- Feb 5, 2002
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British writer and theologian C.S. Lewis, in his autobiographical book Surprised by Joy, wrote, “A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading.” And he was right!
A Baptist Finds His Way to the Catholic Faith
Just ask former Baptist Steve Ray, whose journey to the Catholic Church was helped by careful study of the Early Church Fathers. “Surprise, surprise!” Steve wrote.
“We were not prepared for what we discovered. But first, why were we never encouraged to read the Fathers of the Church? We always stated, 'The Fathers are not inspired; the Bible is inspired and that's all we need.' But this new discovery was a real eye-opener. These first Christians lived, preached, worshiped and died before the New Testament was even in existence. They were authentic witnesses to the life, tradition and practice of the apostles themselves. They still have the apostolic voices ringing in their ears.
Steve and his wife Janet began a study of the Church Fathers in 1993. Despite their ingrained animosity toward Catholicism, they recognized that the Fathers were, in a word, “Catholic.” Steve, Janet and their whole immediate family were received into the Catholic Church on Pentecost Sunday, May 22, 1994 – and he has never looked back. The full version of Steve's conversion story can be found in his book Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historic Church (Ignatius Press, 1997). His website is CatholicConvert.com.
Continued below.
A Baptist Finds His Way to the Catholic Faith
Just ask former Baptist Steve Ray, whose journey to the Catholic Church was helped by careful study of the Early Church Fathers. “Surprise, surprise!” Steve wrote.
“We were not prepared for what we discovered. But first, why were we never encouraged to read the Fathers of the Church? We always stated, 'The Fathers are not inspired; the Bible is inspired and that's all we need.' But this new discovery was a real eye-opener. These first Christians lived, preached, worshiped and died before the New Testament was even in existence. They were authentic witnesses to the life, tradition and practice of the apostles themselves. They still have the apostolic voices ringing in their ears.
Steve and his wife Janet began a study of the Church Fathers in 1993. Despite their ingrained animosity toward Catholicism, they recognized that the Fathers were, in a word, “Catholic.” Steve, Janet and their whole immediate family were received into the Catholic Church on Pentecost Sunday, May 22, 1994 – and he has never looked back. The full version of Steve's conversion story can be found in his book Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historic Church (Ignatius Press, 1997). His website is CatholicConvert.com.
Continued below.
