Apologists Needed for New Web Site!

[tsdon]

I’m 40 and have come home into The Church Easter 2007. I was agnostic/atheist for most of my life and then attended protestant McChurches. Coupled with wanting to learn the bible more, and being confronted with typical harsh anit-Catholic bigotry, I became open to read what Catholics said they believe in and read their side of apologetics. Within 6 months, I was watching EWTN almost everyday. Anyway, enough about me…

We are called to use our time and talent to forward the truth. I have a company that produces web sites and have created a template for an apologetic web site, but I need content writers for all the many typical apologetic questions. I’m a big fan of John Martignoni. With 2 jobs and a new family member, I need help writing the content. I hope this site can be a springboard to be a ‘society’ or club that parishes can start around the country just the way there is ‘Theology on Tap’. Apologetics are so important for our faith, I think catholics are realizing that.

Only serious inquiries please. Email Sean at donohue6195@hotmail.com.

 

[grandfather]

We are called to use our time and talent to forward the truth. I have a company that produces web sites and have created a template for an apologetic web site, but I need content writers for all the many typical apologetic questions. .

Sean,

I wondered what would be different about your new site. There already are quite a few Catholic apologetic sites and writers out there going at their trade. It has become the rage.

Anyway I was wondering if there would be anything to differentiate your new site from others.

 

[Ron_Conte]

So, you’ve been a Catholic for less than 2 years and already you feel qualified to start teaching the Catholic faith?

Apologetics is a form of teaching, and, in my opinion, only persons who have been practicing and studying the Catholic faith for many years are qualified to teach the same.

And whom will your recruit to write for this site?
What will their qualifications be?

 

[COPLAND_3]

Ron Conte

So, you’ve been a Catholic for less than 2 years and already you feel qualified to start teaching the Catholic faith?

Scott Hahn was not even converted when he was teaching Catholics about their faith. So it is very possible and sometimes the most driven. Like Hahn said, sometimes it takes pilgrim to teach the natives.

 

[Cantaloupe]

protestant McChurches…

Hehe love it!

 

[teachccd]

So, you’ve been a Catholic for less than 2 years and already you feel qualified to start teaching the Catholic faith?

Apologetics is a form of teaching, and, in my opinion, only persons who have been practicing and studying the Catholic faith for many years are qualified to teach the same.

And whom will your recruit to write for this site?
What will their qualifications be?

Give the guy a break. He’s fired up which is more than can be said for most Catholics. The Apostles taught the faith by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There are many pewsitters and Protestants who don’t need theologians to teach them. They just need the basics or someone like Sean who knows what it took to get him home. God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called…Peace…teachccd

 

[Christy_Beth]

I entered the church in 1997, and did I ever have plenty of zeal!! Because of that, I learned alot. I was so happy to be “home” that I wanted to drag everyone else here as well!!

 

[SedesDomi]

I entered the church in 1997, and did I ever have plenty of zeal!!

Still got the zeal?

 

[MrS]

Personally I am fully convinced that

The best way to learn something, is to try and teach it.

We should pray for and encourage success for this effort.

.

 

[grandfather]

So, you’ve been a Catholic for less than 2 years and already you feel qualified to start teaching the Catholic faith?

Apologetics is a form of teaching, and, in my opinion, only persons who have been practicing and studying the Catholic faith for many years are qualified to teach the same.

And whom will your recruit to write for this site?
What will their qualifications be?

The converts that are entering the Church today know more about the Church than 99% of Catholics in the pew. There is no question about it.

 

[teachccd]

The converts that are entering the Church today know more about the Church than 99% of Catholics in the pew. There is no question about it.

