Help with Basic Apologetics

  • Thread starter Thread starter JAGCath28
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

JAGCath28

Guest
I’m very new to the apologetics arena. I have started talking to others about the Catholic Church and what she REALLY teaches (to help answer questions or explain the misconceptions). Most of the time, the situation presents itself where the person I’m talking with asks me a question directly which allows me to answer. I haven’t been given a situation (or at least felt comfortable enough) to go out of my way to talk about the Catholic Church. I’m working on it. 😊

However, on Saturday night, a situation did come up where I felt like I SHOULD have said something, but I didn’t know what to say and so I kept silent for the most part. We (my husband and I) were having dinner with our neighbors, and I asked them where they go to church (I knew they went to church on Sundays so this wasn’t out of the blue). The husband said Church of Christ. Well, this kind of opened a door because he kept mentioning throughout the evening how we should go to their church because they teach the Bible and what-have-you. Now, before I became Catholic, Church of Christ was one of the churches that I had attended so I’m familiar with them.

Anyway, I didn’t say anything except for at one point (when talking about families), I said that one reason why I really like our parish church is because it is family oriented. It has a school, etc. But other than that, I didn’t go into anything substantial. My thoughts were that it was their house, and I didn’t want to start a “fight” over religion or anything. However, because he kept bringing it up, I’m wondering if I should have been a little more aggressive.

I would really love to hear some “testimonies” of the first few times you may have been called to evangelize or defend your faith (face to face), and how you overcame that initial feeling of being scared. What was the turning point?

Peace and love,

Jessica
 
It seems that in saying you should go to their church because they “teach the Bible” he was maybe implying that the Catholic Church doesn’t teach the Bible?
If so, you could simply say something like “Oh, the Catholic Church does also.” Then, back it up.

Most Protestants (and I think many Catholics) aren’t aware of the following facts:

-The Catholic Church chose the canon of the Bible (divinely inspired, of course).
-The Catholic Mass consists of about 65% Scripture readings/quotes, well more than Protestant services. Almost the entire Mass is the words of Scripture.
-A faithful Catholic who regularly attends Mass will hear almost the entire Bible in a three year period.

I would also recommend that you read the book “Where We Got the Bible. Our Debt to the Catholic Church.” It is readily available on Amazon.com or your local Catholic book store.

For a great primer on the Bible, where it came from, etc., visit this link:

scborromeo.org/index2.htm

To see Scripture in the Mass, go to this link:

catecheticsonline.com/apologetics_mass.php

They also have a great apologetics section.

And of course, keep reading this forum. You will get tons of great information here!
 
I’ve had better luck just offering to tell what I believe for anyone who asks. If you just come out and tell somebody, “Hey, the Catholic Church is right because…xyz…” you’ll likely get resistance. Remember to be humble always. Avoid long debates that are sure to go nowhere. Be able to jump out of a conversation without having the last word. And above all…preach by your example, in the way you live your life!! 🙂

Some other apologetic links:

bringyou.to/apologetics/apolog.htm
matt1618.freeyellow.com/
catscans.com/catholicsite/
 
The first time I had an opportunity to defend my Catholic faith was when a gal from the Episcopal Church I had been attending learned that my husband and I were going to join the Catholic Church. I’m afraid I didn’t explain things every well, either. I wasn’t even a Catholic yet but knew God was directing us there (returning for my husband and beginning for me after a long time of discernment). At that point I was in a state of flux myself, so I wasn’t able to articulate my reasons except to say my husband wished to return to the Church and I had become convinced of the truth of its teachings. Pretty lame, huh? 😊 😉

My next opportunity came when I was in RCIA. I had been brought up Episcopalian, but we had left for the Assemblies of God for many years. I had returned to the Episcopal Church but was unsatisfied there. As it happened my roommate from the Assemblies of God Bible college I had attended who was now married and expecting her 2nd set of twins was being given a baby shower by her sister in law. So, I found myself back at an Assemblies of God church for the baby shower. The sister in law, also a friend from college, drove me there and back, so we talked about the old days as well as my desire to become a Catholic. She was quite nice about it, but clearly puzzled. She asked if Catholics had a “personal relationship with Jesus” (one of the requirements for salvation in the Assemblies of God) and I answered an enthusiastic “Yes!” I said that the whole of the Catholic faith was about Jesus and union with him. I have no idea if that statement ever influenced her towards the Catholic Church or not, but at least it gave her an answer she wasn’t expecting and helped her see outside her own conceptions about the Church. I know it was the Holy Spirit who spoke through me that day, but I also know I had to be open to him to do so. I had been praying to be open to him and God answered my prayer!

