Jacko, a conscientious Christian, boarded his morning train to Uni and spotted Patrick (a Roman Catholic) sitting at the end of the carriage. It was Patrick’s book, peeping out of his backpack, which gave him away: an immaculate Jerusalem Bible, its pristine pages devoid of sweat from foraging fingers.
After the initial ‘friendly chatter’, Jacko deftly turned the conversation. Firstly, he challenged Patrick to consider the authority of Scripture and denounce the Pope’s infallibility. He proceeded smoothly into an outline of the biblical support for Calvin’s view of the Lord’s supper, casually mentioning that the doctrine of transubstantiation was a late teaching and stupid anyway.
With a joke about Mary, Jacko whipped out his crumpled backpocket copy of 2 Ways To Live and led Patrick to question where he stood before God. Perspiring, Patrick agreed at every point, but then murmured that he wasn’t quite sure that, should he die tonight, he would make it into heaven.
The remaining ten minutes of travel were filled with awkward attempts to address Patrick’s lack of assurance and put him on the straight and narrow. The two men parted at the station, Jacko frustrated and confirmed in his view that Roman Catholics are in the ‘too-hard’ basket and Patrick hurt and unimpressed by this arrogant ‘fundy’, whom he had been warned about during the sermon last Sunday.
Things rapidly changed for Jacko after his first meeting with Patrick on the train. During beach mission, he ran into a group of lively evangelizing Catholics who spoke about Jesus and even seemed to know their Bibles. Jacko thought long and hard about the comments of his beach mission leaders that, since these Catholics were sharing Jesus, we should ‘leave judgement to God’. Early in the year, Jacko rejoined his weekly Bible study group on campus. To his astonishment, Patrick was there, and he greeted Jacko like an old friend. He informed his ex-train assailant that he had started reading his Bible and had come to this group because it was ‘just like mass, but with more Bible reading’. Jacko began to feel embarrassed about his lack of generosity towards Patrick and decided not to ask any more questions of him.
At the mid-year exams, Patrick failed a subject and his parents complained bitterly about the amount of time he had spent in Bible study. He was forced to leave the campus group, but Jacko felt relieved that God would bless his new friend’s decision to honour his parents (Jacko still attended weekly mass with them). They rarely saw each other at university.
When the religious worlds of the Roman Catholic and the Evangelical interact, there are almost always misunderstandings and classic blunders.
What are Jacko’s mistakes in the above scenarios? Which outcome is worse—the estrangement of the train conversation or Jacko’s friendly withdrawal from evangelizing Patrick? The importance of this situation must not be understated: at no stage in the story does Patrick express any assurance of salvation from knowledge of the gospel. But how could Jacko have better offered the gospel to his Roman Catholic friend?
This article identifies a few specific problems in evangelizing Catholics and outlines some ways that Evangelicals can better communicate to Roman Catholics the gospel of saving grace.
Problems
There are three major obstacles to fellowship between Roman Catholics and Evangelicals and these problems reflect the difference in our beliefs.
1. Gospel Mathematics
The difference between Roman Catholic and Evangelical theology is one of spiritual mathematics! Catholic thought does not acknowledge the full extent of God’s generosity towards humanity. Instead, it accepts a number of appendices to the gospel. Catholics will confess that their sins are forgiven through Jesus’ death on their behalf, but they will then add other works to Christ’s work—often without realizing the implications of doing so. It is the gospel plus penance, plus the intercession of dead saints, plus participation in the mass that will save me.
We need to remind ourselves that the gospel must not be manipulated:
See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.
Deuteronomy 12:32[Christ] is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
Hebrews 7:25
The sufficiency of Christ is the central doctrine upon which Roman Catholics and Evangelicals disagree and it is at this theological point that the gospel can be most attractive to works-burdened Catholics. To add to Christ is to subtract from the gospel. To believe on Christ alone for your salvation is liberating in the extreme!
