Both "Both/And" And "Either/Or"
Part I: Introducing the Problem
Protestantism wants one thing.
Catholicism wants everything.
And we can have both.
At the center, the very core of all the best Protestant devotion, is the heart that cries, “Solus Christus!” Christ alone! All else is dross, Paul’s skubala and the hymnal’s “sinking sand.” In the jungle of this life there is danger; every gift can, if not carefully monitored, be warped into an idol. Anything, even good things (in fact especially good things), can become so lovely in our eyes that we are tempted to put them before the Creator, abusing them and debasing ourselves. The words of Scripture, spiritual songs, and Christian fellowship together form the indispensable palliative to this human condition. “The human mind is a perpetual forge of idols,” says John Calvin,1 and we cannot have too many helps to ensure that we don’t wander off after them. This is the “either/or.” Either God or the world.
“Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.”
Joshua 24:23
The Catholic says “Totus tuus,” because everything is yours, O Lord. Every sunrise, every raindrop, every chirping bird and singing brook; all of it says God’s name again and again if we but have the ears to hear. Since He bridged the unbridgable gap between creature and Creator, every creature has become his intercom and megaphone. The task, then, is to harmonize and direct, to bring this voice up and that one down, so that we may hear the “music of the spheres” without impediment. This is the “both/and.” Both God and the world.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Psalm 8
So who is right, the Protestant or the Catholic? Both, when properly coordinated.
Over the course of several weeks, I’ll be posting *airhorn sounds* my very first multi-part series, working through a vision of how to integrate the Protestant and Catholic theological paradigms. Stay tuned!
Also, I’d like to propose something to you, the reader.
I have a few paid subscribers whom I deeply appreciate, not least because I currently offer no perks at all for going paid. I’m not interested in paywalling my work; I believe in the project too much for that. But I have been kicking around the idea of starting a monthly book report section for paid subscribers that would take academic and popular theology, secular and Catholic fiction, and anything else worthwhile I happen to be reading and offer summary and analysis. I would take requests and continue to set the price at $5/month (the lowest Substack will let me do) or $50 a year. If that would interest you, would you let me know in some way (comment, reply to this email, or DM)?
That’s all for now. Looking forward to exploring the both/and in the coming weeks!
Institutes 11.8.