11 reasons I’m an Evangelical Catholic

I realize the title of this article may sound like an oxymoron. However, the original Protestant Reformers never viewed themselves as abandoning the Catholic Church. The term “Catholic,” which simply means universal, was not synonymous with Roman Catholicism in their minds. They believed they were reforming the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, not departing from it.

Consequently, in an age of theological confusion and denominational fragmentation, for the past several decades I found myself increasingly drawn to a vision of the Church that is both ancient and reformational, rooted in the apostolic faith and renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, I consider myself an Evangelical Catholic: (not a Roman Catholic!) a believer who affirms the essential truths of the Protestant Reformation while holding fast to the spiritual richness and theological depth of the historic, catholic (universal) Church. This is not about denominational identity but about fidelity to the fullness of the faith once delivered to the saints.

Here are 11 reasons why I identify as a Protestant Catholic:

1. I Believe in Scripture alone as the final authority, but not as a solo Scriptura

The Reformers championed sola Scriptura, that the Bible is the highest authority in matters of faith and practice. I affirm this wholeheartedly. But “Scripture alone” does not mean “Solo Scriptura” or “me and my Bible alone.” The Evangelical Catholic reads Scripture within the historic, Spirit-filled community of faith, guided by the creeds, councils, and trusted teachers of the Church. We do not worship tradition, but we respect it as the echo of the Spirit’s voice through the ages.

2. I embrace the great tradition without submitting to post-biblical innovations

Being Evangelical means I reject doctrines that emerged in reaction to or in deviation from the apostolic faith — like the Roman dogmas of papal infallibility or the immaculate conception of Mary. Being catholic means to embrace the Church’s creeds, its patristic wisdom, and its liturgical heritage. I am not interested in reinventing Christianity every generation. I desire a rooted, durable faith — one that spans the centuries and draws strength from the historic communion of saints.

3. I hold to justification by faith — but also to the transforming power of grace

The Reformers rightly taught that we are justified by faith alone, apart from works. I affirm this as the heart of the Gospel. Yet true faith is never alone — it brings transformation. The grace that justifies also sanctifies. True catholicity rejects the false dichotomy between faith and obedience, between salvation and discipleship. We are saved by grace alone, but grace is not cheap — it is the power of God that reorders the soul for the purpose of engaging in good works (Ephesians 2:8-10).

4. I believe in the unity of the Church — not denominational tribalism

Jesus prayed in John 17 that His followers would be one, just as He and the Father are one. This is spiritual oneness with the Triune God, His body. As an Evangelical Catholic, I also long for the visible unity of the Church — not through institutional uniformity, but through spiritual and missional harmony. I do not align myself with sectarianism that pits one group of Christians against another. Rather, I seek to honor the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, even if I disagree strongly with some aspects of historical expressions of Christianity.

5. I practice a sacramental life without sacramental legalism

I believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are more than mere symbols. They are means of grace, through which God acts upon the believer in faith. I reject the notion that these practices are magical or salvific in themselves, but I also reject the modern evangelical reduction of them to mere symbols.” An Evangelical Catholic can espouse a high view of the sacraments without falling into some extreme teachings of sacramentalism. 

6. I value the mystical and contemplative streams of the Church

Too much of modern Christianity is shallow, distracted, and performative. As an Evangelical Catholic, I draw deeply from some of the wells of Christian mysticism — from Augustine’s longing for God, to Bernard of Clairvaux’s fiery love of Christ, to the Eastern fathers’ vision of theosis. While I test all spiritual practices by the Word, I recognize the importance of silence, stillness, and interior transformation. God is not just to be studied — He is to be encountered.

7. I uphold apostolic ministry without apostolic elitism

I believe the five ministry gifts of Ephesians 4:11; however, I do not confuse biblical apostolicity with hierarchical dominance. An Evangelical Catholic vision of apostolic ministry is servant-oriented, Christ-centered, and accountable, not based on personal ambition or dynastic control. The historic Apostolic Episcopacy exists to ground the Church in truth and launch it into mission.

8. I Preach the Kingdom of God, not just individual salvation

The church throughout the ages not only emphasized personal salvation, but also the priesthood of all believers, and the sacredness of work as a vocation. Furthermore, Protestant Reformers like Calvin held that God’s moral law (the Decalogue) provided the ethical framework for both personal conduct and civil order

As an Evangelical Catholic, I believe Salvation includes the Lordship of Christ, renewing every aspect of civilization. I preach the cross and resurrection not only as a personal benefit but as a cosmic victory. 

9. I love the Church Fathers and learn from them

Many believers have little knowledge of the early Church Fathers, yet these men — Athanasius, Irenaeus, Cyril, Maximus, and Augustine — laid the groundwork for much of what we believe. As an Evangelical Catholic, I read them not as infallible authorities but as wise guides who preserved the faith under fire. 

10. I believe the Church must be both Reformed and ever reforming

An Evangelical Catholic subscribes to some form of the Protestant mantra “Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda est”— the Church reformed must always be reforming. This is not a license for theological innovation but a call to constant repentance, humility, and realignment with Scripture. I do not seek nostalgia for a golden age nor bow to cultural trends. Instead, I seek a Church that is faithful, historically rooted in the great tradition, mission-driven, and Spirit-empowered — a Church that recovers the past to redeem the future.

11. I am not a restorationist

I do not believe the Ephesians 4:11 ministry gifts were missing for 1800 years and restored in the 20th century. God has been building His church for 2000 years and never left Himself without a witness of all the ministry expressions of His Son. 

To be an Evangelical Catholic is to hold the tension between truth and tradition, Word and Spirit, past and future. It means grounding ourselves in Scripture, standing with the historic universal Church, and living out the Gospel in the world today.