What would be Some Good apologetics Books?

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Montie_Claunch

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I am trying to Convert someone to catholism and I have gotten about as much as I can from this website (Thank you, Mr. Keating) and I need some good apologetics books for our faith and books covering the flaws of anti-catholic churches (i.e. Seventh day Adventist, J.W., Mormons, and the big one Seventh-day Adventist Wink Wink). I especially need some books covering Marian Beliefs and refuting the erronous beliefs that Protestants think we believe. I have already read Mr. Keatings Catholicism and Fundamentalism (a very good book) but I need some more extensive books (the more in-depth the better). Any books, websites (other than this one which I obviously already know about), and tips would be ever so welcome and muchly aprectiated. Thank you ahead of time.
 
I’m not an expert on Mary, so I’ll share this “warm fuzzy” item I recently noticed and thought was a big deal.

The very final thing in the Gospel of John astounds me. Jesus is handing over to the “unnamed” disciple He loved (who wouldn’t wannabe that disciple, and isn’t trying to be?) His very mother. By sharing His Mother, that really reinforces that we are truly brothers, in His family by His saving actions. He not only “shared” His Mother in that He gave his beloved disciple a wonderful spiritual leader and sinless woman as a mother, but he “shared” her in that now He can no longer protect Her on earth, so it’s up to the disciple(s) who loved him to continue to honor her against attacks, the way any friend would stick up for a friend’s wonderful, beloved, heavenly Mother.

[edit]Oh yeah, I almost forgot to add, that the act of handing over His mother was His final act that He needed to accomplish in His ministry. I wouldn’t think his Last Official Act to be a trivial one. The only thing He said after He was done was “I thirst” and “it is finished.” Who can possibly say Mary wasn’t an integral part of His ministry?
John 19:
25 Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. 28 After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.”
29 There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.
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Maybe if you can’t get to them through their theology, you can show them how much you love Her and their spirit will pick up on it subliminally or something.

My favorite video on the Mother would probably offend some people who aren’t used to the type of symbolism and language that Fr. Thomas Keating uses in his speeches, but what really won me over was his lecture on her from an ostensible “contemplative” viewpoint. It was compelling, but if you’re not already doing centering prayer there are several comments he makes relating to the prayer that you may not understand – whether that makes the movie less valuable I don’t know. I just know that I went from a theological fool about her, wondering why we even care so much and what the Big Deal was about her, to someone I could really see was an incredible example for us all, and always did the Right Thing despite the odds.

Alan
 
A really good book is by Scott Hahn, and it is called “Hail Holy Queen”. Scott does such a good job defending the Catholic faith by using scripure, which is nice because non-catholics have a difficult time accepting anything from Tradition.
 
Speaking of Mary and of videos and apologetics, I would recommend two, and then some books.

The first is the Ignatius Press video “Mary: Mother of God” with Stephen Ray. It travels around the Holy Land visiting all the places that are associated with Mary and throws in a lot of apologetics gems along the way. They are extremely well done and perfect for someone who doesn’t like to read, or for a captive audience if you have a long car trip and a VCR in the car. 😃

The second is a talk/video by Kimberly Hahn called “Mary, Mary Quite Contrary” in which she tells how she came to a Catholic appreciation of Mary after she converted from Protestantism. I believe it’s available from St. Joseph’s Communications.

Catholic Answers offers a comprehensive book about Mary called “Refuting The Attack On Mary.” It is short and simple, but comprehensive. Go to the top of this page, click “shop” then “Mary and the saints” for this and other books. I’d also recommend “Hail, Holy Queen” by Scott Hahn, and “Meeting Mary, Our Mother In Faith” Learning Guide/Study Guide, also available from Catholic Answers.
 
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TamaraS:
A really good book is by Scott Hahn, and it is called “Hail Holy Queen”. Scott does such a good job defending the Catholic faith by using scripure, which is nice because non-catholics have a difficult time accepting anything from Tradition.
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Oh my gosh. I just realized what feast is coming up in less than two weeks, and that I will get to play “Hail Holy Queen” to hundreds of people on an organ as the Last Thing They Hear as they’re singing and/or racing out to the parking lot, and likewise in another Church on a piano because the Church is being remodeled (so the Masses are in the gym, w/o organ)!"

Oooh, I crave an audience for these old Marian songs. I’m so excited about this one I love to see people, especially those that come to my Masses, get all teary-eyed and stuff when I when I give them that full (but not super loud – I hate too loud) organ sound, with those bass notes they’ve heard all their lives.

I love it when I put in the full bass pipes for the second verse. O man I love just thinking about it. Immaculate Mary for entrance hymn, Hail Holy Queen for exit. Hmm, but what to play for the other hymns?

Sorry I’m so off thread. “Hail Holy Queen” has haunted me ever since I used to play it 35 years ago when I was in grade school. Please forgive me. :getholy:

Alan
 
I agree that books by Scott Hahn are some of the best apologetic books out there. So far, I have read:

  1. *]Lord, Have Mercy - On Confession
    *]The Lamb’s Supper - How the Book of Revelation pertains to the Mass
    *]Hail, Holy Queen - On the Blessed Virgin.

