Customer Reviews

Apologetics

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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.

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.

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.