Along with edjco I also recommend Where We Got the Bible: Our Debt to the Catholic Church by Henry Graham, as well as his other recommendations. Also, the apologetical writings of G. K. Chesterton, especially “Orthodoxy”, “The Everlasting Man”, and “The Catholic Church and Conversion”, the texts all available online, along with many more of his wonderful writings.
 
Thank you for all the references! I said a prayer in Mass yesterday that God would grant me the courage to stand up for Him, and not be so shy about it. I felt like today’s readings were also calling me to remember that I shouldn’t be afraid of “suffering” for the truth.
 
Hey, Jessica!

Those were good posts above. If you prefer an audio/video lesson on the “Origin of the Bible” go to the three part series at: alabamacatholicresources.com/bible.html

Most Protestants don’t have a clue when it comes to the history of Christianity. They also don’t know who founded their denomination, usually. I find it handy to give them a 10,000 foot view, historically, of Christianity. If they’re physically present, draw a long line on a paper or whiteboard, if you have one, representing 2000 years of Christianity. Then, around the middle of the line, draw a mark, that would represent 1054 A.D. This would represent when the Orthodox split off from the Church. Draw a small detour from that midpoint and draw it parallel to the original line (in another color, of possible). Before this 1054 A.D. mark, all who were Christian were Catholic. There were no other Christian churches. There were heretical movements within the Church, but these were defeated by the Church, usually at some Council or other when 1 Tim 3:15 was written.

Finally, draw a mark about halfway between the midway mark (Orthodox) and the end (current time), that would represent 1517 A.D. This marks the Protestant Reformation, begun by an ex-Catholic monk, Martin Luther. Then, start a detour that would represent Lutheranism, followed by as many detours from that as you can, splintering from each one like the branches of a tree. Then, mention that you can’t put 30,000+ branches because you don’t have room or time, but that represents Protestantism. Tens of thousands of man-made, doctrinally disunified, disagreeing denominations, all based on the two doctrines that Martin Luther made up out of thin air, “Sola Fide” (we are saved by faith alone) and “Sola Scriptura” (the Bible is the SOLE rule of faith). Neither can be supported by Scripture. And, this is the reason that Protestantism has continued to splinter for 500 years and must continue to do so. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth. The truth cannot contradict itself.

Furthermore, Jesus promised to remain with His Church till the end of the world (Matt. 28:20), and to send the Holy Spirit to “guide it into all truth.” Scripture refers to Jesus’ Church as the “pillar and foundation of truth.” (See 1 Tim 3:15.) Historically, this passage can only be referring to the Catholic Church. There was no other.

If they mention that the word “Catholic” is not in the Bible, mention a couple of things. 1) The Bible doesn’t say that everything has to be in the Bible. In fact, it says that** not** everything Jesus did or taught is in the Bible (John 21:25). Yet, Jesus commanded the Apostles to go forth and teach everything that He taught them (Matt. 28:20). So, if the Bible says that not everything Jesus taught is in the Bible, but He commanded the Apostles to go forth and teach everything He taught them, where’s the difference? In Oral Tradition (oral teaching). See 2 Thes 2:15, where St. Paul tells the Thessalonians to hold fast to both oral and written teaching. The Catholic Church alone has received the entire deposit of faith from Jesus. Jesus never wrote anything, nor did He command anyone to write anything. He commanded the Apostles (and their successors) to teach and preach everything He had taught them. Only the Catholic Church does this.
2) The same guy that coined the term “Christian” also coined the term “Catholic” (which means “universal”). We still have written proof from as early as 107 A.D., of the Church founded by Jesus Christ being referred to as “Catholic” from a letter written by St. Ignatius of Antioch. And he’s not using the term as if it’s new, but as if he expects everyone to understand the church to which he is referring.

Hope this helps.

God bless! 🙂
 
For strategies in apologetics, check out the free audio downloads you can get here: biblechristiansociety.com/download

The first one “Apologetics for the Scripturally Challenged” is especially good for tips on how to approach others who are curious about–or even attack–your Catholic faith.

Hope this helps!
 
Kay_Cee said:
For strategies in apologetics, check out the free audio downloads you can get here: biblechristiansociety.com/download

The first one “Apologetics for the Scripturally Challenged” is especially good for tips on how to approach others who are curious about–or even attack–your Catholic faith.

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Thank you Kay Cee. I actually was given that website by someone else a little while back. Very informative! I’m trying to get my husband to listen to the the talk that you mention because I thought he would find it very useful.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top