Customer Reviews

Any Friend of God's Is a Friend of Mine: A Biblical and Historical Explanation of the Catholic Doctrine of the Communion of Saints

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Not only did this book explain some questions I've always had about Catholic devotion to saints, but it was a delight to read. Not intimidating, as many books about the faith can be in their presentation. The writing is clear and to the point, but not dry or lacking in character. Many of the questions I had about the why's of praying to the saints have transformed into lucid and concrete answers that increase my faith in God and the church, and help me discuss the issue intelligently with others. I highly recommend the book to anyone.

Madrid provides a needed service with this book. He addresses the following subjects: 1) What is the Communion of Saints? 2)Classical Protestant Objections 3)"Me nad Jesus" Christianity Isn't Biblical 4)The "One Mediator" Argument and Other Objections 5)Praying for the Souls in Purgatory 6)The Testamony of the Early Church 7)The Veneration of Relics 8)Statues and Images 9)Does Honoring Mary and the Saints Offend God? 10)Epilogue 11)Appendix: Council of Trent Decree Concerning the Invocation, Veneration, and Relics of Saints and Sacred Images

This book has been given to many Protestant friends and has clarified a great deal for them. It is also very useful for Eastern Orthodox Christians, with the exception of the chapter on purgatory (Orthodox have a different understanding of the matter).

Other books of interest may include: Discovering the Rich Heritage of Orthodoxy, by Bell; Lossky's, Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church; The Experience of God, by Staniloae; The Encyclopedia of Early Christianity, ed. Ferguson. For a detailed account of Icons and their usage see, The Resurrection and the Icon, by Quenot. Enjoy!

I loved this book! The communion of saints is one of the most misunderstood Catholic teachings. "Any Friend of God's Is a Friend of Mine" is the first book I've ever read that tackles the biblical and historical evidences that support this crucial Catholic teaching. The Catholic practice of honoring Mary and the saints, asking for their intercession (after all, doesn't the Bible say we should pray for one another? 1 Tim. 2;1-4), and using statues, icons and sacred images, is clearly shown to be scriptural. When Catholics honor and ask for the intercession of Mary and the saints (our departed fellow Christians), they are not commiting "idolotry" -- and this book proves it.

"Any Friend of God's" gives the best, clearest explanation of the Catholic doctrine of the communion of saints I've ever seen. The biblical evidence shown in this book for honoring and praying to Mary and the saints is impressive, especially in the way it thoroughly refutes many standard Protestant arguments. Great book to give to non-Catholics who want to understand Catholic teaching about praying to saints.

Great introduction to the Catholic teaching on the communion of saints. Another fantastic reminder of the beauty of the Catholic Faith. When I was younger and I had to travel, my Mother would say and don't forget you also have your Mum in heaven and all the Angels and Saints, so ask for their prayers as well. During the birthdays of Saints we found out what made them special and how they gave lived their lives for Good and for God. It has always made me feel the Church on earth and in heaven with Our Lord God as the head are one big family. Thank you Mr Madrid for putting into words why.

The Catholic Church presents and preserves a beautiful teaching about our brothers and sisters in Christ who have gone on before us in a state of grace... that we are not separated by death, that our departed loved ones can still hear us and pray for us, and that there is a real union between us.

Pat Madrid presents a very brief, yet very substantive book that examines this teaching. Covering topics that range from praying to the saints to the power of saintly relics, Madrid argues almost exclusively from the Scripture, thus making this book a valuable resource in presenting the Communion of the Saints to a bible-only Christian.

As you read this book, you will hear the objections against this teaching from both modern apologists as well as the founding fathers of the Reformation (i.e., Calvin and Luther). You will be directed to the Scriptures that support this teaching, and be invited to consider the implications of those Scriptures. You will be taken back into history to see how these teachings (prayers to saints and venerating relics) were actually practiced BEFORE the Church came into being, by the Jews who comprised the first Church.

For being such a short, digestible work, this book is dense with truth, and is recommended for daily meditation.

Madrid provides a needed service with this book. He addresses the following subjects: 1) What is the Communion of Saints? 2)Classical Protestant Objections 3)"Me nad Jesus" Christianity Isn't Biblical 4)The "One Mediator" Argument and Other Objections 5)Praying for the Souls in Purgatory 6)The Testamony of the Early Church 7)The Veneration of Relics 8)Statues and Images 9)Does Honoring Mary and the Saints Offend God? 10)Epilogue 11)Appendix: Council of Trent Decree Concerning the Invocation, Veneration, and Relics of Saints and Sacred Images

This book has been given to many Protestant friends and has clarified a great deal for them. It is also very useful for Eastern Orthodox Christians, with the exception of the chapter on purgatory (Orthodox have a different understanding of the matter).

