From Geneva to Rome

✝️ Surprised Catholic Couple, Convert (him) & Revert (her) after 30 years in Protestantism.“To be deep in history (and scripture) is to cease to be Protestant.”

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

This is what my husband has been saying! The more you learn about the Church Fathers the more you find that they just weren’t Protestant. Not even.

[Joshua Charles🇻🇦 @JoshuaTCharles]

ST. AUGUSTINE: 19 DISTINCTIVE DOCTRINES THAT SHOW, FAR FROM BEING A PROTO-PROTESTANT, HE WAS THOROUGHLY CATHOLIC

This was written by my friend Stephen (@TrentMDXLV), who came from a reformed protestant background.

Similar to me, he grew up hearing that St. Augustine was essentially a proto-protestant.

That all changed, as it did for me, when he took the time to actually dive into St. Augustine’s works himself. Like so many protestants who do the same, he discovered what he’d been told was false. St. Augustine was thoroughly Catholic. Indeed, a close reading of his writings and the teachings of the Council of Trent—which responded to the errors of various protestant sects in the 16th century—shows them to be virtually identical.

Here is what Stephen wrote summarizing nineteen of St. Augustine’s doctrinal distinctives which show he was thoroughly Catholic:

“𝐀𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞:

(1) For Augustine, the “Catholic Church” refers to the one visible society of Christians under Apostolic rule and authority that definitionally precludes conflicting dogmas and rival altars.

(2) Apostolic authority is wrapped up in a historical succession of bishops descending from the Apostles, without which the sacramental ministry of the Church cannot exist.

(3) Justification is nothing other than regeneration/renewal.

(4) He condemns “sola fide” explicitly no less than 4 times, and in fact says we must do good works in order to be saved.

(5) As touching unconditional election, Augustine rejects that anyone can know that he is among the elect because perseverance to the end is the only sure sign.

(6) Augustine, along with all the Fathers, believed virginity is superior in dignity to marriage.

(7) Augustine explicitly commends prayers to the saints.

(8) He also taught that the relics of the Martyrs work miracles.

(9) Augustine taught that mortal sin could not be forgiven except through the sacrament of confession and penance. Nobody could privately pray and receive forgiveness for mortal sins.

(10) Augustine taught that the Mass is a sacrificial offering to God.

(11) He taught that the Mass, among prayers and almsgiving, aids in the salvation of the faithful dead.

(12) As touching almsgiving, Augustine taught that almsgiving atones for sins of a believer.

(13) Augustine believed in purgatory.

(14) Augustine believed Mary was sinless.

(15) Augustine believed the size of the Catholic Church proved it is the true Church over against the schismatics who did not fill the earth by comparison.

(16) Augustine did not believe the perpetual virginity of Mary was optional—for him, as for the whole Church, it was a matter of dogma.

(17) Augustine taught a regenerate, justified man could lose his salvation (Lutherans, Freewill Baptists, Wesleyans, many Anglicans, Holiness movements/Pentecostals hold the same).

(18) The Church has inviolable Apostolic customs and traditions not found in Scripture.

(19) Baptism makes a man a Christian, and not simply his profession.

There is more to the list, but suffice it to say we are dealing with a very different animal than what we find in Protestantism generally, and Calvinism specifically.”

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@Jolz_Aust I think you misunderstand why we need to hear about hell. Pope John Paul II wrote that too often “preachers, catechists, teachers . . . no longer have the courage to preach the threat of hell,” & early Church Fathers have plenty to say about it. https://t.co/2nCabzhi7m

[Sachin Jose @Sachinettiyil]

Spain’s Catholic coach Luis de la Fuente before the FIFA World Cup semifinal: “I pray every day.”

The coach says his prayers are not about winning matches, but about thanking God for the gift of life and asking for strength each day.

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@TuckerCarlson Tucker needs to stop spreading false info about the CC. There were 57 vernacular translations before Luther- 21 German, 1 Spanish, 4 French, 21 Italian, 5 Flemish, 4 Bohemian. Also, the Vulgate in the 5th century was obviously in the vernacular.

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@DublinMarley @father_rmv And literally how the reformation started. 😬

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@skymeds_store Who is the boy and where can we see photos of him alive and well?

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@ChristySimm23 @JimSanoBC79 I’ve run into many anti-Catholics like you on X that seethe when communicating with Catholic Christians, having been misled by leaders they trust. I won’t answer again, but I will be praying for you to consider the Catholic view & find the peace, beauty, & truth in the Church

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@ChristySimm23 @JimSanoBC79 Snide comments don’t make your view correct. Scripture, Church history, and honest Protestant scholars recognize that works of the law are not the same as good works—a distinction Luther failed to understand,.

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@ChristySimm23 @JimSanoBC79 And yet, my view is found in scripture. Yours is not. 😁

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@ChristySimm23 @JimSanoBC79 I no longer use the “logic” of Protestants, who add to scripture, ignore scripture and tell me it doesn’t mean what it plainly says, teach “scriptural” views only heretics have ever held to, & since 1517 teach countless conflicting doctrines as they claim to be in unity 🤡

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@ChristySimm23 @JimSanoBC79 Scripture states faith without works is dead, so faith ALONE is dead, Paul says faith working in love matters, we must work out our salvation, & the greatest of these is love. Do any judgment verses mention faith alone? Not according to scripture you say is your authority 😁🤷‍♀️

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@ChristySimm23 @JimSanoBC79 You didn’t provide a scripture with the words supporting your claim.
The only scripture with the words “faith alone,” is preceded by you are NOT saved by. I believe scripture over your 21st century opinion based on a 16th century novel doctrine not found in scripture or history.

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@ChristySimm23 @JimSanoBC79 Hey Gigi,

As a Protestant, I was taught what you claim by leaders I trusted…Protestants are united on “salvation by grace through faith alone and the authority of scripture.”

Can you cite the scripture that has all the words “salvation by grace through faith alone?”

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@RowankitBlake @BetweenRichards @JoshuaTCharles Pope Leo XIII wrote 4 encyclicals on Freemasonry.

https://t.co/oEsYRs5piZ

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@RowankitBlake @BetweenRichards @JoshuaTCharles Grand Orient Freemasonry Unmasked by Monsignor George F. Dillon: A classic foundational text within traditionalist and conservative circles that links the origins of subversive political movements—such as communism—to secret societies.

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@RowankitBlake @BetweenRichards @JoshuaTCharles Masons cannot be Catholic, no matter what they claim. Read these books:
The Secret Founding of America: The Real Story of Freemasons, Puritans, & the Battle for the New World by Nicholas Hagger. It shows Freemasonry in the formation of the US & global political movements.

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@slipfanejc @Xtopher_Uzo Jim and Pattie here, we were Protestant for 30 years, Pattie & many we met left the Church (in hindsight I realize it was always in ignorance). We never wanted to become Catholic. History, Catholic teaching, & scripture made us Catholic. Now you know 2 who became Catholic. 😁

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@mariaebyrd @Guzik_Paulina Ah, Maria, you sound like an angry protestant. Each one thinks his view is the correct one. I know many in the Novus Ordo “mob” that are faithful and very fruitful Christians. Jesus said the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church. Trust Him, and pray for our pope.

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@McJuggerNuggets There will be many times in the future that you both will see a Down’s child about the age of your child enjoying a blessed life. I fear those will be much harder times for you both.

[From Geneva to Rome @GowingCatholic]

@DonnaFord784962 @baroncoleman Happy Lord’s Day Donna! FYI, in spite of the misrepresentations and lies you have heard about the teachings of the Church, Catholics (OG Christians) worship God alone. 😁