Where to start?

[Aryus]

I have been attempting to research Catholicism in preparation for conversion and I am a person who learns best from books or other reading material. I noticed that most of the books and websites I have looked at seem to be meant to encourage those who already are Catholics and to provide them with information for debating protestants and atheists, or they are meant to re-invigorate people who were Catholic when they were young but have fallen out of faith or rigor, or they are geared toward converting protestants. But I cannot find much that is geared toward total non-believers, getting them (us) to believe and convert. I am not a protestant, and I was not raised Catholic, but I wish to convert.

What books (and I guess websites too) do you recommend for:
(a) Proving and truth and legitimacy of belief to non-christians (why should I believe?)
(b) Explaining Catholicism and why it is the true religion (why should I be Catholic?)
(c) A good, positive history of Catholicism and the Catholic Church from a perspective within the Faith

I am, of course, reading the Bible (KJV, NRSV, and NIV). I do not have access to a Catholic church nearby. I also know a bit of Peter Kreeft, a Catholic apologist who said that one should do research before converting, just as one should do research before buying a car. That is what I am attempting to do.

Thank You!

 

[davidv]

One recommendation I would make is Introduction to Christianity by Pope Benedict XVI.

 

[Pax]

I would recommend C.S. Lewis book *Mere Christianity *and G.K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy. Likewise, I would suggest that you continue to delve into materials by Peter Kreeft.

As far as history goes, I would recommend H.W. Crocker III’s book Triumph.

There are many websites to use but catholic.com is at the top of my list. The search function on this website gives access to a plethora of articles to answer almost any and all questions.

You can also use the Catholic Encylopedia on catholic.com or newadvent.com. The encyclopedia contains tons of of historical data on virtually every subject.

And don’t forget to read the bible daily along with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. All of these things are good and beneficial. Read and study in humility and prayer.

I will pray for you.

God bless.

 

[Catholic1954]

Welcome Home!! I would start from the top with “The Official Catechism of the Catholic Church”, and read it from cover to cover. “Catholicism for Dummies” is also very helpful. You could also try reading the “Surprised by Truth” books by Patrick Madrid. They are a collection of conversion stories from different people, in different stages of spiritual development, who give their reasons for converting to the Catholic Church. You should also look into reading anything about the Early Church Fathers. A Catholic Bible is a must, there are additional books in the Old Testament, that are not included in the Protestant version. Of course, the more you read, the more it will make sense to you, so just dive in!

 

[Donald45]

…What books (and I guess websites too) do you recommend for:
(a) Proving and truth and legitimacy of belief to non-christians (why should I believe?)

I highly recommend these excellent works:
Thomas Crean, God Is No Delusion: A Refutation of Richard Dawkins (Ignatius Press, 2007); ISBN 978-1-58617-231-2

Peter Kreeft & Ronald Tacelli, Handbook of Christian Apologetics: Hundreds of Answers to Crucial Questions (InterVarsity Press, 1994); ISBN 0-8308-1774-3

(b) Explaining Catholicism and why it is the true religion (why should I be Catholic?)

The main reason for becoming Catholic is that the Catholic Church is that historic Church founded by Jesus Christ himself (Matt. 16:18-19), and that its teachings are true. Here are a few books that help to establish these facts:
***Catechism of the Catholic Church, ***2nd ed. (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997); ISBN 1-57455-109-4

Peter J. Kreeft, Catholic Christianity: A Complete Catechism of Catholic Beliefs Based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Ignatius Press, 2001); ISBN 0-89870-798-6

Thomas Howard, On Being Catholic (Ignatius Press, 1997); ISBN 0-89870-608-4

Stephen K. Ray, Upon This Rock: St. Peter & the Primacy of Rome in Scripture & the Early Church (Ignatius Press, 1999); ISBN 0-89870-723-4

(c) A good, positive history of Catholicism and the Catholic Church from a perspective within the Faith.

Reasonably objective histories of the Catholic Church are few and far between (Hans Kung’s for example, is radically slanted to his own historically and theologically liberal agenda). Here are a few that I’ve used in my own research. Each has its own advantages and weaknesses:
Thomas Bokenkotter, A Concise History of the Catholic Church (Doubleday, 2004); ISBN 0-385-50584-1

H.W. Crocker, TRIUMPH: The Power & the Glory of the Catholic Church ~ a 2,000-Year History (Forum, 2001); ISBN 0-7615-2924-1

Paul Johnson, A History of Christianity (Touchstone, 1976); ISBN 0-7432-8203-5

I am, of course, reading the Bible (KJV, NRSV, and NIV).

For Catholics, I recommend these editions in particular:
Ignatius Bible, Revised Standard Version (Ignatius Press, 1966); ISBN 0-89870-490-1

The Navarre Bible: New Testament, Revised Standard Version ~ Compact Edition (Scepter Publishers, 2001); ISBN 1-889334-59-6
May God bless your study as you follow him in truth.

Gaudium de veritate,

Cruciform
+T+

 

[Aryus]

Thank you all very much for your suggestions. I will look into them all and I will welcome any further suggestions.

 

[Ignatius33]

You might want to check out “Reasons to Believe” by Scott Hahn. It is divided into 3 sections. If memory serves, the first 1/3 addresses reasons to believe in God and Christianity in general (addressing proofs for the existence of God and the like), while the final 2/3 offers reasons for believing that Catholicism is the true faith. I thought it was good and quite easy-to-read. It was one of the many books I read on my journey into Catholicism.