I’ve been talking about Mohammed Hijab and Islam quite a bit lately so I thought I’d change it up and share some thoughts on some key issues. On Saturday I was at a function in my city. Most people at the function were from Eastern Europe, specifically Ukraine or Russia. It was quite an event. I had a good long discussion with an Orthodox priest that I knew. He knows that I’m Catholic and he told me that Catholics were hard to convert. He mentioned that it was easier to convert Episcopalians or another mainline Protestants. He mentioned that he’s only converted one Catholic in his whole life, and he’s not a young priest.
The priest needed a ride to his Church to do Saturday evening vespers so I gave him a ride as I live within walking distance of his Orthodox parish. We talked about many things such as modernism within the Greek Church, the schismatic situation in the Ukrainian Church, and the Papacy. At one point I mentioned that Pope Pius V is my second favorite Pope since the Schism between our two churches. He jokingly asked if John Paul II was my favorite. We both had a good laugh over that one. In case anyone is wondering, my favorite post schism Pope is Gregory VII. If you want to hear one of the greatest stories of all time, just google “Pope Gregory Canossa”.
Now, since few Catholics convert to the Orthodox Church, does that mean the Church is in good shape in terms of retaining members? Absolutely not, we lose a lot of members. Probably the vast majority of Catholics that leave adopt no religion at all. The second highest group that leaves becomes Evangelical. Usually this is seen as a remedy to counter the dead spirituality found in so many Catholic parishes.
Now, what about mainline Protestantism? These churches are dying off like victims of the plague. I’m of course talking about the Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and similar groups. In America these groups are declining in attendance since it’s mainly people of northern European background attending them. The reason Catholics have been able to stave off this decline is by non-European populations in their churches such as Filipinos, Hispanics, and Africans.
Catholics don’t convert to mainline Protestantism because they’re not looking for liturgical worship without apostolic roots. If liturgical worship with apostolic roots can’t do it, I don’t know how a church without apostolic roots can do it. There is of course, the odd covert to mainline Protestantism but that is usually for marriage or because they’ve become ultra liberals like Michael Coren but still feel a need to go to Church.
Mainline Protestantism is in a state of utter collapse. It’s doing horribly in every country that it’s in. The thing that’s interesting is that these churches are the first children of the reformation. These Evangelical churches with worships teams and all the rest are building off the capital that the mainline Protestants left. A hundred years ago these mainline Protestants were in good shape. Now they’re in a state of disaster because they’ve adopted liberalism.
I suppose very few Catholics leave the Church for Orthodoxy because they’re not looking for another historic, apostolic, and liturgical church. They’re either looking for nothing or they’re looking for charismatic worship. The mainline churches will be gone within our lifetime.
On another note, this priest is leaving to go back home. He invited me to his large going away party. I’ll miss him, though I think he’s a bit disappointed that after all these years, he didn’t make me his second convert from the Catholic Church.
A church of God missionary talked to me in an attempt to witness to me while waiting at a transit station. He was a theological student who promised to show me his bible and show things that would blow my mind. I asked what version of the Bible it was. He said it was the NIV translation. More like “nearly inspired version” I said. It seemed like a joke that someone seriously trying to witness would use such a version that’s an unfaithful translation to the sacred text.
What’s the church of God? I think its one of those splinter groups of the reformation age, without apostolic succession or liturgical practice.
Hi Bryan,
Nearly inspired version, lol. I like that. Church of God is a little over 100 years old. It’s in the Arminian camp. I have a cousin who belongs to that Church. Btw, what transit station was this? Also what time of day? I may have to pay it a visit lol.
God bless,
Allan
It was a lone missionary yesterday at TD core shopping center ctrain station at 9 pm.
Also there’s paid advertising for Islam on the electronic message boards on the transit lines too, promoting the religion of peace with mottos like “discover the peace”.
Interesting. I’ll have to check this out.
I have some issues with the NIV, as with any single English translation.
It’s fine enough for general use though.
One can prefer a certain translation, or even argue why it’s better – but I don’t think one can argue for an infallible, perfect translation.