Why I Am Roman Catholic

by Matthew Levering

The Roman Catholic tradition in Christianity is breathtaking, complex, and rich in insight about what it means to follow God. But what does it look like to claim this tradition as one's own? And how does this intersect with the reality of our daily and personal lives?

In this vulnerable and succinct volume, theologian Matthew Levering addresses the heart of these questions. Bringing together personal memoir and theology, he reflects on why he identifies as Roman Catholic, and considers how this tradition addresses what it means to follow and participate in the life of the Triune God as a finite creature. Rather than shy away from the challenges this tradition presents, Levering presses into these challenges to offer an honest yet hopeful account of being Roman Catholic.

The Ecumenical Dialogue series seeks to foster ecumenical dialogue across theological differences. In each volume, contributors explore what it means to be Christian, what it means to identify with a specific tradition in Christianity (Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox), the challenges and benefits of their tradition, and how they can create dialogue and unity across historically tense division.

Genres: Theology, Catholic, Religion

171 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 27, 2024

About the author

Matthew Levering (PhD, Boston College) is professor of religious studies at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. He is the author or editor of numerous books, including Ezra & Nehemiah in the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible. He is also coauthor of Holy People, Holy Land and Knowing the Love of Christ.

Reviews

[Alex Strohschein · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading Christian books in earnest in 2010, apologetics was focused on answering the objections of skeptics including the "four horsemen" of the New Atheism. Can we trust the Bible? Can we believe in the Virgin birth? In more recent years there has been an increase in intra-Christian apologetics, especially among those who are "very online." Christians don't argue over whether we can trust the Bible but rather whether we can rely on Scripture without tradition. Christians don't doubt the Virgin birth but rather whether Mary was a perpetual virgin. Rejecting the polemical approaches of some zealous Catholics (and there are parallel examples of these among Protestants and Orthodox), the prolific theologian Matthew Levering shares the compelling reasons why he was drawn to Roman Catholicism.

To list all of Levering's reasons would be to give away his personal story and besides that, a testimony is not a genre of writing that can really be critiqued. In His amazing grace God calls us to Himself through an array of means and paths. One of Levering's early motivations for seeking God was "fear of death" (p. 21) which I resonated with, as well as how much reading played a role in his conversion - "Take up and read!" (p. 25, 40). I found Levering's "methodology" of presenting his arguments to be very, well, Catholic as page after page he offers up moving insights not only from "the usual suspects" like St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Teresa of Avila but also less-heralded figures such as Ephrem the Syrian, Gertrude the Great of Helfta, and Alfred Delp. He also shares about his experiences and friendships with non-Catholic Christians including Stanley Hauerwas, Hans Boersma, and John Behr.

Given that this book is barely past 150 pages, naturally it isn't an extensive defence of Roman Catholic distinctives, though topics like the papacy and Mary are certainly addressed. Readers wanting more substantial arguments for Roman Catholic distinctives would do well to read Levering's other titles such as Mary’s Bodily Assumption and Christ and the Catholic Priesthood: Ecclesial Hierarchy and the Pattern of the Trinity.

In Why I Am Roman Catholic, Levering models principled irenicism that I hope the other authors in this series emulate - and that all Christians should strive for! Personally, while the cursory cases for Catholic doctrines did little to stir up doubts about my Protestant convictions, Levering's mining of rich reflections from the Catholic tradition drew me into greater awe and admiration for Our Lord.

[Haley Baumeister · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the idea of this Ecumenical Dialogue Series from InterVarsity Press.

The tone of this was less a hardcore apologist argument, which has its place... but rather a personal glimpse into his high-level reasons for being in the faith. It has some heart. The theological points have had multiple books of scholarship written about them—his own included. So this is not the place to find every in-depth answer. But for a gentle introduction to the whole of the tradition, this book was very accessible. An incredibly humble heart shone through its pages (and the Gospel Simplicity interview he did on it). We need this in scholars just as much as their rigorous, academic work.

Interested to see who represents the Orthodox and Protestant traditions in the rest of this series.

[Claire Bowers-Dingus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was beautifully written. Catholicism offers a robust theology of suffering. The author’s testimony is powerful; he came to Christ through a difficult chronic illness. This was so informative and well-written. He shares much in common with evangelical Christianity, surprisingly. Topics covered were early Church history, modern theology/politics, brokenness in light of the Cross, discipline, and even birth control. Would read again!

