An Open Letter to Notre Dame's President

One of my favorite writers on the natural law, Notre Dame professor Charles Rice, wrote this open letter to ND president, Fr. Jenkins.

It is worth reading for three reasons:

1.  It is dead-on accurate.
2.  It provides a great model for how to approach and correct religious superiors with respect and strength.
3.  It is yet another example of how the salvation of the Church depends as much (if not more) on holy and courageous layman who demand their priests and bishops to live up to their roles as such.  We as laymen need to encourage and correct our priests.  We need to pray for them.  But most of all, we need to give our lives more and more radically over to Christ so that from us can be raised up a new generation of priests on FIRE for Jesus Christ.  We can not depend on the Church authorities for our own spiritual lives, but we can always depend on Christ's promises that he will protect His church and that He will still always be able to reach us through through the Holy Sacraments, which do not depend on the holiness of the priests themselves.

That being said, the Catholic Church is richly blessed with countless saintly priests and bishops, leaders who are not afraid or ashamed to speak the truth about Christ with conviction, clarity, and love.  Our current Holy Father's 100+ books reflect his passion for the Truth and to see it proclaimed as widely as possible.

Full disclosure: one of my greatest motivations to evangelize for the Catholic Church is so that I can draw in the very types of Christians who hold the secret to the renewal of the Catholic Church itself!  That secret is summed up in one word: Jesus.  In other words, I am inviting children of the reformation to actually come in and help me reform the Catholic Church.  (Of course, the first step will be for these folks to help reform me!)

The Catholic Church can never be reformed by people who leave her.  At the same time, those who join her will benefit immensely from the riches of grace Jesus loves to pour out through her!

The good news: there are already faithful Catholics at every level of the Church (from the Pope down) who are making tremendous headway in drawing the Catholic Church always back to Christ. 

Let us open our hearts wide to Christ!

The Feast of St. Januarius

The feast of St. Januarius was this past Saturday, September 19, 2009.

An amazing miracle occurs most years on September 19th involving a reliquary containing the saint's blood, which liquefies even though it is almost 1,700 years old!

See the following video which gives some background on the miracle itself:

Conversion Links

Here is a link that contains a compilation of interviews on "The Journey Home" program of former Baptists who converted to the Catholic Church.  (Scroll down a little ways on the page.)

If you, like me, are asking WHAT WERE THEY THINKING???

...then click the links and find out!

Here are some more helpful links:

Remarkable conversions to Catholicism
Texas Man's Retreat Inspires Entire Family to Convert from Baptist to Catholic
Long list of converts on Steve Ray's website

Another Evangelical Convert to the Catholic Church

Welcome home, Eric Sammons!

Read Eric's conversion story here.

Response to WW14 on FBC March 19, 2009 Baptism Comments

Thanks for your comment, WW14.  Let us pray together to the Lord that he help us find some common ground.  Jesus wants you, I, and all Christians to be unified, a desire for which he offered his death on the cross (see John 17).  So, let's pray that the Holy Spirit help us to understand our positions better through charitable and clear dialogue.

Some of what you have written I've already addressed in other responses.  If there is something that you would like unpacked more than I do here, just ask.

Also, I agree with much of what you have written.  I think your misunderstanding of the Catholic Church's teaching has to do with the way you place limits on certain topics such as salvation.

Anyway, your words are in blue, and I'll respond in line:

I whole-heartidly agree with M~C~3~3.

I agree with much of what he says as well.  He does, however, misunderstand the Catholic Church's teaching, and some of his arguments are against what he *thinks* the Catholic Church teaches but in fact does not.

I do respect your point of view as I have had many family members baptized as infants.  The waters alone cannot save us.

I could not have put it better myself.  But remember, nowhere in scripture is baptism defined as "waters alone."  Jesus defines baptism as "water and spirit" (see John 3:5, and put this teaching in context by examining John 1 through the beginning of 4).  It is the spirit hovering over the waters of baptism that does the saving and the regenerating.

As M~C~3~3 said, you need to look at that entire passage of scripture.

I have.

