I read their Journal during my studies, but I don't now follow ETS enough to know the players. Therefore, I appreciate this story from Michael Barber at "Singing In the Reign".

And reading White's thoughts on it, stepping down would be a given in my book; an Evangelical-turned-Catholic doesn't suddenly abandon all Christian propriety, no matter what Dr. White believes. We may not see politicians resign their office when they switch parties or positions, but if the ETS desires to be exclusively Protestant, as White says (and Akin contests), then let 'em have it. Actually, I don't think a Catholic can hold to the ETS statement of belief, so I disagree with Akin.

Dr. Beckwith's education (excepting WUSTL) occurred at Catholic institutions, including Fordham. Reared Catholic or no, an influence upon his thought is almost certain. And White reports detecting Catholic ways of expression in Beckwith's written dialogue with fellow Christians.

Knowledge of philosophy tends to make Catholicism attractive. And, conversely, ignorance of philosophy renders Catholicism unintelligible. Those branches of Bible Christianity that reject philosophical categories hold at bay a significant bridge to Catholicism. Likewise, the general American public's lack of familiarity with philosophy has left most unable to see and appreciate and believe the Catholic faith in sharp contrast to previous decades when well-educated men and women were streaming into the Church.

But, I really wonder at White's words,

"the endless treadmill of Rome's sacramental system,"

because I have yet to hear similar language leveled against Eastern Orthodoxy.

Our respective theologies of the sacraments are not identical but we both view them as instituted by Christ and necessary. I am puzzled by the reception that EO receives among Evangelicals - and notables like Presbyteria Frederica Mathewes-Green and Bishop Ware (and now Rod Dreher - converts all ... from Anglicanism and her derivatives!) have done much to popularize the ancient Eastern faith among Westerners even though Orthodoxy has some key beliefs and practices that Evangelicalism would reject outright: think "icons" here.

My hunch is that EO gets a pass from Evangelicals and Catholicism doesn't because of one and only one distinctive: the pope.

UPDATE: a word from Dr. Beckwith's blog:

[I]n January, at the suggestion of a dear friend, I began reading the Early Church Fathers as well as some of the more sophisticated works on justification by Catholic authors.

I became convinced that the Early Church is more Catholic than Protestant and that the Catholic view of justification, correctly understood, is biblically and historically defensible.

Even though I also believe that the Reformed view is biblically and historically defensible, I think the Catholic view has more explanatory power to account for both all the biblical texts on justification as well as the church’s historical understanding of salvation prior to the Reformation all the way back to the ancient church of the first few centuries.

He plans to step down as president but wishes to remain a member, as he claims to affirm the statement of beliefs. He knows better than I.

tags technorati : beckwith james r. white jimmy akin