2. Language and Meaning
Christian jargon is always a problem in evangelism. When the recipient is a Roman Catholic, the problem is an acute reversal of the usual scenario. Your average Australian Callithumpian has no overwhelming desire to be ‘sanctified by the blood of the Lamb’ (only ever having seen sheep at the Royal Easter show). However, the Catholic is likely to accept the offer by reflex, almost without thought. Catholics are trained from birth to kneel, stand or nod on religious cue. Words like ‘Christ’, ‘repent’, ‘Bible’ and ‘salvation’ are all ‘yes’ words. They draw affirmative responses.
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A greater problem than automatic piety is ‘doublespeak’. In the above advertisement, spotted by Column 8 in The Sydney Morning Herald, the word ‘free’ seems to mean $3.05! The description, in George Orwell’s novel, 1984, of the War Department as the ‘Ministry of Peace’ is a more spine-chilling demonstration of the pliability of words. Roman Catholics use the same words as Evangelicals, but do not even pretend that they signify the same meaning. In the table below are some examples of the difference between Evangelical and Catholic uses of certain theological terminology:
| TERM | EVANGELICAL USE | CATHOLIC USE |
| SIN | The nature of humanity in opposition to God and the expression of that nature. | Refers to your evil actions (on a scale of badness), rather than a spiritual condition. |
| GRACE | God’s unmerited favour towards sinners. | More a thing than an attitude. ‘Graces’ are received from people who have gained special merit before God. |
| FORGIVENESS | Complete personal pardon for sin achieved by Christ’s sufficient sacrifice. | Incomplete personal pardon—we must also offer God good works in order to ‘make satisfaction’ for our sins. |
| GOOD WORKS | Christian service, enabled by the Spirit’s work in the believer. | Contributions towards ‘making satisfaction’ for your sins, to increase your chance of salvation. |
Patrick will readily agree that Jesus alone mediates between God and humanity, but he is agreeing to a gospel statement which is—sometimes unconsciously—appended with unbiblical clauses. For example, a Roman Catholic commentator has written, “All other mediators, including Mary, take their meaning and efficacy from him [Christ]“1. Although Christ is mentioned as the mediator between humans and God, the operation of other mediators is assumed.
Communicating the gospel to Roman Catholics requires imaginative use of language so that an explanation of the gospel will not encourage merely rote-learned assent. When speaking with a Catholic, we should abandon proof-texting for a broader perspective on Christian doctrine. 1 Timothy 2:5 may be a great summary of Christ’s present mediatory role but, in order to teach the theology of mediation rather than simply pay lip-service to the word, first take Patrick through large slabs of Hebrews!
3. The Family
Catholic people often have a deep loyalty to the family and its traditions. In some instances, the bond between family and traditional religion is so strong that it is considered unquestionable. A family member who dares to think otherwise can sometimes face alienation and a barrage of heart-wrenching questions:
How can you even think of it?
Why do you reject what we pass on to you?
Every generation of our family has been Catholic …
If you are Polish then you must be Catholic …
People who change religions are worthless.
If you are not Catholic then you are no longer our son …
Jesus’ words about putting his family before your earthly one seem almost too callous to believe for a Roman Catholic. The hardest aspect of becoming a Christian from a Catholic background is staying at home when the rest of the family attends mass. It is extremely difficult for a converted Catholic to honour his parents without compromising the gospel. He will require enormous encouragement to persevere, along with constant reminders that God and his family are the Christian’s first love.
Personal Tips
Some of our shortcomings in evangelizing Catholics are well within our power to change. Here are a few clues for promoting constructive discussion and avoiding unnecessary conflict with Catholics.
Don’t Stir Them
Too often, Evangelicals try to dispel the smoke instead of putting out the fire. It is tempting to attack peripheral issues in Roman Catholic thought rather than those matters which are essential for saving faith. But such an approach only leads to bickering and ‘point-scoring’ by both parties: ‘The Protestant church only began because King Henry VIII wanted to get married …’.
It is far more fruitful to find common ground than to begin by arguing over differences. What common ground do Catholics and Evangelicals enjoy?
