Resistance to the Faith is a funny thing. It seems like logically laying out the reasons for Catholic doctrine should be enough. It really does make sense!
It is seldom easy, however, because usually there’s more to the resistance than meets the eye.
In my current series, Evangelization Basics, I talk a lot about developing relationships for evangelizing. A key reason for this is to better understand what’s behind the walls people place in the way of accepting Catholicism.
My blogging buddy, Roy Petitfils, made some fantastic points recently on dealing with resistance. He classified four types of resistance that I found extremely useful, so I thought I would present them here and comment a bit more.
The Four Types of Resistance
The four types of resistance are:
- Intellectual: This is a problem with logic, reasoning or understanding. Roy says it’s the least common among youth.
- Spiritual: If you’re engaged in sinful behavior, you’re going to push back on that area of Church teaching.
- Physical: Results from different learning styles, such as kinesthetic learners. Discussion is sometimes awkward for people but they’ll engage while doing service, hiking outdoors or working on a project.
- Emotional: This is the biggie!
- Roy defines, “Often resulting from an experience of disappointment or hurt. The blame was either consciously or unconsciously ascribed to God. Saying, ‘I’m agnostic’ or ‘I’m an atheist’ or ‘Christians are just a bunch of hypocrites’ are all symptoms of emotional resistance. These sound better than saying ‘I’m feeling disappointed because God…’ or ‘I’m having some feelings about God and the Church I don’t understand.’ or ‘I’m angry that God…’”
- So, a person might say they have a problem with a particular doctrine, but in reality there’s an emotional issue behind their resistance.
The Hidden Resistance
My experience with adults in RCIA backs this up. There are often intellectual issues but usually there’s some kind of spiritual or emotional resistance mixed in.
For instance, they have a problem with the Catholic viewpoint on homosexuality because a good friend (or family member) is gay–so they don’t want to believe THEY are not normal. Or, they disagree with the teaching on artificial birth control because, you guessed it, they’re contracepting.
Why Relational Ministry Is Important
Here’s where building relationships and getting to know the people is gold for evangelization! You don’t have much chance of convincing someone on the intellectual level if you don’t address the spiritual or emotional issues as well.
It rarely comes down to just an intellectual argument even if there’s intellectual resistance. Meeting intellectual resistance with equal firepower almost never works. Believe me, I’ve tried.
The more effective way is gain their trust, listen to their issues, then address their concerns in a way that doesn’t undermine their belief but lets them see the more compelling argument you present. Then your reasoned argument has more of a chance to sink in.
And, please do read Roy’s post to see his three tips for recognizing and overcoming resistance. It’s great advice.
Have you seen these types of resistance at work? What are your tips and tricks for dealing with it? Let me know in the comments.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this series of posts, and if my brainwaves could post comments from the ether, there’d be several already. I’ll try to keep this one succinct.
“What’s In It For Me?” or “Why Do I Need The Church?”
Maybe that falls under both emotional and intellectual resistance. Many people (myself included) don’t know the answer to that question.
Some people have never had religion as a part of their lives, and see The Church as something outside of themselves — a different world where they don’t belong. How do you introduce religion to someone who’s not looking for it? To say “you need Jesus in your life” is to imply there is something wrong with their life currently, and will probably be taken offensively, thereby shutting doors.
I have so much more to say and ask, but will stop and continue to enjoy these posts on evangelization. Thanks, Marc.
That’s a great point Paul. There is sort of that implication that one’s life is incomplete without Jesus or the Church. I don’t necessarily look at it like something is wrong your life if you’re not Catholic. I look at it like life is enhanced by being Catholic. Sort of like adding seasoning to your food. The same flavor is there, it’s just more!
We’re created with wonderful talents and abilities and our personalities are meant to flourish. But often the world beats us down. Sin limits us. It closes us in on ourselves. Our own sin and the sins of others against us close us off from the full flourishing of our personalities…of who we’re meant to be.
