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Leading U.S. Evangelical Author Becomes A Catholic. Leading U.S. Evangelical Author Becomes A Catholic – Bishop Barron’s Part in It The Presbyterian pastor Mark Galli has been received into the Church …More
Leading U.S. Evangelical Author Becomes A Catholic.

Leading U.S. Evangelical Author Becomes A Catholic – Bishop Barron’s Part in It

The Presbyterian pastor Mark Galli has been received into the Church on September 13. Galli is a former editor-in-chief of Christianity Today – a flagship magazine for Evangelicalism founded by Billy Graham. “I became a Catholic not to reject my evangelical convictions but merely to ground myself more deeply in them,” Galli told WordOnFire.org (September 10). Quote, “I now consider myself today an evangelical Catholic.” And, “Many evangelicals who become Catholics look back and despise their evangelical past. I’ve never been tempted to do that.”

Francis of Assisi and John Paul II

Among the key turning points of his life was Galli’s involvement in editing an issue of a magazine called Christian History, when the subject of the issue was Francis of Assisi. The saint’s life deeply impressed him. At the same time, in the evenings, Galli was reading John Paul II’s encyclical The Splendor of Truth. Quote, “I remarked to myself that it was amazing that the same Church produced both a Francis and a John Paul II.” However, The Splendor of Truth was not written by John Paul II but by Thomists which made this his best encyclical.

Bishop Robert Barron’s Part

Galli recalls how he was listening to an audio version of Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron’s book “Catholicism” while driving. At the end, when Barron alludes to Catholic intellectuals, social activists, artists, mystics and saints – quote - “I found myself sobbing.” Galli even had to pull the car off the road – quote – “because I couldn’t see straight.” For Galli, this was the point when he had converted in heart. Later, Galli’s conversion did not produce conflicts. Quote, “My family and evangelical friends tend to be either curious or affirming. No one has rebuked me or criticized me, at least to my face!” he said.

Not the Ultimate Expression of Conservatism”

Galli does not believe that the Catholic Church is the ultimate expression of conservatism. Quote, “It is anything but conservative at its core.” He gives an example – quote, “Just when the Church seemed more set in her ways than ever—the epitome of conservatism in the modern world—along comes Pope John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council.” He calls Vatican II a dramatic and radical restatement of the Church’s life and teaching.
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“I now consider myself today an evangelical Catholic.”: Catholics, caution!