I want to get involved in Apologetics

[RollTide1987]

I believe God has called me to be a defender of the Catholic Church as well as an evangelizer of both Protestants and non-believers alike. Aside from this website, which is an excellent resource, are there any books, videos, DVDs, articles, commentaries, essays, etc. that you would recommend to get me started on my path?

Any and all help is appreciated.

 

[DavidFilmer]

What is your background?

As a good starting point for CATHOLIC apologetics, I recommend Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Karl Keating (director of Catholic Answers and our host on this Forum). This is (of course) available in this website’s shop. As the title says, it is mainly for heavily anti-Catholic attacks. You wouldn’t use much of it when talking to a Lutheran. But it’s where you should start, because, even though the attacks are more “savage,” they’re less effective because they’re farther from the Truth.

As a good starting point for generic CHRISTIAN apologetics (not specific to any Faith, and thus good for non-Christians) I recommend Mere Christianity by (Anglican) C.S. Lewis - a short, easy, and enjoyable read.

 

[Church_Militant]

There are a lot of good sources around to take advantage of.

First off, I recommend that you begin now to read the entire Bible and continue that practice until the Lord calls you home. The better you know the Word of God, the more effective you will be and the better you will retain church teachings and their sources.

There are a number of handy resources I would (and have) invested in. Links follow:

• The Protestant’s Dilemma
• What Catholics Really BelieveCatholicism and Fundamentalism
• How to Share Your Faith with Anyone: A Practical Manual of Catholic Evangelization
• How NOT To Share Your Faith: The Seven Deadly Sins Of Apologetics And Evangelization
• Beginning Apologetics Super Set or at least
• Beginning Apologetics Volume 1: How to Explain and Defend the Catholic Faith

•                                                                                                                           [Where We Got The Bible](http://shop.catholic.com/books-1/apologetics/where-we-got-the-bible.html)

• The free MP3s from John Martignoni’s Bible Christian Society
  
  There are a lot more to choose from in the
  Apologetics section of CA’s online bookstore

 

[MarcoPolo]

I posted this a couple years ago but I think most if not all are still active and good.

There are many resources. I’m sure a web search of Catholic apologetics will turn up an abundance. Off the top of my head:

Catholic.com
The Catholic-forum (the one that had Phil Krill as host once)
Philvaz.com apologetics
matt1618.freeyellow.com
peterkreeft.com
Kresta in the Afternoon Radio
Catholic Connection Radio with Teresa Tomeo
A Closer Look with Sheil Liaugminas radio
Bible Christian Society
The Catholic Voyager
Phat Mass
EWTN.com
Catholics Come Home
National Catholic Register
More blogs than I can think of, but off-hand: Kathryn Jean Lopez, Elizabeth Scalia, Jimmy Akin, Pat Archbold, Jill Stanek, Jennifer Fulwiler, Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse

I’m sure I could come up with more, but gotta run

 

[po18guy]

According to Simon Peter, this is at least a part-time occupation for each one of us.

1 Peter 3:15 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence

In my case, it involved receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit, then listening to Catholic radio at every opportunity, reading books on apologetics (Church history IS apologetics), and spending more and more time before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

Just remember that we are never fully formed, and our faith can always grow - if not in breadth, then in depth.