Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic [Paperback]

David Currie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1996

David Currie was raised in a devout Christian family whose father was a fundamentalist preacher and both parents teachers at Moody Bible Institute. Currie's whole upbringing was immersed in the life of fundamentalist Protestantism - theology professors, seminary presidents and founders of evangelical mission agencies were frequent guests at his family dinner table. Currie received a degree from Trinity International University and studied in the Masters of Divinity program. This book was written as an explanation to his fundamentalist and evangelical friends and family about why he became a Roman Catholic. Currie presents a very lucid, systematic and intelligible account of the reasons for his conversion to the ancient Church that Christ founded. He gives a detailed discussion of the important theological and doctrinal beliefs Catholic and evangelicals hold in common, as well as the key doctrines that separate us, particularly the Eucharist, the Pope, and Mary.

Product Details

• Paperback: 215 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Press (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089870569X
• ISBN-13: 978-0898705690
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (127 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,358 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

138 of 147 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Remarkable Journey, October 21, 2004

By 

Dennis Phillips "The Book Friar" (Bulls Gap, Tennessee USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic (Paperback)

David Currie was born into an evangelical family, was raised by parents who were both teachers at Moody Bible Institute, attended evangelical schools and married into another evangelical family. Early on in this book he writes of two experiences that clearly reveal the mindset he grew up with. It seems he had a crush on a girl but knew he could never date her because she was a Methodist and Methodists were too far away from his belief system to even allow him to date her. Also, as he walked home from school on the day that President Kennedy was killed, the sixth grader was sad not only because of the death but also because he was sure this Catholic president was in Hell. Clearly, David Currie had a long road to travel before he could end up a Catholic himself.

The beauty of this book comes from Currie's extensive evangelical education. Because of this education, the author is able to explain evangelical theology in a very clear and easy to understand manner. Starting from that point he then looks at Catholic theology and compares and contrasts the two. Therefore this book is useful to a Catholic who wishes to further understand evangelical beliefs as well as an evangelical who wishes to study the Catholic Church. This book will also be of great help to the new Catholic or those thinking of converting or becoming reconciled according to this author.

With the authors deep knowledge of evangelical as well as Protestant theology he is able to very deftly explain why he thinks the Catholic Church is the more Biblical. All of his points are very clear and well taken and more importantly, easy to grasp. I dare say that even cradle Catholics would learn a few things about their Church by reading this book. For anyone who is thinking of moving to the Catholic Church from a Protestant tradition this book is essential reading. Currie starts out from the Protestant perspective and then, taking the Bible and the writing of the Church fathers he moves over to the Catholic view. It is a step by step and very clear process and will do wonders at clearing up questions that any Protestant will have. For example, chapters three to five will go a long way in explaining the structure of the Church and it is accomplished in a way that any Protestant will understand.

There are some subjects that are a little deeper than others are and the reader will often want to check the scripture cited by the author and this is not a book for someone without any Christian background at all. Furthermore, many evangelicals and fundamentalists may find this work offensive as it time and again questions the very basics of their faith. On the other hand, these same people may be challenged to think out the theology of their church. Maybe they will come away with a stronger faith than before and maybe they will see things the way Currie did. Either way, they will have learned something and that is always good. For Catholics, we can never learn all there is to know about the Church, but this book will certainly help us along that road.

76 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Explains Why Catholicism is Christ's True Church, December 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic (Paperback)

I was raised a Presbyterian and became a born-again Christian in my early teens. I never quite felt at home in my newfound fundamentalist religious beliefs. Initially it was scientism and skepticism that kept me from committing myself 100 percent. However, as I grew older, I found Catholicism to be a solid rock that complimented my emerging conservative inclinations. However, I was still hung up on all the reasons why Catholicism is supposedly false - reasons drilled into my head throughout my teen years.

But David Currie put all of those reasons to rest. I can now fully appreciate the Catholic faith as Christ's Church. In a world where change is promoted and glorified for its own sake, it is wondrous and glorious to belong to God's holy body that seeks to promote and affirm God's immutable and eternal Truth. I encourage open-minded fundamentalists and evangelicals to read this book and discover for themselves the order, beauty, and magnificence of the Catholic Church.

86 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-Researched and Readable!, July 18, 2003

By 

Kathleen (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic (Paperback)

It is not easy being a minority in a predominantly Protestant country. I'm a cradle Catholic of 57, and I've never read a better book that explains Catholicsm so clearly. Born Fundamentalist-Born Again Catholic takes on the major issues of Authority, Salvation, Mary, and The Rapture among others. David Currie explains them in a lucid, well-researched, and scriptural manner.

It took tremendous courage for David Currie to leave a fundamentalist Baptist background, with a minister father and many Baptist relatives and friends. He did it because he is a reader and a seeker-of-truth. He could not ignore the call of is heart.

He never denigrates his former church or any of the people in it,writing with love of his own journey into the Catholic Church. He still regards his former Baptist congregation as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Having attended a Baptist church for a year, I know how much courage this took. Catholics are regarded by fundamentalist Baptists as unsaved, little better than heathens. That much of this is ignorance does not make it any easier to go against the culture in which you have lived.

I commend David and his family. The Church and the world are better off because of his decision.