Answering a Fundamentalist [Paperback]

Albert J. Nevins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1990

If you have had a family member leave the Church for Fundamentalism or if you have ever been approached by a Fundamentalist at work or socially, you are acutely aware of the fervor in which Fundamentalists seek converts. At times their persistent methods may cause you to question your beliefs. Now there is a way to help you strengthen your Catholic Faith. Answering A Fundamentalist provides you with a more thorough understanding of a Fundamentalist's beliefs as well as replies to help you defend your Faith. Before each of the sixteen chapters, Father Nevins presents a common misunderstanding about the Catholic Faith. Then using logic and reasoning rooted in Scripture and Apostolic Tradition, he dispels the misconception. Father Nevins quotes heavily from the Revised Standard Version of the King James Bible most commonly used by Fundamentalists. He quotes Scripture to show that the

Product Details

• Paperback: 142 pages
• Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor (September 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879734337
• ISBN-13: 978-0879734336
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,612,587 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book will leave ardent fundamentalists speechless!, May 22, 1999

By 

Patrick Hurley (Naples, Florida USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Answering a Fundamentalist (Paperback)

Fr. Nevins has crafted an incredible weapon of Biblical truth. It is a powerful refutation to the silly, and sometimes outrageous misrepresentations hurled at the Catholic faith. This book asks and answers questions most Protestants never bother to contemplate... Who decided on the 26 books of the New Testament? And when? What did the Church do before the Bible was assembled? Where is "sola scriptura" in the Bible? It is a treasure chest of truth. I recommend it highly!!!!!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Gentle Reassurance, June 22, 2003

By 

Labarum (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Answering a Fundamentalist (Paperback)

Authors of books on apologetics tend to cultivate an audience. Frequently converts from other Church traditions, they often write in an intentionally polemical style that is uniformly negative toward the theological beliefs they no longer accept. This confrontational approach often wins kudos among those who are traveling along the same path, but it can become wearisome to an honest inquirer.

That is why Answering a Fundamentalist by the Rev. Albert J. Nevins is such an enjoyable read. Using statements commonly used by Fundamentalist Protestants to disparage the Roman Catholic Church, he gives a clear presentation of the traditional Roman position and underscores the misrepresentations of his opponents. There are no broad attacks against Protestant motives, just a claim of the correctness of Roman Catholic dogma.

It is quite probable that this book is not so much aimed at bringing Fundamentalists to Rome as to provide a gentle reassurance to Roman Catholics confused by the claims of Fundamentalist acquaintances. For example, Nevins uses the granting of a plenary indulgence for scriptural study as an example of the seriousness of the Roman Church on encouraging scriptural literacy among the faithful. Whatever the motivation of such a policy, the introduction of the topic of indulgences likely raises more questions than it answers for those outside the Roman fold. There is also no attempt to address challenges from more serious opponents to specific Roman doctrines. Thus the reader might be left with the impression that the last word on a topic has been given without any discussion of more sophisticated arguments. This is perhaps forgivable since the subject matter clearly restricts the focus to the specific claims of Fundamentalist sects and not to the doctrines of Protestantism (or Churches outside the Roman Communion) in general.

Despite some flaws, the book presents a good introduction to Roman Catholics for the defense of their doctrine. Those not in the Roman Church can gain insight into the Roman position free of caricatures without having to endure polemical attacks upon their own beliefs. Indeed, when Orthodoxy and the more historically rooted forms of Protestantism agree with the Roman position against Fundamentalism, Nevins is quick to point this out. These attempts to demonstrate the historical consensus of the Church across traditions helps Answering a Fundamentalist avoid the bunker mentality far too common in apologetics.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good for starters, November 11, 2005

By 

Laurence A. Gonzaga (Colton, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Answering a Fundamentalist (Paperback)

I believe this was the first Catholic book I ever read. I never did review it, so I am doing it now. This is the book that introduced me to the world of apologetics. What is apologetics? Put simply, it is a reasoned defense of the faith which we subscribe to. As St. Peter says:

1 Peter 3:15 DRB But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy every one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you.

This book, among other more detailed works I read after this, saved me from Christian fundamentalism as I was reeling back from years of atheism. As I sat and read an apologetic book which seemed to explain Catholicism called Understanding Roman Catholicism by Rick Jones, that book absolutely decimated my Catholic faith, however much of it was left. It made sense and it was "biblical". Little did I know, or would I expect that any person going by the label "Christian" would ever mislead. Taken out of context, all of Jones' arguments seem to fit. Until I read this book, Answering a Fundamentalist by Fr. Albert Nevins.

This book gives a simple approach to answering common objections to Catholic doctrines. He uses Holy Scripture and history to substantiate his arguments. It is not as powerful as Karl Keating's Catholicism and Fundamentalism, but it's good for beginners.

The chapters are as follows:
1. The Fundamentalist Phenomenon
2. The Bible
3. Tradition
4. The Church
5. The Papacy
6. Infallibility
7. The Magisterium
8. The Sacraments
9. Confession
10. The Eucharist
11. Purgatory
12. Mary
13. Saints and Images
14. "Call No Man Father"
15. The Inquisition
16. No Salvation Outside the Church

Good book. I recommend it for beginners...

-Laurence Gonzaga