    I am probably going to pick up Swear to God (On the Sacraments) in the near future. A couple more good authors are Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray (especially when using the Early Church Fathers for apologetics), Mark Shea, and Mike Aquilina.

    PF
 
Like most of the people on this thread I have enjoyed the work of Scott Hahn immensely and would recommend his books. When I was forced into apologetics for the first time the very first book that I bought was Nut & Bolts: Practical, How-To Guide For Explaining and Defending the Catholic Faith by Tim Staples. The beauty of this book is that it covers the main topics which always come up especially with members of some of the churches you have mentioned. It gives a step-by-step approach how to answer to questions that will ineveitably thrown your way. Importantly it shows you how to respond ‘biblically’. Most of the Nut & Bolts apologetics articles which are brilliant can be found online at:

envoymagazine.com/issues.htm

Hope this helps. 👍

*’'Learning is about more than simply acquiring new knowledge and insights; it is also crucial to unlearn old knowledge that has outlived its relevance. Thus, forgetting is probably at least as important as learning." * Gary Ryan Blair
 
just glansing at the suggestions, all excellent, incase not mentioned,

good resources at

EWTN google search for specific address

Real Presence association Fr Hardon

www.staycatholic.com

But always remember the Holy Spirit does the converting. All your information/arguments if it falls on a hard heart, will reap nothing. PRAY, for them, as you probably know already.

m.
 
With regard to Marian beliefs, often non-Catholics assert that we worship Mary. On things that I have found useful in explaining the role of Mary in the Catholic Church is the Vatican II Council document Lumen Gentium:

Chapter VIII (Section 52) is the relevant part where it asserts Christ’s role as the One Mediator. Also, though not diminishing the role of Mary, professes her subordinate role to Christ. It is harder to argue against official Church documents even if at times they will not listen to you. It can be accessed online from:

vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html

👍
 
Montie Claunch:
I am trying to Convert someone to catholism and I have gotten about as much as I can from this website
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By “this website” did you mean this CAForums website or this Catholic Answers website? Seems to me there is an awful lot of good apologetics material on the Catholics Answers website. (As well as book recommendations.)
 
To help someone convert, Catholic Answers wesbite is excellent as well as the ones mentioned above such as Tim Staples.

Other books that I recommend for someone to study Catholicism is to use one of the assets of Catholicism: independent thinking. There are several books on the early Church written by secular historians which I believe answers the question about which Church is the True Church. But, these books are also risky for people who are not grounded in independent study and their faith. After reading these works, I think there are two ways they can go: atheism or Catholicism.

Recommendations:
The last book about the Da Vinci Code really is an implicit summary of all three of these writers’ thoughts on early Christianity and is short to read so I think this is an excellent start for someone who is questioning what is orthodox (small ‘o’).
 
I was just watching EWTN today - Marcus Grodi on the coming home network and he was recommending some books if you are trying to get them (the possible converts) to read, I looked them up on ewtn’s catalouge page where they sell their books, it was at
www.ewtn.com/vcatalogue/index.asp?category=books
some that he mentioned were: The Faith of the Early Father’s, its a three book set for about 50.00 (it was on page 3), then he mentioned Triumph:The Power & Glory of the Catholic Church(pg.26, i think it was less than 20.00)then, Four Witnesses:The Early Church in Her Own Words(pg.29, i think it was about 17.00 or so), I also noticed Hail Holy Queen by Scott Hahn on pg’s 16(audio book) and pg 18, regular book,-- I noticed the Lamb’s Supper, by him on pg 21. Just some info, I just happened to have it right here by the computer after EWTN today. (I guess the Holy Spirit knew you’d be asking).
 
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AlanFromWichita:
Oh my gosh. I just realized what feast is coming up in less than two weeks, and that I will get to play “Hail Holy Queen” to hundreds of people on an organ as the Last Thing They Hear as they’re singing and/or racing out to the parking lot, and likewise in another Church on a piano because the Church is being remodeled (so the Masses are in the gym, w/o organ)!"

Oooh, I crave an audience for these old Marian songs. I’m so excited about this one I love to see people, especially those that come to my Masses, get all teary-eyed and stuff when I when I give them that full (but not super loud – I hate too loud) organ sound, with those bass notes they’ve heard all their lives.

I love it when I put in the full bass pipes for the second verse. O man I love just thinking about it. Immaculate Mary for entrance hymn, Hail Holy Queen for exit. Hmm, but what to play for the other hymns?

Sorry I’m so off thread. “Hail Holy Queen” has haunted me ever since I used to play it 35 years ago when I was in grade school. Please forgive me. :getholy:

Alan
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How can you forget Ave Maria? Hopefully you’ll have some beautiful soprano to sing it in italian (I think it’s italian) too. I’m not sure when that would be appropriate, though. 😃 I know my sister would render it quite wonderfully.

The mass I typically go to, Alan, uses the piano, but not the organ. When I go to the other masses, it’s always fun to get that rumble from the pipes under your feet.

I’d like to stay on topic, but, everyone else has been so helpful. What could possibly add?
 
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RobNY:
How can you forget Ave Maria? Hopefully you’ll have some beautiful soprano to sing it in italian (I think it’s italian) too.
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Rob, it’s Latin!
 
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