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Roman Catholic Theology and Practice: An Evangelical Assessment Kindle Edition
In this balanced volume, Gregg Allison—an evangelical theologian and church historian—helps readers understand the nuances of Roman Catholic teaching. Walking through the official Catechism of the Catholic Church, Allison summarizes and assesses Catholic doctrine from the perspective of both Scripture and evangelical theology.
Noting prominent similarities without glossing over key differences, this book will equip Christians on both sides of the ecclesiastical divide to fruitfully engage in honest dialogue with one another.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherCrossway
- Publication dateNovember 30, 2014
- File size1505 KB
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“If you are looking for a few bullet-points and caricatures, this book will disappoint. But if you are looking for a serious survey drawn from the Catholic Catechism and other primary sources, along with an evangelical assessment of each point, Professor Allison’s labors will pay rich dividends.”
―Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California; author, Core Christianity
“This book is good news to those who have long desired a reliable theological guide in dealing with Roman Catholicism. Based on a painstaking analysis of the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church, it covers the all-embracing trajectory of Roman Catholic theology and practice. Instead of juxtaposing ephemeral impressions and disconnected data, Allison provides a theological framework that accounts for the complexity of the Roman Catholic system and its dynamic unity. This book is to be commended for its biblical depth, theological acuteness, historical alertness, and systemic awareness. My hope is that this landmark book will reorient evangelical theology away from its attraction for a shallow ecumenicity with Rome toward a serious dialogue based on the Word of God.”
―Leonardo De Chirico, Professor of Historical Theology, Istituto di Formazione Evangelica e Documentazione, Padova, Italy; Pastor, Breccia di Roma, Rome; author, A Christian's Pocket Guide to the Papacy
“Writing with an irenic and thoughtful tone, Allison engages with Rome via the Church’s official Catechism and helps the reader understand what Protestants and Roman Catholics share in common and where they differ. This book is neither spinelessly ecumenical nor harshly polemical, but a fair and principled engagement with the beliefs of Rome.”
―Carl R. Trueman, Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies, Grove City College; author, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self
“A very useful evangelical assessment of Roman Catholicism. Unlike so many such books, it does not concentrate merely on points of difference, but considers the whole sweep of Roman Catholic teaching, as set out in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It affirms points of agreement as well as noting points of disagreement. It acknowledges that evangelicalism is not monochromatic and points to areas where some evangelicals would agree with Rome while others would not. This is a thorough guide that is warmly to be commended.”
―Anthony N. S. Lane , Professor of Historical Theology, London School of Theology; author, Exploring Christian Doctrine
“With his characteristic depth and clarity, Gregg Allison escorts readers to the Catholic/Protestant intersection to analyze theological commonalities and differences. In addition to yielding indispensable insight, this volume exemplifies the sort of warmhearted and principled approach that today’s conversation desperately needs.”
―Chris Castaldo, Senior Pastor, New Covenant Church, Naperville, Illinois; author, The Upside Down Kingdom: Wisdom for Life from the Beatitudes
“Protestants and Catholics need to invent a new kind of relationship. The fire and sword of the Reformation era were unworthy of Christ; so were the desperate efforts of irresponsible leaders in the past century to deny that we ever really disagreed. Can we preach different views of the gospel and still love each other? If so, how do we understand that relationship, spiritually and ecclesially? With a systematic thoroughness worthy of Thomas Aquinas himself, Gregg Allison lays out the theological issues at stake. He provides a full overview of the questions that face us, and his commitment to fully love his Catholic neighbors while fully speaking the truth to them shows us how to handle our disagreements in a manner worthy of Christ. This book will reward the careful study it invites.”
―Greg Forster, Director, Oikonomia Network at the Center for Transformational Churches, Trinity International University; author, The Joy of Calvinism
About the Author
Gregg R. Allison (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is professor of Christian theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is secretary of the Evangelical Theological Society, a book review editor for the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, an elder at Sojourn Community Church, and a theological strategist for Harbor Network. Allison has taught at several colleges and seminaries, including Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and is the author of numerous books, including Historical Theology; Sojourners and Strangers; and Roman Catholic Theology and Practice.
Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Pastor, Sojourn Community Church; author, Sojourners and Strangers; Roman Catholic Theology and Practice; and Historical Theology
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Roman Catholic Theology and Practice
An Evangelical Assessment
By Gregg R. AllisonGood News Publishers
Copyright © 2014 Gregg R. AllisonAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4335-0116-6
Contents
Preface: Intrigue and Critique,Abbreviations,
1 Introduction,
2 Scripture, Evangelical Theology, and Catholic Theology,
I Catholic Theology according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
Part 1: The Profession of Faith,
3 The Profession of Faith (Part 1, Section 1, Chapters 1–3),
4 The Profession of Faith (Part 1, Section 2, Chapter 1, Article 1—Chapter 3, Article 8),
5 The Profession of Faith (Part 1, Section 2, Chapter 3, Article 9),
6 The Profession of Faith (Part 1, Section 2, Chapter 3, Articles 10–12),
II Catholic Theology according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
Part 2: The Celebration of the Christian Mystery,
7 The Celebration of the Christian Mystery (Part 2, Section 1),
8 The Celebration of the Christian Mystery (Part 2, Section 2, 259 Chapter 1, Articles 1–2),
9 The Celebration of the Christian Mystery (Part 2, Section 2, 299 Chapter 1, Article 3),
10 The Celebration of the Christian Mystery (Part 2, Section 2,327 Chapter 2, Articles 4–5),
11 The Celebration of the Christian Mystery (Part 2, Section 2,357 Chapter 3, Articles 6–7),
III Catholic Theology according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
Part 3: Life in Christ,
12 Life in Christ (Part 3, Section 1, Chapters 1–2),
13 Life in Christ (Part 3, Section 1, Chapter 3),
Conclusion,
14 Evangelical Ministry with Catholics,
General Index,
Scripture Index,
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Comically speaking, the genesis of this book occurred when I, as a five-year-old, was told by a similarly young (pre-Vatican Council II) Catholic neighbor girl that I was headed straight to hell because I wasn't Catholic. Greatly upset and fearing for my eternal destiny, I asked my parents if we could go to church, and they promptly responded by taking me to the local United Methodist church. Though that choice did nothing to change the neighbor girl's assessment of and warning about my future condemnation, it at least started me down the Protestant pathway. After nurturing me on the works of Martin Luther, Huldrych Zwingli, John Calvin, John Wesley, and many others, this road has brought me to the place where I am today: an evangelical systematic theologian of the Reformed Baptist variety.
Seriously, however, the origin of this book began in May 1976, when my fiancée (now wife, Nora) and I were visiting a businessman in Chesterton, Indiana, near South Bend. We had received permission from Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru) to begin raising support for our future campus ministry with that parachurch organization. During our conversation, in which Nora and I presented our upcoming work, the businessman jokingly exclaimed, "Wouldn't it be interesting if the two of you were assigned to be Cru staff at the University of Notre Dame." After a hearty laugh — "Sure, a Protestant missionary movement on the campus of the premier Catholic university in the United States!" — we concluded our presentation and said our thanks and good-byes. Getting into our car to return home, Nora (from the passenger side) and I (from the driver's side) looked at each other and, together, with a strong, divinely given conviction, said, "God is calling us to the University of Notre Dame."
After our wedding, honeymoon, and the commencement of our preparation as Cru staff, we received a Placement Request Form as part of our training. One of the questions on this form had to do with where we hoped to be placed. We promptly wrote in our assignment preference: "the University of Notre Dame." Soon after receiving our response, Cru leaders responsible for staff placement called us in for a little chat. They were quite intrigued that we wanted to go to Notre Dame (ND), as the Cru ministry was just beginning on that campus, and they were looking to assign more staff to join the small initial team. Nora and I, however, failed to meet their three qualifications: we did not come from a Catholic background, we were not veteran staff (who usually are responsible for starting new campus ministries), and we did not have children (so as to be in a similar season of life as the Cru staff couple already working at ND). Strike one. Strike two. Strike three. The Allisons were not going to be Cru staff at Notre Dame.
A bit later, to the same question on the second Placement Request Form, we wrote, "the University of Notre Dame." Somewhat perturbed, our placement leaders called us in for another conversation, wondering what about the initial "No, you are not going to be assigned to Notre Dame" we didn't understand. They tried to comfort us with the possibility that we would end up at Notre Dame after we had been on Cru staff for a number of years, but they assured us ND was not in our immediate future. Of course, we assured them that we were willing to go anywhere they assigned us. But deep down inside lingered the firm conviction that God was calling us to Notre Dame.
Accordingly, when the third Placement Request Form was distributed a week or so later, our reply to the now infamous question was "the University of Notre Dame." The placement leaders' flustered and emphatic response to what seemed like an intractable stance on our part was, "Perhaps God is calling you to Villanova or some other Catholic university, but you are not going to the University of Notre Dame!"
Another strike three for the second out.
Shortly thereafter, and along with all the new Cru staff, Nora and I received our Placement Envelope. Written on the form inside was our future assignment. Bound by a promise that we would not discuss the enclosed content with anyone else for a period of silence (twenty-four hours, which was to be used solely for the purpose of praying about our assignment), we found an isolated spot outside under a palm tree and nervously yet excitedly ripped open the envelope:
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is ... the University of Notre Dame.
