An evangelical response to the Pope?

Sir, On the front page of The Catholic Herald (24 July) there was a remarkable headline: ‘Is Francis about to heal the rift with evangelicals?’ It was accompanied by a photo of the Pope together with an evangelical pastor. Inside was the equally remarkable cover story of the Pope’s friendship with evangelical Christians, together with the agreed statement by Catholic and Lutheran theologians of ‘Our Justification by God’s grace through faith in Christ’. It was Martin Luther’s insistence on ‘by faith alone’ that set him on a collision course with the Catholic Church and triggered the Protestant Reformation.

The question to evangelicals now is, Are you willing to respond to the first Pope in 500 years who longs to heal the rift? This is surely a kairos moment; it would be shameful to rock it through fear of our boat being rocked!

I raise the question because I, as an evangelical Anglican, served 30 years in the ministry. After experiencing Sunday Mass and the quality of renewal following the reforms of Vatican II, I made the decision to enter into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. The full story is told in my Apologia And so to Rome, An evangelical pilgrimage (published now by New Generation Publishing).

Marcus Nicklin,

Aylesford