Are There Any Good Resources on Teen Apologetics Written for Teens?

Dear Catholic Exchange,

Thank you for your help,

Billy

Dear Billy,

Peace in Christ!

Currently there are not many Catholic books in publication on apologetics that are specifically geared for teens. The following is not an exhaustive list, but should be generally quite helpful. Most are not designed as textbooks but they can be adapted for classroom use.

**Best Things in Life, by Peter Kreeft (Intervarsity Press, 1984). This gets the young reader to ask the right questions.

**Handbook of Christian Apologetics: Hundreds of Answers to Crucial Questions, by Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli (Intervarsity Press, 1994).

**The Case for Christianity, by C. S. Lewis (Broadman & Holman, 2000). A classic. It removes obstacles to faith for non-believers.

**Catholicism and Reason: Creed and Apologetics, by Edward J. Hayes, Paul J. Hayes, and James J. Drummey (C. R. Publications, 1996). Excellent material. The content is especially good, though the presentation is not flashy. It is part of their high school catechetical series.

&#8226 Did Adam & Eve Have Bellybuttons . . . And 199 other questions from Catholic Teenagers, by Matthew J. Pinto (Ascension Press, 1998). This is not set up specifically as an apologetics book, but it is a very good resource for questions that teens ask about the faith.

&#8226 By What Authority?: An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition, by Mark P. Shea (Our Sunday Visitor, 1996).

&#8226 This Is My Body: An Evangelical Discovers the Real Presence, by Mark P. Shea (Christendom Press, 1993).

&#8226 Catholic for a Reason: Scripture and the Mystery of the Family of God, edited by Scott Hahn (Emmaus Road, 1998).

&#8226 Catholic for a Reason II: Scripture and the Mystery of the Mother of God, edited by Leon Suprenant, Jr. (Emmaus Road, 2000).

&#8226 Catholic Apologetics: God, Christianity and the Church, Vol. 4, by Fr. John Laux (Tan, 1994). Part of a religion series by Fr. Laux for teens.

&#8226 Catholicism and Fundamentalism: The Attack on “Romanism” by “Bible Christians,” by Karl Keating (Ignatius Press 1988).

&#8226 What Catholics Really Believe, by Karl Keating (Ignatius Press, 2000).

&#8226 Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic, by David Currie (Ignatius Press, 1996).

**Beginning Apologetics, a series by Fr. Frank Chacon and Jim Burnham (San Juan Catholic Seminars). This is a series of affordable paperback booklets, most are 40 pages long. The volumes are: (1) “How to Explain and Defend the Catholic Faith” (2) “How to Answer Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons” (2.5) “Yes! You Should Believe in the Trinity” (3) “How do Explain and Defend the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist” (4) “How to Answer Atheists and New Agers” (5) “How to Answer the Tough Moral Questions.” (6) “How to Explain and Defend Marian Doctrines.” There is a study guide titled Study Guide for Beginning Apologetics 1 by Jim Burnham and Steve Wood. The following website for San Juan Catholic Seminars gives more information on this series: http://www.catholicapologetics.com/index01.htm.

You may wish to order books from Benedictus Books at 800-398-5470 (CUF members receive a 10% discount). Online, these titles can be found either at Amazon or Barnes & Noble. The titles marked by ** are especially recommended as good places to start and are the resources most accessible to teens. The Beginning Apologetics series is very affordable and is clearly written with beginners in mind. With the study guide, Beginning Apologetics would be quite easily adaptable into a multiple-lesson arrangement for classroom use.

If you have further questions on this or would like more information about Catholics United for the Faith, please contact us at 1-800-MY-FAITH (693-2484). Please keep us in your prayers as we endeavor to “support, defend, and advance the efforts of the teaching Church.”

United in the Faith,

Amy Barragree

Information Specialist

Catholics United for the Faith

827 North Fourth Street

Steubenville, OH 43952

800-MY-FAITH (800-693-2484)