After the day-long period of silence — which for us was filled with great thanksgiving verging on giddiness — the Cru placement leaders confirmed with us that our crystal clear call to be on staff at ND outweighed any and all obstacles to our being assigned there. Upon completion of our staff training, Nora and I raised our support, packed our belongings, and moved to South Bend, Indiana, to begin our ministry at the University of Notre Dame.
So began a two-year stint (1976–1978) as part of a Protestant missionary movement on the campus of the most well known and highly regarded Catholic university in America. At the beginning of our second year, more than two hundred and fifty students expressed a desire to be in one of our weekly Bible studies; we ended up being able to accommodate one hundred and fifty of them. Communicating the gospel with clarity, teaching how to read and study the Word of God, discipling new believers, developing leaders in ministry — these core Cru ministries were contextualized for a Catholic university. Indeed, with more than 80 percent of Notre Dame students being Catholic, we learned a great deal about Catholic theology and practice and developed a deep burden for ministering to and with Catholics.
Out of this burgeoning interest in Catholic ministry, Nora and I signed up for a Cru summer project in Rome (1978), where the majority of our first few weeks was spent sharing the gospel with students at the University of Rome. Though we didn't know much Italian, we quickly learned one phrase that was part and parcel of most of our conversations with Italian young people: "Non credo in Dio" (I don't believe in God). Because this widely entrenched atheism had not been our experience working with Catholics at Notre Dame, we desperately asked the Italian national director of Cru if he knew any evangelical Catholics. "Do you mean Catholics who have become evangelicals?" he replied. "No," we clarified, "do you know any Catholics who are Catholics but who believe as we evangelicals believe about the gospel, justification by grace through faith alone, and so forth?" His response caught us by surprise: "Yes. Would you like to meet some?" The next day, as we walked into a meeting of dozens of Catholics who believed as evangelicals believe, we participated in the launch of a Catholic lay evangelization movement called "Alfa-Omega: perché Cristo sia tutto in tutti" ("Alpha-Omega: that Christ may be all in all"). This encounter was the beginning of the fulfillment of a vision implanted several years earlier. Indeed, we committed to return to Italy to work with this movement.
After our return to the United States following the summer project, we raised support for our new assignment, completed three months of international staff training, and, moving to Firenze, studied Italian for six months before settling down in Rome. For the next three years (1979–1982), Nora and I were Cru staff embedded in Alfa-Omega. I served as the movement's first training center director, helping prepare Catholic laypeople in how to share the gospel, lead Bible studies, disciple new believers, prepare leaders, organize evangelistic meetings, train Bible study leaders, and the like. We also led weekly Reading Groups of the Gospel that, meeting during the week, would focus on the text of the Gospel reading for the upcoming Sunday mass while teaching a very simple inductive Bible study method consisting of the reading of the text, observation, interpretation, application, and prayer. Our goal was to expose Catholics to the person and work of Jesus Christ as presented in the Gospels so that they could embrace the good news of salvation. Following Alfa-Omega evangelistic campaigns in parishes in Sorbara and Nonantola (near Modena, in the province of Emilia-Romagna, in northern Italy), Nora and I would remain behind for several weeks to help train Bible study leaders to work with the hundreds of residents who signed up to be in weekly Reading Groups of the Gospel.
Along with our ministry within Alfa-Omega came numerous opportunities to work with priests, meet one of the bishops of the Province of Rome, attend a "private" audience with Pope John Paul II (along with 9,998 other invitees), sneak the Jesus film into what was then called Yugoslavia, speak before hundreds of Catholic clergy (bishops, priests, monks, nuns, and seminary professors) on the topic "The Importance of the Bible in Ministry," train other Cru staff for similar ministries with Catholics, and much more.
In addition to this robust experience ministering to and with Catholics, when working on the MDiv degree at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (1982–1985), I took a class, "The Documents of Vatican II" (S212; Fall 1983), at the nearby St. Mary of the Lake Seminary. Though this course was the extent of my formal training in Catholic theology and practice in a Catholic higher education context, I took a seminar on Roman Catholic Theology (DST 845A; Winter 1991) during my PhD studies at Trinity, regularly taught the Catholic theology elective course at Western Seminary (1994–2003), continue to regularly teach it at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where I am Professor of Christian Theology (2003–present), and attempt to keep up with developments in Catholic theology through reading and writing. My writings that interact with Catholic theology and practice are, "The Bible in Christianity: Roman Catholicism," in the ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008), 2613–2615; "The Theology of the Eucharist according to the Catholic Church," in The Lord's Supper: Remembering and Proclaiming Christ until He Comes, ed. Thomas R. Schreiner and Matthew R. Crawford (Nashville: B & H Academic, 2010), 151–192; and "A Response to Catholicism," in Journeys of Faith, ed. Robert Plummer (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 115–128.
