While browsing news headlines this afternoon, I was surprised to see that Francis Beckwith's conversion was still being reported freshly. Earlier last month I had intended to post on this newsworthy conversion; however, end of school year work responsibilities prevented me from getting into it. Here's an excerpt from what I found today:
Until a few weeks ago, Francis Beckwith served as president of the Evangelical Theological Society, an association of 4,300 Protestant theologians.
That was until he made the announcement on the Right Reason blog of his return to the Catholic faith of his youth. Beckwith returned to the Church after 32 years as an evangelical. The online “storm” that followed led Beckwith to resign as president of the prestigious society.
He serves as associate professor of church-state studies at Baylor University. He spoke recently to Register senior writer Tim Drake from his home in Waco, Texas.
Click here to read Dr. Beckwith's conversation with the National Catholic Register, and here for Dr. Beckwith's original post announcing his conversion.
Of the many things I found interesting in the story was the tone of many commenters on the original blog entry. It goes to show us that when it comes to being on the receiving end of religious bigotry Catholicism is deemed to be fair game. Indeed it appears that the Catholic faith is yet an acceptable prejudice in our society.
I'm glad to see that Francis Beckwith's conversion is still making news, and still challenging the prevailing notions of it being somehow alright to bash Catholicism.
Frequent anti-Catholic combox statements on Ruth Gledhill's religion blog show the tension that still exists in England between Protestant and Catholic alike. Each and every one I've read confirm what Bishop Sheen taught ecaes ago - "anti-Catholics" hate the Church based on their perceptions of her, usually based on disciplines as opposed to dogma, and not what really and truly is.
We have a big job in letting the truths of the Faith and the Church be known.
Posted by: marco frisbee (Paul Stokell) | May 29, 2007 at 05:07 PM
er, decades ago.
Posted by: marco frisbee (Paul Stokell) | May 29, 2007 at 05:09 PM
The illustrious convert to Catholicism, G.K. Chesterton, also addressed that same fruit of misperception in (if I recall correctly) his "Upon This Rock" -- a stunning read.
DDW, it's good to see you again.
Posted by: Carol | May 29, 2007 at 05:25 PM
Thanks Carol--it's good to be back!
Posted by: Deacon DW | May 29, 2007 at 05:29 PM