Why We Catholic Apologists Do What We Do (Guest Comment by Ted Jenczewski)

Catholics can give more than adequate answers to Protestant "Bible thumpers"!

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Originally posted at the Coming Home Network forum:

As a revert I am convinced that good apologetics is a key ingredient in coming to understand the errors in Protestant theology and in coming home to the Catholic Church. I was always somewhat ashamed of my catholicity when the Protestant believer would ask questions like "Are you saved?". "Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus"? "Do you believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God"? "Have you accepted Jesus as your personal savior"? Do you realize the Catholic faith is a pagan religion?"

After the questions I would then be barraged with selected Bible verses that seem to support Protestant opinion on the Catholic Church, baptism, the real presence etc. Apologetics provides a very helpful guide to seeing and understanding ALL of the Scripture verses relating to a topic, the teaching of the early fathers on the topic, and the practice of the early Church. The truth of Catholic doctrine and practice becomes apparent. I did not have to devote a second career to reading all Church doctrine: its support in Scripture and Tradition, and Church history because the apologist has spent a lifetime doing that.

Apologetics points me to pertinent Bible verses and pertinent works of the fathers. I encourage everyone interested in the Catholic faith to start reading apologetics, alongside the Bible and a good book containing the works of the fathers. Life will never be the same again.

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I replied:

Hi Ted,

That was such an eloquent comment on the purpose and nature of [Catholic] apologetics that I'd like to put it on my blog. You hit the nail on the head, I think, of what motivates the apologist to do what he does. It's all about promoting a confident Catholicism, and Catholics able to provide answers to all the usual questions, from the Bible wherever possible, so that Protestants can relate to it.

Thanks so much!

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