Can Anyone Recommend some good books I can share with questioning, Protestant friend?

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zaramarie81

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Hi y’all -

I work for a Christian media company, and lately we’ve been encountering some pretty intense anti-Catholic material. All of my coworkers are Protestant Christians. Naturally, the content we’ve been encountering has raised a lot of questions, and one coworker said she’d like me to find some books or resources that will help her learn what Catholics believe. Any suggestions?

She is a smart, devout young lady who comes from a Presbyterian background. Some of her questions have been:

What did the early church look like, and when did the Catholic heirarchy come about?

What happens at Mass? Are you crucifying Christ over and over again?

What is the rosary? What are your beliefs on Mary?

My goal is really to inform, not necessary to persuade (if that makes sense!).
 
My first 2 introductory books would be Catholicism for Dummies and Why Do Catholics Do That?. I think they are both great, and have a lot of information in them that will appeal to those curious about the Church. The Dummies book was one of the first books I read when we converted a couple of years ago.
 
Perhaps reading about the faith journey of another Protestant would be interesting to them. Scott Hanh’s book, Rome Sweet Home, would be good.

Along those same lines, here’s a book with an number of compelling conversion stories, Surprised By Truth.
 
zaramarie81 said:
Hi y’all -

I work for a Christian media company, and lately we’ve been encountering some pretty intense anti-Catholic material. All of my coworkers are Protestant Christians. Naturally, the content we’ve been encountering has raised a lot of questions, and one coworker said she’d like me to find some books or resources that will help her learn what Catholics believe. Any suggestions?

She is a smart, devout young lady who comes from a Presbyterian background. Some of her questions have been:

What did the early church look like, and when did the Catholic heirarchy come about?

What happens at Mass? Are you crucifying Christ over and over again?

What is the rosary? What are your beliefs on Mary?

My goal is really to inform, not necessary to persuade (if that makes sense!).
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Books are fine. I would suggest just answering her questions in your own words. Sit down over coffee or dinner. Talk with the co-worker. Invite her to Mass and let her see what happens.

I became an Anglican because a friend and a priest sat down with me and we discussed our beliefs and differences. I read books, but it was the talking and experience of my first Mass that hooked me.

A book that helped me, and at the time I was attending a Presbyterian seminary, was For the Life of the World by Alexander Schmemann. Scott Hahn was later. Most Presbyterians look at him as a traitor and it could not be as helpful to introduce him early into the conversation.

Understand she may know nothing about the Catholic Church, except for what she has heard from her pastors, other protestants and ex-catholics who have left the church.

I do pray the conversation will be fruitful.
 
MarkBrown said:
Books are fine. I would suggest just answering her questions in your own words. Sit down over coffee or dinner. Talk with the co-worker. Invite her to Mass and let her see what happens.

I became an Anglican because a friend and a priest sat down with me and we discussed our beliefs and differences. I read books, but it was the talking and experience of my first Mass that hooked me.

A book that helped me, and at the time I was attending a Presbyterian seminary, was For the Life of the World by Alexander Schmemann. Scott Hahn was later. Most Presbyterians look at him as a traitor and it could not be as helpful to introduce him early into the conversation.

Understand she may know nothing about the Catholic Church, except for what she has heard from her pastors, other protestants and ex-catholics who have left the church.

I do pray the conversation will be fruitful.
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Thanks! I personally was a “book person.” I wanted to learn about Catholicism so I read and read and read. 🙂 But no doubt, conversations help too. We do have a pretty good ongoing dialogue about it, but I think she’d like to sit and read for herself as well. Her dad is a minister who has some misconceptions (sigh). And the articles we keep seeing are pretty awful. Also, good point about Scott Hahn… I did suggest him, but perhaps I’ll refrain from pushing his stuff at this point. I love his ability to explain things, but his background could be a stumbling block.
 
