Crossed The Tiber

An Evangelical Converts to Catholicism

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Location: Pennsylvania, United States

I was born into the Catholic faith. At 14, I was "born again" and found Jesus personally but lost His Church. After thirty years as an evangelical protestant, I have come full circle to find that He has been there all the time, in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I wish others to find the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith as I have found.

Saturday, May 02, 2015

Post -Evangelical Blogger Says We Need Sacraments


Rachel Evans, a "post-evangelical" believes that millenials are leaving the church because they crave authenticity, not entertainment. (See her  piece here. ) This, I believe, has been drawing more people to the ancient Church. The Ancient-Future church movement a few years ago was evidence of this.
     Coffee in the foyer, jumbo-trons and high-volume stage productions are hip, but ultimately are not what people need .   They need sacraments.  Though I can't agree with Rachel that the Episcopal church is where one should end up, I hope others are attracted to authenticity and the Church that Jesus started, containing all the grace to live abundant lives pleasing to Him and ultimately attain Heaven.

"You can get a cup of coffee with your friends anywhere, but church is the only place you can get ashes smudged on your forehead as a reminder of your mortality. "

"What finally brought me back, after years of running away, wasn't lattes or skinny jeans; it was the sacraments. Baptism, confession, Communion, preaching the Word, anointing the sick — you know, those strange rituals and traditions Christians have been practicing for the past 2,000 years. The sacraments are what make the church relevant, no matter the culture or era. They don’t need to be repackaged or rebranded; they just need to be practiced, offered and explained in the context of a loving, authentic and inclusive community."

After 31 years as an evangelical Protestant, when I attended my first Catholic mass, I knew I was home. I whispered to my wife, "not one wasted word," meaning I received what I needed, no fancy light shows, worship bands, theatrical preaching, just a 2000 year old liturgy designed to be universal for all times and all ages and all peoples.



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