Hear the stories of Catholic Converts from Lutheranism and learn what led them to return home to the Catholic Church.
“I was brought up pretty high church Lutheran: communion every Sunday, very liturgical, very sacramental… About halfway through college, I came back to the heritage of the Reformation, and fell in love with Luther, Calvin and Barth, who were all Protestant heroes, for obvious reasons.”
Dr. Leroy Huizenga
A FEW GREAT VIDEOS
Joe Copeck 4:45
During his early childhood, Joe Copeck’s family were plugged into their Polish Catholic heritage, but over time, they drifted away from it. After his time in the Navy, Joe entered seminary to become a Lutheran minister, but was bothered by questions of authority and unity in regard to Lutheranism. Eventually, it was the reading of Scripture that brought him back to the Catholic Church- especially understanding how Scripture was interpreted and taught by the Church Fathers in the early days of Christianity. Watch Joe’s episode.
Art Lohsen 56:09
Raised in a Lutheran family, Art Lohsen always felt that something important was happening in the liturgy, and his fascination with building and design led him to explore a career in architecture. His studies led him to Rome, and his work put him in contact with more and more Catholics, and along the way, he developed a sense of why Churches are meant to be designed a certain way, and what that says about Catholic worship. The more he contemplated this harmony of beauty and truth, the more he felt compelled to become Catholic himself. Watch Art’s episode.
Billy Kangas 56:10
Billy Kangas was raised in a strong Lutheran family, and even pursued a call to ministry. He began to ask tough questions about the nature of authority in his own denomination, but couldn’t quite buy the idea of papal authority. Eventually, he overcame those theological difficulties and followed the Holy Spirit’s leading into the Catholic Church. He shares some of the opportunities he’s had since becoming Catholic to address community needs, share the Gospel, and do many of the other things he loved most about being a pastor. Watch Billy’s episode.
A FEW GREAT WRITTEN STORIES
Damascus Road Traveller
Ben Eicher
“My father’s maternal familial lineage was German Lutheran. Before the Missouri Synod even existed, his maternal ancestors had founded a parish in northwest Ohio. Dad was the first home-grown member of that parish to be ordained. That took place in July 1960 at the hands of his seminary mentor, who had been the head chaplain of World War II’s European theater, serving with General Eisenhower.” Read Ben’s story.
My Conversion Story
Dr. Anita G. Gorman
“My parents were born in Sweden and immigrated to the United States as young adults. Nominal Lutherans, baptized and confirmed in the Church of Sweden, they were not strong churchgoers. Our next-door neighbors, on the other hand, were fervent Baptists who attended a Swedish Baptist church in Manhattan. That was to become my first church.” Read Anita’s story.
Being True to the Truth
David Woodby
“In the fall of 1999, the Lord led us to our final Lutheran church, in Michigan. This was a small congregation, of which I was the only pastor. The area churches seemed to have an unusually high number of church splits, leading to new church plants around town. This bothered a lot of us, and there were frequent discussions on how we needed to find a way for Christians to walk in unity.” Read David’s story.
More Inspiration for the Journey
Explore the full archive of conversion stories from former Lutherans who have embraced the Catholic Church.
Explore Full Archive
RECOMMENDED BOOKS & OTHER RESOURCES FOR LUTHERANS
There We Stood, Here We Stand
Nearly 500 years after Martin Luther nailed his 95-theses to the church door at Wittenberg, the Lutheran Church has split again and again. What went wrong? These intensely personal and thought-provoking testimonies by eleven former Lutherans, including a number of former pastors, address the differences between Lutheranism and Catholicism – differences so profound that they have led many into the Catholic Church.
The Bible Alone?
Edited by Marcus Grodi
This is what countless Christians believe as they look to the Bible for a sure, sufficient source to form and guide their doctrines. But is this approach true and is it what Jesus intended? The Bible Alone? was edited by Marcus Grodi and includes contributions from various authors, including: Jimmy Akin, Dave Armstrong, Rev. Dwight Longenecker, Dr. Kenneth Howell, and others.
Roots of the Reformation
by Karl Adam
Most Protestants understand the Reformation from only one perspective. Brilliant author Karl Adam gives a historically sensitive and accurate analysis of the Reformation that stands as a valid and sometimes unsettling challenge to the presuppositions of Protestants and Catholics alike.
