Conversion Stories
Conversion stories fascinate me. The most important part of my second act was my conversion to mainstream Christianity after growing up as a third generation Jehovah’s Witness. Taught that they were the only “true” religion and that all other religions were part of evil “Christendom,” I didn’t know much about those Christian denominations at all. So with fear and trepidation, tempting grave consequences of being “disfellowshipped” and “shunned” should I be caught, with one eye keeping watch over my shoulder, I snuck into the Christian section of my local Barnes & Noble early one Saturday morning in my San Francisco Bay Area neighborhood. It was time to do my own research instead of accepting what I was told – it was time to start thinking for myself.
That started me on a journey that allowed me to get to know several Protestant denominations, the Eastern Orthodox Church that was attracting a large number of Protestant converts, and eventually the biggest evil of all evils – the Catholic Church. I also uncovered the similarities/differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, and how the Eastern Catholic Church lies somewhere in-between. I also learned that what had been my greatest fear was now my greatest joy.
I hope to share the details of my conversion story in the future. But a big change in my life after my conversion was pursuing my childhood dream of becoming a novelist – another JW “no-no” - using the Ecclesiastes verse “of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body” as if writing books was foolish. And reading romance? Oh boy, that was definitely wrong, wrong, wrong – as well as watching soap operas, oh my. So here I am thinking and writing and speaking out – all part of my second act.
Prominent Catholic/Orthodox Conversion Stories
Frank Schaeffer - Evangelical Heir to Eastern Orthodoxy
Scott Hahn – Presbyterian Pastor to Catholic
Barbara Grizzutti Harrison – Jehovah’s Witness to Catholic as told through her book, Visions of Glory
Leona Choy – Protestant missionary, writer, and publisher becomes Catholic
The Journey Home – EWTN features a conversion story each week – fascinating show.
About The Journey Home
One of my favorite shows on TV is The Journey Home on EWTN. It’s a one-hour show hosted by Marcus Grodi, featuring a person who has converted to the Catholic Faith. Often, the guest is an ex-Protestant pastor. Marcus, who is an ex-Protestant pastor created this show originally to help pastors, specifically, because when they convert to Catholicism, they have to give up their livelihood and find a new career at a later age. The show is often instrumental in helping them.
But a recent guest was a musician, and he quoted the most beautiful thing, which I didn’t know about until now. As a relatively recent Catholic convert, I’m still learning the ropes. But last November, Pope Benedict hosted a special meeting at the Sistine Chapel for artists of the world to create beauty through their art. And that the Pope before him, John Paul II, had written a letter to artists, and in it, said this:
Through his “artistic creativity” man appears more than ever “in the image of God.”
Society needs artists, just as it needs scientists, technicians, workers, professional people, witnesses of the faith, teachers, fathers and mothers, who ensure the growth of the person and the development of the community by means of that supreme art form which is “the art of education.” Within the vast cultural panorama of each nation, artists have their unique place. Obedient to their inspiration in creating works both worthwhile and beautiful, they not only enrich the cultural heritage of each nation and of all humanity, but they also render an exceptional social service in favor of the common good.
Pope Benedict said this:
“Thanks to your talent, you have the opportunity to speak to the heart of humanity, to touch individual and collective sensibilities, to call forth dreams and hopes, to broaden the horizons of knowledge and of human engagement.”
That’s just all so beautiful. And while Pope Benedict isn’t speaking about writers, Julia Cameron of the Artist Way write about how writers, as artists, team with “The Great Artist.” It’s one of my favorite, most inspirational books on writing.
I do ponder what it is I’m writing, especially in light of this. I think the theme that runs consistently throughout all of my manuscripts – even if, at first, they seem like all fun games – is a woman realizing her life isn’t working the way it is, causing her to begin a journey, leading her to make some big change in her life, start over, or, as the priest said in mass yesterday, some sort of repentence, although that isn’t a popular word these days. But repentence is just another word for an opportunity to start over – to begin anew. And I like that.
So who can writers turn to for inspiration from the church? How about Catholic convert and author, GK Chesterton?
“Forget Shakespeare in Love–it’s Chesterton in Love,”Catholic Education says about Chesterton’s long-lost romance novel – so Jane Austen – that was recently found. Writers will be able to relate to what was said here:
“The novel also shows the talent that was lost. Every critic has said that he cannot handle female characters or love affairs. This novel shows that he could do this extremely well.”
I’ll leave you with a quote by Chesterton, although there are many favorites, and it’s hard to just quote one.
“A good novel tells us the truth about its hero, but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author.”
The funny thing to me is that there, for awhile, it seemed every convert on The Journey Home was quoting Chesterton. “Who’s this Chesterton?” I wondered. Chesterton is my new best friend. I may have to write more about him another time.
