Day 75
Sunday, November 19, 2006
New name. You like?
I'll see how concise and to-the-point I can make this. Since I became I Protestant six years ago, I've gotten a lot of grief from my parents. They're Roman Catholic, see; fairly "Augustinian Catholic," too, as a wise friend would say. They've been upset, acting like they failed in raising me. The upsetness has probably been consistent since 2000, but it leaks through in varying amounts from time to time. This weekend, my dad had a really bad run-in with a fellow Scout leader, a Reformed guy who--no bones about it--was a complete jerk to my dad in regards to his beliefs.
So, being the closest Protestant around, he took it out on me with snide and hostile comments all weekend, with an extra topping of meaningful silence. I don't think I've ever seen him like this. It really hurts. And my mom made a point to tell me how, "they love me, but [I've] never really given Catholicism a chance." And how they'll always "feel like they did something wrong, and failed as parents." And my mom said that any theological decisions I've made are only because I have friends that attend my church, or choices were made out of total ignorance.
I just pray that the divide opened between us can be mended, healed, scabbed and smoothed over with grace. It's hard thinking that no matter what I do or where I am, my family considers me the black sheep.
posted, with grace and poise, by Jason @ 11/19/2006 11:29:00 PM,
3 Comments:
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At 2:38 AM,
said...
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hah. Black Sheep. an identity that i have found myself in several times through out my life.
i hope those wounds can heal. i pray your parents can see that these different types of Christian really shouldn't matter... -
At 11:50 AM,
said...
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Janet, I disagree. Different types of Christianity do matter. Mormonism is a form of Christianity, and I'm not likely to say that it is the same as being reformed.
Jason, I would recommend the Augustianian angle (possibly Aquinas). To point out how close reformed thinking is to Catholicism. Remember Luther and Calvin were trying to be good Catholics, by pointing out the flaws that they saw in the Chruch of their time. I think we 21st century folks would be surprised by how Catholic these two looked. You should just start calling yourself a "Refomed Catholic." I would, except I'm Dutch, so that's a give away:-) -
At 4:04 PM,
Jason said...
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Well, at this point, saying anything like that would just make it tougher. It's hard to explain.
Anywho, I think Reformed Catholicism is quite interesting, but I really don't have any desire to think of myself as such. There is lots about various traditions that I respect--RC, Orthodox, other Protestants--but blessed to be where I am now.