This introductory background sketch serves to highlight two points: First, though I do not have a Catholic background, I am an evangelical theologian whose experience with Catholic theology and practice is more extensive and personal than that of most evangelicals. Hopefully, this familiarity puts me in a position to be a trustworthy guide for evangelicals who desire to know about Catholicism. Second, my experience helps to explain the purposes of this book, which are twofold. One purpose is to highlight the commonalities between Catholic and evangelical theology, agreements or similarities that prompt intrigue. These shared doctrines and practices — e.g., the Trinity; the full deity and full humanity of Jesus Christ; worship and prayer — need to be recognized and appreciated, and they lead to thanksgiving for a limited yet real unity between Catholicism and evangelicalism. The other purpose is to underscore the divergences between Catholic and evangelical theology — disagreements or dissimilarities that require critique. These doctrinal and practical disparities — e.g., apostolic succession, transubstantiation, the immaculate conception of Mary, praying for the dead in purgatory — are serious points of division that must be faced honestly and sorrowfully, yet with a humble conviction that avoids minimizing the substantive distance between Catholicism and evangelicalism.
Such a book is intended for two primary and two secondary audiences. As for its primary audience, the first group consists of evangelicals who desire to become familiar with Catholic theology and assess it in terms of both Scripture and evangelical theology. The second group is evangelicals who wish to know better their own evangelical theology as compared with and contrasted to Catholic theology. As for the book's secondary audience, the first group consists of Catholics who want to learn what evangelicals think about Catholic theology and how they assess it. The second group is Catholics who want to learn evangelical theology as it is compared with and contrasted to Catholic theology, perhaps because they are moving toward embracing the evangelical faith.
It should be underscored that this book is not intended as a rabid anti-Catholic diatribe. Though it will strongly critique certain Catholic doctrines and practices, this criticism must be placed in the context of intrigue — the book's appreciation of and thanksgiving for the many commonalities between Catholic and evangelical theology. Furthermore, it must be emphasized that this book is not intended as an ambiguous presentation emphasizing the similarities and minimizing the divergences between the two theological positions in an attempt to promote some type of "lowest common denominator" ecumenism. Though it will underscore with gratitude the many agreements between Catholic and evangelical theology, such approbation must be placed in the context of critique — the book's negative evaluation of certain Catholic doctrines and practices against which evangelical theology does and must take a strong stand.
To accomplish this task, I have designed Roman Catholic Theology and Practice to be a walk through the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Beginning in chapter 3 of this book, for each section of the Catechism, I first describe in summary form and without comment the Catholic theology or practice addressed in that section; then I offer an assessment of that Catholic theology or practice from the perspective of both Scripture and evangelical theology. In chapter 2, I explain my interpretive approach to Scripture and outline the evangelical theological perspective that I use throughout the book. In that chapter I also address my understanding of and approach to Catholic theology as a system that is characterized by two axioms: the interdependence between nature and grace, and the Catholic Church as the ongoing incarnation of Jesus Christ. I then briefly set forth how these two tenets manifest themselves in concrete Catholic doctrines and practices. I conclude this chapter with an assessment of the two axioms.
Following closely the structure of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, chapters 3 through 6 will cover its first part, entitled, "The Profession of Faith," because it describes Catholic theology as it is professed in the Apostles' Creed (with a few additions from the Nicene Creed). Chapters 7 through 11 treat the second part of the Catechism, "The Celebration of the Christian Mystery," which explains the Catholic Church's sacramental economy and seven sacraments. Chapters 12 and 13 discuss the third part of the Catechism, on "Life in Christ," which presents salvation, law, grace, justification, merit, and the like. Conclusions and applications will be drawn in chapter 14. The chapter divisions in this book are somewhat random and do not follow the divisions (noted according to their Part, Section, Chapter, Article, and Paragraph numbers) within the Catechism itself; rather, my chapter divisions are used to divide the large amount of Catholic theology and practice into manageable portions for readers.
(Continues...)Excerpted from Roman Catholic Theology and Practice by Gregg R. Allison. Copyright © 2014 Gregg R. Allison. Excerpted by permission of Good News Publishers.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Product details
- ASIN : B00O7UPEK0
- Publisher : Crossway (November 30, 2014)
- Publication date : November 30, 2014
- Language : English
- File size : 1505 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 683 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #619,748 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #327 in Roman Catholicism (Kindle Store)
- #2,491 in Christian Ministry & Church Leadership (Kindle Store)
- #6,833 in Catholicism (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
I am Professor of Christian Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where, in addition to teaching the three core theology courses, I teach electives on the doctrine of Scripture, the doctrine of humanity (with a focus on human embodiment), the doctrine of the church, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, and Roman Catholic theology. I am also secretary for the Evangelical Theological Society, serve on the editorial committee of the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, and serve as an associate editor for book reviews (in the areas of theology, history, philosophy, etc.).
