Evangelicals Now
Christian news worldwide
magnifying glass Search archives
home Home check the archives Archives Subscribe Subscriptions Advertising Information & booking of classifieds Adverts Find a local evangelical Church Find a church for the search engines and extremely curious! About us Contact us Site Map
Printable
Version

Is the Reformation over?

An evangelical assessment of Roman Catholicism

The critical 1/3rd

IS THE REFORMATION OVER?
An evangelical assessment of Roman Catholicism
By Mark A. Noll & Carolyn Nystrom
Baker/Patternoster. 266 pages. £13.99
ISBN 1 84227 387 6

This fascinating book explores the relationship between evangelicals and Roman Catholics in the United States and seeks to address the title question. It describes the historic stand off between the two parties and then considers why this has changed. Roman Catholicism was once seen as the enemy by evangelicals and is now regarded as an ally in the fight against secular liberalism.

As well as exploring the political dimension to the relationship there is an assessment of the current theological position of Catholicism and describes the dialogue between the evangelicals and Catholics.

The positives of this book are that it reminds us that there really is no need for the social and political antagonism that divided the two communities in previous generations. Such bigotry still does exist and this book helps us to see its origin. It also helpfully shows how Catholicism has moved on since the Second Vatican Council and people interacting with Catholics do well to have some handle on these changes.

However, for all its good research and helpful insights I would regard this book as seriously and dangerously flawed. The impression given is that, in the end, Roman Catholicism and Evangelicalism are two expressions of genuine Christianity, although both are flawed. The authors note that evangelicals could agree with two thirds of the Catholic Catechism (1994). We probably could agree with two thirds but it is the third we can’t agree with that is critical.

Some Catholics may well be genuine believers and Catholicism may have rephrased its teaching on justification and the authority of Scripture but, at an official level, a chasm remains. It is one thing to be closer but another thing all together to agree. Does it matter that Catholicism has not embraced a Reformed biblical view of justification? If you don’t know the answer to this question, please don’t read this book.

Greg Strain,
(ex-Roman Catholic), pastor, Spicer Street, St. Albans