summer endeavor.

[Fides_et_Ratio]

Only, not like you think.

It's so frustrating being mostly familiar with the same old Protestant arguments and knowing how to refute them... and it's frustrating living at home again where my friends and my faith don't quite mix.

Thus, my summer idea. I'd do it now, but then it would take away even more time from studying, and that wouldn't be a good thing... but during the summer, I'll have lots of time.

I'm going to read as many anti-Catholic books as I can. James White, James McCarthy, Ron Rhodes, Norman Geisler... you name 'em, I'm going to read them. I know it won't be easy, and it isn't normally something I'd recommend someone do (especially if they aren't familar with apologetics, or steady in their Catholic faith)... but I'd really like to be better familiar with the "other" point of view, pick up a little better just exactly where they miss the Truth and beauty of the Church. I also plan on spending some serious extra time in prayer and in receiving the Sacraments to keep up my strength (and patience!). I contemplated leaving sticky notes in the book refuting some main things, but decided that it might not be entirely appropriate, and also that I want to try and give an unbiased reading of it (which, I know, impossible to be completely "unbiased"... but I want to give them a fair shot).

I'm putting this here (so I can remind myself of my idea later on), and also so anyone can suggest books and authors. I am familiar with only a limited number of books, but I'm sure that many well-versed Protestants read more.

So... any suggestions?

(OH, also, I am NOT spending my hard earned money on this endeavor... the main library downtown has copies of EVERYTHING (and boy, do I mean EVERYTHING!) I quickly browsed on my way out today just to make sure... and there was more there than I'd be able to read all summer!)

[StColette]

Anything by John Hagee, I believe that's how you spell it, he's really anti-Catholic.

Edited October 23, 2005 by StColette

[shortnun]

"The Left Behind Series" by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B Jenkins.

I'm sure you've heard of them. Kirk Cameron was the lead actor in the Hallmark Channel movie version of them. They're based on a literal (fundamental) interpretation of the Book of Revelation and the end of the world. Notorious for their negative view of the Catholic Church (and the papacy), but still are works of fiction. And, if you read them as such (fiction), they can actually be quite entertaining.

[StColette]

Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins also have some Apologetics books of sorts. My sister had some of them I made her get rid of them because they were extremely anti-Catholic.

[photosynthesis]

what about getting old-school and looking at some of the older Protestant theologians who made up all the false doctrines?

[phatcatholic]

here's a short list:

"Roman Catholicism" by Loraine Boettner
"Fifty Years in the Church of Rome" by Charles Chiniquy
"A Woman Rides the Beast" by Dave Hunt
"The Gospel According to Rome" by James G. McCarthy
"Awful Disclosures" by Maria Monk
"Reasoning from the Scriptures with Catholics" by Ron Rhodes
"The Ten Most Important Things You Can Say to a Catholic" by Ron Rhodes
"Evangelical Answers" by Eric Svendsen
"Upon This Slippery Rock: Countering Roman Catholic Claims to Authority" by Eric Svendsen
"The Matthew 16 Controversy: Peter and the Rock" by William Webster
"Church of Rome at the Bar of History" by William Webster
"The Roman Catholic Controversy" by James R. White

haha, this should be fun.....

[Fides_et_Ratio]

Also adding (as a mental note.. feel free to add if anyone else has more suggestions):

Alexander Hislop "The Two Babylons"
Ralph Woodrow "Babylon Mystery Religion"
Richard Bennett "Far From Rome"
John Foxe "Foxe's Book of Martyrs"

[phatcatholic]

ohhhh, good call!! those are some must-reads as well :