Jesus brings healing from the limiting effects of sin. His power can bring freedom from this. It’s hard to explain but there’s just a difference, a change from inside your self that breaks chains and gives you a different perspective on life…a freedom to be someone and something different. I’ve experienced it myself in who I was before and who I am now.
Catholicism also opens up new perspectives on life and gives it new meaning and purpose. I think that’s what has been in it for me. I kind of came to it kicking and screaming but after I embraced it, it’s made me happier and more fulfilled. And, there’s the eternal life in heaven thing which is really very cool. 😉
Hope that answers your question. Thanks for the comment!
Interesting ideas here. You are right on the money that we can’t evangelize without addressing the affective/emotional responses that some people have to Church teachings and the institution. A lot of times that resistance comes from a deep pain that all of our erudite explanations can’t undo.
Obviously this doesn’t work on all topics, and maybe this makes me sound hopelessly loosey-goosey, but I try to make it clear that our consciences are not magically reconciled to the Magisterium overnight. We have to be willing to give Church teachings the benefit of the doubt, explore them and try to accept them. But there will always be elements that are held in tension for us – we pray that time, investigation, and heaps of grace will help us to accept things, but the tension itself is not always a dealbreaker.
You know, I think you’re right. There often is a tension in Church teaching that only prayer, grace and time can take care of. Often we’re not magically reconciled to Church teaching overnight. I think that’s part of giving people a safe landing place…some space where they can discuss what they really feel. Of course, we have to always make sure they understand the true teaching and that, at the end of the lesson, they don’t walk away with the wrong ideas. However, they may not change their opinion simply because you lay out the perfect argument. That’s part of giving it to the Holy Spirit and allowing it to be his work.
I always think back to my own conversion and the amazingly pastoral priest that shepherded me back into the Church. He was firm at times and permissive at others. He allowed me the space and time I needed to make my decisions about the tough issues but always made sure I knew what the Church taught and where I should be going. He never allowed me to stay with just my own opinion too, urging me to investigate and prayerfully study the Church’s position. That made all the difference. Of course, I know his prayers were a lot of fuel on the fire of my conversion as well.
Thanks for the comments!
Your description of that “pastoral” priest sounds like a great definition of pastoral! You were very lucky! I’m sure you recognize that it takes that sort of individual attention, listening and reacting to the person to whom you hope to minister in order to have an impact. There is no easy formula for conversion: just time, prayer and attention.
I was very lucky…and blessed! I’ve referred back to the way he did things several times in my ministry remembering how well it worked for me.
You are so right! There are no easy formulas for conversion. Individual attention, listening and reacting to the person is the exactly the way to go. Very well said!
Great post, and great comments, and I have nothing more to add. And yet, I did come up with a post in response to this. Huh.
You know, especially for those of us who are either teaching in Catholic schools or who are teaching Sacrament prep classes, it’s important to also keep in mind that most of the kids aren’t necessarily there because they want to be. So we’re already starting out with that resistance, even before we open our mouths – “why do I have to take this class just because I go to this school?” or “why do I have to go to Church just because it makes my grandma happy?” There’s always so much more going on than what we see on the surface.
Marc (and other RCIA types), I’m curious as to if that’s also been your experience with RCIA, which I tend to see as something people generally decide to do of their own volition, rather than because someone else is making them.
That is a great point Dorian. I think you’re right. In both CCD and Catholic school, instructors are often starting from a deficit before they open their mouths because the kids don’t want to be there or don’t want to study that subject.
There’s really a mix in RCIA. Some people are there because they’ve investigated the Church and are longing for more. Others are there because a wife or husband has pressured them to be there. Sometimes they are interested but have a lot of baggage and bias against the Church from their Protestant upbringing so they are checking it out but aren’t really sure about A LOT of things. Almost everyone comes in with some amount of resistance from the start so there’s always a good bit of work to do. It’s a lot like what you describe for the CCD and school.
My thing is, whatever reason brought them through the door is a good reason…because it brought them through the door! My job is to then purify those intentions so they finish and come into the Church for the right reason! A difficult job but also very rewarding!
Thanks for the comments!