Brother Adam Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 I'm sending this email out tonight. Let me knwo how it sounds Dear Eric, I have decided to write a letter instead of speaking to you in person about something that has come up that you should know about for a couple of reasons. The first of these being that we both are very busy, and while you won’t be working this summer, you’re preparing for your first year as a professional. The second, writing allows me to consider my thoughts and present them in a coherent and logical manner. As you may recall before Teresa and I got married, Teresa got very upset as I continued my studies into Catholicism because some of it was very convincing. Upset enough to the point that she considered not marrying me. Thankfully we did get married, and thankfully our love for each other has grown significantly in just this past year. And together we have been learning not only about the Catholic faith, about each other, but more about God’s plan for our lives, His Word, and the Christian life. In all my debate and attempts to evangelize Catholics I have found that it was actually their words to me that for many years fell on deaf ears. As I tried to show them why faith in Christ is essential and central to our salvation and that we need to accept Him as our Savior, they tried teaching me that they completely agree with that, but only that it isn’t the full story. When I was finally willing to say, “Okay, what is the full story” I was in for a shock (and thus the volumes of books out today called “Surprised by Truth”). I was told to basically take my Bible and get ready for a journey as sound biblical exegesis was placed on a historical and Traditional plane. At first I was shown why Catholics indeed do not have a “works-based” salvation system, but a “graced-based” one. After hundreds of hours of discussion and a thorough look through both the New and Old Testament I had to concede that while I thought there were errors in the Catholic faith, indeed a person could be fully Catholic and a born-again Christian. From there we started discussing individual tradition and doctrine while I read both protestant and Catholic sides to it. Starting with things such as Mary’s perpetual virginity, her sinlessness, talking about such things as the inquisition the representation of the sacrifice of the mass. Things that with my evangelical protestant thinking did not fit with Christian thought. I mean, to me, there was no way that Christ’s sacrifice would transcend time to today when he died about 2000 years ago. Well. I was offered writings from those who studied under the Apostles themselves through the next 2000 years. I whimpered at the mere enormity of the texts laid before me. While I haven’t read them all by any means, I have read many of them, and how Protestants have replied to them. I also studied up on the Reformation from Karl Adams unbiased standpoint (he “faults” both the Catholic Church and “Protestors” for the reformation). But my reading has taken me through Popes, saints, Catholic scholars, early church fathers, to Giesler, Yancey, Strobel, MacArthur, McCarthy, Luther, Calvin, and so many others. But above all that of course, through the scriptures, which so many of them talk about so much. So what I’m trying to say is that through my study my dedication has been to the scriptures, prayer, and God’s will for me through our Lord Jesus Christ. I wish I could turn around and say that my study has led me to understand historic Baptist is historic Christian. Instead it has led me to realize that the Baptist faith is Christian and has truth, but is missing something. I’ve ALWAYS had a problem with the idea of “denominations” and divisions among Christians. I’ve always wanted to work towards a unified Christian faith since before I became a Baptist. Yet that unified, historic, apostolic, holy faith was there all along, standing as the “pillar and bulwark of truth”. Refusing to cave in to popular ideas and theories, with unchanging morals and doctrines for nearly 2000 years since the Pentecost. And while attacked from outside by kings and scholars and from within by leaders and laymen, has still made it just fine. And Teresa’s seen this too. She’s watched the Bible open up before her eyes and passages that used to cause her trouble make complete sense. I’ve watched probably the most confusing and controversial book, Revelation; fall together so well it is almost creepy. We’ve both through this journey found ourselves with an incredibly rich and much deeper relationship with God and each other in our walks then we could have imagined. So we’ve come to realize that not only truth, but also the fullness of truth is in the Catholic faith. Teresa and I have both, separately and together in a way, decided we need to become Catholic. And while inwardly we are deeply at peace with this decision, it still remains very difficult. And while we won’t be members of the Catholic Church until next year, I want you to know about it now. It is difficult for me to tell you because I don’t want this to affect the strong friendship we have built. We’ve been Christian brothers for a long time now. That same confidence you had when you wrote my “birthday letter” I hope you will continue to have in me. I don’t expect that you will have the time to take to learn as Teresa and I have, and certainly won’t try to “convert you”, as what we all must do, we must do for the glory of God alone. I am here to answer questions you have to the best of my ability, though I’m not an exhaustive source. Often times I will refer you to other sources for study. Well, that is basically what I wanted to tell you. Yack back at me. I’m still the same ol’ Adam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 Woa... That's really moving. I wish I could feature it on phatmass. My only suggestion is where you say, "I don’t expect that you will have the time to take to learn as Teresa and I have", might sound a little presumptious. It almost sounds as if you're saying that he doesn't have the ability to learn, like you and Teresa. I know that wasn't the intent, but it might accidentaly come off that way. Very cool letter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Adam Posted June 1, 2004 Author Share Posted June 1, 2004 [quote]Woa... That's really moving. I wish I could feature it on phatmass.[/quote] Why can't you? I can clean it up some if you'd like. [quote]My only suggestion is where you say, "I don’t expect that you will have the time to take to learn as Teresa and I have", might sound a little presumptious. It almost sounds as if you're saying that he doesn't have the ability to learn, like you and Teresa. I know that wasn't the intent, but it might accidentaly come off that way.[/quote] Thanks for pointing that out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yiannii Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 Nice work Bro Adam! God bless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasJis Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 God's grace is great and patient! You and Theresa are tremendously blessed to make this journey of faith together. May God always bless you with this magnificent grace that helps each of you be instruments of grace to and for each other and us here at PhatMass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellenita Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 It's an incredibly moving email Bro Adam. I'm praying that it will be received in the spirit it's been written.... God bless you and Mrs Bro Adam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azaelia Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 Very well written, Adam. Well thought-out and executed. I pray the one who reads it does so with an open heart. God Bless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeraMaria Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 Awesome Bro Adam. I will pray it is well received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Red Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 Brother Adam, what a wonderful way to tell someone you're becoming Catholic! God bless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thy Geekdom Come Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 Bro. Adam, you have not been confirmed yet, but you certainly don't have any great lack of courage... God bless you now and always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 It's a wonderful letter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 Very well written. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 From there we started discussing individual tradition and doctrine while I read both protestant and Catholic sides to it. Starting with things such as Mary’s perpetual virginity, her sinlessness, talking about such things as the inquisition the representation of the sacrifice of the mass I think you need to add a comma between inquisition and the representation, but otherwise its perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Adam Posted June 1, 2004 Author Share Posted June 1, 2004 Thank you everyone, i'll let you know how it all goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_rev Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 Awesome Letter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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