[John Andrew Szott III · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really edifying read, just meanders at times… or more than likely, my mind meandered (term paper and all). I’m a big fan of Levering! Grateful for the ecumenism that this book series is fostering.

[Sarah Abbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt like sitting in a coffee shop with a good and very smart friend while he shared his personal reasons for being Catholic. The tone is warm, friendly, and respectful. I was not "convinced" to become Catholic, but that wasn't its aim. Its aim was to be a personal testimony that is also based on something more substantial than "I juat like it." It helped me to see a more nuanced and robust view of Catholicism. There is truth, beauty, and goodness here, even as I (and the author) acknowledge real and significant disagreements.

Aside from major doctrinal differences, one area I'd like to ask the author about is his understanding of how Catholicism particularly points to the goodness and beauty of heterosexual marriage (which I agree with). While this was a significant point in favor of Catholicism for him, as a single person choosing a celibate lifestyle, I felt left out in regards to what Catholicism can offer me and others who choose celibacy. This is kind of fascinating since Catholicism also has a high view of celibacy.

[Jeremy Crump · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it’s that Catholicism is a tough sell for me or maybe it’s that I was hoping for more of an apologetic for Catholicism but I was left unpersuaded and largely unmoved by this personal account. Levering doesn’t attempt to explain Catholic distinctives or fully respond to common criticisms. (For example, his response to sex abuse scandals in the Church is basically, “the Church is flawed; we should do better,” which doesn’t address at all the systemic failures of the Church.) He does quote liberally from Catholic saints as helpful guides to the spiritual life but this doesn’t add to an argument for Catholicism since Protestants could claim them (to a degree) as well. I found his discussions of ecumenism and Catholic exegesis unenlightening. Maybe I’m being too harsh but this was a flat, disappointing read for me.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short, beautiful book. It is not at all what I expected, and that is a great thing. It has its apologetic moments, but the unexpected highlight for me were the sections on how this tradition has provided the author with hope in Christ in the midst of loss and disability. Part memoir, part apologetic, all about the beauty of the Christian faith as the fount of hope. Grounded in scripture, patristics, and the whole of the Great Tradition. Highly recommended.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this series is a great idea - 3 Christian theologians are each writing a book about their respective denomination, in the spirit of ecumenicism and the hope of learning from each other. This is the first one I've read and is more theologically dense than I expected, but puts forward a well-reasoned presentation of Catholicism that is grounded in the author's personal faith.

Looking forward to reading the Protestant and Orthodox ones soon!

[Peter Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why I Am Roman Catholic (Ecumenical Dialogue Series) by Matthew Levering

This is a very personal book.

Matthew Levering is a Catholic theologian. He has written a large number of thoughtful books on Catholic theology. This is a thoughtful book on Catholic theology, but he couches his thoughts on theology with illustrations from his autobiography, such as the death of his mother and his painful ailment.

These details are important because being a Catholic is not simply a matter of the mind or spirit. Catholicism is a sacramental, incarnational faith where the divine is found through the created world, the created participates in the divine. Levering says he is Catholic because of the “deep yearning and existential need to which Catholicism responds by offering joyous union with Christ in communion with those who love him.” He gives thanks for the “give of Christ’s Catholic Church” which offers him the body of Christ as medicine for sin. He loves lived experience of being Catholic, such as the ashes on the forehead on Ash Wednesday, Easter readings, “the crucifix, the Benedictines and Franciscans and Dominicans, priestly vestments and incense, nightly rosary and liturgy of the hours.”

Catholicism is a total human experience.

Levering approaches his book as “personal testimony, not a disputation to satisfy all doubts.” If you are looking for an argument, this is not your book. Instead, Levering tells his story about his faith journey. His testimony is inarguable. It is his experience. Others might have other experiences.

Levering begins his ecumenical project with a discussion of why he is a Christian. This makes sense since he started out in a kind of nominal Christian culture. He is a convert to Catholicism, making his way to Catholicism through Evangelical Protestantism. His reasons are deeply personal and part of his own spiritual experiences. He illustrates his thoughts with quotations from the saints, which makes sense given the corporate nature of Catholicism.

