Co-Authoring (c)Catholics

It seems that recently there have been some concerns as to the purpose of this site. Gregory, my close friend and co-author of this site, has already explained in one of the comment sections that the site was originally intended as a Catholic Apologetics site, and that I was considering at one point converting to Catholicism. Both intentions are true.

Since the inception of this site, however, two intentions have changed for me. Most notably, I have decided not to become Catholic. And secondarily, I have refused apologetics along a purely Catholic line, and moved toward a more oecumenical (catholic, wholistic, organic, etc.) defense of the faith.

That being said, I'd like to conclude this short interruption on the site by saying that as a 'protestant' (however you want to view that label), I am not out to defend my own understandings, the understandings of any particular church affiliation or tradition, or any opinion of such-and-such an author. I am interested in defending what is biblically true, as God Himself gives me wisdom to do so.

So while Gregory will write from a position of Catholicism, and defend our common faith from the vantage of a convinced Catholic Christian, I will defend our common faith from the vantage of a convinced (small-'c') catholic Christian. Gregory desires to foster an understanding of an historical entity, and its beliefs as they have survived through history; I desire to nurse an understanding of an historic people and their convergent focus on Christ through history. You will see as this blog progresses and picks up speed over the next while that though we have our differences, we are Christians all the same. And it is that common faith that links us as brothers and sisters in Christ (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 818; Apology of the Augsburg Confession VII & VIII: The Church, 10; Galatians 3:27-28).

Gregory and I will most certainly disagree at times, and will debate heartily. Both of us are capable learners, writers, and academics. However, the point of our debates with each other -- as it should be for anyone else who comes to this board to debate us or each other, for that matter -- is not to screed, and debunk each other; we simply wish to strive with each other, even against each other, for the purpose of sharpening our understanding of the One who saved us: Jesus Christ, Our Lord. If apologetics between believers can't be done to that end, then we may as well tape our fingers together and shut our mouths from now on. There's no sense in defending for the purpose of offending, and any offense incurred because of a defense should be treated as the 8th commandment enjoins us: not as a false witness; the implication, of course being, that we should consider the other in the best possible light.

C.J.