Customer Reviews

Controversies: High-Level Catholic Apologetics

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4 star:		(2)
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I give this book a 4 star because it got me more interested in the controversies surrounding the conversion of such men as Newman, Lunn and Knox. Unfortunately it is very difficult to find any of the books listed (other than Newman's apologia). I also ran across what I think to be a better summary of the conflict between Thurston and G.G. Coulton over H.C. Lea in Fr. Shannon's "Medieval Inquisition". Undoubtedly the best section in "Controversies" is Thurston's battle with Coulton over Lea. If anyone is interested in the Medieval Inquisition I would recommend Bernard Hamilton and Walter Ullmann (which in my opinion is the only reason to get the Fr. Shannon book as well, for the quotes from Ullman and Thurston).

It was nice of Karl Keating to let the authors speak for themselves mostly, keeping his introduction brief and merely setting up the history of the characters. Also, though I am not a fan of Belloc's lack of referencing, I do engoy Belloc's prose and sense of humour. Despite the length, the book is a quick read.

If you're interested in England's modern defenders of the Catholic Church, this book is for you. Karl Keating dives into the lives of John Henry Newman, Hilaire Belloc, Ronald Knox, and more--and takes a look into their most famous works and apologetic encounters. He not only details their backgrounds and biographies, but their most famous apologetic encounters as well. I would say that this book is more of a history/biography of theological controversies and the men who took them on than an actual guide to the apologetic methods of refuting attacks on the Catholic faith.

If you're interested in the history behind these debates, this book is for you. Keating successfully allows the writings of the men themselves to "tell the story" behind the altercations, which allows the reader to dive into the source texts. Everything is faithfully footnoted and cited, which makes for easy studying. Recommended for Catholics interested in modern heology from a historical and "boots on the ground" perspective.