Sean, grandfather is absolutely right. My best to you and God bless you for your fervency and I hope you get all of the help that you need to get going. I taught a fourteen week apologetics class at my parish and the people could not get enough. It was all in line with official Catholic teachings and my beginning attendance remained throughout the course. I am not a professional apologist but the material I covered adequately satisfied the learners. Apologetics is what got me fired up for our faith nine years ago and I’ve been fired up ever since…Peace…teachccd

 

[grandfather]

Sean, grandfather is absolutely right. My best to you and God bless you for your fervency and I hope you get all of the help that you need to get going. I taught a fourteen week apologetics class at my parish and the people could not get enough. It was all in line with official Catholic teachings and my beginning attendance remained throughout the course. I am not a professional apologist but the material I covered adequately satisfied the learners. Apologetics is what got me fired up for our faith nine years ago and I’ve been fired up ever since…Peace…teachccd

Folks! Apologetics is one aspect of the faith. It is getting much attention in this particulat time. Everyone and his brother is an apologist these days. Other essential aspects of the spiritual life can be ignored when people get caught up in dispute. Devotions, a prayer life and the sacraments are more important to the soul that winning arguments.

 

[teachccd]

Folks! Apologetics is one aspect of the faith. It is getting much attention in this particulat time. Everyone and his brother is an apologist these days. Other essential aspects of the spiritual life can be ignored when people get caught up in dispute. Devotions, a prayer life and the sacraments are more important to the soul that winning arguments.

But equally as important is winning souls…We are the instruments of Christ to defend His Church…

A spiritual life devoid of the sacraments and a fervent prayer life is futile. We all should be apologists to some degree even if it is by our examples to others. We shouldn’t say that defending the faith IS our faith but it definitely should be a part of it. This should ALWAYS be done in charity. See 1 Peter 3:15…teachccd

 

[Ron_Conte]

Scott Hahn was not even converted when he was teaching Catholics about their faith. So it is very possible and sometimes the most driven. Like Hahn said, sometimes it takes pilgrim to teach the natives.

I’m critical of Hahn’s theology. I think he errs in a number of substantial ways.

I know of another man who converted to Catholicism. He was a Protestant preacher, then he became a Catholic and he continued preaching and teaching, but as a Catholic. He sees himself as a teacher: first a teacher of Protestantism, then a teacher of Catholicism, but first and foremost a teacher. His teachings on Catholicism are oversimplified and contain numerous theological errors. He can’t be corrected by a theological argument, because he sees himself as a teacher of Catholicism, not a learner.

So here is the problem with this kind of approach. Catholicism is a field of study comparable to medicine or law. Even a physician or a lawyer who has spent a lifetime practicing will not know the entire field. So it is with Catholicism, except that Catholicism contains mysteries that are beyond the ability of the human mind to completely understand (even the human mind in heaven, even the human mind of Christ).

Suppose someone develops an enthusiasm about medicine, studies the field for six months or a year. A year of study is not even enough to qualify as an LPN. Maybe you could be a nurse’s aid with that level of study. Now consider if someone with that level of study were not merely to practice medicine, but to teach it! Those who teach medicine have practiced it and studied it for many years.

And Catholicism is a greater field than medicine. It concerns the health and salvation of the soul, not merely of the body. People should learn the faith before they teach it. If you are ethusiastic about Catholicism, you should study the Faith and learn it, not immediately go out and teach it.

 

[MrS]

Folks! Apologetics is one aspect of the faith. It is getting much attention in this particulat time. Everyone and his brother is an apologist these days. Other essential aspects of the spiritual life can be ignored when people get caught up in dispute. Devotions, a prayer life and the sacraments are more important to the soul that winning arguments.

I wish… Confirmation should give us the grace, and we need to add to that the will, to learn, share, and defend the Faith. We should all be apologists, without apology to anyone.

.

 

[Ted_in_Charlott]

Paul was a convert that preached with zeal and had his distractors. He turned out great.

As a practical website, I would suggest e-mailing lists and newsletters. Maybe a recent convert club. A CCC section, a question about the mass section. Maybe a Catholic Crossword puzzle or word seek.

Please allow me to pray for you and your ministry. Don’t be distracted by nay sayers. There are tons of Catholic sites out there, but few good ones. There is a rating site for Catholic sites. maybe I will remember the name later. After you get your site up and going, maybe submit to them so you can get some instant published credibility.

