Books That Explain Catholic Beliefs



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Dear Catholic Exchange:

My husband is not Catholic and he frequently asks me questions regarding my faith. I need help explaining Catholic beliefs to him. Can you please recommend any literature regarding this subject?

Thank you,

Carolyn Rhinehart

Dear Carolyn,

Thank you for your email requesting materials for relating the faith to your husband.

The following books are excellent for explaining what Catholics believe and why, often providing detailed scriptural support for Church teachings:

&#8226 Catholic for a Reason: Scripture and the Mystery of the Family of God edited by Scott Hahn and Leon Suprenant (Emmaus Road Publishing)

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

&#8226 Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Karl Keating (Ignatius Press)

&#8226 The Spirit of Catholicism by Karl Adam (Franciscan University Press)

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

&#8226 Fundamentals of the Faith by Peter Kreeft (Ignatius Press)

&#8226 Handbook of Christian Apologetics by Peter Kreeft and Ron Tacelli (InterVarsity Press)

&#8226 Introduction to Mary by Dr. Mark Miravalle (Queenship Publishing)

&#8226 Mary the Second Eve by John Henry Cardinal Newman (TAN Books)

The following books chronicle the conversion stories of evangelical Protestants who have come into the Catholic Church:

&#8226 Crossing the Tiber by Stephen Ray (Ignatius Press)

&#8226 Rome Sweet Home by Scott and Kimberly Hahn (Ignatius Press)

&#8226 Surprised by Truth edited by Patrick Madrid (Basilica Press)

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

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

&#8226 This is My Body: An Evangelical Discovers the Real Presence by Mark Shea (Christendom Press)

The following books present a general overview of Church teachings and the scriptural passages that support each of those teachings:

&#8226 A Biblical Defense of Catholicism by Dave Armstrong (Sophia Institute Press)

&#8226 More Biblical Evidence for Catholicism: Companion to A Biblical Defense of Catholicism by Dave Armstrong (1st Books)

&#8226 Where is That in the Bible? by Patrick Madrid (Our Sunday Visitor)

&#8226 Bible Basics: An Introductory Study Guide to the Catholic Faith by Steve Kellmeyer (Basilica Press)

The following books present in-depth, well-researched presentations of all the arguments from Scripture and Church history for Catholic teaching on the papacy and sola scriptura, respectively:

&#8226 Jesus, Peter, and the Keys by Butler, Dahlgren, and Hess (Queenship Publishing)

&#8226 Not By Scripture Alone by Robert Sungenis (Queenship Publishing)

&#8226 Pope Fiction by Patrick Madrid (Basilica Press)

The following books focus on the history of the Church. They are helpful in showing that the earliest Christians did in fact hold the beliefs (regarding the Eucharist, the papacy, etc.) that Catholics still hold today; in showing the Church’s essential role in the development of the canon of Scripture; and in understanding some of the issues behind the Reformation:

&#8226 Where We Got the Bible: Our Debt to the Catholic Church by Rev. Henry G. Graham (Catholic Answers)

&#8226 Early Christian Writings (Penguin Books)

&#8226 Ecclesiastical History or History of the Church by Eusebius (Penguin Books)

&#8226 The Compact History of the Catholic Church by Alan Schreck (Servant Books)

&#8226 Church History by John Joseph Laux (TAN Books).

There is also a wealth of audiotapes available through Catholic bookstores and publishers that can be helpful. Scott and Kimberly Hahn are especially helpful in this area since they came to the faith as Presbyterians. We also recommend tapes by Curtis Martin, Patrick Madrid, and Fr. Benedict Groeschel. You can purchase tapes by any of these speakers and the books listed above through Benedictus Books (888-316-2640). Members of Catholics United for the Faith receive a standard 10% discount.

Please feel free to call us at 1-800-MY FAITH or email us with any further questions on this or any other subject. If you have found this information to be helpful, please consider a donation to CUF to help sustain this service. You can call the toll-free line, visit us at www.cuf.org, or send your contribution to the address below. Thank you for your support as we endeavor to “support, defend, and advance the efforts of the teaching Church.”

United in the Faith,

Eric Stoutz

Information Specialist

Catholics United for the Faith

827 North Fourth Street

Steubenville, OH 43952

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

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