ennsylvania has a very large Catholic population, so it isn't surprising that usually about half of my biblical literature students are Catholics. Many of these are "lapsed"--no longer attending church. Joe was a true believer. Whenever my Evangelical students wanted to rant about some Catholic belief, I turned to Joe for the answer. Let's see how he felt about studying the Bible with an Adventist teacher.

"For many centuries Catholicism has been the major sect in Christianity. I came to New Testament Literature class thinking I knew everything about my Catholic faith, but I was dead wrong. I intended to leave an indelible mark on the class by showing both you and all the students how biblical and believable Catholicism is. I was very naive.

"I was also very closed-minded. My family and I were raised as traditional Catholics: no meat on Friday, church every Sunday and holy day of obligation, and salvation only for faithful Catholics. I have some relatives who converted to Catholicism and some who have left it. No matter how much we loved each other, the worst came out when the word 'religion' was mentioned. I'm a very faithful Catholic, and so are my parents, but we can't talk about our faith lest we fight. Isn't that sad?

"I had heard very little good about Protestants, but deep inside I wanted to know more. That's part of why I took this class.

"Slowly I started learning about the many forms of Protestantism. Your patient and noncondemning way of explaining Protestant beliefs to me and explaining my Catholic beliefs to others was incredible. Some of the Protestants in the class actually said that Catholics aren't Christians! That's pretty scary. I really appreciate the support you offered when I felt like I'd been thrown to the lions.

"There were a few times in class when I was supposed to assume the position of the 'resident Catholic.' I wish I had all the answers to what my classmates asked me. 'Why do Catholics pray to Mary?' 'Why do Catholics pray to saints and say the rosary?'

"I know I don't have all the answers. I pray to saints and to Mary because I believe they offer me different graces--that's why there are a lot of patron saints: saints for painters, carpenters, martyrs, and many more. I still wish I could have given answers that would show that Protestants and Catholics are not very different.

"One reason my views on Protestants started to change was that you told us about your grandparents. I was both shocked and discouraged when you told us how your maternal grandfather, living in New York City, joined the Ku Klux Klan in his youth because the Klan hated Irish Catholics, and so did he. While he didn't stay in the Klan, he and his wife continued to hate Catholics.

"Then you told the other side of the story. You told of how your grandmother, God bless her, ended up with a Catholic home nurse and died in a Catholic hospice. You told the whole class one day that your grandmother said to you that she had been so wrong to persecute and hate Catholics. That showed me God's mercy working in her life. It inspired me, and I believe God saved her and that she is now with Him.

"I know now that both Protestants and Catholics need to find common ground and live peacefully with each other. We worship the same God, and Jesus died on the cross for all of us.

"I thank you so much for being what you've been in this class. You have made me a more religious man, and this class showed me the true love of Jesus Christ."

I believe in teaching what the Bible says, but I don't believe heaven is reserved for those who can pass a theology exam. Because I taught the Word without condemning, Joe listened and learned. Joe is presently taking another class from me, and God continues to work in his life.

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Ed Christian teaches English and biblical literature at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. His e-mail address is: [email protected].