If you’re looking for a book that will explain the Catholic faith in a complete and informative way, why not the Catechism? Especially if she’s of the bookish type.

The Catechism is a fantastic book and a good read. I was really surprised at how good it was when I read it, much to my surprise. I had imagined that it would be a tedious, didactic, legalistic thing. It wound up being a well crafted page turner with lots of things to think about on each page. It punches way above its already hefty weight as far as these kinds of “here’s the faith” things go!

It is a marvellous thing.
 
mystagogia said:
If you’re looking for a book that will explain the Catholic faith in a complete and informative way, why not the Catechism? Especially if she’s of the bookish type.

The Catechism is a fantastic book and a good read. I was really surprised at how good it was when I read it, much to my surprise. I had imagined that it would be a tedious, didactic, legalistic thing. It wound up being a well crafted page turner with lots of things to think about on each page. It punches way above its already hefty weight as far as these kinds of “here’s the faith” things go!

It is a marvellous thing.
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Thanks 🙂 The more I think about it, the more I think that really is the best option…
 
zaramarie81 said:
Hi y’all -

I work for a Christian media company, and lately we’ve been encountering some pretty intense anti-Catholic material. All of my coworkers are Protestant Christians. Naturally, the content we’ve been encountering has raised a lot of questions, and one coworker said she’d like me to find some books or resources that will help her learn what Catholics believe. Any suggestions?

She is a smart, devout young lady who comes from a Presbyterian background. Some of her questions have been:

What did the early church look like, and when did the Catholic heirarchy come about?

What happens at Mass? Are you crucifying Christ over and over again?

What is the rosary? What are your beliefs on Mary?

My goal is really to inform, not necessary to persuade (if that makes sense!).
Click to expand...
I would recommend:

David Currie: Born fundamentalist, Born again catholic

and

Mark Shea: “By what Authority?”

These two are great both of them. I would say the latter more foundational and I liked it best of all apologetic books I have read. It deals with why we believe in extra-Biblical tradition… this is the foundation to understanding how we can accept any other doctrine eg. about Mary or purgatory…
I warmly recommend it to everyone here. Mark Shea is sharp and funny… and so extremely logical that anyone is disarmed.

Ps. I am a convert and read a lot…
 
GraceDK said:
I would recommend:

David Currie: Born fundamentalist, Born again catholic

and

Mark Shea: “By what Authority?”

These two are great both of them. I would say the latter more foundational and I liked it best of all apologetic books I have read. It deals with why we believe in extra-Biblical tradition… this is the foundation to understanding how we can accept any other doctrine eg. about Mary or purgatory…
I warmly recommend it to everyone here. Mark Shea is sharp and funny… and so extremely logical that anyone is disarmed.

Ps. I am a convert and read a lot…
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Question - I like Mark Shea, but do you think she would interpret this suggestion as me trying to evangelize her or dismantle her Protestant faith? I am thinking out loud… because I’d love to suggest it, just not sure (it’s been a long time since I’ve read that book, but really liked it too!)
 
Going back to your original post, if your goal is to just give them some information on the Church in general, I would start light. That’s why I recommended the Dummies book, and Why Do Catholics Do That? If it were me, I wouldn’t want to overwhelm them right off the bat. I’d first clear up any misconceptions they might have, and then hopefully go from there.

I’m channeling the former Baptist in me. Plant the seed first, then douse it with water!!😃
 
msugeotech said:
Going back to your original post, if your goal is to just give them some information on the Church in general, I would start light. That’s why I recommended the Dummies book, and Why Do Catholics Do That? If it were me, I wouldn’t want to overwhelm them right off the bat. I’d first clear up any misconceptions they might have, and then hopefully go from there.