I joined the Church Easter 2006. I thought about a similiar venture, but alas…

 

[Donald45]

God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called…

Yet, this may take some time, depending on the prior preparedness of the individual. Scott Hahn didn’t require as much preparation as many others since he was already a formally trained professional theologian at the time of his conversion. Others with no such training may need much more preparation. As the Psalmist observes: “Without knowledge even zeal is not good; and he who acts hastily, blunders” (19:2).

God bless,

Don
+T+

 

[teachccd]

I’m critical of Hahn’s theology. I think he errs in a number of substantial ways.

I know of another man who converted to Catholicism. He was a Protestant preacher, then he became a Catholic and he continued preaching and teaching, but as a Catholic. He sees himself as a teacher: first a teacher of Protestantism, then a teacher of Catholicism, but first and foremost a teacher. His teachings on Catholicism are oversimplified and contain numerous theological errors. He can’t be corrected by a theological argument, because he sees himself as a teacher of Catholicism, not a learner.

So here is the problem with this kind of approach. Catholicism is a field of study comparable to medicine or law. Even a physician or a lawyer who has spent a lifetime practicing will not know the entire field. So it is with Catholicism, except that Catholicism contains mysteries that are beyond the ability of the human mind to completely understand (even the human mind in heaven, even the human mind of Christ).

Suppose someone develops an enthusiasm about medicine, studies the field for six months or a year. A year of study is not even enough to qualify as an LPN. Maybe you could be a nurse’s aid with that level of study. Now consider if someone with that level of study were not merely to practice medicine, but to teach it! Those who teach medicine have practiced it and studied it for many years.

And Catholicism is a greater field than medicine. It concerns the health and salvation of the soul, not merely of the body. People should learn the faith before they teach it. If you are ethusiastic about Catholicism, you should study the Faith and learn it, not immediately go out and teach it.

In what ways does Scott Hahn’s theology fail? You make a statement with no reference.

And for the rest of your post, I respectfully disagree that one must be a theologian with years and degrees to teach the Catholic faith. As long as one is familiar enough with Church teachings and does not stray from orthodox principals then one may very well instruct others. It is then up to each teacher of the faith to recognize their limitations and point to other resources for those things that they are not familiar with.

Anyone who fits the profile of the guy you mention is not a teacher. A teacher is always simultaneously a learner. I consider myself a teacher as does my diocese and I am continually learning my faith. The word catechesis means “to echo” or “resound”. It does not mean “one who is a theologian”. Therefore, while we must caution ourselves, we should not fear passing on the faith when we know that what we can do will benefit others.

And lastly, one cannot compare Catholicism with medicine or law. Faith is a journey towards God. There are many levels within that journey and I believe that all Catholics are called to minister to those who are on the lower levels of that faith journey. We need not just call on theologians. The Apostles were simple guys spreading the message of Christ. If your argument held true, then most of our Religious Education departments would cease to exist. Yes, one should learn the faith before they teach it and that is at any level because even theologians cannot agree with each other. You don’t agree with Scott Hahn who is a renowned theologian…teachccd

 

[teachccd]

Yet, this may take some time, depending on the prior preparedness of the individual. Scott Hahn didn’t require as much preparation as many others since he was already a formally trained professional theologian at the time of his conversion. Others with no such training may need much more preparation. As the Psalmist observes: “Without knowledge even zeal is not good; and he who acts hastily, blunders” (19:2).

God bless,

Don
+T+

Yes, one must be prepared before they teach. My rule of thumb is to acknowledge my limitations and grow from them. I never allow my students to leave any class with anything other than official Church teachings. My opinions remain mine. I am not a theologian but many have told me that they have greatly benefited from my classes. I teach adults and children. I do have a few years of study under my belt and some formal theology training and I have the confidence to share our faith. With zeal comes knowledge and with both…look out! …teachccd

 

[teachccd]

Now…Can anyone help out the OP with his website???