Righteousness, Not of Us, But in Us - Dale Carlson

Episode 14 Season 4 – Righteousness, Not of Us, But in Us.

Host Ron Snyder and guest Dale Carlson discuss St. John Henry Newman's 1840 sermon "Righteousness, Not of Us, But in Us," exploring how all spiritual gifts — wisdom, righteousness, sanctification — come from Christ dwelling within us, not from our own nature. Dale shares his personal journey from a faithful Lutheran upbringing through conversion to Catholicism, driven by his wife's faith, Marian devotion, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and describes how his community in Park Rapids is now evangelizing through the Alpha program. The sermon's central argument is that pride, worldly wisdom, and the tendency to claim gifts as our own are the primary obstructions to receiving the Spirit, and that true humility means recognizing everything — even bodily health and talent — as given by God. Newman builds his case through extensive Scripture, concluding that righteousness is "not of us, but in us" — implanted one by one through the Holy Spirit as an individual, inward gift rather than a collective transformation. The conversation culminates in Newman's call for an inward change through Christ, a separation from the world's standards, and an embrace of the mystery of faith, without which awe, reverence, and proper worship all diminish. Ron and Dale close by noting how Newman's Anglican-era sermons already reflect his near-Catholic conviction, speaking to all Christians with language rooted in the Church Fathers and pointing toward universal truth.

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.