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Five Books Every Apologist Should Read

This Rock Volume 15, Number 10   December 2004     Frontispiece By Karl Keating   Letters   Catholic Publishing: A Game for Suckers By Todd M. Aglialoro   The Good, the Bad, and the Odd   Books Do Matter By Roger A. McCaffrey   The State of Catholic Publishing   Past Present By Joseph Pearce   Book Reviews   Five Books Every Apologist Should Read    Subscribe    Permissions

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.
Catholic Answers apologist and chaplain

1. The Courage to Be Chaste by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R.: A practical guide for Christians attempting to lead a chaste life.
2. Christian Totality by Frs. Basil Cole, O.P., and Paul Conner, O.P.: A good explanation of the evangelical counsels that comprise religious life.
3. Inside Mormonism by Isaiah Bennett: A great help in understanding just what Mormonism is about.
4. The Salvation Controversy by Jimmy Akin: An easy way of dealing with "once saved, always saved" objections and more.
5. Does God Change? by Fr. Thomas G. Weinandy, O.F.M. CAP.: A more serious work that deals with God’s immutability. A helpful resource in dealing with advocates of process theology and the like.

1. The Courage to Be Catholic by George Weigel: As apologists, we need to understand the underlying causes that have led the Church into the current crisis of faith, identity, and discipleship. With understanding, we will more easily come to know what part we play to help it through.
2. 50 Questions on the Natural Law: What It Is and Why We Need It by Charles E. Rice: Helps apologists formulate moral arguments framed in the context of natural law instead of religion. Very useful when speaking with nonbelievers or in the secular world.
3. Answering Jehovah’s Witnesses by Jason Evert: This is an easy-to-read, practical guide to help refute the doctrines of Jehovah’s Witnesses from a Catholic perspective.
4. Making Senses Out of Scripture by Mark Shea: Helps one understand and appreciate the Bible, not only from a literal sense but beyond into the deeper meanings of the sacred texts.
5. The Faith of the Early Fathers (3 volumes) by William A. Jurgens: A great source for the thought of the earliest Christian writers, proving the Catholic position on things from the close of apostolic times until about the eighth century.

1. The Intellectual Life by A. G. Sertillanges, O.P.: This 1948 text on how to research, study, and learn may be difficult to obtain, but finding it is worth the effort.
2. Mariology by J. B. Carol: Three-volume set devoted to Marian doctrine and devotion, unsurpassed in its depth and readability.
3. The Faith of Our Fathers by James Cardinal Gibbons: Classic apologetics from the year 1876 on over thirty subjects.
4. Love and Responsibility by Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II): Though the philosophy can be heavy in places, this treatment of love, sexuality, and chastity will be a blessing for the Church for centuries.
5. Yes or No? Straight Answers to Tough Questions about Christianity by Peter Kreeft: This simple dialogue between "Sal the Seeker" and "Chris the Christian" is a great primer on how to answer the most common doubts held about Christianity.

1. An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine by John Henry Cardinal Newman: Possibly the most outstanding text for the argument that the doctrine of the Church was not "invented" through the centuries but indeed develops, as does the tree from its acorn.
2. The Spirit of Catholicism by Karl Adam: One of the most outstanding books ever written on the nature and structure of the Church, including the source and meaning of each of its teachings.
3. Introduction to Mary by Mark Miravalle: A simple but excellent explanation of Marian doctrine and devotion, including an answers-to-objections section for both.
4. This Is My Body by Mark P. Shea: An excellent scriptural defense of the Eucharist from an Evangelical convert. Easy to read and refer as a beginning book for seekers.
5. Salvation Is from the Jews by Roy Schoeman: Possibly the best Catholic approach to salvation history from a Jewish convert and a rebuttal to the errant parallel salvation theory of our day that the Jews do not need Christ for salvation. This book clearly demonstrates that they do and that Israel, through whom the Messiah came, has a role in his Second Coming.

