Should I read or consume non-Catholic devotional or bible study materials?
Q: Dear Dan, should I read or use non Catholic devotional or bible study materials?
A: This is a very important question. There are other cousin questions that follow the same line of concern. “Should I attend non-Catholic bible studies?” “Should I read protestant commentaries on scripture?” Before I answer this I must make one thing abundantly clear.
An Important Disclaimer
I am in no way anti-protestant or anti-anyone for that matter. I was a fervent protestant for more than a decade and it was a protestant pastor that God used to bring me into the first step of my relationship with Him. I am forever grateful for all the gifts that I received during my time in the protestant and evangelical worlds. As well, it is important to note that anyone and everyone that desires to understand Catholic spirituality is absolutely welcome to interact with us here. That said, the purpose of this site is to specifically spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ as defined by the magisterium of the Catholic Church.
The Tale of Two Wells
Let’s envision that we live in a small village with two wells about a mile apart. One well is known to be very pure. There are no cow pastures around to pollute it, the water is very cool and crystal clear, and tastes as perfect and satisfying as water can be. About a mile away, and a mile closer to your home, there is another well. The water is also clear, but sometimes people get an upset stomach when they drink it, so most don’t. Rumor has it that some, in distant times when it was used regularly for drinking, became very sick from this well. Many people now use it for animals but for people it seems to cause unpredictable problems. Which well would you chose to use for your drinking water? Would you regularly walk the extra mile to a source that you know has been in use and tested for thousands of years and that is even officially recognized as the most pure water in the region? Would you take a chance on impure water when you had the best and most pure water available to you?
As a former well-studied protestant, I can tell you that 100% of the mountain of protestant material I consumed has what we will call assumptions built into it. In the vast majority of the material, these assumptions range from specifically anti-Catholic to other basic assumptions (e.g. sola scriptura etc.) that are simply antithetical to Catholic teaching without any specific animus towards Catholic beliefs. The latter are often hard to detect but in essence serve to chip away at the pure Gospel truth that Christ has provided to us. In all cases, from the standpoint of pure Catholic teaching, the well is tainted. The well is not pure and thus the spiritual and practical results of consumption are unpredictable. The difficult part is that to the untrained eye or the unseasoned traveler, the protestant well might look just fine and the negative effects might not be immediate or obvious. The water looks clear and tastes good. However, if you have a well you know is perfectly pure why take the risk?
Is Good Catholic Material Really That Hard to Find?
This is the really the most baffling part. In the analogy, I have placed the pure well farther from your home and thus more difficult to access. I guess this might be apt for folks living in the Bible belt or those who live in places where good Catholic material is hard to find. However, with the internet, and online stores, EWTN on Television and Radio, the best of the best and most pure water is available to most people most of the time.
Why Go Anywhere Else?
The Lord established a Church. He guaranteed, by his Holy Spirit, that all the firepower of hell itself could not withstand or in any way subvert the heart and truth of his Church. Now, we all know that with human beings, imperfection reigns. However, with very rare exception, the teachings of the Church do not depend on any one individual. In an ultimate sense, they never depend on any individual but upon God Himself. Regardless, the Church provides a well of spiritual resources that is so deep and so pure that no individual, even if given a lifetime purely devoted to study, could every fully consume.
Where to Start?
Well, regarding study of the spiritual life we have provided a solid list of recommended materials. Beyond this list, you can look to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and then the writings of the thirty three doctors of the Church (which have been thoroughly vetted by hundreds of years of study and evaluation by the Church). If you want to know where to buy Catholic materials without worrying about their fidelity to Christ’s teachings, EWTN’s Religious Catalogue is a great place to start.
May you seek and find the pure, perfect, and life-giving water that only Christ and His Church can provide.
