A regular Catholic Light reader e-mailed me for some help picking a catechism:
…I am basically looking for a catechism that explains ‘What do Catholics believe, and why do they believe that?,’ and it has to be orthodox. I have already purchased and read Surprised by Canon Law.”
He seems to be looking for a good apologetics book, not just a good catechism. The difference is that a catechism will tell you what Catholics believe, but apologetics will tell you why.
I could name a dozen good apologetical books, but I really can’t think of a single, all-purpose volume — sort of like a “Mere Catholicism” for the general knowledge-seeker. I’m sure they’re out there, I just don’t know about them. Does anyone want to name any favorites?
Personally I recommend “Unabridged Christianity” by Fr. Mario Romero. It’s available through Queenship Publishing. I’ve found it to be an invaluable source when it comes to apologetics
Undoubtably one of the best would be Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine by Archbishop Michael Sheehan. I had neither heard of it nor run across it in any orthodox bookstores until a seminary professor recommended it to me, but, of the hundreds of other apologetics books I own, I would most recommend this. It differs from other texts in that, as the title suggests, it relates apologetical arguments to definitive dogma.
Well there is the Handbook of Christian Apologetics (Peter Kreeft) that is comprehensive but not simple. Fundamentals of the Faith is not nearly so comprehensive, but a great introduction to the basics, and includes essays relating Christianity to Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, etc. Also by Peter Kreeft.
After looking at a few catechisms at home, I’m starting to realize why they don’t tend to get into apologetics in the systematic way our reader was hoping for.
To start with, catechisms are already pretty fat books. Since the defense of a doctrine tends to take more space than stating the doctrine, I imagine the resulting work could end up 2-3 times the size of a conventional catechism.
It’s also probably good to separate the presentation of the faith (catechesis) from its philosophical and theological defense (apologetics). In catechesis, the teaching is presented in the Church’s own way, with the Church’s voice, so to speak, giving the various aspects order and priority according to the perspective of the believing and teaching Church.
Apologetics, on the other hand, is necessarily shaped by the objections that non-Catholic thinkers propose; their objections get to set the agenda for the work of apologetics, depending on where they choose to focus their arguments.
Trying to combine the two forms would tend to deform catechesis and place undue emphasis on matters that are not central, but happen to be the occasion of objections.
Besides the universal Catechism of the Catholic Church, there are some very good adult catechisms; the one I usually recommend is Fr. John Hardon’s The Catholic Catechism.
Fr. Hardon includes historical explanations for many doctrines; these can be helpful in apologetics, but, as he writes, this book assumes that the reader already believes the contents, and he doesn’t go out of his way to catalog and respond to contemporary objections.
http://www.amm.org/chss.htm. That’s a free study course from the Knights of Columbus. 1 of the books is “We Believe” by Fr. Lukafuhr(sp). I found it excellent and so did my grown daughters.
Go for a classic!
“Apologetics: A philosophic defense and explanation of the Catholic Religion” by the Rt. Rev. Msgr Paul J. Glenn. You may get it at TAN Books. -Theo
An accessible, easily read book I have given to people asking this question is “Why Do Catholics Do That?” It’s not a catechism, but gracefully treats all the big themes in a non-argumentative, conversational way. You can check it out at Amazon.
“Catholic and Christian” by Allan Schreck is pretty good. It is a gentle apologetic. Also, I would recommend “Catholic Christianity” by Peter Kreeft.
I am like RC and haven’t really delved into the apologetics in any way. My husband, however, has kept the local Catholic bookstore afloat by reading everything. He, like Dev, recommends Peter Kreeft’s Handbook of Apologetics. I did do the Knights of Columbus study and it was good and basic. Plus, I know that my husband used the Catechism by Father Hardon all the time when he taught an apologetics class at our parish. I miss Father Hardon.
I don’t have it at hand, but I don’t think Peter Kreeft’s Handbook of Christian Apologetics is specifically Catholic (not to say that it isn’t a good work–it just may not be what the person is looking for). Isn’t it published by the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship?
Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Karl Keating isn’t a “cover all the bases” book, but it is a good place to start.
There is a great book called “Father Smith Instructs Jackson” which is sort of a question and answer catechism, with apologetics in each one. I think it is exactly what you are looking for.
I like “Theology for Beginners” by Francis Sheed. However, it’s less of an apologetics book (better for uneducated catholics)
The Beliefs of Catholics by Ronald Knox is another classic
I agree about Theology for Beginners by Sheed. It’s old fashioned, but in a good way.
TO KNOW CHRIST JESUS….Frank Sheed
Thank you everyone, I went to http://www.amazon.com and have put most of the titles in my shopping cart(they didn’t have 2 of the books mentioned, so i will look somewhere else online for them). On Friday I will be purchasing all of them, luckily shipping is free LOL.
Thanks again,
Cary
Try allcatholicbooks.com for the others, although it sounds like you have your reading material for quite awhile with all the good books recommended here!
I second the recommendation of the Frank Sheed book. ALso, (don’t laugh) Catholicism for Dummies (it has a nihil obstat and the imprimatur) by Father Trigilio (who also does a show on EWTN). My husband uses C for D as a supplement to the text for CCD/confirmation prep.
I didn’t read the whole thing, but I skimmed through Catholicism for Dummies, expecting to be disappointed, but it’s actually orthodox and well-written.