"Here's the thing...", Catholic/Protestant Relations Edition, Volume 1,419...

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Okay, there have been a few things being batted about the media about how weird and/or shocking it is that Protestant Christians and Roman Catholic Christians are diverging. Call the fire department! Clutch your pearls!

See, here's the thing, though.

It's only in the past thirty-five to forty years that Evangelical Protestants (who are the Protestants who are understood to be the other party here) and Roman Catholics have found common ground. On anything.

Why?

I'm glad you asked. Stand back.

*ahem*

EVANGELICALS DON'T LIKE CATHOLICS. THEY STILL CALL US THE WHORE OF BABYLON.

You see, Catholics happened to become useful to Evangelical denominations in the 1970s and 1980s, when we provided warm bodies to their right-to-life rallies, and again in the 2000s during the fight against marriage equality. (We were on the wrong side. Big shock.) Other than that, Evangelical and Catholic dogma and theology have about as little in common as possible while still both remaining, technically, Christian. They were always going to come into conflict, due to a single, specific tenet of faith.

"Seriously, Martin, somebody's going to have to pay for the damage to the door..."


What's hysterically depressing is that we've been fighting about this basic difference since Martin Luther got out his quill and toolbox in 1499, because what it all boils down to is this: sola fide. That's Latin for "faith alone," and that's pretty much what Evangelical Protestants believe. Just about all evangelical denominations (I don't know of one that doesn't, but I'm not willing to make the blanket statement) believe that we are saved by faith alone. Do you believe in Jesus Christ? You do? Great! Congratulations, you're going to heaven! Nothing else is required! Enjoy your afterlife!

Roman Catholicism believes that you must have faith, yes, but that you must also put in the work here on earth. We are all about the sweat equity. Do you believe in Jesus Christ? You do? Great! What have you done about it lately? We've got a couple of lists--the corporal and spiritual works of mercy--to help you with ideas. Work on a few of those things, maybe, and get back to us, 'kay?

So, what this means is that Evangelicals do not theologically believe that they are required by G-d to carry out His work. It's how so many of them can look around at suffering and shrug and say, "So? I got mine. And I'm going to heaven, so I'm all set." Catholics can't do that and still be spiritually faithful to our faith.

And those fundamental differences which were glossed over so very smoothly when we were useful are tripping up the relationship between Evangelicalism and Catholicism now, especially with Pope Francis at the helm promoting wild ideas like helping the poor, welcoming the refugee, and feeding the hungry. 

It's about time.

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