Why are you a Baptist? Or a Unitarian? Why are you a Muslim? Or a Buddhist?

These questions, which could be addressed to various readers of this column, are prompted by a reading of a new book by historian Gary Wills. “Why I am a Catholic,” is the title of this latest in a long list of his publications.

He wrote it in answer to some critics of his previous book “Papal Sin,” which details ways in which modern popes have operated within “structures of deceit” instead of acting with respect for truth.  Professor Wills believes a critical attitude toward the church is consistent with loyalty as a believing Catholic and he tries to show why in this new book.

The book forms an imperfect unity consisting of: a brief memoir; a review of Catholic history focusing on the papacy; and an analysis of the Apostles Creed. To judge from what the author has said on the lecture circuit about this work, he intends the third part, the creed, to provide the chief reason for his being a Catholic.

When he comes to the creed, Professor Wills explains its threefold structure: faith in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For him, belief in the Holy Trinity is not a frill but belongs at the very heart of the Catholic tradition. He shows this doctrine to be all about love and quotes from a sermon of St. Augustine: “It is a trinity: the lover, the loved, and love itself.”

While setting forth his appreciation of the Holy Trinity, the author also emphasizes that numbers and relationships cannot adequately express who God is. As the transcendent one, God goes far beyond any human ways of describing him. As God says in the Bible, “My ways are not your ways.”

While analyzing the Apostles Creed, Gary Wills shows a scholar’s knowledge of history and theology. But he does not merely appreciate the doctrinal heritage of his faith intellectually. Beyond his activity as a scholar interested in religious issues, he takes the spiritual life seriously.

He prays regularly and takes part in public worship at Sunday Mass and at other times as well. Among the prayer forms he favors, he mentions the rosary, which he recites daily. Incidentally, he rejects the view of some Catholics who consider saying the rosary outmoded

The first section of the new book consists of a short memoir of the author’s early life and his career as a scholar and writer. It provides a personal history of how his spiritual life took root and grew strong. Let me here suggest that the memoir may provide a better answer to the question he poses in the title.

He grew up in a family that took Catholicism seriously, even though his father was not Catholic himself. Young Gary had gone to elementary schools taught by nuns and a high school run by Jesuits. Thus he was formed in the ways of Catholic Christianity and became deeply committed to this tradition.

After high school graduation in 1951, he joined the Jesuits who had been his teachers. In the novitiate, he experienced serious doubts about this vocation and ultimately left the Jesuit ranks in 1957, long before ordination to the priesthood. By this time, he was highly educated in the ways of both spiritual and intellectual life.

This family and educational background could have played greater importance in helping the author answer the basic question posed by his book. Another answer might have been: “I am a Catholic because I grew up in a Catholic family where the faith was handed on to me.”

This answer is one that many other people, perhaps most, would give if they were asked the question. The role played by upbringing in forming one’s view of the world and our spiritual values is enormous.

A dear friend whose wisdom I respect has suggested to me that perhaps we should not be able to answer the question posed by the Wills book. Why we have this or that spiritual identification usually goes too deep for words.

As Pascal says, “The heart has reasons that reason knows not of.” Yes, we can provide some explanation for who we are spiritually, but the real answer may well be mystical. We may even believe we are who we are because of a call from God rather than because of any initiative of ours.

Richard Griffin