Our Newest Contributor: Marc Ayers
Mar 8th, 2011 | By Tim A. Troutman | Category: Blog PostsI would like to introduce our newest contributor at Called to Communion, Marc Ayers. We are thrilled to have Marc join us and look forward to his contributions, as we know our readers will.
Marc Ayers
You may have already heard Marc’s testimony on our podcast last year. If not, click here to hear it.
Marc was raised in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian (ARP) denomination and grew up within the Reformed and Christian Reconstructionist circles through college and during a short stay at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. During that time and through law school, Marc taught philosophy and apologetics in various PCA settings. After law school Marc and his wife Donna (who was heavily involved in PCA campus ministry) began a multi-year study of the Church Fathers, Church History and the sacraments under an Anglican priest who was formerly a PCA minister and Westminster Seminary graduate. After being drawn to the authority, historicity, beauty and necessity of the Catholic Church – and after realizing that the vast majority of what they “knew” about the Church just wasn’t so – they were received into the Church on Easter 2005. Marc, Donna and their children live in Birmingham, Alabama, where he practices appellate litigation with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP.
Welcome Marc!
I would also like to point out that Marc is a respected teacher, historian, and lay theologian. He is one of the most popular speakers for adult ed at our parish in Birmingham, and around the diocese.
Looking forward to his contributions,
David
Thank you, Marc! I really enjoyed your conversion story and appreciate you contributing to this great resource.
Welcome from a fallen away OPC Covenant child! Glad you to have you!
Thanks, everyone – glad to be a part of this great group. I must say that when I saw my bio posted I immediately thought of using the famous line from The Jerk: “Things are going to start happening to me now.” However, (1) hopefully things will go better for me here than they did for Steve Martin, and (2) I do not yet know which comedic references are generally in use here at CTC to break up otherwise serious discussions (for example – I am hoping that certain Monty Python references are well-received, because you might see them where appropriate, i.e., Church History).
Christus Vincit
MJA
Marc – They’ll be well received by me at least.
Marc,
I love Monty Python. Were you on the Journey Home with Grodi? I think I remember watching you somewhere in and around my personal conversion to Catholicism. Has anyone ever said you look like Marco Rubio? He apparently has left the Church (although he said he was Catholic during his election for obvious political reasons), so we need to put him on our prayer list. Also, I’m from Orlando and have had many friends go to RTS. Are you originally from Florida? (I’m a lifetime FSU fan and noticed that was your undergrad).
Welcome!
Marc,
Stuff comes in from left field now and then–usually Bryan dropping some You Tube clips by way of illustration.
Nice to have you on board.
Andrew
This is all good news.
Brent – I was on The Journey Home in May 2009. I have not heard the Rubio comparison, and I am very sorry and disturbed to hear that he has left the Church (I hope that is not true). He is very solid politically from what I gather. I am originally from Lake Wales, Florida and remain a huge FSU fan.
Christus Vincit
MJA
Welcome aboard, Marc!
Marc:
I second the welcomes and appreciate your podcast. I hope some of the Protestants who visit here take note of it.
Best,
Mike
Mr. Ayers, I have enjoyed listening to your podcast and also your visit on “The Journey Home.” As far as I can tell, yours and my families are the only ARP converts to the Catholic Church. I’m certain that is not true, but I’ve not yet run across anyone else – at least anyone who admits as much. Thanks very much for sharing your encouraging story!
Libby- Thanks! I am sure that there are other ARPers to swim the Tiber. I know of many who are on the path, but are making pit stops through Anglicanism and such. I would be very interested to hear your story, if you would share it (mayers@babc.com).
Christus Vincit
MJA
Marc
I just listened to your interview and I have been a “big fan” of Dr. Bahnsen as well. And like you, I have struggled with the issues of authority and cannonicity (…don’t know if I spelled that right). But when I consider becoming a Catholic I always come back, not necessarily to sola scriptura, but to Reformed Soteriology. I don’t know how to let loose of the five points. When I read scripture, pow!, there they are and I simply cannot see any other way to understand it. What I am asking I guess is, what did YOU do with the five points? Surely you did not carry them with you into the Church. I look forward to hearing from you.
John,
I don’t want to speak for Marc but you might enjoy James Akin’s short article, “Tiptoe Through the TULIP”.
He apparently has left the Church (although he said he was Catholic during his election for obvious political reasons), so we need to put him on our prayer list.I am originally from Lake Wales, Florida and remain a huge FSU fan. Thanks for sharing.
@Rhea (#15),
“He apparently has left the Church”
He who? Marc Ayers, James Akin (from the immediately preceding comment), or someone else? I live about a thousand miles away from Florida, so I’m not familiar with the electoral context you are referencing. Any clarification would be appreciated, and thanks!
Sincerely,
~Benjamin
Benjamin,
I don’t think that Rhea is referring to James Akin. You can check out his blog to confirm that he is still Catholic–as is Marc Ayers of CTC! My guess is that Rhea was referring to another Marc Ayers. (Google search indicates that there is a fellow by that name who relatively recently was elected to a prominent post, but I do not want to presume that he is the fellow that Rhea had in mind, either. Anyway, sorry for the confusion.)
Andrew
He was referring to Marco Rubio whom I compared Mark to. Sorry about the confusion.
Brent,
Okay. I see that comment #15 was a reference to your comment #6 (from five months ago!). I just didn’t want people to think that Marc or Jimmy Akin had bolted (after posing for political reasons, no less).
Andrew