I was born and raised in Chicago, which means I am a Bears fan, Bulls fan, Blackhawks fan, and Cubs fan (and hate the White Sox). I have a B.S. in biology, a M.Div., and the Ph.D. in Systematic Theology. Beside teaching and writing, I enjoy reading, sports, music, and the outdoors. I swim five times a week to keep healthy.
My wife Nora and I were married in 1976 and have three grown children: Lauren is married to Troy, lives in the Seattle area, and has four children (Caleb, Alia, Zoe, and Ethan); Hanell is married to Mike, lives in France, and has five children (Annelie, Hudson, Vaughan, Hugo, and Emile); Luke is married to Chelsi, is a data analyst for TransPro Consulting, and has two children (Everett and Lochlan).
Some unusual tidbits about me: while in high school I designed the official seal of my city (Riverdale, Ill.); my wife and I had a private audience with Pope John Paul II (along with 9,998 other invited guests); we lived in Rome and the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland for a total of seven years.
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Customers find the book helpful for identifying bridges and obstacles to the Gospel. They find it insightful and well-written, providing an intelligent explanation of Catholic teaching for Evangelicals. The book is described as great, wonderful, and deserving of deep consideration. Readers appreciate the respectful and compassionate approach taken by the author.
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Customers appreciate the book's understanding of Catholic teaching for Evangelicals. They find it helpful for identifying bridges and obstacles to the Gospel, providing an excellent overview of evangelical and Catholic beliefs. The book provides an intelligent clarification of Catholic teaching for evangelicals. Readers appreciate the well-written comparison between Roman Catholic theology and ecumenicalism. The author carefully and systematically addresses all major tenets of Roman Catholicism. They appreciate the many scripture references and Biblical arguments that are realistic, obvious, and clear.
"..."atomistic." He carefully and systematically addresses all the major tenets of Roman Catholicism, demonstrating that Roman Catholic theology..." Read more
"...It is exhaustive without being exhausting. It is written with such clarity and authority that it is honestly hard to put down and it is hard to..." Read more
"...Dr. Allison is extremely insightful, honestly seeking to understand and explain Roman Catholicism as a self-contained, coherent worldview...." Read more
"...Easy to understand and comprehensive at the same time." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and well-written. They say it's a valuable resource for education and appreciate Dr. Allison's work.
"...to understand the teachings of the Catholic church, this book is near perfection!..." Read more
"Dr. Allison does a wonderful job here with decades worth of experience working alongside Roman Catholic priests, being a missionary to Italy, and..." Read more
"A good read for people who are interested in understanding the doctrines and dogmas of RCC and how they deviate from God’s words...." Read more
"...would benefit from Dr. Allison's wonderful work. I believe this work is necessary and one of the best in many years...." Read more
Customers appreciate the author's respectful and insightful approach. They find it thoughtful and compassionate.
"...all the major streams, and I admit he does so with gentleness, kindness, and respect. I would not have had his patience...." Read more
"Gregg R. Allison compassionately and systematically walks through the Catechism of the Catholic Church; careful to move across every point with the..." Read more
"Scholarly, respectful, and insightful...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2015This book is way overdue! I have read a few blogs in the past where Dr. Allison was smeared by Catholic apologists, so I suspected Dr. Allison's contributions have struck a nerve. After I read this book, it's obvious why. In this book, his approach is not "atomistic." He carefully and systematically addresses all the major tenets of Roman Catholicism, demonstrating that Roman Catholic theology, heretical as it is, is organized, predictable, and identifiable. The violations in Roman theology are rampant, and Dr. Allison shows step by step how much the RCC has strayed. His systematic approach goes through the CCC and addresses all the major streams, and I admit he does so with gentleness, kindness, and respect. I would not have had his patience.
As for trustworthiness and accuracy, it's dead on track. Allison doesn't say anything that hasn't been said before, and that's a compliment, because Allison is consistent, aware, and mindful of the last 500 years of similar comments by Luther, Calvin, Bavinck, and others. His Biblical arguments are realistic, obvious, based on the sure Word, and clear.
I say it's overdue because in the last two years I've been forced to deal with a hodgepodge of study material and worry at night how I would pull it all together. Dr. Allison pulled everything together into a whole that just can't be outdone. Nowhere does Allison attempt to undermine anyone's sincere devotion for Christ. He deals strictly with the presentation of CCC, and shows how flawed it is, not how flawed people are, because we already know that!
