A Protestant Pastor Has Pressing Questions About Catholicism (Special Podcast Highlight)
The Patrick Madrid Show
Relevant Radio
4.8 • 587 Ratings
🗓️ 11 May 2024
⏱️ 10 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
"How do we know the Assumption of Mary actually happened? Why is it not mentioned?"
Patrick Madrid engages with Eric, a Protestant pastor from Helena, Montana, who grapples with understanding Marian doctrines, particularly the Assumption of Mary.
Eric's Journey:
Eric is exploring Catholicism but finds the Assumption of Mary challenging due to its sparse mention in early Church writings
He questions why significant doctrines like the Assumption aren’t explicitly detailed in early Church Father writings, similar to his concerns about infant baptism and Church hierarchy.
Patrick's Insightful Response:
Historical Parallels: Patrick compares the development of the Assumption doctrine to the Trinity doctrine, noting:
Trinity: Not explicitly named until Tertullian in the 3rd century, yet fundamental.
Assumption: Similar trajectory; less overt early mention but recognized over time.
Persecution Impact:
Early Christians focused on survival rather than doctrinal writings.
Post-persecution, there was an explosion in theological literature, including Marian doctrines.
Resource Recommendations:
T.L. Frazer’s Article: Assumptions About Mary – Highlights patristic references to the Assumption.
Tim Staples' Book: Behold Your Mother – Provides a biblical defense of Marian doctrines.
Jurgens' Collection: The Faith of the Early Fathers – Indexed quotes on various doctrines, including the Assumption.
Biblical and Traditional Foundations:
Patrick emphasizes that Catholicism relies on Scripture and Tradition.
He mentions Acts 2:38-39 as a biblical basis for infant baptism.
Personal Reflections:
Eric shares his family's transition to Catholicism, with three out of four children converting.
Patrick encourages Eric to keep exploring and offers further resources, including his book Surprised by Truth.
Patrick reassures Eric about the legitimacy of Marian doctrines, highlighting the importance of Tradition alongside Scripture.
Takeaway: For those curious about Catholic doctrines, especially the Assumption of Mary, examining Church history, patristic writings, and biblical references can provide clarity and deepen faith understanding.
Relevant Radio is always here for you as you explore the Catholic faith as well!
The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free, and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | You know, having grown up Protestant and now three out of the four of my kids, becoming Catholic, |
| 0:05.1 | it's been interesting in our family, and I've been a Protestant pastor for 17 years. |
| 0:09.5 | Let's go now to Eric and Helena, Montana. Good morning, Eric. |
| 0:13.3 | I was wondering, and this is coming from a Protestant perspective, and I'm not arguing Protestantism with you |
| 0:19.9 | because I know it has a lot of problems. |
| 0:21.9 | But I guess my hurdle, or one of the hurdles I have, for coming to Catholicism, |
| 0:31.2 | is the kind of the Marian doctrines and in particular, like the assumption of Mary. So I'm reading more and more of the |
| 0:40.8 | church fathers, and like I just don't see it anywhere in the church fathers. And so I guess my |
| 0:49.6 | question is like, if it did happen, why don't they mention it more? And then sometimes I'm like, man, |
| 0:57.7 | if they just said, like, maybe this happened or maybe it didn't happen, it's like I'd be like |
| 1:02.7 | a lot more okay with it. Sometimes I feel it's like putting it like, okay, I have to treat this |
| 1:08.0 | almost like the resurrection of Christ. Like, it is this a hill that I would die on. |
| 1:12.9 | Why don't the Church Fathers mention the assumption more if it is so important and it happened? |
| 1:19.6 | That's a very fair question. It's a good question. So let me offer you a response to that, |
| 1:25.5 | but also a reference, actually a couple of resources that might be |
| 1:29.1 | helpful to you. So the first thing is the church fathers do mention it, and in a way similar to |
| 1:36.9 | the Trinity, which of course is the central doctrine of Christianity, one God and three persons. |
| 1:43.1 | You don't really see any mention of it, certainly not |
| 1:45.7 | by that title, until you get to Turtolian in the third century. That's when he coins the phrase |
| 1:51.9 | trinitas in Latin. Now, Theophilus of Antioch, I believe it was him who coined a Greek term |
| 1:59.7 | called Triados in the late second century. |
| 2:04.6 | And I'm offering this to you by way of parallel. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Relevant Radio, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Relevant Radio and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.