Reasons Why I Left Protestantism (Part 1)
In the almost 5 years of being a Catholic, many have asked me why I converted to Catholicism from Protestantism. In answering this question, I realize that the reasons aren’t just because the claims of the Catholic Church are true, but also because of the deficiencies that exist in the Protestant position. Now, before I begin addressing these deficiencies, I want to say that I am extremely grateful to my Protestant upbringing. Growing up, I was introduced to Jesus, and His radical love for me and I in no way wish to bash or talk down to anyone who is a Protestant. I only desire to share the truth of the Catholic faith with my readers, and my own reasons as to why I am Catholic today.
As a former Protestant, I was part of one of many groups that hold to the doctrine of Sola-Scriptura. A Latin term meaning “Scripture Alone”, Sola Scriptura is the concept that the Bible is the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. Want to know what to believe as a Christian? Go to the Bible! Want to know who God is? Go to the Bible! Want to know what is right or wrong? Go to the Bible! But there was one thing I couldn’t just “go to the Bible” for, and that was the Cannon of Scripture. Where did the table of contents come from? Which books were inspired? If the Bible is the sole infallible source of authority, obviously it needed to be compiled. The Bible didn’t just fall out of the sky completed and intact with a post-it note saying “all of these books are inspired.” It had to start somewhere.
The compiling of the Holy Bible began with the Council of Rome in 382 A.D. The council was convened under the Papacy of Damasus I in which, historically, a list of the complete Cannon of Scripture is provided.[1] This same list would later be reaffirmed by the regional councils of Hippo in 393 A.D. and Carthage in 397 A.D.[2] The Council of Florence in 1442, another Catholic council, would definitively reaffirm the same list.[3] Finally, the Council of Trent would solemnly define the Cannon of Scripture in 1546 which, you guessed it, was the same list.[4] How can the Bible alone be the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice when an external authority, the Catholic Church, had to put it together? If one must go outside of the Bible to determine what books make up the Cannon of Scripture, the Protestant position of Sola Scriptura falls flat.
Another issue with Protestantism is the fact that there are so many different denominations. There are Lutherans, Calvinists, Anglicans, Episcopalians, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Southern Baptist, Northern Baptist, Assemblies of God, Methodist, Church of God, Church of Christ, Calvary Chapel, Seven Day Adventists, “Evangelical”, Non-Denominational, United Church of Christ, Fundamentalists, the list goes on and on! All these denominations disagree with each other on fundamental doctrines. One example would be the differences between Lutherans and Baptists on their respective doctrines regarding baptism. Another difference would be the Anglican and Calvinist soteriological positions on predestination. Some appeal to their interpretation of the Bible alone for their authority, and some to their interpretation of the Bible and an established episcopacy. However, there is no unity in any of these denominations outside of a profession of faith. The question becomes, which group has the correct position? Some would claim that the answer to that question doesn’t matter, but it does. Each denomination will claim to have THE truth of the faith. Who’s to say that one has the truth and the other doesn’t have the truth? Who is the referee in determining truth and orthodoxy? The actual truth must be defined by someone of authority who is outside of the sources that these groups already appeal to.
If the Catholic Church has the authority to compile the Cannon of Scripture, then it also has the authority to define truth and orthodoxy. This point will be discussed further in my next article.
[1] Pearse, Roger. “Decretum Gelasianum (English Translation).” Tertullian, 2000. https://www.tertullian.org/decretum_eng.htm.
[2] Catholic Answers. “African Synods.” Catholic Answers, February 21, 2019. https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/african-synods.
[3] “Ecumenical Council of Florence (1438-1445): EWTN.” EWTN Global Catholic Television Network. Accessed August 31, 2023. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/ecumenical-council-of-florence-1438-1445-1461.
[4] Fathers, Council. “General Council of Trent: Fourth Session.” Papal Encyclicals, October 17, 2018. https://www.papalencyclicals.net/councils/trent/fourth-session.htm.