UPDATE SATURDAY, 8/12/17
To his credit Austen Iverigh apologized for his article. The introductory paragraph says,
Recently I used the term “convert neurosis” as a metaphor, and then — because we journalists feel compelled to substantiate our assertions with good evidence — listed a number of people as examples. That offended some, and many others on their behalf. For that I want to apologize. I shouldn’t have given names, and I shouldn’t have used the term “neurosis”. Sorry.
NEW DIRECTIVES GIVEN BY JOHN ALLEN FOR CRUX’S FUTURE
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Crux on-line magazine should be embarrassed for publishing such an inane and critical piece full of ad hominem arguments and foolish accusations and conclusions. The article was written by a Brit named Austen Ivereigh and was entitled The Pope and the Convert Problem. He too should be ashamed and retract his article.
(Picture: Two “neurotic converts”, me and Fr. Dwight Longenecker earlier this year)
The intro paragraph states, “Some of the biggest critics of Pope Francis are people who joined the Catholic Church from a different faith, or none at all. Is it possible the baggage they brought with them has distorted their hermeneutic, and they are suffering from ‘convert neurosis’?”
Well some of us many, many converts, whom some say make the best Catholics, were saddened by the divisive piece but not too surprised by the arrogance and superiority of some Catholic academics and uppity-uppers. (Ed Peters expounds on the improper use of “convert” for us Evangelicals to Catholics. But it is a common term and one I use in a popular sense.)
I am proud to be a convert and love most all the converts I’ve ever met. All a bunch of good eggs.
There have been three excellent responses that I am aware of. All three are from good friends, two of which are converts.
1) “Come over here and say that” by Dr. Edward Peters
2) “Stop bashing converts, and accept us as we are — warts and all” Fr. Dwight Longenecker (see picture, taken earlier this year)
3) “Musings on the gift and grace of conversion“ by Carl Olson in Catholic World Report (All of us are converts, for all of us are being converted. Or should be. So stop using the term “converts” as an ideological stick.)