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How Scripture Made Him CATHOLIC: Dr. John Bergsma’s Story

The Lighten Up Podcast

In this powerful episode of the Lighten Up Podcast, Hannah Crews sits down with Dr. John Bergsma, author of Stunned by Scripture: How the Bible Made Me Catholic, to talk about his remarkable journey from a deeply anti-Catholic Calvinist background to the Catholic Church. Dr. Bergsma shares how questions about sola scriptura, Scripture and Tradition, the papacy, the Eucharist, Church history, and the early Church Fathers began challenging everything he thought he knew about Christianity. Together, Hannah and Dr. Bergsma explore… where did the concept of sola scriptura come from? What is the meaning of binding and loosing in the biblical and Jewish context? And how can the Catholic understanding of redemptive suffering transform the way Christians understand suffering? Whether you're Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, considering conversion, or simply curious about the historical roots of Christianity, this conversation is an invitation to go deeper into Scripture, Church history, and the faith of the earliest Christians. 🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 - Dr. Bergsma's background 06:23 - Where did sola scriptura come from? 12:13 - Why Scripture needs an authoritative interpretation 18:09 - Is the papacy biblical? 25:20 - The Paradox of Sola Scriptura 27:05 - Does the Bible affirm Tradition? 32:10 - The cost of becoming Catholic 37:33 - Scripture AND Tradition 39:41 - Protestant traditions we don't always recognize 41:32 - Books to read when exploring Catholicism 45:46 - Redemptive suffering; taking up our cross 50:55 - Finding deeper love through suffering 55:37 - Where to find Dr. John Bergsma 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to the Lighten Up Podcast and share this episode with someone you think it will bless! https://www.youtube.com/@Hannahcrewsblog 📌EPISODE RESOURCES: Stunned by Scripture: How the Bible Made Me Catholic by Dr. John Bergsma - http://stpaulcenter.com/stunned-by-scripture The letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch - https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07644a.htm Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic by David Currie - https://ignatius.com/born-fundamentalist-born-again-catholic-bfbap/ Crossing the Tiber by Steve Ray - https://ignatius.com/crossing-the-tiber-cttp/ St. Paul Center - https://stpaulcenter.com/memberships St. Paul Center YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@StPaulCenter Dr. Bergsma’s website - https://www.johnbergsma.com/ St. Paul Center events - https://stpaulcenter.com/events 🛒SHOP Hannah’s Podcast Wardrobe - https://www.amazon.com/shop/hannahcrews.blog/list/1WFEKNXNGYBJD?ref_=aipsflist&tag=hannahcrews0d-20&ccs_id=944a8b87-78fb-47a6-947b-db8742187e82 THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! ✨Truthly: Catholic ai  Any question. Instant clarity. Use the link below to try it yourself! First MONTH free. https://get.truthly.ai/TlbX/hannah 🙏🏼Alto: Ascension’s monthly printed prayer companion Make room for daily prayer with Alto.  Explore upcoming editions and subscribe! https://ascension-press.linkjolt.io/redirect?tc=WfiAGx9e&aff=q9X_SJXhukuOdLq0sF1JK 🪩The Genius Conference  A weekend to rediscover your God-given genius. Get your tickets today! buytickets.at/lhmediallc/2259074 ✝️Christian Healthcare Ministries Health insurance alternative at half the cost Click the link for a free info pack today! https://info.chministries.org/hannah-crews?utm_campaign=infl_hannahcrews&utm_source=hannahcrews&utm_medium=hannahcrews_vanityurl_august2025_hannahcrewslandingpage&utm_content=info-pack 📖 BOOK CLUB: Join us for our weekly Friday discussions through Patreon or YouTube Memberships.  Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheLightenUpPodcast/membership YouTube Memberships - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLMTacWwGdyUjzDq8smQklw/join 📱Follow on social media: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thelightenup.podcast/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Lighten-Up-Podcast/61589769352109/?http_ref=eyJ0cyI6MTc4MTc0OTA2NjAwMCwiciI6IiJ9 Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: GDWCKFVBM5AUS7RF, KJI72DQ87QGCRUEI