The book rests on two paradigms: the grace/nature idea, and the Church/Christ idea. It's a fresher way to look at Romanism, and it helps to organize and make clear the cohesive errors in CCC. I expect Rome will attempt a rebuttal, or at least the lay apologists will. It doesn't matter, because all Allison did in this book is expose the errors. Get it, read it, buy it for others. I'm serious. I've never met him, but I emailed him a few times, and I never ever felt he had an axe to grind. He's just a professor that wants the ugliness of CCC exposed for what it is, so the reader can make the best decision for or against this false religion.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2021For someone like me that has grown up Protestant, but now needs to understand the teachings of the Catholic church, this book is near perfection! Gregg Allison starts by zooming out and looking at the broad teachings of both faiths and then narrows in by objectively describing the teachings of both churches as he goes through each point of the Catholic Catechism. It is exhaustive without being exhausting. It is written with such clarity and authority that it is honestly hard to put down and it is hard to resist highlighting 1/3 of every page you read. Thank you Greg Allison!! This is a work for the ages.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2023Dr. Allison does a wonderful job here with decades worth of experience working alongside Roman Catholic priests, being a missionary to Italy, and his expertise in historical theology. Dr. Allison is extremely insightful, honestly seeking to understand and explain Roman Catholicism as a self-contained, coherent worldview. If you want shallow, straw-man arguments, you won’t find it here. He begins his book with the less known worldview differences that exist between
Catholicism and Evangelicalism. Mainly the Nature-Grace interdependence, that grace can be channeled through nature (i.e. water in baptism, bread, wine, oil, etc.) when consecrated by the Catholic Church; and the Christ-Church interconnection, that the church continues the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ, in respect to authority, infallibility, and so forth. These two main points inform the rest of Roman Catholic theology and practice, and are largely unbeknownst to Evangelicals and rejected by Protestant theology.
Even as a Reformed Christian myself, I found genuine beauty in Dr. Allison’s detailing the Eucharist and the accompanying honor given to the Lord during its celebration, even with many errors loaded therein.
One complaint that I found is that some arguments Dr. Allison makes are a bit difficult to understand. Perhaps because of his level of academia, lay readers may have to reread passages where his arguments are made to understand his point. I know I had to read one argument two or three times before his argumentation made sense to me.
Overall, if you are a Protestant and are looking to understand the official teachings of the Roman Catholic Church (Dr. Allison quotes the Catholic catechism very often,) along with a Protestant engagement with those exact teachings, then this is the book for you.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2024A good read for people who are interested in understanding the doctrines and dogmas of RCC and how they deviate from God’s words. Easy to understand and comprehensive at the same time.
Top reviews from other countries
- knightday1973Reviewed in Canada on December 3, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Level of Detail
I enjoyed reading this book very much. It has enough detail to support the theology it explains.
It increased my understanding of Catholicism immensely and how they view baptisms, Eucharist, Indulgances etc.
It gives a good view from the Catholic side and then gives a viewpoint from the Evangelical side and why.
It seemed fairly balanced in my reading of it.
If someone on either side wants to see how someone on the other side sees certain topics I think you would find it helpful and a good read.
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HannielReviewed in Germany on August 12, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Eine sorgfältige Auseinandersetzung entlang dem Katechismus der RKK
Aufbau und Struktur des Buches
Wie Allison selbst schreibt, besteht das Problem von evangelikaler Seite darin, dass jeweils einzelne Teile aus einem ganzen System kritisiert werden (sog. „atomistischer Ansatz“, Pos. 839). Es fehlt der Blick auf den gesamten Korpus. Die Idee, Stück für Stück entlang des Katechismus der Katholischen Kirche (1997) entlang zu gehen und bei Bedarf auf Dokumente des 2. Vatikanischen Konzils sowie auf Enzykliken von Päpsten zurückzugreifen, bringt die nötige Struktur in das Unterfangen. Abschnitt für Abschnitt arbeitet sich der Autor durch den Text des Katechismus, indem er ihn zuerst zusammenfasst und dann Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede herausarbeitet.
Natürlich mag man an dieser Stelle einwenden: Unter dem grossen Schirm der katholischen Kirche seien doch ganz viele verschiedene Strömungen beheimatet. Das ist richtig. Allison stellt ganz zu Beginn klar, dass sich die katholische Kirche in dieser Hinsicht nicht von den vielen Strömungen innerhalb der evangelikalen Welt unterscheide. Auch wenn sich die Kirche, einem grossen Schiff gleichend, als eine Bewegung präsentiert, sind die lehrmässigen Unterschiede gewaltig. Dennoch stufe ich das Vorgehen Allisons als solide ein. Nicht nur haben Bischofssynoden der ganzen Welt um die Formulierungen gerungen. Ein verbindliches Dokument ermöglicht erst den Rahmen einer geordneten Auseinandersetzung.
