No Place For Catholics In Apologetics?

I've documented on this blog why I think the Protestant domination in pop apologetics unjustly snuffs out Catholic contributions. I want to talk about a particular kind of explicit disallowance (is that a word?) to continue making my case. 

There have been times when, as a student, I've looked for opportunities to get involved in apologetics leadership. I did what I could in my previous Protestant denomination, teaching a class, unpopular as it was with the pastors. But, bloom where you're planted, right? 

Recently, I've looked into three opportunities and all explicitly deny Catholics opportunities. First, I looked into Ratio Christi. According to their Statement of Belief, "Student leaders must hold to the historic Christian faith as approved by the staff directors." Fair enough. I'd assume this would mean things like the Apostles Creed, the Nicean Creed, etc., and while that's the case, they go a bit further and in defining what they believe about scripture, they say, "We believe the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament Scripture alone to be inspired ... and that they alone are of supreme and final authority in faith and life." In other words, Catholics need not apply. Oh sure, we could be members, but so can atheists. We just aren't allowed to be in the leadership. So, even though I'd love to help defend the Christian faith, and I'd love to help establish another Ratio Christi chapter, they won't allow help from Catholics qua Catholic. 

Tom Gilson, a few months ago, of Thinking Christian was looking for some writers, and I wanted to apply. However, he referred to the Ratio Christi statement of faith as a requirement for applicants. Unfortunately I can't find the link to his call. 

Finally, from Apologetics.com, there is this opportunity. However, you need to adhere to their Statement of Faith, which reads, "Apologetics.com recognizes the 66 books of the Protestant canon of the Bible as the only infallible rule of faith and practice." Catholics need not apply. 

Now, what I don't have a problem with their exercise of right to associate. But having the right to do something doesn't mean you are right in doing so, and I question the prudence of such a decision to explicitly say Catholics aren't allowed to help. After all, they go through great pains to iron out the absurd realities of an infinite amount of doctrinal disputes, whether it is Young Earth Creationism versus Old, or Calvinism versus Arminianism, or some other fruitless quibble. Sure, we can all have them included so long as it doesn't affect the apologetic mission, but Catholicism? Oh no! Vanquish the thought! They would wreak havoc! They wouldn't appeal to reason, but to the Pope! Aquinas who? 

Am I upset? A bit. But not really. As I have written before here on this blog, I am disillusioned. I see the ugly group think that has infected the general apologetics community when I converted. And I've traded the pop apologetics for something much more beautiful. Maybe Catholics aren't visible in pop apologetics because we've been there, done that, took a picture, and bought a tee shirt. Like, almost literally, a thousand years ago. Maybe there is no place for Catholics in apologetics because we we grew out of it a long time ago.