Sure, I’d be open to seeing how “the other half lives” [both laugh lightly].
C: Why don’t you give me your number and I’ll text you an invite?
K: Sure! [gives C her number]
Concluding Thoughts
Your dialogue will take more work, more back and forth, more listening, more sharing. But this example is meant to show how you might talk about some of the issues of disagreement between Catholics and Protestants. It is good to remember that with the “fervent” Protestant, doctrinal differences must be acknowledged. That is not, however, the end of the story as there is also a mutual love of Jesus Christ shared by both you, the Catholic, and the “fervent” Protestant. Your evident zeal for God and His Word can open hearts and minds to you and what you have to say. It is upon this common foundation that there can be a sincere and honest dialogue, perhaps about some other common matters; and then building, over time, to cover disputed points more deeply. In all, the law of charity must be applied. This is where our first two steps of relational evangelization, listening and befriending, are very important.