Was sind Kernelemente der katholischen Theologie?
A. Sie besteht aus einem sowohl-als-auch- statt einem weder-noch-Ansatz: Schrift und Tradition, Gnade und menschliche Mithilfe, Christus und die Kirche, Glaube und gute Werke bzw. Liebe, Gottes Herrlichkeit und spezielle Ehre gegenüber Maria.
B. Das Konzept ist zudem kein abstraktes Konzept, sondern immer mit sichtbaren, materiellen, immanenten, organisierten, sozialen, rechtlichen und historischen Strukturen verbunden.
C. Das zentralste Stück ist die Verbindung zwischen Natur und Gnade. Beide Elemente stehen in einem Kontinuum. Die Natur stellt einen Kanal der Gnade dar. Die Gnade hebt die Natur empor und vervollkommnet sie (wie es Thomas von Aquin in seiner Summa Theologica, 1.1.8, dargestellt hat). Obwohl die Natur von der Sünde zwar betroffen ist, verfügt sie immer noch über die Kapazität Gnade zu empfangen, weiterzugeben und mit ihr zu kooperieren. Dadurch wird der Einfluss der Sünde reduziert. Sünde ist ernsthaftes, aber nicht gänzlich zerstörendes Sekundärelement („serious yet not devastating secondary element“). Die thomistische Theologie stützt sich deshalb auf die innere Fähigkeit der Natur für Gott ab (capacitas dei).
D. Es gibt noch eine vierte, wesentliche Differenzierung: Die vermittelnde Rolle der Katholischen Kirche (meditorial function) wird durch die gegenseitige Abhängigkeit von Natur und Gnade möglich gemacht. Weil die Natur für die Gnade offen steht, kann Gnade empfangen und durch die Kirche vermittelt werden. Die Gnade benötigt die Natur, weil sie körperlich und konkret werden muss. Hierbei ist wichtig zu beachten, dass die RKK die fortgesetzte Menschwerdung Jesu darstellt. Sie ist der mystische Körper des gesamten Christus. Daher kommt auch die Ausdrucksweise der Kirche als Sakrament. Sie ist gleichermassen göttlich und menschlich und kann darum Gnade darreichen. Es besteht ein organisches Band zwischen Christus und der Kirche. Beide bilden sie einen Körper. Der ganze Christus besteht aus seinem Haupt, Christus selbst, und seinen Gliedern, der Kirche. Allison kommt sehr oft auf dieses Natur-Gnade-Kontinuum der Kirche zurück.
Vom Vorgehen des Buches lernen
Ich glaube, dass wir nicht nur inhaltlich, sondern auch methodisch von diesem Buch lernen können.
Den eigenen Glauben formulieren können
Manche Christen haben sich ganz auf die subjektive, gefühlsbetonte Seite des Glaubens zurückgezogen. Sie verankern sämtliche Erkenntnisse in Erfahrungen. Bei diesem „Hort“ bleibt es dann auch. Was hier verloren geht, sind „propositionelle Aussagen“ über Gott und den Menschen, über Heilsgeschichte und das Wesen des Evangeliums. Wir müssen erneut eine Sprachfähigkeit gewinnen. Was sind die Grundpfeiler unseres Glaubens? Wie leiten wir diese aus der Bibel ab?
Position der Gegenseite zusammenfassen
Eine ins Detail gehende Gegenüberstellung versteht es, die Position der Gegenseite zuerst adäquat wiederzugeben. Allison konzentriert sich darauf, die wichtigsten Zitate und Belegstellen in seiner Zusammenfassung zu nennen. Im Bild gesprochen bedeutet das, zuerst die Brücke zu überqueren und von der anderen Seite her einen Brückenkopf einzurichten. Andernfalls besteht die Gefahr, dass die Gegenseite an einer ungünstigen Stelle oder gar nicht erreicht wird.
Konsequente Suche nach Übereinstimmungen
Über Hunderte von Seiten gehört die Suche nach Übereinstimmungen als fester Bestandteil zur Analyse. Diese „Ritualisierung“ habe ich in dieser Form noch nie erlebt. Gerade diese Kontinuität verfestigt das seriöse Bild: Hier schreibt jemand, der an den Überzeugungen des Gegenüber wirklich interessiert ist. Nur wer zuerst die Übereinstimmungen sorgfältig erkundet hat, kann sich mit Genauigkeit den Abweichungen zuwenden. In dieser Hinsicht ist das Buch Ermutigung und Lernfeld zugleich. Ich war mir bisher gewohnt, a) fragmentierte Analysen, verbunden mit b) zur Pauschalisierung neigender Kritik über den Katholizismus zu lesen.
