Apologetics: A Philosophic Defense and Explanation of the Catholic Religion Paperback – January 1, 1980

Thank you.

Msgr. Paul Glenn (College of St. Charles Borromeo, Columbus) wrote in the Preface to this 1931 book, "This textbook was written in a sincere effort to supply what is felt as a distinct need. It tries to present a clear and logical statement of the philosophy, the reason, that is back of the Catholic religion... It tries to offer a course of training that will make Catholic students understand that they have a warfare to conduct, but not a 'warring against flesh and blood'; that they are soldiers active for Christ, not to inflict the shame of a defeat, but to share in the glory of a victory..." (Pg. vii)

He notes, "In Scripture we read that God made the world in six days. The Hebrew word 'yom' is rendered by 'day' in the English translation of the Bible. But 'yom' really means a period of undetermined length. It matters not whether God willed (from eternity) that the world should develop slowly or quickly into its present form. In any case, there were six periods of stages of development in the work. This does not mean that the world 'evolved' or that it did not; it merely means that six definite stages of creation are a revealed truth... it also means that man's creation was a separate and distinct creation---a special act by which God breathed upon the face of man and man became a living soul. The six days of creation are not solar or sun days, for the sun was not made until the fourth day of creation. Whether they were long or short periods we do not know. Experimental science seems to indicate that they were very, very long." (Pg. 85-86)

He asserts, "Deists say that God has made the world, but has ceased to care for it, and has tossed it aside as a child tosses a toy of which it has grown tired; but this doctrine... denies the Divine Wisdom, for certainly it would be unwise in the Creator to make the world for an end, and then to care nothing whether that end were attained." (Pg. 98)

He admits, "When we come to the question of just why such and such evils afflict such and such men, we cannot, of course, make answer. The thing is a mystery. We must simply trust God... We must know, from the thousand evident expressions of care, that there is a reason for the affliction, or it simply would not be." (Pg. 100)

He says, "We call this exemption of the Blessed Mother her Immaculate Conception, and declare it to be an immunity from all trace of original sin, wrought in her behalf by the special providence of God, in view of the merits to be won by her Divine Son. The matter is divinely revealed, but ... it is also clearly approved by reason." (Pg. 167-168)

He explains, "Christ forgave sins, not as the priests of His Church do, i.e., by authority communicated to them by God. The priests of God's Church really do forgive sin; they do not merely declare it forgiven. But their power to forgive sin is RECEIVED in their ordination; and comes down to them through the long succession of bishops who are the successors of the Apostles, to whom Christ committed the power." (Pg. 189)

He argues, "Other bodies of Christians may claim a few martyrs; the Catholic Church points to her thousands and tens of thousands of martyrs. Martyrdom alone is not a proof of truth, for men may die for a mistake, they may even die for what they know to be untrue. But thousands and thousands of men and women and children do not die for one and the same thing... unless the thing be true and worthy." (Pg. 267)

He also contends, "The Greek Orthodox Church seems to have gone to shreds since the World War, and it takes no unkindly observer to notice that Protestantism as a religion is dead... Indeed, many outstanding clergymen of different Protestant groups preach openly that Jesus Christ is not God! Nor have Protestant sects, or Protestantism if you prefer the term, kept the morality of Christ's Church intact... Indeed, we should find it hard to define the term Protestantism and to declare what, in way of religion, it really stands for." (Pg. 269)

He advises Catholic apologists to state, "why, in God's name, do you profess a religion that you are not ABSOLUTELY SURE is the true religion? You are not mentally honest if you do profess such a religion. You have no right to teach it to your children if you are not absolutely certain that it is the truth... My position is the only logical position; I DO know that I am right, and in knowing it, I've GOT to know that those who believe differently are wrong. It is not a monstrous claim; it is common sense. I did not invent my religion... I have accepted my faith as a gift of God, but I have incontrovertible EVIDENCE that... I must take and value above all in the world." (Pg. 278-279)

This book hearkens back to a much earlier era in Catholic apologetics (pre-Karl Keating and Scott Hahn, for instance), but it still has value for modern students of Catholic apologetics.

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.

wuld like it on kindle