Apologetics [Paperback]

Paul J. Glenn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1980

Every educated Catholic has a duty to investigate the reasonableness of his religion and to be prepared to explain it to non-Catholics. This is part of being a soldier of Christ and a witness to the Truth. This book covers the proofs for the existence of God; His nature, attributes and actions on the world; the nature of religion; the necessity and fact of supernatural revelation; Christ the Redeemer, True God and true man; His Church--its marks and attributes; the necessity of the Church; plus, the bible as the true word of God. The author aims at arming his readers for the warfare of ideas which the Catholic must face in today's society.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: TAN Books and Publishers, Inc.; New edition edition (January 1, 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895551578
• ISBN-13: 978-0895551573
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #479,665 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like wine, this book only gets better with age., April 25, 2005

By 

Teófilo de Jesús "Vivificat's blogmaster" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apologetics (Paperback)

Experts agree that wine taste better with age and like wine, this book is not exception. Written by the Right Reverend Monsignor Paul J. Glenn, and first published in 1931, Apologetics: A Philosophic Defense and Explanation of the Catholic Religion, accomplishes in only 303 pages what the author set out to do: to draw from the Church's long repository of theology and philosophy and build a primer that every Catholic must read if he or she want to provide a sober, rigorous, and methodical defense of Catholic belief.

In the book's introduction, Monsignor Glenn offered a hard-hitting definition of what the science of apologetics strives to accomplish:

"Apologetics explains and justifies the Catholic religion as the true religion. That is to say, that Apologetics shows that the Catholic religion in its essentials, and in such individual doctrines as may be investigated by the unaided mind of man, is reasonable, right, and true; and it shows that the arguments used against the claims of the Catholic religion are unwarranted, unreasonable, and fallacious."

This is definitely a book that will go down like a bitter pill down the throats of profane ideologues and even of some "cafeteria" Catholics, for whom the certainties of the faith remind their consciences constantly of their sin and that's something that almost no one welcomes or want to hear.

Another good quote from the introduction:

"The truths that Apologetics establishes are these: That God exists, one, infinite, and all-perfect; the creator and conserver of the universe, the ruler of all things. That man is bound to recognize his utter dependence upon God by acknowledging Him and serving Him in the practice of the true religion. That the true religion is that of Our Lord Jesus Christ who is true God and true Man. That the true religion of Christ is that of the Catholic Church."

The author follows that plan in his book, moving from God, to Man, to Christ, to the Church.

As Pope Benedict XVI reminded us recently, relativism, the belief that Truth cannot be apprehended by anyone and that, therefore, one way to God is as good as other, is the core assumption of Western Culture. This classic book offers the right medicine for the right illness, at the right time.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent and to the point!, August 12, 2001

By 

Dan Belford (Steubenville, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apologetics (Paperback)

This is a great explanation of Catholic beliefs by a wise priest. It is not so much a listing of dogma but an explanation of why we believe what we believe. This book is loaded with common sense that everyone can and should learn. The first part examines the nature of God. It proves his existence, shows how he works in the world, discusses the fallacies in pantheism and atheism, and talks about the attributes 0f God. The second part examines the life of Christ. Why He was what He said He was and couldn't be anything else, how He proved Himself, and the resurrection. The last part goes on to prove the Catholic church was the one founded by the apostles. It discusses the early church, the nature of the true church, and the papacy. This book is a great apologetic work and you would not be wasting your money.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, September 19, 2008

By 

Bobby Bambino (Lebanon, NH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apologetics (Paperback)

A great beginning apologetics book! This and College Apologetics is the best place to start becuase it gives an overview of what kind of knowldge is needed in order to defend the faith.