Is there really a difference in the basic beliefs of Evangelical Protestants and Roman Catholics? Pulling aside the "stained glass" curtain of mutual suspicion, Sala dispels the bitterness and misunderstandings that divided us over the centuries and encourages us to embrace our common heritage as we rejoice in the message of the Savior we serve. Hardcover.

 

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Author: Dimitri Sala, O.F.M.
Located in: Chicago IL
Submitted: April 29, 2011

    Tell us a little about yourself.  I am a Franciscan priest in a full-time ministry of The Word. I entered the Franciscans in 1978, and was ordained in 1984. Having myself experienced a personal conversion to salvation, I have shared the Good News at conferences, retreats, Church events (and even on the street!) with a team of dedicated laity. Much of this ministry has also brought me in contact with Evangelicals of a Protestant background. Those relationships have grown into a ministry of reconciliation within the Church of Christ on all levels from local to international.

    What was your motivation behind this project?  As I relate in The Stained Glass Curtain, I learned that many Protestants and Catholics are unaware of, or even have inaccurate information about, what the Catholic Church officially teaches about salvation. This has created what I call a "stained glass curtain" -- a seemingly impenetrable barrier that keeps both groups apart from each other in suspicion and mistrust. Building the Christian unity envisioned in the Bible must start on the foundation of correct information...and that is what this book presents!

    What do you hope folks will gain from this project?  I not only hope, but I pray this book will demonstrate that, despite the real differences between Protestants and Catholics on many issues, our teachings are indeed dedicated to the same message of salvation. This message is part of what the Second Vatican Council of the Catholic Church called "our common heritage".

    How were you personally impacted by working on this project?  As I alluded to in the Acknowledgments, the content of this book has been part of my preaching for many years. It was a highly motivating experience, however, to bring it all together in one place, and for one purpose. I have an excitement that the content can now be extended beyond my ability to be physically present, in the hope that it will stir up the ultimate goal -- unity for the Church of Christ.

    Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists?  If you read the endorsements of the book, as well as the many many sources quoted in the book's content, you will sample the kinds of folks who have influenced my life and ministry. My ultimate fountain, however, is the life-giving, life-producing, soul-thrilling Word of the Living God, out of which everything else in Christian Life flows.

    Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know:  I believe God Himself is on the move to reunite His Son's Body. And it's not only for our sake, but for the transformation of the world. That was a prayer closest to Jesus' heart the night before he died, wasn't it (Jn. 17:21)? This book is not about ideas alone. I hope it draws all readers into experiencing the Good News about salvation, and releases what can happen in this needy and hurting world when believers decide to unite around It!

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