Levering’s next section deals with the reason he became Catholic, rather than Protestant or Orthodox. This leads him to discuss his introduction to the writings of Pope John Paul II, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Joseph Ratzinger. He came of age in the 1990s when these intellectuals dominated the Catholic theological world. Levering was also influenced by the Catechism, the Theology of the Bod, and G.K. Chesterton, gateway drugs to Catholicism. It does not appear that Levering had any struggle with perennial issues like the Papacy, the Virgin Mary or the Eucharist.

Nonetheless, he does offer his reasons for accepting Catholic teachings. He grounds the papacy on scripture’s reference to the keys and the commissioning of Peter, and from the historical experience of church councils that were necessary to interpret the Bible for the church. He points out the obvious fact that Protestants are beholden to their own traditions of interpretation when they decide what counts as a “first-order doctrine” and what doesn’t. He explains:

It therefore seems to me that St. John Henry Newman is correct when he says, “A revelation is not given, if there be no authority to decide what it is that is given.”13 Concretely speaking, this means that the church must at least have the ability to hold dogmatically binding councils. Otherwise, either the powers of the early church have been lost (putting in question whether they were ever real), or Christianity boils down to believers and their Bible, putting forward their own versions of Christianity. For St. Newman, the development of the modern papacy took place due to the needs of the church as Christianity spread.

Levering, Matthew. Why I Am Roman Catholic (Ecumenical Dialogue Series) (p. 46). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

The role of the papacy is to carry out Christ’s commandment for unity and visibility, not merely for epistemic certainty.

Levering makes the odd claim that he became Catholic because of the Virgin Mary. The popular Protestant position that Mary was “just a sinner” and a happenstance site of the Incarnation is not one that found congenial. He writes:

But the above point of view about the Virgin Mary never made sense to me. Bearing someone in one’s womb is not a merely physical experience. There is an emotional and spiritual dimension to it. The blood of the child mingles with the blood of the mother, and the mother retains traces of the child’s unique DNA for as long as the mother lives. Furthermore, Mary was a mother but not a normal mother, if basic Christian testimony to Jesus as the Son of God and to Mary’s virginal conception is to be believed. Mary bore in her womb the incarnate Creator of the world. Mary was the truest temple of God that has ever been known. St. Andrew of Crete rightly remarks that her motherhood is “utterly unfathomable,” and he urges us to “consider the ineffable, unprecedented mystery realized in her, a mystery infinitely exalted.”

Levering, Matthew. Why I Am Roman Catholic (Ecumenical Dialogue Series) (pp. 49-50). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

Levering further explains:
But no one comes anywhere near to Jesus’ greatness, and no one among her fellow mere humans can compare with Mary’s blessedness. She was the mother of the Lord, the mother of her Redeemer, the mother of her Creator. Her greatness, thanks to her Creator, is astounding. As she herself proclaims in the Gospel of Luke, “Behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name” (Lk 1:48-49). Or as the angel Gabriel greets her, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Lk 1:28). She was the one chosen to conceive and bear the Son of God in her own body. God chose her to be his mother—to nourish, care for, and teach him. Her cousin Elizabeth proclaims, “Blessed are you among women” (Lk 1:42)—for Mary is indeed the most blessed woman ever to have lived. According to Luke, Elizabeth rejoiced simply at the privilege of being in the presence of “the mother of my Lord” (Lk 1:43).

Thus, we should not be surprised that distinctive graces and distinctive experiences were given to Mary. Mary was a virgin, and her conception of Jesus was virginal (Lk 1; Mt 1).20 Already this is strange indeed. Mary is depicted as the new Eve in the Gospels of Luke and John.21 Mary was at the foot of the cross, participating in a human and motherly way in the self-offering of her Son.

Levering, Matthew. Why I Am Roman Catholic (Ecumenical Dialogue Series) (pp. 50-51). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

It seems like a failure of human imagination not to wonder and marvel at the closeness of the Divine and Creation in Mary.

