Best Catholic apologist?

  • Thread starter Thread starter charlesbarkley
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
All of these people and the ones mentioned in earlier threads have led me to a deeper understanding of the faith. It’s a calling I’m feeling myself - but need to read, listen and watch more. Thanks for all the blessing these people have given to all of us who are willing to seek the truth.👍
 
mark_a said:
My family and I benefitted greatly from John Martignoni’s apologetics cd’s.
Click to expand...
I do like Scott Hahn, Patrick Madrid, and Karl Keating.
However, it’s John Martinogni’s logical approach to the conversation that keeps me listening to his talks over and over again.
Like another poster, John’s Bible Christian Society is one I have no problem donating money to.

Go John !!!

michel
 
I found Malcolm Muggeridge’s book of essays ‘Jesus Rediscovered’ a forceful argument for Christianity.

Muggeridge at the time of writing the book was not a Catholic, he converted to Catholicism in later life. While he is critical of the direction of most christian religions he is passionate about his belief in Christ.

This is well worth a read.
 
I want to thank Catholic Answers for helping me . Iampartially blind and need the help! Thanks so much. the last post was very good ,martha
 
Thank you for your reply. Peter Kreeft has a book written jointly with Ronald Tacelli entitled “A handbook of Christian apologetics.”
I was wondering of it’s “authenticity”. It seems a good book…
 
I am very surprised at the results of this poll. I thought that Jimmy Akin would do much better. Scott Hahn seems like he is really well respected. This surprises me because of some of his controversies (Holy Spirit-female, the way he describes the Trinity as a family, etc). He has come under “fire” for some of his views. I thought that might influence some votes.
 
Please I do not want to start a rumor!!! Scott Hahn is NOT having marriage problems (as far as I know; I don’t talk to the guy).

I am having marriage problems for the similar reasons he (and Kimberly) wrote about in Rome Sweet Home, when he began his journey to the Catholic Church and she didn’t understand. THAT WAS ALL A LONG TIME AGO FOR THEM.
 
charlesbarkley said:
I am very surprised at the results of this poll. I thought that Jimmy Akin would do much better. Scott Hahn seems like he is really well respected. This surprises me because of some of his controversies (Holy Spirit-female, the way he describes the Trinity as a family, etc). He has come under “fire” for some of his views. I thought that might influence some votes.
Click to expand...
I have listened to Scott Hahn’s Father Knows Best CD over 10 times. Both of the things mentioned are in that recording. However I think what was said puts Scott’s words out of context. In the CD I mentioned he doesn’t say the Holy Spirit is female, he likens the mother of a family (any god fearing family) to the Holy Spirit. You really need to listen to it. It is a strong correlation; God made the human family to resemble His family.

Again, not that the Trinity is a family (though Father Son and Holy Spirit are indeed the language of family) but that the family, the traditional family, can be correlated to the Trinity. Each member has a specific purpose, a specific role, that contributes to the unity, communion, of the domestic church.

Perhaps I don’t relate it well enough. Hear it for yourself!
 
I like the thought of families. Inever thought about it in this way.Ilike Scott Hahn . He is in Rome doing something about St. Paul:)
 
Whilst reading all this I wondered whether the Christians of their time discussed the differences of the apostles in this manner.!?..

…in which case, of the ones I have read, Sungenis is the St Paul of the list. Confrontational and astute!

:cool:
 
pattynicole said:
I have listened to Scott Hahn’s Father Knows Best CD over 10 times. Both of the things mentioned are in that recording. However I think what was said puts Scott’s words out of context. In the CD I mentioned he doesn’t say the Holy Spirit is female, he likens the mother of a family (any god fearing family) to the Holy Spirit. You really need to listen to it. It is a strong correlation; God made the human family to resemble His family.

Again, not that the Trinity is a family (though Father Son and Holy Spirit are indeed the language of family) but that the family, the traditional family, can be correlated to the Trinity. Each member has a specific purpose, a specific role, that contributes to the unity, communion, of the domestic church.

Perhaps I don’t relate it well enough. Hear it for yourself!
Click to expand...
I am not saying Hahn is wrong or right. I was just stating that his views, on those matters, have created some discussion on whether they are acceptable views. (I believe, for example, there was an article in the New Oxford Review, questioning those views-There is also a discussion regarding these views on Bob Sungenis’ web site)
 
Deconi said:
Whilst reading all this I wondered whether the Christians of their time discussed the differences of the apostles in this manner.!?..

