7. Apologetics & Explaining the Faith

A Map of Life by Sheed, F.J.

John Bergsma’s popular Bible Basics for Catholics, which has sold more than 60,000 copies, offers readers an accessible vision of salvation history as it unfolds in the Bible, showing readers how the Bible points us to the saving life and work of Jesus. This new edition includes an additional chapter on covenant fulfillment in the Book of Revelation. Bergsma brings to his theology a combination of academic expertise, pastoral wisdom, and unique playfulness. Bible Basics for Catholics is based on Bergsma’s popular Introduction to Theology course at Steubenville. As a teacher, Bergsma has an uncanny ability to make complex ideas understandable and faith-inspiring while staying true to both Catholic teaching and biblical scholarship. Readers will begin to see the Christian understanding of salvation by walking through the Old Testament, going through the great stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, the great kings and prophets of Israel, and culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Page numbers: 224

Captive Flames by Ronald Knox

Is it possible to transform the world to make it more in line with God's dreams? For Mariano Fazio the task of contributing to the building up of society is an exciting apostolic project, which Christians must carry out with the help of the Lord's grace. "To recompose what we have broken with sin, to contribute to building up the kingdom of God (...), a kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace. The Lord calls us to all this. This book clarifies the role of Christians in today's society and how they must act to transform it from within, as Jesus Christ did.

Project Gutenberg - Confessions of a Convert by R.H. Benson

You can't keep the faith unless you give it away. That's a fact. To be a Christian is to be an evangelizer. When the Catholic Church calls us to a "New Evangelization," that's simply a reminder to us of what has always been true. The good news is: you can do it - you can evangelize - and Scott Hahn shows you how. In this this very practical "mission manual" Dr. Hahn equips you with: A guide to understanding what the New Evangelization is, and who it's really for A roadmap that leads you to where it all happens (hint: it's closer than you think) A simple, beautiful message to share - in words and actions You don't need esoteric knowledge. You don't need to master a new set of skills. Evangelization, for Catholics, is simply friendship raised up to the highest level. Enter a deeper friendship with Christ, and you'll want to share his companionship more and more with a wider circle of friends. Page numbers: 119

The extraordinary vision and panache of Scott Hahn’s books have made Catholic theology thrilling and accessible for millions of readers inside and far beyond the boundaries of the Church. In First Comes Love, he not only reflects on the nitty-gritty of life, love, relationships, marriage and family but shows how the family draws us into the mystery of God. In recent years we have seen the family, as an institution, in decline, often portrayed as a place of repression and fear rather than of openness and love. Most marriages end, bitterly, in divorce. Yet, argues Hahn, our only hope of regaining happiness and wholeness lies not in attacking the family but in a recovery of our understanding of the family as the heart of God’s plan for creation. Theology and biblical interpretation take on the excitement of an adventure story is this irresistible and often moving reflection on love, the family, the Trinity, and the Church. This new edition includes a new chapter by the author. Page numbers: 224

“Brant Pitre is one of the most compelling theological writers on the scene today.” –Bishop Robert Barron Bestselling author of Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist casts new light on the Virgin Mary, illuminating her role in the Old and New Testaments. Are Catholic teachings on Mary really biblical? Or are they the "traditions of men"? Should she be called the "Mother of God," or just the mother of Jesus? Did she actually remain a virgin her whole life or do the "brothers of Jesus" refer to her other children? By praying to Mary, are Catholics worshipping her? And what does Mary have to do with the quest to understand Jesus? In Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary, Dr. Pitre takes readers step-by-step from the Garden of Eden to the Book of Revelation to reveal how deeply biblical Catholic beliefs about Mary really are. Dr. Pitre uses the Old Testament and Ancient Judaism to unlock how the Bible itself teaches that Mary is in fact the new Eve, the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven and Earth, and the new Ark of the Covenant. Page numbers: 242

Bestselling author Hahn, a convert to Catholicism, explains the "how and why" of the Catholic faith--through Scripture, his own struggles and questions, and through the experiences of everyday life as well as natural science. Page numbers: 250

At a time when so many people are spiritually disillusioned and searching for ways to live, love, work, and play that nurture the soul rather than destroy it, Matthew Kelly once again delivers a powerful book that encourages us in our weariness, challenges us in our comfort, and invites us to rediscover the beautiful possibilities God places before us daily.Rediscover Jesus is a profound invitation to seek deeply personal answers to our deeply personal questions. Each page seems to effortlessly reach into every aspect our lives, providing spiritual wisdom and practical insights that help us to know both Jesus and ourselves in a new way.Some books find us at just the right time, and those books change our lives forever. Rediscover Jesus is one of those books. Page numbers: 187

St. Justin Martyr's The Apologies (comprising the First Apology addressed to Emperor Antoninus Pius and the Second Apology to the Roman Senate) is a defense of Christianity against pagan accusations of atheism, immorality, and disloyalty to the empire. It explains Christian beliefs, worship practices like the Eucharist, and moral teachings, while refuting misunderstandings through philosophical reasoning and appeals to justice and reason. Theologically, it holds significance as one of the earliest systematic apologetics, affirming Christ's divinity, the resurrection, and the compatibility of faith with Roman law, influencing later patristic defenses of the faith.

The Belief of Catholics by Knox, R.

“This book will prove to be a most effective weapon… against the debunking and skeptical attitudes toward the Gospels that are so prevalent, not only in academe, but also on the street, among young people who, sadly, are leaving the Churches in droves.” – Robert Barron, author of Catholicism For well over a hundred years now, many scholars have questioned the historical truth of the Gospels, claiming that they were originally anonymous. Others have even argued that Jesus of Nazareth did not think he was God and never claimed to be divine. In The Case for Jesus, Dr. Brant Pitre, the bestselling author of Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, goes back to the sources—the biblical and historical evidence for Christ—in order to answer several key questions, including: • Were the four Gospels really anonymous? • Are the Gospels folklore? Or are they biographies? • Were the four Gospels written too late to be reliable? • What about the so-called “Lost Gospels,” such as “Q” and the Gospel of Thomas? • Did Jesus claim to be God? • Is Jesus divine in all four Gospels? Or only in John? • Did Jesus fulfill the Jewish prophecies of the Messiah? • Why was Jesus crucified? • What is the evidence for the Resurrection? As The Case for Jesus will show, recent discoveries in New Testament scholarship, as well as neglected evidence from ancient manuscripts and the early church fathers, together have the potential to pull the rug out from under a century of skepticism toward the traditional Gospels. Above all, Pitre shows how the divine claims of Jesus of Nazareth can only be understood by putting them in their ancient Jewish context. Page numbers: 258

The Faith Explained by Leo J. Trese

Theology and Sanity by Sheed, F.J.

Theology for Beginners by Sheed, F.J.