Roman Catholicism (Paperback)

Lorraine Boettner's thorough and expansive treatment of Roman Catholicism has certainly become a classic since its first publication in 1962, widely disseminated and used as a basis for further critiques. Boettner's book is, however, also infamous. The book's infamy stems from its method of argumentation which combines various strategies: not only biblical exegesis, citation of Reformed creeds, quotations from Protestant authorities, and social analysis, but also innuendo, guilt by association, half-truths, and distortions of Roman Catholic teaching. Today, the book is also rather dated, failing to take account of the Second Vatican Council and other developments in 20th century Roman Catholic biblical and theological studies. For all its 450 pages, there is very little of continuing and helpful substance. It is, however, fun to read and bears witness to the polemics of an earlier era (one would wish!).

I do not have the space here to give a complete analysis of Boettner's shortcomings, but will cite some representative examples. Moreover, I do not speak here as an apologist for the Roman Catholic church. I am, in fact, like Boettner, a Reformed Protestant, though also a philosophy professor at a Roman Catholic University. It does not seem to me, however, that the cause of Protestant Christianity is well-served by inaccurate portrayals of other traditions or criticisms that only attack straw men. I write this review, then, on behalf of truth.

Boettner's first chapter combines various ends: defining Protestantism, attempting to associate Catholicism with communism, accusing Catholicism of developing various heresies and inventions, and painting a portrait of the supposedly sad state of Roman Catholic nations. Let's consider his discussion of the "heresies" and "inventions" which he implies are held to be part of the unchanging and infallible teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and thus are "binding" upon all Catholics (pages 7-10).

In point of fact, very little of what he mentions would fall into that category. For instance, fasting on Fridays, the temporal power of popes, the withholding of the cup from the laity, and the use of Latin, have all changed since they were never a matter of Catholic "doctrine" per se. Moreover, Boettner distorts the implementation of many of these practices. For instance, the "imposition" of the Latin language by Gregory in AD 600 was done in order that the liturgy might be celebrated in the common language of the people (i.e., Latin), rather than in the Greek that was widely used up to that time. Likewise, while the discipline of celibacy was required for most priests since 1079, that is only true in the Latin rite of the Catholic Church. In the Eastern rite, married priests have always been permitted and are to this day. Nor was the Bible ever "forbidden to laymen" by a Council of Valencia in 1229. For one thing, there was no council in Valencia in 1229 since it was under Islamic control. A local council with local authority, however, was held in Toulouse that year and it did temporarily (and quite understandably) limit the use of the Bible by roving lay-preachers who were spreading the Albigensian heresy.

As another example, we can consider Boettner's treatment of the mass in chapter eight. It is evident here that the book is quite dated, presupposing a eucharistic liturgy which hasn't been enacted (except rarely) in three decades (pages 169-171). Boettner's discussion of the Roman Catholic priesthood and the "sacrifice of the mass" gives little indication of any detailed knowledge about those doctrines, their histories, or their current status. For instance, he appears unware of centuries of debate among Roman Catholic theologians on whether the notion of the eucharistic "sacrifice" is to be taken in an "oblationist" or "immolationist" fashion. The "oblationist" view focuses more upon Christ's present priestly intercesssion before the Father. The "immolationist" view, on the other hand, focuses more upon Christ's presence upon the altar in a figure of death. While the latter view is certainly problematic for Protestants and the view against which we have traditionally objected, it is the former view ("oblationism") which has gained ascendency in the 20th century and thus must be addressed today. And I know of no Roman Catholic theologian who would agree with Boettner's description that the mass is a "re-crucifixion" of Jesus and few who would even accept the language of the mass as a "continuation" of the sacrifice of Calvary (page 174). Unfortunately, Boettner's almost complete lack of bibliographical references to Catholic authorities makes it difficult to know from where he drew his information.

I cite these few examples as representative of the ways in which Boettner's book falls short. As Protestants we certainly must maintain a faithful witness to Reformation truth, but that task is not advanced by careless scholarship, distortion of one's opponents, and slipshod argumentation. While there are some things of value in Boettner's classic book, I would advise those who are interested in understanding the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church to refer to offical documents (the catechism, councils, encyclicals) and their prominent interpreters among recent theologians.

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