1 Peter 3:21 goes on to say "(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,)"

Exactly.  This idea fits perfectly with what Baptism is.  Baptism doesn't save us by washing dirt off our bodies.  Rather, Baptism saves us by creating in us a clean (good) conscience before God.  Baptism washes us spiritually.  But for something to wash us spiritually, there has to be more than water alone at work.  The second part of 1 Peter 3:21 doesn't cancel the clear meaning of the first part of 1 Peter 3:21.

Let's just pretend for a moment that a New Testament author did want to teach that baptism saves us.  Wouldn't the most direct, clear way to do this be to say: "Baptism now saves us"?

Where is the ambiguity in these four words that leave them open to a complete negation of their linguistic meaning?

Do we disagree on what the word "Baptism" means?

Do we disagree on what the word "now" means?

Do we disagree on what the word "saves" means?

Do we disagree on who the "us" is referring to?

Peter tries to drive home the point by showing us how Baptism is the fulfillment of the spectacular story of Noah.  We had people who were saved through water, the same water that washed away sin(ners).  And while on the boat, a dove (a sign of the Holy Spirit) bearing a sign of peace arrived.

Then Peter draws a parallel.  Noah was saved through waters.  So are we, but these waters don't impart a physical washing but a spiritual washing away of sin.  Baptism now saves us.  The Bible says it.  The Holy Spirit inspired Peter to write those words.  Not the Catholic Church.  While I feel badly that well-meaning people find themselves in a denomination that does not accept the clear meaning of those (and other) verses from the Bible, I do hope that given time, prayer, and study, many Christians will come to know the fullness of the Truth, including the fact of baptismal regeneration.

Believers Baptism is a public display showing that I have accepted Jesus, I know I am a sinner and that He died as a sacrifice for my sins, and that He rose again on the third day.

"Believer's Baptism" is a term with a specific connotation and history within Evangelical circles.  The term is rooted in the idea that you believe first and are then baptized.

Since I am not an "Evangelical" (i.e. Protestant) Christian, you'll have to show me that all that you mean by "Believer's Baptism" is coextensive with all the Bible means by "Baptism."

I agree with the Baptist position that people who have reached the age of reason must first make a personal act of faith (belief) before they can be baptized.

We disagree on the following two points:

1.  What Baptism is, exactly.  In other words, is Baptism merely water, or is it water and the Holy Spirit?

2.  Are people below the age of reason (or people who will never reach a state of reason) proper recipients of Baptism?

Rather than have me state the Catholic position, let me encourage you to read the early church fathers on each of these two questions.  Try to discover what the students of the apostles and their successors taught regarding each of these two points.  You can find links to the early church fathers by following the New Advent tab on the right side of this page.  I discuss one of the early church fathers, Tertullian, at the end of my first commenatary on John Piper's sermons on baptism.

The answer of good conscience is the act of displaying your salvation.

I think what you are saying, if I read you correctly, is that Baptism is the "answer of a good conscience" that has already become a good conscience by being saved before the baptism.  

While I can understand how you make that reading, there is one problem with it: the reading assumes the very opposite of what the previous words just said!  You want so badly for this verse to read something like this:  "Baptism does not now save us.  Rather, Baptism is the answer of a good conscience."

But notice, the passage says the opposite: "Baptism now saves us."  So what then are we to make of the second half of 1 Peter 3:21?  The Catholic Church thinks this verse is far less complicated.  It simply takes it at its word: 1) "Baptism now saves us" and 2) Baptism IS the answer/pledge of a good conscience.  (NIV says pledge, which I think gets at the sense of the Greek a bit better.)  The idea is that Baptism is precisely the moment at which we are both saved and we receive a good conscience.  Just like Christians have believed for 2,000 years.  And to seal the deal, notice the parallel literary construction that comes next.  First we have "Baptism now saves us."  How?  "It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."  What does the "It" refer to?  In the text itself, there is only one choice.  Baptism.  "[Baptism] saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."  That a pretty powerful thing to connect with Baptism, is it not?  Can we really continue believing that Baptism is "water alone"?  For 1,600 years before there was such a people known as Baptists, Christians have connected water and the Holy Spirit in their understanding of Baptism.  Only (relatively) recently have people come along and introduced the idea that Baptism is water alone.