I’m channeling the former Baptist in me. Plant the seed first, then douse it with water!!😃
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Thanks Shane 🙂 I think you’re approach is a good one. I am a bit torn because she is VERY smart and well-schooled. She went to Grove City College, etc. I know she will have many questions (already has). And while I am usually pretty good at explaining the faith, I’ve run into some walls with her. I’ll do my best, think what I said makes perfect sense, and she just doesn’t understand. I suspect our beliefs are more different than I thought. Which is why she’s requesting more reading. For example, my explanation of the Eucharist and why it’s *not *sacrificing Christ over and over as she had been told, didn’t really satisfy her.

Then, I was stunned the other day to hear that most of my coworkers believe in “once saved, always saved.” I didn’t think it was that unanimous! I felt VERY strange speaking up and saying “Well, um, I think you can walk away from salvation out of your free will.” I know what I said was perceived as an affront to God’s sovereignty. 😦 It’s been really stressful at work here because after years of working in a “mixed” Christian environment, earning respect as a Catholic, earning confidence from my coworkers that yes I’m Christian… some of the content we’ve been encountering is suddenly forcing more in-depth discussions on Protestant-Catholic differences, and even though we’re all well-educated, there is a bit of surprise on both sides!

So… anyway now I’m rambling. 🙂 It’s been a crazy week. I did recommend Dummies, and Why Do Catholics Do That? and did send her a link to the catechism as well as the Catholic Encyclopedia AND said she could borrow a book my desk about the scriptural basis of Catholic doctrine. I guess I just need to let God do His part now. 🙂 But other book suggestion are great too, for future use or as the conversation progresses.
 
zaramarie81 said:
Question - I like Mark Shea, but do you think she would interpret this suggestion as me trying to evangelize her or dismantle her Protestant faith? I am thinking out loud… because I’d love to suggest it, just not sure (it’s been a long time since I’ve read that book, but really liked it too!)
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No, because she was the one who asked for some resources in order to understand our Catholic beliefs. These are served in apologetic books… but Marks book is formed more like a testimony and I like that.
I also think Mark Shea is one of those who is not being patronizing… in his book he only makes fun at himself and he is humorous about his discoveries…
besides… some good arguments for the Catholic Church should not be seen as an offence… just an explanation.
Id say… give her the material… humbly, and then back off while she reads it.
Dont worry :)👍

Grace
 
I have found “the Essential Catholic Survival Guide” by the very folks here at Catholic Answers to be pretty good. Easy read, yet very well researched.
 
GraceDK said:
No, because she was the one who asked for some resources in order to understand our Catholic beliefs. These are served in apologetic books… but Marks book is formed more like a testimony and I like that.
I also think Mark Shea is one of those who is not being patronizing… in his book he only makes fun at himself and he is humorous about his discoveries…
besides… some good arguments for the Catholic Church should not be seen as an offence… just an explanation.
Id say… give her the material… humbly, and then back off while she reads it.
Dont worry :)👍

Grace
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Good thoughts. I guess I’m assuming this person knows very little - like I did - when I first started (which may be the wrong approach for her). So, that’s what got me going. If she’s really into good, heavy reading, then yeah, hit her with it all. Then tell her, “There’s more where that came from.”😃
 
msugeotech said:
Good thoughts. I guess I’m assuming this person knows very little - like I did - when I first started (which may be the wrong approach for her). So, that’s what got me going. If she’s really into good, heavy reading, then yeah, hit her with it all. Then tell her, “There’s more where that came from.”😃
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Hey Shane…
No I dont think thats the way to approach it… I think you should give her maximum two things in her hands… and then you can direct her to EWTNs homepage for programs about whatever she has questions about… something like that… But the material you put into her hands must be both light and few.
I believe that the two books I recommended are light within their genre.
There is a reason I dont think you should give her heavy theology like that of Scott Hahn who in his very serious form of apologetics would put some heaviness into the situation. Nor Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Keating… because its simply a “brick”… your friend wont get started at all if you dont control your self… even if you are so enthusiastic yourself and want to share a lot… try to give it in small doses…

Good luck to you… I mean… God bless your ministry 👍
 
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