CHNetwork Presents – Details, episodes & analysis

It doesn't happen to everyone, but it's happened to enough people to warrant a discussion: Why do so many people who come from Evangelical backgrounds feel drawn to explore history and liturgy through the Anglican tradition?

And why do so many of those same people feel ultimately drawn to the Catholic Faith?

Matt Swaim talks to Andrew Petiprin, who grew up Evangelical, became an Anglican priest, and then later entered the Catholic Church.

They discuss some of the themes that commonly come up for people who travel this specific path of faith, and how now as Catholics they look back on appreciation for the Evangelical and Anglican ideas and spirituality that helped to form them.

Andrew Petiprin's site: https://www.andrewpetiprin.com

The Spe Salvi Institute: https://www.spesalviinstitute.com

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As writers of fiction and converts to Catholicism from Evangelical backgrounds, Rhonda Ortiz and Lorelei Savaryn talk to Matt Swaim about their perspective on the literary imagination as Catholics compared to how they understood creative writing in their previous Christian experience.

They reflect on some of the Christian authors who have been most influential to them in this regard, and how their experience of the sacramental life has informed the way they approach their fiction writing.

Rhonda's books: https://rhondaortiz.com/the-molly-chase-series

Lorelei's books: https://loreleisavaryn.com/books/

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Often, due to their zeal and the amount of research they do, converts to Catholicism are treated like experts on the Faith, who have somehow figured it out more even than people who've been Catholic their whole lives. But is that really the case? Matt Swaim talks to Casey and Erin Phillips and Lorelei Savaryn about their own experience of being active Evangelical Christians, the way that formed them to think about Christianity, and how it fueled their passion about being Catholic once they discovered the reality of the Church.  They also discuss the pitfalls that can be present to new converts, and how those who are new to the Church shouldn't let the fact that they've learned a lot of information serve as a substitute for actually experiencing formation in their newfound faith.

Casey and Erin's podcast

Lorelei's website

Many inquirers feel drawn to the Catholic Church because of the beauty and power of her teachings and sacraments. But many of them are coming from church backgrounds -- especially Evangelical ones -- where they felt welcomed and included, and their experience of visiting a Catholic parish can feel like the exact opposite of that. Matt Swaim talks to Jennifer Fitz and Rakhi McCormick about their own experience of this phenomenon when they were becoming Catholic, how to remedy some of those frustrations, and how the Mass is fundamentally different than the kind of worship experience that so many of us have come from. Jennifer's Substack articles on this topic: http://jenniferfitz.substack.com

Jennifer's Journey Home episode: https://chnetwork.org/journey-home/jennifer-fitz-catholic-revert/

Jennifer's written conversion story: https://chnetwork.org/story/tossed-about-then-reeled-in/

Rakhi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rakstardesigns

Rakhi's Journey Home: https://chnetwork.org/journey-home/rakhi-mccormick-former-hindu/

More of Rakhi's story: https://chnetwork.org/insights/hinduism-and-catholicism-rakhi-mccormick/

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Monica Anyango grew up Catholic, but left the faith for years before feeling a strong pull back to the sacraments. Raven Yohannon lived in Monica's apartment building, and one day when she got locked out, she knocked on Monica's door, and an immediate friendship began.

They talk about how friendship and community are essential components of sharing faith, and what it means to truly walk with people as they seek to grow in relationship with Christ.

Monica's work: monicaanyango.com

Raven's work: saintsalivepodcast.com

Before he became Catholic, Rob Marco sought to shake off consumerism and embrace self-discipline through extreme outdoor adventures and straight edge punk ethos.

Pat Flynn sought it too, through stoic philosophy and hardcore fitness regimens.

They share with Matt Swaim how they approached self-discipline and the desire to reject consumerism and appetites before becoming Catholic, and how those concepts took on new meaning when they began to understand how Catholicism treats Lent.

Pat's website: https://chroniclesofstrength.com

More from Pat: https://www.philosophyforthepeople.com

Rob's blog: https://fatherofthefamily.blogspot.com

Pat's testimony: https://chnetwork.org/?s=patrick+flynn

Rob's Testimony: https://chnetwork.org/?s=rob+marco

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As kids, both Rod Bennett and Jim Papandrea were captivated by science fiction, from H.G. Wells to Star Trek, to Narnia and more. These stories shaped them, and helped them to ask the most important questions about what it means to be human.

Now as widely published Church historians, Rod and Jim talk to Matt Swaim about how sci-fi and fantasy stories, and the desire to explore big questions in unfamiliar environments, can help us better understand the debates through the centuries about who Jesus is, how we should conduct ourselves in an ever-changing technological world, and what it means to have a truly Christian imagination.

Jim's book, "From Star Wars to Superman: Christ Figures in Science Fiction and Superhero Films": https://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Superman-Figures-Superhero/dp/1622823885/ref=sr_1_13?crid=1IRQUO5A089Y6&keywords=james+papandrea&qid=1668699831&s=books&sprefix=james+papandrea%2Cstripbooks%2C57&sr=1-13

Rod's book, "The Popcorn Cathedral: Essays at the Junction of Film, Faith, and Fantasy": https://www.amazon.com/Popcorn-Cathedral-Essays-Junction-Fantasy/dp/153323549X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

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Many people who grew up Catholic have just stopped going to Church over the years, and for whatever reason, think the things they've been involved with have made it so they'll never be welcome to come back. They feel unwanted, by practicing Catholics or even by God, and don't want to be just one more hypocrite in a room full of people who they feel will never accept them.

Carlos "C2six" Zamora and Fonzie "Separate M1nd" Pedroza of the Catholic hip hop collective FoundNation share their own experience of getting in trouble with gangs and drugs in their high school years, how that affected their relationship with Christ and the Church, and how they came over time to see God as a loving Father who is always calling His children back to relationship with Him.

Featured track: "Empty Pew" by FoundNation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FZX3qNi5Vc

More tracks: https://www.foundnationfamily.com

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The Seventh-day Adventist movement, founded in the mid-19th century, is in many ways like other forms of American Protestantism, but the writings of Ellen G. White set it apart as its own unique expression of Christianity, most notably in the observance of Saturday as its formal day of worship. Norman bin Yazid, a former Adventist minister, and Arthur and Teresa Beem, who come from generational Adventist families, talk to Matt Swaim about their experience of coming to know Christ in the SDA world, and the key questions they began to ask that would eventually lead each of them to the Catholic Church.

Arthur and Teresa's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXOoYMICOs_b43LagdV19Vw

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Many Protestant kids who grew up in the 1980's and 1990's were either not allowed to celebrate Halloween, or went to churches that did Halloween alternatives, because the assumption was that Halloween was a pagan holiday, with demonic origins.

Matt Swaim, Sam Guzman and Bo Bonner share their experience of growing up in that world, and what they each came to discover about the Communion of Saints, the power of good over evil, and the Christian vision of the human person once they started to look at the true origins of All Hallow's Eve and its connected feasts.

Sam Guzman's site

Bo Bonner on The Journey Home 

Bo's radio show, The Uncommon Good

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