…in which case, of the ones I have read, Sungenis is the St Paul of the list. Confrontational and astute!

:cool:
Click to expand...
Daconi,
Perhaps you could enlighten us about Sungenis? Don’t recall ever hearing that name before.
smkw
 
smkw said:
Daconi,
Perhaps you could enlighten us about Sungenis? Don’t recall ever hearing that name before.
smkw
Click to expand...
“YOU TUBE” Sungenis. Like most apologia, he has his detractors and with good reason. There is no ‘PC’-ness to his method and pulls no punches on members of The Church…something I find refreshing.

:cool:
 
I see Dr Hanh is leading the pack … while he is good, no doubt, I think Jimmy is more succinct and direct.
 
LaSalle said:
I see Dr Hanh is leading the pack … while he is good, no doubt, I think Jimmy is more succinct and direct.
Click to expand...
Jimmy also comes up with stuff that contradicts my Bishop from time to time - such as that it is okay to chew gum at Mass (uh - NO - the one-hour fast also excludes stuff in your mouth that you chew on or suck on) and that the Friday penances are optional (again, uh - NO - every Friday is a day of penance except for those Fridays that happen to be Solemnities).
 
I always assumed an apologist was someone who defended, explained, and promoted the Catholic faith. Unless the intention was to limit the discussion to apologists associated with Catholic Answers, I find myself rolling my eyes at any selection that leaves out those great Catholic thinkers who have stood the test of time - Aquinas, Chesterton, Sheen, etc.
jmcrae said:
For a while there, at least, he was on the bandwagon of Geocentrism (Earth is the centre of the Universe), and saying that the Pope was wrong to apologize for the treatment of Galileo (who theorized that the earth goes around the sun).

I haven’t heard anything at all, lately, but a few years ago, that was all he could talk about.
Click to expand...
I was shocked to see Bob Sungenis on the list, as his vehement and embarrassing adherence to geocentrism was my first impression of him.

If he is still a geocentrist, then I don’t care how talented or persuasive he is: he lacks the credibility even to be on this list.
Deconi said:
“YOU TUBE” Sungenis. Like most apologia, he has his detractors and with good reason. There is no ‘PC’-ness to his method and pulls no punches on members of The Church…something I find refreshing.

:cool:
Click to expand...
Pretty certain his “detractors” are those who find his vehement, loud adherence to geocentrism - indeed, his insistence that heliocentrism is incompatible with the Catholic faith - an embarrassing distraction from everything true Catholic apologetics should be about.
jmcrae said:
Jimmy also comes up with stuff that contradicts my Bishop from time to time - such as that it is okay to chew gum at Mass (uh - NO - the one-hour fast also excludes stuff in your mouth that you chew on or suck on) and that the Friday penances are optional (again, uh - NO - every Friday is a day of penance except for those Fridays that happen to be Solemnities).
Click to expand...
Jimmy Akin is actually my favorite of the ones included on the poll; he uses cold, hard logic in place of impressive rhetoric - the other apologists on the list are very logical as well; I don’t mean to imply that they’re not, just that Akin’s logic is so strong that it can stand completely alone. The succinctness of his expression of certain insights strikes me as downright Thomistic.

I have yet to see someone come up with counter-arguments to his positions that seem better or more rational than his positions. In regard to the two issues you mention:
  1. Of course it’s not appropriate to chew gum at Mass, but James Akin was simply addressing whether it violates the one-hour fast. I don’t recall if he specifically wrote that it might be inappropriate for other reasons (i.e. it’s a little bit irreverent) in that post, but certainly the fact that one senses there’s something wrong with chewing gum during Mass doesn’t mean it violates the one-hour fast, because there could be other reasons besides the fast that make it inappropriate.
  2. I remember his post on Friday penances. While I admit I do not remember his specific arguments, I do remember that they were consistent, rational, and - as far as I could tell - quite objective. What are your reasons for believing otherwise? You didn’t give any in your assertion that James Akin was just plain wrong, and I am genuinely curious.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top