In the initial stages of discussion, at least, a Catholic like Patrick will be quite happy to accept the divine authority of Scripture. Many Catholics are eager to read the Bible for themselves and are increasingly being invited to do so, even in their own churches. Rather than beginning with differences regarding the authority of church versus Scripture, open the Bible and let the powerful Word of God speak: “Is not my word like fire”, declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” (Jer 23:29).
Do Stir Them
Idols in dark rooms cannot be seen. Someone has to turn the light on. There comes a point at which Catholics must be challenged to make a broad examination of the incongruities within and between their faith and practice. Questions must be asked:
- If Christ has done the work for your salvation, why do you still attempt to make satisfaction through the mass?
- Why do you trust your priest over Scripture when he tells you it is a sin to be sure of your salvation?
- How do you think God feels about your refusal to accept Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice? Do you think God might be angry at your lack of faith?
The truth becomes clearer when the drastic implications of invented doctrine are revealed. Furthermore, the enormous generosity found in the gospel is highlighted when contrasted with counterfeit beliefs. Do not refrain from expressing your anxiety and anger at the deceptions of Catholicism. If it hurts you to see the grace of God ignored, express this and your witness of God’s love will be recognized to be genuine.
Listen, Learn but Don’t Be Fooled
One of the aims of effective evangelism must be to find out what the other person presently believes. Inconsistencies become apparent when we have to verbalize what we think. Do not be surprised if you find yourself explaining to a Roman Catholic the meaning of what they claim to believe! When a person first connects his brain with his religious ‘convictions’, he is often bemused by what he has being saying amen to since childhood.
Since there is such variety of belief amongst people who call themselves Catholic, we must listen very carefully to a person’s beliefs before we can intelligently and lovingly evangelize him or her. The fact that people professing to be Catholic have, like Patrick and Jacko’s beach mission acquaintances, attended conferences on evangelization and joined a weekly Bible study says little about their submission to God’s authority over their lives. In conversation with Catholics, attempt to remember key statements which represent the person’s beliefs so that these can be compared and contrasted with God’s word when it is read.
What varieties of Catholic believers might we meet?
- The God-fearing, occasional church-goer.
- The nominal Catholic who left the church over minor differences (e.g. birth control).
- The lover of the mass who is conversant in anti-fundamentalist apologetics and knows parts of the Bible well.
- The ‘medieval’ Catholic who interprets family and national identity via traditional, superstitious Catholicism.
- The young, enthusiastic, member of Antioch (Catholic youth movement) who is often Charismatic and may call himself an ‘Evangelical Catholic’.
It is a harmful mistake to think that there exists uniformity of belief amongst Catholics. Official church dogma is not always represented at the level of the local church. Delving into the history of Catholic doctrine may be useful for understanding how the church has developed; however, it is more beneficial to capitalize upon the upheaval and freedom of enquiry which modern Catholicism has produced and ask a Catholic to explain what they currently believe.
Practical Tips
Gospel Presentations
As we have warned, it is an exhausting task to explain the gospel to someone who has already heard gospel words but uses them differently. Gospel presentations must focus upon subverting misunderstandings of the Christian faith and highlighting central truths which Catholicism ignores in language which assists this task. For example, if the concept of grace needs to be made clear, an approach such as Christianity Explained or the first two studies from Seven Basic Bible Studies might be useful. A gospel presentation specifically for use with Roman Catholics is being designed presently.
Suggested Discussion Questions
What questions make useful conversation starters when meeting a Catholic? Let your questions be governed by the principles mentioned in this article: aim to subvert false conceptions of the gospel, fill in absent Christian ideas, provide a panoramic view of Christian belief, look for common ground, attempt to clarify what the person believes, avoid confusing religious language.
Try some of these approaches:
“How’s your relationship with God going?”
“Does God feel like a stranger or a friend to you?”
“Would you say you have come to the point of being truly at peace with God?”
“Are you looking forward to Christ’s return?”
“When Jesus asks you why He should let you into heaven, what reason will you give?”
“Is it presumptuous to be sure of having eternal life?”
Your overall aim should always be to move towards and stay close to the grace of God provided at the cross.
Endnotes
1 J. A. Hardon, The Catholic Catechism, (New York, Doubleday, 1975), p. 165.