1. The Bible: This is the wellspring for every apologist. Read the whole thing. All of it. It’s only 1,500 pages or so. Four chapters a day will do it in a year. Read a literal translation such as the Revised Standard Version: Catholic Edition so that you get its more literal rendering in your head.
2. The Catechism of the Catholic Church: Again, read all of it. It’s only around 800 pages. Three pages a day will finish it in less than a year. Pay attention as you read. Note both what the Catechism does and does not say.
3. Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Karl Keating: Another important book for contemporary apologetics. Surveys the standard issues and arguments and explores how extreme some forms of anti-Catholicism can be.
4. How Not to Share Your Faith by Mark Brumley: Important second-generation work of the current apologetics renaissance. Focuses on the principles that apologists must employ as they go about their craft. Will steer the novice apologist away from many pitfalls.
5. Mass Confusion by Jimmy Akin: Not an apologetics book, and not one I originally wanted to write. But the demand for having liturgical questions answered was too great. If you step into the apologetics arena, expect to get hit with them, too.

1. The Code of Canon Law: This is the Church’s principal legislative document founded on revelation and tradition. Learn about Church law concerning the obligations and rights of the faithful, the authority and structure of the Church, the teaching function of the Church, the sacraments, sanctions, and more.
2. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture edited by Dom Bernard Orchard: A one-volume commentary on the Bible. An excellent resource for understanding Scripture. This commentary is no longer in print but is usually available through used bookstores and on the Internet.
3. Where We Got the Bible by Bishop Henry G. Graham: Learn about the origins of the Bible and the Catholic Church’s role in compiling, preserving, and revering it throughout history.
4. By What Authority? by Mark P. Shea: The author skillfully explains how and why Sacred Tradition occupies a central role in divine revelation and that Tradition, as expressed by the Catholic Church, is the only sure guarantee of the truth of the revelation of Jesus Christ.
5. A Biblical Defense of Catholicism by Dave Armstrong: Learn how to explain and defend Catholicism with Scripture. The author explains how the Bible upholds the teachings of Catholicism and how Catholicism is altogether consistent with biblical teaching.

1. Search and Rescue by Patrick Madrid: A rescue plan for friends and family outside the Catholic Church; includes a three-stage reading plan for budding apologists.
2. Understanding Scrupulosity by Fr. Thomas M. Santa, C.SS.R.: The good news about orthodox Catholics is that they are sensitive to the reality of sin; the bad news is that hypersensitivity can become scrupulosity. Santa’s book helps you help fellow Catholics who are tortured by scruples.
3. God Help Me! These People Are Driving Me Nuts by Gregory K. Popcak: A Catholic psychotherapist helps you deal with the difficult people in your life. You can adapt the techniques he offers to means of approaching others in a firm, charitable manner, without diluting Christian truth.
4. Annulments and the Catholic Church by Edward Peters: Given the state of crisis in marriage and the family in today’s society, an apologist will find that the most common questions he deals with will be about annulments.
5. Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma by Ludwig Ott: On a scale from de fide dogma to theological opinion, this is a great reference for determining how authoritatively the Church teaches on various subjects.

1. Good News about Sex and Marriage by Christopher West: This book delivers concise, straightforward Catholic answers to some of the most difficult (and personal) questions on sex and marriage. An invaluable resource for any Catholic who wants to better understand what the Church teaches on human sexuality.
2. The Scriptural Roots of Catholic Teaching by Chantal Epie: A must-read book that explains how Scripture provides the foundation for the Church’s teaching. Perfect for Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
3. All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed by Stefano M. Manelli, F.F.I.: Biblical Mariology at its best. Find Mary in the pages of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.
4. Handbook of Christian Apologetics by Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli: A one-stop place to find all the major arguments for the reasonableness of the Christian faith.
5. A History of Christendom by Warren H. Carroll: A series in progress on the history of Christianity from its birth to the French Revolution. Three more books in the series are planned and are eagerly anticipated.