It may be that those who lack this imagination lack the ability to understand a sacramental perspective. Sacramentality – that the created participates with the divine – requires the acceptance of the supernatural acting immanently rather than transcendentally, in the here and now, rather than back then. Sacramentality involves hierarchy and delegation. God works through His creation; creation participates with God, often by way of a hierarchy of created beings. Levering writes:

St. Anselm does not hesitate to ask numerous saints to exercise miraculous power. He thinks this is how the risen and ascended Christ generally wills to act—namely, through his body. Christ enables his people to share in the working out of his will. Through the divine power, my prayers may serve the good of my neighbor, and my neighbor’s prayers may serve my good, all within Christ’s plan for communicating to his body the salvation that he alone has won.

Levering, Matthew. Why I Am Roman Catholic (Ecumenical Dialogue Series) (p. 54). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

Levering offers a matched pair of sections on what he has found beneficial and difficult about being a Catholic. He has found benefit in Catholic humility, providence, and marriage. At this point in history, when popular culture has taken great delight in sawing off the branch of marriage, the Catholic Church offers a rare basis of stability. After gay marriage and the trans identity roll-out, modern culture can’t answer the question of why there should be “two” in marriage. If marriage is for sex, personal growth, or economic security, then the more the merrier. The Theology of the Body can answer the question by pointing to the telos of marriage, namely, children.

On the other hand, the Catholic Church is dealing with religious liberalism as is the case with other institutions. Likewise, the fact that it is an institution puts the Catholic Church in the trap of being a worldly institution with all that entails. These issues in turn lead to the grotesque “scandals” that have beset the Catholic Church in the last few decades. Levering copes with these issues with the following thoughts:

Some people argue that episcopal abuses such as this are the inevitable result of a celibate, all-male hierarchy, but I agree with Robert Barron that this contention overlooks the fact that “all human beings are fallen, and celibate males do not have a monopoly on selfishness, stupidity, and wickedness.”45 Democratic structures, too, have their own characteristic forms of corruption. Yet all can agree that there must be real transparency and accountability in the Catholic Church. For all the above problems, what is especially needed is spiritual renewal. Let us heed the words of St. Bonaventure, who urges, “Rivet your gaze on the rays of truth emanating from the Cross. . . . Seven things . . . have been disclosed through the efficacy of Christ’s passion, namely: the admirable God, the value of the world of intelligible spirits, the vanity of the world of the senses, paradise as desirable, hell as horrible, virtue as praiseworthy, sin as blameworthy.”46

Levering, Matthew. Why I Am Roman Catholic (Ecumenical Dialogue Series) (p. 113). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

Levering’s next section discusses ecumenism. Ecumenism is nice and agreeable. However, it can be too nice and agreeable. Catholicism has been enriched by Luther, Calvin and Barth, sometimes by defining the truth, and sometimes by incorporating the truth that these people come across. The orthodox tradition has never been afraid of accepting the truth, no matter the human source. However, according to Pope Pius XI, the church is not a federation, the “members of which retain each his own opinions and private judgment, even in matters which concern the object of faith.” Levering observes:

On the other hand, ecumenism is not a race toward the lowest common denominator or toward a new doctrinally diluted version of Christianity. Catholic philosopher Josef Pieper warned after the Second Vatican Council, “I am not pleased to see theologians who are also members of the clergy quoting the New Testament in the attempt to disprove its validity.”44 Dialogue promoted by a shared faith-destroying agenda is useless. Christian ecumenism requires a shared strong conviction about the truth of divine revelation. Because truth matters, scholarly works containing strongly worded disputations with other Christians will continue. After all, when we love Jesus Christ, we want to live according to his plan for his church. If he willed to give himself to us in the Eucharist, for example, then it is clear that eucharistic doctrine greatly matters. Ecumenical differences should not be papered over, including with respect to the Eucharist, despite the sorrow of divided worship.

Levering, Matthew. Why I Am Roman Catholic (Ecumenical Dialogue Series) (pp. 138-139). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

There is a lot of depth in this book. It is not a book of polemics. It will provide some answers to some questions a reader might have about Catholicism. It provides more a sense of the qualia of being a Catholic. For those who are wondering about that it may be worth reading.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: A Catholic theologian explains why he is Christian and Catholic and what it means to embrace this tradition.