Other books of interest may include: Discovering the Rich Heritage of Orthodoxy, by Bell; Lossky's, Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church; The Experience of God, by Staniloae; The Encyclopedia of Early Christianity, ed. Ferguson. For a detailed account of Icons and their usage see, The Resurrection and the Icon, by Quenot. Enjoy!

I read this book over a year ago. It was fascinating. I have always recited the Nicene Creed in Mass and the Apostle's Creed at the beginning of every Rosary. However, prior to reading this book, I did not understand, nor did I have an idea of what the Communion of Saints was. I've heard the terms "church militant", "church triumphant", and "church suffering" before but did not know how they related. We don't use those same terms anymore, but we still refer to those "modes" of being in the Christian faith.

Patrick Madrid, a well known apologist, one of the best, has given us an in-depth treatment of this ancient doctrine. A teen, during Bible study asked me once about the defense of the Communion of Saints doctrine because his friend was denying and attacking the belief. I sat down for about 4 hours and skimmed through this book again, and managed to put together 4 full pages of hand written notes on citations from the Bible, Tradition and Church documents which piece this doctrine together.

I highly recommend this book for the Catholic who needs to brush up on his/her understanding of this beautiful doctrine, the Protestant who seeks answers to why Catholics pray to Mary and the Saints (not as a form of worship as they believe), and perhaps even Catholics who may have just lost a loved one and have doubts about Purgatory. We never do leave our Communion with the Church of God, whether on Earth, in Purgatory, or in Heaven.

God Bless,
Laurence

Growing up Catholic, I never gave the pharse "communion of saints" that I regularly professed as part of the Creed during mass much thought or analysis. I thought it merely meant there were saints and that was that. Then my parents moved to the Bible Belt, where false representations of Catholic doctrine were presented and attacked by non-Catholics particularly through here endless use of circulars.

Patrick Madrid's book provides an acccessible and succint summary of the Communion of Saints doctrine. The book can easily be read in an afternoon, but it does not omit any essential detail or fail to address any of the common arguments presented against the doctrine. Ideal for Catholics who want to know mroe about their faith (particualrly thsoe who have had their faith attacked and need help with the defense) or for non-Catholics who want to understand the role of saints in Christianity according to the real Catholic perspective.

Catholics do not worship saints or Mary, but believe that death does not separate the souls dedicated to Christ. That the righteous dead are just as much a member of the living church as the living. There are biblical foundations for this belief, which Madrid offers in detail. One of the conseuqeunces of this belief is the docrtine that saints pray with us at mass and may pray for our individual intentions.

The Communion of Saints doctrine is the belief that we can and should ask they dead the pray for us, juat as we ask the living to pray for us. It is not the pracitice of implying that anyone can take over the role of mediator, which was exclusively given to Jesus Christ, but it is the belief that just as friends on earth can pray for us to Jesus, so can the saints - including Mary. Madrid has a special chapter on Mary and the misunderstandings that surround her. The book also includes a section on the concept of Purgatory and its bilical origins and role in tradition.

The use of statues of saints to decorate churches has biblical roots in the use of angels and other images that were used to decorate the Temple built by Solomon. The use of iamges of saints in religious icons representation in stain glass, is no different than how people on earth carry photos of their loved ones as reminders; except for the fact that images of saints remind us how to be more pleasing to God because of the role model of their lives.

This is a valuable resource which should be used by teachers of faith formation classes and RCIA.

True it is that there is one mediator between God and man. So, should I not ask you to pray for me? On the contrary, scripture commands us to pray for one another. To not do so would not be scriptural. And, can death separate us from one another? Are we "saved" only to care for ourselves? As St. Paul might have said, perish the thought!

To deny the presence of the cloud of witnesses and the communion of saints simply because they happen to have passed into the next life, is to deny Christ's victory over death. The biblical mandate to share one another's burdens is clear and the denial of any part of the body of Christ for a "just Jesus and me" Christianity is no Christianity at all. It is unbiblical and not historical.

In this easy to read and solid introduction, Patrick Madrid counters the common Protestant objections with 4 pillars of truth: 1) The church is Christ's body, 2) Christ has only one body (not one on earth and one in heaven), 3) Death does not separate Christians, and 4) Christians are called to love and serve one another. Mr. Madrid takes the offensive by asserting these truths from scripture and history rather than simply responding defensively to Protestant assertions. In so doing, he gives a positive and uplifting view of this and doctrines related to it such as purgatory, relics, and icons and statues. Being such a positive and inspiring work, it is ideal for sharing with your Protestant friends.

Very readable and very highly recommended. Well done.