Apologetics for beginners

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Mickey

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My mother-in-law has requested an easy to read book with easy to understand answers for defending the Catholic faith. Can anyone recommend a good book on apologetics for people just starting out?

Thanks in advance!
 
I’ve always heard that “Catholicism for Dummies” is a good and well-thought out book, although I’ve never read it.
 
NotWorthy said:
I’ve always heard that “Catholicism for Dummies” is a good and well-thought out book, although I’ve never read it.
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Yes. I have heard that also, but never read it.

Has anyone ever read Patrick Madrid’s “Answer Me This”?
 
Karl Keating’s “Fundamentalism and Catholicism” is a great book…
 
Catholics Answers store has a really great, really easy resource: Beginning Apologetics by San Juan Catholic Seminars. There is a complete set for, like, $50. The first book encompasses the defense of the Faith real well, and each subsequent book tackles everything from Mormons and JWs to Atheists and Agnostics. I recommend this resource to anyone looking to start learning apologetics.
 
irishmac said:
Catholics Answers store has a really great, really easy resource: Beginning Apologetics by San Juan Catholic Seminars. There is a complete set for, like, $50. The first book encompasses the defense of the Faith real well, and each subsequent book tackles everything from Mormons and JWs to Atheists and Agnostics. I recommend this resource to anyone looking to start learning apologetics.
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Thanks irishmac. I will look into this. 🙂
 
Mickey said:
My mother-in-law has requested an easy to read book with easy to understand answers for defending the Catholic faith. Can anyone recommend a good book on apologetics for people just starting out?

Thanks in advance!
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Depends who to.
It also depends on your strand of Catholicism.

Obviously I recommend my own book, 12 Common Atheist Arguments (refuted), but it is specific to atheism.

Secularization, by Edward Norman, is a good one if the opponents are liberal Protestants. It is interesting because it was written whilst he was still and Anglican.

Also do a web search on “The Catholic Truth Society”. They have a huge range of pamphlets.
 
Mickey said:
Yes. I have heard that also, but never read it.

Has anyone ever read Patrick Madrid’s “Answer Me This”?
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I don’t necessarily like his books of this genre, other than “Surprised by Truth”. For instance, in his book, “Where is that in the Bible”, he’ll show a bible reference that supports a Catholic teaching. After reading it I think, “What’s that got to do with the Eucharist (or whatever)”.
 
You can even by the books separately for $6 or so. But, when you by the set, you get a handy laminated Catholic Verse finder.

And if you call in the next 5 minutes…

(Boy, do I sound like an infomercial!):rolleyes:
 
Well, perhaps this will help. My mother-in-law is 75 years old and is a cradle Roman Catholic. A protestant recently hit her with the question, “why do Catholics pray to Mary and saints instead of directly to Jesus”? She was not sure how to answer and now she wants to learn apologetics! 🙂
 
Mickey said:
Well, perhaps this will help. My mother-in-law is 75 years old and is a cradle Roman Catholic. A protestant recently hit her with the question, “why do Catholics pray to Mary and saints instead of directly to Jesus”? She was not sure how to answer and now she wants to learn apologetics! 🙂
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She needs an anti-fundie tract.
The answer to the question is of course that God desires that the saints should have some part to play in promoting human welfare, so it is approriate to pray to them.
But really to refute a fundie you have to show that his branch of Christianity is not normative, and would not have been recognised by the first century church.
 
I have an 8 X 11 laminated sheet from San Juan Catholic Seminars that’s chock full front and back with Bible verses supporting many Catholic doctrines. Since it focuses on use of the Bible itself, I’d suggest starting there. It’s called the Catholic Verse Finder, and it was only $3.00. Some of the doctrines supported are:

Bible alone, or Bible plus tradition?
Faith alone or faith plus works?
Have you been saved?
Divinity of Jesus
Infant Baptism
Intercessory prayer to Saints
Homosexuality
Divorce and Remarriage

It goes on and on. The type is really small, so a magnifying glass may be helpful! You can order one by calling 505-327-5343. Amazon also has them.
 
irishmac said:
Catholics Answers store has a really great, really easy resource: Beginning Apologetics by San Juan Catholic Seminars.
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I’ll second this series! These books are wonderful.
I bought them one or two at a time. The first one even comes w/ a study guide.
Not sure if CA shows you inside the book, but Amazon.com did last time I checked (it’s not loading now for me, though).
 
Mickey, definitely get the San Juan Catholic Seminars *Beginning Apoligetics *series – they are quick reading, well constructed books. I refer to my set all the time.

'thann
 
I would love to get the Beginning Apologetics series. I’ve had my eye on them ever since I first saw them.

The CA library has some good tracts you can print out, too.
 
👍 Catholicism For Dummies is an Awesome Book. I read it while going through RCIA and it was a tremendous help.

It “hits” the highlights of our faith without getting to “Techy”:rolleyes: To be honest, I learned more from this book then I did through RCIA.

Get The Book, get two because you just might want to keep a copy for yourself.👍
 
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