emsvetich:
Is there one apologist who has Rome’s blessing?
Oh, if only. Unless you wish to count the Pope or the current prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, unfortunately the answer is no. The Vatican does not deputize lay apologists to speak on its behalf or on behalf of the Church.
So, what is a Catholic to do? With apologists who work for Catholic organizations, you can call the diocese in which the organization is located and ask whether the organization has the approval of its local bishop. Such information can be found in the annual
Kenedy Directory and some dioceses list recognized organizations on their official diocesan web sites. This does not mean that an approved organization is part of the diocese itself, but that it works in the diocese with the bishop’s approval.
What about “freelance” Catholic apologists who work as speakers and writers? Some may be very good but are not employees of recognized Catholic organizations. Even with apologists who do work with such organizations, on matters where a divurgence of opinion is permitted it can be difficult to ascertain who is most faithful to the “mindset” of the Church.
You mention that “[e]ach apologist thinks that he is correct and has his proponents.” I recommend looking for apologists who are open to the possibility that they may be wrong and are willing to admit a mistake or error of opinion if persuaded through documentation from the Church’s teaching. Someone humble enough to admit error is more trustworthy than someone so settled in his opinion that he is not open to correction.
I also recommend looking for apologists committed to what has been called
apologetics transparency. Such a commitment means that the apologist tries to “speak with the Church’s voice” by only teaching what the Church teaches and substantiating assertions through appeals to Scripture, the Code of Canon Law, the GIRM, papal encyclicals, and other Church documents. In matters of opinion, the apologist’s personal opinion should be flagged as opinion and should be couched in “suggestion” and “recommendation” rather than in absolutes. Where divurgence of permitted opinion is allowed by the Church, such an apologist will be careful not to “anathematize” the permitted opinions of those with whom he doesn’t agree. Such a commitment to apologetics transparency can demonstrate that the apologist is not interested in being a Catholic guru, but in trying to help others understand Catholicism.