Romans 5:8-9, which were mentioned in my friends post, says
"8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."

Amen!  I love the book of Romans so much!  (Nothing here contradicts the Catholic Church's teaching on Baptism.  Baptism is the very power of the Blood and the Holy Spirit applied by Jesus Christ himself to our souls.)

Christ was the payment for our sin

Yes, you are exactly right.

, His precious blood is what saved us,

Yes, along with other things, such as rising from the dead.  As St. Paul says, "He was raised for our justification."

not Holy Water.

Holy Water is a "sacramental" that reminds us of our Baptismal vows.  It is the Spirit that hovers over the waters (and, as 1 Peter 3:21 also says, the power of the Resurrection) of Baptism that saves us.  (The Holy Spirit can save, too, right?)

I strongly support my fellow believer as we are brothers in Christ,

I admire your desire to support your fellow believers.  I don't want anything I write to take away that desire.  I hope only to share certain truths with you that were passed down through the centuries by the apostles and their successors.

through the blood and the blood only.

As a Catholic, I hold the Body and Blood of Christ very, very highly.  (John 6)  

Remember, we are saved 100% by grace alone.  This fact doesn't contradict that we are saved by the blood.  And these fact don't contradict that we are saved by Baptism.  The power of Baptism IS the power of the blood IS the power of grace IS the power of Baptism IS the power of the blood, and so on.

Response to Fairwinds Baptist Church September 20, 2009 Morning Service

[Welcome new readers.  Before you go, please don't forget to check out the links to thirteen other Fairwinds responses listed on the right side of this page.  May the Holy Spirit be with you all!]

This is the last sermon in the "Getting to know God Better" series that began a few weeks before Easter Sunday way back in March.  The first part of the series focused on the grace of God.  The second part focused on the peace of God.  And this final part, which was introduced last week, was on the patience or longsuffering of God.  Pastor Carlo chose 1 Peter 3:20 as the key verse for this idea, which is right before one of a dozen or so key passages on Baptism found in the Bible.

Pastor Carlo usually begins by reading a passage, and then offering a long (usually 45-60 minute) commentary on the passage or sermon topic.  In this case, however, he could not help but offer a running commentary.  The Scripture is in red, and Pastor Carlo's interjections are in blue.

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just [meaning Christ] for the unjust [the sinner], that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but being quickened by the Spirit, ¹⁹ by which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison, ²⁰ which sometimes were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. [A lot of people get confused with that.  Verse 21:] ²¹ The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now saves us [Then it goes on to say:] (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, [the finished work of Christ.  No one ever got saved by Baptismal regeneration.  Anyone who believes in baptismal regeneration--that you can get saved in the waters of Baptism--does not--and I repeat--does NOT understand the Word of God. Verse 22:] ²²Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

I believe in baptismal regeneration.  So do 1 billion other Catholics.  So do millions upon millions of Protestants.  So did Martin Luther. So did the earliest Christians.  So did the students of the apostles.  So did nearly all Christians for the first 75-80% of Christian history.  And apparently, so did St. Peter, and the Holy Spirit who inspired him to write "Baptism now saves you."

Could it be, Pastor Carlo, that some Christians who understand the Word of God simply interpret it differently than you do?

I guess you can't get quite the same rhetorical effect by saying:

"Anyone who believes in baptismal regeneration--that you can get saved in the waters of Baptism--does not--and I repeat--does NOT follow MY interpretation of Scripture."

My response will be forthcoming soon.  Check back often!  :) 

On the Sacrament of Baptism

Here are the first five articles of a continuing series on the Sacrament of Baptism written by Mark Shea, another recent convert to the Catholic Church. They provide a nice counterpoint to John Piper's sermons, which I am in the middle of critiquing. Further, Shea writes with Piper's perspective in mind, since it is the perspective he once held as an Evangelical. Shea's essays are worth reading, and I'll update this post as further installments are published.

Part 1 Baptism: Fountain of Youth

Part 2 Baptismal Complexes

Part 3 Our Needs vs. God's Needs

Part 4 Prophet, Priest, and King

Part 5 Washed, Justified, Sanctified 

Enjoy!