At a time when many people are fleeing any organized religious tradition, theologian Matthew Levering unabashedly asserts “I love being Catholic”. In this book Levering explains how he came to faith and why he entered the Catholic Church. He describes the book as “an unfinished meditation on my Catholic life.” Throughout he weaves in his reading of Catholic saints and theologians with his own experience.

He begins by explaining how he came to Christian faith. For him, it was his sense of his own frailty and the reality of death that prompted his search. He was drawn by the cross of Christ, aware that he desperately needed it. Third, he was drawn by the awesomeness of the Triune God, a theme running through the book. Fourthly, the coherence and harmony of the two testaments was convincing.

He read himself into the Catholic Church, devouring works of John Paul II, von Balthasar, and Ratzinger. The unifying authority of the Petrine office drew him, Mary as Mother of the Lord Incarnate who intercedes, the beauty of the Eucharist, and Catholic teaching on marriage. The Church’s teaching on marriage is also one of the things he considers most beneficial as a context to nurture love and teach us the self-giving of Christ. In addition, he finds the Church’s teaching on humility and the providence of God beneficial.

However, being Catholic is not without its difficulties, which Levering admits with candor. He would be on the side of those troubled by accommodations to the secular world post-Vatican II. Yet he is even harder on himself, and the temptations to worldliness with which he struggles. Likewise, he finds the scandals of clerical sexual abuse disheartening. He forthrightly advocate support for victims, transparency, and believes turning to Christ’s saving power can bring real holiness out of the ruins.

While Levering warmly embraces Catholicism, he also speaks warmly of his ecumenical relationships. He acknowledges the polemics of the past. Likewise, he remains firm in his conviction that the Catholic Church is the one church founded by Christ. Thus, he opposes any ecumenism seeking to restore a lost unity. Rather, he sees ecumenism as an exchange of gifts, a means to foster warm relationships, and as a way to anticipate the unity of the church in the eschaton.

Finally, he concludes the book by offering an example of Catholic theological exegesis. He focuses on Genesis 1:1-3, weaving in all of scripture and drawing on theologians from Athanasius to his contemporaries. He concludes personally, speaking about how it is this God who has shown his light into Levering’s heart.

I spent one of the most remarkable hours of my life several years ago in an interview with Matthew Levering. I have rarely met someone who combined such theological learning with such passionate love for the Triune God. As he spoke of his faith, I was in awe and wonder, not of Levering, but of the Triune God of whom he spoke. And this is what I encountered afresh in this book. He did not persuade me to become Roman Catholic. But he clearly bore witness to how the Catholic Church is the place where he has encountered the living God, enriching all of his life.

_____________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

[Noah Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book (and no that does not mean I plan to cross the Tiber lol). First of all, I think it is extremely valuable to understand the theology of christian traditions outside of our own. In some ways it makes us more sympathetic, more understanding toward there point of view, but it also makes helps us understand our own point of view all the more clearly. Secondly, Levering is a world-class theologian whose other work I have benefited from. Third, I really appreciated his personal approach to this book. He very explicitly is trying to argue with, convince or convert readers, he is simply laying out why he, Matthew Levering is Catholic. So instead of lambasting all other Christian tradition, he explains how the uniqueness of Roman Catholicism has been a comfort and a consolation through the trails of his life. Or how the daily rhythms of devotion are a sweet joy to him. Yet he also is realistic, offering ways in which it is difficult to be a catholic. He clearly has a profound respect for Christians which whom he disagrees and is eager to engage in helpful dialogue. I appreciated this work and I look forward to reading more from Levering soon

[Colette Castro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Womp womp

Not my cup of tea. I assumed (unrightfully so) that the implied subheading of this book was: Why I am Roman Catholic (and why you should be too!)

Thought this was going to be a quick audiobook apologetic, but it is quite literally the listed reasons as to why this specific guy is a Catholic lol. Most of the books are quotes from saints, which are great, but I would say the quotes constitute over half the book, while the other half is him listing things and talking about his time spent at conferences.

The beginning wasn't bad but the rest had me snoozing 😴 it's not entirely the author's fault either bc the narrator sounded like an AI chatbot, no emotion or anything

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthew Levering is a gem among Catholic theologians. Thank you for this book!

[Chadd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet. Paints a beautiful picture of the Catholic church that most people will find compelling, even when disagreeing with it.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid little book. Not as in-depth as I would have liked.