I was born in 1954 to a Methodist mother and Presbyterian father. Most Catholics don’t have a clue as to what this means, but my Protestant brothers and sisters in Christ know exactly what I mean. It is a setup for conflict that can make a child theologically schizophrenic at times!

Presbyterians were founded by John Calvin, one of the three pillars of the Protestant Reformation. The Reformers were trying to amend some of the abuses found in Latin rite Roman Catholicism at the time. Calvin believed very strongly in the providence of God, and believed in an extreme predestination of both the saved and the damned. Methodists were founded by John and Charles Wesley around a hundred years later. Charles composed many of the hymns that we now sing even in Catholic churches, albeit with updated lyrics. Methodists believe very strongly in human free will. This sets up a seeming contradiction and division: One relies on predestination, and the other on human free will.

Because my mother was born of a long line of Methodist ministers, we were raised predominantly in the Methodist Church. But my Presbyterian father just thought that it was all predestined, so it was cool anyway!

In my missions I joke with the Presbyterians and tell them they were predestined to be at a Catholic event. And then I really get the Methodists in trouble by saying that they actually chose freely to come. We hav