Ausrichtung an (zwei) grundsätzlichen Unterschieden
Bei aller Detailgenauigkeit, die durch die Punkt-für-Punkt Analyse des Katechismus zum Ausdruck kommt, ist es wichtig, die Prinzipien im Auge zu behalten. Allison hat das methodisch geschickt eingefädelt, indem er in Kapitel 2 die beiden Prinzipien der Verbindung zwischen Natur und Gnade sowie Christus und der Kirche eingeführt hat. Der andauernde Bezug auf diese beiden Prinzipien stört nicht. Im Gegenteil: Durch das ständige Auftauchen vertieft sich das Verständnis. Allison empfiehlt im Schlussteil, im Austausch mit Katholiken besonders auf diese beiden Prinzipien zu fokussieren.
Nicht so tun, als gäbe es keine Unterschiede
Eine andere Unart unseres an die werte-relativistische Argumentation gewöhnten Zeitalters besteht darin, alle bzw. alles zu „umarmen“. Das kann entweder dadurch geschehen, dass Unterschiede zwar dargestellt, jedoch unmittelbar danach herunter gespielt werden. Durch fehlende Genauigkeit verlieren sich die Aussagen im Nebel. Es tut deshalb gut zu lesen: „An dieser Stelle besteht teilweise Uneinigkeit“. „Diese Sicht kann nicht durch die Schrift gestützt werden.“ „Hier besteht eine grundsätzliche Differenz.“ „Dieser Unterschied wiegt schwer.“
Schriftliches Bekenntnis: Um eine gemeinsame Position ringen
Man wird mir entgegen halten können, dass Bekenntnis und gelebte Realität weit auseinanderfallen würden. Richtig. Das mag sowohl bei Katholiken wie Evangelikalen der Fall sein. Trotzdem brauchen wir die Ausrichtung an einem schriftlichen Bekenntnis. Weshalb? Weil sich sonst jeder auf eine beliebige Tradition berufen, sich gleichzeitig jedoch der Beurteilung entziehen kann. Genau das ist bei manchen Theologen, Gemeinden und leider auch Ausbildungsstätten geschehen. Ich begrüsse die Rückkehr zu kirchlichen Bekenntnissen deshalb sehr.
Fazit
Allison gelingt es erstaunlich gut, auch innerevangelikale Positionen knapp und verständlich darzustellen. Ohne seine eigenen Karten (baptistisch-reformiert) zu verbergen, erklärt er ohne Scheuklappen abweichende Positionen. Es ist meines Erachtens nicht nur die Not sogenannter „fundamentalistischer“ Kreise, abweichende Überzeugungen erklären bzw. nachvollziehen zu können. Ich beobachte auch und gerade bei jüngeren Pastoren die Unfähigkeit grosse historische Entwicklungen und verschiedene Positionen adäquat skizzieren, geschweige denn biblisch begründen zu können. Neben dem oben beschriebenen methodischen Lernfeld ist die Lektüre in dieser Hinsicht ebenfalls gewinnbringend.
Ein letztes Lernfeld darf nicht unerwähnt bleiben. Im dritten Teil der Katechismus-Analyse beschäftigt sich Allison mit der Darlegung der katholischen Ethik- bzw. Morallehre. Er nimmt eine interessante Differenzierung vor: Das System sei wohlgeordnet und äusserst hilfreich gerade in der Auseinandersetzung mit säkularen Konzepten. Allison bezeichnet es jedoch als „weder unbiblisch noch biblisch“ und damit als nicht bindend. Diese Unterscheidung zwischen der Herleitung biblisch abgestützter Aussagen und hilfreicher Modellbildung ist wichtig. Auch hier scheint mir ein grosses Defizit unter Studenten der Theologie zu herrschen. Neugierig und willig werden Konzeptionen angenommen – ohne jedoch die Anbindung an die biblische Heilsgeschichte sowie systematische Herleitung zu prüfen. Damit läuft man Gefahr, neue und spannende Konzepte als Rahmen der Bibel „überzustülpen“. Aus diesem Grund sind Themenpredigten so gefährlich: Durch sie gelangt eine gefilterte Auswahl an biblischen „Schnipseln“ zur Gemeinde. Diese beginnt die Hermeneutik zu imitieren: Wahllos werden Schnipsel aus verschiedenen Quellen nebeneinander gestellt und mit hauseigenem „Schokoguss“ überzogen.
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AddoReviewed in Germany on March 12, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Evenwichtig boek
Goed boek waarin op heldere wijze de kerkleer van de Rooms Katholieke Kerk en de Protestantse Kerk tegenover elkaar worden gezet en met elkaar vergeleken. Zowel de overeenkomsten als de verschillen worden op een integere manier verwoord. Aanbevolen!