Beginning Apologetics 4: How to Answer Atheists and New Agers [Paperback]

Frank Chacon (Author), Jim Burnham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 1999

Traces the roots of atheism and the New Age movement. Refutes their beliefs using sound philosophy and common sense.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

This clear, consise booklet examines the origins of Atheism and the New Age Movement and the many clever ways they are being promoted today. More importantly, it shows how to refute the core beliefs of these two popular ideologies. The authors provide compelling proofs for the existence of God, miracles, and an immortal soul. They also detail the inconsistencies of materialism, evolution, reincarnation, and Hindu pantheism. Not only is Beginning Apologetics 4 a superb summary (and critique) of two complex systems of thought, but it is also an excellent introduction to the much needed art of critical thinking.

About the Author

Father Chacon was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest for the Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico on May 13, 1989, by Bishop Jerome Hastrich. While a newly ordained priest, Father recognized the critical need for good, basic Catholic apologetics. He and Jim Burnham decided to collaborate and produce user-friendly Catholic apologetics materials.

Jim Burnham is director of the New Mexico Roman Catholic apologetics group, San Juan Catholic Seminars. He gives seminars on defending the Catholic faith throughout the country. Jim co-authored the book, Christian Fatherhood, with Steve Wood. He is a member of Catholic Answers' Speakers Bureau and appears regularly on Catholic Answers Radio.

Product Details

• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: San Juan Catholic Seminars; 2004 Revised edition (October 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930084056
• ISBN-13: 978-1930084056
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #348,579 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #61 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Theology > Apologetics

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quick Overview, November 28, 2007

By 

S & N (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beginning Apologetics 4: How to Answer Atheists and New Agers (Paperback)

This does a decent job of what it sets out to do. It gives a quick overview of some (Catholic) Christian arguments against other ideologies.

It is geared toward helping an uneducated believer to start to gain some understanding of some of the defenses of their faith.

As the atheist reviewer stated, this book will not make much difference to someone with a deep knowledge and/or investment in disbelief, but it might be enough to sway a more everyday half-hearted skeptic. But these are the people that Christians are more likely to help see the light anyway.

People who are strongly committed to a certain belief system (or disbelief system) usually need to experience some kind of trauma to shake up their view of the world.

That said, this does lack depth. I am unsure whether this is the writer's fault, or if is just because of the constraints made by the book's short length.

15 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Good Effort, November 25, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Beginning Apologetics 4: How to Answer Atheists and New Agers (Paperback)

I did not find the arguments in this little book to be much use to me, although perhaps others will. There is not enough information on any of the topics to really substantiate the points that the authors make. In fact, I think that if someone tried to use this book as a primary tool in a conversation with an intelligent and well-educated New Ager or atheist, he would be pretty much shredded. On the other hand, the type size was nice and big.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most important books I have ever found, October 2, 2009

By 

Bruce Bain "Romans 9:33/Remember Jackie Robinson" (Englewood, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beginning Apologetics 4: How to Answer Atheists and New Agers (Paperback)

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"Beginning Apologetics" appears rather like a kind of workbook. It is a brief outline of essential knowledge.

This is one of a series of books published as the "San Juan Catholic Seminars" and I have found that it sames me reading many volumes by reducing its philosophical and theological subjects to an outline.

It rather follows a chronological outline of the history of thought, and in that regard, I was happy to discover a simple outline of the ideas of Thomas Aquinas in the early pages. It is designed to provide arguments against Atheism, which is what the first half of the book is all about. The second half of the workbook is designed to address the subject of New Age ideas.

This is some of the most useful information I have ever found. Not only is it useful for my Christian understanding, it is useful knowledge for writing book reviews, and for engaging in active commentary on book reviews also.



For its price, this book just cannot be beat.


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