Are Catholics right about this?

Protestantism's focus on relationship first is valuable, but its removal of habits and rituals has been detrimental, as habits ultimately train the heart and lead to flourishing.

• Protestantism removed valuable embodied habits, unlike Catholicism or Orthodoxy.

• While relationship is key, habits like rituals train the heart.

• Aligning beliefs and practices allows the whole self to flourish.

Protestantism correctly emphasizes a relationship-first approach, prioritizing genuine connection over mere ritual. However, its tendency to remove embodied habits, prevalent in Catholicism and Orthodoxy, is seen as a detriment. True spiritual flourishing occurs when one's beliefs (head) and practices (habits) are aligned, as habits significantly influence the heart, which encompasses the entire self.

The Role of Habits

• 00:00:00 Many habits and rituals present in Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Judaism were largely done away with in Protestantism, a change viewed as detrimental. While Protestants correctly prioritize relationship first, neglecting scheduled practices, like date nights for a spouse, leads to a loss. Habits are crucial because they embody belief, and the heart, representing the whole self, tends to follow established habits rather than just intellectual understanding.

Aligning Head and Habits

• 00:01:19 A common mistake is equating the 'heart' or 'whole self' with intellectual understanding, the 'head.' When one's intellectual beliefs diverge from their daily habits, the heart becomes torn. However, aligning one's beliefs with consistent habits leads to the flourishing of the entire self or 'soul,' a principle applicable across parenting, physical health, and spiritual disciplines, demonstrating how habits guide the heart.